Summary- Angel loses his soul due to the contract with Wolfram and Hart. Lilah warns Wesley, and he, Fred and Knox escape from Angelus. Gunn has been possessed by the panther in the White Room. Robin Wood is offered a job at Barrington High, near Sunnydale, and the others decide that a new Watcher's Council is needed. Oz is sent to deal with Gunn. They decide that Lindsey may know how to destroy the contracts, and resolve to contact him. Drusilla visits Angelus, and he rejects her. A military group appears, and Buffy blackmails their general into meeting her. Angry and lonely Drusilla finds Connor and takes him to the warlock who originally altered his memories. Spike appears out of a portal intended to produce a Tarok-Han as a human, but exhibits superhuman strength in escaping from the disappointed cultists. The warlock requires an object from Connor's old life, and Drusilla goes to the Hyperion to get it. Buffy meets the general, who tells her that they are trying to create supersoldiers to fight Suvolte Demons (As You Were), who are becoming inexplicably smarter. Riley Finn is dead, and his wife Sam has gone on a vengeance mission against them. She says that someone may be controlling them, and takes him back to Willow. AI follow Drusilla, and try and fail to prevent her from restoring Connor. He runs away, and Drusilla follows him and tells him how Angelus abandoned her. They find themselves in harmony. Spike's reaction to his resurrection is to get very drunk, and is picked up by a Wolfram and Hart lawyer, and taken to see Angelus. Giles comes to LA to ask Wesley to be part of the new Council. He refuses, but tells him what has happened with Angelus and Drusilla. Drusilla has restored Connor's memories, but not their memories of him. Giles calls the new Watcher's Council, and is told that Buffy and Willow have gone to Belize in a helicopter with weapons, spell ingredients and the troll hammer. Lindsey arrives in LA. Connor and Drusilla launch an attack against Wolfram and Hart. Drusilla senses and rescues Spike, and Connor and Angelus fight. He nearly kills Angelus, but in the end Drusilla saves him by throwing Angelus out of the window. He takes his contract and one other thing, after having a conversation with the First. Angelus has the Order of Taraka sent after them both, and tells them to find Sahjhan. Lindsey tells them that the contracts are spells in physical form but he does not know exactly how to destroy them, and decides to call Gwen to retrieve them. Angelus finds and releases Sahjhan, then convinces him to try to kill Connor. Wesley and Fred go to collect Cordelia from hospital, but find that she has been taken by the thing Drusilla awoke (Connor). Gwen arrives and agrees to help them, and removes LISA. Angelus is contacted by the Order f Taraka, and he tells them to kill all his enemies, not just Dru and Connor, then leaves in a helicopter. In Belize, Buffy, Willow and Sam arrive at the lair of the creature controlling the Suvoltes, where it is sending them away by plane. Willow is telepathically attacked by the creature, and Buffy and Sam attack at once. Professor Walsh intends to find Buffy and Willow's power sources, and tap them. A person called the Master appears in Barrington. Buffy encounters Angelus in Belize. They fight, and he saves the Suvolte controller and flies away. Willow's magic doesn't seem to work on him. A Tarakan assassin attacks the Hyperion, killing the Slayer Giles brought. Spike appears at the Hyperion. Buffy calls and informs them about Angelus, saying she is returning home. Spike tells them that he has a place where they will be safer from the Tarakans, Drusilla's lair, and they agree to join him. Gunn, completely possessed, warns Angelus that he had better strike soon or he will be replaced. The Master attends the school Halloween party, and tries to kidnap Dawn. The student she is with, Jared, turns out to be a demonic servant of his, and prevents Amanda from interfering while he fights Faith. He beats and hospitalises her, but Buffy arrives back and he runs. At the Watcher's Headquarters a warlock attacks and steals the Scythe. Willow says she isn't sure she can beat him, and can't find him. Amanda suggests that he was trying to kidnap Dawn in an attempt to draw Buffy into one-on-one combat. Buffy orders that Dawn be guarded. Wood discovers that the press in Barrington aren't as gullible as those in Sunnydale. Jared claims that they can't kill him, because he appears human. Spike delivers AI and associates to Drusilla, then leaves to see Buffy. The Master tries to make Xander accept Anya's death, and says that when the time comes he will be on his side. Sahjhan leaves to kill Connor. Buffy meets the Master in a demon bar, who offers to fight her in exchange for not setting vampires on the Slayers. They fight and she defeats him easily. It turns out to have been Jared, magically disguised, making sure she isn't at the Council building. The Master sets his warlock to attack the Watcher's Council. He fights Willow, and when she appears to be beating him, kills Kennedy, and uses some of her blood to power him. Her eyes turn black and she beats him easily. She tries to kill him, but he manages to push her hand into Kennedy's blood, changing her hair and eyes to black and red. He reveals he works for Wolfram and Hart before she kills him and is sucked through a portal. Dawn, with Xander and three Slayers escape through the sewers. They are intercepted by the real Master, who kidnaps Dawn and leaves the others unconscious. He tells Jared to go home, and Dawn that they were never after Buffy, it was her, because she is the Key. He starts to bleed her.
LA-Sewers-Night
(A group of vampires are fighting each other. One is being aided by three Suvoltes, the other by Drusilla, Wesley, Gwen and Oz. Gwen ducks a Suvolte's swing and presses both hands against its legs. Lightning arcs through it and it falls to the ground. A vampire grabs her and lifts her up to it. Another vampire stakes it. Oz rakes a Suvolte across the face. It punches him to the ground, and tries to crush his head. He blocks and claws its arm, then kicks its legs out and snaps its neck.)
Drusilla: Good boy. (He snarls at her.)
(A group of vampires take out the last Suvolte, and the remaining enemy vampires run. The others give chase.)
Oz: I don't know how much longer I can put up with her.
Wesley: Your patience so far has been superhuman. I've been an inch away from staking her myself at times, and she leaves me mostly alone. I think she may be showing that she's still angry about you biting her.
Gwen: Or, she's just an annoying loony, who's universally hated by everyone.
Wesley: Except Fred.
Gwen: Yeah, well that's just disturbing. I suppose they both live halfway in another world.
Wesley: I think all the running and hiding and spending so much time underground must be reminding her of Pylea. Still, I don't think there's any reason to worry about her yet.
Oz: Tea parties with dolls will be a danger sign.
Wesley: We'll be on the lookout for them. We have other problems in the meantime.
Gwen: You mean the way we're losing?
Wesley: Precisely. Without their Miracle Child, they're only helping us because of Drusilla. And with Angelus on the scene, very few would rather face her than him.
Gwen: And the Suvoltes.
Wesley: Which do not cut down on civilian casualties. But it isn't as bad as we expected. If they weren't controlled and he had simply unleashed them on the city the damage would be incredible.
Gwen: As it is, they just mean we spend all our time hiding in sewers. That wasn't part of the deal. One theft, an' I'm out of here.
Wesley: It's not Angelus' style. I suppose he's never had access to resources of this scale before.
Gwen: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely?
Oz: It's Angelus.
Wesley: It's simply never been an option before.
Gwen: We either need more people, or to get rid of Angelus.
Wesley: I've contacted the Watcher's Council, but they're having problems of their own. In any case, getting through city limits is hard if Wolfram and Hart is looking out for you. They'd be in great danger.
(They walk back to the lair. Wesley goes into his makeshift office. A number of men in army uniforms and white coats are standing there.)
Wesley: How did you get in?
Man: That girl, um, Texan. Strange name. She invited us.
Wesley: What do you want?
Man: We're a black ops group. You were recommended to us as a source of information by Captain Finn. We're here to deal with the Suvolte situation.
Wesley: Oh. Good. I don't suppose you believe in magic?
Man: We deal with practical matters. Not ancient superstitions.
Wesley: Fine. Pity. In that case how much I can help you is limited, but I'll tell you what I know. Wesley Wyndham-Price.
Man: Matthew Walsh. Nice to meet you.
Watcher's Council-Night
(Buffy skids to a stop. The door is in pieces, and most of the windows are broken. She runs inside.)
Buffy: What happened?
Slayer #1: Those things attacked again.
Buffy: Is everyone okay?
Slayer #2: A lot of them have concussions. One dead. I don't think they came to kill.
Buffy: Who? Where is- Oh my God who is that?!
Slayer #2: That was Kennedy.
Buffy: They drained all her blood?
Slayer #2: They didn't touch her. The warlock who works for the Master showed up.
Buffy: Where's Dawn?
Slayer #2: She went out with Xander and three others through the sewers.
Buffy: Is that skeleton there the Master? I didn't think he'd die the same as the other one.
Slayer #2: No that was the warlock. After he killed Kennedy Willow went schizo on him and turned him into that. Before she disappeared.
Buffy: Magic? Willow killed someone with magic?
Slayer #2: Horribly.
Buffy: Uh oh. Did her hair change colour?
Slayer #2: I didn't see. I kinda got hit in the face about then.
Slayer #3: I saw it. It went black.
Xander: (Staggering up the stairs with the other three.) Buffy! He's got Dawn.
Buffy: (Very slowly exhales and lowers her head slightly.) Figures. Do you know where he went?
Xander: No, I was a bit busy with the being unconscious.
Buffy: Right. I'm gonna go talk to someone, find out where she is. Xander, we may need a yellow crayon talk. If Willow comes here, be very careful.
Xander: I thought that wasn't gonna happen any more.
Buffy: It shouldn't. Wait… why isn't there any blood? In or around Kennedy I mean.
Slayer #3: He sorta sucked it out of her. Then he stuck Willow's hand in it, and it kind of flowed into her.
Buffy: So he turned Willow evil. Great.
Andrew: Exposing her to the dark side of the Force.
Buffy: Actually, yeah. Kinda. Xander, look after things here. I'm going to find Dawn.
Xander: How?
Buffy: Good point. That reminds me.
(She goes into the next room for a moment, then comes out and goes to the car.)
Outside the Master's Lair-Night
(The Master walks out alone to the truck. He starts it, then drives away inexpertly.)
Barrington-Holmes Street -Night
(Buffy drives up to a house and knocks on the door. A man opens it.)
Buffy: Okay, either tell me where- who're you, the butler?
Man: (Amused) Oh, I do all sorts. Cleaning, washing up, (Morphs to vamp face) Cooking.
(He lunges at her and she stakes him.)
Buffy: Hello! Any evil demons home?
(She marches down the hall and slams open the door.)
Jared: You again. I'd get up, but I barely managed to crawl here at all. Well, I took a taxi. But y'know.
Peter: Lady, you are trespassing on private property. Leave the premises now, and I won't call the police.
Buffy: Yeah, I'm sure they'd be interested. Of course, they might be even more interested in why that guy is still alive. Could you leave? I'd like a private word with your son.
Peter: This is the Slayer?
Jared: That's her.
Buffy: A Slayer. Where's my sister?
Jared: Nothing's changed.
(She steps forward. Peter transforms and moves to block her. She casually tosses him through the window.)
Buffy: No, something has. You've got Dawn.
Jared: I'm not telling you anything.
Buffy: Okay.
(She pulls an object out of her coat and holds it up in front of his face. His already blood deprived skin pales further and he presses his head back against the chair. It's a spoon.)
Buffy: Apparently the Egyptians went in through the nose, but this is a teaspoon, so it probably wouldn't fit. How does the eye sound to you?
Jared: Of course, when I say anything, I mean anything you don't wanna know.
Buffy: What does he want from me?
Jared: Nothing. That was sort of a lie we told to throw you off the scent. He wants the Key.
Buffy: Then where's my sister?
Jared: 17 Galamin Road.
Buffy: And where's phone? This place is a maze.
Sunnydale Crater-Night
(The Master stops the truck and gets out. He pulls the altar out of the back. He places one hand on the altar, and pulls an orb out of his coat. It starts to glow and they rise into the air.)
The Master's Lair-Night
(The doors to the house fly open, and about ten Slayers come in, with Xander following. There are four vampires inside, which are dusted within seconds.)
Xander: Wow, this looks like my Uncle Rory's place.
(They break open the door to the next room.)
Xander: Dawn?
Dawn: Hi.
Xander: Where's the Master?
(She holds up her arm to show a dark red cut across it.)
Dawn: He's got what he needs.
Winterford Estate-Night
Buffy: The Master wasn't there.
Jared: I know. You asked me where Dawn was, not him.
Buffy: Where is he then?
Jared: Now? Somewhere in what's left of Sunnydale.
Buffy: Why?
Jared: That's where the Key is used. I guess with a bit more time and Keith's help we might be able to activate it anywhere, but neither of us are real big magic-users. And the Master wants this done before he goes completely crazy.
Sunnydale Crater-Night
(The Master stops about sixty feet off the ground.)
Jared (VO): They probably told you that once the time had passed for the Key to be used it couldn't be used again. Normally yeah. But he can make it work.
(He pulls a flask out of his coat, and pours blood into the hollow on the altar.)
Jared (VO): Power doesn't disappear just because its purpose is gone. It stays, latent within, until it's released.
(The blood changes into a white-blue vortex, a smaller version of what appeared during The Gift. In the lair, Dawn screams as the power connected to her is wrenched out of its latency, and her eyes begin to glow green.)
Buffy (VO): What's he doing with it? Ending the world?
Jared (VO): No. The Scythe is being used to harness its power. Keith is a genius with anything blood-related. He's using it to look for something.
(One of the tendrils of energy hits the Scythe. It glows white and the triangular runes around the edge of the altar shoot white-blue rays towards the head of the Scythe. The vortex is contained within as a circular portal, and the Scythe disperses tightly controlled rays in all directions and dimensions.)
Cut to:
Buffy: What exactly?
Jared: I can't tell you. It's no use threatening me. Just, someone. It's sentient. An ally. Hate to play this card twice in one night, but hurry, you might just be able to stop it.
Buffy: Will it kill Dawn?
Jared: No. It'll stop when we have what we need. I wouldn't do that to her. There shouldn't be any side effects.
(Buffy runs outside, looks up and starts running to the car.)
Cut to:
(The Master pulls out a sheet of paper and grimaces.)
The Master: Prodi! Arcesso te! Reveni! Impero te! (His expression grows desperate.) Come back. Please. I. I need you.
(Something explodes out of the portal in a burst of blue light. The altar and the orb are destroyed and the portal vanishes. The Master and the Scythe plummet to the ground. He lands on his back, smirks, leaps up unhurt, and runs to the truck.)
Cut to:
(The glow in Dawn's eyes slowly fades, but they remain green. Xander looks at her concerned. She smiles distantly, looking through him.)
Xander: Dawn? Dawn what is it? Dawn?
Dawn: I could see all of them. Hear all of them. Everywhere.
Xander: See what? Hear what?
Dawn: All the dimensions. Every one. Every single one. I can still see if I concentrate. Looks kinda weird. I think I'll shut my eyes now.
(Xander looks around the room and sees a woman sitting on a chair, unaffected by the three crossbows pointing at her.)
Xander: What's happened to her?
Woman: I don't know, Mr. Harris. It's not my job to make deductions.
Xander: Do you work for that guy?
Woman: No Mr. Harris. He stole me.
Xander: Hey, how do you know who I am?
(Buffy looks up at the supernova in the sky. She opens the car door.)
Man: Don't bother.
Buffy: Who the Hell are you?
Man: I serve the Powers That Be. I'm here to help you against the Master.
Buffy: Yeah, well I'm in a bit of a hurry, so if you're coming then get in the car.
Man: You're too late. He's already brought it through.
Buffy: Brought what through?
Man: An ally. I don't know precisely.
Buffy: Then I'll kill them both.
Man: You won't catch them. They'll already of left the site. You'll have to deal with them later.
Buffy: Fine. Who is he?
Man: The Master? An enemy of mine. Ours. That is the Powers That Be. We imprisoned him, but he recently escaped.
Buffy: You'll help me kill him?
Man: That or send him back.
Buffy: Good. Do you have a name?
Cut to:
Woman: I'm Files and Records. It's my job.
Warehouse-Night
(The Master runs in. The warehouse is brightly illuminated. A vampire moves in front of him. It is wearing a metal medallion with a five pointed star in the centre.)
Vampire: It is safe. Is the awakening upon us Master?
(He smiles slowly and seems suddenly more sane.)
The Master: The Master's gone. (He pulls out a stake and drives it into the vampire's heart. It explodes and covers him with its dust. He shrugs off the coat and scarf, and tries to shake it out of his hair.)
(He goes to a figure laid out on a low table, and kneels before its head. The blue radiance from the portal surrounds it, then flows into it, and its eyes slowly open. It looks at him in surprise, then smiles nervously.)
The Master: Mornin'. Did the world end?
Cut to:
Man: Call me Sahjhan.
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