"Riley? Really?" Willow jogged over and peered at the body Buffy held under the light. "Wow. I can't…I mean, why? And what's with the uniforms and guns? Laser tag?"

For a smart girl, Willow didn't always get the point. Buffy sighed dramatically and let go of Riley's shoulder. "Newsflash, Will. That's not a laser gun." Although, now that she'd mentioned it, his weapon didn't look like the guns Buffy had seen on television, either. Pulling it carefully from Riley's holster, she held it up. "At least, I don't think it is." The smooth, molded metal reminded her of the phasers on Star Trek.

"Who cares?" Faith asked. "We got vamps waitin' to be killed, B. Stop admiring the gun and let's hit that tunnel. If we hurry, we can buzz the Denny's for breakfast on the way home." Her smirk was clear as she continued. "Got a feeling the Hs'll be revved up after the fight."

Buffy scowled. "We aren't here to kill whatever's in the tunnels, remember? We're here to get information. That's all." Breaking off before things got out of control, Buffy pointed to the tunnel. "Besides, I don't think the only thing waiting for us is demonic. I overheard Riley on his radio. Whatever's down there has some way of watching the campus. They knew we were here; that's what the Commando Band was doing. Looking for us."

"Should we go back to the apartment?" Willow moved closer to Faith. "I can run background checks on Riley. See if I can figure out what he's really doing here and who he works for." Her eyes flickered up to Faith and then latched onto Buffy's. "If there are more like him…"

Willow didn't need to finish for Buffy to understand. Fighting humans was on the "never do again" list. Not after Faith's accident last year."We may not have a choice, Will," Buffy warned gently. "They're here; they're looking for us; and they seem to be hooked up with a bunch of vampires." Relenting slightly, she conceded. "I promise we'll be careful, though. We'll sneak in and take a look and sneak right back out."

"OK." Not seeming convinced by Buffy's vow, Willow nevertheless nodded. "Tara and I will stay here. Don't be gone long."

***

The second Willow gave her approval, Buffy and Faith took off. Tara watched them run for the tunnel entrance. "Are w-we really go-going to stay here?" After the last time, she didn't trust Willow not to follow the Slayers.

"We stay," Willow repeated. "And we start looking for that wizard. Vampires are scary, but Buffy and Faith handle those all the time. Big magical threats are new and not of the good. Can we set up over there?" She pointed to a spot a few feet away from the sidewalk with a stone bench, surrounded by manicured flower beds.

It was as good a place as any. Tara stepped off the sidewalk in answer. "Do you r-remember the way the mag-magic felt at the bar?" She'd never worked closely with Willow; their activities that afternoon hadn't been an actual spell casting.

"Um… I think so. Why?" Willow slipped her backpack off her shoulder and unzipped it.

Tara put out a hand. "Don't, W-Willow. We don't n-need th-that." At least, she hoped they didn't. Digging into the supplies meant they were going on the offensive and that was far riskier than doing a little careful hunting.

"OK." It was apparent Willow wasn't sure what Tara meant, but she willingly waited for more instruction.

"Remember h-how we linked at the b-bar?" Tara asked. When Willow nodded, she smiled with as much reassurance as possible. "We're going to d-do that again and th-then push our energy out."

Willow's forehead wrinkled as she frowned in confusion.

Unclear how to describe the magic, Tara hesitated. "It's…" It was what? She reached for Willow's hand to give herself more time to think – and to get their link started. The physical contact pushed away some of Tara's internal doubts. Willow was powerful; her energy radiated from Willow's hand as if it was an electric blanket. Tara let her shields drop and embraced that heat.

When the flow and ebb of their combined magic settled into gentle swells, Tara said softly, "Imagine our energy is a net. As it moves through the air, it collects and…filters all of the ambient energy. We should be able to sense anything out of place." Like the signature of the wizard. She concentrated on the pool of power welling between them and forced it into the right shape: a thin, shimmering sheet of interwoven magics. "We're looking for the wizard, Willow. That's all." For now. Tara didn't say the final two words out loud; she didn't need to. Joined by magic, Willow would hear her thoughts.

"Got it." Willow's enthusiasm was dimmed only by her intense focus on their activities. As Tara shaped and expanded their energy, Willow provided the first push, sending the 'net' gently through the darkness in the direction of the maintenance

The effect was dizzying. Tara finally closed her physical eyes in an effort to ignore the doubled vision created by seeing the pulsing filter of power superimposed over the view of the dimly lit campus. It helped to hold her growing nausea at bay and narrowed her focus to only her shared link with Willow.

Once she was sure everything was under control, Tara let Willow in on the rest of her plan. "Once we find the trail of power, we'll be able to follow it to the source. But we have to be careful," she stressed. "Even though normal people won't be able to see our probe, the wizard… Anyone who uses magic will."

Thanks to her closed eyes, Tara couldn't see Willow's expression. Still, it was easy enough to guess her reaction from the firm, confident reply. "Don't worry, Tara. I'm sure we can handle whatever we find."

Tara's concentration wavered for a second in disbelief. Had Willow missed what she'd said about their encounter with the wizard at the bar? He was strong. Far stronger than Tara estimated she and Willow were.

"Besides…" Willow continued, unaware of Tara's concerns. "We have Buffy and Faith with us. They might not be able to cast spells, but they won't let anyone hurt us. Not even crazy Ethan Rayne."

Marveling for only a second at Willow's supreme confidence in Buffy and Faith, Tara forced herself back to business. They had a job to do. She watched their magical net intently. At first, she sensed nothing more than normal levels of natural energies.

"Stop!" Tara closed her hands around the 'handle' of their magical net. Her eyes shot open. Bright sparks lit the air in front of their meshed magic. "Do you feel that?" Even as she asked the question, Tara knew Willow couldn't miss something that powerful.

The advance of the net stopped immediately, and Willow's unease poured through the link. "What is that?"

Tara took a minute to blink away the dazzle from the sheer strength of the magic they'd caught. When she did…A shudder worked its way down Tara's spine. It was the signature from the bar, tainting the ambient magical energies surrounding them and dissolving the fibers of their net with its malevolence.

"I guess we found him, huh?" Willow mumbled. Her earlier confidence had disappeared from her voice. "He's…I mean, wow."

Struggling with her own terrified awe, Tara nodded numbly. What she'd felt outside the bar hadn't prepared her for this. They couldn't beat this.

Willow must have shared Tara's opinion. "We have to warn Buffy and Faith, Tara! Vamps and demon, they can handle. This?" Willow moved away and their link disintegrated with a soundless (and painful) pop. "Giles had better have some answers this time. This is way worse than some funky Halloween costumes."

Before responding to Willow's comment, Tara reestablished her shields and shook her head against the dull pounding at her temples. Magical Lesson Number One: how to disconnect from a link without blindsiding your partner. "No. We aren't going into the tunnel. We're waiting this time." She shot a pointed look at Willow. "Like we promised." There was nothing Willow could say that would convince her to go into that tunnel. The energy trail emanated from the entrance, and Tara had no desire to confront the man behind the magic.

She received a mutinous glare in return. "But…"

"I have a better idea," a deep, British-accented voice interrupted their increasingly heated discussion. A man materialized to Willow's right.

"You!" Willow spun and pointed a slim figure at the man. "I knew it was you. The Cave Students are right up your alley! I'm surprised you didn't give them all fake fur costumes, too."

If he was insulted by Willow's reaction, the man (Ethan Rayne, Tara wondered?) didn't show it. In fact, he smiled. "Let's see what else you know, shall we, Ms. Rosenberg? My friends…" The man snapped his fingers and red light flared for a second. When it dimmed, a group of armed and uniformed soldiers surrounded Willow and Tara. "…have a few questions for you."

***

Buffy held up a hand. "Do you hear that?" she asked Faith in a whisper.

She saw Faith's eyes narrow and her head tilt. "The high-pitched wailin'? Yeah. Why?"

That was a good question. Buffy couldn't identify the sound, yet it filled her with a strong desire to turn and sprint out of the tunnel. Avoiding an answer, she dropped her hand and continued their journey through the dark passageway. "Stay close." For once, Buffy was glad to have Faith along. The Chosen Two were a force even the most powerful demons feared, and something told her they might need all the ass-kicking potential they could muster.

"Where the hell else would I be, B?" Faith's rough whisper sounded mocking. "Red'd do more than make me sleep on the couch if I left your ass in here alone. Girl's got a thing about keeping you safe."

"She'd get over her frog fear, if I let anything happen to you," Buffy pointed out in return. "I'd be making friends with Kermit…" A faint light ahead lit the otherwise dark tunnel, and Buffy stopped talking as they moved closer. Beneath the continued wailing, she made out the hum of voices and the faint roar of what sounded like an air conditioner.

Sudden warmth bloomed along Buffy's back as Faith pressed against her. Buffy glanced over her shoulder and glimpsed her intent expression. "Got a bad feeling about this, B," Faith breathed so softly that Buffy barely made out the words.

"Me, too." Turning her attention back to the tunnel ahead, Buffy gripped the handle of the knife in her right hand. Nearly quivering with the strain of keeping her senses on high, she led them deeper into the maintenance tunnel.

Cool air wafted over them after only a few steps and the light ahead brightened.

Buffy dropped into a tight crouch as the end of the passageway came into view. Hugging the concrete wall, Buffy continued to creep forward until she stood at the very edge of the tunnel. A vast chamber spread out in front of them, illuminated by dozens of fluorescent lights. People in white coats and gun-toting, camouflage-wearing soldiers milled around the large space. "This is way worse than bad, Faith" she said numbly.

"What the fuck is this place?" Faith's voice was harsh – and scared. Buffy recognized it only because she was afraid, too. "And how did we miss it before now?"

Very good questions. Ones which Buffy had no intention of answering at that moment. She stepped back, propelling Faith with her. "We need Giles." This was out of their league. Even without knowing exactly what they'd just witnessed, Buffy was in no doubt they needed Giles' expertise and research abilities.

"We ain't got any info, B." Faith resisted Buffy's next attempt to move them toward the tunnel entrance. "He won't be able to find anything if we don't give him somethin' to work with." Gripping Buffy's arm, she dragged them forward again. "You stay here. Play lookout. I'll see if I can find anything down there."

"No!" Buffy planted both feet firmly and managed to get her arm free. "If you get caught…"

Faith snorted. "Look at 'em, B. Humans."

"With guns!" It was like arguing with a wall, Buffy thought, noticing Faith's mutinous expression. "We took out that group at the tunnel because they were too stupid to use their guns. Once the bullets start flying, not even Slayer speed would keep you alive."

For an interminable minute, Faith glared at Buffy without saying anything. Then, reluctantly, she mumbled, "Whatever, B. Never thought you'd back away from a fight."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You saw the same thing I did, Faith," she said as she turned toward the tunnel entrance. "Do you really think all those soldiers will be gone when we come back with answers?" And reinforcements.

"Come back?" A new voice asked, and Buffy dropped automatically into a defensive crouch.

She needn't have bothered.

Blocking her and Faith's escape was Ethan Rayne and a group of soldiers. "I'm afraid you can't leave just yet," he informed her; although, Buffy wasn't really paying attention to his posturing.

All of her attention was on Willow and Tara, huddled together under the watchful eyes of a pair of Ethan's men.