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At long last, the penultimate episode is here, have fun.
Chapter 137- Power Play
Next day, the past Scoobies woke up and after having breakfast with their future selves for one last time, sat down to watch the final two recordings with their future selves.
"Last two, let's go", Buffy said as she turned the recording on.
A man was grunting in a dark room, wearing a bag over his head, and being beaten with sticks by a half-dozen robed men. There was a roaring fire in the doorway in front of the man. Angel watched this from the other side of the fire, pacing, before he decided to jump through the fire into the room with the man. As soon as Angel showed up, the man's attackers backed away. Angel went to the man, helping him to his feet, and removed the bag from the man's head. Bloodied and weak, with his hands still tied behind his back, the man looked up at Angel's face. "Thank you. Thank you." Holding on to the man's shoulders, Angel turned Vampire and bit him.
All flinched at it as Buffy asked. "Who is that?"
"You'll see soon", Summers said.
"And remember, this is all an act", Rosenberg reminded the past people.
"We will", Tara assured.
19 hours earlier- Angel was lying naked in bed, staring at the ceiling. A naked Nina cuddled up to him. "Hey." Nina wrapped her arms around him. "OK. Where did you learn how to do that?" Angel asked. "Which part?"
"Do you know what she's talking about?" Dawnster asked Buffy naughtily, and she groaned.
"Oh yeah, you'd know", Dawn said to Summers, as both groaned.
"Yeah, we do, it was amazing", Summers said as all chuckled.
"Doesn't matter. How are you?" "I'm good", Nina leaned up. "You're not perfectly happy, are you? 'Cause I've got my wooden stake right here." She reached over her nightstand drawer. "Oh, that's not a stake." She continued looking. "I know I brought it— " Angel assured. "You're safe." Nina leaned back over his chest. "OK. And you? Good? You weren't thinking about your little Roman friend, or—" "Nina, for the last..." Angel looked at his wristwatch, "whoa."
"She's nice", Xander commented.
"Yeah, and right now, the two are good company for each other", Maclay agreed. "It's normal."
"And looks like perfect happiness is not about sex", Willow noted.
"Oh no its not", Rosenberg nodded. "This was just acceptable happiness."
"Which is all good for sure", Giles said.
"Wowee." "For the last... very long moment I haven't had a single coherent thought." Nina beamed. "I'm gonna take that as a compliment." Angel assured. "You really should." "But now, the brow is back. If she's not on your mind, then.." "Oh, there's—there's a lot more than usual going on." "Work?" "Always." Nina rolled over, lying beside him, facing the ceiling. "You should get away. Vacation? You know that word? Go to Cabo, drink margaritas, midnight skinny-dipping, making love on the beach." She rolled over to look into his eyes. "Did you catch how I subtly included myself in your vacation package?"
"I did", Buffy said. "But looks like he has too much on his mind to do it."
"Yeah, something big is about to come", Summers confirmed. "And Angel doesn't want Nina around it, she doesn't deserve that."
"Nina..." Nina quipped. "Too pushy, too needy, I never even said it. You should make love on the beach all by yourself." Angel assured. "It would be wonderful. I mean it." "But..." Angel sighed. "There are— There are things that I have to do. Things that I've already set in motion that, uh..." He sighed and sat up. "I know I've spent years fighting to get somewhere... to accomplish something... and now that I'm close to it... I don't like what I see, what I am." Nina assured. "You're a hero." Angel softly muttered. "Oh, that word." Nina said. "You're my hero." Angel warned her. "I may not always be."
"Is he?" Buffy asked. "Close to something?"
"Yeah, he is", Dawn confirmed. "But nothing good."
"And he knows it, considering how he talked to Nina", Dawnster muttered.
"Yep, huge mess about to happen, like we said", Harris reminded.
Illyria walked down the hallway, and no one so much as looked at her as she passed. As she continued down the hall, Spike addressed her while waiting outside an office. "Like you're not even there. World trembled before your feet once. Now... padding around a place you don't want to be in, and the rabble don't even give you so much as a polite yawn." Illyria snarled. "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", Spike assured. "And what do you know of it?" Spike shrugged. "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."
"Not sure if that's a good or a bad idea", Xander commented.
"Well, you just have to watch", Maclay said.
"Out?" "Out. Outside. That place just on the other side of the window." Illyria walked away. "I've grown wary of this world since my powers were depleted. Strange... though I've been made more human, this place remains disconcerting." Spike followed her. "Yeah, well, I'm afraid that never goes away. Anyhow, I thought Wesley was giving you a primer on all things human." Illyria revealed. "He and I are no longer having intercourse." "Y-ah. You wh-what?"
"When were they ever having that?" Dawnster asked, confused.
"Yeah, that never happened", Xander agreed. "Unless its just in her mind."
"You do realize the word has another meaning?" Rosenberg asked with a raised eyebrow, and then they realized what it meant, and blushed, looking embarrassed as all chuckled.
"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." Spike asked. "You don't know? You may not think you're as powerful as you were, Highness, but looking like Fred, for some of us... it's the most devastating power you have."
"He is right, looking like her is worst she can do to them, because they loved her, and she's gone", Tara agreed. "And seeing her as Fred will remind them of their failure."
"Yup, so Spike's right about this", Buffy muttered. "Just hope Illyria understands now."
"She will, kind of", Summers said.
Angel and Gunn were introduced to Senator Brucker by Hamilton, and she was an old client from Manners' time. She also had a Vampire aide called Ernesto, and he wanted human blood so Angel decided to have Harmony bring it from the blood bank. Hamilton left as Wesley arrived with info on a Boretz Demon who'd killed a teenage runaway girl, and Spike and Illyria arrived as well. Angel though, was cold about it and called the girl a statistic, they couldn't save everybody or sweat the small stuff. He needed to meet the US Senator and walked off. Spike decided he could do it since he never had a decent tussle since he and Illyria had stopped sparring. Illyria noted Angel had no regard for her presence as Spike asked her to come with him.
"This is making me so, so uncomfortable", Buffy said.
"You're not the only one", Dawnster agreed there, everyone feeling terrified by Angel's apparent coldness.
"Hamilton was there too", Tara noted.
"Yeah, he was, and he's not the only one", Maclay said cryptically. "You'll know soon."
Brucker showed Angel and Gunn a campaign video of her election rival- Mike Conley, then revealed she wanted him declared a pedophile with this firm's power, they could even make him believe he was one. Gunn started refusing for good reason but Angel accepted easily, and Brucker said she was his ally now. Gunn was incensed but Angel blew him off.
"Is he seriously going to do it?" Xander asked. "Just to fool Hamilton and the Partners?"
"It's not just them, it's for something much closer to home", Harris said.
"And that would be?" Willow asked.
"You're about to find out", Rosenberg said.
Wesley was looking into his book when his left page blanked out and read- 'You're looking in the wrong place'. The right page then blanked out and showed a new symbol- a circle with 8 spurs sticking out, evenly spaced around it. Wesley stared when Gunn arrived to tell him what Angel was up to, and the message was now gone.
"Whoa! What was that?" Dawnster asked.
"A warning of what's about to come", Dawn said.
"And who sent it?" Tara then asked.
"You'll see by the end", Summers assured.
Angel was later playing racquetball with Izzy, the Devil from before, and he'd run into Ed of the Fell Brethren, who were all talking about the baby who'd be prepared for the sacrifice, and they said a lot of nice stuff about him too, he was really coming through, but he needed to wait for an answer to something.
"Yeah, we remember that", Buffy said sadly about the baby. "Prepared for the sacrifice."
"Angel did what he did for the greater good", Rosenberg said. "We never got that."
"I did, then lost sight of it", Giles sighed, knowing that was true.
"So he wants an answer to something", Willow noted.
"Yeah, that's very important", Maclay confirmed.
Spike and Illyria walked through an abandoned amusement park, and she noted the casualties the Boretz caused weren't important enough for Angel to avenge. Spike commented the corporate life had made him lose his love for hunt, but Illyria said he'd been corrupted. She explained how he was separating from them, but Spike smelt something, and also told her that Angel could be a megalomaniacal bastard, but he'd feel it. Illyria assured there'd be proof soon enough, and he'd turn against intimates too. Spike said they'd never been intimate aside from once.
"What?" Buffy asked, surprised, like the rest. "Were they…really…..?"
"It was actually a foursome thing with Darla and Drusilla, that's where it happened, but yeah", Summers confirmed. "They did…do stuff to each other."
All of them groaned at the mental picture now as Giles cleaned his glasses really hard, before putting them back on.
"Let's forget we heard it", Dawnster suggested.
"Fine by me", Xander shrugged.
"All of us", Harris added as they continued watching.
Illyria said he'd murder one of them, then a wounded Drogyn appeared, saying he had, and Spike told Illyria who he was which angered her. The Boretz then leapt down as it and Spike battled till Spike was thrown into a power junction box. Illyria then grabbed its neck and kicked it through wooden supports for a roller-coaster. Drogyn revealed he'd come to find them, and after some talk, he revealed Angel had done this to him.
Now all of them were even more horrified.
"Angel…he actually did this?"
"Yes, yes he did", Maclay nodded. "He did do this to him."
"Part of his plan?" Dawnster asked again.
"Yeah, it is", Dawn nodded.
"Going too far", Xander said. "I really think that."
"None of us like it at all, but desperate times, desperate measures", Summers sighed sadly. "Plus, he is affected."
"By what?" Giles asked.
"Cordy, and Fred", Rosenberg said, as they felt sadness now. "Their losses are affecting him, and driving his actions."
"Oh my!" Tara said, feeling horrible for him.
Wesley stopped at Harmony's desk and drew the symbol on a sign-in book, which Harmony thought was a tattoo he wanted. Wesley walked to Angel's office to talk about it but he was talking with Hamilton and would speak later, asking Wesley to shut the door on the way out.
"Making cozy with the Big Bad, eh?" Buffy asked, not judgmentally though.
"No choice", Summers said.
"If he has to carry out his plan, he has to do this", Harris said.
"So it's essential then", Willow sighed. "I get it."
Wesley then met Lorne who revealed Angel had cut 6 of his clients, and he'd to talk them out of suicide. Gunn arrived too, and all 3 walked to Wesley's office, and all agreed Angel wasn't himself, then got a call from Spike. In Spike's apartment, Drogyn sat on a couch with the others nearby, and Drogyn said a Sathari had come after him, and after torturing it, it had revealed Angel had sent it, because Angel was afraid Drogyn would find out about his involvement in freeing Illyria.
"Okay, what? He freed Illyria? That's ridiculous", Dawnster said.
"It is", Summers agreed, not wanting them to think any bad of Angel even before the big reveal.
"So that's a lie, right?" Buffy asked. "He lied."
"No, he just believes its true", Maclay corrected. "Its not, but he thinks it is."
"So he is making everyone think he was responsible", Giles realized and got nods.
"Walking on a thin line, but hope it ends well", Tara sighed.
Drogyn said Illyria's resurrection was planned by Angel, and Fred was some kind of sacrifice. Gunn didn't believe him while calling him 'Aragorn' but Wesley had written a paper on Drogyn during his time at the Council, so he knew Drogyn spoke the truth. Wesley then asked about the symbol but Drogyn didn't know, and they noted Angel was acting out of character. Illyria said he was going to make his move, and they decided to look into it, while Spike asked Illyria to watch over Drogyn, and they could pass time playing 'Crash Bandicoot' as well.
"Are they actually gonna play it?" Xander asked.
"Oh they are", Harris said as all now imagined the scene.
"Kind of fitting Illyria is watching him, since he watched her", Willow sighed. "So now they are all onto Angel."
"He wants them to be", Summers said. "Which is why he's doing all this."
"I'm just hoping it turns out well considering the extreme measures", Buffy said sadly, hating that it had come to this but understanding why.
Angel reviewed a contact at Harmony's desk when the others arrived, wanting to talk to him, and they went to his office, revealing about Drogyn, but he played ignorant, and then spoke about business, saying they had to get to the top and win. And this wasn't Angelus. He then said Lorne understood how it all worked. "You didn't judge. You didn't spend your life obsessed with good and evil. You do that, you get swallowed, lost in the minutia. 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. 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."
"It's like he….." Dawnster trailed off.
"Actually believes it", Tara finished, looking disturbed, even if they knew it wasn't real.
"Yeah, all of us think he's evil from this", Rosenberg agreed. "Its something else."
"Well, he always was a great actor", Xander remembered.
"We know that first hand", Harris said as they chuckled.
Wesley trailed off. "And how you get this power…" "Isn't pretty. Isn't fun." Angel stood and walked to Wesley. "You think it's Wolfram & Hart getting to me here, and maybe you're right, because they've shown us what power is. From day one, they've been calling the shots, and all we've done is get shot at. I have a chance to change that." Lorne asked. "And will you? I mean, not to play an old saw, but power does traditionally corrupt. You get high up enough, and, well, the people, they do start to look like ants." Angel said. "I can't worry about that... the small stuff."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say he actually has gone bad by now", Buffy told the rest grimly. "How bad is it?"
"Really bad, which is why Angel's doing this", Summers said.
"Yeah, it's a bad time, and he has no other choice", Maclay said sadly. "Which is why it looks so sudden."
Harmony called Angel for a matter and he walked with her as Wesley asked. "The small stuff that you can't worry about, would that include Fred?" Angel said. "I loved Fred." Wesley noted. "That's not an answer." Angel shrugged. "Then I guess you don't get one." He shut the door in their face.
"Really selling it", Dawn said, and the rest agreed.
"Yeah, I'm convinced", Willow shrugged. "Sucks for the team though."
"Yeah, but they'll realize it was necessary", Rosenberg sighed.
Wesley was later by the 2-way mirror wall of a prison interrogation room with Lorne, and they wondered why Angel was doing all this when Spike and Gunn arrived with Lindsey in shackles. "You boys look like you could use a hug." He held out his arms but Spike and Gunn grabbed them.
"Not from you", Buffy said as all groaned. "Now why is he back?"
"Because he is needed, sadly", Summers sighed.
"Really hate it when the bad guys are needed", Dawnster commented.
"Tell me about it", Harris agreed.
Nina was walking to a parking lot when Angel called out to her, and they kissed, before he asked to sit down. They did as Angel handed her an envelope, and these were plane tickets, but 3, and they were for Nina, Jill and Amanda. "That'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?" Angel urged. "It's not safe here." Nina asked. "Is it ever? I want to be with you if there's trouble." Angel said. "You don't want to be with me. You don't want to be near me." Nina asked. "Because I might get hurt?" "'Cause I'm the thing that'll hurt you."
"You're doing that right now", Willow noted sadly.
"So he has to send her away because of what's about to happen?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, and this is the only way", Dawn commented.
"If he tried to be nicer and explain?" Buffy asked.
"Watched from all ends, he needs to look evil", Maclay pointed out.
"Sucks for him", Dawnster said sadly.
Nina held up the tickets. "What do you call this?" Angel asked. "How can I convince you that I want to be with you?" "Show me a fourth ticket." Angel sighed, looked away, then back. "OK. If I get through this... intact... I'll come for you. We'll...have time." Nina laughed and looked into his eyes. "You're the most amazing man I've ever met, but you're a crappy liar." Angel urged. "Go. I'm not asking." "I'll go. Why on Earth would I stay?" Nina got her things together and walked off.
"And now this has been blown too because of the situation", Buffy said sadly, feeling bad for both Angel and Nina.
"Not while we are around", Tara said firmly.
"Yeah", Willow nodded.
Cordelia or Nina, they would make sure Angel gets a fair chance at a relationship. Most probably Cordelia, but he'd still know Nina due to the werewolf thing, if no romance.
"Did she leave?" Giles asked.
"Not for too long", Rosenberg told him.
Illyria and Drogyn played 'Crash Bandicoot', Drogyn noting it was a task of collecting crystals and fruit, then told Illyria her time was past, and now she wished to never have been brought out because this game was pointless and annoyed her, yet she felt compelled to play it.
That bit brought some snickers as Dawnster said. "A Guardian and an Old One playing 'Crash Bandicoot', its so funny."
"And so infectious that Illyria feels compelled to play it too", Xander added.
"Earth culture is infectious like that", Harris said with a chuckle.
"Yes, I am learning more of it day by day", Giles commented.
"You still have a lot to learn", Dawn told him to more chuckles.
Hamilton then busted down the door, quipping on how Illyria was making friends, and he and Drogyn did know each other, though not in a good way. Illyria said Hamilton wouldn't harm Drogyn, but Hamilton threw Drogyn into the wall. Illyria then attacked Hamilton with punches or kicks but he was unfazed, or blocked and dodged and threw her into the wall. Illyria got back up and gave her all to the fight while Hamilton barely tried. "I gotta tell ya, I'm a little disappointed", Hamilton punched Illyria hard in the face, then in the stomach. "Didn't think a big, scary Old One bled this easily." As she doubled over in pain, he hit her hard in her back, knocking her to the ground. "Maybe it's this skinny, little body you chose to infect." He picked her up and punched her in the face. "Or maybe it's that ray gun they shot you with to keep you from exploding." He punched her in the face again. "Or maybe..." He punched her again, "you're..." punch, "just..." punch, "not...that..." One last punch, "cool!" He let her drop to the ground, unconscious and bloody. "Yes, that's probably it." He stepped on her face.
The past Scoobies were horrified by how easily Illyria had been defeated by Hamilton.
"How did he…?" Buffy trailed off in shock. "Oh my God!"
"Its because she is weakened by the Mutari generator, isn't she?" Tara asked the future people.
"Yes, it has weakened her by a lot", Maclay confirmed. "And Hamilton is very powerful himself."
"Guessing she would have defeated him at full power", Willow realized.
"Before the generator, easily", Rosenberg confirmed.
"And she's still more powerful than the rest of the team, how are they supposed to beat Hamilton?" Buffy asked.
"It's a surprise", Summers smirked. "You'll love it."
That got them interested.
Lindsey told the rest of the team he had no idea why Angel was doing anything, then Wesley showed him the drawing of the symbol, and he recognized it. "The Circle of the Black Thorn." It was a secret society, and an elite circle. This group made sure man's inhumanity to man kept rolling, and were responsible for the apocalypse. Wesley thought it would be the Senior Partners but Lindsey explained. "The Senior Partners are on a different plane. Down here...it's the players in the circle that make things happen. Hell, you get tapped by one of them, it's kind of like getting the keys to the chocolate factory."
"So this circle is the Partners' instrument?" Buffy asked and got grim nods.
"Yeah, it is", Harris said. "They do the dirty work here for the Partners."
"And we have not heard of it because it is secret", Giles realized and got nods again.
"Who're the members?" Dawnster asked.
"You've met them all, just didn't know they were members yet", Dawn revealed. "You'll see soon."
"That's why you came back to L.A., tried to kill Angel. To get into the circle", Wesley sat across from Lindsey who said. "To be a Black Thorn is to be the Senior Partners' instrument on Earth. Doesn't get bigger than that." Gunn noted. "Looks like Angel succeeded where you failed." Lindsey shrugged. "He doesn't have it in him." Wesley asked. "Doesn't have what in him?" "Well, for starters, he's gotta give up the champion angle. Quit saving girls in alleys. Probably wouldn't even make it on the circle's radar until he killed one of his lieutenants." The four looked at each other in alarm as Lorne realized. "The Senior Partners, the Circle, they're killing Angel by degrees." Wesley hung his head. "And we all watched it happen." Gunn sighed. "The 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." Wesley stood. "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." Lorne asked. "And what if he's skipped too far down that evil brick road?"
"He hasn't, right?" Buffy asked and got nods. "Good, just an act."
"Yes, but it has to look legit", Maclay warned, and that made the atmosphere grim again.
"So something bad happens?" Xander asked.
"Just be prepared", Summers told them. "You won't like this."
Angel walked through a dark hallway into a chamber. He was standing in front of a raging fire in a doorway. He can hear a man being beaten on the other side. Angel leapt through the fire to the chamber on the other side. He saw a kneeling man being beaten by robed men with sticks. Angel pulled the beaten man to his feet, pulling off the bag over his head, and looked into the bloodied face of Drogyn. "Thank you. Thank you." Angel vamped out and bit Drogyn in the neck as robed and masked men looked on. Angel drank Drogyn's blood as Drogyn moaned painfully. Angel stepped back and twisted Drogyn's head until his neck broke. Angel pushed Drogyn's body to the floor.
Now all were horrified at what Angel had just done.
"Did he…..?" Dawnster trailed off. "Did he actually do it? Or was it faked?"
"Not faked", Rosenberg said sadly as their hearts sank.
"Angel…." Buffy trailed off, shocked that he would go this far.
"He just killed a good man, his own friend, for infiltration?" Giles asked.
"Yeah", Summers nodded. "He did."
"But…isn't that too far?" Xander asked.
"It is", Dawn said. "It is."
"He wasn't okay with it, was he?" Willow asked then.
"Nope, not at all", Maclay confirmed.
"This would have affected him", Tara agreed.
"How did it affect him?" Buffy asked.
"He stopped believing in his Shanshu completely by doing this, felt he wasn't worthy of it anymore in any way", Summers explained. "His actions were for the greater good, but he hurt people he cared about to get there, and he had to kill someone who was his brother-in-arms. He decided he didn't deserve any redemption after that."
The past people absorbed the implications of what they had been told. Angel had killed Drogyn, and then lost all faith in himself forever, that was what they were supposed to prevent.
"You have to prevent this", Harris warned. "Angel losing faith in himself. Because if he does, Cordy's sacrifice is in vain."
"She won't sacrifice herself this time, and Angel won't lose himself", Buffy said firmly. "He won't. Fred would also live, and so would Drogyn."
Later, a robed Demon's red hand glowed with a fiery symbol and touched Angel's bare chest, branding him, and Angel was now officially indicted into this group. The lights went up as the Demons removed their masks, and the group included Archduke Sebassis, Cyvus Vail, Senator Brucker, and others, with Izzy taking off his mask, and noted Angel knew who the lamb to the slaughter was. Champagne was brought as all the Circle members complimented Angel, including Sebassis and Brucker, while Angel and Vail shook hands, now having no hard feelings, and Izzy assured there was a great turnout for the initiation. Angel looked at the other members.
"It's complete, his initiation", Summers told the rest of them. "Now he is part of the circle."
"The Devil Cordelia saw, Sebassis, Vail and Brucker", Buffy counted down the members. "So these are the members, and I imagine there are more."
"Oh yeah, but now Angel knows all of them", Maclay pointed out. "His initiation has exposed them to him."
"So the price was too big, but at least it got him this", Willow said sadly.
"Yeah, but now you must remember them all so it doesn't go too far", Rosenberg told them.
"We'll remember", Buffy nodded.
Angel later walked off the elevator, rubbing his branded chest and headed for his office. Angel walked into his office without closing the door. The door closed itself, revealing Gunn standing behind it. Spike caught Angel off-guard and punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. Wesley and Lorne walked out of the conference room. They were surrounding Angel now, each armed: Gunn with a sword, Spike with his fists, Wesley with a shotgun, and Lorne with a crossbow. "You might wanna stay down", Spike said. "Or what?" Angel asked before warning. "Careful." He got to his feet. "You don't wanna get yourselves hurt."
"Looks like now its time for the big reveal", Dawnster realized.
"Yep, all is going to come out in the open now", Dawn confirmed.
"Let's see how they react", Buffy said as all watched with interest.
"We know what you've been doing", Gunn said in disgust. "Giving up the baby to the Fell Brethren, working for Senator Bitch, trying 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", Angel said. "Yeah, a little singing from a jailbird we know... and loathe", Lorne revealed. "Lindsey?" Angel scoffed. "And you believed him." "Doesn't have a reason to lie", Spike pointed out. "Doesn't need one", Angel said. "Unlike you?" Wesley asked. "What I do here is my business. You don't like how I conduct it, you can leave... before I kill you", Angel threatened.
"Someone still watching?" Xander asked.
"Yep, someone is", Harris confirmed.
"How will he reveal the secret then?" Giles wondered.
"Angel has a lot of tricks up his sleeve", Summers shrugged.
"Kill us? Hard to believe we're having trouble trusting you", Wesley commented. "Just telling it like it is", Angel said. Wesley cocked his shotgun. "Then we have a problem." "I guess we do." Angel grabbed the shotgun barrel and pushed it away from him while kicking Wesley to the ground. Spike charged Angel, but Angel punched him first. Gunn raised his sword, but Angel blocked his swing and hit him on the head with the barrel of the shotgun. Lorne pointed his crossbow at Angel and fired a shot, hitting Angel in the shoulder. Angel dropped the shotgun. Wesley pulled a pistol out of his belt, but Angel kicked it out of his hand before he could fire it. Angel grabbed Lorne around the neck and held him as a hostage. "Are we done?" Angel asked.
"Oh boy, Lorne!" Dawnster gasped, even if he wasn't going to get hurt.
"He is already pretty disillusioned", Tara noted grimly. "Don't think this is going to go over well with him."
"It's not", Maclay confirmed. "Not well at all."
It was clear now something was going to happen with Lorne.
"Let him go", Wesley warned. "You don't give the orders", Angel said. "Lorne, pull this thing out of me." Lorne reached for the arrow sticking out of Angel's shoulder. "Easy. Not in a great mood." Lorne pulled out the arrow. "Good. Now, let's finish this." Angel pulled a crystal out of his pocket, holding it out in front of him. "Involvere." The crystal glowed and sent a force throughout the entire room. Angel then let go of Lorne. "All right, we have 6 minutes." "'Til what?" Spike asked. "The glamour collapses. As far as anyone outside this room is concerned, we're still at each other's throats", Angel revealed. "Aren't we?" Wesley asked.
"Ah, so that's how it shall go down", Willow realized. "The glamour, now no one can see what's happening inside."
"Smart move", Buffy smirked.
"Yep, and now the big reveal is coming", Harris told them all. "Just watch."
"Look, we don't have a lot of time here, so I'm gonna have to make this short. Everything you think you know, everything you've heard, is a lie", Angel said. "Why should we believe you?" Gunn asked. "Because I'm the one who told it", Angel revealed. "Read any good books lately?" "You sent us the message?" Wesley asked in disbelief. "And the assassin to kill Drogyn", Angel added. "So that part was true", Spike commented. "I knew Drogyn could handle himself. I told the assassin just enough to lead Drogyn to think I played a part in resurrecting Illyria", Angel explained. "I figured he'd come here looking for allies against me." "Why would you want us to believe you killed Fred?" Wesley asked. "Because they needed to believe it", Angel replied. "The Black Thorn", Gunn said in realization. "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", Angel said. "It was the only way to gain their confidence." Lorne held his sore neck. "Oh, so this whole evil Angel thing has been a big scamola. Hmm. I smell Oscar."
"Yeah, every single Oscar, give 'em to this man", Xander agreed. "Or Vampire, he sure as hell earned 'em."
"Though the act did get too legit with Drogyn", Dawnster pointed out as all sighed sadly. "Of course we won't let it get that far."
"Yup, Drogyn doesn't deserve it", Tara agreed with a nod.
"When did this all start?" Spike asked. "2 months ago", Angel revealed. "With a kiss." 2 months ago, Angel and Cordelia kissed each other passionately and lovingly as something passed from her mouth to his. In present day, Angel said. "Though it didn't hit me till later that night." 2 months ago, Angel gasped as he awoke from a vision. His vision had shown him the symbol of the Black Thorn as well as flashes of a fiery apocalypse. "Cordelia gave you her visions?" Wesley asked in present day.
"She gave him the visions?" Buffy asked.
"Just a one-time thing, but it was an important one", Summers pointed out.
"Even from beyond the grave, she helped Angel in taking down Wolfram and Hart", Willow said with pride and sadness. "Hero and Champion to the very end."
"Yes, to the very end", Maclay nodded. "She gave up her life, but she helped Angel make sure Wolfram and Hart wouldn't destroy anyone else's."
"Good job", Buffy said in a sad whisper, hoping to save Cordelia so she and Angel got their chance.
Angel walked around the room; the others were still tense, on guard. "One-shot deal. She put me on the path, showed me where the real powers are. But I couldn't see who they were. Then, when Fred died, I wasn't gonna 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...?" Gunn asked. "It's true", Angel said. "We're in a machine. That machine's gonna be here long after our bodies are dust. But the Senior Partners will always exist in one form or another because mankind is weak." "Uh, do you want me to point my crossbow at him, 'cause I think he's gonna start talking about ants again", Lorne spoke up randomly. "We are weak", Angel said. "The powerful control everything... except our will to choose. Look, Lindsey's a pathetic halfwit, 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."
"Now that's the spirit", Dawnster cheered.
"But remember, the Partners have a lot of influence, it won't be easy", Giles pointed out.
"No, not easy at all", Summers agreed. "It becomes a mess from there, but at least they stay true to who they are."
"Yeah, that's one good thing about this all", Buffy agreed.
"You wanna take them on", Wesley realized. "We're in a machine", Angel said. "The Black Thorn runs it. We can bring their gears to a grinding halt, even if it's just for a moment." "About time we got our hands dirty", Spike said. "This isn't a keep-fightin'- the-good-fight kind of deal. Let's be clear. I'm talking about killing every... single...member... of the Black Thorn", Angel told them all truthfully. "We don't walk away from that." "Do we crawl away, at least?" Lorne asked. "We do this, the Senior Partners will rain their full wrath. They'll make an example of us. I'm talking full-on hell, not the basic fire-and-brimstone kind we're used to", Angel warned. "We know the drill", Gunn said confidently. "No, you don't", Angel said. "10-to-1, 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, shining 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. I can't do it without you. So we'll vote. As a team. Think about what I'm asking you to do, think about what I'm asking you to give."
"The real Angel", Buffy said with a smile. "The real Angel is here, and he plans to take on evil with all his might."
"And I know the rest of them won't let him do it alone", Tara said. "They all trust the real Angel, they'll follow him."
And she was proven right.
"Kill 'em all... burn the house down while we're still in it", Spike commented. "Something like that", Angel said. Everyone had got a serious look on their faces. "Huh", Spike raised his hand. "I'm in."
"Spike", Buffy smiled again, noting how he was the first to raise his hand even though things between him and Angel were never the best.
"The rest shall join too", Dawnster said.
Wesley looked at Angel. "I'm in." He raised his hand. Gunn raised his hand too, and finally Lorne.
"All are in, now time to take on the Partners", Giles said. "Big battle I believe."
"Yep, that will come", Summers said, though they won't see it, just what happened before it.
"At least all of them shall do this together as a team", Buffy said, proud of all of them.
From outside, Marcus Hamilton, watched them all but because of the glamour Angel had put up, he could not see what was actually going on. To him, Angel and the team were still at each other's throats. "Drop it!" Spike commanded Angel. "Angel, you don't want it to go like this!" Wesley warned. "You're not the boss around here", Angel said, holding Lorne by the throat. "Lorne, you all right?" Gunn asked. "Wes, help..." Lorne called out. "Angel, we got 3 people here. Drop it!" Spike said. Marcus watched with an unreadable expression. He just knew there was something off about what he was witnessing. What it was, he couldn't tell right now, but he knew it. The screen went black.
"He knows something's off", Tara realized. "He suspects it."
"Yes, but he has no solid proof", Rosenberg pointed out. "So its not like he can take on them due to his suspicions."
"Right", Willow nodded. "Great job, guys."
"Hell yeah!" Xander agreed.
"So, just one more left now", Dawnster realized.
"Yes, the last one, and it's the most important too", Summers said.
"But you all knew that", Maclay noted, and got nods.
"Let us see that too", Giles said.
"Yep, time to see it", Buffy said.
"Go for it", Harris sighed.
"Yes, and pay attention", Dawn added.
Buffy nodded before coming to the final recording.
Finally, just one more to go, and that last scene was such a surprise of the good kind.
Just one more now! One more!
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with the series finale, people!
