War Zone

A black teenaged girl is walking down an alley in a bad part of town looking scared. She looks over her shoulder from time to time as she speeds up. She is being pursued by three vampires. She comes to a dead end and turns to face the vampires. Steps and the sound of a car sound behind the vampires. One of them turns. Vampire: "You." Camera pans up from a pair of black shoes, black pants, a sword, long black coat, to the face of a black teenaged boy wearing a black bandana. Gunn: "You expecting somebody else?" A pick-up truck with more armed teenagers pulls up behind him and another teenager with a loaded crossbow steps up beside him.

Credits.

Cordelia, Wesley and Angel walk into a big Hollywood party going on at someone's house. Cordelia: "Oh, I miss that smell!" Wesley: "Camembert, I believe." Cordelia: "What?  No - money - I like the smell of a little money once in a while." Angel: "She's not just saying that.  Hide some in the office sometime to watch her.  It's uncanny." Cordelia: "Oh, there he is." Points to a guy in a plaid shirt, sitting by himself. Cordelia: "Mr. Nabbit, hi!" Nabbit gets up: "Hi." Cordelia as they shake hands: "Hi." Nabbit: "Glad you could come." Cordy: "Thanks." Angel: "Thanks for having us." Nabbit: "It's a pleasure.  -  Who are you?" Cordy: "Oh.  I'm Cordelia Chase?  We spoke on the phone?" Nabbit holds out his hand to shake again: "Oh!  Right! (They shake again)  So - so you - you must be - Angel." Angel shakes his hand: "Yes.  Pleased to meet you.  And this is Wesley, my associate." Wesley: "Lovely party." Nabbit: "Isn't it nice?" Cordelia: "Oh my god, is that Welling Harding?" Nabbit: "I - I - I have no idea.  I don't know most of - these people.  I - I don't even talk to them.  They come to the party.  I - I think they have fun. (Offers them some appetizers) These are crab." Angel: "If this is a bad time we..." Nabbit: "Oh, uhm, Miss Chase said that you could - only meet at night." Angel: "Yeah, it's more convenient..." Nabbit: "And - and that we'd be less conspicuous during the party. (Angel looks at Cordy and she gives him a big grin and shrug before turning away) I mean, I think it's good!  We probably won't be interrupted. - Well, I-I've always said that I would make a billion dollars in the Software market and, uh, learn to talk to girls.  -  Still working on step two." Angel: "So, why don't you tell us about your case?" Nabbit: "Oh.  (They sit down on the sofa) Ah, my case. - It, uh, somewhat has to do with - black - mail." Angel: "Go on." Nabbit: "Are you familiar with Dungeons and Dragons?" Angel: "Yeah.  I've seen a few." Wesley: "You mean the - ah, role playing game." Angel looks up at Wesley: "Oh - game. - Right." Nabbit: "Well, I used to play a lot in High School.  You know, it was pretty cool.  You get to be someone else for a while, a wizard, a warrior, you know, the whole world is magic, and fighting Troglodytes and romancing exotic - demon princesses and - you know, it's a rush!" Cordelia: "Did someone find out you were a big nerd?" Nabbit chuckling: "No that's - ah, that's actually public record.  But - ah - some of us got *really* into it.  Uh - specially the demon romance part.  And then we heard about this place - where - the real... The guys were joking about getting some tail." Wesley: "You went to Madam Dorion's." Nabbit: "J-j-just once." Angel looks up at Wesley. Wesley: "It's a demon brothel." Nabbit: "Or twice." Wesley: "In Bel Air, I believe.  The Watchers Council is *ripe* with stories about it." Angel: "Ah - and how many..." Nabbit: "Twelve - times." Angel: "...people knew about you going?" Nabbit: "Oh - ah, just my-my friends, but ah - (hands Angel a picture) but my security guys already identified the guy with the - pictures.  That's Lenny Edwards but - I just can't find him." Angel puts the picture of a smoking bald guy in jacket and gets up. Angel: "Well, we'll see if we can do better." Nabbit: "If - if my stockholders see these pictures..." Angel: "They won't." Cordy: "Don't worry.  We are incredibly discreet.  We'll - ah mingle here for a few hours, so no one suspects." Girl as she walks by: "Hey, David." Nabbit: "Oh, hey.  Nice-nice seeing you again. Yeah. (Shrugs to the guys)  I have no idea.  -  When I moved to LA I thought it was all glamour and valet parking - but there is a *whole* world here that no one ever sees." Angel: "More than one."

Back in that dead end alley the group of teens are fighting the vampires, and actually doing some damage by the stint of sheer numbers and co-operation. One vamp gets nailed by a stake gun mounted on the pick-up truck as he is about to kill one of the boys. Another one, fighting against five teens, gets beheaded by Gunn. The guy with the stake gun nails another vamp that is lunges at him in mid air, then starts kicking the gun (jammed?). A vamp breaks one of the boys necks then runs, while a fifth gets staked behind him. The vamp jumps on the truck and kicks the gunner as Alonna yells a warning. Alonna: "Bobby!  Bobby!" The vamp and Bobby fight, as the vamp is about to kill the boy Alonna attacks him with her pike. Gunn comes running, too, and the vamp takes off, with others (not sure if they are vamps or teens) running after. One of the teens aims a crossbow after them, but Gunn pushes it down. Gunn: "No, no, no. (points after the vamp) Dog him." Alonna is trying to lift Bobby, who is hanging head down over the side of the truck. Alonna: "Gunn, come on.  Come on." Gunn helps her and they get Bobby into the bed of the truck. Gunn to the driver: "Go!" Truck drives off.

They stop in front of a deserted building. Alonna and Gunn help Bobby inside while the others cover the truck with a tarp then follow. Gunn: "Alright.  Here you go.  I got you.  Alright, you're gonna make it, man.  Come on - two more.  Easy - easy." Alonna: "Right down here." They ease Bobby to the ground. Bobby: "Hey, Gunn." Gunn: "Right here man." Bobby: "He picked me up like I was a baby." Gunn: "He's dust, Bobby, forget about him." Bobby: "I'm not a baby." Alonna: "He needs a doctor." Bobby stops moving. Gunn: "Not any more." Gunn gets up: "James - how are we fixed for tonight?" James: "Beck and me lifted some canned stuff. Wasn't much in the bins behind Mel's - and we got that (motions towards three other teens) I told them we don't take squatters." Gunn: "Everybody eats."

Angel is walking in to Madam Dorion's. There are all types of demon girls sitting with customers (one of them looks like one of Jhiera's girls). Madam Dorion intercepts Angel as he walks deeper into the establishment. Madam: "We don't do vampires.  Sorry." Angel: "I just came to talk." Madam: "We don't do that either." Angel shows her the picture: "His name is Lenny Edwards.  You know him?" Madam leading Angel towards the exit: "Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you." Angel: "You're discreet.  That's good." Madam: "Essential in my line of work." Angel: "How discreet would you say it is for one of your clients to be secretly photographed here - and then blackmailed?" Madam: What?" Angel:  "Bad for business, I guess. You tell me where I can find Lenny Edwards and maybe I just might stop this before word hits the street." Madam: "Who is the girl?" Angel:  "I don't know. But the clients name is David Nabbit." Madam: "Lina! (A girl with quills for hair comes over) Talk to Lina." Lina runs a hand over Angel's chest:  "Oh, he's a pretty one." Madam:  "He's a vampire, Lina." Lina:  "Really? Well, we can make an exception. Just don't do - that face thing, and we'll get along great. (She turns around to face Madam Dorian holding up her hands) Look, ma, no hands!" Angel looks down, lets out a breath and catches the girls tail in one hand. Madam:  "That's not why he's here, Lina." Angel sighs and holds out the picture:  "I'm looking for him? (Lina sighs) -  I think your boss here would like you to co-operate." Lina looks at her boss then back at Angel. Lina:  "Vampires."

The kids hideout. Alonna crouches down beside a guy. Alonna: "See my brother?" Guy points to where Gunn is coming down the stairs. Alonna: "Gunn, we need to talk." Gunn: "Yeah, what of?" Alonna: "What happened to Bobby..." Gunn: "No!  No.  We don't talk about that.  That's done." Alonna: "We're dying here, Gunn." Gunn: "Everybody dies.  I'm just trying to make sure that when we die, we stay dead." Alonna: "It shouldn't have gone down the way it did.  You're getting reckless." Gunn: "I do what I got to do." Alonna: "No, you do more than you got to do.  Three weeks, G.  Three weeks and no teeth and you had to ring the dinner bell like that?  You just couldn't go another day without getting a little death in, could you?" Gunn: "You think I like this?" Alonna: "No, I think you love it.  And you won't quit until you get as close to death as you possibly can." Gunn: "You're wrong." Alonna: "I hope so.  -  Because I don't want to lose you, too." Gunn takes her hand: "Hey.  That's not gonna happen little sister.  -  All right?  It's never gonna happen." Kisses her on the forehead. Gunn sees two guys come down the stairs. Gunn: "Yo, Chain!  You found them?" Chain: "Dead boy led me right to its nest.  It's close - practically right around the corner." Gunn: "Nice." Chain: "Four blocks - right next to the old Blue Jean factory." Gunn shakes his hand: "All right.  Cool.  Now we got a chance to do some real damage." Guy hurries down the stairs, loaded crossbow in hand. Guy: "Incoming!  Moving this way fast.  Jumping roof top to roof top." Gunn to Chain: "You were followed?" Chain: "No way." Gunn: "Let's check it out." They all head up the stairs.

Lenny is about to get in his car when Angel comes up behind him. Lenny: "What do you want?" Angel: "Big question.  What do I want?  (Thinks)  Love - family - a place on this planet I can call my own - but you know what?" Lenny: "What?" Angel: "I'm never going to have any of those things.  -  And unless these next few minutes go exactly the way I want them to, neither are you.  -  Where are the pictures of David Nabbit?" Lenny: "Never heard of him." Angel: "Oh-ho, you only get one lie.  I probably should have mentioned that first." Lenny pats Angel on the shoulder: "Look, pal, you obviously not form around here.  (Gunn and his gang come up to watch from behind some iron bars)  But trust me - you do *not* want to see my bad side." Angel: "You show me yours (vamps out) I show you mine.  (Grabs Lenny and pushes him up against the car)  Okay, so now I'm from around here.  In fact, I'm moving in.  Taking over, you understand me?  I will dog you every night for the rest of your very short life until you bring me what I want.  Are we clear?  (Lenny nods frantically)  Yeah.  See you tomorrow." Angel gives Lenny a last shove. Lenny turns to unlock his car door, then looks back. Angel is gone. Lenny gets in the car and drives off. Chain: "Vampire is moving in, huh?" Gunn nods: "Yeah.  Well, he ain't gonna stay too long."

Wesley and Cordelia are standing in front of David Nabbit while he writes out a check. Nabbit: "Ah.  This should take care of your expenses to date.  I want you to know I really appreciate what you did at the party." Wesley: "At the party?  (Nabbit nods and Wesley and Cordy look at each other)  What we did at the party?" Cordy: "It was a wonderful party." Nabbit: "We talked.  We had some good times.  It meant a lot to me." Cordy: "Oh." Wesley: "Yes, but - you were paying us to be there." Nabbit: "I do that all the time.  But you guys actually hung with me.  It was - it was special." He holds the check out to Wesley, but Cordy grabs it. Cordy: "I'm in charge of the..." She sees the amount of the check and, speechless, shows it to Wesley. Wesley: "Good Lord.  I think there must be some mistake." Cordy: "I'm sure Mr. Nabbit knows how to write a check." Nabbit: "No, there is no mistake.  I just - believe in rewarding good work." Wesley: "This is amazingly generous, Mr. Nabbit, but - we are really not finished with the job." Nabbit: "It's only money, and I got sack-fulls, and it's - it's David.  You guys call me David, okay?" Cordy: "I like David.  It's such a - strong, masculine name.  (Nabbit grins at her) It just feels - good in your mouth." Wesley: "Well, - David, you won't be disappointed.  We'll earn every cent of your generous confidence in our firm." Cordy: "Bye." Nabbit: "Bye." Wesley as he leads Cordy out: "Feels good in your mouth?" Cordy: "I was flustered!"

Lenny is sitting on the hood of his car holding a brown manila envelope in his hands, looking around. Suddenly Angel is there. Lenny: "You're a sneaky son of a bitch, aren't you?" Angel: "You brought the photographs?" Lenny holds up the envelope: "Of course I brought them - and a little something extra." A gray skinned demon appears next to Angel and hits him hard enough that he flies a few feet backwards through the air. Lenny: "Love that." Angel and the demon fight. The demon is at least as strong as Angel. Lenny: "What ever he's paying you isn't enough, is it, big fellow?" During the fight Angel crashes into Lenny, making him drop the envelope. Angel picks it up and puts it inside his coat, then swings around a lamp post and continues to fight the demon. At the end he manages to break the demon's neck. While Angel catches himself on the ground, coughing, trying to recover from the fight, Lenny runs off. A stake impales Angel through his left shoulder, poking out the front. Grabbing a hold of it Angel looks back to see Gunn's gang with their pick-up truck and stake gun. He gets up, pulling out the stake and runs with the truck in close pursuit. Gunn: "Get him!" Angel keeps zigzagging and tossing trashcans and other stuff in front of the truck to make it swerve and mess up the gunner aim as he runs down the street. He rolls underneath a partially open warehouse door and gets up to lean against it, panting. The wooden rams mounted on the hood of the truck come through the door, just missing him. Angel runs deeper into the warehouse stumbling against some boxes. He steps on a plate on the floor. A pallet with stakes mounted to the bottom drops from the ceiling and Angel rolls to avoid getting impaled. A guy with a stake in hand jumps him from behind. Angel grabs his up raised hands and after a short struggle tosses him over his head onto the floor in front of him. The guy sees the stake coming for his own heart and freezes in fear. Angel takes a breath, drops the stake and runs on, the guy staring after him in surprise. Angel runs through a trip wire and triggers some crossbows as he runs down a hallway but Angel manages to dodge the quarrels. The gang attacks him from all sides and after tossing a couple around Angel grabs a hold of Alonna and uses her as a shield. Gunn: "Alonna!  -  Don't shoot." Angel: "What are you people playing at?" Gunn: "We're not playing." Angel: "You're gonna get yourselves killed." Gunn: "We're gonna get *you* killed first!" Chain: "Let's dust him." Angel looks at them for a moment then tosses Alonna aside. Gunn tracks the movement with his crossbow and it goes off. Angel reaches out and intercepts the quarrel headed for Alonna with the palm of his hand. Everybody stares. Angel: "Ow!  -  You know, for some reason I'm getting the impression you don't like me too much!  (Pulls the quarrel out of his hand)  Maybe I'm just over-reacting." Gunn: "What?  You're gonna pretend that you're different from the rest of them?" Angel: "Yeah.  And then I just pretend that I just saved her life.  -  You put a lot of work into this.  Some clever stuff really.  I'm impressed - but I have a few suggestions." Gunn: "I don't think we're interested." Angel: "Yeah.  You should be.  Who do you think that would have killed?  We are fighting on the same side." Chain: "The same side of what?" Angel: "I didn't come here to kill you." Gunn lowers his crossbow and steps closer: "It don't matter why you're here, or what you are.  If you ever show your face down here again, don't count on any long good-byes." The gang leaves and Angel sinks down on top of a barrel, wincing from the pain in his side.

Wesley is taking the pictures the Angel recovered over to where Cordy is bandaging Angel's shoulder and middle. Wesley: "That's very nice work.  I'm sure Nabbit will be greatly relieved to get these back.  (Sits down next to Angel on the edge of the desk, looking at one of the pictures)  Oh my." Angel: "It's upside down." Wesley turns the picture around and they both look at it as Cordy puts the last piece of tape in place. Wesley: "Certainly not something one would want framed." Cordy: "How does it feel?" Wesley: "I can't possibly imagine it's pleasant." Angel: "Ew." Cordy: "I'm talking to Angel." Angel and Wesley look at her. Wesley: "Oh, right.  Sorry." Angel gets up: "It feels (Winces as he pulls on his shirt) it feels better." Cordy: "You should rest.  You look like..." Angel: "Like I've been beaten and stabbed?" Cordy: "Want to see the check again?" Angel: "I want to find those kids.  I don't think any of them have homes.  They're probably living together somewhere." Wesley: "How many are there?" Angel: "I'm not sure.  6, 7, maybe more?  A couple of them couldn't have been more than 16." Cordy: "God.  20 minutes ride from billionaires and crab puffs - kids going to war." Angel: "This isn't something they just started doing.  I mean, they were ready.  They've been pushed to this." Wesley: "In which case I can certainly understand their - stake first and ask questions later state of mind.  It's how they survive." Cordy: "And the idea of a - vampire in a white hat probably seems a little - give me a breaky?" Angel: "They're in over their heads.  They're going to get themselves killed.  If they're hunting vampires there has to be a nest in the area.  Wesley, I want you to find out where those kids live." Wesley: "Consider it done." Angel: "I'm gonna find that nest - before they do.  -  It'll have to be close - probably in a 10 block area (winces in pain as he pulls on his coat) and it'll have to be a building with sewer access.  (Steps into the elevator, still clearly hurting.  Turns back) Can I just see that check again?"

Cut to the vampire nest and their balding lead-vamp talking. Knox: "Street trash - that's what they are.  Just stupid, human street trash.  For 70 years we ruled this neighborhood.  It was our neighborhood.  Used to be decent people lived here - working people.  And now? - You can't even finish one without wanting to puke!  -  And whose fault is it? Hmm?  Theirs?  -  I don't think so.  -  It's our fault.  We let this happen.  We got lazy.  We dropped our guard.  (Turns to the vamp that ran from Gunn's gang)  Ty, you've been lured into an ambush before?  (Ty shakes his head)  Of course not.  -  Ty has been around for almost as long as me.  He's survived, like me, because he's smart.  (Claps Ty on the shoulder)  But they did this to him - and that means that they could do it to any-one of us.  And why?  Because this street trash (pulls out a stake) ain't afraid to go for the heart.  (Dusts Ty)  And now that's what we're gonna do.  No more picking them off one by one. We concentrate on the heart. Take the heart and the rest will fall."

Cut to the kids hide-out. Chain: "I don't want to hear this." Alonna: "I'm saying he could be useful." Chain: "Gunn, don't even listen to her." Alonna: "You know there is something different about him.  I'm just saying, he knows stuff that we don't and he didn't have to do what he did." Chain: "And if he hadn't, he would have been dead." Gunn: "Maybe." Chain: "No maybe.  We would have killed him." Gunn: "The guy bugs me, Alonna.' Alonna:  "Everybody bugs you." Gunn:  "You bug me the most." Alonna:  "What? - I'm trying to keep you alive. I'm not saying, trust him." Gunn: "It just don't play. I mean, if he's not looking to kill, what's he want? And why the hell would he come to a place like this?"

Angel is walking into the deserted vampire nest, carrying a stake in his right hand. There is a vampire hiding on the pipes running along the ceiling. The vampire drops down, but Angel just casually steps to one side then pulls the vamp up off the floor and slams him against the wall. Angel: "Where are they?"

Alonna is walking up to Gunn, who is working on some type of machinery. Alonna: "Hey.  I got some food." Gunn: "I'm not hungry." Alonna: "Not hungry?  When's the last time you ate?" Gunn: "Oh, seems like just yesterday." Alonna: "Well, Poe went to the market." Gunn: "Alone?" Alonna: "No, Jason had his back.  They got away clean." Gunn: "Oh, yeah, like last time?" Alonna: "No, no cops this time, no chase.  (Offers him some bread)  Come on, you eat this.  (Gunn shakes his head)  Well, they got some other stuff.  They got - ah, hamburger, and some apples and lots of other stuff.  (Gunn stops working to listen to something)  Looks like we're gonna have a home cooked meal tonight.  (Notices Gunn's attention is off her)  What?" Gunn gets up: "Get everybody out." Alonna: "What is it?" Gunn: "Just do it!  Now!" Alonna starts to yell at the others to get going as Gunn picks up a sword and a smoke grenade flies through a narrow window under the ceiling. Gunn: "Get everybody outside - into the daylight.  Do it." Guy: "They are coming in?  Don’t they have to be invited?" Gunn: "Chain!" Chain comes to stand beside him: "Cops?" Gunn: "I don't know." Chain: "Are they in?  -  Where are they?" Alonna to the kids running up the stairs: "Go!  Go!  Go!" Chain: "I don't see nothing.  -  There is nothing." Gunn: "Oh god.  -  Alonna!" They run up the stairs after the others. Gunn: "Alonna!" As Alonna drops over the railing to the floor of the alley a van pulls up. A heavily swaddled guy wearing a gas mask jumps out and grabs her. Gunn: "Alonna!" Alonna: "No!  Help!  Help!  No. Gunn!" Alonna is dragged into the back of the van and the doors slammed shut just as Gunn gets there. He runs after the van as it drives off and jumps onto the back bumper. He gets a view of two vampires snacking on his screaming sister in the back of the van. One of the vamps looks up and puts his fist through the back window, knocking Gunn of the van.

Wesley and Cordelia are cruising the neighborhood in Angel's convertible. Cordy: "You know - there is nothing like riding in a convertible - with the top down to make you see the sun and the sand (Wesley stops the car and scans the area through a pair of binoculars) Mmm - smell that salt air!" Wesley: "That's not salt." Cordy: "I don't think it's *air* either, - but reality is a choice, Wesley.  You see what you wanna see and I see what I wanna see." Wesley: "A man exiting an alley pushing a shopping cart." Cordy leaning back with her eyes closed: "No - I see a very tan life-guard type with large..." Wesley: "No, over there. (Cordy looks)  These kids must have got electricity into their building.  They might have tapped into one of the power lines and run it illegally.  If I could spot the tap, that would tell us where their hide-out is.  You go ask this gentleman if he's seen anyone that fits the description of our young vampire killers, while I check the power line for any taps." Cordy: "Uh, why don't you ask him and I check for taps?" Wesley: "Because - you can imagine him as a scantily clad, buff, young stud, while I am stuck with the naked truth."

Angel grabs one of the kids on guard (James) in a hallway to their hideout. Angel: "Ask me in."

The gang is gearing up for a fight. Angel comes in pushing James into the room in front of him. Angel: "You are going to get a lot of people killed.' Gunn looks at the kid that was on guard. James:  "I suck, okay?" Gunn to Angel:  "You don't want to be here." Angel:  "Going after them is what they expect you to do." Gunn:  "I don't need advice from some middle- class white dude, that's dead! You don't know what my life is. You have no idea what it's like down here." Angel: "Some of you will die, maybe all of you." Chain with a flame-thrower strapped to his back:  "People die all the time - some just for talking too much." Gunn:  "We're done." Angel:  "Look, I can help you. Unless, of course, death is what you’re after - then you're on your own." Gunn: "I'm always on my own." Angel:  "It doesn't have to be that way. Why can't we do this together?" Gunn pulls a rope attached to the tarp covering the window, and while Angel shies away from the direct sunlight he pushes Angel into an old meat locker. Gunn: "You figure it out." He slams the door shut.  Angel bangs against it but it doesn't budge. Gunn to the other kids:  "Let's go."

It's dark by the time the truck pulls up in front of the vampire nest. Gunn: "Hold up.  Give me 10 minutes to check it out." Chain: "What if you're not back in 10?" Gunn: "Come on down and kill anything that moves."

Gunn slowly walks down into the lair, stake held in his right hand. He stops in the middle of a big room as he hears Alonna humming. Gunn: "Alonna?" Alonna: "Hey, big brother.  (Gunn lets out a relieved sigh as Alonna comes out)  What took you so long?" Gunn walks up to her smiling: "You're not... (Stares at her unblemished neck and starts to frown) dead." Alonna: "Well..." Gunn shakes his head: "No." Alonna: "Shh!  Don't be sad. - I'm not." Gunn: "They killed you." Alonna: "Do I look dead to you?  -  I am stronger, faster and better than ever.  -  Wanna see?" Laughs as she pushes against his chest sending him sailing through the air.

Angel is still banging in vain against the door of the meat locker. He switches to the wall beside the door and after a while manages to punch a hole in it.

Alonna: "We were on the right track - just on the wrong team.  All that rage and hatred we got?  We get to keep all that, only on this side there is no guilt, no grief - just the hunt and the kill - and the fun!  And come on, how often did we go out in the daylight anyway?" Gunn: "Alonna, I can't do this!" Alonna: "You were made for this. - Oh, and all that misery and moping gone, I promise you." Gunn: "I was never gonna let anything happen to you.  I was supposed to protect you.  You were my sister." Alonna: "I still am.  (Gunn shakes his head)  So why don't you kill me?  -  Why *don't* you?  (Spread her arms wide - Gunn just looks at her)  Ah!  *You* can't!  Because you got the guilt - and I got the greatest guilt cure ever.  I can free you!  We can be together - our family can stay together - forever.”

Angel sticks his hand through the hole but can't reach the handle. A hand reaches past his bruised and bleeding knuckles and opens the door. Cordy: "Trying to open that?  (Angel leans against the doorjamb, looking at Cordy and Wesley)  They locked you in, huh?" Angel: "No.  I just love old meat lockers." Wesley: "You should've tried to call us on your cell phone.  -  You probably forgot you had it." Angel takes his cell phone out and looks at it. Angel: "These things hardly ever work.  Besides it was a lot easier and quicker to just (mimes punching a hole and grimaces, shaking his hand) - Look, I'm the boss here, I say when we use the cell phones and people are gonna die and - I have to go." Leaves. Cordy yells after him: "You're welcome!"

Alonna: "Remember when we were kids - in that shelter on Plummer Street, hmm?  (Gunn nods) Second floor was all rotted out.  -  You used to dare kids to cross, and of *course* you were the best at it, because you were the  - you were the bravest.  I wanted to be like you so bad, so I went up, and the floor gave out.  I would have broken my neck, but - you'd been watching me the whole time.  You were standing right below - and you caught me.  -  Ever since I can remember you've been looking out for me. - But you don't have to any more, because I'm good, and it's my turn to look out for you now." Gunn: "How?" Alonna: "Look at you.  You're running and hiding, cold and hungry.  You call that living?  (Gunn looks down)  You're the one that's falling now.  Let me catch you. - Don’t you want to stop falling?  (Gunn nods slightly)  I'm gonna fix it.  (Morphs into her vamp-face)  Oh, say goodbye to everything you ever knew." She wraps one arm around his neck and stretches up to bite him. Gunn: "Good-bye." He pushes the stake into her chest as she stares at him shaking her head. The dust settles to reveal Angel standing a little ways away. Angel: "Let's get out of here." The door behind Gunn opens and the rest of the gang charges in as Gunn lets the stake drop from his hand. Chain: "Dude!  What are you waiting on?  (Sees Angel and moves towards him)  How did he get out?" Gunn holds him back: "Yo, don't.  We're leaving." Chain: "Leaving?" Vampires step out all around them. Knox: "I don't think so. - She was so sweet (steps up to Gunn) your sister - so smooth going down, if you know what I mean.  -  You wanted a war?  Well, this is it." Angel: "Here is the deal: you can go.' Knox turns to stare at Angel:  "What?" Angel:  "*If* you go now - and I don't ever see any of you again, you get to live." Knox chuckles and walks towards Angel:  "Are you high?" Angel:  "LA is my territory, you want to stay out of it for the rest of your eternal lives. These kids, my town, off limits form now on." Knox: "Who the hell are you? You know who you're talking to, you fool?" Angel: "The name's Angelus. (Stakes Knox) And I wasn't actually talking to you. (Looks at the other vamps) So - do we have a truce? Or do you wanna die?" The vamps look at each other shifting uncomfortably. Chain: "Truce? (To Gunn) We can take them." Angel:  "Not without them taking a couple of you." Chain:  "Gunn, you came all this way, you're not gonna kill any vamps?" Gunn, still looking at Angel:  "I already did." He turns to go and the gang and the vamps one by one follow his example and just leave.

Wesley stares at the whipped cream mounded on top of the cup he receives from a street vendor. Wesley: "I asked for a coffee.  I know it must be in here someplace.  (To Cordy)  Are you alright?  You haven't said two words since we left the office." Cordy: "Oh, I was just thinking about those kids." Wesley: "Yes.  That place was pretty awful." Cordy: "And I thought my first apartment was bad.  Can you believe people actually live there?" They sit down on a park bench. Wesley: "Well, it certainly gives one a sense of perspective, doesn't it?" Cordy: "Yes, it does.  -  And I think, prespectively speaking, I might want to - prostitute myself to billionaire David Nabbit." Wesley chokes on his coffee. Wesley: "Cordelia." Cordy: "What I mean is - he's a nice guy who wants companionship.  I could use some security.  So when I say 'prostitute' what I mean is.." Wesley: "Prostitute." Cordy: "For instance." Wesley: "Do you think you really could?" Cordy: "I don't know.  -  I could probably learn to love him.  Looks aren't everything - or chemistry - personality, that's important.  And except for a lot of other - It's not what's on the outside that - Yeah.  Never mind. - I'm *fine* here. - Poor - alone."

Camera zooms up from behind on Gunn, looking out at night time LA. Angel comes up beside him. Gunn: "What are you doing here?" Angel: "Skulking - professionally." Gunn: "Look, I'm glad for what you did, okay?  But I don't need no Guardian Angel, and I don't need no talking to.  It's not gonna change the way things are down here, man.  They're gonna keep coming, and we're gonna keep fighting." Angel: "I know." Gunn: "That's it?  You ain't gonna talk *at* me, - be all daddy-figure?" Angel: "What am I gonna tell you - that you haven't already learned?" Gunn: "I killed her." Angel: "You didn't." Gunn: "Near enough.  -  She was the reason, man.  -  How come you do it?  How come you're out here?" Angel: "What else are we gonna do?  -  I'll be around." Gunn: "I don't need no help." Angel: "I might." After a moment Gunn looks over at Angel, but he's gone.

FADE OUT