" [Blows Land] - [Grunting]" "[Blows, Grunting Continue]" "[Moaning, Shivering]" "Thank you." "Thank you." " Mmm." "Hey." " [Sighs, Laughs]" "Okay." "Where did you learn how to do that?" " Which part?" " Doesn't matter." " How are you?" " I'm good." "You're not perfectly happy, are you?" " 'Cause I got my wooden stake right here." " [Groans]" "That's not a stake." "I know I brought it." " [Rifling]" " You're safe." "[Inhales] Okay." "And you?" "Good?" "You... weren't thinking about your little Roman friend or..." "Nina, for the last..." " Whoa." " Wow." "Hey." "For the last... very long moment, I haven't had a single coherent thought." " I'm gonna take that as a compliment." " You really should." "But now the brow is back." "If she's not on your mind, then..." "[Inhales] There's..." "There's a lot..." "more than usual goin' on." " Work?" " Always." "You should get away." "Vacation?" "You know that word?" "Go to Cabo, drink margaritas, midnight skinny-dipping, making love on the beach..." "Did you catch how I subtly included myself in your vacation package?" "Nina..." "Too pushy, too needy." "I never even said it." "You should make love on the beach all by yourself." " It would be wonderful." "I mean it." " But?" "[Sighs] That there..." "There are things that-that I have to do." "Things I've already set in motion that, uh..." "[Sighs, Groans]" "I know I spent years fighting to get somewhere... to accomplish something... and now that I'm close to it..." "I don't like what I see..." "who I am." " You're a hero." " Not that word." "Well, you're my hero." "I may not always be." "[Spike] Like you're not even there." "World trembled before your feet once." "Now, padding' around a place you don't wanna be in... and the rabble don't even give you so much as a polite yawn." "Do not presume I require any creature's attention." "Wouldn't dream of it, Blue." "Still, you can't enjoy haunting this place." "Less than what you were, not knowing what to do with yourself." " Believe me, I've been there." " And what do you know of it?" "Long and fascinating tale." "Ghost story, in fact." "Short of it is, take my advice." "Get out once in a while before you go bats." " Out?" " Out." "Outside?" "That place just on the other side of the window?" "I've grown wary of this world since my powers were depleted." "Strange." "Though I've been made more human... this place remains disconcerting." "Yeah." "Well, I'm afraid that never goes away." "Anyhow, I though Wesley was giving you a primer on all things human." "He and I are no longer having intercourse." "Yeah." "L..." "You what?" "What?" "He has ceased communication with me." "Oh." "Oh." "Communi..." "My recent reversion to the Burkle persona disturbed him... and he will not tell me why." "You don't know?" "You may not think you're as powerful as you were, Highness... but looking like Fred, for some of us... is the most devastating power you have." "[Chattering]" "Ah." "And there's the man himself." "Angel, I'd like you to meet Senator Brucker." "Senator." "Welcome to Wolfram and Hart." "I go way back with this firm." "Back when Holland Manners was in charge." "You'll find things have changed a bit since then." " Charles Gunn." " Head of our Legal Department." " Oh." "And this is Ernesto, my personal..." " Vampire." "Aide." "I always forget your kind can sense each other." "Well, I believe in diversity on my staff." " It was a big part of my campaign." " How commendable." " Harmony, you mind gettin' us some coffee?" " Coming up." "Oh." "Thank you, no." "No coffee." "But if it isn't any trouble, I think Ernesto might like some blood." "Virgin, if you have it." "Room temperature's fine." "Sorry." "We have a "no human blood"policy." "I can offer you something in a rodent." "We have some fruity, unassuming vole..." "I think we could make an exception to our policy this time for the senator." "Couldn't we, Angel?" "Harmony, the lab might have something in the blood bank." " Why don't you go check it out?" " Okay." "You're the boss, boss." "Could I maybe just have a teeny-weeny..." " No." " Just thought I'd ask." "Well, Senator, if there's anything you need, please call on me." "Rest assured, you're in good hands." "Shall we?" " Angel." "There's been another fatality in Funville." " What?" "That abandoned amusement park downtown." "Third victim in as many nights." "Teeth marks strongly indicate a Boretz demon." "Ah, bloody Boretz." "Nasty buggers." "Stink to high heaven." "Dress as transients to prey on the homeless, poor sods." "[Wesley] This last victim was a teenage girl." "A runaway." " She was ripped apart." " There's not much we can do about it now, huh?" "Angel, we need to find this demon and destroy it before..." "Somebody else dies?" "Yeah, I know, Wes." "People are dying every day all over." " This girl's just one more statistic..." " Stacey." "The statistic's name was Stacey Bluth." "Well, you know we can't save everybody, and we can't sweat the small stuff." "Small?" "Wes, I got a United States senator waiting' for me... so just find out whatever you can about this Boretz thing, and we'll talk later, okay?" " "Small stuff."" " Listen... you need some Boretz killing done, I'll have a go." "I haven't had a decent tussle since the blue meanie and I stopped sparring." "Yes." "All right." "Call me if you find anything." "I'll be in my office, learning what I can." "He showed no regard for my presence." "Not that you require any creature's attention." "Hey, you wanna go find somethin' to hit?" "[Man Narrating] A Gulf War veteran and Bronze Star recipient..." "Mike Conley believes ethics and integrity matter." "Finding solutions to problems in our educational system, health, and child care services." "Finding solutions to problems in our educational system, health, and child care services." "And Mike Conley believes in work and in home." "Your home is his work." "He's looking out for your children's interests." "There." "So you can see my concern." "This Conley campaign's a juggernaut." "Guy came out of nowhere with his "Your home is his work" crap." " Women voters are eating it up." " And they were mine." "I had a lock on the chick vote, and now my numbers are slipping." "I didn't claw my way up from hell and get installed in a human body... just to have some pedophile steal my Senate seat." " Wait." "He's a pedophile?" " Not yet." "But the public better think he is when you guys get through." " Pardon me?" " Help convince Conley he is." "You've got some sort of brainwashing capabilities here, don't you?" " What's that doctor's name?" " Sparrow." "That's the one." "This sounds right up his alley." "Yeah, well, it's not up ours." "Look, I don't care what kind of services... you were used to getting with this firm, but Holland Manners doesn't live here anymore." "We're not about to ruin a man's life and reputation just so you can..." " We can do it." " What?" "Not sure how long a reconditioning like that would take." " The election's in November." " You're not seriously considering..." "Angel, you just made yourself a very loyal ally in Washington." " Angel, we need to talk." " I'm with the senator now, Gunn." "Boretz demons." "Classifications and case histories." "What am I looking..." "We got a serious problem." " It's Angel." "He's..." " Hold on." "Wes?" "[Grunting]" "Aw, hell." "Nice one." " Did I tell ya?" "Ran into Ed the other day." " Ed?" "The grand potentate whatcha-whosit of the Fell Brethren?" "Right." "How is Ed?" "You know the Fells." "All they can talk about is the baby." ""The baby's doin' this now." "The baby's doin' that."" ""What a wonderful ritual sacrifiiice he'll make." Yak, yak, yak." "Anyway, he couldn't say enough nice things about you." " Oh, great." " Hey, you're really comin' through, big guy." " There's a real buzz about you." " So, how much longer do I have to wait for an answer?" "Hey, these things take time." "Trust me." "It won't be long now." "See?" "This isn't so bad now." "Little field trip out in the... well, what passes in this city for fresh air." "All we need now is to bag ourselves a Boretz demon... we got ourselves a perfect date." "[Illyria] Angel does not think... the casualties of this creature are important enough to avenge." "I think corporate living's made him lose his love for the hunt." "No worries." "More for me then." "[Illyria] It does not serve his interest." "What are you on about?" "I've seen this before with many rulers." " Your leader has been corrupted." " Hey." "Hang on." "In the first place, Angel's not my leader." "And in the second, what the bloody hell do you mean, "corrupted"?" "It always begins the same." "A ruler turns a blind eye to the dealings or battles from which he cannot gain... and a deaf ear to the counsel of those closest to him." "As his strength increases, so does the separation between him and his follow..." "Shh." " You smell that?" " The odors of everything in this world of men... are equally repugnant to me." "Bloody helpful." "You're wrong about Angel." "[Sighs]" "Not that I don't think the sod could end up being a megalomaniacal bastard... it's just if he did, I'd know it." "I'd feel it." "[Illyria] You'll have proof soon enough." "A corrupted ruler on such a path... sees treachery and betrayal all around him." "He cannot suffer intimates." "He will eventually turn against them." "[Chuckles] Guess I don't have to worry about that... 'cause Angel and me have never been intimate." " Except that one..." " Mark me." "He will murder one of you." "Actually... he already has." "Drogyn." " Who is this?" " The guardian of the Deeper Well." " [Gasping]" " Greenskeeper of your graveyard, so to speak." "My jailer." " Illyria." " Boretz." "[Growling]" "[Grunts]" "Stay away from its mouth." "Its bite is poisonous." "Go for its knees.!" "I think there's a weak spot..." "Okay." "Yeah." "That might do it." "Drogyn." "What the hell are you doing here?" "Don't give me your "Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies"bugaboo." " I came to find you." " Oh, so you tacked up a sign on your tree... waved bye to the Keeblers, hopped the puddle... and managed to sniff me out in a city of ten million." "I can find anyone who's visited the well... be they in this world or any other." " [Gasps] I came to... to warn you." " Warn me?" " He's bleeding." " You're all torn up, mate." " [Gasping]" " What did this to you?" "The Boretz, was it?" "No." "It was Angel." "That'd look good on a calf." " Pardon?" " Thinking of getting a tattoo, right?" "Put a little more bad in your bad-boy bank." "It should go on your calf." "Angel, something unusual came across one of my..." "Oh, I... didn't realize you were occupied." "If you don't mind, Hamilton..." "Actually, Wes, we're... kind of in the middle of something." "Why don't you try me later?" " Yes." "Later then." " Hey, Wes?" "Shut the door on your way out." "Hey." "Is Angel in there?" " He is." " What's the weather report?" "Cold." "Icy, actually." "Well, he cut six of my clients loose." "Didn't even tell me." "I spent all day talking them off ledges and off of pill bottles." "I sense that suicidal celebrities are beneath Angel's concern." "These are very pretty people I'm talking about here, Wes." "Four of'em getting in shape for Young Guns III." " What'd he say?" " Nothing." "He and Hamilton are in his office." " They're discussing business strategy." " Hamilton?" "Looks like Angel suddenly started channeling Leona Helmsley." " He's not himself, at any rate." " What's happening to him?" " [Phone Rings]" " Yes?" "Spike." "It was a Sathari... part of a clan of demon assassins." "They fell upon me last night." "The poison from his four blades wearing heavy on my limbs..." "Yeah." "Rousing bit of rah-rah, mate." "Get to the goods." "Once I bested him, I tortured the Sathari for hours... until he confessed who had sent him." "It was Angel." "Tell 'em why." "He said Angel was afraid I'd find something in the Deeper Well... something that would uncover the truth about his involvement." " In what?" " Helping Illyria escape from her tomb." "I thought the release of her sarcophagus from the Deeper Well was predestined." " Yeah." "What about that bit?" " That's what I thought at the time... but now I believe..." "Illyria's resurrection may have been planned." " By Angel." " Oh, that doesn't make a lick of sense." "Why would Angel want to spring an Old One?" " I don't think that was the point." " Then what was?" "Before he died, the assassin said something about a sacrifice." "Someone... trusted and dear." "Are you saying... that Angel was responsible for what happened to Fred?" "I mean, he may not have..." "chosen her specifically, but..." "Whoa.!" "Let's put a kibosh on that sentence before it turns into an ass-kickin'" "Do you think I gain pleasure in this?" "I held Angel an ally, a brother." "And you believe..." "he may have murdered Fred." "I know this is difficult for you, but Angel was involved." "The information retrieved from the assassin..." " You ever think he was lyin'?" " No one lies when they're at the mercy of my wrath." " Then you're the liar, Aragorn." " He has to tell the truth." " It's a curse or something." " How can we be sure?" "We don't know this guy." "Gunn, this is Drogyn the Battlebrand... given eternal youth a thousand years ago." "Demon bane, truth-sayer..." "Watchers Council." "Percy did a paper." "Bully for him." "Drogyn, any idea what this symbol means?" " No." " Where'd you get that?" "This afternoon, someone tapped into the template interface... sent a message to me, and that symbol." " Somebody's dropping clues." " Playing games is more like it." "Put me on the short bus, but I still can't wrap my head around the notion... that Angel had anything to do with Fred, or any of this." "Angel's been doing a number of things out of character lately." " We all noticed it." " Yeah, but why is this happening now?" "Why the change?" "Yes, why the sudden need to tie up loose ends like Drogyn?" " Unless..." " He's preparing to make his move." "What kind of move we talking about?" "There's only one way to find out." "We ask him." " Drogyn should stay here, under guard." " I'm not missing the fireworks." "Hey, Illyria." "You don't... care about any of this nonsense, do you?" "The intricacies of your fates are meaningless." "Well and good." "You mind watchin' over our friend Drogyn?" "Aw, come on." "New place will do you good." "It's nice and cozy." "Help yourself to some beer in the fridge." "Switch on the telly if you get bored, and, uh... feel free to play a little Crash Bandicoot." "Give you lot something to pass the time." " [Door Closes]" " Crash Bandicoot?" "Strike these four clauses and wire it back to them." "See what they make of that." " Yeah." "See what they make of that." " Angel?" " Long dinner?" " We need to talk to you." " Now." " Boy's dead serious." "Are you comin' then?" "Okay, what's on your minds?" " The question is, what's on yours?" " Our friend Drogyn's in town." " Is he?" " Yep." "Bit marked up though." "Somebody tried to have him killed." "Know anything about that?" "Of course not." "Where is he?" " He's safe." " Good." "Now, can we get back to business?" "Or was there something else?" ""Business." What "business" are we in, Angel?" "Do I really have to explain this to you people?" "We're in the business of business." "Oil, software, Worldwide Wickets..." "The product doesn't matter." "It's the game that matters." "Get to the top, be the best, have the most, win." " Win what?" " You're still missing the point." "That Angel talkin'?" "'Cause it sounds a lot more like Angelus." "Oh, if I were Angelus, half of you would already be dead, just for the fun of it." "One of us already is." "We havin' fun yet?" "You wanna know the truth?" "The truth is there's only one of us who ever understood how things really work." " Lorne." " Whoa." "Hey, h-hey." "Can I not be the poster child for your nervous breakdown here?" "You didn't judge." "You didn't spend your life obsessed with good and evil." "You do that, you get swallowed..." "lost in the minutiae." "Good, bad, Angel, Angelus..." "None of it makes a difference." "I wish it did, but..." "You know, an ant with the best intentions or the most diabolical schemes... is just exactly an ant." "And there is one thing in this business... in this apocalypse that we call a world that matters... power." "Power tips the scale." "Power sets the course." "And until I have real power..." "global power..." "I have nothing." "I accomplish nothing." " And how you get this power..." " Isn't pretty." "Isn't fun." "You think it's Wolfram and Hart getting to me here... and maybe you're right, because they've shown us what power is." "From day one, they've been callin' the shots... and all we've done is get shot at." "I have a chance to change that." "And will you?" "I mean, not to play an old saw, but power does traditionally corrupt." "I mean, you get high up enough, and... well, the people, they do start to look like ants." "I can't worry about that." "I can't worry about that." " The small stuff." " Angel?" "That important phone call from..." "that guy about that thing..." "It's on line three." "We're done here." "I have to take this." "[Spike] Yeah. "The guy about the thing."" "The "small stuff' that you can't worry about?" " Would that include Fred?" " I loved Fred." " That's not an answer." " Then I guess you don't get one." "There's got to be something..." "behind all this." "A reason." "It could be a ploy." " For God's sake, say something." " What would you like me to say?" "Tell you that Angel loved Fred... and that in an eon of eons he would never harm her in any way?" "I wish I could, Wes." "But if he believes what he's saying, and I believe he does..." "Doesn't make any sense." "Angel never cared about power." "Well, he's never had any to care about, has he?" "Not real power, even as Angelus." "And then just like that, he's king of the mountain." "It's quite a view from up there." "Tends to make people want things." "Even if they start with the... best intentions." "Angel's seen real power and... he's not lookin' away." "He's gonna go for it, Wes." "[Laughs] You boys look like you could use a hug." " [Indistinct]" " Nina." "Angel." "Hey." "Mmm." "This is a nice surprise." " Everything okay?" " Can we sit down?" "Plane tickets?" "I don't believe it." "We're getting away?" "This is..." "But I thought you didn't have time." "Um..." "Wait." "There are three tickets here." "We taking a chaperone?" "My sister and Amanda?" " I need you to be out of here." " It's typical." "You sleep with a guy, and he sends your entire family out of the country." "No, wait." "That's actually not that typical at all." "You couldn't just..." "not call?" " It's not safe here." " Is it ever?" "I wanna be with you if there's trouble." "You don't wanna be with me." "You don't wanna be near me." " Because I might get hurt?" " Because I'm the thing that'll hurt you." "What do you call this?" "Look, how can I convince you I wanna be with you?" "Show me a fourth ticket." "Look, if..." "[Sighs]" "If I get..." "through this... intact..." "I'll come for you." "We'll..." "We'll have time." "[Sighs, Chuckles]" "You're the most amazing man I've ever met... but you're a crappy liar." "Go." "I'm not askin'." "I'll go." "Why on earth would I stay?" "[Game Music, Sound Effects]" "It is a test..." "a task of some sort." "You must collect those crystals..." " [Ricochet, Electronic Gulping]" " And fruit." "Why?" "Old One... you have no right to walk this earth." "Your time has passed." "You belong to the well." "Truly." "I wish now I had never been brought out of it." "Do you?" " [Game Noise, Music Continue]" " I don't know." "I play this game." "It's pointless and annoys me... and yet I'm compelled to play on." "Does that not..." "Well, lookee lookee who's making friends." " Marcus." " Dro?" "How have you been?" " You're acquainted with this creature." " Yes." " We go way back, don't we?" " Too far." "Mmm, the good old days." "So, I hear you're living in a tree now." "The tree... is the entrance to the Deeper Well." "I live in a cave." "It's... really quite pleasant." "Sure it's a peach." "Afraid you won't be returning to it again." "You will not harm him." "[Chuckles] Oh, you mean like this?" "Uh!" "[Groans]" "Uhh!" "Hang on, Dro." "This'll just take a second." "[Inhales] I gotta tell you." "I'm a little disappointed." "Didn't think a big scary Old One bled this easily." " [Groans]" " Maybe it's this skinny little body you chose to infect." "Or maybe it's that ray gun they shot you with to keep you from exploding." "Or maybe... you're... just..." "not... that..." "[Groaning]" " Cool." " [Cries Out]" "[Breathing Heavily]" "Yes, that's probably it." "So what are you gonna do?" "You gonna beat it out of me?" "If you say so." "We all know how this goes." "Spike beats you to a bloody pulp, you beg for mercy, and we get what we came for." " Who needs all that rigamarole?" " I told you." "I don't know why Angel gave up that kid or anything else." "Me and him, not too close." "Now can I get back to my game of solitaire?" " Where'd you get that?" " Doesn't matter." " What does it mean?" " [Laughs]" "Is that what all this is about?" "All these questions about Angel?" "No." "No way." "No way they'd take Angel." " Who "they"?" " Circle of the Black Thorn." " Sounds like a little sewing club for pirates." " It's a secret society." " Never heard of'em." " That's 'cause they're secret." "There's plenty of these cabals about." "Usually spend a lot of time in basements... paddling one another's bums to prove their manhood." "These are not frat boys, Spike." "Circle's small." "It's elite." "They got connections you boys can't even comprehend." " They're evil." " Sure." "But evil's not the point." "Power is." " Power." " Okay, we get it." "They're badass." " What do they do?" " [Laughs]" "Geez." "You guys always this slow?" "Huh?" "Starts with "A"?" "Ends in "pocalypse"?" "It's a well-oiled machine, this circle." "These people grease the wheels, keep the parts in place... make sure man's inhumanity to man keeps rollin' along." "I thought the senior partners were responsible for the apocalypse." "Senior partners are on a different plane." "Down here, it's the players in the circle that make things happen." "Hell, you... you get tapped by one of them... that's kinda like gettin' the keys to the chocolate factory." "That's why you came back to L.A., tried to kill Angel... to get into the circle." "To be a Black Thorn is to be the senior partners' instrument on Earth." "Doesn't get bigger than that." "Looks like Angel succeeded where you failed." " He doesn't have it in him." " Doesn't have what in him?" "Well, for starters, he's got to give up the champion angle... quit saving' girls in alleys." "Probably wouldn't even..." "make it on the circle's radar... till he killed one of his lieutenants." "The senior partners, the circle..." "They're killing Angel by degrees." "And we all watched it happen." "Guy I knew wouldn't want this..." "wouldn't wanna be this." "Angel dedicated his life to helping others." "Not because he had to, but because it was a path he'd chosen." "If he's been swayed from that..." "influenced... then maybe there's still time." "We can bring him back." "He'd do the same for any of us, regardless of our actions." "Yeah, but what if he's skipped too far down that evil brick road?" " [Blows Land] - [Grunting]" "[Blows, Grunting Continue]" "[Cries Out, Moaning]" "[Moaning, Raspy Breathing]" "[Sighs] Th..." "Th-Thank you." "[Gasping] Thank you." "[Gasping, Grunting]" "[Whimpers, Cries Out]" "[Sizzling]" "The circle entwined." "[All] Embrace this worthy son." "The thorn draws blood." "[All] The thorn is the power and the power is absolute." "Welcome to the fold." "Well done, Angel." " [Applause]" " Well done." "See, didn't I tell ya it was gonna happen?" "And how about that lamb we got you for the slaughter?" "Any idea who that was?" " Drogyn the Battlebrand." " Damn straight." "We got you some supercharged warrior juice, not some schmuck." "You must feel great." "Okay." "Let me introduce you around to a few people." "Some of these folks you know, some you don't." "Of course, you're acquainted with the archduke." "Kudos, child." "I must say, it's gratifying to see you've returned to form, Angelus." " It's still Angel." " Ah." "Well, what's in a name, eh?" "In the spirit of our new alliance... you must allow me to throw a dinner party in your honor." " You know how I love parties." " It's nice to see you again so soon, Angel." "Senator." "I had no idea you were so well-connected." "Well, I'm not gonna take the White House in 2008... on just my sparkling wit and funding from hostile governments." " [Laughs] - [Laughs] I expect not." "Excuse us, Helen." "Angel, I've got someone here who would like to pay his respects." " Vail." " You've been looking for me." "Actually, I've been..." "looking like I'm looking for you." " Appearances, you know?" " [Laughs, Coughs]" "See, Cyvus, I told you it was all good." " Now why don't you two shake hands?" "Come on." " No hard feelings then." "Ultimately everything worked out for the best." "[Laughs, Coughs]" " Oh, your son, he kills quite well." " Thanks." "[Raspy Laughing]" " Got a great turnout for your initiation." " Really?" "Oh, yeah." "Everybody's here." "Here, let me freshen that up." "[Indistinct]" "[Cries Out]" " Might wanna stay down." " Or what?" "Careful." "Don't wanna get yourselves hurt." "We know what you been doin'." "Giving up the baby to the Fell Brethren, workin' for Senator Bitch... tryin' to take out Drogyn to cover up what you did to Fred." "And for what?" "To get in bed with the Circle of the Black Thorn?" "So you figured it out." "Yeah, a little singin' from a jailbird we know and loathe." "Lindsey." " [Scoffs] And you believed him." " Doesn't have a reason to lie." " Doesn't need one." " Unlike you?" "What I do here is my business." "You don't like how I conduct it, you can leave before I kill you." "Kill us?" "Hard to believe we're having trouble trusting you." " Just telling it like it is." " Then we have a problem." "I guess we do." "[Gasps]" " We done?" " Let him go." "You don't give the orders." "Lorne, pull this thing out of me." "Easy." "I'm not in a great mood." "[Gasps]" "Good." "Now, let's finish this." "Involvare." "All right." "We have six minutes." " Till what?" " The glamour collapses." "As far as anyone outside is concerned, we're still at each other's throats." " Aren't we?" " We don't have a lot of time, so I'm gonna make this short." "Everything you think you know, everything you've heard... is a lie." " Why should we believe you?" " Because I'm the one who told it." " Read any good books lately?" " You sent us the message?" " And the assassin to kill Drogyn." " So that part was true." "I knew Drogyn could handle himself." "I told the assassin just enough... to lead Drogyn to think I played a part in resurrecting Illyria." "I figured he'd come here lookin' for allies against me." "Why would you want us to believe you killed Fred?" " Because they needed to believe it." " The Black Thorn." "They needed to believe my own people didn't trust me anymore." "They needed to believe a person as good and as pure as Drogyn considered me an enemy." "It was the only way to gain their confidence." "Oh, so this whole Evil Angel thing's been a big scamola." "Huh." "I smell Oscar." " When did this all start?" " Two months ago, with a kiss." " Though it didn't hit me till later that night." " [Gasps]" "Cordelia gave you her visions." "One-shot deal." "She put me on the path, showed me where the real powers are." "But I couldn't see who they were." "And then Fred died, and I wasn't going to let that be another random, horrible event... in another random, horrible world." "So I decided to use it... to make her death matter." "And it worked." "I'm in." "I've seen the faces of evil." "I know who the real powers in the apocalypse are." "So all that "power tilts the scales" crap..." "It's true." "We're in a machine." "That machine's gonna be here long after our bodies are dust." "The senior partners will always exist in one form or another because mankind is weak." "Do you want me to point my crossbow at him... 'cause I think he's gonna start talkin' about ants again." "We are weak." "The powerful control everything... except our will to choose." "Look, Lindsey's a pathetic half-wit, but he was right about one thing." "Heroes don't accept the way the world is." "The senior partners may be eternal, but we can make their existence painful." "You wanna take them on?" "We're in a machine." "The Black Thorn runs it." "We can bring their gears to a grinding halt, even if it's just for a moment." "'Bout time we got our hands dirty." "This isn't a "keep fighting the good fight" kind of a deal." "Let's be clear." "I'm talking about killing every... single... member... of the Black Thorn." " We don't walk away from that." " Do we crawl away at least?" "We do this, the senior partners will rain their full wrath." "They'll make an example of us." "I'm talkin' full-on hell, not the basic fire-and-brimstone kind we're used to." " We know the drill." " No, you don't." "Ten to one, we're gone when the smoke clears." "They will do everything in their power to destroy us." "So..." "I need you to be sure." "Power endures." "We can't bring down the senior partners, but for one bright, shiny moment... we can show them that they don't own us." "You need to decide for yourselves... if that's worth dying for." "I can't order you to do this." "Can't do it without ya." "So we'll vote..." "as a team." "Think about what I'm askin' you to do." "Think about what I'm askin' you to give." "Kill 'em all." "Burn the house down while we're still in it." "Somethin' like that." "[Exhales] I'm in." "I'm in." " Drop him!" " Angel, you don't want it to go like this." " Drop..." "You and I..." " Wes!" " Let him go!" "Angel, we've got three people here!" "Drop him!" "[Shouting Continues, Indistinct]" "Grr!" "Arrgh!"