Written by Howard Gordon
Directed by Rick Marck
Consulting Producer: Marti Noxon – Co-Producer: Skip Schoolnik – Produced by Kelly A. Manners – Executive Producers: Sandy Gallin and Gail Berman – Executive Producers: Fran Rubel Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui – Supervising Producer: Tim Minear – Consulting Producer: Howard Gordon
Last updated on March 1st 2000
Cordelia is sitting in front of her computer at Angel Investigations checking
out a new computer program.
Cordy: “Demons, Demons, Demons.
Wow! They put a lot of thought into *that* title.”
Wesley: “It’s
a demon database. What would you call it?”
Cordy: “I don’t
know. How about – Demon Database?”
Wesley: “Ahh! A name
rife with single entendre.”
Cordy: “Why isn’t Wolfram&Hart in
here?”
Wesley: “Because they are lawyers, not demons?”
Cordy: “Fine line, if you ask me. Yeesh. They have a lot
of entries! Did you know that there is a dozen species indigenous to LA
County alone?”
Wesley: “Do they have the Vigories of Oden Tal?”
Cordy: “Nope.”
Wesley: “Hmm. (Picks up a book)
So - there is still a place in this world for traditional research.”
Cordy: “There are some ugly critters in here. Someone ought to
create an intra-demon dating base. You know, like archfiend.org, where the
lonely and the slimy connect. (Wesley looks at her) I was just
joking Mr. Grouchy Pants. When was the last time you had a dating base?”
Wesley: “For your information – I lead a rich and varied social life.”
Cordy: “Oh, I know. Every night it’s Jeopardy, followed by Wheel
of Fortune and a cup of hot cocoa. Look out girls, this one can’t be
tamed!”
Wesley: “I’ll admit it may not be as intoxicating as a life
erected on high fashion pumps and a push-up bra.”
Cordy gets up: “Hey,
if anyone is wearing a push-up bra around here it’s (Sees Angel coming in) -
Angel.”
Angel: “Did you two need to see a counselor?”
Cordy with a
smile: “No, I’m way too single entendre - to benefit from therapy!”
Wesley: “I don’t know why you take everything so personally.”
Cordy: “Me? Oh this is rich coming from Mr. ‘Don’t talk to me
until I’ve had my *flagon* of oat-bran’ in the morning.”
Door opens a guy
with a beat-up face in a suit walks in.
Angel: “Children, we have
company.”
Darin: “Is one of you Angel?”
Angel: “I’m Angel.”
Darin: “I’m Darin Macnamara, I uh, - checked around. You have a
reputation for handling unusual problems.”
Wesley: “A richly deserved
reputation.”
Darin sways and Angel and Wesley run up and catch him before he
collapses.
Angel: “Hey, are you all right?”
They help Darin over
to the couch.
Darin: “Yeah, I think I’m going to pass out.
I’m-I’m sorry it’s just that – my brother - Jack. He-he was kidnapped last
night. (He offers Angel a small white jewelry box) I found this in
my mailbox today.”
Angel opens the box to reveal a severed finger.
Angel: “Do you know the people who did this?”
Darin: “Well,
that’s why I came to you. - They weren’t people.”
Intro
Angel is looking at some photographs of a blond guy.
Darin: “That’s
my brother Jack. - My brother and I haven’t been exactly – close –
since we grew up. I made something of my life and Jack - didn’t.
(Cordy hand him a drink) Thanks. I don’t know what they want.
There was no calls, no note, just...”
Angel: “But you were there when
he was taken.”
Darin: “Jack called me last night, asked me to come
over. – He’s got a gambling problem. He said he was in over his head with
one of his bookies.”
Cordy: “Do you know which one?”
Darin:
“Ernie Nellins. He works at a Sports Bar in Silverlake called Shots.
I paid this Nellins before. I told Jack this time to go to hell. I
wanted him to suffer the consequences of his actions. - I didn’t
know something like this was gonna happen.”
Wesley: “You
couldn’t. It’s not your fault.”
Darin: “I felt guilty. So
I went over there and there were these – I don’t know – creatures. They
were dragging him away. I-I tried to stop them, but...”
Angel:
“And you haven’t heard from anyone?”
Darin: “No. I’ll pay
anything to get him back. He’s family. He’s my little brother.”
Angel: “Look, my colleagues will - start looking into whoever or
whatever kidnapped your brother and uhm, (Hands him a pad and paper) in the
meantime write down everything you saw.”
Darin: “Okay. Thank
you! What about the bookie?”
Angel: “I thought we could have a
little chat.”
Cut to a bunch of guys playing poker. A guy is setting down drinks in
Styrofoam containers.
Bookie: “This is wheat-grass. I ordered
the kiwi cooler.”
Guy: “Give me that.”
Bookie: “How do you
drink this swill! (Lays down two cards) Give me two.”
Angel
walks in: “Mind if I play, Ernie?”
Bookie: “Game’s invitation only,
pal.”
Angel: “Then invite me. It’s been a while since I’ve
played so I might be a little rusty on the rules (Pulls out the photographs of
Jack and drops them on the table) but I think my Jacks – beat your pair. (Bookie
pulls out a gun and Angel grabs his hand and casually gets the gun away form
him) No, I’m not looking for a fight – just for him.”
Bookie gets up and
walks out. Angel picks up the pictures and follows him.
Cut to the
alley outside.
Angel: “You should try that wheat-grass. It’s
good for the digestion.”
Bookie: “Who the hell are you?”
Angel: “Friend of Jack’s.”
Bookie: “Jack doesn’t have any
friends – just people he doesn’t owe.”
Angel: “His brother will make
good on all his debts.”
Bookie: “Ooh, out of my hands hot-shot.
It’s not about the money anymore. It’s about making Jack an example.”
Angel: “Piece by piece?”
Bookie: “Makes an impression on the
newcomers.”
Angel: “Where is he, Ernie?”
Bookie: “He didn’t
tell me. I didn’t ask.”
Angel: “Which doesn’t mean you don’t
know.”
Bookie: “Yep.”
He puts a cigarette in his mouth.
Angel seems to be lighting a match for him but when the guy bends down he sees
the Angel is actually holding up a folded hundred-dollar bill shielded by his
hand instead of a match. The bookie glances up at Angel, then both ways
down the deserted alley. He touches his cigarette to the bill and palms it
with his other hand.
Bookie: “There is a place – in Beechwood
Canyon. - Well, not exactly in Beechwood Canyon – under it
actually.”
Cordy at her computer: “Okay, I’m in. What did Darin write down
about the demon that took his brother?”
Wesley reads: “Bald – ultra
white skin – slime.”
Cordy: “There is always slime. This is why
I don’t gamble. You make a small wager one day, a bigger one the next, and
before you know it – Beetlejuicy albino comes a knocking! Claws or hands?”
Wesley: “He wrote claw-like hands.”
Cordy: “Could be a mixed
breed. Smell?”
Wesley: “Sulfuric.”
Cordy: “Add a
Porsche and hair-plugs and I’ve dated this guy – a lot. Other
distinguishing characteristics?”
Wesley: “An eerie high-pitched howl
or wail. I’m assuming that’s when it’s preparing to fight or mate.”
Cordy: “Okay, first I say ‘yuck’ and then I hit search.”
Wesley: “You know, by the time you get done entering all this in your
fancy-shmancy database (picks up a book) I could have located it just...”
Cordy: “Got it.”
Wesley looks at the screen: “A Howler
demon.”
Cut to Angel climbing down a ladder into a sewer. He shines his
flashlight on some bloody human parts floating in some opaque goo in a square
hole in the floor. Two Howler demons attack him, shrieking as they
go. After a bit of a fight, Angel knows one of them out with his
flashlight, then presses the other one up against the wall.
Angel:
“Where is Jack Macnamara?”
Howler: “Not here.”
Angel: “Where
is he?!”
Howler: “We sold him.”
Angel: “Okay. Who did
we sell him to?”
A sports convertible pulls up in a rundown neighborhood. Angel sees
couples in fancy dress lined up to have their tickets checked to get into one of
the buildings.
Bouncer: “Next please? Tickets? Name?”
Angel sees a barred basement window. He tests the strength of the bars
with his hands looks around, then breaks in.
Cut to the inside of the
club. A good-looking, dark-haired lady picks up her drink from the bar and
pushes her ticket laying next to it over the edge. Angel catches it.
Lady: “You’re quick.”
Angel looks at the ticket. It says
Amount $5000 to win Cribb XXI 255459.
Lady pulls it out of his hand with a
smile: “Thank you.”
Angel: “No problem.”
Angel walks into
another room. People stand cheering around a pit in which two demons are
fighting against each other. One demon manages to know the other down so
it doesn’t get back up.
Crowd chanting: “Killing blow. Killing
blow.”
One of the men standing beside some doors in the pit throws the demon
still standing a knife. He catches it and cuts the downed demon’s throat
to cheers and applause.
Announcer into microphone hanging in the middle of
the pit: “Winner, Ladies and Gentlemen, Tom Cribb, official time 6 minutes
22 seconds. (Fight pays out 2 5 ?) If you are keeping track that was Cribb’s
seventh career kill. Our next contest features one of the more popular
fighter’s we’ve had the pleasure of presenting, a rare find. Hailing from
the barren wastelands of (Treshok ?) (Doors in the pit open and a new
demon walks in) A true champion that has it all: skill, speed and
strength! Let’s give it up for the menace of (Venice?) the titan of
terror, the (?) of agony, the one, the only – Val Trepkos!”
Angel sees a
blond guy being lead through the crowd by some guys and matches him up to the
pictures of Jack.
He follows them down a corridor.
Jack: “You made
it. (A blinding light comes on and Angel flinches and puts up a hand to
shield his eyes) Most don’t.”
Darin: “Careful with this one,
Jack. You should have seen what he did to the Howlers. Ouch!”
Angel: “You set me up.”
Darin: “It was a group effort.
Jack: “Open up. Let’s get a look at those teeth. Teeth
tell a lot about the bones.”
Jack tries to grab Angel’s face. Angel
takes a hold of his wrist and throws him into another guy behind him. Some
more guys stick Angel with a bunch of heavy-duty cattle prods until he falls
down unconscious.
Darin: “I told you to be careful, Jack.”
Jack
picking himself back up: “So, this one’s got some attitude. That’s
good. He’ll be a crowd pleaser.”
Camera pans down a brick building and sinks down through the street to show
some demons in metal cages. There is a thick red line marking off an area
of the free space in front of the cages. Angel wakes up and notices that
there is a thick silver bracelet around his left wrist bearing a XXI.
Angel
to the demon sharing his cage: “I asked for a room with a view. (The demon
just looks at him) I’m guessing English is not your native tongue.
Hablo Espanol? (Tries again in Russian, then Italian with no
success) Yeah, we’ll have so much to talk about during those long winter
nights.”
Jack walks in: “Listen up, slaves. There is only one
rule here (Hits a button and the cell doors slide open) and it’s real simple, so
you demons can remember it. (Angel walks towards Jack) Tsk,
tsk. (Points down at the thick red line) Stay inside the red.
That wristband will make sure you do. I know what you’re thinking.
You want to tear my throat out. - But you won’t. Because there
is only one way out of here: When that band comes off. And the only way
that band comes off, is after your 21st kill.”
Angel: “I’m not killing
anyone.”
Jack: “Then you’ll be killed. Either way, fan’s will
get their money’s worth.”
Wesley to phone: “Well, please let us know if you hear from him.
Thank you.”
Cordy playing nervously with her necklace: “Cop-lady
hasn’t talked to him?”
Wesley: “No, and she seemed like she didn’t
much *care* either.”
Cordy: “We should put out a missing persons.”
Wesley gets up: “He’s only been gone one night.”
Cordy: “One
*long* night, during which he was supposed to check in with us and didn’t.
And – he’s not someone who tans well.”
Wesley: “He’s probably just
holed up in a tunnel somewhere, waiting for nightfall.”
Cordy:
“Maybe. - Still something is *very* wrong. Our client, who
should be waiting by the phone, is nowhere to be found!”
Wesley puts on his
jacket: “Right. Keep trying to track him down.”
Cordy:
“What are you going to do?”
Wesley: “Follow in Angel’s footsteps.”
Cordy: “You’re going to the bookie?”
Wesley: “That’s the
last place we know Angel went.”
Cordy: “The bookie who may get his
jollies cutting off people’s extremities?”
Wesley opens a drawer:
“That’s why I’m taking this. (He pulls out a tangle of weapons, scattering
them across the floor) Along with a few other things.”
Cut to the demon barracks. A guard is dishing out a brown slop and
sliding the bowls and a piece of bread on trays across the red line on the
floor. The demons are sitting around the table eating. Angel sits
down. He doesn’t have a bowl.
Angel: “Looks like good gruel.”
Lizard demon: “Who the hell are you?”
Angel: “I’m Angel.”
Lizard: “What you are, is a soon to be dead slave. - Shut up!”
The
demon across from the Lizard is about to take a bite out of his piece of bread
when the Lizards tongue shoots out and snags it.
Malish: “Cribb,
that’s mine.”
Cribb takes the other demon’s bowl of gruel: “And now
it’s mine.”
Angel without looking at Cribb: “Give it back to him.”
Cribb: “You open your mouth again, I’ll close it for good.”
Cribb
lifts the bowl to his mouth.
Angel: “I wouldn’t do that if I were
you.”
Cribb puts the bowl down and gets up to lean across the table:
“Angel, guess how many vampires I’ve killed.”
Angel looks up at Cribb.
A couple guards come closer, charging up their cattle prods. Angel reaches
over and slides the bowl back in front of Malish.
Cribb to Angel:
“Catch you later.”
Later the demon with the bowl walks up to Angel.
Malish: “Why did
you do that?”
Angel: “You’re welcome.”
Malish: “I can fight
my own battles. I got two wins already.”
Angel: “So all you need
is what? Another 19 and you’re out of here?”
Malish: “Yeah,
that’s right. You think I can’t cut it? You want a piece of me?”
Angel: “No. Not really.”
Malish: “What’s wrong with
you? Don’t be rocking the boat. This is life and death in here.”
Jack: “Alright, girls, listen up. Here is tonight’s card.
Vlasovik, you’re fighting Baker.”
Darin: “Trepkos, you’re the main
event. It’ll go against Malish.”
Malish drops his bowl.
Cribb: “That’s not a match-up, that’s an execution.”
Jack:
“Shut your trap, slave. No one’s talking to you.”
Darin whispers to
Jack: “After he kills Malish we’ll put him up against Kafka for Saturday’s
fight.”
Malish to Trepkos: “I’m walking out of there tonight. (Trepkos
gets up and looks at him) You better know that.”
Suddenly one of the demons
launches himself across the room. Angel charges to intercept him crying
“No! Don’t!” But the demon flies across the red line and
disintegrates. Jack looks down as the bracelet falls to the ground.
Jack: “Damn it! We paid good money for that one.”
Darin
picks up the bracelet: “It’s alright. It’s an object lesson for the
others. We’ll have to find a replacement for his bout.”
Jack looking
at Angel: “How about Captain America here?”
Cut to Ernie the bookie beating up a guy being held by to others. He
dips his fist into a bowl of ice held by a third guy.
Bookie:
“Ice. Helps keep the swelling down. You got a hard head there, boy.”
Wesley as Ernie gets ready to punch the guy again: “Stop that.”
Ernie turns around with a laugh: “Who’s this?”
Wesley: “I’m
Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. And I’m looking for my employer. He came here
to question you about Jack Macnamara.”
Ernie: “Maybe you didn’t
notice. I’m kind of busy here.”
Wesley: “Where is he?”
Ernie: “Your boss – gave me 200 Dollars to answer his questions.
I’m a businessman. Make an offer.”
Wesley: “You should
understand, the man I work for means a great deal to me. And I will not
give you a single red cent. What I will do, Sir, is beat it out of you if
I have to.”
The guys in the room break out into laughter.
Ernie:
“You’re from another country, right? (Wesley pulls a crossbow from behind his
back) What are you, Robin Hood?”
Ernie pulls out a gun, put Wesley
shoots the gun out of his hand, the metal dart pinning Ernie’s hand to the
wall. The gun slides across the floor and Wesley picks it up and aims it
at the rest of the men as they are going for their guns.
Wesley:
“Please drop those.”
The guys drop their guns, and Wesley puts down the
crossbow, keeping the gun trained on the three goons.
Wesley to the guy that
was getting beat up: “You can go now.”
They man runs out and Wesley,
keeping the three goons covered, goes and starts to twiddle the dart stuck in
Ernie’s hand. Ernie moans in pain.
Wesley: “And where is my
employer?”
Cut to the announcer in the pit: “Ladies and Gentlemen the Macnamara
brothers welcome you to another night of high stakes, high voltage
entertainment.”
The dark-haired Lady from the bar is talking to Darin.
Lady: “I heard something interesting.”
Darin: “What’s that?”
Lady: “I heard the vampire has a soul.”
Darin: “Well, I
wouldn’t know about that.”
Lady: “When he’s fighting, do you think
that would be a plus – or a minus?”
Darin playing with one of the
bracelets: “Probably depends on what he’s fighting for.”
Lady: “Does that mean you’ll give me odds on him to win?”
Darin: “It means I’ll give you even money.”
Lady: “I’ll take
that bet.”
Darin laughs and walks away.
Cut to Angel leaning against a wall, brooding, as the other demons warm up.
Malish to Angel: “You shouldn’t go out there cold. Look, you did
me one. Baker’s fast, but his left eye got messed up two fights ago.
Stay on his left. Tie him up, you can drive his head right into the
wall. You can get the kill.”
Angel: “I’m not going to kill
anyone.”
Malish: “You on drugs? It’s not like you have a
choice.”
Jack walks in: “Alright, girls, show time!”
Cut to Angel walking into the ring.
Announcer: “Baker’s challenger
makes his ring debut tonight. He’s a highly skilled fighter with a taste
for blood. Let’s welcome – Angel!”
The bell rings and Baker spin-kicks
Angel. Angel is thrown against the wall. He bounces back and just
blocks or ducks Baker’s kicks and punches without any attempt at fighting back.
Cribb watching from the demon barracks: “That vampire is not even
fighting!”
Cut to Cordy in a fake fur coat and Wesley in a white suit walking up outside
of the club.
Cordy sees a couple getting out of a car: “Those two are
perfect.”
Wesley: “Did you bring the badge?”
Cordy: “No.”
Wesley: “You said you had...”
Cordy to the couple: “Sir,
madam, I’m detective Andrews and this is detective Yelsew. - Show them your
badge. (Wesley takes a wallet out of his inside pocket and waves it
through the air without letting them get a look at it) and write down their
license plate number four three niner, Peter, Charley, Edward.”
Man:
“What are you doing? Why are you writing down...”
Cordy: “Sir,
if you could just calm down and give us your name?”
Man: “My name is
Mathew Winslow, as in Winslow Multimedia? And I happen to be a personal
friend of your boss – Chief Tyler?”
Cordy: “We’ll give him your
best. Could I see your tickets please?”
Winslow hands her his
tickets: “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer tonight.”
Cordy: “Are
you aware that you’ve purchased tickets to an unlicensed sporting event?”
Wesley: “Answer the detective.”
Winslow: “Well, if it’s
illegal, what are all these people doing here?”
Cordy: “We’re trying
to do you a favor, Mr. Winslow.”
Wesley: “Something is going down
tonight. Something with the man.”
Cordy kicks him.
Winslow:
“A raid?”
Cordy: “We’re not at liberty to say.”
Winslow:
“But we could just - go on home?”
Cordy: “I think that would be a wise
thing to do, Sir.”
Winslow mouths ‘thank you’ and he and his lady get back
into the car.
Cordy elbows Wesley as they walk off.
Wesley:
“What?”
Cordy: “You almost blew it!”
Wesley: “I save it!”
Cordy: “Urgh! Something is going down with the man? You
idiot!”
Cut to Angel being pummeled by Baker.
Cribb watching: “Idiot!
He thinks he can get out of this by pulling a Ghandi!”
The crowd is jeering
and yelling for Angel to fight back, but he only block or ducks the punches.
Cordy and Wesley walk in. Cordy spots Darin, who is still playing with
the bracelet.
Cordy: “I think we found our missing client.”
They
make their way closer to the pit.
Cordy: “Oh my God! What is
this?”
Wesley: “These Octavian matches date back to the Roman
Empire. I’d heard rumors of a revival.”
Cordy: “Couldn’t they
have just done Westside Story? What’s with the bracelets?”
Wesley: “If they cross the red line while wearing one – they
disintegrate.”
Cordy: “Oh.”
Darin puts the bracelet down on top of
the barrier and motions to the guard standing next to him. The Guard pulls
out a short knife and drops it in the pit.
Baker picks it up and slices
Angel across the left upper arm with it. Angel morphs into vamp
face. The Crowd starts to chant: “Killing blow. Killing blow.”
Angel fends off a couple more swipes by Baker then grabs a hold of his knife
hand and twists it into Baker’s own chest.
Crowd chants: “Angel!
Angel!”
Baker drops and Angel looks down at the blood on his hand.
Announcer: “Official time: 7 minutes 33 seconds. This marks the
first of what promises to be many more killed by the vampire! Angel!”
Wesley and Cordy look on as Angel turns and walks out through the doors.
Cut to Malish looking up as Angel (back in human face) walks back into the
barracks.
Jack: “Trepkos and Malish, show time!”
Angel to Trepkos
as they pass each other: “Wait. No one fights, no one dies.”
Cribb: “Oh, quit moping! You’re alive.”
Angel: “But
Baker isn’t.”
Cribb: “One lucky kill don’t make you an expert.”
Angel looks over at Cribb: “That wasn’t the first life I’ve taken - or
the 21st.”
Jack snaps his fingers: “Trepkos, Malish. Lets go!”
Angel to Trepkos: “Look, we can fight them, but only if we stop
fighting each other.”
Jack: “Now!”
Angel: “I’m giving you
another way out.”
Trepkos: “I’ll kill him quick.”
A guard hustles
Malish up the ramp to the pit. Jack smiles at Angel.
Announcer:
“And now Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s give it up for one of our favorite
fighters: Val Trepkos!”
Trepkos just stands there as Malish hits him in the
head, then grabs Malish’s arm, twists it, grabs his neck with his other hand and
breaks it.
Cut to Cordy and Wesley walking outside of the club.
Cordy: “We’ve
got to call the police.”
Wesley: “Ah, I don’t think that’s a good
idea.”
Cordy: “Why?”
Wesley: “If by some miracle they’re not
already in on this, the Macnamara would destroy the evidence the moment they
showed.”
Cordy: “He’d kill the fighters. We’ve got to get Angel
out of there!”
Wesley: “I know. And to do that we have to get
him out of those wrist-cuffs. No mean feat. They were forged by
ancient sorcerers.”
Cordy: “So get an ancient key!”
Wesley:
“I might be able to make one myself – if I could get my hands on one of those
cuffs. Which isn’t going to be easy (Cordy pulls a cuff out of her pocket
and holds it up) unless you happened to procure one while I wasn’t
looking. (They smile at each other) Well done!”
Cordy:
“Thank you.”
Cut to dinner in the barracks.
Jack: “Well, that was the most
exciting match I’ve ever seen. My favorite part was when you stuck Baker
with the knife. (Angel gets up and walks right up to the red line.
Jack is just across from it) Kind of put a damper on the brotherhood
spiel. What did you expect? You’re a demon, just like the rest of
them. Difference is they know their place.”
Angel: “Someone
needs to put you in yours. You – and your brother.”
Jack laughs:
“Someone may – some day. But not you – and not today.”
Angel:
“Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?”
Angel’s left hand shoots
out and grabs Jack by the throat. Energy is crackling all along Angel’s
left arm, but he doesn’t disintegrate since the bracelet is only over but not on
the other side of the red line. He pulls Jack across and holds him in
front of him as a shield, one arm wrapped around his throat.
Angel to the
guard: “Any closer and you’re working for a dead man. (To Jack) I’ll
give you enough air to tell me how to get this off. How does it
open? Is there some kind of a key? Where is the key, Jack? (To
the demons) Check his pockets. Cribb, Trepkos, any of you. A
little help would be nice. (None of them move) Or I can just do it
myself.”
Jack: “What did I tell you , huh? Now you’re really
alone.”
Angel: “I got you. (To the guards) Get his
brother! (To the demons) Look at him, huh? Is this who you are
all so afraid of going up against? How does it feel, Jack? Tell them
how it feels to be in here. Come on! How does it feel to be a
slave? Tell them!”
Darin flanked by two guys with charged cattle
prods: “Let him go.”
Angel: “As soon as you let us go.”
Darin: “Who do you think you are? Moses?”
Angel:
“Someone you’ll listen to if you want your brother back alive.”
Darin:
“Last chance.”
Angel: “Come on Darin! We both know there is only
one way to let this play out. So let’s just get it done. He’s your
brother.”
Darin pulls a gun and shoots Jack three times. One of the
bullets hits Angel in the right shoulder and he let’s go of Jack.
Darin: “Now he’s my dead brother.”
The two guards run up to Angel
and stick him with the cattle prods until he is once again knocked out.
Cut to Angel waking up in a leather chair in a nice office with the
dark-haired lady from the bar watching him.
Lady: “How do you feel?”
Angel: “Like I was hit by lightning after the truck ran me over. - I
remember you.”
Lady brings him a glass of champagne: “We didn’t get a
chance to meet. I’m Lilah Morgan.”
Angel: “You’re a fight
fan. (Looks at her bookshelves) And a lawyer. Let me guess – Wolfram
and Hart.”
Lilah: “I’m an associate here. It took some
arm-twisting, but I convinced the Macnamara to sell your contract to the
partners. - I told them that keeping you around would be more trouble than it
was worth. (Lifts her glass) Congratulations. You’re free.”
Angel: “As long as I pretend it never happened – that Macnamara and
his circus don’t exist. - That is the deal, isn’t it?”
Lilah: “It’s a
big city, Angel. A lot of people need your help.”
Angel: “So
you’re really a good Samaritan and this whole pact-with-the-devil business is
just an act.”
Lilah: “Sometimes you have to – compromise.”
Angel: “Look the other way you mean – when Wolfram and Hart are
involved?”
Lilah: “I prefer to think of it - as picking the battles
you can win. There is not one reason why we can’t work together.”
Angel gets up with a big sigh.
Angel: “You’re right. (He takes a
sip from his glass of champagne as Lilah smiles at him) There are about a
thousand.”
Lilah leans in close to him: “I saw what you did to Baker –
so I know you want to survive. This is your only chance. Take it.”
Angel: “Thanks for the champagne.”
The two guards stick their
charged cattle prods into his face.
Angel: “Relax. Take me
back.”
Cut to Wesley working on the bracelet.
Cordy: “You’d think people
get enough gratuitous violence watching Jerry Springer.”
Wesley:
“Cordelia, do you mind? - I’m trying to concentrate.”
Cordy: “You’ve
been concentrating all night.”
Wesley: “Yes! It’s taken this
long to translate the text. I need something that conducts electricity,
but not too much of it. This cuff is half magic, half – medieval
technology. If I read the alchemist correctly - all I need is..”
He
touches a wire to the cuff. There is an explosion of sparks and Wesley is
thrown backwards onto the floor. Cordy runs over to him.
Cordy:
“Ouch! Are you okay?”
Wesley sitting back up: “Perhaps –
something that conducts a little less electricity.”
Cut to Angel walking back into the demon barracks.
Trepkos to
Cribb: “He was free.”
Cribb: “Bloodsucker is crazier than I
thought.”
Darin to Angel: “You think you’re proving something special
by coming back here? (Angel crosses the red line and holds out his left
wrist. Darin locks a bracelet around it) They didn’t help you before,
they’re not going to help you now. Every one of them knows the only way
out of here is by himself. But you find that out soon enough yourself
because tonight – you’re going to fight Trepkos. Smart money says he’s
walking out the front door. You’re his 21st kill.”
Darin walks out and
Angel and Trepkos look at each other.
Cut to the bracelet in the vise on Angel’s table. A hand holding a pair
of pliers slowly touches the stick held with them down on the bracelet.
Nothing happens. Wesley’s head peeks up above the edge of the table.
Wesley: “Too thick.”
Cordy’s head peeks out from behind a pillar.
Cordy: “Oh. Tick-tick, Wesley!”
Wesley: “I don’t know
what else to try. We need something supple enough to thread the locking
mechanism, but strong enough to spring the release.”
Cordy:
“Horsehair.”
Wesley: “Horsehair?”
Cordy fiddles with her
bracelet: “From Keanu, my palomino, before the IRS took him away.”
Wesley takes a strand of hair and puts it between the pliers:
“Horsehair.”
Cordy: “Well, we tried just about everything else.”
Wesley ducks back down below the table and Cordy runs back behind her
pillar. Wesley touches the horsehair to the XXI on the cuff. There
is a short zap and it springs open.
Cut to the arena. The sign says ‘Grador vs Siru’ and ‘Angel vs
Trepkos’.
Man at betting counter: “Next please.”
Lilah: “10
000 on Trepkos.”
Cut to the pit.
Announcer: “Tonight’s match features a new favorite
in the ring – a vampire. Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome for the
second night in a row, and still fresh from his first kill – Angel!”
Doors
open and Angel walks into the ring.
Announcer: “His opponent is a fan
favorite who needs no introduction (Angel looks up at Lilah in the stands)
This marks his 21st and final fight. Let’s give a special welcome to a
true champion: Val Trepkos!”
Trepkos enters the ring and he and Angel
confront each other.
Angel: “Is this how you want to pay for your
freedom? With 21 bodies? You’ll always be their slave - even if they
take that off your wrist.”
Trepkos: “I’ll kill you quick.”
Angel: “I won’t let you.”
Trepkos steps back and they begin to
fight. Angel is again just fighting defensively.
Cribb watching from
the barracks: “Vampire is going to get his head ripped off – maybe his
heart torn out. – What a loser.”
Angel, bleeding from the corner of his
mouth, falls facedown to the floor, but gets back up.
Cut to Cordy walking down a dirty hallway and up to a guard.
Cordy:
“Can you help me? I’m a little lost. (She draws the guard away from
the corridor opening he was standing in front off) I’m looking for the
Ladies room. (Wesley dart out around the corner and past the guard)
They said it was this way – or is - is that back up one level?”
Cut to
Trepkos beating up on Angel.
Cut to Cribb walking away from the window to
the pit. Wesley walks up to a barred window in the fencing around the
prisoner’s area.
Wesley to Cribb: “Excuse me. Psst. Come
here. Yes, you. (Cribb walks a little closer) I need to see
Angel. Tall fellow – prominent brow.”
Cribb: “Yeah, he’s dead.”
Wesley: “Dead.”
Cribb: “In about 20 seconds he will
be. He’s fighting Trepkos. And who the hell are you?”
Wesley: “Uh, I’m a friend. Perhaps we can help each other.
I have a key.”
Cribb: “A key?”
Wesley holds up a stick with a
piece of horsehair mounted to the end.
Wesley: “This unlocks the
cuffs. Help me save Angel and I’ll get you out. All of you. If we
band together..”
Cribb’s tongue shoots out and rips the stick out of
Wesley’s hand.
Wesley: “What are you – give that back! – Hey!”
Cut to Angel and Trepkos fighting.
Darin to a guard:
“Alright. Let’s make it more interesting.”
The guard drops two pointed
wooden staffs into the pit. Trepkos catches one out of the air, the other
drops to the ground. As he charges Angel with it Angel vaults out of the
way, picking up the other stick as he rolls back to his feet and the fight
continues. (Nice moves here.) The crowd is getting excited and we see
Wesley walk into the area above the pit, looking for Cordy.
Cordy:
“Wesley, what happened?”
Wesley: “One of them took my key.”
Cordy: “Angel can’t last much longer. We have to do something
now.”
Wesley spots Darin: “We will.”
Angel has lost his staff and
Trepkos has him in a bind. Angel manages to throw Trepkos against the
wall, but Trepkos bounces back, stabbing Angel through the gut with his
staff. Angel hits the staff breaking it in two (one half still stuck
through his side) catches Trepkos wrist as he tries to hit Angel with the
remaining piece and kicks his feet out from under Trepkos. Trepkos lands
hard on his back. Angel pulls out the piece stuck in his side and presses
the pointy end against Trepkos’ throat.
Cut to Cribb unlocking his cuff. He hears the crowd chanting Angel’s
name and goes to look. Sees Angel getting off Trepkos, throw the stick
away and walks off as the crowd boos. Trepkos gets back up and kicks Angel
in the back. The crowd chants “Killing blow. Killing blow.” As
Trepkos beats up on Angel, who’s not even trying to block any of the blows any
more.
Wesley pulls Cordy over towards Darin.
Trepkos pulls back his fist
to hit Angel again (who’s in pretty bad shape by now) and they stare at each
other. The crowd keeps chanting “Killing blow. Killing blow.”
Trepkos lowers his fist and stares up into the stands. The crowd falls
quiet. Trepkos looks back at Angel then turns away and Angel collapses to
the ground. Trepkos scans the crowd.
Darin to the guard in the
pit: “Both of them.”
The guards raise their cattle prods.
Wesley
holding a gun on Darin: “Call them off.”
Some of the spectators start
to leave as Wesley cocks his gun.
Darin: “Screw you.”
The doors to
the pit burst open and Cribb and the other demons storm the arena. Darin
grabs Wesley’s gun hand as he is distracted and the tow of them start to
struggle. The demons are beating up the guards as the crowd runs for the
exits.
Cribb bends over Angel with the key: “Give me your wrist.
(Unlocks the cuff) Loser.”
Lilah is one of the last to leave. The
demons have killed all the guards and most of them run back out through
the doors in the pit.
Darin manages to get the gun away from Wesley and push
him down. As he aims to shoot him Cordy pushes him over the railing into
the pit with a metal stand.
Cribb is supporting Angel. Darin points
the gun at Trepkos.
Darin: “You stupid slave. You had your
21! But you had to go and ruin it for everybody else.”
Trepkos pivots
so Darin’s back is to Angel and Cribb. Angel pulls Darin’s hand down as he
shoots, and Cribb locks a cuff around Darin’s left wrist.
Cribb throws Darin
at Trepkos: “Trepkos, - catch.”
Trepkos throws Darin up into the
stands and he disintegrates as he passes the red line around the pit. The
bracelet lands on the floor between Cordy and Wesley, who are the only one’s
left up there.
Cribb unlocks Trepkos cuff. Angel’s knees give as he
tries to walk out and Trepkos catches him.
Trepkos: “Easy.”
Angel: “Thanks. Thanks.”
Trepkos: “It was a good
fight.”
Angel: “Yeah.”
The three of them walk out. Angel
sways, and Trepkos catches him again before he falls.
Angel: “I could
have taken you.”
Cut to Wesley and Cordy supporting Angel between them as they walk out of the
club.
Cordy: “Angel you don’t look so – well, it’s a good thing that
you heal fast.”
Angel: “Yeah. It’s also a good thing you found
me in time.”
Cordy: “We weren’t going to let anything happen to you.”
Wesley: “No.”
Cordy: “Well, I mean, beyond the slavery and
the severe beatings and stuff. Wesley came up with the key!”
Wesley: “But Cordelia came up with the key to the key! In a
clinch moment.”
Angel: “You both did great. And - I think we did
a - good thing here tonight.”
Wesley looking after the departing
demons: “Yes. We set the captives free.”
Cordy: “Well,
actually, didn’t we set – a bunch of - demons free?”
Wesley:
“Oh. Well. Technically – yes.”
The end.