In the Dark (August 2, 1999) Written by: Douglas Petrie Directed by: Bruce Seth Green Teaser EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET/ALLEY - NIGHT It's late, nobody on the street except the odd bum or druggie skulking in the shadows. Then we see a young woman (RACHEL) running in our direction. She's in her 30's, her beauty a little worn down by bad luck and bad choices. CLOSE ON RACHEL She's terrified, desperate. She ducks into an alley, seeking refuge from the person or thing which chases her. A long beat as Rachel catches her breath. She listens for a sign of her pursuer. Nothing. Cautiously, she peeks her head out of the alley and- BOOM! -is caught up into the arms of LENNY, a handsome but rough looking bear of a guy. He shoves her back into the alley and up against a brick wall. Rachel's nearly paralyzed with fear. RACHEL Lenny. Please, don't... Wild-eyed and raging, he shakes her - hard. LENNY You think I'm not going to find you? Huh? After you humiliate me - again? RACHEL I didn't do anything. I swear. I'd never- LENNY No! I know what you do. I see. The men, the lies... This is the last time, dammit! Rachel tries to soften, change her tack. Pleads... RACHEL Lenny... What are you on, baby? You only get like this when you- Lenny silences her with a BLOW. Rachel hits the ground reeling, her expression hardening. (Note to production: she doesn't have to hit the ground.) RACHEL (cont'd) What are you going to do? Pulverize me here? Somebody will hear me scream. LENNY In downtown L.A. at night? He advances on her, his shadow falling over her trembling frame. LENNY (cont'd) Who's gonna hear, Rach? Nobody that cares. Now Lenny pulls a gun from his pants. LENNY (cont'd) Besides. It'll be over fast. He cocks the hammer. Rachel freezes in terror. RACHEL Oh my God. Lenny, please, no... Lenny looks genuinely bereft as he prepares to shoot her. LENNY I'm sorry. I just - I can't take this any more... Lenny squeezes the trigger and Rachel shuts her eyes, holding her hand up in a futile gesture of protection... But the second before the gun fires, a large shadow flies from the darkness, and violently wraps itself around Lenny. It's ANGEL. ANGEL Oh, poor Lenny- The gun goes off. A bullet ricochets harmlessly off brick. Lenny aims at Angel. ANGEL (cont'd) Burden of terrorizing your girlfriend too much for you, huh? Now Angel backhands the gun out of Lenny's hand. It skitters into the street. Lenny grabs anything that's not a bottle from a trash can or dumpster. ANGEL (cont'd) Lucky for you - I can make it stop. Lenny lunges. Angel slips the weapon, grabs Lenny's wrist, and punches him so hard, Lenny's unconscious before he hits the ground. Angel turns to Rachel. She's shaking, in shock. Eyes on Lenny's inert body. She's too afraid to get near him, afraid he might suddenly come back to consciousness... ANGEL (cont'd) Rachel. You all right? RACHEL I - I... Is he- ANGEL It's okay. He's not getting up for a while. RACHEL I can't believe you actually showed up- ANGEL Well - that was the deal, right? We cut back to the bird's eye P.O.V. And the next voice we hear is not Rachel's, but a rude imitation of a damsel in distress, coming from somewhere off screen: VOICE (O.S.) "Oh, how can I thank you - you mysterious black clad hunk of a night thing?" And Angel's reply comes from this same, now "heroic" voice: VOICE (cont'd O.S.) "No need, little lady. Your tears of gratitude are enough for me..." EXT. ROOFTOP OVERLOOKING ALLEY - NIGHT Now we see who this narrator is: It's SPIKE. Perched high overhead on a rooftop ledge, looking down on the alley like some living gargoyle. Having the time of his life. SPIKE (Angel voice) "You see, ma'am, I was once a bad-ass vampire. But love - and a pesky curse - defanged me, and now I'm just a big fluffy puppy with bad teeth." Down below, Rachel reaches out to touch Angel, or maybe a chaste hug. Angel takes a step back. SPIKE (cont'd) (Angel voice) "Ah! Not the hair, never the hair." Rachel searches Angel's eyes. NARRATOR (damsel voice) "But... there must be some way I can show my appreciation..." (Angel voice) "No, helping those in need's my job. And working up a load of sexual tension, then prancing away like a magnificent poof is truly thanks enough..." (damsel voice) "I... understand. I have a nephew who's gay, so..." (Angel voice) "Say no more! Evil's still afoot, and I'm almost out of that Nancy-boy hair gel I like so much! Quickly! To the Angel-Mobile! Away! Below, Angel ushers the still-shaken Rachel to his convertible. Fires it up. Pulls away. The camera follows them off, sweeping around, up again to Spike. He lights his cigarette, the flame illuminating his face from below. SPIKE (normal voice) Go on with you, play the big strapping hero while you can. You have a few surprises coming your way, the Ring of Amarra, a visit from your old pal Spike... (then) And - oh yeah - your gruesome, horrible death. Spike exhales a satisfied plume of smoke. The flame lights his spreading grin. Then pops out. And all is dark again. BLACK OUT. END OF TEASER Act One EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT Oz' van moves through the downtown streets of L.A. INT. VAN - NIGHT We see, through the windshield of a now-familiar van, OZ. Driving along. Fast food bags litter the dashboard. The radio plays. DEEJAY (V.O) You're listening to the sounds of L.A.'s only modern alternative, K. L. A. Rock. It's eleven-oh-five, do you know what your karma is? Oz pulls over, shuts off the ignition. He looks around to see the streets are empty, then opens the glove compartment. Takes out a small bundle. Pockets it. Then steps out. INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT CORDELIA is at the computer, hunting and pecking - sends a document to the printer. CORDELIA This is so awesome. Our first walk- in client and everything is going according to plan. Now Cordy goes to the printer, eagerly watches a sheet of paper emerge. CORDELIA (cont'd) See girl in distress... See Angel save girl from druggie stalker boyfriend. See boyfriend go to jail. (snatching paper from printer) See invoice. Taa daa! She folds the invoice, puts it in an envelope. Doyle watches from a nearby office chair, looking pretty unimpressed. CORDELIA (cont'd) What? DOYLE Nothing. You've done a lovely job there. Looks very official. CORDELIA So why are you not rejoicing at our first paying client? DOYLE 'Cause that's not money in your hand, darlin' - it's mail. There's a big leap between that and actually getting paid. CORDELIA But she has to pay. (holding up invoice) Invoice. That's the rule of our whole, like, society. DOYLE Defaulting. Another popular rule of society. Particularly among the down and out. Not that I've perpetrated said heinousness myself, but- CORDELIA So what are you saying - why bother? DOYLE I'm saying - if you and I ever hope to take that cruise to the Bahamas together - we're going to need a lot more clients of means. CORDELIA And an alternate reality in which you're Matthew McConaghey. Before Doyle can answer that, the door opens. Oz walks in. OZ Hello, L.A. Cordelia jumps up, genuinely excited to see Oz. She gives him a big hug. CORDELIA Oz! Oh my God, I am so happy to see you! Oz! Good old Oz! (to Doyle) Oz! DOYLE (to Oz) Just taking a wild stab - but you'd be Oz? OZ Good guess. CORDELIA This is so cool! I mean, here you are in L.A., but you're this total embodiment of all things Sunnydale. OZ It's a burden, but I manage. CORDELIA We have got like a ton of serious catching up to do. So, tell me everything. How's the Bronze? OZ Same. CORDELIA And the gang? OZ They're good. CORDELIA Good? Good! Good... Pause. They both just stand there nodding. OZ We done? CORDELIA Completely. Doyle clears his throat, none too subtly. CORDELIA (cont') Oh. And this is Doyle. He air-quote "works" here. Oz takes in the office and surroundings. OZ So I've heard rumors - but you can fill me in on the real deal. You're detectives? CORDELIA No. I'm an actress. DOYLE A captivating one at that. CORDELIA And, between my many gigs, I sometimes choose to help Angel. DOYLE He's the detective. OZ He have a hat and gun? CORDELIA Just fangs. OZ That works. Where is he? CUT TO: INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT The elevator descends. Stops. Doyle, Cordelia and Oz step out. Angel's standing there, half in shadow, waiting. ANGEL Oz. OZ Angel. The two barely nod to each other in greeting. ANGEL Nice surprise. OZ Thanks. ANGEL Staying long? OZ Few days. DOYLE They always like this? OZ No, we're usually laconic. ANGEL So. Good to see you. OZ Likewise. I came for a gig primarily, but also... Oz reaches into his pocket, pulls out a small bundle. Unwraps it. Revealing the ring with the Gem of Amarra embedded within. Holds it out to Angel. OZ (cont'd) ... to bring you this. Angel hesitates before taking the ring. Then reaches out, holds it up to catch the light. Cordy and Doyle crowd in for a closer look. Doyle's clearly awed. The gem glistens. DOYLE Is that what I think it is? ANGEL The Gem of Amarra. OZ (to Angel) One and the same. (then) Buffy wanted you to have it. CORDELIA Hey! Buffy! How is good old Buffy, anyway? Angel looks to Oz for the answer. Oz hesitates. OZ She's... CORDELIA What? Still the brave little slayer, or is she moping around in the dark like... Angel gives her a look. CORDELIA (cont'd) ... nobody around here. OZ She's good. She's... Buffy. DOYLE And I'm sure we'll be interested later - but for right now, can we concentrate on the mother-lode Angel just hit? (to Angel/re: ring) So what are you waiting for, man? Put it on! CORDELIA (to Doyle) Okay. You're getting weird with this ring. Since when did you get all Versace about accessorizing? DOYLE Since the "accessory" is priceless and renders the wearer one hundred percent unkillable. CORDELIA Unkillable? Like - not even stakes? DOYLE Not nothing. Not stakes, not fire, and best of all - not sunlight. (to Angel) Think of it. Pool side tanning... Bargain matinees... Plus there are several strip clubs with a luncheon buffet that's really quite tasty. (beat) I hear. ANGEL (to Oz) And - it's from Buffy OZ Yeah, your old buddy Spike dug up Sunnydale looking for it - but he got a fistful of Buffy and left it behind. She wanted to make sure it was in good hands. ANGEL So she sent you. Oz gets just slightly uncomfortable. Covers: OZ I was heading this way. CORDELIA And she didn't send a note or anything? Wow, that's really- She takes in Angel's pained expression. CORDELIA (cont'd) This is one of those times I should just shy away from the topic, isn't it? DOYLE (to Angel/re: ring) I know what will boost your spirits. Put it on and I'll stake you. It'll be fun! Angel considers the ring in his hand for a long beat. Then pockets it. ANGEL Maybe later. DOYLE What? Are you out of your head? I mean- ANGEL (interrupts/firmly) I said - maybe later. DOYLE But- ANGEL (warning) Doyle. Doyle shuts up. An awkward beat. He and the others clearly don't get Angel's response to this seeming stroke of luck. DOYLE Have your way then. I'm still going to celebrate with a drink down at the pub. He starts off and Cordelia tags along. CORDELIA (to Oz) He'd celebrate the opening of a mailbox with a drink down at the pub... You coming? OZ Sure. I could eat. They prepare to go. ANGEL You go on. I'll catch up. DOYLE (pointed) That's right. He likes to wait until happy hour ends. Not his style you know. Oz, Cordy and Doyle pile into the elevator and they head upstairs. Angel barely registers them leaving - he's too consumed with his own troubling thoughts. Angel moves to the grate covering the entrance to the tunnel. He lifts the grate, steps down into... INT. TUNNELS - NIGHT ... where he drops into frame. Still looking deeply preoccupied, he walks far down into the tunnel. Slows to a stop. Takes out the ring, drinks in one last look - then drops to his knees. He digs a brick (or a stone, etc.) out from its place. He puts the ring in the hole where the brick was. He replaces the brick, then gets up and walks away, fast... FADE TO BLACK INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY We come up again in the bright glare of day. Shafts of sunlight stab through the blinds, hitting Doyle right in the eyes. He moans. DOYLE Oooh. Oh, God. You know what would feel really good right now? One of those mind-numbing, head-cracking visions I get now and again. Because that would kill me. Cordelia patiently hands him a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin. Doyle tries picking the cotton out of the aspirin bottle. But his thick fingers aren't cooperating. DOYLE (cont'd) (re: aspirin) There some trick to this? Cordelia takes the bottle from him - picks the cotton out for him - hands the bottle back. CORDELIA I think the trick is laying off the ale before you start quoting "Angela's Ashes" and weeping like a baby man. DOYLE (defensive) That's a good book. CORDELIA So I've heard, but I doubt very much that the main characters are Betty and Barney Rubble - as you so vehemently insisted last night. DOYLE Oh. CORDELIA Also, I don't think Oz appreciated being called "my Lil' Bam Bam" all night- CUT TO: INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - DAY Angel, down below, is in the middle of tae kwon-do exercises. The phone rings. He picks it up. ANGEL Hello? Nothing. Just a long empty silence. ANGEL (cont'd) Hello? Still nothing. He starts to hang up. But- RACHEL (on phone/terrified) Angel... ANGEL Rachel? Is that you? INTERCUT WITH: INT. RACHEL'S APARTMENT - DAY One shaft of sunlight, otherwise it's dark inside. Rachel sits on the couch. RACHEL They let Lenny out. The lawyer said something about a technicality... ANGEL I'll be right there. He hears the click of a phone hanging up. He looks at the dead line in his hand. INT. GARAGE - DAY Angel strides into the garage, pulling his coat around him. He heads for the convertible (top up, blacked-out windows), the look of intensity growing when - SMASH! - out of nowhere, a thick wooden TWO-BY-FOUR comes flying into frame and whacks him square in the face. Angel goes sprawling back, lands hard on his ass. He looks up. And standing above him - is Spike, in VAMP FACE. Holding the cracked wooden beam and grinning. SPIKE Angel. I believe you have something I'm looking for. A shiny little bauble... Angel gets to his feet. ANGEL Might as well go home, Spike- Spike raises the cracked 2X4 to hit Angel again - but Angel catches it - throws Spike back against the opposite wall. ANGEL (cont'd) The Gem of Amarra stays with me. Spike slowly gets up from his fall, scoffing. SPIKE Why? Because you're "Angel - vamp detective" now? Ooooh. I'm scared. What's next, huh? Vampire cowboy? Vampire fireman! Ah... ("got it") Vampire Ballerina. ANGEL (nods) You know, I do like to work with my legs. Angel roundhouse kicks Spike in the head. They exchange blows. Evenly matched. ANGEL (cont'd) So you and me duke it out, huh? This your big strategy for getting the ring back? SPIKE Hey! I had a plan. ANGEL You? A plan? SPIKE A good plan. Smart, carefully laid out... (then) But I got bored. All that watching... waiting. My legs started to cramp. With that, Spike viciously punches Angel. Angel rolls with it, goes onto his back, opens the car door and slams it open - right into Spike's kneecaps. Spike tries to contain his howl. Fueled by the pain - Spike manages to shove Angel into the side of the car and deal him a fairly crushing blow. SPIKE (cont'd) Enough with the hit-n'-quip. Just tell me where the damn ring is? When Angel turns back from the hit - he's in VAMP FACE. He throws Spike onto the hood of the car - smashing his head into the windshield. ANGLE It wouldn't go with your outfit. Spike rolls off the car and hits the ground, reeling. Now we see CORDELIA AND DOYLE standing nearby. They're holding stakes, ready to kill. Spike looks up, smiles. SPIKE Cordelia. You look smashing! Lost weight? CORDELIA Yes! I'm on the Zone now, and there's this great gym on... (catching herself) Hey. He retreats, pointing at Angel. SPIKE I'll get that ring. This isn't over 'til one of us goes cold dead, mate. Spike escapes. Doyle and Cordelia rush to Angel. He brushes them off. CORDELIA You okay? DOYLE More importantly - how's the ring? Angel MORPHS back out of vamp-face. ANGEL It's fine. It's safe. Can't say the same for you two, though. You'd better get out of sight until this thing is over. Spike's out for blood. (to Doyle) Take her to your place. CORDELIA His place? Why can't I just go home? ANGEL He knows you, Cordy. If he wants to, he'll track you down. CORDELIA But he's not invited, right? He can't come in. DOYLE No - but he can burn the place to the ground. CORDELIA (quickly) 'Kay then. Doyle's place it is. DOYLE (to Angel) What about you? He'll be coming back before long. ANGEL I know. CORDELIA So - what are you going to do? ANGEL Find him first. And we hold on Angel's face, growing serious, wiping the blood from his mouth. Intent, but unable to hide his concern and we... BLACK OUT END OF ACT ONE Act Two INT. DOYLE'S APARTMENT - DAY Cordelia paces in Doyle's apartment. It is, almost literally, the bachelor pad from Hell. Piles of laundry, crushed beer cans and takeout food cartons lie scattered about, mixed in with supernatural knickknacks: a goat's skull, black candles, books. Doyle sits in an overstuffed chair, going through names in his little black book and making phone calls. DOYLE (into phone) No man, not Spice. That's the bird who works down on Broadway. Spike - as in railroad? Uh huh... Vampire, right... No? Okay, then. Thanks. Doyle hangs up, makes a pencil mark in his book. DOYLE (cont'd) Frankie Tripod, a big no. CORDELIA Frankie Tripod? Oh, I get it... He's some kind of three legged monster, right? DOYLE No. He's human. CORDELIA So what's his name supposed to- (off his look) Ohhhhh. DOYLE Why don't you sit down - get comfortable? Angel said I should call every name in my book 'til I get a bead on where Spike is hiding out. Could be a while. CORDELIA Please. I couldn't get comfortable here if the floor was lined with mink. I mean, how can you live like this? DOYLE I didn't until last week. Then I saw what you'd done with your place and I just had to call my decorator. CORDELIA No way. My apartment is nowhere near this yucky. (whining) It smells like bong water in here. DOYLE Okay. Some laundry may be a couple of days past due, I confess, but- The phone rings. Doyle answers. DOYLE (cont'd) Yeah? Hey, Kizzy. Yeah, a vamp called Spike... No, huh? Thanks...What? A C-note? No, I absolutely paid that back, man... No- Hey, sorry there goes my other line- Doyle quickly hangs up. Cordy just looks at him, incredulous. DOYLE (cont'd) He was mistaken - but I didn't have time to get into it, right? I'm on a mission here. (then) So - what about this Spike? He as bad as all that? Should I be sweating? CORDELIA No, he's not so- (then/gets real) Sweat. DOYLE (worried) That's what I figured. INT. RACHEL'S APARTMENT - DAY WIDEN TO SEE Angel standing in Rachel's apartment. We didn't see him enter. He's just there. The room is mostly dark - the only light is provided by a window. He can barely make out Rachel, who sits on the other side of the room on the couch - near the phone. RACHEL Angel? He moves closer, avoiding the LARGE PATCH OF SUNLIGHT that streams through the open window. RACHEL (cont'd) You keep showing up like this, I'm going to start thinking you're a man of your word. ANGEL Stranger things... RACHEL Not many. ANGEL Heard from Lenny. RACHEL Not yet. He's probably trying to score. ANGEL So we'll get you out of here. There are places you can go where you'll be safe. RACHEL Like a shelter? ANGEL It's a start. And he won't be able to find you, I swear. This seems to distress Rachel even more. RACHEL I don't know... I don't know if I can handle it. ANGEL They aren't that bad, really- RACHEL It's not the shelter. It's just... (with difficulty) Half the time, you know how this whole thing gets started up again? Lenny and me? ANGEL You call him. (off her look) I had a relationship once. RACHEL So you know... I start to jones for him the way he joneses for rock. And I call or find him in some dive and drag him home. And it's good for a while. ANGEL But it doesn't last. This last time he would have killed you. Rachel nods. She knows. Fights the tears. RACHEL I'm scared, Angel. More scared of me than him right now. Those good times with Lenny? That's the only light I've known my whole damn life. You tell me I can never have it again? I'm not sure why I should want to live anyway. ANGEL Because it's a lie. When you call Lenny - he always ends up hurting you. And that's not real love. RACHEL Closest thing I've got so far. Angel considers this for a beat. Then- ANGEL So, you're at a crossroads. I know... it's either go for the easy fix and wait for the consequences... or take the hard road and go with faith. Rachel takes this in. Her face falls. RACHEL Oh, God. You're not from that freaky church on Sunset are you? ANGEL (embarrassed) In yourself. That kind of faith. RACHEL Oh. Sorry. ANGEL (recovering) What I'm saying is, if you leave Lenny for good - it'll hurt. But, eventually, you'll be stronger for it. And, maybe, you'll find your way to the kind of love you deserve. RACHEL You mean the kind that comes without 911 calls? ANGEL That's the general idea. Rachel looks up and meets Angel's gaze, and we see that the tiniest flicker of hope now burns in her eyes. INT. DOYLE'S APARTMENT - DUSK Doyle's listening, more anxious now, as Cordelia tells him the bloody exploits of Spike. It's campfire story time. CORDELIA ... oh, yeah - Spike's nearly done Buffy in a few times. I mentioned that he's killed two slayers already? DOYLE You did... CORDELIA And this one time he and Dru raised this demon that burned people alive from the inside? It was this whole weird thing with an arm in a box- DOYLE (uneasy) An arm in a box? The phone rings. They both jump. Doyle regains his composure and picks up. Speaks in an odd monotone. DOYLE (in greeting) House of Pies. INTERCUT WITH: INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - DUSK Angel's on the phone, cradling the receiver between his cheek and shoulder. With his free hands, he's spring-loading the stake-ratchets, attached to his forearms. ANGEL (baffled) Doyle? That you? DOYLE (regular voice) Sorry, man. Laying low. All those calls to past acquaintances stirred up a few... resentments. ANGEL Hope it was worth it. DOYLE Well, Manny the Pig said he didn't know anything about a vampire called Spike. ANGEL So? Twin stakes ratchet out Angel's arms. Good working order. He re-sets. DOYLE He said that before I asked him about Spike. (then) You'll find him at a joint down on 3rd called the Orbit room. ANGEL Got it. I'll start with Manny the Pig, then. DOYLE And work your way down. INT. BAR - NIGHT Crash! We see Angel smash a tough-looking MANNY THE PIG through a beer glass and right into the bar. Bar patrons scramble. The guy tries to escape, but can't. MANNY THE PIG He left for the club. INT. STRIP CLUB - NIGHT Now Angel PUNCHES a huge BOUNCER out of frame. The bouncer then comes staggering back, hitting his head against the cash register. Angel grabs his throat. He looks up, terrified. BOUNCER Try the game. INT. BACK ROOM - NIGHT A card game is in progress. The air is thick with smoke. The dealer looks up from his hand. And SMASH! A body lands on the table, sending cash, cards and chips flying in every direction. The table collapses under the weight of the impact. Angel steps into frame (all we see of him is his coat and hands). He grabs the dealer by the necktie and yanks it tight around his neck, sending the guy's cigar flying out his mouth. Three guns are pointed at Angel from three different directions. The dealer raises a hand and gently gestures "Put them away." All three guns slowly lower out of frame. DEALER H-he'll kill me if I talk. ANGEL How healthy you think it is to stay quiet? The dealer says nothing. Just points to a door marked Exit. Angel drops him, walks out. EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT Angel exits and looks around. No Spike. Then Angel hears the loud sound of something hard banging against metal coming from deep inside the dank alley. Angel moves toward the noise. He rounds a dumpster and sees Spike - in VAMP FACE - draining the life out of a young woman. She's bucking and kicking in his grasp, her high heel hitting the dumpster and making that rhythmic pounding we've been hearing. ANGEL Let her go. A surprised Spike looks up, fangs bloodied. SPIKE Anybody ever tell you you're a hell of a buzz-kill, mate? He SHOVES the girl into Angel, takes off running. The girl is terrified, but still very much alive. Angel speaks to her firmly. ANGEL Go. Run! The girl bolts for the street. Now Angel gives chase after Spike, who isn't far ahead of him. Spike reaches the end of the alley, finds nothing but brick. Dead end. As Angel closes in on him, Spike (not in VAMP FACE) turns and glares at him, strangely confident. SPIKE Right. Caught me fair and square, white hat. Spike turns and raises his hands, mockingly. SPIKE (cont'd) (big sigh) Guess there's nothing to do now but come along quietly and pay my debt to society. ANGEL You think you can come into my town and pull this crap? You never learn, Spike. SPIKE I may be a slow learner, but... Spike grins at something just over Angel's shoulder. Angel turns to see a HUGE GUY, MARCUS, looming behind him with a long length of chain in each hand. Angel's been set up. Before Angel can react, Marcus MORPHS TO VAMP FACE, swings one of the chains like a bolo, wrapping it around one of Angel's legs. He jerks Angel to the ground at the same time he swings the other chain around Angel's neck. As Angel falls, the chain tightens - cutting off his air supply. Angel chokes and claws while Spike addresses him calmly, nodding to Marcus. SPIKE (cont'd) Eventually I catch on. BLACK OUT. END OF ACT TWO Act Three INT. DOYLE'S APARTMENT - DAWN It's morning. The su1/2n is coming up outside. Cordelia sits watching the phone. Now it's Doyle who paces. CORDELIA Angel should have called by now. This is bad. DOYLE Maybe not. Maybe he did away with Spike in short order and decided to give a go at surfing. CORDELIA Right. What am I worried about? Angel has the ring, right? CLOSE ON DOYLE Who is obviously just as concerned as Cordelia - but putting a game face on for her benefit. DOYLE Absolutely. I bet he's hanging ten off the sandy shores of Malibu right about now... EXT. OLD BUILDING -DAY - ESTABLISHING INT. OLD BUILDING - DAY CLOSE ON ANGEL DOYLE (O.C.) Wind in his hair, bikini babes a-whistlin'... WIDEN AS Angel opens his eyes, looks around. He's in a large room in an abandoned building. Tin roof overhead. Now we see that he's CHAINED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM - each arm strung out to overhead restraints. Marcus picks up an old-fashioned phonograph needle. Places it on a record. The soothing sounds of Mozart's Symphony #41 play forth. Angel watches. Marcus opens a battered old trunk filled with torture instruments - among them we may see a cat's paw, a breast ripper, a heretic's fork, "the pear", etc. Spike moves to Angel. SPIKE Marcus is an expert. Some say "artist," but I've never been comfortable with labels. He's a bloody king of torture, he is. Humans, demons, politicians, makes no difference. Rumor has it he invented several of the classics, but he won't tell me which ones. (confidential) Beneath the cool exterior, you'll find he's rather shy... except with kids. You like kids, don't you Marcus? Marcus moves to Angel, unbuttons his shirt, puts on a pair of spectacles, inspects Angel's skin. SPIKE (cont'd) Well, "likes to eat" and other nasty things; Marcus was run out of Novi Grad by a pack of angry Howler demons for his antics with some local sprites - and you know Howler demons, they'll put up with anything. MARCUS His skin... SPIKE Annoying, isn't it? Still attached... MARCUS Over two hundred years of living and so little external damage... Marcus places his hand near Angel's heart (and the scar from Buffy stabbing him). MARCUS (cont'd) What about internal...? SPIKE (picking up breast ripper) Do you two need to be alone or can we get on with the ouchy part? MARCUS He's known love. SPIKE Yeah, a Slayer no less. How's that for perversion? MARCUS And he has a soul. SPIKE Right, a vampire with a soul, cursy-cursed to walk the earth, trying to do good - that's not going to be a problem, is it? MARCUS On the contrary... (to Angel) Creatures with souls have something to lose. SPIKE Souls, fingers, toes, let's get choppin', shall we? I want me damn ring. MARCUS What do you want, Angel? Angel and Marcus size each other up for a tense beat, then: ANGEL Are you gonna torture me or just bore me to death? Marcus smiles a little, reaches behind Angel - GRABS A HOT, POINTED POKER from a metal dish brimming with hot coals (this is the first time we see poker, coals), runs the POKER (OFF SCREEN!) through Angel's side. Angel writhes in pain but manages not to cry out. MARCUS Probably a little of both. SPIKE (sniff the air) Mmm, someone's having shish-kabob. Angel nearly faints from the pain, but manages to bring himself back around. MARCUS What do you want, Angel? ANGEL Well... still hoping for you to invest in some breath mints, Marky, and you know, I spent a little time in hell: bringing out the hot poker first thing, pretty amateur if you ask me. Marcus stares at Angel blankly for a beat, turns to Spike and just as blankly says. MARCUS I really like him. Spike gives them two thumbs up. SPIKE Party. DISSOLVE TO: SAME SCENE - LATER Spike paces, bored now. Angel has a second hot poker stuck through his shoulder; Marcus stands before him with "the pear" (a pear-shaped device for rupturing internal membranes). Marcus opens and closes the pear absentmindedly as he asks Angel: MARCUS What do you want, Angel? ANGEL - in incredible pain, but fighting it with incredible strength - ANGEL House in the country, good pair of running shoes you can also wear out to dinner... SPIKE Why do you keep asking him that?! And why do you keep playin' that bleedin' Brahms?! MARCUS Actually it's Mozart. Symphony forty-one. I find it very effective. SPIKE Yeah, well personally, I like his older, funnier symphonies myself. Now I want my ring - Spike grabs a wooden-handled torture knife, breaks the handle on a table, creating a stake, and comes for Angel. SPIKE (cont'd) -- and if I don't get it pretty soon - I'm gonna dust me old sire right here and now. MARCUS (beat) You finished? He knows you won't kill him until you get the ring, he knows you're lying. Spike hurls the makeshift stake to the ground (a few feet away from Angel). SPIKE Well then, get it for me. MARCUS Soon he'll want to tell me everything he has to tell and then some... (to Angel) ... and he knows I'm not lying. Spike looks at Angel. SPIKE I believe he does. ANGEL Spike, you're an idiot. SPIKE Ya think? Cause I'm not the one chained to the ceiling with the hot pokers in my side. ANGEL You hired a vampire. What do you think he's going to do with the ring if he gets it, hand it over to you? SPIKE Oh good lord, why didn't I think of - Oh, half a mo', I did. I hired a guy who doesn't care about the ring or anything else on God's green earth except taking blokes apart one piece at a time. It's called addiction, Angel, we all have 'em. I believe yours is named Slutty the Vampire Slayer. The music stops. SPIKE (cont'd) (re: music) Thank you. (to Angel) Speaking of little Buff... I ran into her recently, your name didn't come up but then again she's been awful busy jumping the bones of the very first lunkhead who came along. Good looking fellow. Used her shamelessly. Angel can't quite hide the hurt in his eyes. SPIKE (cont'd) She's cute when she's hurting, isn't she? ANGEL She's cuter when she's kicking your ass. Spike's expression sours as Marcus puts the needle back to the beginning of the Mozart, pulls a hot poker from the fire. SPIKE I think I'll get some air, leave you two kids to it. Marcus heads for Angel with the poker. Spike, crossing in f.g., blocks our seeing the poker go into Angel's thigh. Angel, this time, cries out in pain. SPIKE (cont'd) Now that's music. EXT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - DAY - ESTABLISHING - STOCK INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - DAY The sewer hatch is thrown open by Spike who climbs in, looks around for a moment. SPIKE If I was a ring, where would I be...? Spike hurls open some drawers in the kitchen, throwing stuff on the floor. SPIKE (cont'd) ... this is fun but it's going to get old real fast... As he trashes the place - INT. OLD BUILDING - DAY Angel now has a third rod through him; he's mucho pale and sweaty. Marcus circles him, a small gun in hand - a CO2 pellet gun - that he's loading as: MARCUS Most things that live and breathe fear the dark and love the light... Marcus holds up the gun. Angel looks at it. Marcus moves it past Angel's face, pointing it straight up. He fires. ANGLE - THE TIN ROOF of the old building, as the pellet puts a tiny hole through it that lets a beam of sunlight through. ANGLE - ANGEL - as the tiny beam of sunlight hits his cheek. He moves his head to avoid it. MARCUS (cont'd) ... we're different, though, aren't we? We hate the light of day and it hates us back in kind... Marcus fires again. This time the small shaft of light catches Angel on the shoulder. It starts to smolder and smoke, he wrenches his chains, gets his shoulder out of the light. Marcus continues to pace. Angel looks down, sees the makeshift stake Spike dropped a couple of feet away from his own feet. MARCUS (cont'd) ... you hid the ring, Angel, you could be walking in the light right now... so I have to wonder, what do you want if not the ring? Marcus fires again, a third shaft hits Angel, he backs out of that one into the first one, twists his chained body painfully, trying to avoid the light. MARCUS (cont'd) (getting closer) It's through the pain that we find the truth of who we are... It strips us of our defenses - we are made innocent again, like children. I like children, Angel... it's all right, I'm here to help you find that innocence... He fires again: another shaft sears Angel. MARCUS (cont'd) ... here with the light... INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - DAY Spike has made an impressive mess of the living room. As he heads for the study, he suddenly whirls, seeing Cordy, holding a loaded crossbow and Doyle, holding a stake and a long knife. CORDELIA When you're through giving the place the full Johnny Depp-over, I hope you have the cash to pay for all this. Spike grins, circling towards them. They counter, trying to keep their distance. SPIKE Cordelia, love the hair. CORDELIA Wish I could say the same to you. DOYLE That's close enough, dimwit. SPIKE (to Cor) What is it with you good guys runnin' in packs? (re: Doyle) Who's this one, then? DOYLE (stepping in front of Cor) More'n meets the eye, Blondy. SPIKE Well, the mick's got spine - maybe I'll snap it in two. CORDELIA (re: crossbow) You want me to use this? SPIKE Oh. Ummm, sure. And he charges and she shoots and he GRABS THE DAMN ARROW in mid-air as Doyle swings at him with a stake - Spike kicks the stake and Doyle halfway across the room, grabs Cordelia around the neck, the arrow now pressed under her neck. SPIKE (cont'd) Now where was I? Oh yeah, bloody tired of looking for that ring. I think you two should take over now. DOYLE Where's Angel? SPIKE Angel... tall brooding guy, caveman brow? He's having the living hell tortured out of him. And you know how stubborn he can be - might die before he gives up the ring. So why don't you two find it real fast, give it to me, I let Angel go. CORDELIA I don't trust you. SPIKE To coin the popular Sunnydale phrase, "Duh!" But you do have until sundown to save him. You'll find me behind Peterson's Fishery, between Seaward and Westminster. Don't be late. He hurls Cordy aside and bolts. INT. OLD BUILDING - DAY As before. Angel twisting like hell to stay out of the beams of light. Marcus, calm as ever, stands nearby. MARCUS You did terrible things when you were bad, didn't you... and now you're trying so hard to do good... but Angel, "There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so." Angel edges his feet closer to the make-shift stake on the ground. MARCUS (cont'd) Now I can make the pain go away... Marcus rips out the rod in Angel's thigh. Angel howls. MARCUS (cont'd) And as you know I can bring it back again. Marcus pulls out the rod in Angel's shoulder (leaving the one in his side). MARCUS (cont'd) What do you want, Angel? I think I know but I'd like to hear it from you. The truth, I'll know if you're lying... Angel mumbles something. Marcus moves closer. Angel almost has his feet on the stake. ANGEL I want... forgiveness. MARCUS Yes - that's the truth. And you want to earn it, you're not the type who takes the easy way out. Which is why I like you so much... (almost like a lover) ... in the end you won't feel guilt or remorse or anything but pure darkness... in the end the ring, the past, none of it will mean anything anymore, you'll be free, I promise... ANGEL And I promise... Angel's FEET wrap around the make-shift stake - ANGEL (cont'd) ... you'll be dead. Angel's feet bring the stake up, fast. And it almost stabs Marcus except SPIKE reaches in, grabs it. SPIKE Now, now, staking the torturer is strictly prohibited. Marcus, furious, SMASHES Angel in the face. Spike pulls him back. SPIKE (cont'd) (to Marcus) Easy big fellow, still need that ring. (to Angel) Now you've made him mad. Wouldn't want to be in your chains. Marcus gets control of himself. MARCUS It won't be long now. SPIKE Well, what say I break out the needle-nose pliers and give a hand? I'll have to go in a while, though... (to Angel) ... your friends may come up with the ring before you break. It's sure turning into a win/win, isn't it? INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - DAY The place is in shambles, Cordy and Doyle having searched it thoroughly. Doyle is looking behind books as Cordy enters from the bathroom. CORDELIA Drat. DOYLE What? CORDELIA It's not in the freezer and it's not in the toilet tank - in the movies it's always in one of those places. DOYLE It's not here. CORDELIA No. We've looked everywhere. DOYLE (opening hatch in living room) Except... CORDELIA The rat infested sewer tunnels he uses to get around in the daytime. Oh, goody, save the best for last. INT. TUNNELS - DAY Doyle and Cordelia climb down into the tunnels, both holding flashlights. Look around. It's a lot of space. CORDELIA This isn't a needle in a haystack. This is a needle in Kansas. DOYLE I know, you're right, we just gotta... keep looking. Cordy walks off, searching. In the foreground, while Cordy's not looking, Doyle MORPHS into his special DEMON-FACE. His gaze sweeps the tunnels like he's using some internal radar. He sniffs. Stops. Goes back to human face. DOYLE (cont'd) Here. Cordy comes over as Doyle removes the brick. And underneath - the ring with the Gem of Amarra. CORDELIA How did you do that? DOYLE Gotta get lucky sometimes. CORDELIA I could hug you. Doyle shrugs, if that's what she wants - opens his arms: CORDELIA (cont'd) Not that lucky. Now c'mon, we gotta save Angel. DOYLE Right. They head off. DOYLE (cont'd) ... by giving Spike exactly what he wants so he can kill us. CORDELIA Right. (immediately) No. We need a plan. She turns to look at Doyle. DOYLE Hey, I found the ring... Off Cordy... EXT. ALLEY - DAY Doyle and Cordelia walk into a darkened alley together. At the end of the alley, Spike is there, tucked away in the shadows. SPIKE So. Where's my ring? DOYLE Not on us. CORDELIA But we know where it is. SPIKE And suddenly, I am so painfully bored. Time runs short, children. Give me the ring as if Angel's life depended on it. CORDELIA Listen you little Cockney, you take us to Angel, now. DOYLE Show us he's still in one piece, we tell you where you can find your ring. Spike thinks it over. SPIKE He's alive, I think... "In one piece" was never a part of the deal. INT. OLD BUILDING - DAY Spike enters with Doyle and Cordelia. SPIKE Lucy! I'm home! Doyle and Cordelia stop cold at the sight of Angel, chained to the wall, streaks of light streaming down around him, trapping him. Marcus is holding a beartrap-like clamp. Cordelia and Doyle try to move to Angel - but Spike stops them. CORDELIA Angel! SPIKE Ah ah ah... deal's a deal. ANGEL Cordelia. SPIKE And our deal was for the ring. So. You've wasted quite enough of my time, I'd really like it. Now. DOYLE You want the ring, you dog? Doyle takes the ring from his pocket. Holds it up high for demonstration. It catches the light. Glitters. DOYLE (cont'd) Then fetch. Doyle tosses the ring to the floor about 10 feet in front of Spike. Cordelia slowly, step by step, crosses to Angel. CORDELIA Okay. Good. You have the ring, we have Angel, and now you are going to leave us alone, and we are going to leave. Spike, heading for his ring, says: SPIKE Oh, come on. You don't believe we're going to do that, do you? CORDELIA Not really... DOYLE No... And just at that second, SMASH! Oz's van comes crashing through the side of the building, through the wall. Spike and Marcus dive for cover. The van stops. Oz rips the van's side doors open. He covers Cordy, Angel and Doyle with two crossbows. OZ Spike. Cordelia and Doyle undo his shackles and load the barely-conscious, bloodied Angel into the van. Oz hits the gas. The van tires screech and the van pulls out - backward. It hits the streets, pulls a 180 and is gone. Inside, the dust settles. Spike stands, looks around. The ring is missing. He looks some more. And some more, frantically. Then he stops. Realizes the ring's not here. And that's he's alone. SPIKE Oh, bloody hell. EXT. STREET - DAY Marcus strides into the sunlight. He does not burn. He looks up into the light, squinting. He smiles. We see, glittering on his ring finger... the Gem of Amarra. BLACK OUT. END OF ACT THREE Act Four INT. OLD BUILDING - DAY We see a swirl of dust. Slowly, it settles. And a record player comes flying into view, smashing against a wall, shattering to pieces. SPIKE Son of a bitch! Spike is having a tantrum. We see the old building separated into pools of light and shadow. Spike sticks to the shadow. SPIKE (cont'd) I do the work, I do the digging, fight off a Slayer, drive to L.A., hire the help, and what do I get? He overturns the table of Marcus's torture instruments, sending them crashing to the floor. SPIKE (cont'd) Royally screwed, is what! Well, that cinches it. No more partners. From now on, I'm my own man. Lone wolf. Sole survivor. Look out! Here comes Spike, the biggest, baddest mother... He steps into a patch of sunlight by accident. His head bursts into flame. SPIKE (cont'd) Ahhhh!!! He retreats into shadows, batting the flames out frantically. It takes a while. Finally, they go out. Spike, a pathetic creature hiding in the dark, whimpers: SPIKE (cont'd) I really hope they kill each other. EXT. L.A. STREET - DAY We see a sidewalk street vendor. Selling rows of hot sunglasses cheap. VENDOR Shades here, no pair over ten- (seeing something) Hey, buddy - you want to go easy over there? You'll scratch them... We see that he is talking to MARCUS, whose back is turned. Marcus is trying on a pair of those horrible wrap-around sports shades. He whips them off, throwing them aside. Puts on another pair. Throws those aside too, and so on. The agitated vendor moves to him. VENDOR (cont'd) Look. If you aren't going to buy anything- Now Marcus turns, another pair of glasses on. He's a VAMP. MARCUS (lifts glasses) Do these look good? I can't see in the mirror. The vendor reacts to Marcus' vampiness. Stammering, starting to back away... VENDOR I - I... Oh, sweet... But he doesn't finish before Marcus has his hand around the poor guy's neck... MARCUS Oh, what the hell. I'll take 'em. Marcus snaps the vendor's neck like a twig. Then drops the lifeless body to the ground and goes about his merry way. EXT. L.A. STREET - DAY Oz' van barrels down a downtown L.A. street. INT. VAN - DAY Oz keeps his eye on the street, driving hard. In the back of the van, Cordy and Doyle tend to Angel. He's pretty banged up - and worst of all - he still has one of those rods sticking out of his chest. OZ How's he doing? DOYLE He'll live. CORDELIA Not without help. We have to get him to a hospital. OZ I hear you, but which one? They all tend to specialize in humans. DOYLE He's right. Too risky. (to Oz) You know any first aid? OZ Just your basic sixth grade, but I can improvise. First we get someplace dark. We do that, maybe I can... He'd go on but Angel sits up abruptly, interrupting him. ANGEL Turn... around. OZ Angel... CORDELIA He's delirious. Ignore him. ANGEL Turn around. CORDELIA So you can do what? It's daylight, you're ring-less, and unless you're changing the act to Human Torch, I don't think so. DOYLE She's right. You're death on toast. And in no shape to be fighting a torture demon. In answer to their arguments, Angel RIPS the remaining rod from his chest - stares them down as he fights the pain. ANGEL He's got a thing for children. (then) Oz- Oz looks at Angel. OZ How will we find this guy? ANGEL Follow the carnage. And Oz cranks the wheel. EXT. STREET - DAY The van turns around. EXT. PIER - DAY The waves break. Marcus, in vamp face and sunglasses-not drawing much attention, it's L.A.-walks onto the pier, which is alive with activity. People and cart vendors are out in droves, enjoying the beautiful, sunny day. Marcus wanders, fascinated. There's a lot of fun being had here. And so many potential victims... Marcus sees a small gaggle of CAMPER SCOUTS up ahead. They are completely unaware of him. Their DEN MOTHER is further down the pier, trying to rein in some stragglers. MARCUS (to himself) Hello boys and girls... Marcus lumbers closer to the group. They have no idea what's coming. Many cool beats until Marcus is almost upon them. He stops, hearing a growing sound. It's A MOTOR ENGINE, coming closer. Marcus turns just as Oz' van SMASHES INTO HIM (or not, if the stunt is too expensive) from behind. Direct hit. Arms splayed, Marcus goes flying. Cordelia and Doyle leap from the van. Cordy grabs some SCOUTS, ushers them out of there. CORDELIA Go! Run! Move your little scout legs! The Scouts just stare at her, too terrified to move. CORDELIA (cont'd) NOW! The Scouts are more scared of Cordelia than they are of Marcus. They haul out of there. Marcus turns to the van like it's a living creature. And it is. Through a side window, Oz pulls a crossbow into position, aims at Marcus. Fires. Direct hit. Marcus takes the arrow/stake in the chest - and laughs. He holds up the ring. DOYLE Damn it. I'll take him. Doyle jumps Marcus. It's not much of a fight. Marcus tosses him aside like a rag doll. Doyle eats pier. CORDELIA Doyle! INT. VAN - DAY Inside, in the dark, Angel moves into position beside the sliding door. He prepares himself for a moment - then nods to Oz. Oz rips the door open. Sunlight pours in. Angel leaps from the van. EXT. PIER - DAY Angel runs - after a beat or two, and just before he hits Marcus, his back begins to flame. He's not covered in flames. A living growing apparition of flame as he approaches, Angel unleashes a primal roar... ANGEL Rrrraaa...!!! And - BAM! - Angel tackles Marcus as the flames consume him, a human pyre, his momentum carrying the two of them off the pier and into... EXT. WATER - DAY Splash! Marcus and Angel, entwined like lovers, hit the water together, plunging in, Angel's flames extinguished. Marcus grabs Angel by the throat with both hands and squeezes. Marcus carries Angel out of frame. EXT. ON THE PIER - DAY Cordy and the others look for Angel in the water. CORDELIA Where is he? EXT. PIER UNDERSIDE - DAY Angel and Marcus emerge from the water together. Angel knocks Marcus's hands away from his throat. They square off. Angel punches Marcus so hard his head whips sideways. Marcus brings his head whipping back to face Angel - and laughs. MARCUS What are you planning to do? Kill me? ANGEL Well, after all, I promised. Tough talk - but Marcus grabs Angel's head in both hands and smashes it into a pylon - hard. Angel gouges his thumbs into Marcus's eye sockets. Marcus lets go. EXT. PIER - DAY Cordelia, Doyle and Oz run along the pier, spotting the fight below. (Note: luxury shot) EXT. PIER UNDERSIDE - DAY They exchange blows. Angel's getting tired. Marcus is not. ANGEL You never cracked me, Marcus. MARCUS I would have. ANGEL But you didn't. Now that... Angel rushes Marcus, sending him back, directly into a pylon. It's painful - with a sickening - Thwump! - Marcus looks down to see there is an outcropping of sharp wood sticking straight through his chest. ANGEL (cont'd) ... that's gotta be torture. But Marcus just looks at the wood, looks at Angel - and laughs. Angel head-butts Marcus, grabs his wrist with one hand and pulls the ring off his finger with the other. Marcus's laughter turns to a scream. And he explodes into dust. EXT. BEACH - DAY ANGEL moves out of the waves and toward the shore. He's bloodied, burned and exhausted... but victorious. He has the ring on his finger. The daylight is so harsh he has to shield his eyes. But then, slowly, he lowers his arm - blinking, trying to adjust to it... CORDELIA (O.C.) You okay? Angel looks to find that Cordy, Doyle and Oz have come down to the beach to meet him. He moves onto the sand, disoriented. ANGEL Fine. I'm... He looks around as Oz moves to him. ANGEL (cont'd) Thanks for the help. You were key. OZ You... are incredibly pale. Cordy and Doyle move in and flank Angel. CORDELIA You need to lie down. We should get you home. But Doyle is watching Angel closely. Says gently: DOYLE Let's give him a minute. He leads Cordy away, giving Angel some space. CLOSE ON ANGEL Who is looking around now, feeling the warmth on his skin - really seeing the beautiful surroundings in full daylight. A world of emotions play across his face as he sees the normal people, the kids on the beach, the daylife all around. ON CORDY, DOYLE, AND OZ - WATCHING OZ He's very pale. Paler than most people. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. ROOFTOP - SUNSET The sun sets on L.A. Shafts of the day's last light filter through downtown skyscrapers. Standing at the ledge of their office rooftop, Angel and Doyle watch. They let it happen for a good long beat. Finally, Doyle speaks. DOYLE How long's it been between sunsets? ANGEL Two hundred years, give or take. DOYLE Well, you've got to be feeling pretty damn good then. This ring - it changes everything, don't it? But Doyle sees Angel is not listening. Then he sees why: the sunset is getting even more beautiful. DOYLE (cont'd) Oh, right. Look, it's spectacular, I know, but I do promise: there will be another one just like it tomorrow. ANGEL Not for me. DOYLE What are you saying? You think the city will get hit by a meteor before tomorrow night or - it's too horrible - I can't even make myself say the other... ANGEL I'm not going to wear the ring. DOYLE That was the other. (appalled) You've got a real addiction to the brooding part of life, anyone ever tell you that? ANGEL (smiles) Once or twice. DOYLE Care to explain? I mean, this ring is your redemption. It's what you've been waiting for. ANGEL No. It just looks like it. DOYLE Angel, man - think what you're saying- ANGEL I have. I've thought about it from every angle. And what I figure is, I did a lot of damage in my day. More than you can imagine- DOYLE So - what? You don't get the ring because your period of self-flagellation isn't up yet? What about all the daytime people you could help from nine to five? ANGEL They have help. The whole world is designed for them. So much that those people have no idea what goes on around them after dark. They don't see the weak ones lost in the night - or the things that prey on them. (then) And if I joined them, maybe I'd stop seeing too. Not right away, but in time. Doyle takes this in. Finally nods. DOYLE And who would look out for the insomniacs? ANGEL I was brought back for a reason, Doyle. And as much as I'd like to kid myself - I don't think it was for eighteen holes at Rancho... The last sliver of sun disappears beneath the L.A. horizon, turning the downtown skyscrapers to silhouettes. Doyle and Angel watch in silence until the sunlight leaves Angel's face, turning dark. Angel gently removes the ring. He picks up a brick, heft it in his hands for weight. Regards it a moment, then SMASHES the ring. A small SUPERNATURAL LIGHT BURST emanates from the ring and it disappears. And with that, Angel and Doyle get up and head off. DOYLE (pats pocket, comes up with message slip) Oh, that Rachel girl with the crazy boyfriend called... said to tell you thanks, she'd "found a little faith." Said you'd know what that means... ANGEL I don't know about you, but I had a nice day... (beat) You know, except for the bulk of it where I was nearly tortured to death. DOYLE You stood up... ANGEL Oh, God, I was this close to tellin' him everything. As they disappear into the night: ANGEL (cont'd) One more hot poker, I was givin' him the ring, your mom, everything... BLACK OUT. THE END