Amelia: "Not until you tell me what's happening."

Static crackled on the line.

Xander: "Amelia—"

The call dropped.

Amelia: "Xander? Xander!"

Frustrated, she tossed the phone aside. Ahead, a figure stood in the middle of the road.

She slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt.

Amelia: "What the—"

The figure approached—a man with cold eyes and a sinister smile.

Man: "Lost, Miss Hart?"

Her instincts screamed at her to drive, but the car wouldn't start.

Amelia: "Who are you?"

Man: "Someone who can provide the answers you're seeking."

He reached for the car door, but a blur of motion intervened, knocking him back.

Xander stood between them, his stance protective.

Xander: "I warned you to stay away."

Amelia: "Xander, what's going on?"

The man snarled.

Man: "You can't protect her forever, Drakov."

Xander's eyes flashed with an intensity she'd never seen.

Xander: "I can try."

He turned to her urgently.

Xander: "Amelia, you need to leave. Now."

Amelia: "Not without you."

The man lunged, and Xander met him head-on. The two clashed with a ferocity that left Amelia frozen in shock.

Finally breaking free from her stupor, she managed to restart the car. Xander glanced back at her.

Xander: "Go!"

She hesitated before hitting the gas, tears blurring her vision as she sped away.

---

Hours later, back in the safety of her apartment, Amelia tried to make sense of what she'd witnessed.