Chapter Sixteen

Dawn leads them to the drama hall, which Wes seals up with a grenade. They are safe, but trapped.

Lorne, Andrew and Anya are on the bus outside, and between them Anya, Wes and Giles, communicating through the radios, manage to teleport the contents of the bus inside the hall. At which point they are magically sealed into the hall - either the First or the Erus Veneficus has had the foresight to plan this move, and now they are ready to be slaughtered like cattle.

Buffy suspects Wes has been blackmailed by the Erus Veneficus into helping him, due to the fact he has survived several encounters with the wizard, and this teleportation spell is the latest in a long list of suspicions. Angel similarly suspects Spike of the same thing, and they confront their respective suspects.

Wes thinks he can punch through the barrier with another teleportation spell, but Buffy refuses to believe him, denouncing him in front of everyone. He basically says that she's being ridiculous but is doubtful that he will receive any support until Gunn and Fred step forward. They split up into two groups once again; those who want to leave with Wes and those who either distrust him or who think they need to take the Seal back before doing anything else - Angel being in the latter category. Lorne also stays, but because the majority of the new Slayers also stay, and he says he can do the most good with them - he isn't a fighter, but he can help them through these difficult times. Faith, Connor, Gunn, Fred, Xander, Kennedy and Katie, a new Slayer, join Wes and they depart through the portal, destination unknown due to the nature of the spell.