"Previously on Angel." "A Black Thorn is the senior partners'instrument on Earth." "He wouldn't make it on the circle's radar till he killed one of his lieutenants." "Welcome to the fold." "We know what you been doin'." " Involvare." " All right." "We have six minutes." " Till what?" "The glamour collapses." "As far as anyone outside is concerned, we're at each other's throats." "I'm talking about killing every single member of the Black Thorn." "You need to decide if that's worth dying for." " I'm in." " I'm in." "Then we're all agreed." "Yeah." "We're all one big happy Manson family." " We taking 'em all at once?" " Can't." "The Circle of the Black Thorn is the most powerful group in this plane of existence." "Together, they'd vaporize us." "But separated, they're just demons." " When do we make our move?" " Soon." "In the meantime, we keep up the infighting." "The circle needs to believe we're comin' apart." " What about Illyria?" " What about her?" "Move like this, wouldn't hate having Blue Thunder in our corner." "Can't trust she'll come down on our side." "Oh, trust me." "She's housebroken." "She was babysitting' Drogyn..." " She was with Drogyn?" " Relax." "The two of'em were gettin'on well." " You have to get over there now." " Why?" "What is it?" "Drogyn's dead." "And, uh, how do you know that, Kreskin?" " Because I killed him." " What?" "Ow!" "You son of a..." "Sorry." "Didn't know you were... in conference." "I was just making a closing statement." "Unless somebody didn't hear me." "Up to you too, Wes." "Illyria's your responsibility." "Make sure she doesn't get twitchy." " Well, you've got yourself a problem." "Nothing you have to worry about." "Oh, not me." "Your new friends, the Black Thorn." "They're very concerned." "Tell 'em to send me a memo." "I'm busy." "Trying to run a business." "You can tell them yourself." "They want to see you right now." "No rest for the wicked." "Illyria." "Bloody hell." "Illyria, can you hear me?" "Who did this to you?" "It was Hamilton." "Took Drogyn." "Straight to his buddy, Angel." "I'm telling you." "Our fearless leader has fearlessly lost it." "There's no part of this that makes any sense." "I mean, we could be next." "I don't think we're being monitored here." "I'm not playing to the crowd, Gunn." "I still don't trust the man." "We don't have to trust him." "We just gotta pray the Black Circle does." "...the world's woe, now convene." "All is bound by the circle and its thorns... invisible, inviolate." "We, the seeds of the storm at the center of the world's woe, now convene." "The circle does not abide secrets." "Which is interesting for a secret society." "Remember your place, vampire." "My place is in the circle." "This morning's insurrection did not go unnoticed." " You mean my people." " They tried to kill you." "An embarrassing affront, to say the least." "And a stepping stone to disaster." "You have ascended, Angel." "You should not be burdened with this kind of..." "Sebassis, your manservant has become tangled in my bodily fluids again!" " My people are the problem?" "Some of them, yes." "Some?" "Who missed the cut?" "We're interested in Mr. Wyndam-Pryce." "He seems intriguingly unstable." "Mr. Gunn, on the other hand, does not." "Which is a pity." "He had so much potential." "He is not, however, our greatest concern." "If the next words out of your mouth are "Kill Spike," we just might have to kiss." "Spike is not the threat." "You are." "You've proven your loyalty to the circle." "Regrettably, there's something stronger than loyalty." "Hope." " This is the Shanshu prophecy." " The original." ""The vampire with a soul will play a pivotal role in the apocalypse."" ""And as a reward will become human."" "Aparanoid person might think you're trying to manipulate us... in an attempt to fulfill this prophecy." "I have no desire to become human." "Oh, good." "Then you won't mind signing that pesky future away." "Through that document, the prophecy can be undone." "Your signature there will remove any opportunity... that you will ever earn your once-precious humanity." "Will you sign it?" "Of course." " It's gotta be signed in blood." "Um, Angel?" "Just wondering where everybody is." "You ever miss it?" "You were turned, what, five years ago?" "Oh, that." "Yeah." "Graduation night." "I don't know." "It's weird." "Part of me always knew life would end after high school." "I was very popular, you know." "The whole golden years thing." "I don't remember what it was like, being human." "It was too long ago." "Not so great." "Zits, dandruff, mortality." "Although, I do remember... my heart." "And the way it would thump when I kissed a really hot boy for the first time." "That was cool." "Angel, something's going down, isn't it?" "And everybody's in on it except me." " You're not a part of this." " I could be." "I'm your assistant, after all." "I could, I don't know, assist you or something." " Hamilton." " Hamilton?" "I need to get some things done, pay a quiet visit to Archduke Sebassis." " I'd like to keep our liaison out of the loop." " Out of the loop?" " That's where I live." " Distract him." "I don't care how." "Throw some punches at him, some files." "Just keep him busy for as long as you can." "What are you gonna do now?" "One more thing I don't want to." "You gotta be joking." "Why on God's green and verdant earth would I trust you?" "Huh?" "Or you trust me?" "'Cause it's not about us, Lindsey." "It's about them." "The wolf, the ram, the hart." "The ones we've been fighting against forever." "You can't beat 'em." "Maybe they're not there to be beat." "Maybe they're there to be fought." "Maybe fighting them is what makes human beings so remarkably strong." "You're not talking about the kind of strength human beings have." "This is not about coveting your neighbor's ass... your buddy's job, last Mallomar in the box." "You're talking about fighting flesh and something that passes for blood demons... with enormous power, and they will mow you down." "Maybe." "But I keep thinking that once this world was theirs, and now it's not." "Isn't it?" "Give me the hell on earth speech, Lindsey." "I know how bad things are, how much sway the demons hold." "I happen to be the greatest mass murderer you've ever met." "Never given you props for that, have I?" "There's always gonna be power, and there's always gonna be corruption." " So again, I ask..." " 'Cause it's not what I'm expected to do." "'Cause you're good in a fight." "And let's say we come up rollin' sevens and this does go our way." "We tear up this firm, someone's gonna have to step in." "And I know that's what you want." "I'm a lot more comfortable with the thought of you in that position than anyone else." " The devil you know." " That'd be you." " And if you roll snake eyes?" " Talk your way out of it." "Tell 'em I forced you to help me." "Tell 'em I made my scary face." "Believe it or not, I was actually talking about you." "I mean, you care about being squashed like a bug?" "You haven't heard a word I've said." "For, like, years back." "You get a little speechy, all right?" "I breeze out." "I got the Cliff Notes." "Honor and humanity, absolute good." "I heard it." "So here's the plot twist." "I'm in." "Why?" "Everybody goes on about your soul, vampire with a soul." "Nobody ever mentions the fact that you're really a vampire with big brass testes." "This is gonna be a circus!" "I mean, win or lose, you're about to pick the nastiest fight... since mankind drop-kicked the last demon out of this dimension." "And that you don't do without me." "If you want me, I'm on your team." "I want you, Lindsey." "Thinkin' about rephrasing that." " Yeah, think I'd be more comfortable if you did." " Yeah." " How's she doin'?" " She needs more care than I can provide here." "I have to get some supplies from home." "Watch over her for me." "Fat lot of good that's gonna do if Hamilton makes another house call." "Hamilton did this?" " You didn't know?" " He brought Drogyn." "To the circle, so you could kill him to prove you'd gone over." "Say, any other tips on how to be a hero we could share with the boys and girls at home?" "I didn't have a choice." "They would have killed us both if..." "We get it." "We'd just like to know if they're gonna need the rest of us as proof." " Pick us off one by one, you know?" " No, they won't." "We're killing 'em all tonight." "I want you all to do something for me, for yourselves." "Take the day off." "What?" "If we're plannin' to assassinate the power elite of the apocalypse tonight... shouldn't we be cowboyin' up?" "We'll be ready." "But, today, I want you guys to go out." "Live." "Do whatever you want." "Live the day like it's your last." "'Cause it probably is." "Hi." "Mmm." "Nice crowd." "It can get pretty ugly in here." "I gotta warn you." "What I'm after." "Couple more shots of courage and I may make my presence felt." " Your funeral." " Well, I never had a proper one." "Charles!" "Annie, how you doin'?" "Oh, pretty good, I guess." "Got a bunch of furniture donated." "Gotta move this stuff to the new shelter." " Still fighting' the good fight, huh?" " That's the drill." " How are things uptown?" " Well, more fight, less good." "Seen Rondell or the guys?" "I hit some of the old spots, didn't see anyone." "They should be around." "Said they'd help me haul this stuff." "You know how it is though." "Things come up." " You got much vamp trouble these days?" " Never goes away for good." "The boys help out though." "We're pretty safe." "Gives me time to concentrate on the little things." "Crack, runaways, abuse victims, psychotics... the old gang." " Yeah, I remember." " It's not so bad." "We've had some really decent donations, and it's helping." "We actually have a part-time paid psychiatric staff." "What if I told you it doesn't help?" "What would you do if you found out that none of it matters?" "That it's all controlled by forces more powerful and uncaring than we can conceive... and they will never let it get better down here?" "What would you do?" "I'd get this truck packed before the new stuff gets here." " Want to give me a hand?" " I do." "One, two, three." "I don't understand." "It'll help you heal faster." " If you really plan to join us in this fight..." " I will fight." "I've been broken and humiliated." "I will return in kind every blow, every sting." "I will shred my adversaries... pull their eyes out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces." "You're a very inspirational person." "Have I mentioned that?" "You are what I don't understand." "And that would be different because?" "Angel told you to do whatever you wanted... today." "Tonight you may all be dead." "Yes." "Good point." "I am not what you want." "No." " Then why..." " Don't I go off and have one last perfect day?" "Smell the flowers, or skydive, or have a go with Mistress Spanksalot... or whatever the hell one is supposed to do in these situations?" " Mistress who?" " There is no perfect day for me, Illyria." "There is no sunset or painting or finely aged scotch... that's going to sum up my life and make tonight any..." "There is nothing that I want." "You want to be with Fred." "Yes." "Yes, that's where I'd be if I could." "I could assume her shape, make her come alive again this once for you." "But you would never ask me to." "The first lesson a Watcher learns is to separate truth from illusion... because in the world of magics, it's the hardest thing to do." "The truth is that Fred is gone." "To pretend anything else would be a lie." "And since I don't actually intend to die tonight, I won't accept a lie." "Is it better?" "It's better." "My soul is wrapped in harsh repose." "Midnight descends in raven-colored clothes." "But, soft." "Behold." "A sunlight beam... cutting a swath of glimmering gleam." "My heart expands." "'Tis grown a bulge in it." "Inspired by your beauty... effulgent." " Yeah.!" " That was great, man." " Thank you." "That was for Cecily." "All right, this next one's called "The Wanton Folly of Me Mum."" " So she's a werewolf." " And an art student." "She does this great pottery." "She made me a vase." "But it's the wolf part that joneses you." "There's some full-moon love, am I right?" "Fur flying?" "Huh?" "So vampires really don't understand the concept of jokes." "I understand jokes." "I was at the first taping of the Carol Burnett Show." "Tim Conway was on fire." "It was special." "I know you're my father." "You got your memories back." "Yeah, they're mixed in there with the new ones." "Kinda like a... bad dream I had, I guess." "A very strange and violent... at times inappropriately erotic... dream." "You probably have a lot of questions." "No." "I don't want to make a thing." "I get what you did, you know." "And I'm grateful." "That's as far as I want to take it, okay?" "So, what are you workin' on?" "I am, uh, applying for an internship." " I'm supposed to write up a résumé." " Need any help?" "Have you ever written a résumé before?" "Ever?" "No." " But I have very nice handwriting." " You girl." " What are you thinkin' about?" " Angel." "You simply couldn't have said a worse thing than that." " No." "You know what I mean." " I do." "It's nice to know you're one of the few things in my life he didn't get his mitts on." " I don't believe Angel trusts you." " It ain't about that, love." "It's about what he needs." "And right now, he needs every hand he can get." "As long as I'm fightin'on his side, he'll play me fair." "Smoke clears, then we'll see where we stand." "You sure you can handle the Sahrvin?" "They're sending me in with karaoke boy." "How tough can they be?" " With Lorne?" " What's up?" "Worried about his reading?" "Said your future was gonna be crappy?" " He was probably telling' you that just to mess with you." " Yeah, probably." "If this thing does go down, I want you to stay the hell away from it." "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." "Damn." "Girl, you gave up immortality for me." " It's like something out of a fairy tale." " We don't live in a fairy tale." "This may come out a little pretentious... but... one of you will betray me." "Wes." "Oh." "Can I deny you three times?" "Vail's the sorcerer of the bunch." "You know that game." "You've seen his place." "He believes you'd make a play for my spot." " That's not very flattering." " It'll get you in the door." "Illyria, Izzerial the devil... and three other members of the circle dine together almost every night." "I'll make trophies of their spines." "Good to have you on the team." " Gunn..." " Yo." "Your friend, Senator Brucker, has a campaign offiice in West L.A." "You already know she's pure hell spawn... and she tends to surround herself with vampires." "I was hopin' it'd be vamps." "Haven't dusted nearly enough this year." " No offense." " It's all right." " Spike..." " Right." "First off, I'm not wearin' any amulets." "No bracelets, brooches, beads, pendants, pins or rings." "Fine." "All you need is a rattle." " Ah, the baby." " And the legion of the Fell Brethren." "I want the kid returned to his mother and the foster family dismembered." "Done and done." "Archduke Sebassis has over 40,000 demons at his command." "Other members of the council fear him." "He's the key player, so he's mine." " Lorne..." " Oh, I'm not a fighter, Angelwings." "Never had the stomach for it." "Looks like I'm your weak link." "I need you to back up Lindsey." " Still can't believe you brought him in." " He's part of this." "It'll be just as dangerous for him as it will be for everyone else on our team." "Mmm." "This just gets better and better every day." " Anyway..." " Mmm." "About Angel's secret plan..." "So I guess we're not goin' back to the office after this." "The alley just north of Hyperion." "Everyone who makes it meets there." "We do any damage at all, the senior partners are gonna rain hell on us." "So be ready." "Hey, uh, Ange..." "I'll do this last thing for you, for us, but then I'm out." "And you won't find me in the alley afterwards." "Hell, you won't find me at all." "Do me a favor." "Don't try." "Day went by fast, huh?" "Try not to die." "You are not unpleasant to my eyes." "Uh, thanks." "You..." "try not to die too." "Later, then." "What do you think all this means for that Shanshu bugaboo?" "We make it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?" "Who you kidding?" "We're not gonna make it through." "Well, long as it's not you." "I'm curious." "Mmm." "What makes you think I won't kill you where you sit?" "Because you're smarter than the others." "Smart enough to have your doubts about Angel... and rightly so." "He's... unpredictable." "And worse, he has a conscience." "You make a very persuasive argument." "Wait." "It gets better." "I can't offiicially comment on that." "But, off the record, if Mr. Conley's recent confession is true... then he's a very sick man who needs professional help." "One of the goals of my next term in Washington... is stronger federal guidelines." "Harmony, where's Hamilton?" "Records room." "Been keeping him busy, like you said." "Good." "I gotta stop by the penthouse, but have my car ready." "And just make sure Hamilton stays busy." "No problemo, boss." " Going out?" "Why?" "You want to order in?" "I hear you already have plans." "Gonna take that when you visit Sebassis?" "Now, why don't I think that's a gift?" " Aah!" "Ah, oh!" " Oh, my God." " Hamilton..." "He's not my boyfriend." "I mean, I certainly didn't betray you." " Drop the act, Harm." " It's not an act." "I'm really this nervous." " I knew you'd turn on me." "I just didn't know when." " What do you mean, you knew?" " Loyalty really isn't high on your list." " Oh, is that right?" " I'll have you know I am damn loyal, dumb-ass." " You betrayed me." "You are betraying me now, even as we are talking." "Because you never have any confidence in me." "No, because you have no soul." "I would if you had confidence in me." " Get out of the building." " Are you firing me?" "Among other things, yes." " Do you think I could get a recommendation?" " Yeah, okay." " But see, if you don't so much live is the other thing..." " It's already in the desk." " Oh, you're the best!" "Good luck." "Um, may the best man win?" " So." " Yeah." "Did that hurt at all?" " Little bit." " Ah!" " But it's all part of the job." "The senior partners have expended an awful lot of time and resources on you." "Personally, I would have told them not to bother." "You're gutter trash." "That's where you should have stayed... drinking and whoring your way through an unremarkable life." "But the fates stepped in and made you a vampire... with a soul, no less." "A champion, a hero of the people." "Yet, you still managed to fail everyone around you." "Doyle, Cordelia, Fred." "They're all gone." "It's time you followed." "Did you really think you were going to kill Archduke Sebassis?" "No." "I think I already did." " I spiked his drink." "I figured you were the one I needed to be alone with." "Why?" "So I could kill you?" "Well, I thought the fight would be going a little better." "Oh." "Hello, Junior." "Name's Spike." "And lucky for you, I'm on a strict diet." "Place the Holy Vessel back in the bassinet." "Right." "Your influence on this world is over." "The rest of the circle will wither and die... like you are about to." "You don't know who you're dealing with, do you, boy?" "I mean, really." "I crap better magic than this." "Now, then, let me show you what a real wizard can do." "Now, then, let me show you what a real wizard can do." "Why do you keep fighting?" "You signed away your Shanshu." "There's nothing in it for you anymore." "People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do." "Oh.!" "Yeah, but we won't care." "Care about that, dress-for-less?" "What the hell are you doin' here?" "Come on." "You drop by for a cup of coffee, and the world's not ending?" "Please." "Your families are protected... against pedophiles and other undesirables... even in the United States of..." "Aah.!" "Looks like you boys are gonna need to find a new candidate." "And you wonder why folks don't vote." " Those guys were chumps." " Now they're chunks." "Demon strength or no, you're quite the master swordsman." "Well, I couldn't have done it without that high note in "MacArthur Park."" "Slays 'em every time." "Any word on the rest of the team?" "For all I know, we are the rest of the team." "I haven't heard squat." " That's weird." " They'll call." "No, I mean me sayin' "team"... and meaning it." " Kinda like the feeling." " Yeah, today." " You really done with 'em?" "It isn't my kind of work anymore." "It's unsavory." "Gee, I think it's just getting interesting." "Yeah, I bet you do." "You don't trust me." "You don't think a man can change?" "It's not about what I think." "This was Angel's plan." "Come on." " I could sing for you." " I've heard you sing." "Why..." "Why'd you..." "One last job." "You're not part of the solution, Lindsey." "You never will be." "You kill me?" "A flunky?" "I'm not just..." "Angel kills me." "You..." "Angel..." "Good night, folks." "Did you really think you had a shot at this?" "I can bend the very fabric of reality to my will." "Your parlor tricks could never kill me, boy." "Then I'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way." "Yes, I suppose we will." "Oh!" " Wesley." "This wound is mortal." "Aren't we all?" "It was good that you came." "I killed all mine." "And I was..." "Concerned?" "I think so." "But I can't help." "You'll be dead within moments." "I know." "Would you like me to lie to you now?" "Yes." "Thank you, yes." "Hello, there." "Oh, Wesley." "My Wesley." "Fred." "I've missed you." "It's gonna be okay." "It won't hurt much longer... and then you'll be where I am." "We'll be together." "L..." "I love you." "I love you." "My love." "Oh, my love." "How very touching his meaningless death was." "But this fight was never for mortals." "Oh.!" "Take your best shot, little girl." "Take your best shot, little girl." "Oh!" "What is with you people?" "Connor!" "Let me say this as clearly as I can." "You can not beat me." "I am a part of them, the wolf, ram, and hart." "Their strength flows through my veins." "My blood is filled with their ancient power." "Can you pick out the one word there you probably shouldn't have said?" "Wow!" "You really are full of it." "What was that you were saying about ancient power?" "You don't really think you're gonna win this, do you?" "You don't stand a chance." "We are legion." "We are forever." "I guess forever... just got a hell of a lot shorter." "Ah!" "Is he dead?" "Yeah, he's dead." "Uh... that's not good, is it?" "Wolfram and Hart." "Looks like they're taking the gloves off." " What'll we do?" " You go home." " This is my fight." " That's some serious macho..." "Aah!" " Go home now." " They'll destroy you." "As long as you're okay, they can't." "Go." "What the hell is going on?" "We're gettin' kicked out of the garden, Eve." "Where's Lindsey?" "Where is he?" " He's not comin' for you." " You..." "Time to go." "Go where?" "Boo." " Anyone else?" " Not so far." "You feel the heat?" "It's comin'." " Finally got ourselves a decent brawl." " Damn.!" "How'd I know the fang boys would pull through?" "You're lucky we're on the same side, dogs, 'cause I was on fire tonight." "My game was... tight." "Supposed to wear that red stuff on the inside, Charlie boy." "Any word on Wes?" "Wesley's dead." "I'm feeling grief for him." "I can't seem to control it." " I wish to do more violence." " Wishes just happen to be horses today." "Among other things." "Okay." "You take the 30,000 on the left." "You're fading." "You'll last ten minutes at best." "Then let's make 'em memorable." " And in terms of a plan?" " We fight." "Bit more specific?" "Well, personally, I kinda want to slay the dragon." " Let's go to work."