The Thin Dead Line

Previously on Angel:

Angel to cellphone: "Kate, it's Angel.  Pick up if you're there.  If you get this message get a hold of you father.  Get him out of his house.  He's in danger." Kate's father getting killed by a vampire. Kate: "Oh, dad.  Oh, no, dad!" Kate standing in front of her father's grave, Angel watching from the shadows.

Cordy to Angel: "Nice plan, General Custer!  You can't go in uninvited, remember?  You need us."

Anne holding up Cordy's blouse: "This is not what I expected.  What's the matter, doesn't fit you anymore?"

Angel throwing down the cigarette and setting Darla and Dru on fire. Gunn: "You went to far." Wesley: "Right now the three of us are all that's standing between you and real darkness." Angel: "You're fired."

Lilah: "For God's sake, help us." Holland: "People are gonna die." Angel closing the doors: "I just can't seem to care."

Night. Angel's convertible pulls up in front of the Hyperion. Angel slowly crosses the hotel lobby, looking around. Looks down at the books and papers on the counter, pushes them off. Turns around to survey the lobby, crosses his arms and looks down as the camera pulls up then through a black wall to show us Wesley holding the door to their new office open, looking out. Wesley: "What I wouldn't give for a roving band of Prekian demons right now." Gunn and Cordy, sitting by the desk, give him a look. Wesley: "Without the ritualistic slayings of course." Cordy: "Of course." Wesley picks up the newspaper and closes the door. Wesley: "Something to fight.  Good to be done.  A little action." Cordy: "Maybe we could by one of those star maps, find out where Steven Segal lives. (Gunn and Wes give her a look) You're telling me he got to be a movie star without a little demonic assistance?" Gunn looking at the newspaper: "Look, I say if things are quiet, let them be quiet." Wesley goes to sit down: "Quiet maybe good for mankind - but bad for business.  We need to make a name for ourselves." Gunn: "We can't even agree on a new name yet.  Unless, of course you guys have come around to the idea of..." Wesley: "I don't think so." Cordy: "Give it up already." Wesley gets back up: "New name or not we need to be on the streets, plying our trade.  Generating a little word of mouth.  We can't expect evil to just walk through the door." The front door opens and a woman ushers in a young girl. Cordy getting up: "Can we help you?" Francine: "I'm, ah, looking for Wesley Wyndham Price." Wesley: "I'm Wesley." Francine: "Ah.  I'm Francine Sharp, my daughter Stephanie.  I'm a friend of Virginia's from the club." Wesley: "Oh, right, the country club." Cordy: "One of Virginia's *rich* friends? (Wesley, Stephanie and Francine give her a look.) You certainly came to the fight place, ha, ha." Francine: "Virginia said you specialize in, uh, strange phenomenon?" Cordy: "The stranger the better as far as we're concerned.  Please, have s seat. - Tell us what the problem is. (Francine leads her daughter over to a chair) Trust me, we specialize in strange.  There is nothing we haven't see... (Trails off as she sees an eye blinking up at her as Stephanie sits down. Turns to Wes and whispers) There's an eye in the back of her head!" Wesley and Gunn come over to take a look. Wesley moves his finger in front of the eye and the eyes tracks it. Francine: "Something grabbed her on the way home from swim practice and bit her.  When she woke up this morning that was there." Wesley crouches down next to Stephanie's chair: "Did you see who or what did this to you?" Stephanie looks over at her mom. Francine: "It was dark.  She doesn't remember much.  She's been in a state of shock since it happened. - I'll pay you whatever it takes.  Can you make it go away?" Wesley: "Yes, absolutely.  Consider us already on the job." Cordy: "I knew you came to the right place." Francine: "Who would do this?" Wesley: "We're going to find out, but it - it'll take a little time.  You'd be surprised how many nasty things are on the streets these days.

Two teenagers are running down a dark street, dart around a corner and lean against the wall. The boy glances back around the corner. Boy: "He's right behind us." Girl: "Oh god." Boy: "We got to move.  Now." They run on while we see a big shadow on the opposite wall slowly moving closer.

The East Hills Teen Shelter, night. Anne hands a stack of blankets to a black girl. Anne: "Here you go.  Pass these out first.  And then get Eva to go to the storage room.  I bought a bunch of new sleeping bags last week, just in case we got crowded." Anne surveys the packed shelter with a sigh, then goes to answer the front door as someone pounds on it. The two teens we saw running from the shadow are standing outside. Boy: "Open up!  Please, open up.  (Anne opens the doors)  Anne, look, I know it's past curfew, but we got to come in." Anne: "Sorry, Kenny.  Ten o'clock.  You know the rules." Kenny: "I know, I know, but - you can't leave us out here, okay?  There's something - (looks back over his shoulder) - we gotta come in." Anne: "We're already packed to the ceiling! There is no room, even if I did let you in.  No more beds." Girl: "Please.  We'll sleep on the floor." Kenny: "Anne, don't make us go back out there." Anne steps aside and the two teens hurry inside. Anne takes a look up and down the street then pulls the door closed and locks it. We a see a human figure move in the shadows across the street, the light briefly glinting off a silver badge on its chest and the shiny rim of the cap it is wearing.

Intro

Merl is in his lair packing his stuff into boxes. Turns around and almost runs into Angel standing there. Angel: "Hey, Merl." Merl: "Jesus, man!  I mean, can't you, you know, knock?" Angel: "You don't make that funny expression when I knock, or if you do I don't see it. - What are you doing?" Merl: "Packing." Angel: "You're not going anywhere." Merl: "Oh, yes I am, as in far, as in now." Angel: "Who's gonna tell me all the fun facts about my friends?" Merl: "Big meeting tomorrow night, some top-level Wolfram and Hart brass.  I think it's a new demon account.  9:30, Diaghilev, that concludes my career as a professional informant.  All right? Consider it a - a freebie.  Just like every other bit of information I've ever given you." Angel: "Nine thirty." Merl: "Tomorrow night.  Best of luck.  Hope you bust that evil law firm wide open." Angel: "Well, why the rush to relocate?" Merl: "Well, lets see, there is, uhm, *you* and then there is every other crook and monstro in this town that thinks they can just waltz in here and pound me until they get information, without paying for it either.  I mean at least that British guy understood what a working relationship was, had some respect.  *You* don't care about anyone but yourself." Angel: "I really don't think that you're in a position to judge..." Merl: "How is old Wesley, huh? - Or the other two you fired?  They doing alright?  Oh, gee, let me guess.  You never even bothered to check." Angel: "This had better pan out." Merl: "Nine thirty at Diaghilev.  Pleasure doing business with you."

Day, the East Hills Teen Shelter, Anne is talking to a black guy carrying a clipboard and pen. Anne: "And make sure you get full names, no tags, no nicknames.  I've seen at least a dozen new faces, and I don't want anyone slipping through the cracks. (Sees the guy that came in late) Kenny.  Can I talk to you for a sec? How 've you been?  We haven't seen you in a while." Kenny: "Fine.  Crashing different places.  You know me and shelters, man.  Too many rules.  I've got to have my freedom." Anne: "Hm-mm.  So why'd you come in last night?" Kenny: "I don't know.  It was cold out there.  I was getting frostbit." Anne: "It was sixty five degrees outside." Kenny: "So?  I'm from Florida.  Sixty five degrees is like the Arctic Circle." Anne: "Kenny - why'd you come in?" Kenny: "Cops." Anne: "What?" Kenny: "Cops.  They've been hassling everybody lately.  Which, hey, what else is new, right?  But these guys... Last night me and Les where hanging down on thirty ninth." Anne: "Panhandling?" Kenny: "No.  Washing my Mercedes.  All of a sudden this cop comes up out of nowhere and just wham!  Hit me so hard I thought my teeth were coming out." Anne: "He hit you?  What were you doing?" Kenny: "Nothing, I swear to god.  And then after he punched me he threw Les against the wall, about near broke her arm.  Next thing I know he's reaching for his nightstick, so I just grabbed Les and booked." Anne: "You mean he wasn't trying to arrest you..." Kenny: "I'm telling you.  He just walked up, said 'no loitering,' slugged me in the mouth, and then chased us for a couple blocks before we made it here." Anne: "We got a big problem." Kenny: "Yeah.  Good luck solving it.  I mean, who you're gonna call?  The cops?" Anne: "I think I know someone who might help."

Anne walks into the new Angel Investigations. Gunn smiles: "Annie!  What's up, girl? I haven't seen you in a minute.  Come here! (Anne smiles back and they hug) So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?" Anne: "Well, I just thought I'd see how the other half lives (looks around) and strangely enough, it's not that different." Gunn turns her towards Wes and Cordy. Cordy: "We like to think of it as early American dilapidation. (Shakes Anne's hand.) Hi.  I'm Cordelia." Anne: "Anne." Wesley: "Wesley Wyndham-Price.  Nice to meet you." Gunn: "Anne here runs a teen shelter over on Crenshaw, not too far from my hood." Anne: "Oh Gunn, all this time and you still remember!" Gunn: "Alright, alright, I get it.  But I've been busy.  I've been working." Anne: "Well, if you're not too busy, mind if I run something by you?" Blend to later that evening. Anne is sitting holding a cup of coffee. Anne: "Kenny is not the only one.  I've talked to some of the others and they *all* say the same thing.  No provocation, no reason, the police are just terrorizing them." Gunn: "Renegade cops.  Not exactly my usual." Anne: "Oh, that's right.  You used to hunt..." Looks over at Wes and Cordy, still researching at the desk. Gunn: "Oh, it's cool.  It's cool.  They know what's what." Cordy: "What?" Gunn: "I still hunt vampires, but if this job has taught me anything, it's that there's things a lot worse out there than a set of teeth. " Anne: "Like a bunch of overzealous cops beating on my kids. - Speaking of which... I should really get back.  The shelter's been getting jammed after sunset, and somebody's got to keep them reined in." Gunn:  "I'll go with you.  I don't think it's safe for you being out there by yourself.  (To Cordy and Wes) I'm gonna head over to the teen center.  See if I can figure this thing out." Cordy: "Oh, gee, and miss out on this exciting case we're working on? (Anne looks at her) One of Wesley's wealthy acquaintances got bit by a demon." Anne: "Are they okay?" Wesley: "Uh, for the most part." Cordy: "Except for where she grew another eye in the back of her head." Anne: "Oh, that sounds... handy.  What kind of demon does that?" Wesley: "That's what we're trying to figure out.  Once we know we should be able to deoculate her.  I mean, just the one in back." Cordy: "Oh, yes, Angel Investigations, home of the wicked high creep factor." Anne: "Angel?" Gunn: "Oh, our company.  It's named after our former boss.  We're planning, uh, on changing it to the Gunn Agency..." Cordy and Wes: "No, we're not." Gunn: "As soon as these two narcissists come to their senses." Anne: "But Angel, that... this isn't the guy in the long, black trench coat, is it?" Gunn: "You know him?" Anne: "Yeah.  He tried to help me out a few weeks ago." Gunn looks over at Cordy and Wesley. The two of them get up from the desk. Cordy: "He did?" Wesley: "Really?" Cordy walks closer to Anne. Anne: "But it turned out it was just a scam to screw this law firm." Cordy, brightly: "Well, he hasn't changed a bit." Turns around and goes back to the table. She and Wesley go back to their books. Gunn to Anne: "Come on."

We see Gunn and Anne coming out of the office looking down from overhead. Gunn: "So, tell me more about this situation." Angel is watching them from the roof of the building opposite and trails them along the edge as they walk away.

East Hills Teen Shelter, night. A van pulls up in front of it and Anne and Gunn get out. Anne: "Thanks for coming by, Gunn." Gunn: "You know I've got your back.  I haven't seen this place in forever." Anne: "Yeah, it's been a while." Angel watches from the corner as they enter the building.

Inside the shelter, Gunn and Anne are sitting on a sofa talking to a group of kids sitting on another one across from them. Ray: "Look, the cops are tripping, G." Gunn: "Define tripping for me." Girl: "Out for blood.  Les got her arm busted up." Ray: "The cops stopped me the other night.  He went for his gun, looking to put a cap in my ass, man!" Anne: "It's outrageous.  These cops are gonna kill someone.  We have to do something about this." Gunn: "Anne, you think you could give us a minute?" Anne looks at Gunn then gets up. Anne: "Yeah.  I have some paperwork I could do." Gunn waits till she's gone. Gunn: "You guys try to play her?" Girl: "What?" Ray: "No way, G." Gunn: "Anne's no fool, but she's got a blind spot.  She wants to trust you all.  Now, if I find out you're taking advantage of that..." Ray: "This ain't no scam, G. We're the victims, man!" Gunn: "Victims.  Right.  So what was you doing when this cop pulled his piece on you?" Ray: "Absolutely nothing." Gunn: "Oh, so I haven't seen you on Normandy and Fifth dealing?  You telling me that wasn't you I seen?" Ray: "That's ancient history, man.  I gave that up." Gunn: "Well, do the cops know that?  'cause maybe they didn't get your e-mail." Girl: "Hey, we're not talking about some street sweep the PD does to shut up the moms.  Okay, this is war, and everyone's a target." Ray: "She speaks true, G. A hundred percent true."

Angel steps away from the window where he's apparently been watching and listening and turns to walk down the sidewalk. Cop: "Keep your hands where I can see them." Angel turns and spreads his hands: "I'm sorry, officer, have I done something wrong?" Cop pulls his nightstick: "Turn around.  Face the fence. Place your hands on your head." Angel: "This is a mistake." The cop hits Angel across the jaw with his nightstick and slams him up against the fence. Cop: "You're under arrest." Angel: "Believe me, you don't wanna do this." Pushes the cop off him, but the cop rebounds of a parked car and comes right back, swinging his stick. Cop, calmly: "You have the right to remain silent." Angel blocks the swing and pushes the cop off him again. The cop rebounds off the fence and comes back swinging. Cop: "Anything you say can..." Angel kicks him in the chest, pushing him back into the fence. Again the cop rebounds swinging his stick. Cop: "...and will be used against you in a court of law." Angel punches the cop in the stomach, then the back of his head. The Cop drops against the car, then crumbles to the ground and doesn't move. Angel continues down the sidewalk, but hasn't taken more than a couple steps before the cop pops back up and continues dispassionately. Cop: "You have the right to an attorney." Angel stops and turns, blocking another swing from the cop and punching him in the gut again. Cop: "Should you be unable to afford an attorney (Swings at Angel, who blocks it) one will be appointed to you." The cop swings again, again Angel blocks. The cop staggers back. Angel turns and kicks the cop's head right off his neck. The head bounces off the windshield, Angel staring after it. Decapitated and decayed looking head: "Do you understand your rights as I have..." The words slow and stop. Angel looks down at the LAPD badge on the chest of the now equally decayed looking corpse.

Break

East Hills Shelter, night, two black teens walks up to where Gunn and Anne are sitting and one of them slaps Gunn on the back. George: "Well, if it isn't Charles Gunn, brother at large." Gunn and Anne get up. Gunn: "Anne, meet Rondell and George." Anne: "Hi." George: "Greetings.  Brought the camcorder.  What do you need?" Gunn: "Alright, I've got this little neighborhood problem I promised Anne we'd look into." Rondell: "This got something to do with the police cracking skulls?" Gunn: "You know about that?" George: "Who doesn't?" Gunn: "I didn't till today.  Somebody could have filled me in." Rondell: "You ain't been around to tell nothing to." George: "You've been moving on up, dog, - playing demon detective with your new family." Rondell: "Deluxe apartment in the sky." George: "When I got the call I figured it must be Christmas or something." Gunn: "Maybe I shouldn't have called at all.  In fact, you know what?  You're all free to go." George: "We already made the trip, might as well go all the way." Gunn: "Don't do me no favors." George: "I'm not.  The favor's for these kids.  - Now you got a plan or don't you?" Gunn after a beat: "All right, look, the plan is simple.  I want you to roll the camcorder and wait for the cops to hassle us." Anne: "How do you know they will?" Gunn: "'cause we'll be the ones walking while black. (George laughs) Come on." Gunn, Rondell and George leave.

LAPD headquarters, night. Kate walks across the office reading a file to find Angel sitting on the edge of her desk. Kate: "Haven't seen you in a while." Angel: "I've been busy." Kate: "Yeah, me too." Kate walks past him and gets another file out of a drawer. Kate: "A couple of open cases I've been working.  Two women killed in a clothing store.  Thirteen lawyers from Wolfram and Hart slaughtered in a wine cellar." Angel: "Real tragedy." Kate: "Yeah, you seem real broken up by the loss.  Anyway, we're still looking into this one." Angel: "Good luck with that." Kate: "I guess you never caught up with your vampire friends in time." Angel: "I did track them down later and set them on fire." Kate: "Sounds like you enjoyed it.  But then again - the whole murder and mayhem thing's always been right up your alley." Angel: "If that's how you feel, I guess this isn't the best time to tell you - I just killed a cop." Kate: "I wouldn't make a joke about that in this building, no matter how immortal you think you are." Angel: "Of course, this is the kind of cop that keeps talking even after he's been decapitated. (Pulls out the cops badge (number 4226) and shows it to Kate.) Bet they don't teach you that at the academy.  Want to tell me who that badge belongs to?" Kate takes the badge and looks at it.

Kate is pulling up the file on the badge. Angel: "That's him." Kate: "Officer Peter Harkes." Angel: "You know him?" Kate: "Well enough to be at his funeral six months ago." Angel: "You want to take a ride?"

Cordy on the office phone: "Of course we can handle this eye thing without you.  That's not the point. - Just that maybe we should back you up on this. - Because I don't want you to get hurt.  - Of course I do, *but*... Hello?  (Hangs up the phone with a sigh.)  Okay, Gunn's about to do a really stupid thing." Wesley reading his book: "What did he say?" Cordy: "Just that in order to find out if the police have been brutalizing and killing people in Anne's neighborhood, he's going to videotape the cops trying to brutalize and kill him." Wesley looks up: "You can't be serious." Cordy: "Nothing says 'Aha, I'm no to you' like being on the receiving end of a vicious police beating." Wesley: "You couldn't stop him?" Cordy: "Hello!  Gunn, stubborn, synonyms." Wesley: "That can't be his plan, can it?  I mean, it's - really a dumb plan." Cordy: "Hey, Gunn graduated with a major in dumb planning from Angel University. He sat at the feet of the master and learned well how to plan dumbly." Wesley: "We'll just gonna have to let him do this." Cordy: "Oh.  I'm sure he'll be fine." Wesley: "He wants our help, he knows where to call us." Cordy: "We'll work our gig, Gunn can work his." Wesley: "Right.  Lets get down there and save him from himself." Cordy: "It's not like that third eye is really going anywhere."

Angel and Kate are walking up to the grave of Peter Harkes. Kate: "That one.  Never saw the guy who shot him." Angel: "Catch the killer?" Kate: "Oh, yeah.  Not exactly a criminal genius.  He's up for the death penalty." Angel: "You said his funeral was six months ago." Kate: "Around then.  Why?" Angel: "This ground's been disturbed in the past few weeks.  Someone's done some digging." Kate: "How do you know?" Angel just looks at her. Angel: "A lot of cops buried here?" Kate: "Yeah." Angel walks over to another grave. Angel: "How about him?" Kate: "Kevin worked vice.  (Angel nods to himself.) What is going on here?" Angel: "I think someone is unearthing dead cops and putting them back on the streets." Kate: "What?  How is that?" Angel: "Zombies. - Magically reanimated corpses.  They walk they talk, but somebody else is pulling their strings." Kate looks down at the grave then runs off to another one, Angel following. Kate: "Is it... my dad, is he..." Angel: "No.  His ground's undisturbed." Kate: "Are you sure?" Angel: "I'm sure." Kate puts a hand over her mouth and does her best not to break down crying. Angel: "You okay?" Kate: "Who's doing this?"

Anne is coming down the crowded steps at the shelter carrying a stack of blankets. Anne to teen: "Could you give Emma a hand in the kitchen?" There is a pounding on the front door and Anne goes to answer it. Anne: "Sorry, no more... (Sees that it's Cordy and Wes) Hi, what..." Cordy: "Is Gunn still here?" Anne: "No, he left with his friends a little while ago. Why?" Wesley: "Did he say where he was going?" Anne: "Forty fifth street, I think." Wesley turns to go: "I'll start there.  I'm on my cell phone if you hear from him." Cordy: "Check in with me." Wesley: "Right." Cordy looks inside the shelter. Cordy: "Huh, looks like you could use some help." Anne: "All of my regular staffers are too scared to come in tonight." Cordy: "Where do you want me to start?" Anne hands her the blankets: "How are your laundry folding skills?" Cordy: "I'm an actress.  I can - fake it." Cordy turns and sees a girl wearing the blouse Angel donated to the shelter in "Blood Money" coming down the stairs. Cordy: "Hey!  That's my... (The girl looks at her)  Sorry. - I have a shirt just like that. (To Anne) The crook at the store said it was one of a kind! Big fibber!" Anne turns to shut the door but a but black guy wearing a black leather jacket jumps up the steps from the street, blocking the door. Anne: "I'm sorry, I'm all out of beds." Jackson: "Oh, come on now, sweet thing.  You know it's not save for man or beast out here." Anne tires to shut the door again: "I'm very sorry, but I really don't have any (they guy steps in) free beds." Jackson: "Oh, you don't have to worry about me.  I'm sure I can find someone willing to share. (Watches two girls walking up the steps)  Oh, yes.  Plenty of candidates." Cordy throws the stack of blankets to the side and takes a step closer to the guy. Anne: "I really think it would be best if you left." Cordy: "You should probably go." Jackson: "This is a shelter, right?  Well, it just so happens - I'm in need of a little shelter tonight." Pushes Cordy out of the way and walks deeper into the shelter. Cordy: "Hey!  Hey." Cordy is about to go after the guy but Anne stops her. Anne: "Let him go.  I don't want any trouble."

Black leather guy bumps into the retired drug dealer kid Gunn was talking with earlier. Ray: "Oh, watch out man... Jackson." Jackson: "Lookee here.  You been ducking me lately, Ray?  Hmm?" Ray: "No." Jackson: "No?" Ray: "No." Jackson: "You don't still think I'm pissed at you, do you?" Ray: "I don't know." Jackson: "Why you're shaking, Ray?  What you got to be nervous about? - You don't think I'm gonna kill you or something, do you? - Huh?" Ray: "No." Jackson laughs and claps Ray on the shoulder. Jackson: "I'd never kill you here, Ray. Not in front of all the pretty ladies.  You know I'd never kill you Laughs and walks away.
 * here*, hmm?"

Gunn and his two buddies are walking down a dark street. George: "All right, look, all I'm saying is you got to let me set up so they don't see me with this.  Cops see me with this, ain't no way we can Rodney King them." Gunn: "Yeah, that's if we ever find any.  I never had to look so hard to find trouble before." George points at a street sign. George: "Hey, check it.  Forty fifth street, man." Gunn: "So?" Rondell: " You're kidding me.  This is gang ground.  They catch us rolling up in here they'll take us out." George: "That's why we ain't seen no cops.  They don't even come around here." Gunn: "I said you was free to go." George: "Hey, man, I say I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it." Gunn looks at the deserted street. Gunn: "Damn.  Someone having an apocalypse and forget to invite us?" A cop comes walking up the street behind them tapping his nightstick against the wall of the building and the three turn to face him. Cop: "What are you doing?" Gunn: "Doing?  Nothing, man, just taking a walk." Cop: "Put your hands on the wall, step back and spread your feet apart." Gunn: "You arresting us?" Gunn looks back to make sure that George is getting it all with the camcorder peeking from his coat. Camcorder picture shows Gunn and the cop with a little REC in the upper left corner. Cop: "Do as you're instructed." Gunn: "Officer, I'd just like to know if we're being arrested." Officer: "Turn around and face the wall.  Now." Gunn: "Hey, I'm not trying to argue with you, but - I'd like to know what we did wrong.  You know, what law we broke?  Because if we broke one, I think we should know what it was so we don't make the same mistake twice." Cop lifts his stick: "I'm not gonna say it again." Wesley comes running up the street behind the cop. Wesley: "Wait!  Officer, wait! This man is a friend of mine, a very good friend.  I'm sure he hasn't committed any..." The cop spins around and shoots Wesley in the belly. Wesley staggers from the impact, looks at the cop in disbelief then sinks down against the wall of the building.

Break

Gunn: "Wesley!" Gunn tackles the cop, knocking the gun from his hand. Rondell darts in and picks up the gun. The cop hits Gunn and reaches down to his ankle. George: "He's got another gun!" The cop pulls out his hideout gun and Rondell shoots him twice, dropping him to the ground. Rondell: "Oh man!  Oh man!" George: "Lets get the hell out of here." Gunn: "Help me get Wesley." As Gunn hurries over to Wesley, Rondell drops the gun, staring at it. Wesley to Gunn: "Is anyone else cold?" Gunn: "It's okay now.  We're gonna take you some place warm. Help me pick him up!  Come on! Come on!" Gunn and George pick Wesley up while Rondell stares at the dead cop. Rondell: "I shot him!  I shot a cop!" Gunn: "Not a lot of choice." George: "We got to move." Rondell: "I killed a police officer.  Look at him.  He's dead!" Which is when the police officer sits back up. Gunn: "Don't look *that* dead." George: "Lets go!" The four of them run as best they can with Wesley supported between Gunn and George. The cop reaches up to the radio clipped to his shoulder. Cop: "We have a situation." Radio: "Are there any loose ends?" Cop: "We have witnesses.  I need back up."

Gunn and the others hurry down a street. Gunn: "Hold up. Hold up.  I got to try and stop this bleeding." Points to a hole in a chain link fence, and they slip through it, then around the corner of the building. Gunn: "Around here. - Put him down.  Easy!  Take it easy!." Wesley: "Nine one one.  You've got to call 911." Rondell: "Screw the cops!  They're the ones that did this to you!" Gunn: "An ambulance." Rondell: "Oh." Wesley pulls out his cell. Gunn: "Alright. (To Rondell) Go down and keep watch." Rondell hurries back to the hole in the fence, while Gunn dials the phone. George: "Tell them no siren." Phone: "911 What is your emergency?"

Kate and Angel enter the office of a police precinct. Kate: "It's pretty quiet in here." The office is deserted. Angel hits the bell on the counter and a door in the back opens and an officer comes out. Officer: "Can I help you folks?" Kate shows her badge: "Yeah.  I'm investigating some complaints about the way some officers are handling things in this precinct." Officer: "Isn't that more a job for internal affairs?" Kate: "Well, I'm taking a personal interest." The captain passes behind the officer and disappears into the back office. Kate: "Where is everyone?" Officer: "Oh, only a few of us riding the desk tonight." Angel: "Not a lot going on?" Officer: "Crime is way down in this precinct.  We're doing things right." Angel: "Who takes credit for that?" Officer: "It's a team effort.  But, the captain's the one who really got the ball rolling." Angel: "Can we talk to him?" Officer: "He's not here.  But you're free to try again later though." Kate: "This captain of yours, he's running things by the book?" Officer looks from Angel to Kate: "I don't have to tell you who used to rule these streets, detective. The scumbags did.  Hell, I-I was afraid to drive to work myself." Kate: "Oh, really?" Officer: "We got a tougher policy now."

Gunn is pressing a rag to Wesley's wound as Rondell comes running back. Rondell: "Ambulance ain't gonna come down here." George: "Shut up before they hear you." Rondell hurries back to his post as Gunn takes off his coat to cover Wesley. Wesley: "I don't think I'm doing very well." Gunn: "Hey, you're gonna be fine, man, alright?  Getting shot like this... Yeah, I've seen a lot of people been shot worse than this never even slowed them down." Rondell comes hurrying back: "It's here!" Gunn: "Come on, hurry, move!"

Wesley is being loaded into the ambulance by a white and a black paramedic. Gunn to George and Rondell: "Meet me back at the shelter, all right?  Watch your backs!" George and Rondell run off. Gunn as the white paramedic is about the close the back doors: "Hey, hey!  I'm with him." Gunn gets into the back of the ambulance and it drives off. Gunn: "It's alright, Wesley, hang on.  We're almost there, okay?" As the ambulance nears the end of the alley two cop cars with flashing lights block its exit. Driver: "Something is going on up here.  I'll go see what it is." Gunn gets up to look out through the front windshield to see the driver talking to the cops. Driver: "Hey you guys, you got to let us through.  We got..." Gunn: "No! Don't!" Driver: "...a wounded man in the back. We got to get him..." Gunn darts out the back and into the driver's seat as the cops open fire on the driver, riddling him with bullets. Gunn: "Hang on!" Gunn backs up the ambulance, until his way is blocked by another cop car. Turns the ambulance and rams it through the fence they slipped through earlier. Three cops run after them, firing their guns at the back of the ambulance. Gunn makes it out of the alley and starts to speed down the road.

The ambulance pulls up outside the shelter. Gunn opens the back doors and starts to unstrap Wesley. Black paramedic: "We're stopping?  What are you doing?" Gunn: "Trying to survive.  Help me get him inside.  Come on, Wes.  Come on, man." Gunn gets Wesley up while the paramedic grabs the IV bag off the hook and hands it to Gunn. Paramedic: "Here take this." Gunn holds out his arms to Wesley as he teeters at the doors of the ambulance. Gunn: "Come on, man.  I got you."

Anne goes to answer the pounding on the front door of the shelter. Gunn: "Annie!  Open up.  It's G.  Open up!  Hurry!" Anne opens the door. Anne: "Oh my god!  What happened?" Gunn: "They shot him." Anne: "Who did?" Gunn: "The cops.  They're not human." Anne stares for a moment then goes to close the door.

Outside a police car pulls up on the other side of the street. The driver reaches for his radio. Cop: "All passengers are on board, sir." The police captain is listening to the report on his radio. Cop: "We have full containment." Captain: "Wait for back up.  Secure the entire section.  - Clean house."

The paramedic is taking Wesley's blood pressure while Wesley is clinging to one of Gunn's hands. Wesley: "He had no right." Gunn: "I know man, shh." Cordy comes hurrying up to the sofa. Cordy: "Wesley, I...(to paramedic) What can I do?" The paramedic hands her a pad: "Apply pressure to the wound." Cordy to Wesley: "Okay.  I got it.  Hang in there.  It's okay." Gunn goes to look out a window. Anne: "Are we safe here?" Gunn: "Safer than out there.  But we need to lock all the doors, alright?  And keep everyone away from the windows!" Anne: "You heard him!  Lets go! Come on!" Jackson sees Wesley's wound as everyone clears out to do as told. Jackson: "Oh! - Damn.  Now that looks nasty." Gunn: "Jackson?  What the hell are you doing here?" Anne in the background: "How are we gonna keep the cops out?" Jackson: "I say let 'em come, bro.  I know how to handle cops." Pulls up his shirt to reveal a gun stuck in the waist of his pants. Gunn: "That life style working out for you?" Jackson: "Don't get all high and mighty with me, player.  I know where you come from." Gunn: "Where I come from you don't bring down a community.  You try and make it better." Jackson: "I'm just doing my thing, man.  Why - why don't you go on and get out of my face." Gunn: "Your thing hurts everybody!  Why do you think nobody cares they're clamping down on this neighborhood?" Jackson: "'cause they're a bunch of racist pigs." Gunn: "There is that.  And there's people like you - tch! A thug with a gun, keeping the cycle going." Jackson: "Not my problem." Gunn: "No! See, it's my problem, all right?  'cause they shot my friend over there." Jackson: "Oh. - Yeah.  White man dying. Not exactly losing sleep on it." Gunn pushes Jackson up against the wall but Anne come hurrying up. Anne: "Hey.  We can't afford this.  Not now."

The police captain is listening to the radio. Cop on radio: "All units are in place." Captain: "Go. And keep it quiet.  No gunfire."

Paramedic: "He's going south." Cordy: "No.  Come on." Gunn still holding Jackson up against the wall turns his head to look at the paramedic. Gunn: "What?" Paramedic: "I think there's internal bleeding, but we can't help him here.  We've got to get him to St. John's, fast." Gunn lets of Jackson and goes over to the sofa: "Look we can't go back out there, all right?  You saw what they did to him." Cordy: "He's going to die.  We're taking him to a hospital, now.  I don't care who's out there!" Gunn: "Alright.  Get the door." Cordy hurries off as Gunn drapes one of Wesley's arms over his shoulder trying to get him up. Gunn: "Come on." Wesley: "Where are we going?" Gunn: "To the hospital." Wesley: "That sounds sensible to me." Cordy opens the door just as two cop cars pull up. Closes it again and hurries over to Gunn. Cordy: "They're here."

Break

Cops are getting out of the cars and head for the shelter.

Inside the kids are attempting to barricade the windows and doors. Gunn: "Take this bat.  I want you to use it, all right? - Come on.  Everything against the windows!  Move! Move.  Do this quick."

More cops coming closer.

Anne and another guy slip a bar in place over a door. Anne: "Okay.  Nail this shut. (moves off, sees another kid) Check the kitchen door."

The Police captain puts down his radio and sits down behind his desk as the door opens and Angel steps in. Captain: "Can I help you?" Angel just walks in and looks over some things on one of the desks. Captain: "Excuse me, what are you doing?" Angel: "Looking around." Captain: "Who are you?" Angel picking up an open medal case: "Angel." Captain takes the case from him: "Well, Angel, if you need something I'm sure someone downstairs would be willing to help you." Angel: "Actually I need to talk to you." Captain: "About what?" Angel: "About some of your more - dead cops?" The captain chuckles and gets up. Captain: "Maybe we should talk about you instead." Pulls his gun and fires two bullets into Angel's torso. Angel curls up around the wounds for a moment then come back up in vamp face. Angel: "How do I stop them?" The captain points his gun again, but Angel grips his hand and tosses him across the room. Grabs him by the throat and pushes him up against the wall. Angel: "I'll repeat the question."

The cops are stepping up to the windows of the shelter.

Gunn: "Move, people, move."

Four cops are trying to open the front door.

Telephone voice: "All circuits are busy.  Please hang up and try your call again." Cordy to cell phone: "This is no time for circuits busy!  So, don't tell me circuits are busy.  If the circuits are busy - get some new circuits now!"

The cops are pulling off the bars across the lower parts of the windows.

Gunn to the kids moving the furniture: "Come on, push them up there."

Cops are battering against the front door, climbing up on the windowsills, battering against the back door.

Angel: "How do I stop them?" Captain: "These are good cops.  They pout their lives on the line.  They died on the streets." Angel: "You should have left them that way." Captain: "I won't betray them!" Knocks Angel's hand from his throat and flees towards the back of his office, pushes a file cabinet aside and slips through a hidden door behind it. Angel darts after him.

The kids are pushing bookshelves up against the windows. The cops are breaking the glass and one of them reaches in and pulls one of the kids moving the shelf out through the window. Gunn: "Alright.  Get the kids in the back." Anne: "Get them upstairs." The cops are trying to come in through the windows and the kids are beating them back with their baseball bats. Anne goes to check another door and one of the cops reaches in through the bottom of the window beside her and grabs her foot, trying to drag her outside. Screaming Anne lays into him with her bat. Cordy, carrying a hammer, comes over and hammers the hand holding Anne, getting it to let go. Anne scrambles up and they pull a chair in front of the window, only to have the cop stick his arm through the window above it. Cordy gives it a couple good whacks before they run. Jackson is heading for one of the side doors, pulling out his gun he opens it, only to be clubbed down by a cop lying in wait on the other side of the door. Gunn comes over and hits the cop a couple of times with his bat, knocking him back out the door, then slams the door shut and locks it again. Gunn holds out a hand towards Jackson, who takes it, and pulls himself up. Cordy: "Gunn!  Gunn!  Help." She and Anne are trying to hold the front door shut. Gunn and Jackson hurry over to help.

The police captain is in a back room lit with candles sitting on shelves along the walls in front of pictures of numerous police officers. He is frantically digging through a trunk, pulling out a cross and some other stuff when Angel burst in. Angel: "How are you controlling them, hmm?  (Goes to inspect the stuff on the table, pulls some stuff out of a bowl) The entrails?" Lets them drop when the Captain doesn't react.

Two of the kids freak, abandon the back door and the cops break through. Other doors (including the front door) break open and cops come in through the windows. One cop pushes Gunn up against the wall, another grabs Cordy.

Angel spots a statue: "Here we go.  It's the idol of Granath.  The Zombie god." Picks the idol up as the captain charges him with a scream, cross raised high to strike. Angel smashes the idol on the captain's head and as he drops to the floor, covered in its pieces, so do the zombie cops at the shelter, turning into decaying corpses. Anne hurries towards the stairs: "The kids." Cordy: "Wesley!" She runs over to the sofa and Gunn and Jackson follow. Gunn to the paramedic: "Get the ambulance ready. (To Jackson) Help me pick him up." Jackson: "Hm-mm.  Sorry.  Looks like the streets just got a lot safer for me. - Time to go to work." Jackson leaves. Cordy moves to help Gunn with Wesley: "Lets go." Cordy as they pick Wesley up: "Come on, sweetie." Gunn: "Here we go." Cordy: "Okay."

Police headquarters, Angel walks up to Kate's desk and sits down. Angel: "Hi. - I thought you might want to know I took care of our little cop problem." Kate hands Angel a file: "Crime reports from that precinct. - Up until three months ago there was a murder every two weeks, a rape every two days, a robbery every hour and a half.  And that's what we just gave back to the people of that community." Angel: "I can live with that." Kate: "You learn to live with a lot of things, don't you?" Angel hands the file back to her: "Yeah." Kate: "This job is making me crazy." Angel: "I know the feeling." A woman hands Kate a file: "For you, detective." Kate: "Thanks. (Looks at the file) Wyndham-Price, isn't that the guy that works for you?"

Wesley is lying on a hospital bed with Gunn sitting in a chair beside him. Slowly Wesley's eyes open. Gunn leans in closer. Gunn: "Hey." Wesley slowly looks over at him. Wesley: "Hey." Gunn: "How're you doing?" Wesley: "Oh, I feel I should be in a great deal of pain." Gunn: "Getting gut-shot will do that to you." Wesley: "And yet... (Looks at the IV on his left hand) Is this morphine? (Gunn nods)  Well, it's bloody lovely!" Giggles. Gunn smiles and grabs a hold of Wesley's hand for a moment before sitting back in his chair with a sigh. The camera pulls back through the window into Wesley's room, into the corridor to reveal Angel standing by the nurses' desk, watching. Angel turns to leave only to find Cordy standing right behind him. Cordy: "What are you doing here?" Angel: "I heard about Wesley." Cordy: "Well, that's great.  Too bad it takes a gunshot wound to make you give a crap. - Wesley doesn't need you right now.  *We* don't need you. - You walked away.  Do us a favor and just stay away." After a beat Cordy walks past Angel into Wesley's room. Angel watches as she hands a cup of coffee to Gunn them leans down to brush Wesley's hair. Then turns and walks away down the corridor.

FADE TO BLACK