Previously on Angel:

Host: How about gracing us with a number?

Wesley: The Host, he helps people. Reads their souls, senses their futures.

Cordy: But he can only do it when they sing Karaoke.

Angel: They brought her back. Now I need to know why. Why like this? Why human?

Angel holds Darla at the end of The Trial, Lindsey burst in and Dru vamps Darla.

Dru and Darla at the wine cellar (Reunion).

Darla: I believe you said something about a massacre.

Lilah to Angel: For God's sake. Help us.

Holland: People are going to die.

Angel, closing the doors: I just can't seem to care.

Darla bits Holland.

Angel locks the doors.

Wesley: What you did...

Cordy: ...was wrong.

Gunn: You went too far.

Wesley: Right now the three of us are all that's standing between you and real darkness.

Angel: You're all fired.

Teaser

Cordy and Wesley, each carrying a box, and Gunn with his hands in his pockets walk out the gate of the Hyperion to the street.

Cordy: What just happened? (Turns around to face the other two) Can someone explain to me what just happened here?

Wesley: I believe we were fired.

Gunn: Canned.

Wesley: Let go.

Gunn: Axed.

Wesley: Shown the door.

Gunn: Booted.

Cordy: Alright! I get it! But wh-what just happened? Fired? Angel fired us?

Wesley: Looks that way.

Cordy sets her box down: Uh. I can't believe this.

Wesley: Let's keep a level head, shall we? Angel's not been himself lately. Perhaps he'll change his mind.

Gunn: He locked twenty lawyers into a room with a couple of psychotic vampires. I'd say his mind is changed enough.

Cordy: Darla. It's all about Darla. One thing you can say about Angel, at least he's consistent. It's always some little blonde driving him over the edge. (sighs) What are we supposed to do now?

Gunn: I think I'll grab a burrito before I had home. (Cordy and Wes look at him) What?

Wesley: No, no. By all means, if you're hungry.

Gunn: Hey, this was just a side gig for me, alright? The extra cash was nice while it lasted, but Angel wants to go all commando? Hm-mm. No skin off my nose.

Cordy: Well, my nose skin is angry and hurt! And...

Wesley: ..disappointed?

Cordy nods.

Wesley: I won't pretend to understand Angel's reasons but maybe he needs to be alone right now. And the best thing that we can do for him is to let him be.

Cordy: Alone.

Wesley nods.

After a moment Cordy picks up her box and the three of them head off in different directions.

Angel is moving boxes around in the basement. As he sets one down the top flips off. Angel picks the box up and looks at its contents. The topmost paper inside of it is a portrait sketch of Darla. He takes the box over to the incinerator, opens the door to reveal the fire burning inside it. He picks up the stack of sketches, looks at Darla's picture for a moment, then tosses the stack into the flames and shuts the door.

Intro.

The basement of the Hyperion. Angel is doing pull-ups on the pipes. Then we blend into him doing assorted other exercises.

Angel voice-over: I'm not ready yet. Too many years spent sleeping in soft beds. Living in a world where I don't belong. I can't fight them. Not yet. But soon.

Holland's wine cellar. The camera pans over a mass of corpses littering the floor. Finds Lindsey, half buried under other bodies. His eyes open, and after a moment he struggles to free himself from the mass.

Flash cut to Lindsey sitting in a chair in the cellar.

Paramedic: You've just been through a very traumatic experience. Really, sir, you should be in a hospital.

Lindsey: She saved me.

Paramedic as he is taking Lindsey's pulse, while others are putting the corpses into bodybags in the background.

Paramedic: That maybe true, sir, but you should still be checked out by a doctor.

Lindsey: There has to be a reason why I'm the only one left alive.

Paramedic: You're in shock. You need to see a doctor.

Lindsey with a slight smile: I'm the only one left.

Man in the background: Hey, we got a live one here.

Lindsey disappointed: We do?

Lindsey gets up and sees to paramedics help Lilah to her feet.

Lindsey: Lilah.

Virginia is sitting on the bed in Wesley's apartment.

Virginia: You got to be kidding me. He fired you? He can't fire you! You're on a mission to protect the innocent. You can't fire someone on a mission. What did he say, exactly?'

Wesley taking off his jacket: You're fired.

Virginia: Oh. Well, can you file a grievance with the union?

Wesley starts to put the stuff in the box away.

Wesley: Virginia, I'm not in a union. I'm a... I don't even know what the name of my job is! Was.

Virginia: You're a renowned specialist in, in supernatural aid and rescue.

Wesley: No, I'm just... Renowned?

Virginia: Well, to me you are. You saved my life. Although you should be in a union. My father always used union conjurers.

Wesley: I didn't know that.

Virginia: Oh, the wizard community is very progressive.

Wesley: Your father tired to sacrifice you to the goddess Yeska.

Virginia: Yeah, one of the many reasons why I'll never talk to him again. Although I'm healing, thanks to a lot of therapy and a gigantic trust fund. Hey, you know what it is? He's jealous!

Wesley: Your father?

Virginia: No. Angel. You had to impersonate him to rescue me and you're too good an Angel.

Wesley: I don't think so. He fired Cordy and Gunn, too.

Virginia: All of you? Why?

Wesley: It has to do with Darla being made a vampire again and hooking up with Drusilla and... The three of them have a very tangled past. My guess is, he'll be hunting them down and he doesn't want anyone in his way.

Virginia gets up: Well, his loss it the worlds gain. You'll get another job just like that! (Snaps her fingers) What else can you do?

Virginia smiles at him while Wesley thinks.

Wesley: Not much.

Angel is in the basement, practicing with a sword.

Angel voice-over: When Wolfram and Hart take a life they do it at a distance. I don't have that luxury.

He stabs the sword down into the floor and kicks the punching bag of its chain.

Angel voice-over: It's time.

Angel, wearing his coat, leaves his apartment, takes one last look around and closes the door.

He walks down the stairs, across the lobby and, turning the lobby lights off, goes down into the basement.

Angel voice-over: I'm not on their level.

Opens the trap door into the sewer.

Angel voice-over: But I can get there.

Descends into the sewer, then walks along its tunnels.

Voice-over: And when I do, I'll be right up close. I'll bring the fight to them.

Wolfram and Hart's office building. Day.

Lindsey leaning on the reception desk: No messages? No messages, are you sure? Check...(He breaks off and straightens up as Lilah comes walking up) Thanks.

Lindsey turns to go and Lilah falls in step with him.

Lilah: You're getting the big freeze out, too?

Lindsey: Lilah.

Lilah: Oh, what's wrong, Lindsey? You bitter because your girlfriend didn't slit my throat?

Lindsey: That might be overstating it. More like bummed.

Lilah: Sorry to disappoint. I take it I'm not the only one feeling the lack of empathy around here.

A vampire, walking next to a lawyer, stares at Lindsey's bruised face.

Lindsey: What are you looking at?

Lilah: No phone calls, no flowers. If I were the nervous type, I'd be nervous. But as it is, I'm just pissed.

Lindsey: What do you expect, Lilah? We're the only survivors of the massacre, it's natural that we're under suspicion.

Lilah: Yeah, you know what I don't like about suspicion? The part where they find us two weeks from now, dead in some freak accident.

Lindsey: We did nothing wrong.

Lilah: I'm sorry, have we met? Because I work for Wolfram and Hart. Responsibility has nothing to do with it. If they are looking for a scapegoat we might as well grow horns and start eating garbage.

Lindsey: Scapegoat. Scapegoat, Lilah?! They're the one...

Lilah puts a hand on his chest and Lindsey falls silent and glares at another lawyer, walking past them in the hallway.

Lindsey, more quietly: They're the ones who wanted Drusilla brought in. I was following orders.

Lilah: And you honestly think that matters? Fine. Indulge your denial. Don't doubt for a minute someone's gonna pay, Lindsey, and we're the only ones left.

Lindsey opens the door to his dark office and the two of them stop just inside the door.

Lindsey: Not the only ones.

Dru is sitting in the chair behind Lindsey's desk, while Darla is sitting on the edge of it.

Darla: Lindsey. I've missed you. Close the door. (Neither Lindsey nor Lilah move) Sweetpea, if we wanted you dead, you'd have never have made it out of the wine cellar. Now close the door.

Lindsey closes the door.

Dru: He's got cow eyes. Big and black. Moo...

Lindsey walks closer to Darla: You spared me. Why'd you spare me, Darla?

Darla walks the rest of the way to him: Do you really have to ask? (She leans in close to smell him) Mmmm. I'm in love with you.

They look at each other for a few moments, then Darla burst out laughing. Lindsey jerks his head a little. Dru and Lilah join Darla's laughter.

Darla: Shut up, Lilah.

Dru: Shh!

Darla: Well, look at you two, such pretty scars.

Lindsey: You've put us in a difficult position, Darla.

Darla: Hmm, have I? Smart young lawyers, (runs a hand up Lindsey's arm) hungry for their big break and, whoops, boss gets eaten. Someone has to step in. Someone promising, pretty, with questionable ethics and twelve hundred dollar suits that look good on the six o'clock news.

Lilah: You think they'll promote him?

Darla to Lilah: Or you. (Walks back to the desk) In any case, that's why you're here. I've decided to keep the line of communication open between us and Wolfram and Hart.

Lindsey: What for?

Darla: I believe we can help each other.

Lindsey: I don't think I understand. What is it exactly that you want, Darla?

Darla: Power. See, Lindsey, during my stint as Wolfram and Hart's puppet, something occurred to me. I loathe being used. If I recall I sent you a fifteen-body-memo to that effect. We plan on being big players in this town, Dru and I. And while you can't give me what I want, you have the things I need to get it. Money. Connections.

Lilah: We're no good to you dead, Darla. The Senior Partners are looking for someone to blame for your massacre.

Darla: But surely they wouldn't kill both of you. Seems like such a waste. Well, I guess, whoever's left standing will be our liaison.

Lindsey: Liaison to what?

Darla: To the world above of course. In the meantime, we'll focus on the world below.

Lindsey steps closer to Darla: This power that you want does it have a target? You going after Angel?

Darla jumps off the desk: Don't say that! Not everything is about Angel, Lindsey. I just want to have some fun.

Lindsey: Well, you see, I'm surprised. Because I though that you would make him your top priority.

Darla: I spent two hundred and fifty years without Angel. You think just because I went through a little human phase I'd go all gooey?

Lindsey: No. No, I thought you'd kill him.

Darla: All in good time, my love. All in good time.

The camera pans around a deserted intersection of two sewer tunnels, than up to reveal Angel crouched on some of the overhead pipes.

A group of four vampires comes down one of the tunnels.

Vampire, laughing: They were just waiting for us. All crouched and hiding in that little backroom. Generally I don't like to hit the fast food places. The people are all greasy. But this was like Christmas!

Angel drops down onto the bragging lead-vamp, which manages to kick him off. Angel charges back in and proceeds to take all four of them on at once. Stakes one. Kicks another one and sends it flying up against the wall. Triggers his wrist stake and dust a second. The lead-vamp grabs Angel and pushes him against the wall, but when it tries to throw him against the opposing wall, Angel runs up the side of it. Using the vampire's hold as a pivot he lands behind it and drives his wrist stake into its heart. The last vamp tries to run off, but Angel tackles him to the ground, then pulls out his sword and beheads the vampire.

Angel voice-over: I'm ready.

He drops the bloody sword and starts to walk down the tunnel, taking off his coat and throwing it to the ground.

Voice-over: I've got the moves. Now I need to know what theirs are.

At the Caritas bar the Host is singing 'Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?'

Wesley steps up to the bar: A bloody Mary, please.

Bartender: You want real blood with that?

Wesley: Ah, no... bloodless, thanks.

Wesley watches as the Host finishes his song to a lot of applause.

Host: Thank you. Thank you. Okay, we'll take a little break and see who wants to come up and sing next.

Wesley to himself: Steady on, Wesley. Perhaps something by Cat Stevens.

Bartender: Your drink, sir.

Wesley: Ah, thank you.

He turns from the bar just as a woman in a dark coat walks past.

Wesley: Gahh!

The woman spins around. It's Cordy.

Cordy: Wesley.

Wesley: Cordelia. How...odd to see you.

Cordy: Wh-what are you doing here?

Wesley: Me? Oh, I just...came in for a drink.

Cordy: Ah. Because only demon Karaoke bars have those. (Gives him a push) You were gonna sing.

Wesley: Sing? Oh, dear lord, no. No. Uh, I merely...what are you doing here?

Cordy: Oh. Ah, well...I was, uhm...in the neighborhood?

Wesley: You live fifteen miles away.

Cordy: Yeah, well, you know L.A. It's all one really big neighborhood.

Wesley with a slight smile: I see.

Cordy huffs and they sit down at the bar.

Wesley: Come to find your destiny, have you? And who's gonna help you with that?

Cordy: Shanaia Twain or Madonna. I hadn't decided.

Wesley nods: I suppose we're both rather at loose ends now that Angel has...

Cordy: ...pulled a total wig?

Wesley: Quite. I must admit, I'm somewhat embarrassed.

Gunn from behind them: How do you think I feel?

Cordy: Gunn. What are you... (Gunn looks at the floor) What happened to 'this was just a side gig?'

Gunn: Hey, I got a rep to maintain, alright? I can't have you all seeing through my brusque and macho exterior.

Cordy: Oh, heavens forfend!

Wesley: So, I'll assume it's not Madonna, but what song were you going to sing?

Gunn pats Wes on the shoulder: You wouldn't know it.

Cordy: Well, I for one, would just like to point out the patheticness that is us. This is all Angel's fault. I hope he's happy now. All alone in his demon world with no one to talk to.

Merl (stoolie demon from Judgement) is suspended by a rope, head down, from a sewer pipe above a pool of water, and being dipped into it by Angel.

Merl: I'll talk!

Angel pulls him back up, waiting.

Merl: But I'm telling you man, I don't know where...

Dip.

Merl: Is that how you get your rock off, you sick...

Dip.

Merl: All right, all right. Alright. I heard about your girls, Godzilla, Darcilla, whatever. Uh... they've been hitting all the underground hot spots. Looking for demons to join some, ah, crew they're running. That's all I know, man, I swear.

Dip.

Merl: Okay! Okay. Okay. You didn't hear this from me. But you know that little Bar-and-bite club on La Cienega and Washington? Ah, that's the only demon haunt they ain't been to. Okay? Okay?

Angel ties the rope off to a pipe along the wall.

Merl: Hey, alright? Hey, hey, hey, you're gonna cut me down, right? (Angel walks off down the tunnel) You're not just gonna leave me hanging here, man? Hey! Hey! I'm spinning here, man. Freaking vampires.

At the bar and bite club. A fight is taking place between a green demon and a vampire, ringed by a crowd of demons watching and cheering.

The demon dances around the vampire, hitting him. Finally grabs the vampire in a choke-hold (trying to rip his head off?). The vampire slaps the floor with his hand and the demon releases him.

Rhythmic clapping interrupts the cheers for the winner. The crowd parts to reveal Darla, followed by Dru walking into the middle of the circle.

Darla: Wow. That was something. But violence without victims, see, that's where you lose me.

Demon: Who the hell are you?

Darla: My name's Darla and this is Drusilla. We're new in town though some of you know us by reputation.

Demon: I never heard of you before.

Drusilla reaches up from behind him and casually rips off his ears. The demon drops to the floor with a scream, hands pressed to the sides of his head.

Darla: Now you never will. I trust we have everyone's attention? Good. We've come with a little proposition.

From under the shadow of the hood of his gray sweatshirt a vamp-faced Angel glances over the shoulders of the demons in front of him at Darla.

Darla: Me and my girl, we're not just the new thing in town, we're the only thing in town. And we're in the market for some... Well, one doesn't really want to use the term 'muscular slaves...' Actually, one does. Unfortunately for most, we're only looking for the best. Those creatures who not only excel at devastation, but revel in it. Our crusade is one of malevolent joy.

Angel moves through the demon crowd, head down. Dru gasps as he slips past the demons standing behind her.

Dru: Eyes like needles.

Darla: Dru, I'm working here?

Dru: He sees you. Sees what you were. (Gasps and takes a step closer to Darla) You'll never be alone again.

Darla: Stop! J-just don't.

Dru: He's watching you, my sweet, right now.

Darla spins around and looks at the crowd of demons.

Darla: Angel.

Darla pushes into the crowd.

Dru: He wants to punish us. He thinks we've been naughty. He remembers when you were warm.

Darla spins around to face Dru: Shut up, Drusilla!

Dru turns away and Darla gives herself a little shake.

Darla speaking hurriedly: Now, as I was saying, if you think you have what it takes to join us, auditions are tonight, here (pulls a business card out of her cleavage) at this address. Winners will have the opportunity to foment mass-destruction, losers will be gutted and left for dead. (Drops the card on the floor) Have a nice night. (Grabs a hold of Dru's arm and hustles her towards the door) Come on.

Angel is standing in the alley behind the bar. Morphs into his human face and pulls he hood off. Leans his head back against a post.

Angel voice-over: I'm not ready.

Flash to Darla in the club saying his name and looking around for him.

Voice-over: I can still feel her. Her pain. Her need. Her hope.

Angel takes a deep breath and walks off.

Voice-over: I'm too close. Too close to fight her.

Wolfram and Hart's offices, night.

Lindsey is getting ready to leave for the night. He picks up his coat and turns only to find Lilah standing in the open door.

Lindsey: Lilah. (Sees the look on her face) Something happened?

Lilah: I can't do it anymore, Lindsey.

Lilah slowly walks in. Lindsey drops his stuff and closes the door.

Lindsey: Do what?

Lilah: The waiting. I'm sitting in my office and every time there is a noise or the phone rings... One of us is gonna die, Lindsey.

Lindsey: Everybody dies, Lilah.

Lilah: But not everybody ends up in a dog-food processing plant in San Pedro.

Lindsey: May not happen to you, Lilah. You got a fifty fifty chance of surviving this thing, just like me.

Lilah: That's not good enough. There is a way out of this.

Lindsey: How?

Lilah: We don't wait for them to chose one of us, we chose each other instead. If we stick together we can beat them. We could leave (reaches out to caress Lindsey's tie) you and me, tonight. They'd have no choice...

Lindsey: No choice but to hunt us down, which they would.

Lilah: No. Not if we took files, as insurance.

Lindsey: Take files?

Lilah: Yes. (Takes a step closer) Look. I've heard the rumors. We both know that it worked for you once before. You knew just what to take. And this time you won't have to assume any of the risk. You just tell me which files to steal and I'll get them. And then we can get out of here. End this mess together. Are you in?

Lindsey strokes the side of Lilah's face and leans in as if to kiss her, while his hand slips down into her blouse and pulls out a wire.

Lindsey speaking into the tiny microphone: But Lilah, I would never steal files from my employer. I'm shocked at the suggestion.

With a snort of laughter Lindsey retrieves his jacket, portfolio and keys.

Lindsey: Forget about the frame job, sweetheart. They're gonna kill who they're gonna kill. (Opens the door) Just take it like a man.

Lindsey blows her a kiss and leaves.

Cordy, Wes and Gunn are sitting around a table at Caritas.

Cordy, voice slightly slurred: But see, that's what I'm saying. If Wesley hadn't been all shaking his finger...

Wesley: No, no, no.

Cordy: ...and no, no, no, this whole Darla-thing would have just, you know, blown over.

Gunn: What?!

Wesley: Blown over? Angel is obsessed with Darla. Obsessions don't just blow over.

Gunn: Right.

Cordy: Well, you certainly didn't help by making him feel guilty about it. You shamed him into firing us!

Wesley: You blaming this on me?

Cordy: I'm not blaming... Yes. I'm blaming you. You get the blame.

Gunn: I don't know. If I'd had to listen to you two, day in, day out, snipe, snipe, snipe, bitch, bitch, bitch. I figure you all got of easy, because I would have killed you.

Cordy: Ha. That's rich coming from Mr. 'I don't take orders now where do I stick my ax?'

Gunn: What is that supposed to mean?

Wesley: Well, Gunn. You've never been very supportive of Angel's leadership role. I remember a certain shroud.

Gunn: Hold up. Hold on, are you trying to tell me this is my fault?

Wesley: Well, how is the man supposed to run a business if his employees won't follow directives?

Gunn: Was one of his directives 'hire pansy-assed British guys?'

Cordy suppresses a laugh.

Wesley: My ass is not pansy.

Host: Could I have someone bring you kids another round?

All three: Yes.

Gunn: What about her? Maybe if she'd had a couple more visions Angel would have been too distracted to think about this Darla-chick, huh?

Wesley and Gunn clink drinks.

Cordy: Earth to retards: you have an obsession you pretty much squeeze it into your schedule, no matter what!

Wesley: Aha! So you admit it's an obsession.

Cordy: No. I mean, yes. But no.

Wesley: Hypocrite.

Cordy: Ass-pansy.

Wesley: Don't call me that!

Gunn: You two are driving me buggy. All you talk about is 'this is his fault, this is her fault...' You two wouldn't last ten seconds on the street...

All three talk at once.

Cut to the three of them arm in arm on the stage singing We Are the Champions by Queen.

Cut to the three of them sitting around a table, the only ones left in the bar.

Cordy: Vampires, sloth demons, you what's really, really evil? Tequila.

Wesley pushes some glasses to the side, making a face.

Wesley: I need to be dead now.

Host: Well, well, I can see the maudlin segment of tonight's binge is in full swing. (Takes off his jacket) Now, don't be blue. (Walks around the table) I was very impressed with your musical recitation of pain earlier. And when I say pain, I mean mine. (Comes to stand behind Cordy) Although props for singing your little hearts out.

Cordy: Yeah. Our hearts were out. You, Mr. Big Mojo-guy, are supposed to, uhm, give us guidance now.

Wesley: She's right. We came, we sang, we...fought the urge to regurgitate.

Cordy: So spill already. (To Wesley) Not you. What are we supposed to do with our lives? (Makes a strange face, like she's about to yawn) Where do we go from here?

Host folds his jacket into a pillow.

Host: Oh I'd love to tell you, sweetie. But when the big guys talk, I shut my yap. (Holds his folded jacket behind Cordy's head) And they're about to get real chatty.

Cordy throws her head back with a scream as she gets hit by a vision.

Wesley: Cordy?

Blurred flashes of a green demon and a girl.

Wesley: Are you alright?

Cordy: No!

Gunn: What'd you see?

Cordy: Ooh. Alley. Not too far from here. A demon is dragging a girl... She's hurt bleeding...

Wesley gets up: Let's go.

Angel is in his basement, checking his wrist stakes and filling a gym bag with assorted weapons.

The phone rings in the lobby. Angel walks towards the reception desk to reach past the ringing phone to pick up an ax. He turns and heads out, ignoring the phone.

Gunn, Wes and Cordy hurry down a dark alley.

Cordy: I don't get it? Are we late? We didn't feel late in my head.

Gunn pointing: Over here.

There are splashes of blood on the ground.

Cordy: It's hers. It's got to be hers. But where is she?

Gunn: If we had Angel, we could track her.

Cordy: He'd also kill the big, spiny demon that took her. Did I mention that its teeth are about three inches long?

Gunn: And us with no weapons? Man, I wish Angel was here.

Wesley: Well, he's not! (They turn to stare at Wes) Angel's walked away from his duty. We're not going to.

Cordy: So how do we find her?

Wesley: We start with basics. (Walks over and crouches down by the blood) First we examine the area for any tell tale signs for a particular kind of ...eww.

Gunn: There's different kinds of yuuck?

Wesley pulls his hand away form where he had used it brace himself against the wall. It's covered with blood.

Wesley: No, look.

There is a streak of blood going up the wall next to a drainpipe, leading to a busted window.

Gunn: He took her up there.

Cordy: But the building is abandoned. The front door was all chained up. How are we supposed to....

They all look at the drain pipe, then up at the window.

Darla and Dru are coming out of a demon bar.

Dru: I didn't like that barkeeper. Hmm, can't get his eyes of my fingers.

Dru licks her fingers.

Darla: That was the last one. It's nearly midnight now. We should get to the factory.

Dru: My little bird is anxious.

Darla: Yeah, well, recruiting a legion of demons is stressful, Dru.

Dru: He won't leave, you know.

Darla: I don't wanna hear this.

Dru: We could have a thousand soldiers and still he'll come, galloping, galloping, still he'll come.

Darla: Why is everybody trying to make this about Angel?! I mean, for God's sake, can't a woman wreak a little havoc without there being a man involved?

Dru: You miss him, like a heartbeat.

Darla: I don't miss my heartbeat, Dru. It was a symptom of a disease I've since been cured off. You know, in a perfect world, Angel would be here right now, helping me burn this city to the ground. This is his job I'm doing. But where is he? Probably flogging himself in a church somewhere.

Dru: Ooh, flogging! Eww, churches.

Darla: In a perfect world we'd be slaughtering the innocent. Laughing as we rain destruction on this whole miserable town.

Dru: I see such pretty fire.

Darla: Fire. Conflagration. In a perfect world there'd be nothing left here but ashes.

Dru laughing: And pain. So much suffering. (Begins to sway) The flames are lovely. They dance, and the fire licks like a cat. And the screams, oh, it's like star music.

Darla: That's nice, Dru. Now hurry up. We can't be late.

Angel walks up to an abandoned building. Slides a big garage door to the side to reveal an assortment of different demons waiting inside. Angel's weapons bag drops in slow motion to the ground and he twist the ax in his hand.

Gunn is helping Cordy climb into the building through the window.

Cordy: Uh, it's always the same. A smelly, old, abandoned building. Are there no demon hideouts in Beverly Hills?

Wesley watching the room: Several in matter of fact... Look. Over there.

We see a body lying motionless on the floor.

Cordy: That's her. But where is the...

Cordy screams as the demon of her vision drops down from overhead, right in front of them.

The demon knocks Wesley to the floor then jumps on Gunn.

Wesley to Cordy: Get her out of here.

Wesley picks up a 2x4 and knocks the demon off of Gunn.

Cordy to girl: Come on, we got to get you...

The demon turns towards her, and Gunn jumps on its back. The demon throw itself back against the wall, smashing Gunn in between, and Wesley takes the chance to hit in the stomach. The demon retaliates with a hard right to Wesley's jaw, then throws Gunn over its head into the opposite wall. Wesley whacks it across the back, dropping it to the ground. The demon pulls Wesley's leg out from under him, then jumps on his back and sinks it's teeth into Wesley's right shoulder. Wesley lets out a scream of pain.

Gunn gets back up, grabs a chair and knocks the demon off Wesley with it, shattering the chair in the process. Gunn picks up one of the splintered chair legs and rams it into the back of the demon's head, killing it.

Wesley picks himself back up and looks over at Cordy and the other girl.

Wesley: We need to get her to a hospital.

Cordy: Yeah.

Gunn: What about you?

Wesley: I'm fine it's just... (he looks at the hole in his shoulder) We should go before I pass out, or possibly during.

Gunn: This thing nearly ripped us to shreds.

Cordy: Yeah, but out of everybody here, which one of us is the dead one?

Darla and Dru are walking up to the abandoned building where Angel met all those demons.

Darla: I want to make this quick, alright? We get in there, weed out the losers, and get out. I've got precious little patience left.

Dru looks at the building: Oh, it's beautiful! Dank and dark. It reeks of death.

Darla with a smile: That's motor oil, Dru.

Dru: Can we buy it? It could be our castle.

Darla: There's no view. Plus we're broke. Though I suppose Lindsey could help out in that respect, if they haven't killed him yet.

Dru: I like the girl. She's wicked.

Darla: They're sweet kids. Naïve, but they're only human. I doubt they even know what Wolfram and Hart's true plan for Angel is. But I have to say, my curiosity is piqued.

Dru puts her hand on the handle of the door.

Dru: Ten little soldiers, all in a line. A shot rings out (slaps her hands together to make the sound of a shot) down to nine.

Darla: Ten? I'd be happy if we could find three who can hack it.

Darla slides the door open and they walk in to see the floor littered with demon corpses and severed limbs and a pile of dust between them.

Dru: Dead already? Bad soldiers!

Darla looks around and sees Angel leaning against the hood of a dusty car, smoking a cigarette.

Darla with a slight smile: I should have known.

Dru shakes her head: A shadow.

Dru lifts her hand as if she is trying to wipe away a cobweb in front of her face, never taking her eyes off Angel.

Darla: Why so far away, my love? Why don't you come over here and... stake me? (No reaction from Angel) Angel?

Angel, looking pretty beat up, continues to smoke his cigarette.

Darla hopeful: Angelus?

Angel throws down his cigarette butt. It ignites a trail of gasoline. Darla and Dru look down at the flames, see them racing towards them in slow motion, and ignite the puddle of gasoline they're standing in.

They scream as they begin to burn.

Angel turns around to pick up his bag of weapons, revealing a can of gasoline sitting on the hood behind him, and walks out without looking back.

Darla picks up a sledgehammer, leaning next to the door, runs outside and knocks the top of a fire hydrant off. She and Dru stand under the spray of water, letting it extinguish the flames, then sink down to sit on the edge of the sidewalk under it, with Darla holding Dru.

Dru: I'm burning. Make it stop, please.

Darla: Shh. Shh. That wasn't Angel.

Dru: He's gone. He's all gone. Oh it hurts! It hurts!

Darla: Wasn't Angelus either.

Dru: Darla, help me. Help me, please! Please. Please.

Darla: Who was that?

Wolfram and Hart. Day.

Lilah is coming up some stairs and falls in with Lindsey who is walking along the hallway at the top.

Lilah: Heard about the fire?

Lindsey: They're still alive.

Lilah: Undead.

Lindsey: Whatever.

Lilah: Heard it was Angel.

Lindsey: So?

Lilah: Killed a dozen demons, lit up Darla and Drusilla like a Christmas tree.

Lindsey: What is your point Lilah?

Lilah: Little grimmer than usual, don't you think?

Lindsey: Holland's vision lives on.

Lilah: Screw his vision. Anybody's going down in here, it's gonna be you.

Lindsey: If that's what it takes.

They walk through some glass doors into a conference room. There is a man in a suit sitting at the table, with an open book in front of him. Two dark-clad men standing like guards against the wall behind him.

Hunt: Sit down.

Lilah and Lindsey take some chairs further down the table.

Hunt: I suppose you know why you're here. The Senior Partners have decided that this should be a time of grief and reflection. We will never be able to replace Holland Manners. He was a man of extraordinary talents. The bottom line is this leaves us with an opening in our roster. We need an executive vice-president of Special Projects. (Stands up) Mr. McDonald (takes a couple steps closer to the two of them. The guards move with him) your conduct with this firm had proved spotty at best. You've stolen files, co-operated with our enemy, and disobeyed orders time and again. (Lilah smiles) Mrs. Morgan, when you drove away the telekinetic Bethany Chaulk, you lost for us a powerful potential assassin. Not to mention the fact that both of you have been extremely negligent about informing us of visits form certain ladies who, lest we forget, ate the majority of our contracts department. The truth is that neither one of you are particularly qualified to run the special projects division. As for your relationship to one another: your competition has been vicious, destructive, and...healthy. We think you keep each other on your toes. Which is why we have decided to appoint you both as joint acting co-vice-presidents until such time as we see fit to narrow it down. Congratulations. This is a big step. The Senior Partners will be watching you.

He picks up his book and walks out. Lindsey and Lilah look at each other.

Angel is in the basement of the Hyperion, throwing knives at a target, and hitting the bullseye every time.

He retrieves the knives and gets ready to do it again as Wesley appears on the basement steps.

Wesley: I thought you might like to know we're keeping the agency open with or without you.

Angel stands with his back to Wesley, facing the target, silent.

Wesley: You may have turned your back on your mission, but we haven't.

There is still no reaction from Angel, so Wesley turns to walk back up the stairs.

Wesley: Someone has to fight the good fight.

Angel throws the knife and barely hits the target.

He blinks his eyes, then closes them.

Angel voice-over: Let them fight the good fight. Someone has to fight the war.

He opens his eyes, throws Bullseye.

FADE TO BLACK