Billy (September 20, 2001) Written by: Tim Minear & Jeffrey Bell Directed by: David Grossman Teaser INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - BASEMENT - DAY We're tightish on CORDELIA and ANGEL. He's behind her, his arms around her, embracing her. Cheek-to-cheek. ANGEL Just trust me -- CORDELIA I do. ANGEL Don't stiffen up. CORDELIA Yeah, you either -- He guides her hands up INTO FRAME; she grips a sword. The basement's outfitted for training. He maneuvers her steps, guides her movements, walking her through: ANGEL A good defense is about moving the line of attack. When the bad guy comes at you, you'll step off the line, like this -- creating a new one. Angel disengages from her. Moves to the side, demonstrating. ANGEL (cont'd) Every time you do, your opponent'll be forced to adjust. Always make the other guy work. CORDELIA Move the line. Okay. Then what? ANGEL Then... keep moving the line. You'll be able to keep an attacker busy until... you know. CORDELIA What? Until he dies of old age? Or unt÷il you can swoop in to save me? He says nothing, looks a little caught. CORDELIA (cont'd) Angel, I didn't ask you to train me so I could "stave." I already know how to stave. Now I need to learn how to fight. ANGEL (a little hurt) You don't think I would? CORDELIA Would what? ANGEL Save you... CORDELIA Menfolk not always around to protect the womenfolk, you know. Besides -- what if it turns out you're the guy I end up having to fight? Could happen. He considers that. A quiet moment. He walks her through a specific combination of moves: ANGEL When you put down an adversary, you want to make sure he doesn't get up again. So. Like I showed you... force the other guy to counter. He'll open himself up to something like... (a thrust at the air) ...this. We'll go half speed until... CORDELIA (cuts him off) No need. I got it. Three years varsity cheer squad, I only ever had to be shown a move once. ANGEL Handling a lethal weapon's a little different than shaking a pom-pom. CORDELIA (fulÀl-on cheerleader) Ready?! Okay! She's used her little cheerleader flourish to ramp her into the full-speed combination they just walked through, ending with the end of her blade at his throat. ANGEL Go team. Off that -- INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - HALLWAY - DAY - LILAH Quicksteps down the semi-busy hallway with a CLERK. LILAH How long has he been here? CLERK Security brought him in about twenty minutes ago. LILAH You should've pulled me out of that meeting the minute you heard anything. What about the family? CLERK On their way. INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - LILAH'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Lilah enters, stops as she sees: GAVIN PARK chatting with BILLY. We will recognize him as the youth Angel "rescued" from the fire cube. We can't hear what they're saying. Soft words and softer laughter. They notice Lilah standing there. Stop talking. Gavin is up and approaching her, private-ish. GAVIN Lilah... I was just keeping young Billy here company.Ú LILAH Thanks awfully, Gavin. But I'll take it from here. (pushing past) Billy, your family's been worried sick. Where have you been? BILLY I went for a walk. LILAH A walk? For three days? GAVIN The boy was feeling cooped up. LILAH (bristles) Gavin. Really. Why don't you go... close an escrow or something? (then, to Billy) You know you're not supposed to be out on your own. Remember what happened the last time? You don't want to end up back in that awful place again, do you? CONGRESSMAN (O.S.) Of course he doesn't. ANGEL - THE DOORWAY where now stands a distinguished man who we will call CONGRESSMAN. He is flanked by an ENTOURAGE. CONGRESSMAN No one wants that. LILAH Congressman... The Congressman hits Billy with an even stare. CONGRESSMAN I trust you managed to stay out of trouble this time, Billy? BILLY No trouble. CONGRESSMAN Let's go home. Billy moves past Gavin and Lilah, joins his uncle. CONGRESSMAN (cont'd) (to Lilah) This would be the síecond time you've returned our nephew safely to us. Thank you. GAVIN Our pleasure They're going. Lilah steps forward, calling after them: LILAH Yes. "Our pleasure" in the sense that he had nothing to do with this! But they're gone. Gavin lingers, looking toward the door. GAVIN Nice boy. LILAH Yeah. Billy's great. Had his own private room in hell. Family connections. Oh, and also -- get out. GAVIN I wasn't finished. LILAH No, you really were. And just so we're clear? You go sniffing around one of my clients again? I think we're going to have a problem. She turns away, heads to her desk. Gavin doesn't budge. GAVIN You think? Who told you you could think? Why don't you try listening once in a while instead of constantly flapping that fat mouth of yours. Lilah's a little thrown by that, then laughs scornfully. LILAH Not exactly captain of the debate team, were you, Gavin? (turning away again) At least Lindsey knew how to -- She's yanked backward by the hair, then shoved harïd into a glass shelf, face first. CRASH. Now Gavin just starts smashing his fist into her face. Blood freckles the wall, as -- INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - HALLWAY - DAY Billy in the center being ushered out by the Congressman and entourage. As Billy moves toward us, we see just a hint of a smile. Off Billy, secretly self-satisfied -- OMITTED BLACK OUT. END OF TEASER Act One INT. WESLEY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Post dinner party. Angel and Gunn play at a Playstation (we need not see the game screen,) Fred watches. Beyond, at the dining room table, Wesley enters with a coffee service (English plunger style.) Cor reaches for it. CORDELIA Let me do that. WESLEY Nonsense. You're my guests. CORDELIA And you did all the cooking. As she pours coffee, she winces. He notes this. He regards her, a bit of pride there. WESLEY It's inspiring to see you like this. CORDELIA What, all sore and stiff? WESLEY No. Taking responsibility. The initiative you've shown in training with Angel... I'm ñproud of you. CORDELIA Never hurts to be prepared. WESLEY Agreed. We should all be battle ready. Every one of us. WESLEY'S POV of the others, wrapped up in the video game. Gunn cheers. Angel moans. Fred watches. GUNN Dead! So dead! So very, very dead! Just how dead are you? ANGEL I'm tired of being the dead one. WESLEY AND CORDELIA WESLEY I was thinking perhaps I'd enter into a similar training arrangement with our Fred. CORDELIA Hey -- if you think she can teach you how to fight, why not? (off his look) I'm kidding. Wesley... if you want to get to know Fred better, maybe the next time you have her over for an intimate dinner for two -- you won't ask the rest of us to come along. WESLEY I don't know what you... I mean... was I that obvious? CORDELIA I don't think anyone else noticed. WESLEY She is a rather extraordinary young woman... Still! The last thing any of us should be doing is coupling. With each other, I mean. Office romances, even under the most normal circumstòances -- CORDELIA We don't live in "normal circumstances." I mean... what are the odds of any of us actually finding someone out there who can deal with the stuff that we have to deal with? I dunno. Maybe we are meant... WESLEY ...for each other? CORDELIA Actually I was going to say "to be alone." But what the heck. If you like her, Wesley -- tell her. (lifting service tray) Just go right up to her and... (a vision coming) ...hack her into little pieces... CAMERA ROCKETS at Cordy. There goes the tray of hot coffees. CORDY'S VISION - Violent, ugly and elliptical as we are used to. A very NORMAL LOOKING MIDDLE AGED MAN attacks a NORMAL LOOKING MIDDLE AGED WOMAN, hacking her into (tasteful) pieces. Cordy's on the floor among the spilled coffee and broken cups. Everyone's now gathered around her, very worried. Angel in the forefront. ANGEL Cordelia --? CORDELIA Convenience store. On the Westside. Man attacking a woman... his wife. It's his wife. The others prepare themselves. ANGEöL How many convenience stores you figure on the Westside? FRED Well, even if you just include Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Malibu only, that's a combined population of something like 130,000 people spread out over more than thirty square miles, and given that... GUNN A lot. FRED I was getting there. WESLEY We should go in two groups -- Gunn, you and I... CORDELIA No. They look at her. She is starting to be overcome with despair... CORDELIA (cont'd) It's too late. The others exchange looks. CORDELIA (cont'd) (realizing as she says it) You can't save her... this murder happened a week ago. The emotion is welling up in her, near tears -- CORDELIA (cont'd) Why would they show this to me now? No one has an answer to that. Off their uncertainty -- OMITTED OMITTED INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - DAY A bundle of manila envelopes hits the counter. WIDER Wesley has just arrived with the bundle and is removing and hanging his coat. The others appear from various, approach. CORùDELIA What's this? WESLEY It's everything. Everything about the crime I believe you saw in your vision. Police reports, the husband's written confession. Captures from the convenience store's video surveillance cameras. And -- I have to caution all of you -- the medical examiner's crime scene... photos... But Cordy's already opened that envelope. 8x10's of the dead woman. Her reaction tells the story -- grisly stuff. WESLEY Cordelia... ANGEL Maybe you shouldn't be looking at that. CORDELIA Tell that to The Powers. They already ran the THX version in my head, remember? (then, off photos) Where'd you get this stuff? WESLEY I did it the old-fashioned way -- I bought it. FRED The police sold this stuff to you? WESLEY Not exactly. A... source. Someone who has access. Usually they sell to the tabloids when the victims are more high profile. They gather around the stuff, all start going through it. GUNN (reading) "Charlene Baird." WESLEY The victim. She and the perpetrator had been marriûed for thirty years. No history of domestic violence FRED Why'd he do it? WESLEY He says she wouldn't listen to him. He was trying to get her to stop talking. FRED Well... it worked. GUNN I don't get it... this guy's confessed. Crime solved. Why're the Powers airin' re-runs in Cordy's head? WESLEY I don't know. ANGEL I do... They all look to him. He's been sorting through stills taken from the surveillance camera. ANGEL (cont'd) 11:24. Twenty minutes before the crime occurred... look who was there buying a diet soda -- He slaps the photo down on the counter. Wesley looks at it. The grainy, shadowy image of a MAN entering the store. Wesley reaches behind the counter, comes up with a magnifying glass, -- CLOSER THROUGH MAGNIFYING GLASS -- in the eerie pixilation... Billy's expressionless face looking back at us. BACK TO SCENE Wesley looks gravely from this to Angel, who is stonefaced. Gunn takes the photo, looks at it. Has the same reaction. GUNN Ho-boy. CORDELIA What? What?! Sheà snatches the photo. Looks at it. Doesn't recognize him. CORDELIA (cont'd) (shrug) Okay. Kinda cute. So? Who is he? Off Cordy, her face still a question mark -- INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - SHORT TIME LATER Wesley, Gunn and Fred, quietly and tensely waiting outside Wesley's office where WE SEE Angel and Cordy moving about. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - WESLEY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Cordy waves around the surveillance photo. CORDELIA You're sure this is him? This is the guy? ANGEL (nods) You pull someone out of a hell dimension, you tend to remember their face. Yeah. That's him. She takes a beat, turning inward. Almost to herself: CORDELIA Well, that's it then. Now we know why the Powers made me experience that woman's death... (then) She died because of me. ANGEL No. CORDELIA Yes. Angel, if he's somehow responsible -- then so am I. ANGEL You're not the one who broke him out and put him back on the streets. I did that. CORDELIA For me! You did it to save me! ANÚGEL And I'd do it again. She looks at him, full of pain, full of despair. She deflates with it. ANGEL Whatever's happening now... you are not responsible. (after a beat) And neither am I. (then) But I know who is... Off that -- INT. LILAH'S APARTMENT - NIGHT The lights are mostly out. We see a pair of hands pouring a drink. They fumble badly when in the b.g., the door is smashed in, Angel standing behind it. From Angel's P.O.V., Lilah is mostly in darkness, back in the kitchen area. She wipes up spilled scotch as she mentions: LILAH Very dramatic entrance. Except for the part where you can't enter. ANGEL You're a little jumpy there, Lilah. LILAH Long day at the office. ANGEL Then you know your boy's on the loose. You know what he's doing. Lilah steps forward into the light. She is a mess. One eye closed up almost completely, puffy, split lip, bruises and cuts. It ain't sexy. LILAH It's been brought to my attention. Angel is quietly shocked. There is ¸involuntary concern in his voice. ANGEL God... are you... LILAH (quietly, bravado failing) Oh, I'm fine. You should see the other guy. ANGEL I plan to. She comes closer, getting her strength back. LILAH Billy never touched me, friend. ANGEL I know. He has some power, he makes people - LILAH Billy never touched me and you can't touch him. Nobody can. Billy, as in Blim. As in Congressman Nathan Blim's nephew. That family's the closest thing this country has to royalty. They'd own half the eastern seaboard even if they weren't clients of ours. The law won't go near him. ANGEL I'm not the law. LILAH This isn't some three-horned Gurnarbeast you can just chop into meatloaf - ANGEL (interrupting) Why are you protecting him? After what he did - LILAH (also interrupting, moving forward) I'm sorry, but the deep chivalric concern coming from the only man I know who definitely wants to kill me is just a bit too much on a day likÜe this. ANGEL Your hands are shaking. LILAH Stay away from my client. The door is slammed in his face almost before the sentence is finished. OMITTED EXT. LOS ANGELES - STOCK - NIGHT Flashy The Flash Cut Guy makes flashes that take us to -- EXT. BLIM COMPOUND - STREET - NIGHT A high-walled fortress on a large piece of private property. Angel's car appears, cruising up the street. It parks and Angel, Gunn and Wesley alight. Angel scanes the 10 foot walls, takes in his options -- WESLEY This is it. The Blim Compound. GUNN Not real welcoming, is it? WESLEY I don't suppose it'd do us much good to ring the bell, either. GUNN How 'bout we sneak in dressed as, like, security guards or something? WESLEY That's a possibility. Or I suppose we could -- Angel takes one step back from the wall -- looks up, then jumps the goddamned thing. A beat. Gunn looks to Wesley -- GUNN So -- you wanna go next? WESLEY I guess we wait here. GUNN Uh-huh. EXT. BLIM COMæPOUND - GROUNDS - NIGHT An ARMED PRIVATE SECURITY GUARD patrols the grounds. Oh, wait -- not anymore. Angel rises up suddenly behind him and takes him out (in a non-lethal, Mika Massa-ish way.) Angel looks to the distance, and -- THE HOUSE Windows lit up. And moving within... the FIGURE OF BILLY, pacing before a large plate glass window. He's got a telephone to his ear. ANGEL Moves quickly and quietly through the well-manicured grounds, moving ever toward the lit house which is visible through the trees. ANGEL'S MOVING POV Of Billy inside that lit house. Coming in and out of view. Until finally he's just not there anymore. ANGEL Pushes closer to the house, moving through some bushes that obscure his view for a moment and now -- BILLY Is revealed, standing a foot or two back from the window but looking right at us. No longer holding the phone. ANGEL Makes no more game of being the unseen predator. He rises to his full height, looks right back at the kid. Moìves to the patio, picks up an iron chair -- and tosses it through the plate glass window. CRASH! Billy doesn't flinch. He may even be smiling, though it's difficult to tell for certain. Angel steps through the broken window and right into -- INT. BLIM COMPOUND - ROOM - CONTINUOUS ANGEL Why doesn't it surprise me that I can just walk right in here without an invitation? BILLY Oh, as far as I'm concerned you have a standing invitation. ANGEL You're not a right guy, Billy. And you're not quite human, either -- are you? BILLY Not quite. More than you. Angel's closing in slowly. Billy backs away, but doesn't seem too fearful. ANGEL Like to hurt women, do you, Billy? That make you feel like a man? BILLY I've never hurt a woman in my life. I just like to watch. ANGEL Not anymore. BILLY Oh? ANGEL You're going back. BILLY Really? 'Cause I don't think so... Just then: DETECTIVE (O.S.) Los Angeles Police Department! Angel shows his hands, rolls his eyes as he turns to sïee -- -- Out of the shadows appear three UNIFORMED COPS, two PLAINCLOTHES DETECTIVES. Flashlights, guns out, moving forward. Angel gets ready to be hustled off the property. He opens his mouth to speak, but now Billy appears, brushing past Angel, eyes on the cops with: BILLY You're looking for me -- Angel reacts, watches this play out, not understanding. DETECTIVE William Blim? BILLY That's right. I'm the one that called you. Did you find the body? Was it where I said it would be? DETECTIVE William Blim, we're taking you into custody for questioning. BILLY (a look to Angel) Oh, yes. I should think you would. DETECTIVE (to Uni) Sanchez. Be sure to read him his rights. SANCHEZ, one of the (short-sleeved) Uniformed Male Officers, nods, takes out his hand cuffs. Billy touches Sanchez's forearm -- BILLY (re: the handcuffs) Will those be absolutely necessary? I won't give you any trouble, officer. I'll come quietly. Sanchez looks to the Detective who nods. It's okay. CLOSE - óas Billy takes his hand away from Sanchez's arm, WE SEE a SHIMMERY NEGATIVE IMAGE of BILLY'S HANDPRINT on the man's skin. It sinks in, like the impression of a hand on a cold pane of glass. ANGEL - doesn't see this because the Detective is now standing in front of him -- DETECTIVE Who are you? BILLY (being led off) Oh, he's nobody... Off Billy looking back over his shoulder at Angel, and Angel watching him, somehow understanding that Billy's won this one... OMITTED INT. POLICE CAR - NIGHT Billy sits in the backseat, looking contented. Officer Sanchez rides shotgun. Is looking agitated. SANCHEZ (to unseen driver) Why are you going this way? I thought I told you to take Pico. Now WE REVEAL his partner driving, a FEMALE OFFICER -- FEMALE OFFICER Relax, Sanchez. We'll get there. Billy smiling to himself, watching. SANCHEZ You just tell me to "relax?" You think you can talk to me like that? FEMALE OFFICER I'd talk to you with my finger, but I like to keep both hands on the wheeùl while I'm driving. SANCHEZ Pull over. FEMALE OFFICER What? SANCHEZ Pull over. FEMALE OFFICER What's your problem? SANCHEZ I'll tell you what my problem is -- I got a woman here that don't listen -- REARVIEW MIRROR - Framing Billy's eyes, which are now simply aglow as the dark shape of Sanchez moving through frame blurs by and he POUNDS on his partner. Off that explosion of violence and the sound of the police car starting to go out of control... and Billy's eyes... BLACK OUT. END OF ACT ONE Act Two INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT Wesley can be seen in his office just finishing up a phone call. Fred can be seen sitting with a police radio scanner, monitoring it with a headset. He hangs up, exits out to reception, where everyone waits for him. WESLEY My contact at the city morgue confirms it. There was a body discovered tonight. A young woman who was reported missing three days ago. Someone phoned in a tip. ANGEL Billy. GUNN It doesn't make sense -- even if he did it, he didÉn't do it, know what I'm saying? So why confess? What does it get him? ANGEL Out. It gets him out. GUNN Yeah, okay -- out of his palatial twelve million dollar compound and into a holding cell at men's central. WESLEY Yes, but for how long? CORDELIA Well, an impenetrable cube of hellfire in a heavily guarded demon dimension couldn't hold him -- so my guess? Regular bars not really gonna be a problem. ANGEL She's right. All he'll need to get out this time is his lawyer. Angel grabs his coat. WESLEY Angel? What are you doing? ANGEL I'm gonna get there before Lilah does. GUNN And then what? ANGEL I took him out of one cell. I can take him out of this one, too. CORDELIA Wait! You can't just barge into a police precinct and go all Terminator. ANGEL I'll be okay. CORDELIA Angel, it's dangerous. He's dangerous. What if he lays his whammy on you? ANGEL He won't be conscious long enough to try. Angel starts to go, but Fred appears, stoÒpping him with: FRED He's not there -- They all look to her. FRED I just heard it over the police scanner... The patrol car carrying Billy never made it to the police station -- there's been an accident. Off that -- EXT. ACCIDENT SCENE - NIGHT The aftermath. The Police Cruiser in its crashed state. The back door is swinging wide open -- it looks as if it's been kicked nearly off its hinges from inside. Police tape demarcates the crime scene. Wesley can be seen speaking to a FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR in the near distance. Wesley moves away from that, over to Gunn who's waiting nearby. As they walk together: WESLEY There was an altercation between the officers who were transporting Billy. One of them attacked his partner, she was forced to shoot him. The female's been transported to a local hospital. GUNN So maybe she can tell us something. Like what Billy did to her partner before he snapped -- WESLEY It wouldn't be a bad idea if one of us were standi×ng by at the hospital "visiting a sick relative." GUNN -- maybe happened to strike up a conversation with the hospital staff or one of her buddies? WESLEY Yes. GUNN (nods) I'm on it. Gunn heads off. We move with Wesley as he joins Angel, who is nearly meditating on the scenes, taking it all in. ANGEL The blood in that car -- some of it's his. Not human. Wesley looks at Angel, who is all laser-beam focus on the car. The notion of Angel smelling all that detail chills him somewhat. Angel looks away from the scene. Into the night. Angel moves off, tracking the scent. Wesley follows -- ANGEL AND WESLEY Several yards away from the flashing lights of the crime scene beyond. ANGEL (cont'd) He came through here. Wesley follows Angel's gaze to -- a two-thirds bloody handprint on a wall. Wesley reaches out, touches it with his index finger. Rolls it between thumb and forefinger. WESLEY And recently. Still wet. Wesley finds a small brown paper bag in a trash êbin. Uses it to wipe the blood from his fingers, then smooths out the bag, presses it up against the bloody handprint, lifting a clean rendering of Billy's hand. As he does this: WESLEY I'll take this sample back to the hotel. Maybe I can determine just what sort of creature Billy is... ANGEL I can't wait for that. WESLEY I understand. ANGEL I can find him. Wesley nods. WESLEY Be careful. WHOOSH -- Angel's off into the night. WESLEY'S POV THE DARK FIGURE of ANGEL just disappearing over a roof (or around a corner. Point is, he ain't Superman, but we get that the cat can cook when he wants to.) Off Wesley, impressed -- OMITTED INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT ZZAAAP! The electrical current of a hand-held stun-gun. CORDELIA Having tested it, satisfied, drops it into her oversize bag. Now she moves to the weapons cabinet. Starts selecting various items -- a dagger, a mini-crossbow, arrows to go with it. Like that. As she's doing this... ...Fred appears, comiïng down the stairs. She stops, part way down, watces for a moment. Cor turns from the weapons cabinet. Sees Fred watching her. FRED Watcha doin'? Cor starts moving to the garden doors, the landing -- CORDELIA I'm going to go run an errand. A very normal, everyday errand. She pulls open the doors leading to the garden, but pauses as: FRED Cordelia. -- I don't think you should do this. Cordy looks back at Fred. Drops all pretense, and: CORDELIA How can I not? Fred doesn't have an answer. Off a shared understanding, Cordelia heads out the garden doors. Fred moves down to the landing, watches her go. Now: SLAM! Fred turns to see -- -- Wesley entering from the front door. WESLEY Fred... you're here, good. Wes heads for his office. Fred tosses a slightly nervous look back toward the garden, then follows Wesley. WESLEY (cont'd) I was hoping you could assist me. STEADYCAME LEADS WES into -- INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - WESLEY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS -- his office, ADJUSTS as he circles ÷behind the desk. Fred follows him in. Wesley moves some books from his desk, pulls out the paper bag with the handprint, lays it flat. WESLEY I managed to lift a sample of Billy's blood. Maybe we can identify his demon lineage and somehow figure out how his power works. Would you hand me the... She hands him a few glass slides for a microscope. WESLEY (cont'd) ...glass slides. (pleased at her intuitiveness) Thank you. Off a shared moment: INT. LILAH'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Lilah opens her door. Cordy is standing at it. A moment, as they stare at each other. LILAH Cordelia Chase, right? Come to gloat? CORDELIA I can do thta anywhere. Are you gonna invite me in? (entering) Oh wait, I'm not a vampire. She walks straight into the middle of the apartment, Lilah closing the door behind her. LILAH (sardonically) Please, come in. CORDELIA I want you to tell me about Billy. Everything you didn't tell Angel. I want you to help me stop him. LILAH What makes you think I'm gonna do that? COÇRDELIA Well, there's your face, for starters. LILAH I know the risks of my job and accept them. CORDELIA Then why were you crying five minutes ago? Surprised, Lilah touches her eye gingerly. CORDELIA (cont'd) There's not a thing about badly re- applied mascara that I don't know. LILAH I'm not Lindsey McDonald, okay? I don't switch sides everytime it gets rough. And since when is this your job? I thought Angel was the "Dark Revenger." CORDELIA Angel feels responsible for this guy 'cause he brought him back from hell. I feel responsible because he did it to save me. You, who are actually responsible for the entire thing, feel nothing at all, because you are a vicious bitch. LILAH (smiles) So you know me. CORDELIA Please. I was you. With better shoes. LILAH These are Boracci. They fall into a rapid fire, dragnet style exchange, both serious as judges: CORDELIA Fall collection? LILAH Next spring. CORDELIA He's widened the heel. LIÛLAH And rounded the toe. CORDELIA That won't work with the pink. LILAH The pink is out this spring. CORDELIA Billy Blim makes people crazy. LILAH Not all people. Just men. He brings out a primoridal misogyny in them, turns them into killers. CORDELIA Then why didn't he do it to Angel? LILAH Angel's seen him? CORDELIA Yeah, right before he escaped from the cops. Lilah smiles, even laughs a bit. CORDELIA What's so witty. LILAH Billy's touch works differently on different men. Some lose their minds in an instant - others, they can take hours. Gee, I sure hope Angel isn't starting to feel testy... Cordy is visibly frightened by the concept. CORDELIA You better hope it. Angel isn't some joe off the street - if Billy brings out his dark side - LILAH Yeah, I know. I've seen his dark side. CORDELIA You really haven't. (beat) I have to find Billy. LILAH And I'm gonna help you why? CORDELIA You know the guy you hired to hack into my visions? What he dÕid to me? You know what it felt like? I was cut, torn up, my face disfigured and burning with pain every second, not knowing if it was gonna end, or just get worse till I died... This is clearly registering with Lilah, though she tries to brave through it: LILAH I think I owe you a - CORDELIA It's not the pain, though that gets you. It's the helplessness. It's the certainty that there's nothing you can do to stop it, that your life can be thrown away in an instant by someone else - he doesn't care, he'll beat you down till you stay down 'cause he doesn't even think of you as alive. Lilah has shut up, an barely meet Cordelia's eye. CORDELIA (cont'd) No woman should ever have to go through that. And no woman strong enough to wear the mantle of Vicious Bitch would ever put up with it. Now Lilah does look at her, rising to the challenge with a glimmer of remembered pride. CORDELIA (cont'd) Where is Billy going? EXT. TAXI STAND - NIGHT TRAFFIC BLURS PAST·, creating a practical wipe that reveals -- ANGEL standing on a street where a second ago he wasn't. He's followed his nose to this location. MOVING - with Angel as he moves along a line of cabs. Every last one has its light tunred to "NOT IN SERVICE." Some commotion up ahead. Now WE SEE one of the cabs is being examined by POLICE and FORENSIC GUYS. Blood spatters the inside of the back windows. A small crowd of onlookers look on. Angel joins them, listens as a CAB DRIVER speaks to his (non-speaking) buddy: CAB DRIVER (to his buddy) ...fourteen years hackin', gotta say I understand why he did it. I mean, there's a point, am I right? How many times you feel like takin' a fist to a customer? ANGEL (regular guy) Tell me about it. The cabbies look at him. Angel points to a limo parked nearby. ANGEL (cont'd) Me, I drive that thing now. I figured I'd be cartin' a better class- a client. Surprise. The rich ones, ten times worse. (tÓhen) So one of your drivers finally had it, hunh? Snapped? CAB DRIVER Yeah. Beat the hell out of a fare. ANGEL Woman? CAB DRIVER That surprise you? Probably sittin' back there naggin', telling him how to drive. You know the type. Angel forces a strained laugh, not at all amused. ANGEL Yeah. Probably had it coming to her. CAB DRIVER I'm just sayin' -- Lightning fast, grabs the guy, yanks him forward. CAB DRIVER (cont'd) Hey -- ANGEL (a glance to the other non-speaker) Get out of here. He slinks away. Angel looks back to the frightened Cab Driver. ANGEL (cont'd) This driver who snapped -- you're gonna tell me what his last stop was right before he beat up this woman. (then) I'm just sayin'. EXT. SWANK HOLLYWOOD HILLS HOUSE - NIGHT To establish. INT. SWANK HOLLYWOOD HILLS HOUSE - NIGHT A party-friendly playpen for the rich and aimless. The Gorillaz' "Clint Eastwood" provides an underlying groove as a HANDFUL OF COUPLES (all in their twenties)æ lounge about and play. CAMERA FINDS a GROUP shooting pool. One of them, DYLAN, an Ivy League surfer dude is lining up a shot. A GUY steps over to him. GUY Hey, Dylan, your cousin's here. DYLAN Which one? There're about a zillion of us. Dylan bends down over his cue. GUY I think he said his name's Billy. DYLAN Billy? Dylan drills the shot. Stands. DYLAN (cont'd) Not possible. Billy's... REVEAL BILLY, right behind him. A cut above one eye from the cop car accident. BILLY Hi, Dylan. Dylan's visibly nervous as Billy glances around the room. BILLY (cont'd) I didn't know you were having a party. DYLAN Billy, I thought we agreed you wouldn't come here anymore after that last thing. Billy's not really listening. He's staring over at a sprawled couple making out on a sofa. BILLY Someone should talke to them about appropriate public behavior. He looks at Dylan. BILLY (cont'd) Do you want to, or should I? Off Dylan, suddenly afraid: CLOSE - RED BLOOD CELLS Slowòly coursing under the magnified view of a microscope. A large, blood cell VIBRATES unnaturally for a beat or two (VFX). Then several others do. As many as a quarter of the cells seem to be VIBRATING off and on. We are: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - WESLEY'S OFFICE - NIGHT Wesley stands over his desk, staring down into the microscope. The bloody handprint and other pieces of evidence are nearby. WESLEY This was taken from the print I made of Billy's blood. Tell me what you think. Fred steps over, leans in close to look, casually brushing up against Wesley. She peers down through the glass. Wes can't help but smell her hair. FRED (while peering down) It looks to me as if some of the red blood cells are kinda supercharged. WESLEY (nods) Those would most likely be from Billy's demon lineage. She looks up at Wesley. FRED So however Billy's putting the mojo on people, the power seems to be in his blood. Which means it could also be in his sweat or saliva or even his touch. Wesley seems to have õdrifted off for a moment. Then, WESLEY Speaking of saliva, where's Cordelia? Fred's not sure how to answer. FRED What do you mean, "speaking of saliva?" How does saliva make you think of Cor-- WESLEY -- It's a simple question. Where is Cordelia? She stares at him a beat. FRED I... I think she went out. WESLEY Out? Fred can only nod. WESLEY (cont'd) Did she happen to mention where? FRED She just... she said an errand. WESLEY So when you say you "think" she went out, what you mean is -- you know she went out because you spoke with her. FRED Well, I... I suppose I... WESLEY (cutting her off) "Suppose?" FRED (quickly) I did. Yes, I did. WESLEY That's better. (going back to microscope) Lie to me again -- and we're going to have a problem. Off Fred unnerved: BLACK OUT. END OF ACT TWO Act Three OMITTED OMITTED INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - WESLEY'S OFFICE - NIGHT Wesley's still staring into the microscope. Fred starts toward the lobby. WESLEY (without looking up) Where're yoöu going? FRED I was just gonna call Cordelia. Find out where she is for you. Wesley looks up. WESLEY (pleasantly) That's not necessary. FRED It's not? WESLEY No. Sit down, Fred. FRED It'll just -- WESLEY (cuts her off) Sit. Down. There's something we need to talk about. Fred reluctantly sits. FRED I'm sorry I didn't tell you that Cordelia left. Really I am. WESLEY Pffft. We're past that. I've put it behind me. However, we are going to have to make some changes around here. He steps around to her side. FRED Change can be good, I guess. WESLEY Like no more of these provocative little outfits you wear. He flicks one of her spaghetti shoulder straps. FRED (dismayed) Provocative? Wesley interrupts. Steps closer. WESLEY Maybe mummy and daddy never explained to you that men, grown men, are wired a certain way. You can't be coming in here, day after day, waving it in my face like this. FRED What...? WESLEY You're practically daring me to take it. Is that what you want? FRõED (standing) Stop it -- WESLEY Oh, are we standing now? Is that what we're doing? FRED This conversation is making me very uncomfortable. WESLEY Oh, you're uncomfortable. That's rich. And how do you think I feel? What do you think it's like for me? With you smelling the way you do. FRED Wesley, please... WESLEY You think you can taunt a man and get away with it. You brush up close, bat your eyes -- then when our backs are turned you laugh at us -- FRED No, I would never -- WESLEY Humiliate us. You think you can do anything you please because you're connected to life. Because you bleed. Is that it? FRED No... WESLEY I'll show you blood. Wesley BACKHANDS her hard across the face, knocking her to the floor. Fred instinctively scrambles backward, to the door. She gets to her feet, running to -- INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS We're with Fred as she stumbles out of Wesley's office, bumping into the counter hard. She lopes toward the garden doors, yanks on them, but -- ù-- Wesley is there suddenly, pushing them shut. WESLEY (completely calm) What do you tell a woman with two black eyes? He throws her at the stairs, sending her ass-over-teacups onto the steps. WESLEY (cont'd) Nothing you haven't already told her twice. Fred scrabbles up the stairs and takes off up them. Wesley watches her go. Doesn't chase. His face goes dark. He looks bored with all this. WESLEY (cont'd) (muttering to himself) No sense of humor. He moves back toward his office -- stops as he senses something, looks to -- WESLEY'S POV Of the open weapons cabinet. All those delicious weapons hanging there. WESLEY As he eyes these things. Hears a DOOR SLAM upstairs. Off Wesley... CLOSE - A DOORBELL As a finger pokes into frame and presses the button. We are: EXT. SWANK HOLLYWOOD HILLS HOUSE - NIGHT - ANGEL Stands expectantly on the front step. After a beat, the door opens a crack. ANGEL'S POV - DYLAN Cautiously peeks out past the latched safety chain. DYLAN Yeah? ANGEL I'äm looking for Billy Blim. Dylan slams the door in Angel's face. Angel pushes the buzzer again. Keeps pressing until Dylan re-opens the door. ANGEL (cont'd) Me again. It's kind of important. DYLAN You a friend of his or what? ANGEL Friend? Angel weighs how to answer the question. ANGEL (cont'd) Not exactly friend. More like... opposite of friend. (a beat) To be honest, I'm hoping to kill the bastard. DYLAN Oh. Come on in. Dylan takes off the chain and opens the door for Angel. Off Angel, surprised: INT. SWANK HOLLYWOOD HILLS HOUSE - NIGHT Dylan leads Angel across the room. The party's still in low mode. Elwood's cover of "Sundown" plays on the stereo. ANGEL Is he here? DYLAN No. He came and went. Angel stops, scans the place. GUYS playing pool. A COUPLE out on the balcony. ANGEL And everybody's okay? Frankly, I was expecting blood, carnage, y'know, bad things. DYLAN You just have to know the rules around Billy. (off Angel's look) Everybody in the family knåows the rules. -- Don't leave him alone with your girlfriend, keep him away from pets and don't ever let him touch you. Like if he wants money, just put in on the table and back away. ANGEL Is that why he was here? DYLAN Yeah, he said something about needing fun money. -- I just wanted to get rid of him. Angel nods, thinks for a beat. ANGEL So can you explain something? (off Dylan's nod) How come you invited me in after I told you I wanted to kill your cousin? DYLAN You're Angel, right? Angel stares at Dylan, not sure how he knows that. ANGEL Did Billy mention me? DYLAN No, there was a chick here. Cute brunette. She said some melodramatic guy named Angel would eventually show up. ANGEL (realizing, worried) Cordelia... (then) ...thinks I'm melodramatic? DYLAN Well, you did say you were going to kill my cousin. ANGEL That's not melodrama. Melodrama's-- (suddenly realizing, grabs the guy) Cordelia was here?! DYLAN Oh. So you're saying melodrama's exaggerated emìo-- ANGEL This isn't a demo! This is real. Where did you send her?! DYLAN Santa Monica. Our family has a plane there. I told her Billy was gonna fly someplace. Tahiti, Vancouver, he didn't say. Hopefully far away... Off Angel, concerned for Cordy: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT The crumbling upper floors of the hotel. The corridor littered with old junk: a graffiti sprayed boxspring, broken chair, like that. Wesley appears rising up from a stairwell. He's carrying an axe. He peers down the dim corridor. WESLEY Fred? (a beat) Fred? I know what you're doing... what you're up to... Wesley moves down the corridor. Taps door-by-door with his axe. In turn, the doors each swing easily open and he peers inside briefly, moves to the next door during -- WESLEY (cont'd) Luring me. Forcing me to find you. Oh, it's such a dog and pony show. You beguile me with your girlish ways, I pursue you -- but you never give over, do you? You just keep laughing and running. Well guess Ýwhat, love -- Taps it -- it opens but stops, held back by a safety chain. WESLEY (cont'd) -- I'm not some downy-faced school boy, I'm a man. A beat. BANG!, he kicks that door open and -- WIDE - FROM INSIDE THE ROOM -- the chain snaps like twine. Wes steps into the room, all his senses on the alert. He knows she's here someplace. Nearby, a ladder, box of nails, empty paint can, all piled in front of a large drop cloth. Wesley moves toward it... WESLEY You can't come out into the open, can you? No, you hide, you deceive... it's nothing new, it goes all the way back to Eve. You and the serpent, plotting behind our backs, "here, honey, eat this, it's just an apple!" That's the problem with your sex... you're all weak and you're all dirty and you won't be satisfied until you've brought each and every one of us out of the garden and DOWN INTO THE MUCK WITH YOU!! He swings his axe -- knocking down the ladder and all items, burshing the drop cloth aside -- no Fred -- äANGLE - THE FLOOR As the ladder topples, sending stuff crashing. The box of nails spills onto the floor right next to... FRED is huddled under an old bed. She lets out an involuntary GASP as debris scatters next to her. WESLEY Heard that gasp. Turns slowly. CLOSE - FRED Sees Wesley's feet step up right next to her head. She tries to keep calm, afraid to even breathe. Wesley stands there a beat, then walks away. She listens... SUDDENLY, THE MATTRESS AND BOX SPRING are flipped. There's Wesley, looming over her -- Fred screams, rolls over, tries to get away, but Wesley reaches down, grabs her by the hair, yanks her to her feet. Shoves her up against the wall. Her eyes widen. WESLEY (cont'd) Why do you make me do this?! He leans in close. Kisses her on the mouth. Now her right hand comes up, clutching some nails. She draws them hard down his face. Bloody claw marks. He releases his grip, recoils, SCREAMING. She bolts. Wesley's scream crossfades to a more deafening, hêorrible SCREAM and we are: OMITTED EXT. SANTA MONICA AIRPORT - NIGHT The SCREAMING is a PLANE going overhead. A few small planes and private jets are parked on the wide tarmac. Billy Blim stands alone as a private JET taxis toward him. REVEAL CORDELIA Watching Billy from behind a nearby plane. She sees him move toward the approaching Jet. She makes a decision. Goes after him, reaching into her bag, pulling something out. We TRACK with her. She stops about ten feet away. CORDELIA Billy?! He turns, sees Cordelia, doesn't recognize her. BILLY Yes? -- Do I know you? The jet taxis to a stop behind him. CORDELIA Not exactly. But I thought we should meet. (she steps closer) I'm the woman Wolfram & Hart tortured to get you out of your fire cell. BILLY Ah. I see. (he steps closer) You're here to whine. Poor, helpless, battered woman who needs to went her feelings about the injustice of it all. CORDELIA No, asswipe... CLOSE - A STUN-GUN Revealed in Cordelia's hand as she JÙAMS it into Billy's balls -- KFFFZZZ. Billy collapses to the ground, cradling his nuts. A mini-crossbow aimed at his heart. CORDELIA (cont'd) ...I'm here to send you back. Off Cordy, in control: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - UPSTAIRS ROOMS - NIGHT Fred appears, nervous, trying to move quietly, looking behind herself, moving forward. She passes through connecting doors, moving from abandoned room to abandoned room. She ends up in a big close up, wondering which way to go... now... WESLEY (O.S.) I'm still here... She turns and WE SEE Wesley in the distance behind her. Axe at his side. WESLEY I don't run away like a girl. I see things through. He moves toward her -- she's frozen with terror. WESLEY (cont'd) You stood up to me, you fought back. (indicates his clawed face) I guess you think that makes you all empowered now. I guess you think that makes us equal, bitch. A beat. She bolts through the nearest door to the corridor. In the b.g., Wesley bolts out another dëoor to -- INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS Fred stumbles out into the corridor. Wesley appears at the far end. She runs. He follows. Wesley gives chase down the corridor, sees Fred running up a flight of stairs. Off Wesley, measuring his options... INT. A DIFFERENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS Fred runs toward CAMERA, glances back over her shoulder to see if Wesley's giving chase, tripes and tumbles to the floor. CLOSE - FRED The wind knocked out of her as she hits the ground hard. She scoots along backward on her butt, like a crab, and she watches for Wesley. Doesn't see him. CAMERA'S TIGHT in an over behind her as she gets to her feet. Fred listens. It's quiet. She backs away, turns toward CAMERA AND IS GRABBED. IT'S GUNN. He slaps his hand across her mouth as she screams. OMITTED EXT. SANTA MONICA AIRPORT - ON THE TARMAC - NIGHT Billy on his ass, backing away from Cordy's crossbow. Getting to his feet during: BILLY You think I hate you because you're ôa woman... I don't. CORDELIA Gee, and I was feeling special. BILLY I don't hate women. I mean, sure, you're all whores who sell yourselves for money or prestige. But men are just as bad. Maybe worse. They're willing to throw away careers or families or even lives for what's under your skirt. CORDELIA I'm wearing pants. BILLY So you can dress like a man. Talk like a man -- does that make you feel superior? CORDELIA Actually, I'm feeling superior because I have an arrow pointed at your jugular. -- And the irony of using a phallic-shaped weapon? Not lost on me. BILLY You don't have the balls to use it. Cordy steps close. Presses the arrow into his throat. CORDELIA Wrong again. Out of the darkness, Angel snatches the crossbow from Cordelia's hand. ANGEL I can't let you do it, Cordelia. BILLY You saved me. Again. I knew that you would. CORDELIA Angel, you know what he is! ANGEL Yeah, I do. Which is why I'm gonna waste this piece of garbage myself -- She reaches out to Angel tïo stop him, hand on his arm. Tries to turn him back. He looks back to her. CORDELIA Angel! He can't hurt me! Angel shrugs away from Cor, pivots back toward -- -- Billy who is now RIGHT IN HIS FACE. Billy's hands both come up right away grabbing both sides of Angel's face. (think Michael Corleone giving his brother, Fredo, the kiss of deah in the Godfather Part II). BILLY No, I won't hurt her. I won't hurt her at all... Angel's arms come up, breaking Billy's grip. The force of this sending Billy staggering backward, but grinning. Two shimmering handprints sink into Angel's face. Angel takes a troubled step back. A triangle on the tarmac -- Billy, Angel and Cor. Angel glances over to Cordelia. Off them both knowing what this might mean: END OF ACT THREE Act Four INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT Gunn and Fred are running together, checking doors. Gunn finds one that opens. GUNN Here... He and Fred hurry inside. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - DILAPIDATED ROOM - CONTINUOUSï Old furniture, no bed, a large armoire, saw horses, some planks and rusty paint cans. Among the forgotten debris, an old fire extinguisher cast aside. Gunn locks the door. He and Fred quickly scoot a dress over in front of it. GUNN Now, what the hell happened to Wesley? FRED He somehow got infected. All I can figure is it happened while he was working with Billy's blood. From that handprint. This gets Gunn's attention. GUNN That fingerpaint-y looking handprint downstairs is Billy's blood? Fred nods. GUNN (cont'd) (a sinking feeling) You're saying Wes turned into a psycho killer because of the bloody handprint that I picked up and looked at? He stares down at his hands. FRED When you put it like that it kinda worries me. Gunn starts to push the dresser away from the door. GUNN I better get outta here. Lock the door behind me. A Battle Axe suddenly SMASHES into the door, startling Gunn. He quickly drags the dresser back into place. Stacks more furniture on top and in frontÂ. GUNN (cont'd) Or maybe we'll go to plan B. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - DILAPIDATED ROOM - OTHER SIDE OF DOOR Wesley chopping at the heavy wood door with his axe. Wood splintering away. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - DILAPIDATED ROOM - CONTINOUS Fred backs away from the door, steps on a rotten piece of flooring -- the planks give way. Her foot falls through. Gunn reaches over, catches her. Helps her up. The axe continues to assault the door from the other side. FRED You said we'll go to Plan B. What's Plan B? GUNN Plan B? Plan B... Plan B is the one where if you don't stop whining I bash in your... (realizing) Oh God! Gunn just scared himself. He backs away from Fred: EXT. SANTA MONICA AIRPORT - TARMAC - NIGHT Angel looks from Cordy to Billy. ANGEL Cordy, get out of here. CORDELIA No... ANGEL Cordelia... CORDELIA I can't -- ANGEL (flaring at her) GET OUT! CORDELIA Angel... you can fight this. BILLY Don't fight it. Feel it. Angel,ß head lowered, glares up at Billy. BILLY (cont'd) You can, can't you? All that rage, all that hatred bubbling to the surface. Billy looks from the darkening Angel to Cor, amused. BILLY (cont'd) I actually prefer watching it happen to meek, mild men. Men who still believe they're kind and gentle and decent. -- But I've never done this to a vampire. Should be pretty entertaining. We can sense the anger and darkness churning in him. We can sense it through his utter stillness. He turns to Cordelia. ANGEL Please... Go! CORDELIA (shakes her head) I can't. I have this problem... this is happening to you because of me. Because of me. So I can't leave you, Angel. I won't. ANGEL (very still, very concentrated) You think that's your problem? That's not your problem. (a beat) You know what your real problem is? She stares with trepidation at Angel. Angel suddenly SMASHES Billy in the face. ANGEL (cont'd) Guys like him. (to Billy) You got no power over me. He hits Billy aÃgain, knocking him back. Off Cordelia, watching the fight: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - DILAPIDATED ROOM - NIGHT -GUNN Grabs a wooden chair stacked in a corner. Smashes it into the wall. Holds it down with his foot, pries a leg off. FRED Charles, you're scaring me. He tests the heft of the heavy leg as if it were a club. Wes's Axe batters the door. Gunn turns to Fred, a wild look in his eyes. She backs away, fearful. GUNN Take this and knock me out. FRED What? GUNN Knock me out! Gunn shoves the club into Fred's hands. He's growing agitated. FRED You want me to hit you? GUNN Yes! FRED I can't... He looks at her, head tilted down, eyes up -- threateningly -- GUNN You might want to -- The Axe pounds the door. Gunn steps close to Fred. GUNN (cont'd) HIT ME! FRED Charles, please... GUNN (mocking) "Charles, please!" (then) Fine. Then give it back to me so I can smash your stupid head with it. FRED What? GUNN (exploding) GIVE ME T–HE DAMN CHAIR LEG! He takes a step, ready to lunge. WHAM!, that did it. She clubs him. He goes down. Dropping to his knees. Fred stares down at Gunn. He's hurt, but not unconscious. Blood trickles from his head. He looks up at her, groggy -- GUNN You're gonna pay for that -- He reaches out for her ankle. Fighting tears, she comes down with it one last time. Gunn's out. She steps backward, horrified at what she's had to do. She lets the chair leg drop to the floor just as... RIGHT BEHIND HER -- SMASH!, the axe comes through the door, raining splinters on her, as -- EXT. SANTA MONICA AIRPORT - ON THE TARMAC - NIGHT Angel pummels Billy. Again, again, again, driving him backward with his fists. Just pounding the asshole. One mighty blow and Billy is sent flying backward onto the tarmac. Billy lands flat. Staggers up onto his hands and knees. CLOSE - BILLY Glaring at Angel. Seething with hatred. ¯He smacks his fists against the tarmac in frustration. They begin to SHIMMER. The frosty shimmer moves up his arms, disappears. Angel runs over while Billy's still on all fours. Tries to kick him in the gut. Billy, now empowered, catches the kick. Twists Angel's leg, throws him back. Pops up to his feet. Steps forward and SLUGS Angel. Hard. Spins Angel. Cordy wants to help. She scrambles over, finds the crossbow. Picks it up. Angel and Billy pound one another. Swap body blows. Throwing each other back and forth on the tarmac. CORDELIA'S POV - THE FIGHT Trying to get a clear shot at Billy. But Angel and Billy keep changing positions. She lines up her crossbow: BLAM! BLAM! Billy falls to the tarmac. Dead. Blood pooling out the back of his head. Angel looks to Cordy who is looking past him. They both turn, see beat-up Lilah in the distance. She lowers the smoking gun. They exchange a look. After a beat she turns. CÔalmly walks way into the night. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL DILAPIDATED ROOM Looking at Wes through a splintered hole in the door. He's chopping his way through. A final swing and he reaches in, unlocks the door, shoulders his way in. Wes looks around the dilapidated room. Sees Gunn unconscious on the floor. But no Fred. WESLEY (to himself) Well... this should be interesting... (to the room) Would you like to hear my theory, Fred? It's about how stupid you are. He peeks into the bathroom. WESLEY (cont'd) I believe that after five years of living in a cave you'll instinctively retreat to small, dark places rather than run outside where you'd be safe. He takes a step -- his foot hovering over the spot that Fred's foot went through -- now there's a drop cloth there. Wesley laughs to himself. Not a chance he's going to fall for that. WESLEY (cont'd) What have you been doing, Fred? He looks over at the large armoire. Moves toward it. WESLEY (cont'd) Let's finishå this. He yanks the armoire doors open. It's empty except for some hangers and a mirror. Wes sees Fred reflected behind him in the mirror. He spins to face her. She has her hands behind her back -- FRED I'm sorry, Wesley. WESLEY You're sorry? FRED Yeah. You're right about me liking dark places to hide in. But you forgot I like to build things too. She yanks something behind her back. Wes looks to a string that goes up, over a beam, and behind him, where -- -- the old fire extinguisher the edge of a ladder tips. And now it comes sliding down Fred's quickly strung together string. It swings off the ladder, catching Wesley in the jaw, knocks him backwards. He stumbles ass first on the drop cloth as the rotten flooring collapses and Wes tumbles through. He lands o.s. with a horrible THUD. Fred carefully steps over, peers down into the hole. Sees Wes, unconscious on the floor below. Off Fred staring down: OMITTED INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - BASEMENT - DAY We're tightish on Corïdelia and Angel. He's behind her. An echo of the show's opening scene. He guides her hands up INTO FRAME; she grips a short sword. CORDELIA I don't get it. He guides her through a move. ANGEL I don't get it either -- CORDELIA I mean, you're a man. So why didn't Billy's touch affect you? Oh, so that's what they don't get. They do another move, something a bit more complicated. ANGEL Maybe it's because I'm not human. CORDELIA Oh, right. And a vampire could never be turned into a monster. ANGEL The thing Billy brought out in the others... the hate and anger. That's something I lost a long time ago. CORDELIA Even when you were evil? ANGEL I never hated my victims... never killed out of anger. It was always about the pain. And the pleasure. Cordelia considers that. They both do. CORDELIA Huh. So I guess you could say that your demon-ness makes you less petty than humans. Almost noble. I mean, in a twisted, dark, really disturbing kind of way. ANGEL (unsure) Thanks... They úcontinue their routine in silence for a beat, then -- CORDELIA It's weird. ANGEL What is? CORDELIA I'm starting to get used to being creeped out and comforted at the same time. Angel smiles. ANGEL I get that. And as they continue their dance -- INT. WESLEY'S APARTMENT - DAY INT. WESLEY'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS It's day, but the blinds are drawn. It's dark in here. There is a KNOCKING at the door. The KNOCKING continues as CAMERA FINDS... Wesley. Just sitting in his darkened apartment. He's looking a bit beat up, but the wounds have started to heal. A few days have passed. He makes no move to answer the door, until -- FRED (O.S.) Wesley! Wesley, it's me, Fred. He reacts to that. Hesitates. The KNOCKING continues. Finally he rises, movMes to the door, opens it. He reacts to the sight of her there -- also looking a bit bruised and beat up. Knowing he did that to her. She sees his wounds and instinctively reaches out to sympathetically touch them. FRED Does that hurt --? He flinches, pulls away. Not from the physical pain, but from the humiliation. FRED (cont'd) Sorry. An awkward moment. He has trouble meeting her eyes. FRED (cont'd) I left a buncha messages. WESLEY Yes. I meant to call you back... I'm sorry. (then) I'm so sorry. A beat. FRED Wesley -- you gotta come back to work. After a beat -- WESLEY How can I? FRED What do you mean? How can you not? You're the boss. We need you. (then) You took a few days off. That's good, we all did. But now it's time to come back. WESLEY Fred -- I tried to kill you. FRED (waves that away) That wasn't youM. WESLEY How can you know that? Something inside me was forced to the surface. Something primal... something -- FRED (interrupting) Do you wanna kill me? WESLEY (taken aback) God, no. FRED It wasn't something in you, Wesley -- it was something that was done to you. He looks at her now, wants to believe it. WESLEY I don't know what kind of man I am anymore. FRED (without hesitation) Oh, well I do. (but after a beat, tenderly) You're a good man. A long beat. Then: FRED (cont'd) Will I see you back at the office? At first he can only node, then manages a -- WESLEY Yes. FRED Good. Wes nods okay. Fred leaves. Wes closes the door. Leans against it with one hand in the dark... and breaks down. OUTSIDE THE DOOR Fred listens for a beat, then hurries away. Off the empty apartment corridor: FADE TO BLACK THE END