TEASER
FADE IN:
1 INT. HYPERION - LOBBY. NIGHT. 1
The hotel is quiet and empty. A peaceful stillness has
descended on the place, one that obviously won't last long,
and it doesn't. The doors to the hotel burst open and the
bloodied and battered figures of SPIKE and ANGEL limp in.
SPIKE
Let me be the first to say what a
bloody waste of time that was!
ANGEL
(tired)
Not now, Spike...
SPIKE
We go all the way out there to help
Buffy, and for nothing! Who knows
what kind of a bloody mess she's
landed us in now!
ANGEL
Spike, I said not now!
Spike shrugs and reaches into his coat to find his
cigarettes, while Angel leans against the desk, clutching his
ribs.
The silence doesn't last long as Spike begins to talk again,
and Angel closes his eyes and sighs.
SPIKE
I mean, she's the Slayer! And she
goes and picks her boyfriend over
the greater good of the world!
ANGEL
There's a first time for
everything.
(beat)
Anyway, even if he did manage to
steal some of Buffy's powers, we
still don't know what The Keeper's
plan is.
SPIKE
He's kidnapping slayers, it isn't
exactly going to involve singing
and dancing in the streets!
(pause)
Come to think of it, that wasn't
any bleedin' fun either...
As Spike lights his cigarette, Angel begins to move around
the desk as best he can.
SPIKE (cont'd)
But do you know what pisses me off
the most?
ANGEL
(weary)
No, but I have a feeling I'm about
to find out...
SPIKE
Almost two years since we last saw
each other, which, I might add,
involved me going up in smoke as I
destroyed a Hellmouth by myself,
and she even told me she loved me,
and-
ANGEL
(looks up)
She did?
Spike glances at Angel - he should really milk this for all
he's worth, but after a beat he looks to the floor.
SPIKE
She didn't mean it.
Angel looks relieved, and Spike scowls at him.
SPIKE (cont'd)
Alright, thank you, you've had your
bloody moment. Anyway - all that
time since we saw each other, and
she barely even blinked!
ANGEL
She did have kind of a lot on her
mind, Spike, I'm sure if things
were a little quieter, she'd-
SPIKE
Yeah, well, that's just the
problem, isn't it. Things never get
any damn quieter.
Spike goes back to smoking, looking pretty aggravated.
ANGEL
We should probably start working on
a plan. We need to figure out what
this guy is up to, and fast.
We need to figure out what his next
move is, and most importantly how
to bring him down.
SPIKE
Usually I'd go with the tired and
tested 'big pointy thing through
the chest' but we can't even get
close. It's going to be ten times
harder now he's packing 'Essence of
Buffy'!
ANGEL
We've both fought Buffy, what are
her weaknesses? Maybe that will
help?
SPIKE
(chuckles)
She doesn't have any weaknesses,
you nana! She's the Slayer, and a
bloody good one at that.
ANGEL
That's not true, she does have one
weakness.
SPIKE
Which would be?
ANGEL
(beat)
Men.
Spike shakes his head and then decides to take a seat,
leaving Angel standing behind the desk, still looking like
he's in a lot of pain.
SPIKE
Not 'men', Buffy doesn't go for
men. She falls for vampires and
commandos. The unattainable.
Anyway, that doesn't help us now,
does it? What are we going to do?
Stick a brooding vampire with a
soul and a large forehead in front
of the Keeper, and see if he
swoons?
ANGEL
You're not being helpful.
SPIKE
Neither are you!
(pause)
Anyway, what do you think about her
new squeeze, then?
ANGEL
(shrugs)
We didn't see him.
SPIKE
He must be something special if she
was willing to side with the dark
side to help him.
ANGEL
(darkly)
She obviously thinks so...
SPIKE
Do you think she loves him?
ANGEL
(beat)
That's got nothing to do with us.
SPIKE
What are we going to do about it?
ANGEL
What can we do? She's in Cleveland,
and Buffy is just past history to
both of us now...
SPIKE
I meant about The Keeper, you great
big ponce!
ANGEL
Oh.
(pause)
I don't know, we'll think of
something, I guess...
And we cut from Angel's uncertain expression to:
2 INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - KEEPER'S OFFICE. NIGHT 2
MANNERS is present. He's standing near the windows, looking
out at LA stretched out before him. There's a smile of his
face. Behind him we see the door open and THE KEEPER silently
sweeps in, and Manners turns and beams at him.
MANNERS
Back so soon? I take it all went
according to plan?
The Keeper joins Manners by the window.
THE KEEPER
She was strong, but easy to
manipulate.
I gave her hope where none existed,
and she took the bait.
MANNERS
(grins)
That's the problem with Slayers,
they're strong, yet they're still
only human.
THE KEEPER
Angel was there, and Spike.
MANNERS
As we predicted. Whenever the
slayer is in need, you can bet her
Dark Knight will go rushing in to
save her.
(beat)
Or Dark Knights, I should say.
Manners turns back to the windows, with The Keeper still
standing behind him.
THE KEEPER
Now is the time to begin the next
stage of the plan.
MANNERS
I agree, when the body and mind are
strong you go after one thing, the
heart.
The smile on Manners face grows.
MANNERS (cont'd)
It's time we took care of The
Destroyer.
And on that note, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
3 INT. HYPERION - LOBBY. NIGHT. 3
Unlike before, the lobby is now full of people - everyone
except Connor and Sonia are present, sat around and looking
towards Angel, who is pacing the floor almost as thought he
is planning some sort of military strike.
WES
So now instead of just dealing with
your normal, every day run of the
mill being from another dimension,
now we have one who has the power
of a Slayer?
ANGEL
Technically two, if you count what
he took from Skye.
SKYE
Would anyone else like to go with
the notion of 'we're screwed'?
ANGEL
We're not screwed. We can work
through this, we can get him.
WES
How, exactly?
ANGEL
I'm not sure, there has to be
something. A weapon, maybe a spell
or a ritual to weaken him or
something.
WES
(uncertain)
I'm not sure, I'll see if there's
anything I can come up with, but-
ANGEL
(shakes head)
I don't want to hear it. I know
that this is going to be hard, I
get that, but right now I don't
need to hear it. What I do need is
everyone working on some sort of
plan to bring The Keeper down. Got
it?
There's a collective 'Yes' from the group.
ANGEL (cont'd)
Good. Lets get to it.
Everyone gets to their feet and begins drifting away. Spike
makes his way over to the weapons cabinet with Skye right
behind him.
SKYE
So... everything went OK in
Cleveland then?
SPIKE
If by 'OK,' pet, you mean 'it all
ballsed up,' then yes, it did.
SKYE
But Buffy's alright?
SPIKE
(beat)
She'll live.
Skye nods and looks down at the floor, there's obviously
something she's trying to say but isn't sure how. Spike
hasn't picked up on it, he's too busy checking swords and
crossbows.
SKYE
Did you get the welcome you
expected?
SPIKE
What? From Buffy?
SKYE
Yeah, you know, isn't it like the
first time you two have seen each
other since you sacrificed yourself
to close the Hellmouth?
Spike stops, his earlier rant starting to resurface.
SPIKE
Come to think of it, you're right!
It is! And I didn't even get a 'how
are you' off her! Ungrateful harpy!
That's gratitude for you! Would it
have killed her to ask what it was
like to have my flesh burning off
my bones? No! But, this is Buffy
we're talking about, there's always
something else going on with that
girl. I tell you...
He turns to Skye and notices the crest fallen expression on
her face.
SPIKE (cont'd)
What?
SKYE
It's just, you know... it's Buffy,
and I know how you and Angel get
whenever her name is mentioned
around here, so seeing her must
have been a big thing. What was it
like seeing her?
Spike pauses and slowly closes the weapons cabinet.
SPIKE
It was...
(beat; grins)
Somehow not as good as it felt
seeing you again.
Skye smiles and then quickly looks around the room to make
sure no one is watching. She then grabs Spike by the arm.
SKYE
Come on.
SPIKE
Where are we going?
SKYE
(wicked smile)
Where do you think?
With another smile, the duo head off upstairs.
On their way towards the stairs they pass Illyria, who gives
them only a fleeting look before casting her eyes around the
room.
Everyone is busy, but the person she is looking for is
Wesley, sitting in his old office hunched over a book. With a
determined look on her face, Illyria makes her way towards
the office, into:
4 INT. HYPERION - WESLEY'S OFFICE. NIGHT 4
Wes is reading the book, making notes on some paper, his lips
moving with every line he reads. He looks tired and hasn't
shaved in days.
He suddenly stops and looks up, it's Illyria at the door -
only she's in the form of FRED. Wes sits back in his chair.
WES
(tired smile)
Well, I didn't expect to see you.
Fred smiles shyly.
FRED
You've been locked away in here
forever. Are you hiding from me?
WES
No, not from you.
FRED
Working hard then?
WES
Trying, but I'm finding it
difficult to concentrate.
She moves from the door frame into the office, stopping by
the desk.
FRED
Something on your mind? Do you want
to talk about it? My Mom always
said, 'a problem shared is a
problem halved.'
She smiles sweetly at him, and Wes smiles back before quickly
looking down at the desk.
WES
Being back here is... different.
FRED
What are you talking about? You've
been back for weeks!
WES
I know, but first I was doing a
good impression of Casper the
friendly ghost, then I didn't have
a soul, and now I feel... strange.
And overwhelmed.
FRED
(frowns)
But everything is back to normal
now!
WES
I know, it's just that being back
here is difficult. There's so much
going on and I feel like I'm
playing catch up. Everything is
louder then I remember.
FRED
Well, we couldn't expect you just
to jump straight back into it,
could we!
WES
It's not just that... I've seen
things - I mean, I've seen a lot of
things, demons and evils, but this
was different. This was a pure
darkness, the kind that grabs hold
of you and never lets go, and as
hard as I try that's not something
I'm likely to forget in a hurry.
On Fred's concerned look, we cut to:
5 INT. HYPERION - LOBBY. NIGHT 5
Angel and Nina are sitting down, Nina holding a writing pad
and a pen, scribbling down notes as she and Angel desperately
trying to come up with some sort of plan.
ANGEL
Wait, no, that last one won't work.
Cross it out.
Nina draws a line through whatever she just wrote and looks
back towards Angel.
NINA
That's the fourth idea you've
vetoed in the last six minutes!
ANGEL
They're all bad ideas. There's got
to be something we're missing,
something obvious.
NINA
You have to look back at everything
we know about him.
ANGEL
Which is?
NINA
(thinks)
Well... he wears a mask, and he
came from a different dimension.
ANGEL
How does that help?
NINA
I don't know, maybe if we could
find out what dimension he came
from, we could open a portal to
suck him back in?
ANGEL
It wouldn't work. We'd need to get
close to him to get a piece of
flesh for the spell, to find out
which dimension it was, then
someone with enough power to open
the portal, and I don't like
messing with those things.
NINA
Couldn't Illyria do it?
ANGEL
Too risky. She almost blew half the
city to pieces when she used her
powers too much last time, I don't
want to risk that again.
NINA
I'm beginning to think going with
the old method of 'hit him with
something big' might work...
ANGEL
(grins)
I'll bear that in mind.
Nina puts the pad down and gets to her feet.
NINA
Just keep this in mind - if it
breaths, it bleeds, and if it
bleeds... we can kill it.
And with that she walks off screen, and we cut back to:
6 INT. HYPERION - WES' OFFICE. NIGHT 6
Fred and Wes are still in the same positions, Wes staring at
the desk as Fred paces up and down before him.
FRED
Maybe if...
Wes holds up a hand to interrupt her, and she falls silent.
He takes a deep breath before looking up at her.
WES
Why did you come here like that?
Like her?
FRED
(frowns)
I thought it would help.
(beat)
Do you want me to change?
WES
(nods)
If you would.
And she does, morphing back into Illyria.
ILLYRIA
Do you dislike it when I appear as
her?
WES
It's just harder. Right now, I'd
prefer it if you were just you.
ILLYRIA
(curious)
You are no longer disgusted by my
company. You use to despise being
around me because I inhabited her
shell... It is strange how things
have changed.
Wes doesn't reply. Illyria gets up from the desk and looks
out towards the lobby, where Angel is sitting alone.
ILLYRIA (cont'd)
Why do these things haunt you so?
WES
Because I've seen them. It's making
it harder to be here, knowing that
I may end up back there again.
ILLYRIA
That will not happen.
WES
It might, I'll die again one day,
and there's no guarantee I'll find
myself somewhere pleasant after
that.
ILLYRIA
You should not speak of such
things.
WES
It's true. It's hard to appreciate
the here and now when I know what
could be waiting.
ILLYRIA
Maybe you should leave?
Wes looks up at her suddenly, and Illyria turns away from the
door.
ILLYRIA (cont'd)
You should leave to a peaceful
place, away from all of this chaos,
somewhere to think, a place where
nothing can disturb you. Maybe then
you shall remember all the things
that made you love this world in
the first place.
Wes gives her a meaningful look and she looks away, slightly
embarrassed.
WES
What about Angel? He's expecting
all hands on deck until we come up
with some sort of solution to the
problem we're having with The
Keeper.
ILLYRIA
Angel is distracted, he would not
notice our absence. It is just as
important that you readjust to
being in this world the way you
used to.
WES
(raises eyebrow)
Our absence?
ILLYRIA
Yes, I will accompany you. You
cannot be expected to go alone. It
would be returning a favour after
you helped me adjust to this place.
Wes smiles at her slightly, but before he can reply Angel
walks in.
ANGEL
Well, anything?
WES
Nothing good, I keep coming up
against dead ends.
I've tried cross referencing a few
of the darker spells, things one
may use to weaken a slayer, but the
only thing so far is the
Cruciamentum, and I doubt we could
get close enough to preform that.
ANGEL
Even then, he's still got the whole
armour thing going on.
WES
I'm trying everything, Angel but
nothing appears to be working. It
would help if we knew exactly what
he was, human or a demon, but that
just brings us back to the point
that we can't get close enough to
him to find out.
Angel nods, looking frustrated.
ANGEL
After everything we've done and all
we've fought, there has to be
something.
WES
(reassuring)
There will be, and we'll find it.
We always do.
ILLYRIA
We must not give up hope. We will
prevail, Angel, I am sure of it.
ANGEL
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
(beat)
Has anyone seen Spike? Or Skye for
that matter?
Wes raises his eyebrows but says nothing, instead he turns
his attention back to the book in front of him.
ILLYRIA
He and the other vampire where
heading upstairs. I believe they
were planning to mate.
Angel blinks - that was an image he really didn't need in his
head!
ILLYRIA (cont'd)
Would you like me to go retrieve
them?
ANGEL
(quickly)
No! No one should ever have to see
Spike doing... that, ever! Just
leave them for now. Wes, you keep
on looking.
He leaves, and once she is sure that he is out of range,
Illyria turns back to Wes.
ILLYRIA
Now is the time if we are to leave.
WES
We can't leave now!
ILLYRIA
It is the best option. Leaving this
place will help you, Wesley.
Wes sighs deeply and gets out of his chair.
WES
Alright, convince me. Where are we
going?
ILLYRIA
Our best plan is to leave through
the main doors and depart down the
street, then-
WES
I mean, after we've left here?
ILLYRIA
(frowns)
I am uncertain, but I am sure we
will find a place. But we must
leave now, while Angel is
distracted.
But as Angel walks back into view in the lobby, Illyria turns
back to Wes.
WES
If we're going to go anywhere, I
think we should find a different
way out.
As Illyria manages a small, hopeful smile, we cut to:
[
top
| next
]
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.