AUTHOR'S NOTE Back for another chapter! This chapter has elements of Harry Potter thrown in for fun, just to warn you. And quickly, the only reason that Buffy agrees to the mission is Quentin's promise of her retirement. The fact that the Council could easily do it on it's own is a moot point, because then there would be no crossover and no fun.

DISCLAIMER I don't own Buffy, Willow, the Council, or Manticore. Or anyone else in this story.

Chapter Three: In Which Buffy Receives Her Mission

Buffy glared at the Watcher before her. "What is this all about?" she asked none to politely.

"I understand your annoyance, Miss Summers," Travers began. "But I trust that you will see the urgency of this situation. Both of you."

After another moment of silence, Willow spoke. "What exactly is this situation?"

Travers sighed. "What I am about to tell you will sound impossible and slightly absurd. But this is a matter of utmost importance, I urge you to remember."

"Out with it!" Buffy said impatiently.

"As you wish." He opened a desk drawer and removed a file. Spreading out its contents, he said simply, "This is Manticore."

Buffy and Willow looked at the information, then back to him blankly. "What's Manticore?" Buffy asked.

"Manticore is a branch operation of the Watcher's Council. It began as an experiment much in vein of the operation called the Initiative. However, our plans for Manticore involve crossing human DNA with that of animals and demons, thus creating super soldiers. Some are, essentially, enhanced humans. Others are bred specifically for certain conditions – deserts, arctic regions, underwater, et cetera."

"You're sick," Buffy spat.

"It is a noble effort," Travers retorted hotly. "However, there are problems. Some of the transgenics will escape."

"Trans-whatties?" Willow asked.

"Transgenics. It is the technical term for the enhanced human soldiers. Twelve will escape and one will return years later to liberate the facility and release the demons into the rest of the world. This, we cannot allow. This is what we need you to stop."

Buffy's head was reeling. She was furious. "Go to Hell!" she snapped. "How dare you call me out of retirement to clean up one of your messes!" She angrily stood up. "Find someone else to do your dirty work."

Meanwhile, Willow sat quietly. "Why are you talking about this breakout as if it hadn't happened yet?" she finally asked.

"Because it hasn't."

Buffy stopped her flight to the door. "What?"

"The escape of the twelve X5 children has not occurred yet," Travers continued calmly. "Therefore, the later liberation of the facility has not either. We need you and the witch to go forward and stop it."

"If it hasn't happened yet, then why don't you just scrap the whole, disgusting Manticore idea?" Buffy asked coldly.

Travers laughed. "My dear, it is far too late for that. Manticore is already in operation. The twelve escapees are already well underway through their training. They will not escape until the winter of 2009."

"So why don't you just stop them and be done with it? Better yet, why don't you just kill them now?" Buffy was never one for putting up with bullshit.

Willow looked at her friend. "We can't do that! We can't kill innocent kids!" She looked at the information again. "It says here that they're nine years old when they escape. That means they're only four years old now!"

Buffy reluctantly looked at the information. Pictures of twelve young children, all with barcodes underneath, stared up at her. She sat back down, defeated. No, they couldn't kill twelve children. "Fine. But why me? Why do I have to do this? Isn't there some other way to stop this? You know about it now, why not just stop it while you can?"

"Buffy Summers, you are the Slayer."

Buffy scoffed. "One of many."

Quentin Travers glared. "You are the Slayer. You are an anomaly. You have faced down enemies that destroyed the Council. You have died twice and yet here you sit before me."

Buffy looked severely uncomfortable at that last part and Willow blushed with shame. Travers turned his attention to her. "And you, Miss Rosenberg. You are in possession of powerful magic. You have performed a Gypsy curse of restoration. You have raised the dead. You had it within you to destroy our world and yet you did not. You called all the world's Slayers. Together, the two of you are the only thing that can take down this deranged anti-soldier. This X5-452."

Buffy glared at Travers behind his desk. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "So say, hypothetically, that we decide to help you. Everything you've just told us is dependent on the idea of us going forward in time to whenever this demon breakout is supposed to take place."

"2020," he supplied.

"Whatever. That can't happen!"

"Yes it can," Willow muttered quietly.

"What?" Buffy turned to her friend incredulously. "What are you talking about?"

"Time travel can happen," Willow repeated. "When I was here for rehabilitation after…I learned about it. Only the most advanced witches and wizards are allowed to even try and it requires some device. But it is possible."

"Oh." Buffy sat quietly.

"Do you see the seriousness of the situation now?" Travers asked them. "We must prevent the liberation of these demon hybrids from Manticore!"

Buffy and Willow looked at each other. Willow nodded almost imperceptibly. Buffy turned back to Quentin. "If we go on this mission for you and succeed, do you promise never to contact or bother us again?"

"Not that my promise holds much with you," Travers said. "But yes. Provided you complete your mission, the Watcher's Council will put you in full Slayer retirement."

A raging conflict of interest consumed Buffy for a moment before she begrudgingly said, "We need a team."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Will and I can't do this alone. We need a team to go with us."

"And we'd need clearance for a Time Turner," Willow put in.

"Procuring the Time Turner shall be no problem," Travers declared. "Whom did you have in mind for your team?" he asked suspiciously.

"Angel," Buffy replied promptly. "Angel and his team from LA."

"Absolutely not!" growled Travers.

Buffy crossed her arms and sat back in the chair. "Then we're not going."

"I will not send Angelus and his ragged team of demons and misfits on a mission as important as this!" the Watcher fumed.

"Then we aren't going either," Willow repeated, in turn crossing her arms defiantly.

Quentin looked from the witch to the Slayer and knew he had no choice. "You will be sent the Time Turner in a week's time in Los Angeles."

Review Response time!

Lightdemondarkangel LoL, originally that part wasn't supposed to be a cliffhanger, but the chapter was too long so I cut it there. Here's the rest for you!

Black Rose9 Yeah, I finally found Paradise Lost. I really enjoyed it!

LiLMissWhit I love both shows as well! My roommate and I are currently in the middle of Season Five of Buffy and just finished DA Season One for the second time.