Tara called Willow on her cell phone after she had helped the rest of the guys untie the Watcher Goons. It was kind of on the funny side, with a little bit of Ewww. Right now, they were in the back room changing into clothes that Giles had gotten for them.

Anya was sitting at the counter with Buffy talking about the goons. And the discussion was about something she really didn't have any thoughts about. How well hung the goons were and whether they were compensating with their guns for a lack of something else. Anya had said she was glad that not all English were that small which there was an uncomfortable silence, while everyone saw what she was looking at. Giles having had overheard most of the conversation and what Anya was talking about was putting a severe strain on his English stiff upper lip.

Finally, he just gave up and went to stand with Riley, who was watching the Watchers. When he got over there, Riley gave him an understanding look. He was really hoping that Anya would not rub off on Buffy.

While across the room Tara, had just received a phone call.

"Hello." Tara heard Willow's voice over the phone.

"Baby, is everything ok?" she asked her lover.

"Yes, everything is ok." Willow had a laugh in her voice that she had not heard before. And in the background, she could hear two women talking and laughing.

"Where are you at?" She trusted Willow but...

"I am at a friend's. He needed some help."

"Who's your friend?" There was no male voices in the background. Was Willow lying to her?

"Uh...You met him before. My oldest friend. DON'T say his name." Tara's eyebrows went up and she took a fast look around the shop. She was so sure someone would hear her.

"You mean the guy that wanted to give you a bike ride when we met him the other day?"

"Yes that's him. I need you to watch everyone there and let me know if any are headed back to the warehouse. Could you do that for me?"

"Yes, I could. But I better be getting some answers soon. Or you'll be on the couch for the rest of the week."

"Thanks. Tell you every thing later." Then Willow hung up.

Tara let out a little sigh. And as she turned around, Spike was standing there. Only there was something wrong with his eyes... they were dead. Well, more dead than normal.
"Trouble in paradise?"

"No, Just talking through some stuff."

"Is that right, huh?"

"Yes. Now I have to get my books. You know, over there."

"Ok." Spike said as he stepped out of her way as Tara moved quickly across the room. Spike had started to creep her out lately.

In a Deep Cave.

Adams sat at a computer consol, And watched a live feed from the Magic Box. He had watched as Spike had placed the cameras all around the Scoobies' places, from bedrooms to bathrooms. He could watch them all. He was also hooked into the base's cameras, and watched as the soldiers went about rebuilding their base.

Adam thought to himself. Those two X5's did a lot of damage.

He felt something on the edges of his mind when he thought of the female X5. But it was gone when he tried to recall anymore than a feeling. What feeling, he didn't know. All emotions had been removed by his new programming. It was something he could contemplate while he was working out his plans. He had arranged things so that the base cells would be overloaded with demons. Their patrols were bringing in several groups at a time. And they still didn't catch on. The human mind was so limited; it didn't even understand the danger they were putting themselves in.

Adam sat back and watched as the X5 that they had recaptured the night before. They were starting to work on him in PSY-OP's.

Hmm. Torture has its uses.

PSY-OPS.

Faith was strapped to a bed with a red laser pulsing as the beam entered her left eye. Tears rolled down her face. She had stopped screaming hours ago. Now just small gasps came from her. She had answered all their questions, not that anyone believed her.

"It's a great cover," one of the techs said looking over some readouts. "And he really believes what he is saying."

"So can he or can't he tell us how he broke his conditioning?" White asked from behind the tech.

"I don't think so. From what we could find out in there, he has become this girl call Faith. And SHE doesn't know anything about Manticore or the X5 programs. She is from Boston and is a mystical fighter called a Slayer."

"What in the world is a Slayer?" White asked.

"A Mystical Warrior of good used to fight Vampires and Demons."

"Who could have did this so fast to him?"

"Well, the South African's, maybe. They have been working on their Red Series."

"Yes, But that's only Implants, not total reconditioning. Unless they have been hiding a lot from our spies. Find out everything you can."

"They wont be much left in there, once we go in. It'll turn his brain to mush."

"Not to worry. We'll get his mate. She's the important one any way. She's got the baby. From what we gathered from Walsh's files her DNA is very unusual and her Child would be too. We can loose 471 and anytime and not have any thing lost."

Faith just continued to cry, knowing that she soon would be dieing.

Xander's Warehouse

Xander was just finishing up his tale about the Council goons, and what he did to them. He pulled out some pictures of the goons after he tied them up in the alleyway.

"That's what they get for messing with me. I mean her...whatever... They shouldn't have done it."

"Xander, you did good. No one's dead. That's of the good."

"Yes, they didn't threaten you," Xander said to Max.

"Ok, how do we get your body back?"

"I don't know. We can't just storm the place again. There's not enough of us."

"That's true. We could kidnap someone and ask for a trade."
"I don't know. Who's important enough to kidnap?"

"I haven't the foggiest."

Willow had been sitting there, listening to her childhood friend run down a list of crimes, each one worst than the last. It was then that she realized that her Xander was gone. This was a new one. Just in the same skin. But he was still Xander. She would love her brother forever and help anyway she could.

"Xander, I looked up about the bracelet that Faith used to switch you. Well, you have around 4 days until it won't switch you back. Once it's used, the magic will start to seep out over time. And the longer we wait, the less of a chance we have getting you back into your body."

"O Joy..."

"Hey, Xan, I need to make a call. I have to tell Logan and O.C. I am okay," Max said. She was safe for now and would be going back into the lion's den soon. She wanted to at lest say goodbye this time. And maybe ask a favor or two.

Magic Box

"Where's Will?" asked Buffy once she had finally noticed that she was gone.

"Uh, she had a sick friend to go see," Tara said. But then kicked herself, Buffy would see thought that.

"What sick friend?"

"From School. From the Women Studies class."

Usually that was all it took to shake Buffy or Giles; the Women Studies class was just another name for the Lesbian Club on campus. It was a get together for women to talk about their problems. But over time, the Lesbians on campus had taken over it. It still dealt with women problems. Now, it just focused on lesbians problems first. And most of the Straight women on Campus avoided the meetings, so as to not be thought of as a Lesbian.

But not tonight. Buffy was worried. Faith was loose, and Xander was in the middle of it. Not to forget the files she had seen on him. If that was him. How much did Willow know? And she knew EVERYTHING about Xander.

"Where is she Tara?" Buffy said, with a low voice that said she didn't believe Tara.
"With a friend." Tara said, looking down.

"Tara you're my friend, and I love you. But I think Willow's involved with this and it's dangerous. I don't want to see her or you get hurt. So once again, where is she?"

"She is with a friend. That's all I am going to say. So I'll be going."

With that she left. She didn't want to fight with anyone but she would not betray Willow either. This was the only way. She would call Willow once she was back at the dorms.

Once Tara was outside, Buffy looked at Riley.

"I think Willows involved with this, too."

"Yes, I think so, too."

"Do you know of anyway to find her?"

"Let me make a call," Riley said as he picked up his cell phone.

"Hey Forrest..."

An Hour later.

"Okay, thanks man. I owe you," Riley said as he hung up his cell. Then, looking toward the group sitting around the table he said, "We got phone records. Willow's cell is in this area." He pointed at the map on the table. "It was used around this Cell tower." It was down in the warehouse district.

"Ok, I am going down there," Buffy said. Just as she had finished, Spencer and his group charged in.

"Set up the Spell again. I want that little whore now!" he yelled, his British calm out the window. Faith had humiliated him and no one does that.

"Buffy, you and Riley go ahead, and patrol that area you were talking about," Giles said looking at her. "I'll stay here and help with capture of Faith."

"Ok, Giles," Buffy said as she grabbed Riley and headed out the door.

As she was leaving she heard Anya call out to the Watchers that they still haven't paid for their spells components from the first spell.

And if they needed more, "Fork over the money".
God, she hated Anya sometimes, but other days, she was a joy to have around.