Dead End

Part 1

February 12, 2001 (Yellow)

Written by: David Greenwalt

Teaser

EXT. CITY - STOCK - DAY

Flashy morning in the city.

INT. LINDSEY'S APT. - BEDROOM - DAY

CAMERA MOVES in on Lindsey, asleep in bed. Hold him for a beat. His eyes snap open, he stares almost directly into LENS: his expression empty. He looks over at the --

CLOCK RADIO - he knows it's going to click on. We HEAR:

D.J'S VOICE
We've got sig alerts on the
Four Oh Five, the One Oh One,
and the Sixty -- better take your
helicopter to work this morning,
heh heh -- your L.A. weather
today is sunny, bright and beautiful --

THE STUMP OF LINDSEY'S RIGHT HAND

Comes down on the OFF BUTTON silencing the radio.

TIME CUT:

LINDSEY LOOKS IN A MIRROR

Shaving. All we hear is the EXAGGERATED SCRAPING of the razor across his face.

LINDSEY'S DRESSER DRAWER SLIDES OPEN

He looks in where we see his prosthetic gear. He attaches the prosthetic holder over his stump, "puts on" his hand.

LINDSEY'S PROSTHETIC HAND

Slides open the closet door. Lindsey is dressed now in shirt and slacks. He reaches towards a pile of PRE-TIED ties, picks one. Slips it over his neck, straightening it as best he can with his good and bad hands. He glances at something in the corner of the closet.

HIS OLD GUITAR - Dusty and unused in the back of the closet.

LINDSEY - Stares at it with that same empty expression for a beat, then slides the closet door shut, blotting out his image as we PRE-LAP:

JOSEPH
Am I a lucky guy or what?

INT. KRAMER KITCHEN - DAY

A normal, happy family on the go - a contrast to the silence and emptiness of Lindsey's morning. JOSEPH KRAMER (late thirties, early forties) bounds in, kisses his WIFE.

JOSEPH
I get to meet with the board
and get the quarterlies out,
all in the same day.

Their two KIDS (BOY, 12, GIRL, 9) bustle about, swallowing breakfast, grabbing books and back packs, etc. The kids' BOOK BAGS say THE DELANCEY SCHOOL on them.

WIFE
Morning, sweetie. Hungry?

JOSEPH
No time.

WIFE
Have a muffin.

She holds up muffin, he takes it, grabs morning paper, turns to daughter.

JOSEPH
Where's my sugar?

He hugs daughter, turns to son --

JOSEPH (cont'd)
And my... manly handshake?

Son holds out hand. Joseph takes it and pulls the kid into a bear hug.

JOSEPH (cont'd)
We're late, we're late.

WIFE
I'll start the van. Jesse, you can
take your vitamins in the car.
Hayley, don't forget your homework.

Wife and kids head out, grabbing purses, back packs, etc.

WIFE (O.S.)
Jesse, where're your books?

Joseph, grabbing a muffin, trying to read headlines, calls:

JOSEPH
I got I em.

Joseph grabs the DELANCEY SCHOOL book bag off the table, munching on muffin.

WIFE (O.S.)
And the vitamins!

JOSEPH
Got them, too. Keep going...

Joseph, eyeing the paper, reaches down for the vitamins on the counter, but instead of picking them up, his hand grabs the LARGE BUTCHER KNIFE lying next to them.

JOSEPH - still reading paper, heads out, butcher knife in hand. Then, without warning or awareness on his part, he brings up the butcher knife as CAMERA rotates to the back of his head and he suddenly stabs himself HARD in his eye --

MATCH CUT:

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - DAY

We're IN ONE OF COR'S VISIONS - quick stylized snippets of Joseph stabbing himself in the face, Joseph falling, blood spattering on the DELANCEY SCHOOL BOOK BAG as it falls from his hand, Joseph hitting the floor, more blood, etc. And we're intercutting this with:

CORDELIA HERSELF

Reeling from this vision -- one of her worst ever -- careening back into furniture and/or a bookshelf, falling, SCREAMING as ANGEL, GUNN AND WESLEY come running from different directions, trying to get to her before she falls to the ground, not making it in time.

ANGLE - THE FLOOR

As Cor hits it. Angel's there in an instant, gathering her into his arms. We POP in a couple of the disturbing flashes of Joseph as Cor gasps for air.

ANGEL
Cordelia, CORDELIA!
(to Gunn or Wes)
Get her some water.
(to Cor)
What is it, what do you see?

CAMERA PUSHES IN ON CORDELIA

All she can do is gasp and try to get air into her lungs, the tears rolling down her cheeks, shaking her head. Off her horror,

END OF TEASER

Act One

EXT. WOLFRAM AND HART - STOCK - DAY

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

A staff meeting. NATHAN REED, another LAWYER or TWO his age, LINDSEY, LILAH, and a half dozen other lawyers their age, sit around the dramatically lit conference table, little pools of light isolating people in their own little worlds.

Lindsey, bored with the daily grind, doodles on a legal pad with his left hand. Lilah pays attention to Nathan, seeking opportunities to prove her invaluableness to the firm.

NATHAN
Where are we with Western Pacific Power?

YOUNG LAWYER #1
State Attorney General's threatening
a thorough investigation.

NATHAN
I know. That's why I'm saying, where
are we with Western Pacific Power?

LILAH
We can tie it up in litigation forever, sir.
They'll never miss a dividend.

LINDSEY
Why should they? They looted
three and a half billion since deregulation.

NATHAN
Are you suggesting our clients admit
that, Mr. McDonald?

Lindsey looks-up from his pad.

LILAH
Great idea, they can come clean, go
to jail and pay us how?

LINDSEY
Litigation's bad P.R. for a public utility.
We should cut a deal now: they refund
half a billion without admitting fault,
we take twenty per cent off the top, everyone wins.

NATHAN
I'll consider both options.
(moving on)
Magic Valley Theme Park?

YOUNG LAWYER #2
The opening's been pushed back forty days.

NATHAN
Is that sufficient time to consecrate
the ground and relocate the Krell demons?

YOUNG LAWYER #2
Yes sir, we're excavating a new
burrow for them in Mandeville Canyon.

NATHAN
(next item)
What's the current status with Angel?

Lindsey sighs -- here we go with the Angel.

LINDSEY
Angel... he's up, he's down, he's a
barrel of dead monkeys --

Lilah jumps in:

LILAH
He's back with his group, sir,
according to my sources he's doing
better -- in the sense that he's not
currently spending all his time
alone, on the warpath, trying to
kill...well, us.

NATHAN
Hmmm.
(beat)
When are you and Lindsey meeting with
the C.F.O. from Lycor?

LILAH
Uhhh, I think it's ...

LINDSEY
Thursday at eleven.

NATHAN
Good. Friday we'll be reevaluating
your division, you two can catch me up then.

Lilah nods, struggling to stay calm at the mention of "reevaluating" her and Lindsey.

NATHAN (cont'd)
Let's get to work.

Meeting adjourned. Everyone gets up, gathering their things. Lilah turns to Lindsey.

LILAH
Could you stab me in the back a
little deeper? I still have some
feeling in my legs.

LINDSEY
Lilah --

LILAH
They're gonna reevaluate us, you
know what that means, they'll promote
one and cut the other, and around
here that's a literal cutting.

LINDSEY
Nothing lasts forever.

LILAH
That's deep. Why don't you go f--

NATHAN (O.S.)
Lindsey?

Lindsey turns, Nathan's in the door, gesturing for Lindsey to:

NATHAN
Join me in my office?

Lindsey leaves Lilah, heads for Nathan.

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - NATHAN'S OFFICE - DAY

Nathan closes the door.

NATHAN
You had some good thoughts in there.

LINDSEY
Thank you sir.

NATHAN
Making you and Lilah co-vice presidents
of your division was a novel idea
but I think it's outlived its usefulness now.

Nathan glances through window. Lilah can be seen in b.g., trying not to look like she's spying on them which she is.

NATHAN (cont'd)
This won't be official till Friday at
the reevaluation but, I don't think
you have a lot to worry about.

LINDSEY
That's kind of you to --

NATHAN
One word of advice, your attitude
towards Angel... I realize what he
did to you was ...
(re: Lindsey's hand)
heartless... naturally your attitude
towards him would be complex,
but it's not very professional to air
those feelings around your colleagues ...
(warm hand on Lindsey's shoulder)
... people look up to you around here
you know. Which reminds me ...

Nathan removes an appointment card from his pocket, Lilah, watching the warm hand on Lindsey's shoulder in b.g., moves on.

NATHAN (cont'd)
I made an appointment for you
today, it'll take a while, I cleared
your calendar.

LINDSEY
Appointment?

NATHAN
Just a... well, you'll see.

Nathan, pleased with his little gift, opens the door for Lindsey who looks down at the appointment card: what now? PRE- LAP:

CORDELIA
He had to be crazy ...

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - DAY

Cordelia in a chair or on the couch now, looking pale, upset, out of it; Angel, Gunn and Wes gathered around, concerned. She has a water glass nearby.

CORDELIA
... but he didn't feel crazy, he felt
normal, you know until he started
stabbing himself ...

WESLEY
But you don't know where this occurred?

CORDELIA
I told you, it's just a house... could
be an apartment... it was in the kitchen.

GUNN
(not ungently)
We gotta narrow it down a little.

CORDELIA
... a nice kitchen. I don't ...

She shakes her head, at a loss.

ANGEL
It's all right, we'll figure it out.

WESLEY
Let's start by calling the hospitals.

GUNN
And sayin' what, did my Uncle check
in with a knife in his eye? They
only give out information to relatives.
(off Angel and Wes's look)
I just got the calling the hospitals job, didn't I?

WESLEY
I'll go to the morgues.

Gunn grabs a phone book, heads for phone.

ANGEL
I can hit the sewers, roust some
demons, see if there's a new terror in town.

WESLEY
Good idea.

Angel leans in to Gunn, re: Cor.

ANGEL
Keep an eye on her, will ya'?

GUNN
Sure.

ANGEL
(to Cor)
We'll be back.

She waves him off, Wes heads out front or garden doors, Angel heads out cellar stairs. Gunn looks at Cor, sitting off alone in her chair, rubbing her head.

GUNN
Can I get you anything... ? Cup a tea? ..

Nothing from Cor. He opens fridge.

GUNN (cont'd)
How 'bout some cheese or... well
you don't want blood... I can call
out for pizza...

She glares at him.

GUNN (cont'd)
You'll let me know.

Cor goes back to rubbing her head, Gunn runs his finger to HOSPITALS in the front page of the phone book, picks up phone.

EXT. EXTREMELY MODERN LOOKING CLINIC - STOCK - DAY

INT. DOCTOR'S EXAM ROOM - DAY

A NURSE finishes taking Lindsey's blood pressure, noting it in a file and removing the cuff as DR. MELMAN (smooth, professional) enters.

DR. MELMAN
Lindsey, I'm Doctor Melman. It's a
pleasure to meet you.

He glances at chart in Nurse's hand.

DR. MELMAN (cont'd)
Your basic vitals are good, you've
had all the usual childhood diseases,
not allergic to any medications...
(to Nurse)
Let's start him out with 2 milligrams
of Versed.

Nurse prepares a syringe in b.g.

DR. MELMAN (cont'd)
A little something to relax you before
we begin the procedure. Do you have
any questions?

LINDSEY
Just one -- what the hell's going on?

DR. MELMAN
Your boss didn't tell you?

LINDSEY
No.

DR. MELMAN
Oh, they have a funny sense of humor
over there.

LINDSEY
They keep us hopping.

DR. MELMAN
Your firm is a major source of funding
for our clinic, we see most of you for
your primary care and what not... but
there are some other less publicized
aspects of our work --

LINDSEY
What are they gonna do to me?

DR. MELMAN
Please don't be alarmed, they think
the world of you, that's why they
moved you to the top of the transplant list.

LINDSEY
Transplant?

DR. MELMAN
Your hand. That's why you're here.
We're giving you a new one.

CAMERA IN on Lindsey as Dr. Melman gives him the shot.

DR. MELMAN (cont'd)
Don't look so nervous. This is cause
for applause. In just a few hours time,
you'll be doing the applauding.

As Lindsey starts to look very drowsy,

INT. OPERATING ROOM - DAY

DR. MELMAN, another DOCTOR, ANESTHESIOLOGIST, VARIOUS NURSES, etc., give Lindsey a new hand. (NOTE: This scene will be SHOT IMPRESSIONISTICALLY, much of it from Lindsey's groggy point of view -- jumpy cuts in pictures and time.)

ANGLE - LINDSEY - hooked to I.V.s, chest stickers, breathing tubes, he lies groggy on the table, occasionally opening his eyes, as Dr. Melman cuts.

DR. MELMAN
(to Nurse)
Let's get the soft tissue ready for
incision, Tom.

A NURSE pulls something out of an ice chest - THE HAND - on a medical tray, is set down next to the operating table. Each of the following lines is a different ANGLE on MELMAN:

DR. MELMAN (cont'd)
Connecting the extensors. You're doing
great, Lindsey. Where's the pockla?

DR. MELMAN SEWING on new hand.

DR. MELMAN (cont'd)
Release the tourniquet... I'm waiting
on the pockla ...

NURSE
Here it comes ...

There's an other worldly WHOOSHING SOUND as a creature in a robe glides in. The CREATURE has no FACE but rather a black void in the shape of one on top of its shoulders, long hair.

Lindsey looks groggily from the Creature to the Doctor; the Creature raises a BONY HAND, passing it over Lindsey's wrist (as the doctor ties the last stitch on the new hand) sprinkling colored powder on the wrist.

The CREATURE hisses and spits, muttering unintelligibly:

CREATURE'S VOICE
Phhhssshhht! Harrarrr! Kada! Kada-hararrr!

THE WRIST -- (C.G.I.) the stitches dissolve and the ugly wound HEALS before our eyes, leaving a light pink scar around the wrist. THE DOCTORS' EYES above their masks - impressed. The Creature lowers it's creepy hand, glides off, losing dimensionality, disappears, moving right through the door.

DR. MELMAN
Okay, let's get him to post op.

EXT. CITY/HOTEL - STOCK - NIGHT

Establish with the cutty thing.

INT. ANGELIS HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT

Gunn's on the phone. Cor's in the background, compulsively rearranging books and cleaning, still pale.

GUNN
(into phone)
... he's my father, his name's Henry
Addison... yes, I'm his son, Gunn-ter
Addison --

INSERT - PAD next to Gunn. We see a long list of hospitals: St. John's, U.C.L.A., County, etc., most of them crossed out.

GUNN (O.S.)
--but if he's had a manic episode he
might not know his name or he might
think he's someone else ...

CAMERA moves off Gunn to Cor. Looking a little haunted as she straightens the books and begins polishing the glass (with a cloth) on a picture on the wall over and over. Angel enters from cellar stairs under:

GUNN (cont'd; O.S.)
It'd be a pretty serious knife wound
or wounds in his eye... you're sure?
All right, thanks.

Gunn hangs up, crossing another name off his long list as Angel glances at Cor who's far enough away not to hear:

ANGEL
How's she doin'?

GUNN
Been pretty quiet. I think she grunted
once around noon, then got on with
the maniacal cleaning.

They watch Cor, concerned, as Wes enters, moves to them. Wes is "up", not glum, obviously he's found something.

WESLEY
Guess what I found? More nothing than
usual. How about you two?

Gunn shows list of crossed out hospitals, Angel shakes his head.

WESLEY (cont'd)
We need more to go on.

ANGEL
We'll just have to talk to Cor,
get her to ...

GUNN
Dig a little deeper.

Beat. They all stand there. Wes turns to Angel.

WESLEY
Go ahead, probably best not to crowd her.

ANGEL
Me? But you're the one in charge now.

WESLEY
You're right.

He takes a step towards Cor, turns on a dime to Angel.

WESLEY (cont'd)
That's why I'm assigning this one to you.

Angel looks at Wes, moves to Cor, watches her rub the glass.

ANGEL
Hey. How you doin' there... boy you
could see your reflection in that glass --
I mean I couldn't 'cause of the vampire
situation but a normal person ...

CORDELIA
What do you want?

ANGEL
We need help.
We're not getting anywhere.

CORDELIA
I'm sorry, he's probably dead by now ...

ANGEL
We don't know that for sure and there
could be others ...

CORDELIA
(re: head)
I wish it would stop hurting... what
do you want me to do?

ANGEL
I'm not exactly sure, can you look
again? You know, inside?

CORDELIA
That's all I've been doing, all day...

She holds or touches her head as:

FLASH - GUY PICKING UP KNIFE

(NOTE: These are more a "memory" flash than an actual vision -- she's not falling over or anything.)

CORDELIA (cont'd)
Guy in a kitchen, normal guy, he
picks up a knife and ...

FLASH - OBLIQUE STAB INTO HIS EYE

CORDELIA (cont'd)
... you know... oh God, I think he
had kids ...

FLASH - CEREAL BOWLS ON BREAKFAST TABLE

Next to the book bag.

ANGEL
How do you know that?

CORDELIA
There were a lot of cereal bowls
on the table...
(realizing)
... and a book bag ...

FLASH - THE DELANCEY SCHOOL book bag as Joe's hand picks it up.

FLASH - The bag falls to the floor, blood splashing on it.

CORDELIA (cont'd)
... it had the name of the school on it...
The D something... Delaney or
Delancey School ...

ANGEL
That's good, that's great. Anything else?

She closes her eyes.

A COUPLE OF QUICK HORROR FLASHES

She opens her eyes, looks at Angel.

CORDELIA
I just keep seeing it ...

ANGEL
Okay, I think you should try and rest,
the school thing'll help, Wes and
Gunn can look into it first thing in
the morning. Can I get you anything?

CORDELIA
(a little irate)
Why does everyone keep asking me that?

ANGEL
(oops)
No reason.

EXT. CITY - STOCK - DAY

Sun rising.

INT. LINDSEY'S APT. - BEDROOM - DAY

Morning sun as CAMERA AGAIN moves to Lindsey who again opens his eyes. He lies there for a beat: was everything that happened yesterday a dream? He slowly brings up his left hand, then his right -- except for the small pink scar where it attaches to his wrist, perfectly normal. Lindsey flexes it slowly, looking at it with something like wonder.

O.S. the clock radio clicks on.

D.J'S VOICE
... we've got weather and traffic
coming right up so keep it right
here on the nifty Eight-Fifty --

Lindsey's new hand hits the clock radio, turning it off.

TIME CUT:

WATER - spills out of a faucet, runs over two hands. LINDSEY - splashes water on his face with both hands.

LINDSEY - opens the closet door, hair combed, slacks and shirt, looks at the pre-tied ties, starts to grab one, then his eyes fall on the dusty guitar.

LINDSEY - guitar in hand, he sits on the edge of a chair or the bed and strums a chord with his new hand. It's out of tune, he quickly tunes it up, plays the chord again. Pretty good. He plays another chord -- even better. He plays an improvised progression, his strumming hand working better than ever. As he gets a little fancier --

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - HALLWAY - DAY

Lilah moves down the hall, keeping a lid on her emotions.

HER POV - MOVING TOWARDS LINDSEY AND

IRV KRAIGLE (C.F.O. of Lycor Corp.) Nathan is with them.

TIGHT POV - LINDSEY SHAKES HANDS - Holding Irv's in both of his. LILAH - Takes this in, as she moves up.

NATHAN
And here's Lilah Morgan. You
guys can have my office. Irv, call
me if you need anything, you're in
good hands here.

IRV
Thanks.

LINDSEY
(re: Nathan's office)
We can go on in, Mr. Kraigle.

IRV
Please, call me Irv.

Irv enters. Lilah pauses, looks down at his new hand.

LILAH
That's an expensive operation, the
Shaman alone's a quarter mil -- I
guess they like you, they really
really like you.

LINDSEY
Client's waiting.

LILAH
I know you think you have this in the bag --

LINDSEY
(pained)
I don't think anything, Lilah.

LILAH
Oh you're the one in pain here.
(low and bitter)
I can't believe they chose you over me.

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - NATHAN'S OFFICE - DAY

Irv's at the head of Nathan's conference table, Lilah on one side, Lindsey on the other. Drinks, pads and pens in front of them, Lindsey taking an occasional note.

IRV
We're a family business, "we're the
chocolate chocolate lovers love." We
didn't do anything wrong.

LILAH
It's not about right and wrong,
Mr. Kraigle, it's about what a jury
may or may not award.

IRV
How can you get cancer from eating
chocolate?

LINDSEY
By selling it in a tin that leaches
cytoclistomene into the chocolate.

IRV
We didn't know that, how could
we know that! The Chinese screwed
us, they sold us the tin.

LILAH
Don't worry, if a jury ever hears
this -- and that's a big if -- they
will be hand picked or enchanted
by us.

IRV
Why can't people take responsibility
for their own problems, we didn't
give 'em cancer, the Chinese did!

LINDSEY
Actually it was the Drizon Company.

IRV
Who?

LINDSEY
An off shore corporation that split
off from your company oh let's say
six years ago ...

Lindsey's in his element now. He makes notes without ever looking down at this hand.

LINDSEY (cont'd)
... they are solely responsible for the
manufacture and sale of the tin
containers which your company
merely fills with chocolate.

IRV
Really?

LINDSEY
If the plaintiffs want redress, they'll
have to sue Drizon -unfortunately
they're going bankrupt this summer.

IRV
(beat)
I see why you guys get four-fifty an
hour. You gettin' all this down?

Lindsey nods, looking down at his pad.

CAMERA MOVES IN ON HIS PAD

And we see that in fact Lindsey's new hand is writing only one word over and over on the pad -- "kill".

TIGHTER - Camera moves across the words as they fill the screen "kill, kill, kill..."

LINDSEY - sees what he's doing, covers his reaction as:

IRV (cont'd)
He's good, isn't he?

LILAH
(he's an asshole)
Yeah. He's great.

PUSHING IN ON LINDSEY - watching in a kind of numb fascination as his new hand writes "kill" yet again.

END OF ACT ONE

Act Two

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - NATHAN'S OFFICE - DAY

Lindsey's hand writes "kill". Lindsey takes his right hand with his left and puts it in his lap.

IRV
This is very helpful, very comforting.
We're not doing anything unlawful
here, are we?

He looks to Lindsey who says nothing. Lilah jumps in.

LILAH
No. And more importantly we're
preserving your company.

IRV
I'm all for that. I think we're off
to a good start, so what now?

Lindsey suddenly stands.

LINDSEY
I have to go.

He rips the page off his pad, crumples it in his pocket and goes. Irv and Lilah watch him exit, a little surprised.

IRV
Something wrong?

LILAH
No. Nothing's wrong.

She gives him a reassuring smile.

INT. LINDSEY'S APT. - BEDROOM - DAY

CAMERA STARTS BACK WIDE - GLIDES to Lindsey, sitting very still at his desk. He puts a pen in his right hand, puts the pen to paper on the desk. Waits, watching the hand.

Nothing. The hand doesn't write. He pokes at it a little with his other hand, like you would a dead snake. He opens a drawer, pulls out a sharp looking letter opener, pokes at the hand a little. We see a few dots of blood.

He transfers the letter opener from his left hand to his new one, again glaring at it, waiting for it to do something.

CAMERA CREEPING in, we're thinking: is he going to cut himself? Lindsey drops the knife, holds up his hand.

LINDSEY
(to hand)
Who are you..?

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - DAY

DELIVERY GUY hands Angel several BAGS OF FOOD. Angel hands him some bills.

ANGEL
Keep the change.

Delivery Guy goes. O.S. we hear:

DELIVERY GUY (O.S.)
Wow, a whole dollar just for me?
I'm the luckiest man ever.

Angel glares after him, then carries the bags to the reception desk, starts laying out all kinds of food as Cor looks up from her desk in b.g.

CORDELIA
What's all this?

ANGEL
Lunch. I was hungry.

CORDELIA
You don't eat food.

ANGEL
I can. It won't keep me alive but
sometimes I get a hankering.

Cor moves to the reception desk, she can read the names of the sandwiches on their wrappers.

CORDELIA
You had a hankering for turkey, ham
and roast beef sandwiches?

ANGEL
You missed the vegetarian.

CORDELIA
Soup and salad, too?
What's going on here?

Beat. Angel confesses:

ANGEL
I forgot what you liked.

CORDELIA
Why didn't you ask me?

ANGEL
Well you said why is everyone asking
you if they can get you anything and
I didn't want to do that ...

CORDELIA
So you did this instead?

ANGEL
Yup.

Beat. Is this going to go well or is she going to freak?

CORDELIA
I love you.

She grabs two sandwiches. Angel smiles, pleased.

CORDELIA (cont'd)
You ought to do that more often.

ANGEL
Buy you food?

CORDELIA
Smile.

She heads for her desk, unwrapping the first sandwich; looks down at it -- FLASH -- we're back in the kitchen, in Joseph's TIGHT POV: the muffin in his hand. FLASH we're back. She barely reacts, "unh", but Angel picks up on it.

ANGEL
What?

CORDELIA
Okay this is weird. Before he put
the knife in his eye, he was happy...
he was happy about his eye... like it
was new or something

ANGEL
New ...

Angel thinks that over as Wes and Gunn blow in.

WESLEY
I think we found him. A man named
Joseph Kramer has two kids, twelve
and nine, in the Delancey School.

GUNN
The kids didn't show up for school
yesterday, their mom called and said
she was taking them out of the country.
Her husband supposedly got transferred -
overnight -- to the Seychelles.

ANGEL
(grabs coat)
You get a home address?

WESLEY
We've already been there.
(coolly)
I stood look out. Gunn went in.

ANGEL
And…?

GUNN
No trace of the family or any personal
belongings. The place had been
cleaned top to bottom, floors polished,
carpet was still wet.

ANGEL
To get rid of the blood.

Gunn produces a small piece of wood, shows it to Angel.

GUNN
Little piece of molding they missed
up under the pantry. You wanna sniff it?

ANGEL
How 'bout I just believe you.

WESLEY
All right --
(claps hands)
what do we know?

CORDELIA
We don't know anything. The guy's
gone, his family's gone, someone or
some thing has enough power to
make them all disappear in a day ...

GUNN
We're at a dead end.

WESLEY
Oh. I thought we knew more than that.

ANGEL
(pretty grim)
There's only one thing we can do now.

CAMERA PUSHES in on Cordelia realizing what he means.

CORDELIA
Oh god, oh no ...

WESLEY
The karaoke bar.

GUNN
Angel's gonna sing?

CORDELIA
Isn't there some other way?

WESLEY
There has to be, think, damn it!

ANGEL
(offended)
Hey.

INT. CARITAS - NIGHT

CLOSE ON HOST - Somewhat enraptured with whoever's on stage.

CLOSE ON HANDS playing guitar, PAN UP to LINDSEY - ON STAGE sings (song to come), plays guitar. He's terrific.

ANGLE - THE STAIRS - Cor, Gunn, Wes and Angel enter.

CORDELIA
(to Angel)
You should pick something short.

ANGEL
(to irk them)
I was thinkin' "Stairway to Heaven."

WESLEY
Don't even joke about that.

CORDELIA
(sees something O.S.)
Oh my God, look who's ...

They all follow her gaze -- and see Lindsey singing.

ANGEL
Lindsey?

The Host enters frame.

HOST
Isn't he fabulous?

ANGEL
He comes here?

HOST
Oh he used to come all the time
before some caballero chopped
off his strumming hand. Looks
like he got a new one.

CORDELIA
Woah... he's good ...

GUNN
Lawyers got some pipes.

ANGEL
You think he's good?

A bunch of crowd members shush him, along with:

CORDELIA
SHHHH!

INTERCUT - Lindsey singing, the AUDIENCE enjoying, and our people watching. ANGEL - not impressed. Wes, Cor and Gunn are.

ANGEL
I mean what is that: rock, country,
ballad? Pick a style, pal.

WESLEY
SHHHH!

Host signals a waiter who brings him a tall clear drink.

ANGEL
I don't think 'N Sync has anything
to worry about just yet.

HOST
Angel Cakes, don't make me
ask you to leave.

LINDSEY - finishes the song. ROUSING APPLAUSE. Lindsey pays it no mind, heading off stage.

CORDELIA
(to Host)
We can't sing after that.

HOST
And you won't have to.

Cor looks to Angel: what's that mean? Host moves through crowd to Lindsey, puts his arm around him, ushering him towards Angel and the others.

HOST (cont'd)
Golly Pilgrim, it sure is good to
have you back in the saddle.
(hands him drink)
Your favorite, T 'n T, the imported.

LINDSEY
(upset, all business)
Look, I got a crazy man's hand here,
it wants to kill -- someone -- maybe
me, I don't know -- what do you see?

HOST
Well, you know what they say, the
hand is quicker than the eye.
(off Lindsey's look)
You'll get that later.

LINDSEY
Look, I need help --

ANGEL
I'll say.

Lindsey sees Angel for the first time.

ANGEL (cont'd)
(to Host)
You might want to start with his "singing."

Angel laughs at his joke. No one else does.

CORDELIA
Hi. You probably don't remember
me, Cordelia. I know you're evil
and all but that was just so amazing.

GUNN
Oh yeah.

WESLEY
Terrific, really.

ANGEL
Is everyone drunk?

LINDSEY
(to Host)
What's he doin' here?
(hostile, to Angel)
What are you lookin' at?

HOST
Easy, children, I don't allow violence
in my club. Angel's here for the same
reason you are.

LINDSEY
(to Host)
How's that?

HOST
Well you're here 'cause all the king's
horses and all the king's men couldn't
put Humpty together again. And
he's here 'cause a certain fella'... well,
it's always funny till someone puts
their eye out -- anyway, two enemies,
one case, it's all coming together in
a beautiful buddy movie kind of way.

GUNN
They're supposed to work together on this?

LINDSEY
Work with him? Work with him?

HOST
Am I the only one who saw "Forty-
Eight Hours"?

LINDSEY
I got this murderous hand on me and
you're tellin' me to team up with the
guy who cut mine off in the first place?

Host gets dead serious.

HOST
I'm tellin' you what's what, sugar.
What you do with it is up to you.

Lindsey takes a big slug of his drink, sets it down.

LINDSEY
(to Angel)
I see you outside of this club, I'll kill you.

Lindsey walks out.

HOST
Oooo, resentment's such an ugly
emotion. I hope you've overcome
yours, Angel.

COR, GUNN, WES - All look at Angel.

HOST (cont'd)
'Cause right now he's got your case
in the -- forgive me -- palm of his
hand. Toodles.

Host moves off, Angel watching him, something clicking. Gunn points towards exit:

GUNN
If Lindsey's the lead, shouldn't we
be following him?

ANGEL
(to Cor)
You said the guy in your vision got
a new eye, and Lindsey just got a
new hand ...

WESLEY
All right then, we need to find out
where these transplants took place.

GUNN
So we're following him, right?

ANGEL
Actually what we need to follow is
his new hand.

Angel picks up Lindsey's glass, holds it to the light.

INSERT - GLASS - in the moisture on the outside, fingerprints.

ANGEL (cont'd)
I wonder who it belonged to.

EXT. WOLFRAM AND HART - STOCK - NIGHT

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - NIGHT

It's late. We're GLIDING DOWN a hall. A Dark Figure moves in front of us. We follow it to a door marked NATHAN REED.

The figure reaches into it's pocket, pulls out a fancy key card. Runs the card over a sensor on the door. The door pops open. We see the figure is Lindsey.

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - NATHAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Lindsey enters, quietly closes the door behind him. He moves quickly past Nathan's pristine desk to Nathan's state of the art computer (possibly set flush in a wall or something cool.)

Lindsey fires up the computer, glances at a framed photo of NATHAN, HIS WIFE, and a CHILD who looks a lot like Nathan.

ON THE COMPUTER - The prompt asks for a password. Lindsey types in the word ZEN.

The computer opens up and Lindsey gazes at Nathan's DESKTOP PAGE. Lindsey glances at a "To Do" icon, clicks on it.

A list of items fills the page, including one called "Special Projects Reevaluation". Lindsey clicks on that one and finds a series of file folders projected on the page, including ones marked Lindsey McDonald and Lilah Morgan.

Lindsey hits Lilah's file and it fills the page, her picture prominent in the upper corner. Lindsey moves the cursor to "Open?", hesitates for a beat, then hits "Close" and Lilah disappears, returning Lindsey to Nathan's desktop page.

Lindsey types in the words "Fairfield Clinic" and in a moment another page appears, hopefully with a picture of the clinic that we might recognize in the corner. PRE-LAP:

ANGEL
I got it.

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT

Wes, Gunn and Cor look up as Angel breezes in from the cellar or garden door.

ANGEL
The hand belongs to a thirty year old
white male named Bradley Scott.

Angel drops a file on the counter, Cor picks it up, studies it, heading for her desk as:

ANGEL (cont'd)
He served two and a half years at
Soledad for embezzlement, paroled
last month.

GUNN
How'd you find all this?

ANGEL
I'm a detective.

CORDELIA
He have a life before prison?

ANGEL
I'm not sure, why don't you run him
on the --

CORDELIA
(at the computer)
-- already am.

WESLEY
That's impressive, Angel.

ANGEL
Sometimes you just gotta follow your...
(taps his own nose)

Gunn and Wes exchange a look, then:

WESLEY
So how'd your nose get you in the N.C.I.C.?

ANGEL
(beat)
The what?

WESLEY
The National Crime Information Center.

ANGEL
Oh that, kind of a long story.
(to Cor)
How's it coming over there?

GUNN
We got time.

Beat. Wes and Gunn look at Angel.

ANGEL
You know when I was the boss
around here nobody questioned
my methods or my singing.

CORDELIA
You're half right.

ANGEL
All right, I hired a private detective.
He's got a friend on the force.

WESLEY
You -- we're supposed to be the
private detectives.

GUNN
We're supposed to have a friend on
the force.

ANGEL
Well we did but she got fired,
get over it.

CORDELIA
(re: computer)
Bradley Scott... guess where he worked
while he was dumping bearer bonds
on the black market.
(looks up)
Wolfram and Hart.

WESLEY
I wonder if he's still alive.

ANGEL
According to his records he reported
to his parole officer once and then
disappeared.

GUNN
He goes to jail, they wait for him
to get out and --
(mimes cutting off hand)
WHACK!, Wolfram and Hart gives his
hand to Lindsey. I guess they really
want to give that boy everything ...

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - HALLWAY - NIGHT

Lindsey exits Nathan's office, quietly shutting the door behind him. He moves down the hall, turns a corner.

LINDSEY'S POV - A small amount of light spills out of a half open door down the hall. He HEARS someone rummaging around, opening drawers, cupboards. He moves up, peers in:

INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - SNACK ROOM - NIGHT

This should be dimly and romantically lit, and possibly not white-walled. Lilah rummages around haphazardly, not really sure what she's looking for. She is scared and we need to feel her vulnerability.

Lindsey watches unseen from the dark hallway.

She settles on a candy bar, rips it open, takes a bite or two, drops it on the counter, rummages some more. She finds a glass, fills it with water from a water cooler and opens her purse.

INSERT - PURSE

Full of the normal stuff, plus a couple of prescription pill bottles and a .38. Lilah removes one of the pill bottles, drops two in her hand and takes them with the water. She leans on the counter, or looks around nervously, trying to calm herself, trying to breathe.

LINDSEY - Watches, betraying no particular emotion, then backs into the dark hallway unseen. SPORTS ANNOUNCER'S VOICE UP along with crowd sounds as:

EXT. CRAPPY APT. BUILDING - STOCK - NIGHT

INT. CRAPPY APT. BUILDING - NIGHT

A BEEFY GUY (SAM) watches sports (unseen but heard) on T.V., drinks a beer. There's a knock at his door.

SAM
Who is it?

LINDSEY (O.S.)
You don't know me, my name's Lindsey
McDonald, I work for Wolfram and Hart.

Sam reacts to the "Wolfram and Hart", gets up, clicking off the T.V., moving to the door pretty fast for a big guy. He opens it, chain still on, revealing Lindsey in the hall.

SAM
What do you want?

LINDSEY
I want to talk to you, just for a
minute. Can I come in?

Sam closes door, takes chain off, lets Lindsey in, glancing in the hallway before he shuts and locks the door again.

LINDSEY (cont'd)
It's all right, I'm alone.

SAM
Professional habit. I see a lot of
low lifes.

LINDSEY
I guess a parole officer would. This
is completely off the record, I had
a procedure done at the Fairfield Clinic,
I know they've paid you in the past to
do things for them, I don't care about
that, what I do care about is finding
out where they get their body parts.

SAM
(beat)
What's the code?

LINDSEY
Code?

SAM
If you're from Wolfram and Hart you
know the code.

LINDSEY
Look, I'm a lawyer there, but this
isn't my case, I don't know the code,
we don't need a code. I'll pay you
out of my own --

WHAM! Sam suddenly hits Lindsey just SO GODDAMN hard on the side of the head with a .45. Lindsey careens into a wall. Sam pistol whips him once, twice, then shoves him against a wall, gun at his throat.

SAM
I'm sorry, did you mistake me for a jerk?
I know you guys play your little
games within games. Me? I'm just
a civil servant, and I don't play.

Sam cocks the gun. Off Lindsey,

END OF ACT TWO

Continue on to Part Two

Dead End

Part 2

February 12, 2001 (Yellow)

Written by: David Greenwalt

Act Three

INT. CRAPPY APT. BUILDING - NIGHT

As before, Lindsey against the wall, Sam about to kill him.

SAM
You got three seconds to tell me what
the game is.

LINDSEY
There is no game, this is about me --

SAM
Goodbye.

Sam's finger tightens on the trigger. Suddenly the window across the room behind him explodes in a shower of glass, a trash can flying through it. Sam swings the gun around -sees Angel (who just hurled the trash can through the window) outside. Sam fires, Angel leaps incredibly fast out of sight.

Sam grabs Lindsey's neck, drags him across the room towards the window, using him as a shield.

SAM (cont'd)
Friend of yours?

LINDSEY
No. He's --

SAM
(calls to window)
Hey! I'm about to put a bullet in
your buddy's brain here!

Sam edges closer to window, peering out into the darkness.

SAM (cont'd)
(re: Angel)
I got him, I know I got him...

Sam looks for Angel's body -- doesn't see it anywhere -- suddenly a rope flies in, lassos Sam's neck, yanks him hard right out the window, Lindsey grabbing the gun as Angel (outside) holds Sam, the rope around the neck.

LINDSEY
What are you doing?

ANGEL
Gee, I don't know, saving your life?

Lindsey points the gun towards Angel, more gesturing with it than threatening.

LINDSEY
I don't want you saving my life --

SAM
Watch out with that!

ANGEL
Little gratitude, Lindsey, goes a
long way.

LINDSEY
You got no business -- why aren't you
trying to kill me?!

ANGEL
Excuse me, I'm on a case here, does
everything have to be about killing
you all the time?

Sam looks from Lindsey to Angel: these guys are crazy.

SAM
Okay, you guys got issues, why don't
I just -- AHHHH!

Angel tightens the rope on his neck. Sam chokes as:

LINDSEY
Hey, that's my lead, you're choking
my lead.

ANGEL
"He's my lead, he's my lead." What are
we, on the school yard here? You
want to get to the bottom of this,
learn to play with others.
(to Sam)
Now, I'm gonna loosen the rope and
you're gonna tell me all about your
parolee Bradley Scott.

LINDSEY
Who?

ANGEL
Guy whose hand you're wearing. You
might want to listen up.

LINDSEY
Don't tell me what to do.

ANGEL
(to Sam)
He's so immature.

LINDSEY
(whiny)
Shuddup!

ANGEL
(to Sam)
We're waiting.

SAM
I'm tellin' you zip -- you can kill
me but Wolfram and Hart'll do worse.

ANGEL
Kill you? Why would I kill you...
(MORPHS)
...when I could live off you for a month?

SAM
Dahhhhh!

ANGEL
(pinches Sam's cheek)
Mmmm, can't you just taste that
butter fat?

LINDSEY
You're really gross, you know that?

SAM
I'll tell ya', I'll tell ya'! Scott stole
some bearer bonds, he went to jail
and when he was paroled Wolfram
and Hart got him assigned to me.

ANGEL
According to your file he was a
fugitive no show, but you saw
him, didn't you.

SAM
Just once.

LINDSEY
You took him to the Fairfield Clinic.

SAM
No, I didn't take him there.

ANGEL
Where?

SAM
I... it's