Enter Anko De La Vega:

(Earth 8193#, the Lothrin Estate, the Palisades, New-Alexandria, 1995 A.D.)

Oskar, Anya and Monica stand around Buffy's medical bed engrossed in conversation.

“So this is the girl?” asks Oskar, staring down at the unconscious Buffy.

“Yup she’s our little interdimensional lone survivor” responds Monica reaching down and tenderly stroking Buffy’s silky brown hair.

“Careful, that’s how you get emotionally attached.” jokes Oskar noticing Monica’s affection towards Buffy.

“I assume you looked over the data from the device just as I have?” asks Anya.

“Indeed I have and unfortunately I’ve come to the same conclusions you did. Our world is going to end in three months” responds Oskar exhaling tensely.

“We need to begin production on the Time-Tethers immediately if we are going to get them done in time” replies Anya as she and Oskar walk out of the Knight-Gallery Med-Bay and head towards the Knight-Computer. 

“Yeah we do, but these schematics call for some pretty rare materials. Even with the vast reach and resources of both our companies we will not be able to produce more than a dozen of these.” replies Oskar as he and Anya go over the relevant data on Knight-Computer concerning the Time-Tethers.” 

“Project Roter Faden?” says Oskar with a sarcastic smirk as he reads the Delphi-Tech Project Name that Anya has assigned for the Time-Tethers production project.

“What? Don't you like it?” asks Anya with a smile. 

“No it's fine, a little on the nose and a little too German for a project that's supposed to help us stop Nazis but, no it’s fine.” muses Oskar with a chuckle as he pours himself some scotch. 

“Now, about our other concern. That list of names contained with the data.” continues Anya bringing up the profiles.

“Okay so let's start tracking them down now and announce Project Roter Faden to the press tomorrow” suggests Oskar. Anya nods in agreement.

“And by the way, we’re taking my ride because it comes with more pizza and better scotch than yours.” proclaims Oskar pulling out his cell phone and calling in his ride as Anya and him make their way up the stairs leading out of the manor. Within minutes they are in the air.

“Okay, so Monica’s name and my name are on that list, right? Which is great because here I am and she’s back at your humble mansion so that's two names checked off. Which only leaves three names left right?” asks Oskar already downing a warm gooey slice of cheese pizza.

“Right.”

“So who’s next? What about this Dr. Lebenstochter person?”

“Don’t worry about her. I will take care of Dr. Lebenstochter and Dr. Valentine myself so that just leaves Anko De La Vega,” replies Anya.    

“Anko it is then.” declares Oskar, texting the pilot their new intended destination.

***(Earth 8193#, Vega-Corp Tower, Mexico-City, The South-American Union [S.A.U.], 1995 A.D.)***

“Greetings Oskar and Anya. It’s been a long time.” proclaims Anko jovially as she leans in and hugs both of them.

“Welcome to my favorite conference room.” continues Anko spinning around for a moment, gesturing to the room as a whole.

“Why is it your favorite?” asks Oskar with a smirk.

“First it has better Feng Shui than the other conference rooms in this building and second the view is amazing.” responds Anko as Oskar mouths an exaggerated ‘okay’ to Anya who rolls her eyes with a subtle grin.

Oskar sits down next to Anko as Anya hooks up the crystalline silver device to the video-feed system of the conference room and then sits down as well.

“Now, before we start Anko, we both need to know right here right now that nothing we are about to share with you leaves this room under any circumstances. You get me? Top-Secret.” presses Oskar leaning in close to Anko.

“I got to tell you if this is about that alien autopsy tape going around the internet I’ve already seen it.” jokes Anko with an amused grin.

“We’re serious” responds Anya, her tone stern and cold as she shoots a death glare at her friend.

“That serious huh?” asks Anko leaning back in her chair nervously.  

“It doesn’t get more serious than this” responds Oskar as Anko nods, taking in the gravity of the moment.

“Very well, my lips are sealed.” 

  Anya stands up and begins explaining her experience at her parent’s graves with Monica, Buffy and the portal. She explains about the device Buffy gave her and the data stored on it. The future of things to come. Anko watches and listens in silence as Anya and Oskar lay it all down.

“The end of the world, that’s what we’re discussing here?” mutters Anko contemplatively as the presentation ends.

“And all we have is three months to get ready. That’s not a lot of time” continues Anko, getting up and walking over to the window lost in thought. She looks out at the city she loves, its beauty, its people and then imagines it all gone, just gone. Tears burn the back of her eyes for a moment but she pushes them down. There’s no time for that.

“You say that Lihona wanted me to help you?”

“Yeah, apparently the N.E.V. 11 version of you fought in the Resistance alongside N.E.V. 11 me and N.E.V. 11 Oskar.”

“Only, you were a boy in the N.E.V. 11 Universe and your name was Eijie De La Vega,” remarks Oskar amused as he looks Anko up and down imagining her as a man. Anko sees this and gives Oskar a wink before returning to her chair.

“The fact is we need you, Anko. Yes, our world is about to end with a bunch of other parallel Earths but as tragic as that is it’ll be nothing compared to the amount of death that will be unleashed on the Multiverse if we do not succeed in this mission” explains Anya firmly.

“Let's talk rates of survival. You said that according to Liahona’s calculations our world’s population has the highest survival odds once this new Earth forms from the 'composite Vita-Vrillic Energy' of all the destroyed Earths right?” asks Anko as she downs some whiskey.

“Yeah about a 65% survival chance on average for the people of our Earth” responds Oskar as he decides to join Anko by pouring his own glass. 

“I have actually been working on a method of improving the survival odds even further for our loved ones, the only thing is that I need your help Anko to make it happen.” presses Anya.

“What do you mean?” asks Anko leaning forward.

“Ever since the first night I got this data and realized what we’re up against, I set Tenjin to auto-design a special device similar to the Time-Tethers but not quite the same. If I can install this device in the Knight Gallery it will generate a force field which will ensure that all objects and living entities inside the field are transferred to the new Earth exactly as they are and in the exact same place, relatively speaking, thus ensuring none of our loved one’s or any of our needed survival supplies are scattered, lost or destroyed by the coming Dimensional-Convergence Wave. The reason why it relies on your help, Anko, is because Oskar’s company and my company are already going to be working around the clock just to get the Time-Tethers ready in time which means we need another company, like yours, to dedicate itself to building the Preservation Field Emitter” explains Anya.

“Well, obviously I’m in. So yeah you got it. I’ll order the shift in production focus right away, I assume the device schematics are included in the data you just downloaded to me?” asks Anko, climbing to her feet.

“Yeah, they are,” answers Anya.

(Dr. Valentine’s Apartment, The Narrows, New-Alexandria, 1995 A.D.)

Much to her surprise, the ride home with Hyrum was not just far better than she had anticipated, it was actually pleasant. They stopped for the tastiest, most unhealthy burgers in the city on the way to her apartment. Hyrum was unexpectedly funny and sweet… charming and she thinks she may have even almost smiled her first truly genuine smile since… No, that’s not okay Gwen, she’s gone… but… It’s okay to smile a little right? to feel something… anything… isn’t it?

Once they reached Gwen’s apartment, Hyrum thanked her for a wonderful evening and even gave her his number in case she ever got stranded anywhere or needed anything. For a brief moment, Gwen’s world didn’t seem so lonely… is there a chance? Maybe. However, as Gwen reaches her apartment door she is greeted by a note addressed to her… a note from Anya Lothrin. Gwen goes inside, reads the note and takes a nice hot shower.