Using his old red-handled pliers, Xander clipped hastily away at the wire fence. As he cut the
last couple of links, he kicked the loose piece of fence and it fell through easily.
"We're in," he said, crouching to his hands and feet, and crawling through the hole. Willow did
the same, followed closely by Angel, who pushed the fencing back into position behind himself.
"You guys, I've found a window," Willow whispered, shining her flashlight at the laboratory
building. Angel nodded, and placed his palms on the window ledge above him. Bending his
knees slightly, he pounced up, quickly sliding the window wider open and slipping inside.
Xander was about to help Willow through the window, but a series of thuds, grunts and moans
signalled to the pair that Angel was clearing the way first. After a few moments silence reigned,
and Angel poked his head outside.
"Coast's clear," he whispered, ducking back inside.
Willow reached up, wrapping her fingers around the window ledge whilst Xander gave her a
quick leg-up, giving her the height she needed to enter the building. Suddenly her hands slipped
and she fell forwards, knocking Angel over and landing beside him on the floor.
"Oops," she whispered, apologetically. Angel simply shrugged and passed her a lab coat which
he'd obtained from his earlier fight. Willow slipped it on quickly and buttoned up the front tightly,
covering her flowery cardigan.
A loud bump declared that Xander was now in the room too. Angel silently threw him a lab coat
of his own, and nodded his head towards the door.
"We should get moving," he suggested. "Buffy needs our help."
"Angel's right," Willow whispered to Xander. "Anything could happen to her here - it only takes
a second to..."
"OK. Morbid thoughts a-plenty, huh Will?" Xander quipped. He didn't like where he was - it
made him nervous, and when he got nervous, he got annoying into the bargain.
The single door in the room opened out onto a long corridor, which - luckily - was empty. Angel
stepped out, and Willow and Xander trailed anxiously behind him. Worried for Buffy. And
worried for themselves.
"Excuse me?" Xander span around as he felt someone tap his shoulder. A tall scientist stood
there, looking at him and Willow suspiciously. "Aren't you a little young to be here?"
Angel wanted to stop and help them, but he couldn't. If all three of them were caught, Buffy
wouldn't have a chance.
"We're...we're, uh...our dad invited us..." Xander stammered.
"Cause he works here," Willow finished flatly.
"Uh-huh? Is that so?" The scientist asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief. Xander grinned
weakly. "And this dad of yours would be...?"
"Mr..." Xander paused, racking his brain. "Mr RUN-WILLOW!" Willow did as told with
Xander following hot on her heels. The scientist growled as he pressed his security pendant.
"They won't get far," he murmured.
