The Protector and the Slayer

The Harvest Part 3

apart from the light from the doorway, it's just as dark in here as it was last night. Kayla with Buffy behind makes their way cautiously, looking about . Buffy senses a lurking presence and looks at Kayla to see if she could feel it to, which was answered when Kayla looked back at her, but the shadows give up nothing.

Kayla reaches the iron door on the other side and tries it but it's locked. She stops, letting out a long breath.

"I don't suppose you've got a key on you?" The Twins ask at the same time not looking around the room

Angel steps from the shadows, a smile in his eyes. "They really don't like me dropping in."

"Why not?" Buffy questioned

"They really don't like me." Angel replied

"How could that possibly be?" Kayla asked sarcastically

"I knew you'd figure out this entryway sooner or later. Actually, I thought it was gonna be a little sooner." Angel stated changing the subject

"I'm sorry you had to wait. Look, if you're gonna be popping up with this cryptic wise man act on a regular basis, can you at least tell us your name?" Kayla told him

"Angel."

"Angel. It's a pretty name." Buffy said in a dismissive tone

"Don't go down there."

"Deal with our going." Kayla replied

"You shouldn't be putting yourself at risk. Tonight is the Harvest. Unless you can prevent it, the Master walks."  Angel told them

"If this Harvest thing is such a suckfest, why don't you stop it?" Kayla asked him

"Because I'm afraid." Angel admitted to them

The unashamed openness of the statement catches them a bit off guard. As buffy looks at him a moment. While Kayla kicks the door open.

"They'll be expecting you." Angel warns them

"I've got a friend down there -- or, a potential friend."  Buffy told him

"Do you know what it's like to have a friend?"  Kayla joked

He doesn't answer.

"That wasn't supposed to be a stumper." Kayla whispered

"When you hit the tunnels, head east, toward the school. That's where you're likely to find them." Angel informed them

"You gonna wish me luck?" Buffy questioned

He says nothing. She looks at him a moment more, then heads into the darkness following after Kayla

He stands there, not moving. Quiet concern on his face.

The tunnels  are dark, forbidding, and they run in all directions.

Kayla climbs down a ladder, drops into them. She looks about her, taking it in, then told Buffy it was safe to follow.

A rat scurries by her foot. Kayla doesn't flinch. She starts down a tunnel, moving slowly. The dark enveloping them.

They turned a corner, slowly. Nothing and starts down it. They hear something and spins, sneaks up and looks down another tunnel.Kayla pulls her head back and he's right behind her!

"Did you see anything?" Xander asked 

"Xander! What are you doing here?" Kayla exclaimed

"Something stupid. I followed you. I couldn't just sit around not doing anything." Xander admitted to them

"I understand. Now go away."  Buffy told him

"Jesse's my bud, okay? If I can help him, then that's what I gotta do."

There's a pause as the twins accept this .

"Besides, it's this or Chem class." Xander reasoned

"Then I understand" Kayla said while Xander laughed but Buffy sent her a scowl

They make their way through the dark.

Buffy, Kayla and Xander turn a corner, ready for anything.

Nothing. They keep walking, alert. Xander picks up the conversation they were in

"Okay, so: crosses, garlic, stake through the heart."  Xander questioned

"That'll get it done." The Twins said in unison

"Cool. Of course, I don't actually have any of those things."

Kayla hands him a cross

He takes it and produced a flashlight and turned it on.

"Turn that off!" Buffy told him

"Okay, okay. So, what else?"

"What else what?" Kayla asked

"For Vampire Slayage... So you've done some beheading in your time."

"Oh, yeah. There was this one time, I was pinned down by this vampire, he played left tackle for the varsity -- I mean, before he was... well anyway he's got one of those really thick necks and all I've got is a little Exacto knife  and Kayla had  a electricity ball in her hand  --You're not loving this story." Buffy said based off Xander's gape.

"Actually, I find it oddly comforting."

Still making their way through the dark. The banter quotient has plummeted -- they're both fairly tense.

Kayla looks around, brow furrowed.

"They're close"

"How can you tell?" Xander questioned

"No rats." Buffy  Answered

Xander doesn't love that information, but he says nothing. Still they progress,

"Over there. What's that?"  Xander asked while he indicated to a small, dark side-chamber. Nothing can be seen past the first few inches. They come up to it. Xander pulls out his flashlight, shines it. A beam of light finds a body, lying face down. It looks like

"Jesse!" Xander exclaimed worriedly

"Oh, no..." Kayla said as she starts forward, Xander keeping the light on her. Goes over to the body, reaches out --and Jesse jumps up, brandishing a pipe. He's about to slam her with it when Xander calls out: "Jesse!"

"Xander?" Jesse stoped  and drops the pipe and the two friends hug. Xander pulls away, looking him over.

"Jesse, man, are you okay?" He asked

"I'm not okay on an epic scale. We gotta get out of here!"  Jesse told them while indicating  his leg -- he's been chained to the wall.

"It's cool! Buffy and Kayla are  superhero!" Xander told them

The twin frown at the chain, feels it.