While Angel rushes to Sunnydale, and Buffy's suspicions about Spike grow, Connor bonds with Principal Wood

"Buffy is going to kill him."

"No she's not."

"You think he can take her?," Cordy asks with a smile that alarms Angel.

"My son is not a killer."

"But he is a fighter. And Buffy fights to the death."

"Buffy would never kill a human being."

"Assuming she knows Connor's a human being. She might not figure it out until the stake's gone through his heart." Angel can hardly bare to think about this. What makes it even worse is that it seems so likely.

"Connor's never even left LA. He'd have an easier time finding his way to Quor Toth than Sunnydale."

"The scary thing is, he'd probably be safer in Quor Toth. We need to get to Sunnydale and find Connor before he finds Buffy."

"We're not going to Sunnydale. And he'd never try to hurt Buffy. What's she ever done to him?"

"What did you ever do to him? Someone's manipulating him. Just like before."

"I need to talk to him."

"Great insight there."

"Once the sun sets, I'll track him."

"Could be too late by then."

"What choice do I have?"

"Go to Sunnydale right now and head him off."

"What if he doesn't go there?"

"Then we luck out. Besides, there are other targets of interest. Spike, for one."

"Spike's not the one who told him those things. He couldn't have been."

"Spike shows up, and pretty soon Connor's hopping mad for a whole heap of new reasons." She shows him the mutilated yearbook picture of Buffy. "This is Spike's doing. He's trying to make Connor do what he's too much of a loser to do himself: kill Buffy."

"Connor's smarter than that. He'd never be manipulated by Spike."

"Unlike that evil genius Justine," Cordy scoffs.

"Since when would Connor become friends with a vampire?"

"Good point. Then again, Spike is a vampire who hates you. That could count for something."

"I know my son. He'd kill Spike before Buffy."

"Sounds like a plan. For us." Angel looks like he's about to faint. "The first part, silly. We kill Spike. Which is a good outcome in any scenario. Then we grab Connor, talk some sense into him, and take him home before he ever meets Buffy."

"Interesting plan. But what if you're wrong, and Connor never goes to Sunnydale?"

"Spike still dies. Like I said, win-win."

"But what about that thing Lorne said about him having a soul?" Cordy laughs.

"Even with a soul, Spike's no champion. He goes from being a menace to society to a waste of space. And who's to say he's not still killing? Did he act like a good guy when we saw him?"

"No. He encouraged me to kill all of you, then sucker-punched me in the kitchen before leaving with Connor."

"We'll be doing Sunnydale, and the world, a huge favor. Who's gonna miss him? Who's gonna stop us?"

Buffy marches into Xander's apartment. "He's still asleep," Xander informs her. Buffy opens the door. Spike shoots out of bed, naked. Buffy turns away. Spike covers his lower half.

"You didn't use to be so bashful." She punches him in the face. "Now that's more like it."

"Do you remember the names of any of the girls you talked' to last night?"

"Why? I didn't do anything with them, if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not. I'm worried about what you did TO them."

"If I were killing again, do you think I'd return night after night to Xander's place, lying in wait just in case you want to stake me during the day? Think about it, Buffy."

"Do you know a girl named Janice?" Spike looks confused.

"You mean Dawn's old friend?"

"She's missing."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"How about Kit? Or Meghan? Or Laura? Or Vanessa? They're all missing. Them, and many more."

"And you think I killed them? Go ahead. Stake me if it'll make you sleep better at night." He holds his arms out, letting go of the sheet. Buffy turns away again. "Can't stand to look at me? A stake through the heart will take care of that."

"Stop it."

"If you really thought I wus killing, you'd do away with me. But you can't. You know wut that tells me?"

"No. And I don't care." Buffy walks out.

"What happened?"

"Don't let Spike out."

"You could help with that, you know."

"If it's someone else who's killing those girls, I have to be out on the street to catch them."

Once it's dark out, Angel quickly follows his son's scent to the bus station. "What did I tell you?," Cordy reminds him. They both race inside. Cordelia asks the guy behind the counter a few questions before running back to Angel.

"A bus to Sunnydale left forty minutes ago." Angel gets worried. For the first time, he seriously believes Connor's going after Buffy. "I hope he's not riding on top of it."

Nope. Connor bought a one-way ticket. He takes a window seat, and looks at the scenery as the sun slowly sets. Angel and Cordy are in hot pursuit. As he drives, Angel talks with Wesley on the phone. "You're sure that's where he went?"

"Wesley, add up the evidence."

"I suppose. It's still hard to believe. What possible grievance could Connor have against her?"

"From what he told Cordy, I think Connor's always had a strong attachment to his mother."

"Even when he saw Holtz as his father?" Darla and Holtz - there's one scary odd couple.

"She was already dead. Holtz had no reason to vilify her. And the less he said she did, the more crimes he could heap on me."

"He couldn't have ever said anything nice about her."

"He didn't need to. Connor knows who he came out of."

"Which makes Buffy into a sort of wicked stepmother. I needn't tell you how bizarre, and disturbing, that is."

"The two most important women in Connor's life are Darla and Cordy. Neither of whom Buffy holds in high esteem."

"Wait," Cordy interjects. "You don't think I'm to blame for this? I never said one word to Connor about Buffy."

"I already told the others," Angel reports.

"Then why tell me?"

"You're the only one who knows Buffy. If they have any questions - "

"I'll be sure to debrief Fred. And also answer any question Charles or Lorne have as well." Angel hangs up.

"How did this happen?"

"He locks you in a box for three months, and now you start asking questions. Hey, would he have a similar plan for Buffy?"

"She's human."

"Again, he might not know that. Do we even know if Connor knows what Slayers are?"

"Fred took away his taser, right?"

But the night is still young, and Connor's curious about this Mouth of Hell thingy. He can feel the energy intensify the closer he gets to the high school. Connor's never been in a school before. He looks into the classrooms as he walks down the hall. When Connor get to the source, he looks into Principal Wood's office. He figures this guy is some sort of gatekeeper. Robin hears the door open and close, and looks up to see who's there. He sees no one in front of him. "Over here." Wood turns in his chair and gasps. But then he looks behind Connor, and sees his reflection in the window. Wood stands up and catches his breath.

"Can I help you?"

"What's your job?" That seemed like an odd question.

"I'm the principal."

"What's that?" Connor knows what principles are, and can't quite comprehend how this man could be one.

"I run the school. Which, I'm guessing, you don't attend."

"I never went to school."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"That's the least of my problems." That wasn't reassuring. "Why are you sitting on top of evil?"

"You know about the Hellmouth?"

"I know it's right beneath us." Okay then. So this boy is either evil or good. Wood's still leaning towards evil.

"Were you sent here to help?" Connor smiles.

"I guess. I came to kill demons." Robin lets out a small sigh of relief. Connor smiles. "Did you think I was one?"

"No. No. Of course not."

"Don't worry. I get that a lot."

"You're rather young for a demon fighter."

"I've been hunting them my whole life."

"Me too. Well, the actual hunting's only been for the last decade or so."

"That means I have more experience." Robin laughs, but notices that Connor doesn't look like he's joking. This a strange, scary boy.

"My name's Robin Wood." Connor shakes his hand.

"I'm Connor."

"I get it. Keeping your anonymity."

"No. That's my whole name."

"Okay then."

"Wanna help me kill vampires?"

"Sure. But, it's a little early. They usually don't come out in force until around nine. Maybe we could train. I could teach a few moves."

"No you couldn't."

"The vampires around here are pretty tough."

"I've fought tougher."

"I admire the eagerness. But you always have to play it safe. How bout you show me what you can do." Connor smirks. Now for the fun part.

They're in the gym. "I'll try to go easy on you," Connor assures Wood. This is a funny kid. Wood tries to sweep his legs. Connor leaps in the air and hits Robin in the left shoulder with a right hook kick. He tumbles to the ground.

"No bad," he concedes, rubbing his shoulder.

"I'm not sure you're tough enough for me to take along. Wouldn't want you to get hurt." Now the boy was clearly baiting him. Wood sends a left jab for Connor's stomach, which he blocks, then a right uppercut, which he also blocks. Connor deflects a right kick and pushes his right hand against Robin's chest, knocking him on his butt, which slides for ten feet along the gym floor. Robin starts to put everything together. This is no ordinary boy. Connor is some sort of champion, sent to aide him and Buffy. Wood smiles and goes on the attack, no longer holding back. Connor blocks jabs, crosses and hooks meant for his face, ducks a right roundhouse kick, swerves his head out of the path of a straight left kick, and kicks Wood in the stomach, sending him flying through the air. Connor rushes over. "Are you okay?"

"Great," Wood says as he stands up. "You're a very gifted young man." Connor smiles. Back in LA, everyone either takes his gifts for granted or sees him as a freak. "Can you touch that rim?"

"With what?"

"You hands." Connor laughs.

"You're serious?" Wood nods. Connor runs off, leaps from the three point arc at the top of the key and grabs on, his legs swinging back and forth from the momentum. He laughs and leaps back to the ground. "That was fun." He wanted to play ball over the summer, but Gunn wouldn't let him, since he'd attract way too much attention, and possibly knock someone unconscious if they elbowed or otherwise fouled him during the game. Wood just stares at Connor with astonishment. He's seen that look before. In Holtz's eyes.