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Existential Scoobies presents Angel: the Series Season 6 Episode 8 Man in the Mirror Part 1 (February 9, 2005) Written by El Linchador and Lady Starlight |
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PREVIOUSLY ON "ANGEL" - - Angel stands in his office at Wolfram and Hart with Wesley, Spike, Gunn, and Lorne. ANGEL We're in a machine. The Black Thorn runs it. We can bring their gears to a grinding halt, even if it's just for a moment. But let's be clear. I'm talking about killing every... single...member...of the Black Thorn. We don't walk away from that. - The GANG fight in the alleyway north of the Hyperion. A DRAGON opens a PORTAL. Angel, Gunn, Spike, and Illyria are sucked inside. - The Gang and the Wa!Jani Shaman use the DRAGON'S STONE to return through a portal to L.A. - Scenes of UTTER DEVASTATION around Los Angeles. - The interior of a MONASTERY CHAPEL with high, stained-glass windows. - Angel, Spike, Illyria, and Gunn in the MONASTERY DINING ROOM with a MONK. ANGEL Brother, are you sure it's all right for us to stay here? - The interior of a dark, trashed-out MOVIE THEATER. ANNE Things just...things just started falling apart over the summer. CHAIN And now you have soldiers everywhere. RONDELL It's not just the demons tearing things up. Some folks will take advantage of any situation. - Angel and FAITH in the monastery office at night. ANGEL We're on the same side, Faith. FAITH I don't know if it's a question of "sides." Are we really fighting the same battle? - Illyria faces off against HERSELF. ILLYRIA-2 There was a time when no being could have violated you that way. But now...what are you? Who are you? - CLOSE-UP of Illyria's face. Then camera moves in to focus on her eyes, which SHIFT BACK AND FORTH from demon king blue to Fred brown. EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET - NIGHT ESTABLISHING OVERHEAD SHOT - An empty Los Angeles street. We see an abandoned gas station on the far side of the street, a brick building on the near side, and an alley cutting through behind both. Further ahead is an intersection. The street lights still work. Silence, until - FLASH CUT AND CLOSE-UP on a large, hairy PRIO MOTU DEMON (Episode 2.1 "Judgment") smiling and laughing. We hear the voice of a FEMALE PUTTING UP A STRUGGLE off-screen. PULL OUT to WIDE SHOT of scene. A pack of twenty or so Prio Motus are walking down the middle of the street, nearing the intersection and the side entrance to the alley. One of them has captured a demon with four legs and yellowish skin, and another is dragging along a demon with light blue skin and a small fin at the top of his head. VOICE (O.S.) Hey! The demons startle and come to a halt at the sound of the voice. They turn their attention to the far side of the alley where a figure steps out from the darkness. ANGLE UP on a CLOSE-UP of Angel's face. ANGEL How 'bout you pick on someone your own size? PULL OUT to reveal Illyria, Spike, and Gunn standing behind Angel, holding their weapons at the ready. The Prio Motu GROWL in anger at them. GUNN I thought these guys were good guys. ANGEL Just that one time. GUNN You sure? ANGEL Pretty sure. (beat) I hope. One Prio Motu steps out in front. He is the leader, despite being a foot or so shorter than the others. PRIO MOTU I am Gargesh. You will not interfere in our business. ANGEL Oh, I think we will. SPIKE They probably just want some privacy. GARGESH Kill them! The Prio Motus walk menacingly towards the gang. The prisoners are dragged along for the ride--the Prio Motus holding them seem to have forgotten about them. SPIKE Well, they seem like chums to me. ILLYRIA If they are your friends, they seem to think you wish the gift of death. SPIKE We gotta work on your sarcasm detection, Blue. ANGEL No time--big demons. GARGESH Krog is forever! WIDE SHOT - the Prio Motus CHARGE ANGEL AND COMPANY full force, letting their two prisoners escape. The prisoners scramble to the alley as the fight ensues. CUT TO - Angel blocks a club strike with his sword, then kicks the Prio Motu in the gut before dodging away from a second Prio Motu. The second Prio Motu swings an axe wildly in Angel's direction. Angel ducks, coming in low under the axe swing and SMASHING the Prio Motu in the chest with his fist. He follows that up with a sword thrust to the gut, then head-butts the second demon down as he spots Gunn punching a Prio Motu in the face. The demon stumbles back. ANGEL Stay alert, Gunn, these guys-- GUNN Angel, I'm not an idiot! I know that-- Suddenly, a Prio Motu tackles him, while another tackles Angel, taking them both out of frame. CUT TO - a pair of Prio Motus tossing Spike into a abandoned gas station. Spike gets up and dusts off his sleeves. SPIKE Bloody savages. Come on! The Prio Motus flank Spike. One feints to Spike's left while the other rushes him. Spike blocks one blow but a hit to his side sends him CRASHING into a gas pump. Gasoline flows out over Spike's head and down his front. SPIKE As if I'm not combustible enough! Spike springs to his feet and leaps toward the two Prio Motu with a roar as we CUT TO - Illyria fighting five demons at once. She knocks two back with a single, powerful punch. The other three collapse on her and she easily tosses them all off her back. ILLYRIA You are no match for my strength! The five charge towards her. CUT TO - Angel and Gunn teaming up to take on three demons. Angel trips a Prio Motu and knocks him on the back of his head with the butt of his sword. FEMALE VOICE (o.s.) Angel! Help! Both Gunn and Angel turn to look briefly. The two demon prisoners are being attacked by Gargesh, the short Prio Motu. MALE DEMON Help! ANGEL Gunn? GUNN I got these dudes, Angel, I can-- Gunn turns to see that Angel's already en route. GUNN (cont.) --handle it. Thanks for the concern. Gunn turns back to the fight. GUNN Yah! Let's go! The three Prio Motus pounce again on Gunn. POV - Angel runs up and TACKLES Gargesh. He picks him up by his collar and punches the Prio Motu in the face repeatedly. GARGESH Ow! Ow! Ow! Help! Angel turns to the male and female demons, who are cowering in the shadows of the nearby alley. ANGEL Go! (to Gargesh) Get your boys out of here now or else you don't leave! GARGESH The Krog never leave a fight! Angel punches him in the face. GARGESH Fine! Let me get them. Let me go! Angel throws him towards his gang. Gargesh runs off, collecting the few Prio Motus who are still standing. Angel turns into the alley. ANGEL You guys all right? He peers into the shadows as he hears the male demon moaning. ANGEL (cont.) Hello? Angel takes another step into the shadows of the alley when SUDDENLY we hear a loud thud. Angel falls forward, hitting the ground UNCONSCIOUS. The male demon steps from behind Angel. A piece of a broken crate drops from his hand. He pulls a syringe from a concealed pocket in his tunic. MALE DEMON (smiling) A little insurance... MALE DEMON'S POV - He PLUNGES the needle hard into Angel's neck. MALE DEMON (cont.) ...never hurts. BLACK OUT. END OF TEASER |
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Opening Credits |
 Starring David Boreanaz J. August Richards Amy Acker And James Marsters |
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EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET - NIGHT WIDE SHOT of the Prio Motu retreating, albeit reluctantly, as Gunn clutches a sword previously held by one of them. ANGLE ON Gunn holding the sword up and yelling at them. GUNN Forgot this! Gunn throws it down authoritatively and turns around. GUNN'S POV - Spike walks up from the left side, trying to wipe the gasoline off of himself. Illyria stalks in in her rigid fashion from the right, apparently unfazed. GUNN (grinning happily) Hey, we showed those Prissy Mutts a thing or two, eh? SPIKE Don't know why those blokes were rummaging through here like petty thieves, though. Strange for a Prio Motu to grab a pair of demons and play with them like rag dolls. GUNN Maybe they were bored. ILLYRIA Or perhaps they did it because they could. Gunn and Spike look at her. ILLYRIA (cont.) Power without manifestation is nothing. Those who have power must express that power.... (off Spike and Gunn's looks) ...Such is the way of things. SPIKE We know they called themselves "Krog." GUNN Krog? ILLYRIA I heard one of our adversaries utter that name just before I severed his trachea. SPIKE If these hairy beasts are Krog, then we got a problem. Spike looks at Gunn and Illyria's blank expressions. SPIKE Krog? (beat) Legendary Prio Motu? (beat) Think Braveheart, William Wallace. Chap ran an elite force of his kind, named the group after himself. But for Krog to be down here, pullin' street thuggery...I don' get it. GUNN Chaos does funny things. ILLYRIA You find chaos funny, too? GUNN Not ha-ha funny. (he looks around). Where's Angel? SPIKE The Great Forehead? Dunno. WIDE SHOT of them looking around the empty intersection. Nothing. GUNN Strange. (beat) (shouting) ANGEL! ILLYRIA Perhaps one of the Prio Motu bested him? SPIKE Nah, he's still around. I'm sure we would've all felt a great disturbance in the Force if he'd kicked it. GUNN O.K....Well, then, Illyria, you go check that building there. And Spike, go check that burnt-out apartment complex on the corner. I'll re-check this alley and the warehouse. Gunn turns and starts walking off. SPIKE Ahem. Illyria cocks her head as Gunn stops and rolls his eyes. He turns back around to face them. GUNN Now? SPIKE Right...like you're "number two"? GUNN This isn't about who's in charge--I just wanna find Angel. ILLYRIA If you want to find Angel, he's in pursuit of those Prio Motu. SPIKE Off after those buggers? Nah. He woulda shouted for a hand. The big puppy probably took that couple of demons back to H.Q. He's a sucker for victims. GUNN O.K., fine. How about we eliminate the possibilities, then? It'll take us fifteen minutes, tops, to do a quick sweep to see if he's lying somewhere, hurt. ILLYRIA (to Gunn) You speak as if I am subordinate! SPIKE Yeah, what Blue said! Gunn sighs in frustration. GUNN (mumbling) Man, Angel, where are you? INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - NIGHT PAN AROUND the room. A lone light bulb slowly sways back and forth. There is a soft hissing sound in the background as we see the inside of what looks like a rectangular storage room or meat locker. We see shelves on either side, completely adorned with Christian memorabilia - crosses, paintings of the stations of the cross, a Mary statue, a Joseph statue. Pieces of a hymn book are strewn about on the floor. ANGLE UP on a person bound by thick chains to a metal chair. He looks up slowly. It's ANGEL. He WINCES IN PAIN as he gazes around the room with eyes still dull from the drug. ANGEL'S POV - there are puddles of water on the floor. In the corner is a HUMIDIFIER, the apparent source of the puddles. Across the room from his chair is a WOODEN STAKE set in a crossbow, aimed right at his heart. His eyes follow the TRIP WIRE that releases the crossbow down to another wire just above water level, not one foot in front of him. Suddenly, the DOOR OPENS and Angel winces, but the door clears the wire. CUT TO - the male and female demon from before, walking in slowly. The female demon is careful to avoid the trip-wire, lifting all four legs one by one. They both stare quietly. ANGEL Why did you-- MALE DEMON Hush! The male demon looks at Angel and the surroundings pensively. MALE DEMON How ya feelin'? Angel doesn't respond, he just lowers his head. The female demon steps closer to Angel, examining the chains. FEMALE My name's Yara, and this is my husband, Lippon. Sorry for the needle. LIPPON Little doodad I found a few weeks ago. I filled it with a mystical barbiturate. Lucky we still have some friends. Just to slow you down a bit in case you came to on our way back here. But this taser...when I found my little darlin' here-- He takes out a TASER, similar to the ones used by the Initiative. Lippon looks at it with affection. LIPPON (cont.) I knew this would work. ANGEL I just saved your lives... LIPPON and YARA smirk at each other before turning back to face ANGEL. ANGEL ...or was that a set-up? Yara looks up at her husband. She steps back and takes the taser from him. LIPPON I'll be honest--it's dumb luck. We were in a bit of danger, I suppose, but I kinda hoped our friendly neighborhood vampire with a soul would swoop in and save the day. YARA Like he always does. Angel shakes his head, still trying to overcome the drug. ANGEL So you didn't plan that? LIPPON Not quite like that. But everything happens for a reason. ANGEL What do you want? LIPPON None of your business! ANGEL I can escape, you know. I have friends that'll be looking for me, too. YARA Shut up. ANGEL There are people out there who might still need my help-- YARA (angrily) I said, shut up! Yara ZAPS Angel with the taser REPEATEDLY. Angel's body CONTRACTS and he WRITHES AGAINST THE CHAINS. After the fifth time, Lippon steps in and grabs at the zapper. Yara zaps Angel a sixth time, and Lippon finally wrestles it away from her. LIPPON You calm down, Yara. We can't fry his brain yet-- if that would even work. But we know he doesn't fight alone.... (pause) We better guard the door until it's time. Yara, fuming, leaves. Lippon smirks. LIPPON Look at the "big hero." Angel chuckles. LIPPON (angrily) You're laughing, Angel? Do you have any idea what's happening? ANGEL My friends...they'll come. Angel tilts his head back to meet Lippon's eyes. ANGEL One of them is a vampire. LIPPON Another vampire? ANGEL Oh yeah...we can track by scent. Lippon looks nervous. ANGEL I'm sure they'll be here any-- Lippon gives Angel a SHOCK from the taser. Angel finally succumbs to the abuse. His head droops. ANGEL ...nose... (beat) ...like a bloodhound. With that, Angel loses consciousness. EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET - NIGHT CLOSE-UP on Gunn. GUNN Well, Spike? SPIKE Can't smell a bloody thing. I'd've been fine if the gas hadn't gone up my nose-- ILLYRIA The petroleum distillate renders you useless in this discussion. SPIKE I'm not just an aardvark over here! (pause) They have long noses--ah forget it. Look, I'm the only one usin' his brain here. (he turns to Illyria) You want us to go knocking on the Krog's door-- (he turns to Gunn) --and you want us to go playing Marco Polo in vacant buildings. Sorry, but both your ideas suck! GUNN Normally, I'd listen to you, Spike, but I'm getting lightheaded just bein' near you. You stink like a refinery. SPIKE Blame those bloody Prio Motu! ILLYRIA The longer we wait and bicker, the longer Angel is fighting the Prio Motu alone. SPIKE (gesturing at Illyria) Blue here can't wait to prove she's still a god. GUNN Do either of you give a damn that Angel may need our help? ILLYRIA I do, which is why I cannot wait for you two to decide to join me. SPIKE I'm tellin' you--he's helping those two bloody demons! ILLYRIA Then it's decided--Angel and I can handle the Prio Motu on our own. GUNN Illyria-- ILLYRIA Do not presume to issue orders to me, Charles Gunn! GUNN O.K., we really all need to calm down a bit here. SPIKE Easy for you to say, mate. I saved your hide from that Chimera, and all I get is soddin' attitude. GUNN Spike...just 'cause you're a vamp with a soul doesn't mean you're the "Real Slim Shanshu." Spike is silent. Gunn opens his mouth to speak, but Spike points right at Gunn. SPIKE Sod off. ILLYRIA I will inform Angel that you were both unwilling to assist me. GUNN Fine, I'll find him myself! All three head off in different directions - Gunn towards the alley, Spike to the monastery, and Illyria in the direction the Krog retreated. DISSOLVE TO - INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - NIGHT Lippon gets up on his tiptoes and peers at their hostage through the small glass slit in the meat locker door. His POV - Angel sits slumped forward in his chair, not moving. Someone hits Lippon's arm. Lippon, startled, turns to see Yara. LIPPON Hey! Don't hit me! YARA You didn't say nothing about two vampires! LIPPON What? YARA He wasn't lying! One of them books says they can smell people's scents for miles! Lippon looks pensive. YARA We're screwed, Lippon, I tell ya. Lippon throws open the door and storms inside the meat locker/prison. Yara follows him more tentatively and stops just inside the door. Angel looks up. LIPPON Tell me the truth about this vampire. Angel's POV - LIPPON is nervous and jumpy. Angel's eye narrow briefly. ANGEL We're family. Very close--like brothers, really. Lippon turns to Yara. She cringes. LIPPON Damn it...call the kids...and hand me the crossbow for a second. YARA Hylpy! Rogoff! Vince! In a blink of an eye, three light green demon children speed up to the doorway. They peek around the doorframe and then step fully into view, gawking at Angel. HYLPY Whoa...that's Angel! VINCE He don't look so tough. ROGOFF I bet he could take you! LIPPON Kids! For crying out loud, daddy's trying to guard the prisoner. Yara, hand them the fliers and send them off. YARA It's early. LIPPON Yeah, but we didn't know there was a frickin' vampire friend of his on the way over here. You and I need to guard him constantly now, so give them the fliers and shut the door. We'll take shifts guardin' him. YARA But we ain't got the fliers yet. CUT TO Angel. Angel rolls his eyes as Lippon smacks his own forehead. LIPPON FedEx-Kinko's won't have them ready 'til tomorrow morning...dammit! ANGEL (incredulously) There's a FedEx-Kinko's open? LIPPON Quiet! (beat) Kids, search the restaurant here for a pen and some blank paper. The kids disappear in a blur of green. ANGEL They run track? Vince comes back with a stack of papers. Rogoff and Hylpy are fighting over the pen they managed to find. ROGOFF Ma, Hylpy won't let me carry the pen! HYLPY You know he'll just drop it. He drops everything! YARA Kids! LIPPON Give them to me...I'll have to do this by hand. Take the gun, Yara. Yara takes the gun as Lippon begins furiously writing out something on each sheet of paper. Moving his arm at incredible speed, he's completing a sheet every second. ANGEL That's where the kids get their speed. All three kids smile. Lippon looks up. LIPPON Don't talk about my kids. One of the sheets flies out and flips over before landing. Angel's POV - we see descriptions of Chinese dishes, along with prices. ANGEL An old restaurant menu? Hope you don't want to be found. Lippon finishes the stack and gives each of his kids a third of the stack. Once they get their stacks, they disappear at breakneck speed. Lippon walks over and picks up the menu and shoves it in Angel's face. CUT TO - a view of the FLYER. We see a listing of menu items, in red print, including "Number 14." LIPPON Just menu items...there's no address on here. We're in control, Angel-- stop trying to play your mind games! ANGEL I'm not playing mind games...but sending your children out to do that.... YARA They run like Lippon writes. They'll be fine. ANGEL And their mother...a close-knit family. (beat) Good kids...whose lives are now in danger out there promoting my public execution. Lippon grabs the gun from Yara and POINTS IT at Angel with a grin. LIPPON Oh, we're not going to kill you, Angel... the kids went out to spread the good word. Your vampire friend has moved up our timeline, but that's fine--we need the money right away anyway. ANGEL Money? LIPPON Oh yeah, we're not having an execution. (beat) We're having an auction. (beat) And the item up for bids? Lippon gets close to Angel's face. LIPPON (cont.) You! BLACK OUT. END OF ACT ONE |
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EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET - NIGHT ESTABLISHING - An industrial street, empty except for Gunn, who is walking down the sidewalk, swerving every now and then to avoid heaps of strewn garbage. Suddenly, with visible frustration, he HITS a dumpster with his axe as he passes it. Then he rounds a building and FREEZES. His POV - several DARK FIGURES approaching, weapons out and ready. They emerge from the shadows. It is ANNE and her group. Anne holds a crossbow. Tito and Rondell carry swords. The others have heavy clubs. GUNN (relaxing) Anne? Anne and the others stop. ANNE Gunn? GUNN What's up, people? TITO Gunn...'sup? Anne and Tito walk quickly up to greet Gunn. Rondell looks uninterested and casually joins the rest of the group. GUNN Rondell. Rondell nods. RONDELL Gunn. ANNE What are you doing out here by yourself, Gunn? GUNN My crew got in a fight and Angel turned up missing. I was trying to see if he wasn't pulled out of the main action and lying around somewhere hurt. (pause) What're you fools doin' down here? ANNE We heard that the Krog might cause some trouble tonight, so we came to help stop it. GUNN We got that bit of intel, too, but you just missed them. That's who we were fighting. Luckily, we chased them back to their lair. RONDELL You and that vampire? GUNN Spike and Illyria, too. You haven't seen Angel, right? Rondell bends down and picks up some dirt. He shows it to Gunn. RONDELL Here he is! GUNN Not funny, bro. RONDELL (grinning) Chill, bro, I'm just playin'. ANNE So, we don't have the Krog to worry about? GUNN Not tonight at least. (frowning at them) You all thought you could take on a pack of Prio Motu? TITO Yeah, why not? GUNN 'Cause you can only go balls-out against a Prio Motu gang when you got two undead and one former god helping. I'm sure you all had a plan of attack in case you ran into them? RONDELL We kinda figured we'd start killin' the ones closest to us and work our way out. GUNN (shaking his head) Look, Rondell, I know you all think you're bad nowadays, but some of these demons are starting to team up-- this Krog gang is over twenty barbarian demons strong. RONDELL We used to deal wit' gang problems, back in the day. GUNN Not seven-foot, axe-wielding, demon gang problems. RONDELL (eyes narrowing) I don't like your tone, Charles Gunn...why don't you and Anne say your goodbyes and we'll keep up patrol? Anne pulls Gunn aside. GUNN When's he gonna get off my case? ANNE He'll come around.... And to tell you the truth, seeing Spike still creeps me out. (beat) You shouldn't let Rondell bother you. GUNN (shaking his head) It's not Rondell. Much. (off Anne's expectant look) It's nothing. (off Anne's skeptical look) It's just...Spike and Illyria pulled an ego trip on me tonight instead of helping me look for Angel. (gesturing around himself) Angel could be lying in one of these alleys needing a hand, but they ran off because they thought I was trying to "lead them." ANNE (tilting her head) Were you? GUNN Of course not. But it's not like we couldn't use some leadership--they're my friends and all, but if Angel is in some serious danger because of their tantrums, there's gonna be some issues. (shaking his head again) Never mind...my stuff. (beat) You know, we were lucky to find the Krog before you did. No offense, Anne, but if your crew got to them before we did, we'd be burying all of you right now. And the only reason we went there is because I convinced Angel that the intel I had was legit. (pause) Think you could give me a hand looking for him? ANNE Sure. And I can get the rest of the guys to help if I disguise it as a patrol route. GUNN What about Rondell? ANNE I'll handle it. Anne and Gunn walk back to the rest of the crew. ANNE Gunn's gonna tag along for our route 'round here. GUNN And just in case you're wondering, my vamp friends ain't joining us. RONDELL (to Anne) Why do we need him? ANNE He's also looking for a runaway Prio Motu that's likely still in this area. Since Gunn just fought them, he might help us if we run into it. Cool? They all nod, except Rondell, who just stares. Finally, he grins. RONDELL It's cool wit' me-- (he walks on forward, bumping shoulders with Gunn) (to Gunn) Just don't get in my way. INT. MONASTERY ENTRANCEWAY - NIGHT The door SLAMS open, bouncing back off the wall and almost catching Spike in the face. SPIKE Bloody hell! Spike walks into the sanctuary. INT. MONASTERY SANCTUARY - NIGHT ANGLE ON - Hobbes, who is twisted around in a pew, gazing at the main entranceway with wide eyes. He sees that it's Spike and relaxes. SPIKE Hobbett! Angel here? Hobbes shakes his head. SPIKE (defeatedly) I should've gone with Charley or Blue. At least they were heading in the right direction. Hobbes raises his eyebrows questioningly. Spike takes a seat next to him in the pew. SPIKE You know, it's not that I need these blokes to rub my back and tell me everything's all right, but I get stepped on all the time! Hobbes nods. SPIKE The gas went up my nose! (beat) And it's not like I give a damn about the Shanshu-- that's just a good way to die young and not pretty. I'm lucky just to be corporeal again. Hobbes nods again and Spike looks away. SPIKE But I'm a champion. (he turns back to Hobbes) Not a taking-a-drink-out-a-chalice kinda thing, or even "lookie-I-got-a-soul" kinda thing. But I do the champion thing, Hobbett. I saved the world once. And helped save it a couple of times before that. And I saved my "friends'" lives countless times, too. If that isn't leadership quality, I don't know what is. A KNOCK on the door gets Spike's attention. He glances over at Hobbes, who merely shrugs his shoulders. SPIKE Bloody hell. Spike gets up and heads back into the entranceway. INT. ENTRANCEWAY - NIGHT SPIKE (shouting) We don't want any! Spike puts his hand on the knob. CLOSE-UP shot of Hobbes, standing just inside the sanctuary at the threshold to the entranceway. He looks on with interest. Spike turns the knob, opens the door, and sees - TWO-SHOT of a PAIR OF FRIGHTENED GIRLS. One is a blonde, the other a redhead. They are holding each other and shivering with fright and cold. As they speak, they look back over their shoulders. BLONDE Can we come in? SPIKE (to himself) Dear diary.... (then, to the girls) Of course, ladies, come on in. The girls rush inside, terrified. Spike grins and shuts the door. He turns around to face them and they huddle together, shaking. REDHEAD There's this dog-- BLONDE Huge dog. Green-- REDHEAD Chased us for blocks-- BLONDE We didn't mean to miss curfew, we were only a couple blocks from home-- REDHEAD Stupid soldiers made us detour around three blocks-- Spike holds up his finger. He sniffs the air. Again. Then again. SPIKE Ah...smell that? BLONDE I fell in some mud, but-- SPIKE No...nevermind. Don't worry, ladies, smells to me like you were chased by a Cu Sith-- its bark is worse than its bite. Harmless little green demon doggies. I'm sure this one has already lost your trail. The girls look unconvinced. Spike squares his shoulders and gives them his most charming smile. SPIKE Ain't that right, Hobbett? Both girls and turn and look at Hobbes, who gives a thumbs up. SPIKE (to girls, in a whisper) Bloke don't talk much. (back in normal tone) Look, this is my sorta thing--well, let's just say that some people call me a "Champion." REDHEAD (skeptical) Like a wrestling champion? With the big shiny belt? SPIKE No...look, I'll open the door here to show you there's no puppy outside. Spike goes to door and opens it. REVERSE ANGLE - On the street stands a MASSIVE CU SITH HELLHOUND--like a mastiff, only on steroids. It is looking down the street, its head level with Spike's. Drool spatters to the pavement as it SLOWLY TURNS to look at him. Spike's eyes bug out. He slams the door shut and puts his back against it. SPIKE (to himself) Bloody nose's busted. (to the girls) Run. Suddenly, the front door JOLTS with the impact of the Cu Sith--ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES. Then it BURSTS OPEN. EXT. LOS ANGELES ALLEYWAY - NIGHT Illyria is standing in an alley, looking confused. She turns around and walks back out to the street. She takes another step then CLUTCHES her head. Ah! She falls LIMP and COLLAPSES to the ground. CLOSE-UP on Illyria as she TRANSFORMS into Fred-form and faints. INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - NIGHT LIPPON You can go now, Yara. I can watch him for a while alone. YARA I want to be here in case his friends come. ANGEL Yara, please tell me you understand what I'm saying. LIPPON Don't talk to her! Yara, leave now! ANGEL Having an auction? Here? LIPPON We're having the auction right before dawn, smart guy, at the nearby park--public place. ANGEL Yeah, well, something or someone out there is bound to figure out where we're at now and won't need to pay a dime for what they'll do to me. Think they'll spare you and your kids? Yara is tearing up and she stands, shaking with emotion. YARA Whose fault would it be? Ours? Yours? ANGEL Mine? YARA How do you think we got here, Angel? Huh? Do you think I like what's going on? Do you think we send our kids out into this battleground without a little fear?! Of course we do! But we don't have a choice anymore. ANGEL Of course you do--you always have a choice. LIPPON You took that from us, Angel. Angel looks angered and confused. ANGEL I'm sorry, but I thought I was saving your life. YARA Were you saving our lives when you destroyed Wolfram and Hart? Angel looks stunned. ANGEL How did you know-- LIPPON He asks "how"? "How did you find out my dirty little secret?" ANGEL It's not a secret, I just-- YARA Word spreads, Angel, at least in the demon community. LIPPON Pre-Angel-Ruining-Our-Lives, I ran a demon bar. A quiet place that no one bothered. Back in the summer, one of my regulars was talking about this former Wolfram and Hart employee that was blabbering all over town how Angel and his friends destroyed the "Evil law firm." ANGEL Was she blonde? Kind of a ditz? LIPPON Never met her. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that "Evil law firm" that you, Mr. Hero, used to run kept a balance! There's a lot of stupid humans and demons out there, Angel. Wolfram and Hart kept the worst of the stupid ones in line, gave them boundaries, and disciplined the ones who crossed lines. Now, look out there! It's chaos! ANGEL The chaos is their doing. The Senior Partners. Wolfram and Hart was an evil-- YARA An evil thing, yes, Angel, but we have nothing now. Thanks to you, one of my...boys.... Lippon, still aiming the gun at Angel, walks over to Yara. He puts his arm around her shoulder. LIPPON (soothingly) Honey, it's O.K. YARA One of my boys died...he needed medication... a simple pneumonia...but with the chaos outside, we couldn't get the medicine in time. Now he's gone.... ANGEL Listen, I am sorry for what's happened to you both, and I'm not going to say that it'll be O.K. tomorrow, or the next day, or next week. But this...chaos is not my fault. YARA You're wrong, Angel. You're...wrong. (beat) You did this! (beat) You killed my son! Yara steps forward and HITS Angel in the face REPEATEDLY. Finally, Lippon grabs her and forcibly removes her from the room. INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT LIPPON Go sit down, sweetie, take a break. I'll handle guard duty for awhile. Yara runs away crying. Lippon reenters the meat locker and shuts the door. He pulls up a chair and sits down on it, aiming his gun right at Angel. ANGEL Lippon, listen-- LIPPON No more talking...in one hour, we move to the auction house. 'Til then, silence. EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT Two men, one in a plaid shirt, one in a denim jacket, peer from behind a tipped-over dumpster at a girl in a red dress lying on the sidewalk. PLAID SHIRT Is she dead? DENIM JACKET I dunno...she hasn't moved since I first saw her there. CLOSE-UP on the girl. We see it is Illyria-Fred. Illyria-Fred stirs and slowly sits up, one hand rising to her head. She winces in pain and rubs her hand over her face. Then she looks around, disoriented, scratching her scalp. ILLYRIA-FRED's POV - PAN over the sidewalk and past the alley, which is dark and nondescript. We don't see the two men. ILLYRIA-FRED (in Fred-voice) What happened.... She slowly stands up and walks out onto the street. Her lips part as she stares around, stunned. Illyria-Fred's POV - DEVASTATION. Abandoned and looted businesses. Debris strewn down the street. Illyria-Fred eyes a newspaper dispenser. She walks up to it and peers in, reading the headline - "Mass Demon Escape From Military Compound. Curfews Tightened." CLOSE-UP on the confusion in her face. FRED Where am I? BLACK OUT. END OF ACT TWO |
Part 2