6x03
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
1 INT. WOLFRAM & HART. LOBBY. EVENING. 1
The late shift are powering down for the evening in the
Wolfram & Hart lobby. A night-watchman dozes behind the
reception desk, and all is quiet.
Until with a terrific SMASH, the bulky demon we last saw
guarding the outside of the building hurtles through the
front doors, sending them scattering away from the frame and
spraying tinted glass across the lobby.
ANGEL strides boldly into the lobby, axe in hand, glass
crunching beneath his feet as he passes the very dead body of
the guard demon.
The watchman has leapt to his feet and is rushing towards
Angel, taser ready, but Angel's too quick and lashes out,
knocking the man to the ground. He squats down and lifts the
guard's head up by his shirt collar.
ANGEL
Hi. I'm here to make a withdrawal.
He drops the guard back down and starts towards the lifts,
pausing as we hear the sound of several pairs of running
feet.
With a chorus of safeties clicking off, Angel looks up to see
a ring of machine gun-toting security guards circling him
around the second floor balcony.
Angel turns to face them, raising his arms.
ANGEL (cont'd)
Sorry, do I need to make an
appointment first now?
The guards OPEN FIRE, and Angel darts to the side as bullets
tear up the panels around him.
2 INT. W&H – KITRIDGE'S OFFICE. EVENING. 2
KITRIDGE looks up as we hear the distant sound of gunfire.
KIRSTEN opens his door, a little panicky.
KIRSTEN
Uh, James? He's here.
KITRIDGE
So I can hear. Are the security
measures in place?
Kirsten turns to listen outside – and we hear the sounds of a
fight raging, with yells and shouts in between bursts of
gunfire. She turns back.
KIRSTEN
I don't think they're holding up
all that well…
KITRIDGE
It's all right. He'll head for the
science division, the same as Spike
did. We have countermeasures ready.
Kitridge leans back in his chair, perfectly calm.
KITRIDGE (cont'd)
Angel isn't leaving with that girl.
Not in one piece, anyway.
Kirsten looks nervously back outside.
KIRSTEN
So… should I-
KITRIDGE
Get to safety, Kirsten. You know
the access codes, take the private
elevator to the top and wait for
the all clear. You know the drills.
She nods and heads out, closing the door. We stay with
Kitridge as HOLLAND MANNERS strides out of the shadows.
MANNERS
You seem remarkably relaxed, James!
Angel's busy tearing this building
apart from the ground up, aren't
you at least going to get to
somewhere safe yourself?
KITRIDGE
I don't need to. Angel's only
interested in the girl. And
besides, I have plenty of back-up
plans to ensure they don't get back
out.
Manners looks round as we hear more distant sounds of
violence – Angel is still hard at work.
MANNERS
Far be it from me to question your
judgement, James.
There's a beat. Kitridge nods, as if expecting more.
KITRIDGE
And…?
MANNERS
That's all. I wasn't about to add
'but… don't you think you should
get out of here?' because I can
tell you know exactly what you're
doing.
KITRIDGE
Simple matter of personality study.
MANNERS
(walking away)
I'll tell that to the families of
those security guards, then.
Kitridge chuckles as Manners wanders back into the shadows.
We stay on Kitridge for a beat, before a cut to:
3 INT. WOLFRAM & HART – STAIRCASE. 3
Leaving a trail of battered security guards behind him, and
already cut and bloodied Angel marches up the stairs,
straight towards the camera, and as he walks into us, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
4 INT. W&H – SCIENCE DIVISION. EVENING. 4
A LAB TECH, the only one in the otherwise empty lab, hurries
across the room, urgently looking around. He spots a figure
sitting in a darkened part of the lab and taps him on the
shoulder.
SERRANO turns to face us, the sinister doctor looking even
more like a B-movie villain in this dim light.
SERRANO
Yes? What is it?
LAB TECH
Uh, it's a message from Mr.
Kitridge, sir. He says, uh… 'he's
here.'
Serrano's brow creases as he ponders something, then a broad
and creepy smile cracks across his face.
SERRANO
Excellent timing. Call Kitridge
back, tell him the situation is
under control and will be carried
out as per his instructions.
The tech nods and heads off, leaving Serrano in the silent
lab. He wanders past an open door leading into a room
resembling a hospital operating room, and we get a brief
glimpse of the unconscious NINA strapped down to a table
before Serrano kicks the door shut, and it seals with an
electronic BEEP. He crosses the room and reaches a large,
locked metal cabinet.
Unfastening it and opening it, we see a huge, well-crafted
hunter's rifle, and several clips of various types of
ammunition. Selecting one, he takes the gun and bullets down,
loading the weapon with a happy grin.
5 INT. W&H – CORRIDOR. EVENING. 5
Angel marches onwards. A large Demon steps out of a doorway
as he passes, but without breaking stride, Angel punches out
and slams the demon back into the doorframe, sending it
sliding down to the floor.
An alarm bell starts to sound overhead, and Angel allows
himself a small grin.
As he turns into a new corridor, anxious-looking suits start
to emerge from the doorways around him, giving Angel a wide
berth as he walks by.
An automated announcement starts to sound:
ANNOUNCEMENT
Ladies, gentlemen and all non-human
employees, we have an internal
security situation, please make
your way to the nearest safety
point in an orderly manner, and we
will contain the danger as soon as
possible.
Angel passes a security camera that buzzes as it zooms in on
him. He pauses, looks up at it, then SMASHES it with one blow
from his axe.
Still as determined as ever, he strides on.
6 INT. W&H – OUTSIDE SCIENCE DIVISION. EVENING. 6
The lab doors hiss open and Serrano steps out, carrying the
bulky hunter's rifle in both hands. The crowd of security
guards outside boggle as he walks past them.
GUARD #1
Uh, doctor? Doctor!
SERRANO
(irritated)
Not now, you minimum-wage
simpleton!
GUARD #2
We're to keep the science division
secured and keep all employees
inside it, sir! CEO's orders.
Serrano pauses and turns round, loading the rifle with a loud
CLICK that makes the guards take one step back. Serrano
coolly regards them all before continuing.
SERRANO
Tell Mr. Kitridge that I've gone
hunting, as per his instructions.
He turns and walks away. One of the guards steps after him
but another holds his colleague back with a shake of his
head. They don't want to get in the crossfire.
7 INT. W&H – SCIENCE DIVISON – EXAM ROOM. EVENING. 7
Nina comes to, the muffled sounds of the alarms rousing her.
She looks around groggily, sitting up off the table and
pulling an IV out of her arm with a grimace.
As she rubs her sore arm, she looks up and notices the sirens
at last, a soft grin crossing her face.
NINA
Angel…
We cut from her hopeful look to:
8 INT. W&H – OPEN FLOOR. EVENING. 8
Angel walks down a set of steps and into a large, open-plan
office floor, not far from the science division at last now.
He's looking like he's been in a few fights but the fire is
still in his eyes.
The alarms fall silent suddenly, and Angel pauses.
He looks round, sensing something coming his way, but he
can't tell where from.
And then, he ducks as a huge SWORD swings at him, missing his
neck by inches.
Angel takes a few steps back to see the first of two huge
WARRIOR DEMONS, wearing mis-matched armour and each standing
over six feet tall.
ANGEL
Oh, hey guys, don't worry, I won't
be here long.
Angel dodges two more sword swings from the first warrior,
before pulling a neat sidestep and sinking his axe into its
neck.
ANGEL (cont'd)
And I'd be done a lot quicker if
you people stopped sending things
to get in my way!
He rolls as the second demon SLAMS its sword down into the
floor, trying to lift up the first warrior's sword but
dropping the heavy weapon back down.
Angel takes a kick to the chest and falls to the ground,
leaping up and then to the side as the demon throws its sword
towards him, smashing a man-sized hole into the wall next to
him.
From a darkened section of the mezzanine balcony overhead,
Serrano watches the fight with interest, judging Angel's
movies and planning his attack.
Back with the fight, and Angel grunts as he wrenches his axe
free of the fallen demon's neck, just managing to block
several attacks from the second demon, already armed with two
more swords.
Angel is knocked back and stumbles to the ground, and looks
up as the demon looms over him, swords raised, ready to take
him out – before it suddenly stiffens.
Angel scrambles backwards as the demon pitches face first
onto the floor, an bullet wound in the back of its head.
Angel looks up and sees Serrano step into the light.
ANGEL (cont'd)
Don't tell me… you wanted to kill
me yourself?
SERRANO
Very astute, Angel. I'm sure you
would have bested that… thing
eventually, but I'm a busy man, and
I just got tired of sitting around
while you procrastinated down
there.
Angel stands and grabs his axe, dusting himself down and
managing to look offended.
ANGEL
'Procrastinating'? I thought I was
doing okay…
BANG! With super quick reflexes, Serrano has fired again, and
Angel staggers back as a bullet grazes his thigh.
He glares up at Serrano as the Doctor calmly reloads.
ANGEL (cont'd)
Alright, soon as I'm done here,
you're next.
SERRANO
You have two options, vampire. Your
beloved is still tucked up in my
lab, and by my reckoning, you've
now got…
(checks watch)
… twelve minutes left before she's
executed on the rooftop. If you
stop to fight me, chances are you
won't make it to her before my men
bundle her into the elevator. But
if you run now, you'll just make
it.
(aims gun at Angel)
So if you think you're fast enough
to dodge me and get out of here
with her, you're welcome to try,
but I'll warn you now, these are
wooden-tipped .45 calibre hollow
point bullets, and if I get one of
these through your heart, your
girlfriend will be taking you home
in a doggie bag.
(beat; grins)
No pun intended.
Angel hesitates, weighing up his options. He sighs.
ANGEL
Well, until I think up a better
plan…
He takes a step forward, and Serrano starts to squeeze the
rifle's trigger, but Angel THROWS his axe towards the Doctor,
forcing him to dodge and sending the shot wide.
As Serrano curses and reloads, he looks up to see that Angel
is long gone. He grins and hurries along the balcony.
9 INT. W&H – SCIENCE DIVISION – EXAM ROOM. EVENING. 9
Nina is on her feet now, dressed in a hospital gown and
barefooted as she tries to force the now sealed door open.
The handle rattles but won't give, and she huffs and looks
around for another way out.
She starts tipping over cabinets and equipment, looking for
some kind of air vent she can climb out of, when something
heavy SLAMS against the locked door, and she freezes,
nervous.
We close up on the door as there is another SLAM, then a
series of beeps as someone tries to enter a code to open the
door.
There is a pause, another set of beeps, and then an annoyed
GRUNT before the lock explodes into the room in a shower of
sparks.
Nina looks round and takes cover behind a pile of still
beeping heart monitors as the door creaks slowly open.
Angel steps through the smoke and into the room, his axe
buried deep into the lock, which is still sparking.
ANGEL
Nina? Nina!!
NINA
Angel!
She leaps up and runs over to him, throwing her arms round
him. He winces as he hugs back lightly, trying not to give
away how much pain he's in.
NINA (cont'd)
Oh, God, I was so scared, I thought
they were going to cut me open or
something, and I-
(beat)
Angel?
ANGEL
Yeah?
NINA
Uh… you might want to turn round.
Angel releases her and slowly turns round…
… and facing him in the rest of the lab is a team of four
feral looking HORNED DEMONS, the group of security guards we
saw earlier slumped unconscious outside the lab's entrance.
Angel gently nudges Nina out of the way and steps forward.
With his eyes on the demons, he puts one hand on the axe
handle, still stuck in the door, and pulls.
Nothing.
He pulls again, and turns to put his weight behind it, but
it's no good – that axe isn't going anywhere.
Rolling his neck to loosen up, he shrugs and steps back into
the lab itself.
ANGEL
Okay, let's do this the medieval
way.
As Angel steps up, we cut to:
10 INT. KITRIDGE'S OFFICE. EVENING. 10
Kitridge is watching Angel's progress on a set of CCTV
monitors set into one wall of his office, casually sipping a
coffee as Angel starts trading blows with the demons.
On another monitor, we see Serrano watching the fight as
well, positioned further back down the corridor.
MANNERS (O.S.)
He's got as far as the girl, I see…
KITRIDGE
That's only half way.
He steps away from the screens as we pick up Manners,
watching them with equal interest.
KITRIDGE (cont'd)
Now he has to get back out with
her. He'll be slower, more
vulnerable. Sooner or later he'll
realise he can't do it, and he'll
have no choice but to give up.
MANNERS
You're underestimating him, James.
That's a classic error when it
comes to Angel, one that Lindsey
made a few times too many.
KITRIDGE
With all due respect, sir, I'm not
Lindsey McDonald. I'm not going to
make his mistakes all over again. I
know what I'm doing.
MANNERS
I'm sure you do, James.
With a grin that suggests he knows more than he's telling,
Manners walks off camera.
11 INT. W&H – SCIENCE DIVISION. EVENING. 11
And we're straight back into the battle as Angel grabs
anything not nailed down in his struggle against the three
wolf-like demons.
Nina grabs jars of anything that looks toxic and throws it at
them, with Angel wrenching a fire axe free from the wall and
using that to hit back.
Two of the demons are soon down, and as the last lunges at
him, Angel dodges, grabs it by the scruff of its neck and
drives it headfirst into one of the arrays of computer
consoles, leaping back as the demon writhes, sparks flying as
it toasts.
Angel leans over, exhausted, as Nina grabs her clothes from
inside a locker and quickly gets dressed. She helps Angel up
once she's done, Angel looking ready to drop by now. Nina
smiles warmly.
ANGEL
What?
NINA
Just looking at you. Mister Hero,
all beaten up and still looking
good…
ANGEL
(manages a grin)
It's a gift. Why don't we-
ZING! A bullet ricochets off the counter before them, and
Angel looks up to see Serrano at the end of the corridor,
looking in on them both with his rifle raised. He gives a
cheery wave, and Angel grits his teeth.
ANGEL (cont'd)
Go!
He shoves Nina out of the way as two more shots fly past
them, and the two head up a staircase leading to another
exit, Angel barging the door open.
12 INT. W&H – CORRIDOR. EVENING. 12
Nina pauses, noticing the Spike-shaped hole we saw the
vampire get blasted through earlier, before Angel grabs her
wrist and drags her on.
Moments later, Serrano leaps through the door after them,
hastily reloading his rifle as he carries on running.
We pick up Angel and Nina as they dash on, startled employees
still scattering as they see the duo approach.
NINA
Who was that?
ANGEL
The guy with the gun? No idea. I
think he's new.
NINA
How do you know?
ANGEL
I know I didn't hire him… come on,
this way!
Angel veers off towards a fire exit and shoves the door open,
he and Nina disappearing through it as Serrano rounds the
corner in hot pursuit.
13 INT. W&H – STAIRCASE. EVENING. 13
Angel and Nina rattle down the staircase, Angel glancing up
to see Serrano taking aim from two floors above them.
Angel ducks back as a shot misses him by an inch, and takes
two steps at a time to catch up to Nina.
14 INT. W&H - BASEMENT CAR PARK. EVENING. 14
Nina bursts through a door and out into the company car park,
swiftly followed by Angel who races towards his old section
of executive cars.
NINA
Now what?
ANGEL
Uh…
Angel roots frantically through his pockets, finding a set of
car keys and aiming the alarm zapper at each car in turn,
trying to find which one it works for.
The windscreen of one car SHATTERS as Serrano fires again,
and Nina yelps and ducks down.
We catch Serrano grimace as he reloads, keeping one eye on
the escaping Angel. He snaps the rifle shut and clicks it,
striding on.
Back with Angel, whose head snap round as he hears the tell
tale BLIP of an alarm switching off, and he and Nina bound
over to an old black Mustang convertible.
15 INT. CONVERTIBLE. EVENING. 15
The duo dive inside as Angel starts the car and pulls away,
turning towards the exit. Nina SHOUTS as she sees Serrano
standing in the road before the, rifle raised, and the
windscreen blows out as he fires.
Angel pits his foot down, and despite one of Serrano's
bullets slicing through his arm, keeps accelerating until the
doctor is forced to dive out of the way.
Nina keeps her head down as Serrano recovers and shoots
again, taking out the rear window as Angel rounds a corner
and heads up the exit ramp.
He laughs and pats Nina on the shoulder.
ANGEL
Hey! We made it! We-
16 INT. W&H – BASEMENT CAR PARK. EVENING. 16
Just as the car hits the top of the ramp and rejoins the
street, it passes through a buzzing electrical barrier, and
there is a WHITE FLASH of light as the car sails a few feet
through the air and bounces down on the street.
17 INT. CONVERTIBLE. EVENING. 17
Angel, startled, struggles to regain control of the car, but
swerves to avoid a few blockades and burned out cars,
accelerating away from Wolfram & Hart.
He laughs again, relieved, and puts one hand on Nina's
shoulder as she sits up in her seat, looking dazed.
ANGEL
Are you okay?
NINA
Angel?
ANGEL
Yeah, I'm right here.
NINA
Where?
Angel frowns and looks across at Nina – and we see that her
eyes have become a distant, milky white, as though the colour
has faded from her irises. She reaches out towards Angel,
hands grasping at thin air until Angel takes one of her
hands.
ANGEL
Nina, what is it? What's wrong?
NINA
Angel… I can't see! I can't see!
We take in Angel's panicked expression before we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
18 INT. NEWSPAPER OFFICES – CAR PARK. NIGHT. 18
Angel and Nina are sitting opposite each other in his lair
beneath the newspaper building, a stolen workmen's lantern
casting a little light over the scene and the night sky
glittering outside past the silent news vans and hand-made
barricades.
Neither speaks for a few moments. Nina stares unseeing
towards the fire, while Angel just looks at her, as if trying
to work out what he should say.
NINA
So! How've you been?
ANGEL
Nina, I-
NINA
No, Angel, don't. Please. Just try
and talk to me, okay? Don't sit
there and brood or try to figure
out what to do, or how to help. Not
yet. Just… just talk to me.
ANGEL
(beat)
Alright.
NINA
So how have you been?
ANGEL
(beat; grins)
I missed you.
NINA
(smiles)
Me too.
ANGEL
Things have been kinda… hectic
around here since you left.
NINA
Hey, you told me to go! Were you
that worried things wouldn't work
out?
Angel looks around wistfully at what we can see of the
ransacked city outside.
NINA (cont'd)
Okay, no silences. Because silence
means brooding, and that leads to
frown lines.
Angel manages a bitter laugh.
NINA (cont'd)
So are you going to tell me what
happened?
ANGEL
It's a long story.
NINA
I'm not going anywhere. And I
wouldn't get very far if I tried!
Angel takes a deep breath and stands, pacing around her.
ANGEL
Well, first I spent a while
infiltrating a very secretive and
extremely dangerous criminal
organisation known as the Circle Of
The Black Thorn. I had to do a lot
of things I wish I hadn't to get
in, but they're done with now.
NINA
Sounds heavy. What'd you do, kill
somebody or something?
ANGEL
(beat)
Something like that. After I'd
convinced the others that I wasn't
actually turning over to the dark
side, despite what they thought-
NINA
Heh, I can picture you in a Darth
Vader suit already.
(in mock Darth Vader
voice)
Spike… I am your father!
Angel wishes he could share her optimism, but the smiles just
aren't coming as he continues.
ANGEL
So we each took out one of the
members. All in one night. Gunn,
Spike, Illyria, and…
NINA
What about Wes?
ANGEL
He didn't make it. He took on a
powerful warlock, Cyrus Vail, and
Vail killed him.
NINA
Oh, no…
ANGEL
Illyria took care of Vail after
that, but when we came back to meet
up by the old hotel, Gunn was
already in bad shape, so we…
He trails off, rubbing his eyes.
NINA
Gunn didn't make it either, did he?
(beat)
Poor guy. I liked him, he was
always real nice to me.
A long beat as Angel frowns, lost in thought.
NINA (cont'd)
Hey! Sigh or something, I don't
know where you are else.
ANGEL
Sorry, I was-
(beat)
Nina, we need to-
NINA
No, Angel, don't. Look, I know I
seem to be taking this whole 'going
blind' thing remarkably well, but
don't get too fooled. Making jokes
is what you'd call a defence
mechanism. Otherwise, I'm just
gonna start…
She starts to tremble, and Angel has his arms round her in a
moment as she starts to sob. She buries her face in his arm
and cries, and he gently strokes her head with his other
hand.
ANGEL
(determined)
I'll find something to help. I
won't let them do this to you.
As we pull away from the two of them, the light from the
lantern just holding off the darkness outside, we dissolve
back to:
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.