The Scoobies gathered in the library with Deputy Mayor Finch to hear what he had to say about the Mayor. Anna was nearby preparing to cast Wards on the group.
"Richard Wilkins has been around for nearly one hundred and fifty years at this point." Alan Finch told them. "He founded Sunnydale on purpose. He knew the Hellmouth was here. He intends to use it as part of his Ascension. The energy will feed the transformation. He has to be stopped before he reaches that point because he'll be virtually unstoppable."
"I'm guessing the U.S. government would have to get involved." Xander said. "They'd probably send in the army. If tanks and heavy artillery can't take it out, then they'd try to bomb it. Either way, there wouldn't be much left of Sunnydale and the population would be collateral damage. A small price to pay to keep him from destroying the rest of the world as well."
"He wants to rule it." Alan told them. "And he may have the power to do it. The stories say the Old Ones are near godlike in power."
"Giles, is that true?" Buffy asked.
"All the stories I know of say it." Giles confirmed.
"So we stop him before he reaches that point." Xander said. "How long do we have? What's the timeline?"
"Within a couple of weeks he'll enact a ritual called the Ritual of Gaverox. He's waiting for a shipment from South America. A courier wil be delivering the Box of Gaverox. He has to consume the creatures within it. Once he does, he'll be invulnerable to all harm from both Magic and conventional weapons."
"I've never heard of that precise ritual." Anna said. "But there are any number of black magic rituals whose goal is the same. If we can get our hands on that box and destroy it, then he can't make himself invulnerable using it."
"But wouldn't he be able to just do another ritual?" Buffy asked. "You said there are other kinds."
"No." Alan said. "He has to do that particular one. He's aiming toward becoming the embodiment of a specific Old One, Olivan. While the Ascension Ritual follows the same basic outline, there are specific requirements that depend on which Old One someone wants to become. All specific forms of each ritual he's done are aimed toward becoming Olvican. The Gaverox Ritual is one of those specific things. Someone aiming towards becoming a different Old One would use a different ritual to make themselves invulnerable."
"Okay, so no brainer." Xander said. "We get that box and we destroy it. Anna? You think you can handle it?"
"The Breathe of Atropix should do it. It's a spell I can handle. Willow can help me prepare it, but you aren't ready to help cast it."
Willow nodded and accepted that. She'd come to have a great deal of respect for Magic under Anna's tutoring.
"We need to confirm the Mayor's longevity." Giles decided. "Willow and I can go the Sunnydale archives and research Richard Wilkins. While we're doing that Xander can put together a plan for acquiring the Box of Gaverox. You said he was waiting for a shipment. Do you know when it's coming in and where?" He addressed Alan.
"At the airport in about two weeks." And he gave them the expected date and time.
"Alright, I can work with that." Xander said. "It gives me time to scope out the airport."
"Our family plane is kept there." Cordelia said. "We can use me showing it to you as an excuse to be there."
"Good, that helps. If Willow could find some official plans of the airport, between seeing it for myself and having the plans I should be able to cover most of the avenues."
"I should also tell you that while he isn't monitoring your meetings or anything, he's aware of the fact that your group exists. In fact he's the reason Buffy Summers is in Sunnydale. He wanted having a Slayer in Sunnydale as a distraction. He knew the Master was going to try to get free and that others would attempt to usurp his dominance. He wanted you to take them out before they became too much of a problem. He made sure your mother got a good price on her gallery space. And he knows of your interest in the military, Mr. Harris. He's impressed with how much research you've done and how well you've organized your group. If he didn't intend to eat you on your graduation day, he'd be one of your required recommendations to the Academy. He's very civic minded."
While the stunned group was processing those little tidbits of information, Anna was casting a notice me not spell on Alan Finch. "I'll take you to a coven I know in Los Angeles, Mr. Finch. They can keep you safe until this sorry business has been concluded."
"I appreciate that ma'am. I've been so afraid of him my whole life. My family has served him for generations because of the rewards he promised. I've just wanted to escape him my whole life. I hate the fact that my family got involved with him."
"You've chosen a different path. One that hopefully will save many lives. You've made the right choice." She assured him. "Now, let's get some Wards on you people. You're going to need them, especially in light of Mr. Finches revelations. The Mayor may plan a retaliatory action if you succeed in thwarting him."
She began casting the Wards. It was when she got to Xander and Cordelia that she discovered something very unexpected.
"Xander, both you and Cordelia already have very strong Wards on you. Why didn't you tell you had them cast?"
"I didn't even know they were there." Xander told her.
"Neither did I." Cordelia said, confused. "Who cast them?"
"Let me trace the Magic and find out. Cordelia, where did you get that necklace?"
"I don't remember. I think I've had it about a year."
"It's Warded and the same signature is on it and the Wards on Xander. They were cast by the same person. Someone with a great deal of power because these Wards are very well done. They protect both your minds and your bodies from magical attacks and influence."
"Who cast them?" Xander asked.
"You did."