After pulling the power unit from the Ted robot, the four returned to the library, where Giles and Ms. Calendar were waiting for news.
"He was a robot." Alexander announced. "With four dead bodies preserved in his basement. We anonymously let the police know about the bodies and disabled him with an electromagnetic pulse and pulled the power core. Corda and I will use the parts to build some things."
"A robot?" Ms. Calendar questioned. "Built in the 1950's and still functioning. Whoever built it must have been a genius. That's amazing."
"I want to study the hard drive, see if there's anything of the programming left." Willow said.
"Not a problem. We won't need that part, just the mechanical parts." Alexander answered.
"What's a Replicator? You mentioned that earlier." Buffy asked.
"A really bad experiment that a scientist thought up. Self replicating, human form machines. They were supposed to help with the war against the Wraith, but there was a big problem with their ethical programming. One the scientists were never able to resolve. They decided humans were the problem. Eliminate them and the Wraith would have nothing to feed on. They didn't seem to understand that humans were their preferred choice, not their only choice and that killing them wasn't the goal, killing Wraith was. Finally our leaders ordered the entire experiment scrapped and the Replicators destroyed." Corda told them. "One of many failed experiments that the scientists tried, that should never have been started in the first place."
"Sounds like it." Ms. Calendar agreed. "Well since this date is a bust, I suggest we call it a night."
Later, when Buffy was at home.
"Buffy, there's a news report on about Ted. They're saying four dead bodies were found in his basement. They're calling him a serial killer!"
"Well, at least they figured it out before you became his next corpse bride."
"That's not funny. Buffy."
"It wasn't meant to be. I got a weird vibe off of him, Mom. For all we know, you could have been his next target."
"Ooh, that's a scary thought. They're saying he's disappeared and is on the run. I hope I never see him again."
"Chances are, we won't. I doubt he'd want to risk getting caught."
"I hope you're right."
Alexander and Corda were studying the robot.
"It really is well built." Corda commented. "And beyond what someone of this world should have been able to accomplish in the 1950's."
"I agree, it wouldn't be so difficult with today's technology, but with what they had available then, extremely difficult. And it's programming was obviously as flawed as the Replicators was."
"Yes. Well there is quite abit here that we can use. I believe, we may be able to manage a crude pulse pistol. Crude by our standards anyway, which will help with blood daemona."
"Good and maybe a longer range scanner. This one is useful, but only over a short distance, a few hundred feet. If we can scan farther and more in depth, we can learn more and be aware of potential threats."
"You're right and I think there is enough parts for all of that. We can begin tomorrow, because I'm tired."
"So am I." He tickled her. "But not too tired."
Corda giggled and kissed him. The Xander and Cordelia parts of them were becoming more relaxed and accepting of the small physical acts of intimacy that the two were engaging in. They were both interested, just unsure. They'd get there.
Willow was feeling miserable. In the last week, since Alexander had taken control of Xander, she'd found out Xander had been keeping things from her. An interest in Cordelia, thinking of her, Willow, as a sister and now the fact that he knew how to pick a lock, which apparently he'd shared with Jesse, but not her. Why? Had he been doing something he shouldn't? What else had he been hiding from her? The not knowing was eating at her. And then there was the fact that his father hurt him. Had Jesse known that? Why hadn't Xander told her about it? She would have helped him if she'd known. It firmed her resolve to find a way to help free Xander from Alexander. Then she'd find out everything Xander had been hiding from her and why.
As Giles dropped Jenny at her apartment, he decided to take a chance and kissed her. She enthusiastically responded.
"Well, the date may have been a bust, but at least I know you're still interested." She said when they came up for air.
"Oh, most definitely." He assured her. "For the first time in a long time. I've been putting my work first for a long time. Buffy keeps insisting she needs a balance in her life, that she can't be just the Slayer. I'm beginning to see, I can't be just the Watcher all the time. I have to be Rupert Giles too. And Rupert Giles likes Jenny Calendar, alot."
"Jenny Calendar likes Rupert Giles too, alot."
And two continued to kiss for awhile, there in the front seat of his cramped car.