She (November 24, 1999) Written by: David Greenwalt & Marti Noxon Teaser EXT. CORDELIA'S APT - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING - STOCK INT. HALL OUTSIDE CORDELIA'S APT - NIGHT CAMERA (steadi) follows some of Cor's young attractive actor type friends (among them LAURA and DIEGO, who carries a plastic shopping bag) as they bustle towards Cor's open door. LAURA Ugg. My thighs are all itchy. I think it's my panty-hose. DIEGO Itchy thighs are a sign you're going to meet somebody. LAURA Really? (off his grin) I hate you. She hits him playfully and they breeze into: INT. CORDELIA'S APT - NIGHT BIG PARTY GOIN' ON. Music playing, people dancing, drinking and eating hors d'ouvres, chatting. CORDELIA greets them happily. CORDELIA Diego! Laura DIEGO (hands Cordy ice) Let the consumption of cold things begin. CORDELIA Excellent. Now - are you going to behave yourself? DIEGO (no) Have you seen me at a party? Diego grins and moves off. Cordy and Laura do the Hollywood air kiss thing. Laura starts scanninüg the room. CORDELIA You look devastating, as per. LAURA You too. Who's that? Cor looks to dance floor where WESLEY (in hand knit-looking sweater), mini-sandwich in each hand, is eating and dancing with his own unique abandon. CORDELIA Oh, that's Wesley. He'sÉ LAURA On medication? CORDELIA British. Cor carries the bag of ice to the refreshment table set up in the archway. ANGEL hangs by himself behind the table. Cor dumps the ice in a bowl as: CORDELIA Having fun? ANGEL SureÉ this is, you knowÉ CORDELIA Your idea of hell. ANGEL Actually in hell you tend to know a lot of the people. (off her look) No, I'm having a great time. CORDELIA Yeah? Can I get you some blood or something? ANGEL I'm good. CORDELIA (sees someone O.S.) Oh Steve Paymer came. Can you believe that? (off his look) David Paymer's brother. SteveÉ! She moves O.S. Angel stands there, bobs his head to the music a little. HIS POV - PEOPLE DANCING, chatting. Wesley's really into his dancing - and his mini sandwichesç. BACK TO ANGEL - as Wesley, winded, moves up, limping a little. Fishes an ice cube out of the bowl with his handkerchief, uses it to cool his brow. WESLEY Whoo, I need to cool off. Our little Cordelia knows how to put on a "do," doesn't she? The music inspires abandon, the ladies are both plentiful and fairÉ He gulps the last of his sandwich. WESLEY And these delicious mini-reubens - they've got the little sauerkraut, the little swiss - what mad genius brought these into the world? He looks down at the table. Empty plate. His face falls. WESLEY Oh. They're all - they would go fastÉ Angel produces a paper party plate from behind his back, several of the little sandwiches and shrimp puffs on it. ANGEL I saved you a few. WESLEY Shrimp puffs, too? You're a dear man. (eats, checks out party) Well, what say a couple of brooding demon hunters start chatting up some of the fillies - As if on cue, a GIRL moves up. GIRL Hi. Wesley, mouth full of food, mumbles: WESLEYë Fizz-geeth. GIRL Nice sweater, hand knit? WESLEY (very defensive) Certainly not by me. GIRL I didn't- All I meant is, it's a great sweater. WESLEY (desperate to recover) Well. I'll pass that on, then. To the person who knit it. I mean, I would - if I knew who did. But I don't. So I won't pass it on to anyone, will I? The girl takes in his strangeness. Gives him a dismissive smile and moves off. Off Wesley and Angel, MINI TIME CUT: DIEGO RUNS PAST CAMERA Followed by Cordelia. CORDELIA Diego, pants on! CAMERA FINDS Angel with Laura. LAURA Éso with my Master's degree in Fine Arts I was able to launch my very own business selling sandwiches downtown on a little cart. ANGEL (trying) Huh. LAURA I do see a lot of stuff on the job. So I tell myself I'm honing my eyeÉ ANGEL That makes sense. Angel just smiles and nods at this. There is a painfully awkward silence. Then the music changes. Something fast. Laura feels the beat. LAURA I love this song. (he nods) Would yóouÉ like to dance? Angel considersÉ WHITE FLASH! And Angel is suddenly on the dance floor doing that crazy David Boreanaz dance. People give him a wide swath - Laura backs away in horror. FLASH! BACK TO REALITY. ANGEL I don't dance. Laura, rejected, nods and moves off. Angel stands there for a sec, heads to: INT. CORDELIA'S KITCHEN - NIGHT Angel wanders in from the dining room, looks around the pleasantly empty room. Sighs. A beat - then one of the kitchen chairs slides out - as if by Phantom Dennis' unseen hand. ANGEL Hi, Dennis. Angel sits. Dennis floats a beer out of the tin ice bucket on the floor, lands it on the table. ANGEL How ya' doin', still dead? Dennis pops the tops, slides it to Angel who catches it. ANGEL Know the feeling. Angel drinks. INT. ICE CO. - NIGHT CLOSE - ANOTHER BEER CAN As PETE WILKERS pops the top, drinks. He is in private security, sport-coated. Currently, he's clearly agitated, pacing nervously inside- THE FREEZER SECTION The ceilings are fôreezer elements covered in white frosty ice. Sparkly ice bags line the walls. On the floor, a coffin-sized container, closed up tight. He casts an anxious glance at the container every once in a while, which is marked: DANGER - HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, DO NOT OPEN! Pete rests his beer next to three others still connected to the plastic tabs, on ice. He leans down, stares at the container. He's obviously feeling compelled to open it, but forces himself to back off. He grabs his beer, exits into: THE OUTER AREA Storage, a lot of bottles to pick up the light reflection. Pete checks his watch, finishes his beer. He stomps it into a neat round aluminum disc, picks it up, deposits it in his briefcase where we see a couple of other stomped beers. Then he hears itÉ a sound coming from the freezer compartment. Pete moves back: INSIDE THE FREEZER COMPARTMENT and to the container, freaked but intensely curious. Leans closer. MORE SOUNDS, something is in there, moving around, something alive. And then therøe is an OTHERWORLDY SOUND. SOMETHING LIKE MOANING, BUT NOT QUITE. Pete regards the container for a long beat. He knows he should just leave it, but he can't fight the temptation. He makes a decision, picks up a crowbar. MOANING is louder now - and pries open the container. CAMERA MOVES IN ON Pete, the pinkish glow of whatever's inside that coffin-shaped box on his face. He can't believe what he's seeing. PETE Holy GodÉ BLACK OUT. END OF TEASER Act One ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY - ESTABLISHING - STOCK INT. ANGEL'S INNER OFFICE - MORNING Angel enters as Cordelia is straightening his desk. ANGEL Morning. (she nods) Is there coffee? As she answers, she follows him into: INT. ANGEL'S OUTER OFFICE - CONTINUING CORDELIA It's still in bean form. I thought I ordered it groundÉ Maybe you can crush the beans with your vampire strength. (miming) Just mush the bag. He looks in it at the unground beans. Mushing them seems like a not great idea. He closes it, offering: ANGEL Really fun party last nightò. CORDELIA I'm so glad you came. You know how parties are: You're always worried no one's gonna suck the energy out of the room like a giant black hole of boring despair but there you were, coming through in the clinch. ANGEL I didn'tÉ boring? CORDELIA As in, to bore. You used to be a person! Didn't you ever party? Did people not gather in olden times? ANGEL I talked to peopleÉ LauraÉ CORDELIA Laura thought you hated her. I had to tell her you were challenged. ANGEL I don't hate her. I've got two modes with people: bite and avoid. Hard to shift. Plus I can't get too close, I mean with womenÉ CORDELIA You can be nice. It's not like Laura's gonna throw you down on the living room floor and tear all your-well, actually, LauraÉ ANGEL I'll try harder. Still, the quiet, reserved thingÉ you don't think it makes me kind of cool? Wesley enters humming and doing a few silly dance moves to himself. CORDELIA He was cooler. WESLEY Good morning. ANGEL I'm depressed now. WESLôEY Well I'm feeling rather chipper, myself. That was quite the soiree last night. CORDELIA Glad someone enjoyed it. ANGEL I enjoyed itÉ WESLEY A gala even, in particular the tiny reubens and the shrimp puffs. Don't suppose there's any leftovers lying aboutÉ any abandonedÉ shrimp puffsÉ ANGEL You're broke, aren't you? WESLEY A man's finances are his own business, Angel. ANGEL You want a job? WESLEY Oh pretty please. ANGEL I don't have much, but as long as you're making yourself useful around here, you're entitled to a cut. WESLEY I don't know what to sayÉ CORDELIA Well this is great! Now we're really - do I have to take a pay cut? (Angel shakes his head) -- a team! WESLEY You won't be disappointedÉ (welling up) something in my eyeÉ CORDELIA Oh, don't get all sappyÉ (to Angel) Hold me. ANGEL Why don't we just - CORDELIA No, hold me. As soon as she says it she arches back in the pain she knew was coming. Angel grabs her, keeps her from pitching backwards onto the flooÓr. WESLEY Cordelia! ANGEL Hold onÉ And we see Cordelia as she sees: FLASH: A MAN - PETE WILKERS, IN FACT. Screaming, looking down at something on his chest. The camera cannot see that far down but there is smoke rising from his body. Then, FLASH, his face and neck are black and grimy as though being burned from within. Finally (this is the funny part), his eyes explode. BACK ON CORDELIA CORDELIA Oh, gross. Gross! Angel helps her to a seat, but she stands right up. CORDELIA (continuing) Just, eeww, is all. WESLEY What did you see? CORDELIA I don't just see, I feel, okay? Thank you, Doyle. ANGEL Is someone in trouble? WESLEY I'm at the readyÉ CORDELIA You're going to the ice plant on 5th, downtown. Wesley scribbles it down. ANGEL What are we looking for? CORDELIA A corpse. INT. ANGEL'S INNER OFFICE - MINUTES LATER Wesley has a bunch of blueprints on Angel's desk. WESLEY I don't think there's access through the tunnels. ANGEL I'm drçiving then. WESLEY I'm coming with you. I intend to earn my keep. In terms of this keep, by the by - ANGEL There's no dental. WESLEY Right. Well, I'll floss. ANGEL Let's go. CORDELIA Be careful, guy was burned to death in an ice factory, thing that did that might still be there. ANGEL You didn't get a look at it? CORDELIA All I felt was his fear. And the exploding eyeballs, did I mention I hate this gig? ANGEL We'll be in touch. And they go. EXT. ICE CO. - DAY Angel's car drives up, Wesley at the wheel, Angel in passenger seat, covered by thick blanket. The car pulls out of the sun into a large patch of dark shade next to the plant. INT. ANGEL'S CAR - DAY Wesley stops. WESLEY We're here. Angel pulls blanket off, looks out at ice co. As he starts to get out, Wesley picks up his Bavarian fighting adze. WESLEY Boss, why don't I - ANGEL Stay put. WESLEY -- stay here and wait for you. Wesley puts down the adze. Angel goes. EXT. ICE CO. - DAY Angel, keeìping to the shade, moves from car to side door. INT. ICE CO. - DAY Angel shoves open the door - we hear a lock give - and enters. He moves through the space, schmucking with the bait. He moves through the hanging plastic-strips-door into: THE FREEZER SECTION and up to THE DEAD BURNED OUT FROSTY CARCASS of the guy from Cordy's vision (Pete Wilkers). Guy's head is a mess. Angel leans down, notes the burn through the guy's sport coat and shirt, into his chestÉ Angel feels the guy's pockets, comes up with a wallet, opens it. Finds I.D. and business cards that say PETE WILKERS, PRIVATE SECURITY. With an address. Angel pockets one of the cards, puts wallet back. He moves to the large coffin-sized shipping crate Pete opened. Looks in. It's filled with ice. ANGLE - SHOOTING OVER ANGEL A shape behind the plastic strips that separate the freezer from the outer area flits past. Angel senses it, turns, it's gone. IN THE OUTER AREA CAMERA snakes through the eerie space. A FIGURE COMES into îframe. We see his face. It's not a human face. His name is TAY. He is dressed somewhere between a soldier and a priest. He reaches down, starts to pick up a crow bar. As he does, a foot comes down on the bar. ANGEL Captain Inferno, I presume. Tay looks up. Takes a step towards Angel who whomps his foot on the bar - it flips up into his hand - Angel presses the bar against Demon Guy's chest, keeping distance between them. ANGEL Close enough, I don't do well near an open flame. Angel looks down, sees on Demon Guy's forearm, a burn through the clothes, right to the skin, like the one on the dead carcass guy's chest. ANGEL Only you didn't burn him, did you? (lowers bar) Who are you? Nothing from Tay, who seems very shook up. ANGEL I'm not a big talker, I usually let others carry the conversation - I am pretty good at putting theseÉ (re: bar) Éthrough heads, though. TAY I'm called Tay. I'm not from your dimension. ANGEL Sorta guessin' that. TAY I was sent by my people to stop iõt. That's my cause here. ANGEL Stop what? TAY The bringer of chaos. ANGEL What is it? A demon? TAY More than a demon. It is a vessel of pure rage. It has almost destroyed my world. And now it is loose in yours. ANGEL How can I kill it? TAY You won't be able to. It's stronger than one man. Tay moves towards the door. Bright sun comes in from outside. TAY If you and your people wish to live, stay away. Tay walks out into the bright sun where Angel can not follow. Off Angel, INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY Angel, Wesley and Cordelia. Angel has drawn a picture that looks like Tay. Wesley takes copious notes as ANGEL He said his name was TayÉ he seemed pretty shook up, said this thing brings chaos and destruction to his world. WESLEY TayÉ mmm hmmm, could be a Kovitch demon from the CaucusesÉ ANGEL No, he's not from our dimension. WESLEY Ahh, they must come to ours via portals. CORDELIA Portals? There's portals now? When did they put in portals? Don't we have enough on our haÑnds without burning monster fiends coming here? WESLEY We'll figure out who he is, where he comes from, boss, you can count on it. CORDELIA Wesley , stop kissing butt, it's not like we get overtime. (off Angel's look) But we will get right on it. ANGEL I also want to know if there've been any other similar - CORDELIA -- killings by incineration lately. Right? See? On it. Angel turns to go. WESLEY Where are you headed? ANGEL The victim's office - he was in private security, I'd like to know who hired him. EXT. WILKER'S OFFICE BUILDING - NIGHT Angel's car drives up. Angel gets out. Tries the front door, locked. Angel steps back, looks up. CRANE UP TO the second story as ANGEL (having climbed up the outside of the building) enters our ascending frame and breaks the second story window. INT. OFFICE BUILDING - NIGHT Angel jumps down from the broken window, moves down the hall way to a glass door with PETER WILKERS, PRIVATE SECURITY on it. INT.é WILKERS' OFFICE - NIGHT Angel enters. Looks around the dark, moonlit office. He looks through some files, rifles Wilkers' desk. He tries to open the middle drawer, but finds it locked. Angel grabs a letter opener, uses it to jimmy the lock and open the drawer. INSIDE - Couple grand in cash, a shipping order - ONE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS from MILLER ICE CO. to HEAVENLY SPA, PALM VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. Angel pockets the shipping order, returns the rest to the drawer and slides it closed. He looks through some other stuff on the desk as a SHADOW moves over him from behind. CLOSE ON ANGEL As he senses movement behind himÉ Before he can turn, he's BLOWN ACROSS THE ROOM by an unseen force. Angel hits the ground hard. His ARM AND THE BACK OF HIS COAT ARE BURNED THROUGH where his attacker touched him. He looks up to see who are what did this to him - and registers genuine surprise. REVERSE WE PUSH IN to see that his attacker is not an "it" at all, but a rather beautiful, exotic woman - dresseÞd halfway between high royalty and classy kick-ass. She has impossibly bright blue eyes, other-worldly ridges run down her cheeks, a ring or a couple of studs in one of the ridges. (She also has distinctive ridges on the back of her neck that run down her spine, but more on that later.) Her name is JHIERA. BLACK OUT. END OF ACT ONE Act Two INT. WILKERS' OFFICE - NIGHT As before. Angel quickly jumps to his feet, moves to attack Jhiera. Using a fluid, non-resistant fighting style reminiscent of Tae Kwon Do, Jhiera easily uses his momentum to take him down. Addresses him angrily- JHIERA What are you doing here? ANGEL I could ask you the same question. JHIERA Working for them, is that it? How much do they pay you to hunt us. Angel gets to his feet, keeping his distance. ANGEL I work for myself. And I'm here because I'm looking for his killerÉ (nothing from Jhiera) Hard to forget. Burned alive. (re: his burned forearm) Éknow anyone who does that kind of thing? Sheí heads for the door without another look at Angel. Angel tries to stop her, puts himself between her and the door. Jhiera moves right towards him. He grabs a straight back chair, swings it up to keep her from touching him. In an impossibly graceful motion, she folds under the chair and comes up right in front of him, places her hand on his chest. He tries to pull back - finds he can't - it's as though her hand were holding him from inside his chest. Then, before he can even barely register fear of burning to death - ANGEL AND CHAIR - go flying back and THROUGH the door, knocking it off its hinges, shattering the glass, Angel colliding with the wall outside - going down hard. Then a cell phone on Jhiera's belt rings-she answers. JHIERA Yes. Where? How soon? Jhiera walks through the blown-out door and disappears. EXT. WILKERS' OFFICE BUILDING - NIGHT Jhiera, in the f.g., heads to her car, gets in. In the b.g. we can see ANGEL move into the broken third story window and JUMP, falling çout of frame behind Jhiera. When Jhiera drives away, we can see that Angel has landed safely. He moves to his car. EXT. CITY STREETS - NIGHT Jhiera's car blows past. A couple of cars behind hers, Angel's car follows. INT. ANGEL'S CAR - NIGHT He drives. Keeping an eye on her car. Looking super cool, he snaps open his cell phone. Punches in a number. Gets that alarming and irritating TONE, followed by an OPERATOR'S VOICE: "We're sorry, you must dial a one before making this call." Angel flips the phone closed then open and dials again. POV THROUGH WINDSHIELD - Jhiera's car up ahead. Again Angel gets that TONE, followed by the OPERATOR'S VOICE: "We're sorry, your call did not go through as dialed. Please hang up and -" Frustrated, Angel flips the phone closed and open again. Then he hears a series of beeps, looks at the L.E.D. window on phone: LOW BATTERY. INT. JHIERA'S CAR - NIGHT Jhiera turns a corner, unaware that she is being followed. INT. ANGEL'S CAR - NIGHT Angel fishÝes around in the seat until he comes up with an adapter - he plugs one end of it into the phone, and is struggling to plug the other end into his cigarette lighter as: EXT. CITY STREETS - NIGHT Angel's car swerves into the right lane, clips and bumps over the corners as he turns. INT. ANGEL'S CAR - NIGHT He lurches and bumps over the corner. ANGEL SmoothÉ INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT Cor is at the computer, typing. Wesley is sprawled on the floor, surrounded by piles of the old books, pouring through several of them, distracted and a little distraught, making a continuous "mmm-tsk" sound and drumming his fingers. Cor endures this for a beat, then gets up, moves to Wesley. CORDELIA Hi. WESLEY Huh? Oh, hi. CORDELIA Any luck? WESLEY No. Other dimensions than oursÉ it's a field of infinite variety and a not terribly well charted one at that. He flips pages, drumming his fingers, making the "mmm-tsk" sound. CORDELIA But you're trying hard. You want to do welçl here. WESLEY Oh yes, indeed. CORDELIA And I want to see you do well here. WESLEY Why thank you, Cordelia, that's very kind - CORDELIA But if you don't stop drumming your fingers and making that "mmm-tsk" sound I'm going to drop my computer on your head. Beat. Phone RINGS. She answers: CORDELIA (into phone) Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless. INTERCUT: INT. ANGEL'S CAR - NIGHT He's finally got the cell working. ANGEL I hate this cell phone you gave me. Any luck? CORDELIA We're stymied on the demon guy but we did findÉ (consults computer screen) Éfour similar killings in the last eleven monthsÉ all guys, all burned from the inside out. Did you find it? ANGEL YesÉ and it's not an "it", it's a she. CORDELIA A chick that burns? Are you okay? Did sheÉ careÉ you? ANGEL Did she care about me? CORDELIA Did she Carrie you. We must beÉ Angel glares at his phone like he's ready to chuck it. ANGEL Cordy? Hello? CORDELIA I can hear you now. Are you back?ë ANGEL Yeah. (re: phone) These things were definitely cooked up by a bored warlock. CORDELIA So - did she hurt you? ANGEL She could have killed me but she didn't. CORDELIA Then she's not a threat. ANGEL I wouldn't go that far. (rolls his stiff neck) I think she's here on some kind of mission, I'm following her. I want you two to keep trying to find that demon Tay. He knows a lot more than he's telling, he could be the key to this. CORDELIA Okay. (looks to Wesley) We'll cross reference her into the equation. What's she look like? Cor makes notes as: ANGEL More human than Tay, two raised ridges running down either cheek, bright blue eyes, she seemed intelligent and she was veryÉ attractive for a demon. CORDELIA A hottie, huh? I guess she's that all right, what with the sizzÉ ANGEL The Sizzler? CORDELIA With theÉ ANGEL You're breakÉ CORDELIA What? ANGEL Hello? Angel angrily clicks the phone off. CORDELIA AND WESLEY OUT. EXT. MUSEUM STREET - NIGHT Jhieraõ parks, gets out. She's now doing an Audrey Hepburn with a scarf covering her head and a large pair of sunglasses. DOWN THE STREET - Angel does likewise. JHIERA - Moves down the street. ANGEL - Follows. JHIERA - Turns a corner. ANGEL - Three fourths of a block back, follows. He slows his pace, thinking; then stops, backs into deep shadow, waits. A moment later - JHIERA - reappears, scans the street up and down, then decisively crosses it, heading towards THE BIG MUSEUM. EXT. MUSEUM - NIGHT All lit up, an opening. We'll see signs announcing EDOUARD MANET and the EARLY IMPRESSIONISTS ON TOUR. Jhiera heads up the steps and into the museum as Angel crosses the street, heading towards the museum. INT. MUSEUM ENTRY - NIGHT Jhiera enters, heads towards a SECURITY GUARD JHIERA Excuse me sir. There's a man - I'm afraid he may want to hurt me. The guard looks like he has no time for this. GUARD What man? Look, lady- Jhiera interrupts him - her voice a tiny bit more commanding. JHIERA I nôeed you to prevent him from following me. A change seems to come over the guard. It's subtle - but his hesitation is gone. GUARD Of course. Where is he? JHIERA Over there in the long black coat. CAMERA RACKS - in the distant b.g. Angel has entered from another door. About all you can see of him from here is his long black coat. GUARD raises his walkie-talkie, heads after Angel. Jhiera disappears inside gallery. ANGEL, seeing them, shoves open a door, finds himself: INT. MUSEUM GALLERY - NIGHT Moving through a space full of staggered white walls, arranged in L's with lots of openings (like a maze). Impressionist art is hung on the walls. Well dressed FOLKS take in the opening night of the Tour. ANGEL'S POV - ahead of him, Jhiera flicks into, and out of, sight beyond the various gallery walls. She walks quickly through the exhibit, not looking back. ANGEL KEEPS MOVING, tracking her. Angel looks back, sees the Guard enter the door he entered, barking into his walkie. ANGEL SEES - TWOÞ MORE GUARDS enter from a back door. Angel sees Jhiera disappearing in the b.g. and TWO MORE GUARDS in the f.g. headed right towards him. Angel, smoothly taking off his coat and holding it folded in front of him, steps in front of a CROWD OF ART LOVERS who are gazing up at Manet's "Music in the Tuileries". Starts talking in a mannered patter, transforming himself into a tour guide. ANGEL And this brings us to Manet's incomparable La Musique aux Tuileries. First exhibited in 1863, Manet's depiction of modern life, along with his severe lighting contrasts and rich texture outraged the Academic critics of the day. Angel eyes the Security Guards, converging near the edge of Angel's audience who are growing intrigued by his mini-lecture. ANGEL (re: painting) On the left, one spies the painter himself. In the middle distance, is the French poet and critic Baudelaire, a friend of the artist. The guards confer amongst themselves, oblivious to Angel. ANGEL Now, BaudelaiÁre, interesting fellow; in his poem, Le Vampyr, he wrote, "Thou who abruptly as a knife/ Didst come into my heart;" He very much believed that evil forces surrounded mankind, and some have speculated the poem was about a real vampire. Angel laughs gently at the thought, as do some of his appreciative audience. The Guards move on through the room. ANGEL Oh, and Baudelaire was actually a little taller and a lot drunker than he's depicted here. Angel moves off - his listeners give him a small round of applause. ANGLE - We see Angel exit the Gallery in the direction Jhiera took. INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT Cordelia is at her desk, head in her arms, snoozing; Wesley still pouring over the books. Suddenly: WESLEY Ah-hah! Cor sits up with a start. CORDELIA That better be an "ah-hah" of triumph, I was dreaming there was a going out of business sale at Neiman's. WESLEY I think I've located them, the Vigories of Oden Tal. CORDELIA Th1/4e whoo-dees of what-ee? WESLEY Oden Tal, the men are called Vigories, they have four distinct ridges on their foreheads - (holds up Angel's drawing) -- are said to be fierce warriors - and the women are enslaved to them. CORDELIA Way to go, Wes. Angel said the Tay guy could be the key - any way to find him here in town? WESLEY (peruses book) It says that the men are herbivores. They eat a thick stew made from rotting plants and flowers - and they need to consume half their body weight in a day. CORDELIA Whoah - so we're looking for like the biggest compost heap in L.A.? INT. MUSEUM - HALLWAY - NIGHT Jhiera now moves cautiously through part of the museum that's not open to the public. She stops at a door, looks both ways, and BREAKS the lock on the door - moves inside. INT. MUSEUM - LARGE STORAGE ROOM - NIGHT As big and interesting as we can make it for $1.98 Stacked paintings, statuary, ancient artifacts (Spiro, fun stuff to b¹reak!) in the process of being restored. Jhiera moves into the darkened room, raises her hands to the ceiling, as if feeling for something - a temperature disturbance perhaps. Suddenly she stops. Hears the sound of a door closing. JHIERA You. How - ? A human would have been unconscious for hours. Angel appears out of the shadows. ANGEL I'll answer your questions - if you'll answer mine. She moves a little closer, studies him. JHIERA You're aÉ vampire. ANGEL Among other things. Who's Tay, what does he want? Her expression darkens at the name. JHIERA I don't have time for this- ANGEL If you didn't kill the man at the ice company, who did, someone like you? JHIERA (angrily) Why do you think I would speak to you and not hurt you? You know I have the power- ANGEL Gotta risk it. Call me old fashioned but, I can't allow tourists to go around torching the locals. Now she moves towards him menacingly. JHIERA Leave. Now× I'm warning you- ANGEL Why? What's gonna happen? Suddenly there is a shaking in the room, not unlike an earthquake - then a bright light suddenly is glowing on their faces - they look up: C.G.I. Above them, a ball of light, swirling and whorling into form - then suddenly, like a portal door to another dimension, it flashes and opens - we are looking into another world, a lot of swirly cloudy stuff - ANGEL and JHIERA - the light hot on their faces, watch as - Out of the portal o' light, screaming and naked and with some slime upon her, another young female like Jhiera comes roaring through, landing on the ground. Gasping for breath on the ground, she gulps air, looking around like a frightened animal. She looks like Jhiera only younger and wilder. Her name is SHARI. Like Jhiera, she has spines on the back of her neck that disappear down her back. Jhiera moves quickly to her. Angle pulls something off a statue, moves toward them. JHIERA (to Shari) We must go "- (sees Angel) -- stay back! Angel holds out the blanket he pulled of the statue. Jhiera takes it, covers the girl with it, helps her up. ANGEL She's like you. What are you running from? JHIERA It is not your concern. You are not one of us. ANGEL No, but I think I'll stick around anyway. She turns, follows his gaze. Tay and FOUR OTHERS like him are moving up fast. Tay and the others carry some nasty looking scythe-like weapons. TAY (to Angel, re: Jhiera) It's right, this is not your concern. The Traitor It and the other belong to us. If you know what's good for you, you won't - Angel leaps into the air, kicks him in the face. ANGEL Do that? QUICK FIGHT, as opposed to the big fight coming later at the spa. In which: the henchmen use the scythes to avoid contact with Jhiera's and Shari's hands. Jhiera again using other's attack energy to throw them - sometimes without even touching them. Jhiera burns one henchman (we can sÜee her dodge a scythe, get her hand on his chest, see his eyes go wide and HEAR his terrible scream or HURL him across the room - I think we can get away without C.G.I here). Angel is kicking Tay's butt when he is set upon by two others. Tay, freed, hits Shari from behind, wraps a rope around her arms - or some cool corset contraption we can come up with - binding her arms to her side. He and Henchman #1 drag her off as Angel and Jhiera fight the other two. Angel gets knocked back. Jhiera gets cut on the arm by one of the scythes; the other henchman comes up behind her, aiming for her head - Angel tackles him from behind - more fighty until Jhiera burns one and Angel clobbers the other. They get to their feet, Angel breathing hard, Jhiera enraged. ANGEL They got her. (Jhiera nods) What'll happen to her? JHIERA She will be unmade. Off Angel, not exactly sure what that means, EXT. L.A. FLOWER MART - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING Deserted, but huge and full of flowers. Threèe dark shapes move through. One of them struggling. CLOSER - We see they are Tay, Henchman #1, and Shari, still wrapped in the blanket Angel gave her, her arms pinned to her side by the taut ropes around her. SHARI Please, don't do this to meÉ TAY (without emotions) Watch its hands. They enter a huge freight elevator. The men stare straight ahead. As the doors close. SHARI ÉI'll be good, you don't have to - TAY Why does it speak when no one listens? INT. L.A. FLOWER MART - COMPOST ROOM - NIGHT Tay, Shari, and Henchman #1 enter the huge room. One entire wall is a round chute, filled nearly to the top with dead flowers and plants from the mart upstairs. Two other henchman get up as they enter. THERE ARE blankets, a cooking pot and utensils, etc., on the floor - these guys are living here. TAY It has been recovered. SHARI Let me go! TAY It will now be restored. SHARI No! You bastards! She tries to kick at them but two of the henchmen hold her fast as Tay pulls theë blanket down on her back, revealing her spines - two at the base of her neck are larger and more distinctive than the others. One of the henchman hands Tay an evil looking device, a metallic, medical looking shears. Shari sees them, goes wild. SHARI Don't! TAY (calm, paternal) You'll feel so much better after this. SHARI Noooo!! And Tay clamps the device down on her neck spines. And the men all watch calmly and reverently. Shari's eyes fill with tears, as she says one last time in a small voice: SHARI NoÉ And, shooting over Shari to Tay (so we don't see the actual cut) he snaps the shears closed. We hear a terrible amputating sound and - BLACK OUT. END OF ACT TWO Act Three EXT. ANGEL'S BUILDING - DAY - ESTABLISHING - STOCK INT. ANGEL'S APT - DAY Jhiera - regal, beautiful - sits watching Angel as he enters his office with a wet towel and some bandages. Her gaze is strong, penetrating. ANGEL (re: her wounds) You should dress those. (off her questioning look) Your woundîs. Angel moves to give her the bandages. JHIERA Why are you doing this? I thought Vampires were killers. ANGEL They are. But I was changed by a gypsy curse. JHIERA A curse that doomed you to help others? ANGEL Gypsies have a strange sense of humor. Jhiera takes this in. Her instincts saying that what he's telling the truth. She takes the bandages. ANGEL You want to tell me what's going on? Jhiera's expression darkens. Remembering her failure. JHIERA The girl's a runaway. I was trying to help her escape from our homeland. (flashing/upset) If you hadn't distracted me- ANGEL If I hadn't helped you, you'd both be with them right now. Jhiera takes this in. Calms herself. It could be true. JHIERA Perhaps. ANGEL Why was the girl running away? JHIERA She was going to be unmade. ANGEL They were going to kill her? JHIERA In a fashion. You wouldn't understand. ANGEL Try me. JHIERA In Oden Tal, what you call personality - our passions - these impulses sit in an aræea of the body we call the Ko. To demonstrate, Jhiera turns around so he can see the SPINY RIDGE DOWN THE BACK OF HER NECK. ANGEL And your pursuers - they want to take this from you? JHIERA (turns back) From the women, yes. Angel takes this in, appropriately appalled. JHIERA Once females come of age, Ko controls our physical and sexual power - it even signals when we're aroused and have met desirable mates. But when it's removed- ANGEL You're more easily controlled. They lock eyes. She senses his compassion. Something passes between them, but Jhiera looks away. Angel, in turn, grows strangely uncomfortable, restiveÉ JHIERA (nods) We marry who they command, serve without questioning. We leave behind dreamingÉ ANGEL But you escaped. JHIERA (proudly) I was the first. I am Jhiera. She seems to be waiting for some kind of reaction from Angel. Like he should know of her. But none comes. She offers, helpfully- JHIERA Jhiera of Oden Tal. My family rules the dimensio'n. ANGEL Ah. I'm guessing the royal family isn't loving the portal jumping, refugee aiding duties you've assigned yourself. Again - a connection. The camera starts to DRIFT AROUND THEM as the energy between them grows more intense. They both breath a bit heavily, swallow hardÉ JHIERA They tell the people I'm dead. But the women know. (then) Here, we have a name. We have a chance to become. But it's difficult. When the Ko first matures, the girls can't manage itÉ Their physical energyÉ They come to your world in a feverÉ ANGEL That's why - the iceÉ JHIERA Yes. When I first arrived, alone, I thought I would die from the heat under my skin. Now we have come all the way around Jhiera and can see that her Ko is GLOWING SOFTLY. The light is beautiful, pulsingÉ She and Angel are having difficulty holding it together. But they just manage. JHIERA And your people, the men? Some respond to thÃe Ko involuntarily. They try to force themselves. It wasn't safe for me until I found the frozen waterÉ As long as I could stay coolÉ The worst of it passed in a few months time. Then I started to learn to control my powerÉ ANGEL Like last night when you burned me? Jhiera hardens a little at this. Angel wipes some sweat from his brow. All their natural instincts are screaming for them to ravage each other as their conversation grows more heated. JHIERA I intended to hurt you. I thought you were the enemy. ANGEL What about the guard? Who burned him? JHIERA He tried to touch one of the girls. It was his own fault. ANGEL From what you say, he probably didn't mean to hurt her. JHIERA And the girl couldn't help killing him. It was an accident. ANGEL What about the other four men who've died the same way over the last year - did your girls kill them too? Jhiera looks threatened at this - hostile. JHIERA How do you know about thÜis? Have you been- ANGEL I haven't been following you. But you incinerate a few guys - somebody's going to ask questions. (then/genuine) I understand what you're trying to do. And I'll help you if I can, but you can't go around hurting men in my world- Jhiera has heard enough. Cuts him off. JHIERA I am daughter to a king, sir. A King who promised happiness and a better life for everyone. I didn't denounce him and escape for my good alone. I did it to see his promise come true for all the women of Oden Tal. If a few have to die in order to protect my people- ANGEL They are my people who are dying. And it's my promise to protect them. Jhiera, both angered and afraid that the impulses of her Ko (!) may soon overtake reason, uses this opportunity to bolt. JHIERA Then tell them to stay out of my way. And with that, she starts to exit. Angel gently grabs her, trying to stop her. ANGEL Wait- Jhiera puts a hand on his chest to push him back - but instead ìthey are both overtaken by some kind of POWERFUL, INTENSELY SENSUAL RUSH. Involuntarily, they shudder - give into it for a brief moment - then Jhiera removes her hand, looks away from him. JHIERA And you too. I don't need your help. She takes off, leaving Angel aroused and baffled. What the hell just happened to him? EXT. L.A. FLOWER MART - DAY Cordelia and Wesley move cautiously through the rows of colored flowers. Just a few workers here at this hour. Cordy's looking a little uneasy. CORDELIA I'm not sure about coming out here all by ourselves. Maybe we should have waited for Angel. WESLEY Cordelia - now that I'm officially in Angel's employ, I feel it's doubly important to show initiative and drive. We can't just dally about and- (excited) Oh, look! Nancy's Petticoat. He stops to admire a particular strain of rose. WESLEY They're quite rare. Named for Nancy Mitford, the author? You know, because of her love for- (off Cordy's look) Right. Shoving off. CORDELIA I wonder öhow we find where they keep the compost. WESLEY (wrinkles nose) I'd say we just follow our noses. INT. FLOWER MART - OUTSIDE COMPOST ROOM - DAY Wesley and Cordy move stealthily up and crouch behind some boxes next to where the men are encamped. Cordelia whispers- CORDELIA Okay - now I'm sure we shouldn't have come here. It smells like flower poo- She'd continue but they hear: TAY (O.S.) It can go home nowÉ They peer in, see: Shari stands before Tay and his three demon henchmen. All of her frenetic energy is gone - and her head is respectfully bowed. On the back of her neck we can see some dried blood around the WOUND where her Ko was removed. SHARI It's happy to go, as soon as you say. TAY And don't you feel better now? Shari nods, subserviently. Tay nods to Henchman who moves off with her. ON WESLEY AND CORDELIA Who both duck back to their hiding place as soon as the henchman goes by with Shari. He leaves in the other direction, unaware that they are there. BACK ON LEADER DôEMON DEMON HENCHMAN #1 (to Tay) That's two this month. We should be - TAY (irritated) It means nothing. It won't stop until we find Jhiera. EXT. SPA - DAY It's a modern, elegant building that looks like it could be residential. The grounds are lush and extensive. INT. SPA - FOYER - DAY The owner of the Spa, MARS (somewhere in his late twenties, fit, jovial - holistic healer, massage therapist, white light kind of guy. He talks what sounds like flaky California bull - the fact is, he's sincere and he knows a lot of helpful and cool stuff about this and other worlds) is working on a Zen rock garden he has for sale in a small cabinet in on a counter. Jhiera enters. MARS Jhiera - excellent. Just when I need the artistic eye of a Goddess. Do you see the chaotic flow and balance of the garden, or merely the hackneyed hand of the gardener? But she has no time for this nonsense. JHIERA Where are the girls? MARS And namastay to you, too, they're right where you left them- (realizing) Are ùyou okay? You look spunÉ They move through towards the spa and enter: INT. SPA - DAY An open, circular room with sunken tubs in a smooth stone (or marble) floor. Soothing music plays and steam rises from the tubs, creating a calming, sensual atmosphere. As we move closer to the tubs we see that they are each occupied by a young girl who looks similar to the one Jhiera was trying to help through the portal. They were small, FIFTH ELEMENT-LIKE coverings. The tubs are full of ice and the heat from their bodies makes the atmospheric steam rise around them. JHIERA How are they? MARS They're chillin'. (off her look) The little sisters are fine. REM'ing. Tell me - what's up? JHIERA They took the girl I went to meet. Mars takes this in, realizing the gravity of the situation. MARS Man, that's lame. Jhiera nods. Again - no time for an emotional response. Moves on- JHIERA They'll find us before too long. We have to go from here as soon as possible. MARS The girls aren't ready. They need seri÷ous isolation and temperature adjustment before they mellow out enough to deal with this world. JHIERA Then I'll move them someplace else. MARS (thinks/then) My shaman has a place in the desertÉ He never could turn away scantily clad women in distress. From any dimension. Mars waits for a smile. Says in all seriousness- MARS You know - I wish you'd let me work on your mirth chakra. JHIERA (ignoring) If he's trustworthy - as you are - we'll go to him. MARS He's good people. JHIERA Then call him. If he accepts us, we'll leave first thing in the morning. INT. FLOWER MART - COMPOST ROOM - DAY Wesley and Cordelia are still crouched behind the boxes next to the office. Wesley dials his cell phone - trying to reach Angel. WESLEY Still no answer. CORDELIA I bet he forgot to turn that thing on again. You'd think a guy who can use an ancient Scythian short bow could figure out how to use a cell phone. (then) So what now? WESLEY I suppose we head back and try to find Angel. CORDELIAû Lead the way. Low and slow. Wesley nods and they start to move cautiously out of their hiding place. What they don't see is DEMON HENCHMAN #1 approaching on an intersection path that puts them on a direct collision course with him. They're still hidden from his sight - but they're a heartbeat away from being discovered. Cordelia STEPS INTO HIS LINE OF SIGHT, BUT FORTUNATELY SEES HIM BEFORE HE SEES HER. She grabs Wesley, pushes him back into their hiding place - whispering urgently. CORDELIA Hide, hide, hide, hide. Demon passes, not having see them - and enters. Both Cordelia and Wesley look like they are about to pass out. DEMON HENCHMAN #1 (O.S.) Sir - I believe we've found them. TAY (O.S.) Where? Cordelia and Wesley look alarmed. Wes whips out his trusty fighting adze - DEMON HENCHMAN #1 A worker at an ice plantÉ Cor realizes baddies aren't talking about them, peers into: COMPOST ROOM Tay speaks with demon Henchman #1. DEMON HENCHMAN #1 Étells me he recently started shipping 2 toòns of ice a week to this address. Shows him the address. TAY Gather the men. They need to be prepared to capture the princess and cut them all quickly. DEMON HENCMAN #1 Yes sir. ON CORDY AND WES As this sets in, concerned. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Wesley and Cordelia enter to find Angel in fresh clothes, towelling off his wet hair. CORDELIA (irked) What are you doing? We nearly get get burned from the inside out - and you're here getting all April Fresh? ANGEL Cordelia. WESLEY I believe she's especially agitated because we tried to call you in the midst of a situation. ANGEL I had to take a shower. What's up? CORDELIA What's up is, those creepy demons id they found what they were looking for And they seemed very interested in "cutting" someone they called the princess, which I can only imagine is not a happy thing. Angel takes this in. Goes into hero mode. Starts taking weapons out of his cabinetÉ ANGEL You'd be right on that one. So we gotta find her first. CëORDELIA The demon guy also said something about a lot of ice being delivered somewhere. No one said where. ANGEL (rings a bell) Ice. The shipping order. He goes to his coat, pulls out the shipping order. ANGLE: THE ORDER - we see the name of the spa and an address. ANGEL Here's an address. Grab some weapons. We're heading out. WESLEY That's it? They seemedÉ There were quite a few of them. Perhaps we should have a plan? ANGEL Here's the plan. We go in. I start hitting people hard in the face. See where it takes us. (off their looks) Usually a good jumping off point. A beat. Cordelia and Wesley take in his no-nonsense mood. They grab some hardware. THEN the three of them - in a SEXY POWER SHOT - head for battle. BLACK OUT. END OF ACT THREE Act Four EXT. SPA - NIGHT Wesley, Cordelia and Angel approach the Spa on foot. We see Angel's car parked in the background. ANGEL You two wait here. I want a warning when the demons show. Wesley and Cordelia nod their understandÝing. Find a hiding place. INT. SPA - FOYER - NIGHT As Angel enters the foyer area of the spa, a chime goes off announcing his arrival. Again, soothing new age music plays. A beat - and then MARS APPEARS, closing the door firmly behind him. Clearly, his goal is to stall or, ideally, get rid of Angel. MARS Welcome, bro. ANGEL I need to see Jhiera. Now. MARS I'm sorry. No Jhiera here, but I already see I can help you. (re: his outfit) First - let's talk about the clothes vibe. When you're spiritually constipated? Gotta lose the black. Energy can't move through black. Try yellow, something with flow. Also, you need to spend a little time with the sun, bro- Angel doesn't have time for this crap. He very firmly pins Mars to the wall. Makes his intentions clear. ANGEL She's in trouble. There are men coming for her. Mars really looks at Angel now - can see that he isn't the same type of creature as Jhiera - or a normal human being. His eyes widen a little, more fascËinated than afraid. MARS And which dimension are you from, brother? ANGEL You don't want to know. Angel casts Mars aside and moves through the door into- INT. SPA - BATHS - NIGHT Where he takes in the girls, who are still immersed in their ice baths. Mars follows him in - sends an apologetic look to Jhiera. Jhiera approaches Angel, angry. JHIERA What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear, I- ANGEL They're coming. JHIERA I know all about it. We're leaving in the morning. ANGEL Not soon enough. They're on their way. They'll be here- Cordy and Wesley rush in. CORDELIA Now. That would be now. ANGEL (to Cordelia and Wes) Help get the girls out. (to Mars) Stall them as long as you can. ON WESLEY AND CORDELIA Who start to help the girls out of the tubs as Mars exits into the foyer. Wesley seems immediately taken with the girl he's assisting. WESLEY My - you're - allow me to introduce myselfÉ Cordelia shoots him a look as she læeads two girls out to the back exit. INT. SPA - FOYER - NIGHT Where MARS is AGAIN PINNED TO WALL, only this time it is HENCHMEN #2 who holds him there. Tay and the other three stand by. Mars seems mostly unfazed as he prattles on- MARS (mid-pitch) Éthen we could try to reverse those positive ions. Maybe summon your spirit guide? Or how about a red clay massage? We have hands that heal, brothers- Tay nods to henchman #2, who KNOCKS MARS out with one deft blow. Mars falls to the floor. They move past him into the- INT. SPA - BATHS - NIGHT -Which they enter, only to find the lights dimmed and the room empty. They pause, surprised - then ANGEL AND JHIERA LEAP ON THEM FROM SHOWER FIXTURES THAT ARE AFFIXED TO THE CEILING. Angel and Jhiera take the five on together - and a super cool fight ensues. While they are outnumbered, and Tay and the others are incredibly strong - Jhiera and Angel fight well together. Jhiera uses her non-resistant fighting style - and her nifty ability to îblow people away with her energy - while Angel battles alongside her, adapting his strengths and weaknesses to hers. EXT. BACK EXIT - NIGHT Wesley and Cordelia are helping the girls into their transport boxes full of ice, and loading them into the back of a large truck. Wesley is finding himself unbearably attracted to them - can't stop himself from talking to them. WESLEY (dreamily/to girl #1) That outfit, it quite becomes you, you knowÉ CORDELIA Wesley, get a grip, they won't be able to hold them off all day. Cordelia closes the lid on Wesley's box, glares at him. Wesley moves to another girl, grabs her hand to help her step into her box. Just her touch seems to drive him into a frenzy. WESLEY My, what a grip. VeryÉ healthyÉ (makes a muscle) Surprisingly firm myself under the jacket. Have a feel. CORDELIA You are patheticÉ The girl reaches out to touch him - but Cordelia steps between them. CORDELIA Éand about to get your eyeballs fried. She gently shoves the girl inñto the box. Wesley's beside himself - tries to lean into the box before Cordelia closes the lid. WESLEY No! But - just aÉ one kissÉ BOOM. Cordelia slams the top of the box down, practically taking Wesley's nose off. She slides the last box into the truck. INT. SPA - BATHS - NIGHT Where Angel and Jhiera still fight together beautifully. They make a great pair, but the numbers press on them. Then Cordy and Wesley enter and join the fray. The fight continues, with Angel and Jhiera pummelling Tay and henchman #1 while Cordy and Wesley take on henchman #3 and #4. Angel draws back to deal what looks like the final, crushing blow to Tay - when he sees: CORDY AND WESLEY HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY HENCHMEN #3 AND #4. The henchmen each stand behind them, holding their scythes to their necks. TAY Jhiera and the runaways are ours. ANGEL No they're not. TAY Give them back or the humans die. Angel assesses the situation. He doesn't see many options. He glances at Jhiera. But she won't meet his gaøze. JHIERA Then they die. With that, Jhiera runs for the back exit - surprising everyone. Taking advantage of the confusion, Angel and Wesley look at each other. Angel nods almost imperceptibly - and then shots his grappling gadget, hitting the Henchman in the head, freeing Cordelia. At the exact same moment - WESLEY FLIPS HENCHMAN #3 over his head and STOMPS on the henchman's hand that holds the scythe. The scythe goes skittering from the Henchman's grasp, and Wesley proceeds to give him a good pounding. Angel and Henchman #4 continue to fight while Tay and Henchman #1 escape out the back. Finally, Angel drops Henchman #4, who falls back, out cold, into one of the tubs filled with ice and lays there like a dead fish. EXT. BACK EXIT - NIGHT Jhiera is running for the waiting truck when a rope is thrown over her and TAY AND HENCHMAN #1 grab her from behind, pinning herr arms to her side. Henchman #1 produces the device which will remove her Ko. Tay takes device. The henchman holds Jhiera. TAYû Time to go home. Jhiera HOLDS BACK A CRY AS he moves to cut her. Suddenly a forceful hand clamps down on Tay's, twisting the device out of it. Angel gets Tay in a headlock, looks to the Henchman who still holds Jhiera. ANGEL Unless you want to see your leader dead, I'd let her go. Angel's tone and eyes are so murderous - there's no question that this is the truth. A beat - Tay nods to the henchman - release her. The henchman let's Jhiera go. And says without looking at her- ANGEL Go. Jhiera doesn't wait for him to say it twice. She races for the truck. Climbs in and takes off. Once she's gone, Angel releases Tay. Says to him- ANGEL I don't want you bringing your war here again. TAY (hotly) I have no choice. If this enemy persists, our whole society crumbles- ANGEL And if you persist on my turf - you'll have another enemy. TAY You don't understand our ways, human. ANGEL I don'tÉ Angel MORPHS. ANGEL And I'm not human. (then) Now - if I were you I'd grab the next portal out of herìe. Got it? A beat. Tay finally nods angrily and takes off. OFF ANGEL Looking into the distance where Jhiera drove off. INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NEXT DAY Angel stands at the coffee maker - contemplating the whole beans. Jonesing. He looks around to see if he's alone - then picks up the bag and tries to "mush" it as Cordy suggested. Perhaps he can grind them with his super guy strength. He gives this a go for a moment before the bag bursts open - sending beans flying all over the office. He doesn't have much time to react before Wesley and Cordelia enter. WESLEY Angel, I'm glad we- Wesley doesn't see the beans and (natch') goes flyin' out of frame. Both Cordy and Angel react. ANGEL Sorry. I had a littleÉ CORDELIA Mushing didn't work out so great, huh? But Wesley tries to make light of it - sees the cause of his fall - and starts collecting beans into his palm. WESLEY No worries, my fault, really- The beans skitter away from him, all over the floor. WESLEY Cagey little brutes, aren't they? (then) I can wash them if you like, individually. They'll be good as new. BetterÉ ANGEL Wesley, stop. Angel pulls him up. CORDELIA Wow, groveling isn't just a way of life for you, it's an art. WESLEY (with dignity) I do not grovel. (grovels to Angel) Please don't fire me, what happened yesterday was an anomaly. I am very rarely taken hostage. ANGEL That's good to know. And you're not fired. WESLEY I'm not? ANGEL No. It wasn't your fault. And you handled yourself very well. WESLEY That's- I can't tell you how- (emotional) I am your faithful servant, Angel. CORDELIA Like I said, an art. Jhiera enters. Wesley and Cordelia regard her coldly - not forgetting how she sold them out. CORDELIA Look who's here. Can I get you somethi›ng, knife to our throats, you can run away? Angel and Jhiera exchange a look - he opens the door into his inner office and she follows. INT. ANGEL'S INNER OFFICE - DAY They enter. Jhiera keeps her distance. JHIERA The girls are safe - outside of the city. ANGEL I'm glad - but you nearly got Wesley and Cordelia killed. JHIERA I had no choice. ANGEL Yes, you did. Angel can feel his blood rising again. This woman infuriates him - but it's more than that and they both know it. ANGEL If you've vowed to protect the innocent, Jhiera - it shouldn't matter which dimension they're from. They're standing closer. Heat building between them againÉ JH›IERA An easy sentiment, when your people are free. ANGEL I'm not saying you shouldn't fight - just know I'll be here to stop you if you cross the line. JHIERA I don't need an extra conscience. I'll do what I think is right. ANGEL And I'll do the same. Jhiera feels the energy building between them. Withdraws. JHIERA Fine. We understand each other, then. (off his silence) I have to go. Angel doesn't try to stop her. She turns to leave, revealing the SOFT GLOWING ILLUMINATION of her Ko. Before Angel fully registers this - she's gone. CLOSE ON ANGEL Watching the door where she left. Powerfully unsettled by this creature. BLACK OUT. THE END