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Guise Will Be Guise Part 1 (September 13, 2000) Written by: Jane Espenson |
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Teaser |
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EXT. WOLFRAM AND HART - DAY To establish, as... INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - BASEMENT RECORDS AREA - DAY A LAWYER exits the records room, approaches the elevator. Nods to UNIFORMED SECURITY GUARD as he moves to the elevator, the doors close. We STAY with the Security Guard as he checks the area, moves off... all's quiet, then: A FLOOR PANEL opens and ANGEL and GUNN emerge from the bowels of the building, both dressed inconspicuously... that is to say, not in the street long coats but merely casually. Angel suddenly hesitates and Gunn almost runs into him. If one looked closely, one might notice that Angel looks a little unshaven and ragged. Angel notes two LAWYER-LIKE FIGURES, male and female, coming around a corner. ANGEL Angel moves towards the elevator. DING! The doors open. INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS Angel and Gunn step onto the elevator. Angel hits a button. The doors start to close -- but before they can, a briefcase is wedged between the doors. The doors open, revealing the two lawyers -- WESLEY and CORDELIA. Angel and Gunn react as they step into the car. ANGEL CORDELIA She hits the "door open" button. The doors open. GUNN WESLEY Angel hits the "up" button. The doors close. GUNN Cordy slides on fashionable women's glasses -- CORDELIA She hits the "open" button again. Doors open. CORDELIA Angel hits the "up" button. The doors start to close. ANGEL Cordy hits the open-doors button. The doors open... CORDELIA WESLEY GUNN Angel hits the up button. Cordy hits the open doors button. CORDELIA GUNN WESLEY As Angel counter punches "up". Doors start to close. ANGEL GUNN Cordy hits open. Angel hits up. Doors close. CORDELIA ANGEL The doors are fully closed. Cordy, pissed, goes to hit the button again. It opens -- this time revealing the SECURITY GUARD, who's got the mic on his collar to his mouth, having just spoken to someone. Seeing the intruders, he raises his nightstick... clicks the button on the bottom and the STAKE snaps out of the tip. Angel lunges at him, strips the nightstick from his hand and SKEWERS THE GUARD THROUGH THE FOOT... the tip of the stick wedges in the elevator door tracks. Wesley and Cordy flinch. WESLEY Even Gunn looks away. GUNN ANGEL END OF TEASER. |
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Act One |
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INT. KARAOKE BAR - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Two JAPANESE BUSINESSMEN are on stage, staging a pretty manly attack on "I Got You, Babe." A few DEMONS watch impatiently from the audience. Angel sits opposite the HOST. HOST ANGEL HOST ANGEL HOST ANGEL Angel lets his head hang. ANGEL OVER AT A TABLE Wesley, Cordy and Gunn share a table. Gunn is looking around. GUNN He reacts as a HORNED DEMON leans toward the candle at another table to light his cigarette. GUNN CORDELIA WESLEY CORDELIA GUNN WESLEY GUNN ANGEL AND THE HOST The Host is writing on a small notepad like a doctor writing a prescription. HOST ANGEL HOST He tears off the top sheet, hands it to Angel. ANGEL HOST A human young man, RAMONE, hands the host a drink. HOST ANGEL HOST The Host moves off. "I Got You, Babe" is just winding down. HOST Angel heads over to Wesley, Gunn and Cordy. Wesley is leaning over to a neighboring table, deep in conversation with a (human) WOMAN there. ANGEL CORDELIA Wesley is in mid-explanation to the woman who listens intently. WESLEY Cordelia pulls Wesley away from the woman and the group heads for the door. WESLEY ANGEL WESLEY INT. HOTEL - NIGHT ( NIGHT 1) Wesley and Cordelia in Angel's office. Cordelia is tidying up as Wesley looks on. WESLEY CORDELIA WESLEY CORDELIA WESLEY Wesley looks through some of Angel's papers. CORDELIA WESLEY CORDELIA Cordelia is sitting behind Angel's desk. She spins in his chair. WESLEY She stops spinning. CORDELIA She puts her head on her hand. Sighs. CORDELIA Wesley holds up a paper from Angel's desk. WESLEY CORDELIA EXT. COAST HIGHWAY - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Angel speeds through the night in his convertible. The ocean shines behind him. Perhaps there is a flashy/cutty transition here to: EXT./INT. LAKE CABIN - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Angel stands at the door of a rustic lake-side cabin. He knocks. The door is answered by the T'ISH MAGEV. He's wiping his hands on a dish-towel. He's not at all what we'd expect -- burly human guy. Think Mike Starr. Angel is a little thrown by his appearance. T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL The Magev darkens a little, clearly used to this reaction. T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL A beat as they scrutinize each other... finally: T'ISH MAGEV INT. HOTEL OFFICE - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) It's late. Cordelia is alone, closing up the office, turning off the coffee-maker, computer monitors, etc. Suddenly, Cordelia is GRABBED FROM BEHIND by a thug we'll get to know as BENNY. He has an arm around her neck. He has the well-dressed muscled look of a Mafia enforcer. BENNY CORDELIA BENNY CORDELIA BENNY lets go of Cordelia CORDELIA Benny pulls a gun from a shoulder holster 6 THRU 9 OMITTED INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Wesley walks across the lobby toward the office. He hears: BENNY CORDELIA WESLEY backs away with urgency. INT. HOTEL - CONTINUING Cordy is really scared now. CORDELIA BENNY CORDELIA Close on Benny's trigger finger. Things look bad. INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) In a cool Steadicam shot, seen from behind, a tall figure in Angel's long coat steps quickly toward the office. INT. HOTEL OFFICE - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Cordy is trembling with fright, gun near hear head. Then, suddenly, a dark figure is there in the doorway. Low-angle hero shot of... Wesley, wearing Angel's coat. WESLEY END OF ACT ONE |
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Act Two |
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EXT. LAKE CABIN - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) To re-establish with Angel's parked convertible outside... INT. LAKE CABIN - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Angel sits across from the T'ish Magev. They just stare at each other. Angel's discomfort is palpable... finally: T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGELY T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL The T'ish nods, considers that. T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL The T'ish Magev shrugs, dubious. T'ISH MAGEV Angel's flustered for a beat, then -- ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV A beat. Trapped by that one. ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV Off Angel, considering that... INT. HOTEL - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Cordelia HAS A GUN pointed somewhere near but not exactly at her head. Wesley stands in the doorway. Benny turns the gun on Wesley. Wesley blanches, barely keeps it together. WESLEY CORDELIA Benny slowly puts the gun back into the holster. BENNY WESLEY Benny heads for the door. BENNY WESLEY BENNY WESLEY CORDELIA BENNY WESLEY As Benny and Wesley exit, some of Wesley's bravado evaporates: WESLEY EXT./INT. MANSION - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Imposing fancy house. Robed guards patrol. Benny walks in first and Wesley follows. Very casually, Benny tosses back over his shoulder: BENNY Wesley HOPS BACK OVER THE THRESHOLD AND WALKS IN AGAIN. His move is unnoticed. WESLEY INT. MANSION HALLWAY AND DINING ROOM - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Benny ushers Wesley through the hall toward a dining room. As they near it, voices are heard. A man we'll know as PAUL LANIER walks into the hallway. Lanier is in his 50s, wears a suit and speaks with a very slight French or Euro-Blended accent. He speaks politely, smiling even, but with well-banked anger underneath. LANIER Another man follows him into the hall. This is MR. MAGNUS BRYCE, 49. He's groomed and tailored and he gives the impression of wealth and power. Benny's boss. Even more polite, even steelier underneath. MR. BRYCE Lanier registers the threat, gets nervous. LANIER MR. BRYCE Intimidated despite himself, Lanier nods and exits down the hall. Mr. Bryce turns his attention to Wesley and Benny. BENNY MR. BRYCE Bryce shakes Wesley's hand, then leads Wesley and Benny into the dining room. MR. BRYCE Benny goes to a sidebar with some decanters on it. MR. BRYCE WESLEY MR. BRYCE Benny hands Wesley a glass of blood. BENNY Wesley looks at the drink. WESLEY MR. BRYCE Wesley tastes the blood. Gags, but keeps it down. WESLEY MR. BRYCE WESLEY MR. BRYCE As Bryce says the following, he turns toward a table. Benny is busy at the sidebar. Wesley takes the opportunity to dump the glass of blood into a large flower arrangement. An instant later he realizes that the flowers are in a large clear glass vase. The blood turns the water red. Wesley jumps to stand in front of the vase. MR. BRYCE WESLEY MR. BRYCE WESLEY MR. BRYCE WESLEY MR. BRYCE WESLEY Bryce gets up, comes over to Wesley, puts an arm around his shoulder... very intimidating. Benny moves in closer too. MR. BRYCE Mr. Bryce smiles. Benny smiles. Wesley looks back and forth between them. He forces a smile. As we hold on Wesley for a beat: T'ISH MAGEV (V.O.) INT. LAKE CABIN - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Angel with the Magev... ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV Angel considers that, looks down to his wardrobe. ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV Angel self-consciously touches his hair. The Magev moves to an assortment of weapons... T'ISH MAGEV As the Magev selects two sparring sticks -- T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV He tosses on of the poles to Angel. Off Angel, catching it -- OMITTED INT. BEDROOM (MANSION) - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) The bedroom of VIRGINIA BRYCE, mid-20s. It's full of expensive furniture and lots of bookshelves. Virginia has been lying on her stomach on her bed, reading. She turns around, sensing the presence, of -- Wesley, Bryce and Benny stand at a doorway. Mr. Bryce knocks and enters. Wesley follows him in. Benny stays in the hallway, to stand guard at the door. MR. BRYCE VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA MR. BRYCE VIRGINIA Wesley glances around the room, casting a casual look at his reflection in a vanity mirror. After a moment, he realizes and jumps back. WESLEY MR. BRYCE WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY Virginia covers the mirror with a shawl. WESLEY MR. BRYCE VIRGINIA WESLEY MR. BRYCE Wesley looks at him firmly. Flexing his Angel-influence for the first time. MR. BRYCE Mr. Bryce exits. Virginia sits at her vanity table and ignores Wesley. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY She shrugs. Beat of silence. Wesley looks around the room. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY She looks at him. WESLEY VIRGINA WESLEY She thinks about it, reaches a decision. VIRGINIA WESLEY Virginia and Wesley exit, passing Mr. Bryce and Benny in the hall. WESLEY INT. HOTEL - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Cordelia has called Gunn to the hotel. She's typing at the computer as he looks on. GUNN CORDELIA GUNN CORDELIA GUNN CORDELIA GUNN CORDELIA INT. RITZY WIZARD STORE - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) A very up-scale store, the kind of store where the patrons are served champagne as they shop. The bottle of champagne sits in an ice bucket on a counter. The store is full of glass cases and velvet-covered displays showing wands and parchments and gadgets. Virginia is peering into a glass case as Wesley looks around him, impressed. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY Virginia is looking into a case on top of which sits a medieval helmet with an ornamental cross on top. VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLSY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA Wesley is touched by this. He looks at her with great sympathy. She looks back at him. Then... VIRGINIA Wesley looks up to realize that he's got one hand resting on the helmet's cross. He pulls it away. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY She's reaching for his suspiciously unburned hand. He finds a solution and plunges it into the champagne's ice bucket. The he pulls it out again. WESLEY He is further startled by a firm hand gripping his arm. He looks around. A THUG (#1) has him, and steps in to stand very close. A second THUG (#2) has Virginia by the arm. THUG #1 Thug #2 is tugging her away from Wesley. She looks at Wesley with panic. He tries to figure out what to do... WESLEY VIRGINIA At the name, the Thugs react. They look at Wesley. THUG #2 The Thugs hesitate, take a step back. Wesley notices this. WESLEY The Thugs exchange a glance. Wesley stands up straight, getting into the role. WESLEY Wesley paces, lets the coat do its thing... WESLEY On "angry," Wesley makes a sudden move. The Thugs flinch and let go of Virginia. THUG #1 WESLEY Thug #2 nods. WESLEY The Thugs exit fast. WESLEY INT./EXT. COVERED BRIDGE - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Angel and the T'ish Magev spar on a covered bridge. Angel is slammed up painfully against a pillar. He charges the Magev who deflects the force with a simple side-step and a casual swipe to send Angel into the wall. Angel is being forced to work at the top of his ability. The Magev is barely sweating. T'ISH MAGEV The Magev gets a nasty blow in, Angel winces. T'ISH MAGEV Angel tries to counter -- ANGEL -- but the Magev pummels him. T'ISH MAGEV The Magev comes at him strong. Angel tries to counter... ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV Angel tries, but continues to get pounded back. T'ISH MAGEV In between blows -- ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV Angel gets mad, manages to pin the Magev -- both breathing heavily now... ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV A beat... he finally says it: ANGEL The Magev grins. T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL The Magev nods, takes that in... T'ISH MAGEV Wham, bang! The Magev employs a move that sends Angel onto his back. The Magev looks down on his fallen partner -- T'ISH MAGEV The Magev tosses away his weapon, walks off, leaving Angel alone to consider these things. Off Angel... INT. CABIN - MOMENTS LATER (NIGHT 1) Alone, the T'ish Magev allows himself to wince in pain, puts an ice pack to his side. He talks softly on the phone. By the way, it's one of those novelty phones that look like a duck decoy. Angel is nowhere to be seen. T'ISH MAGEV INTERCUT WITH: INT. PAUL LANIER'S PLACE (NIGHT 1) The other half of the phone call. A study in another mansion. This study has some magical trappings... masks and weapons on the wall. Paul Lanier is on the phone. The Thugs from the store are with him. LANIER T'ISH MAGEV LANIER T'ISH MAGEV LANIER END OF ACT TWO Continue on to Part
Two |
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Guise Will Be Guise Part 2 (September 13, 2000) Written by: Jane Espenson |
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Act Three |
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INT. HOTEL - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Cordelia sits at the computer. She watches, bored and frustrated as the computer flashes mug shots at her, one after another. She sighs. She glances at a MAGAZINE lying on the desk next to the computer. A tiny bit guilty, she starts flipping through it. She gets more engrossed. The flashing pictures on the computer are completely ignored now as they cast flickering reflections on her face. CORDELIA She flips to page 46. Among other photos of celebrity arrivals at some fancy party, is a photo of Mr. Bryce and Virginia. The caption reads "Millionaire-CEO Magnus Bryce and daughter Virginia." Behind the Bryces is visible a highly-recognizable Benny the thug. CORDELIA INT. MANSION HALLWAY - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Wesley is bringing Virginia back to her room. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA They round a corner and find themselves near her room. TWO HOODED-AND-ROBED GUARDS stand by the door (they are Thug #3 and Thug #4 -- only #3 talks). VIRGINIA Thug #4 reaches for her, grabs her, twists her arm painfully behind her. WESLEY Thug #4 smiles... he knows this isn't really Angel. WESLEY Then Thug #3 opens a hand... there is a FLASH OF LIGHT like stage magicians use... THUG #3 Wesley acts incredibly quickly, grabbing Thug #3 and SLAMMING his head against the wall, then KICKING Thug #4. THUG #3 Wesley grabs Thug #3 by the collar, hauls him to his feet. In his face: WESLEY He PUNCHES Thug #3 again, who starts to scramble away. Thug #4 follows him. Wesley turns to Virginia. VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA She scrunches her face. VIRGINIA WESLEY EXT. LAKE - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Angel and the T'ish Magev (we'll continue to call him that) sit on a landing and fish in the darkness. ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL INT. BEDROOM (MANSION) - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Virginia sits on her bed. Wesley is looking through her bookshelves. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESELY VIRGINIA He'd forgotten the masquerade for a minute. WESLEY He looks over at her on the bed. She's lying back, staring at the ceiling. He sits next to her. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY She nodes, accepting that. VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY She nods, too close to tears to answer. Then: VIRGINIA He takes her in his arms. She kisses him. He pulls back... WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA EXT. LAKE - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV ANGEL T'ISH MAGEV INT. BEDROON (MANSION) - NIGHT (NIGHT 1) Where they were... WESLEY She kisses him. WESLEY She takes his glasses off and sets them aside. WESLEY She kisses his neck. WESLEY VIRGINIA WESLEY VIRGINIA That gives him pause. WESLEY She cuts him off with a passionate kiss. He kisses her. Getting lost in it. They wrap together, his face buried in her hair. A picture of passion. And we prelap: THUG #1 (V.O.) |