Lorne meets the Scoobies, hears Spike sing, and takes the stage at the Bronze. In LA, Angelus gets his sweet revenge on Fred, Gunn and Wes.
After leaving school, Connor and Dawn walked over to the pine forest in the hills on the eastern border of Sunnydale.
DAWN: Did they have trees in Quor Toth?
CONNOR: Some. Not this many all together. Vicious giant birds lived in them, so it was a good thing there weren't more. Trick was to pull off the firewood when they were sleeping.
DAWN: Really makes me feel guilty for complaining about how unfair my life's been.
Connor quickly climbs halfway up the tree, then scurries down just as quickly.
CONNOR: Wanna see something cool?
DAWN: In the tree?
CONNOR: From the tree. Just hold on.
DAWN: You want me to go up there. With you?
CONNOR: Don't you trust me?
DAWN: So far.
She puts her arms around his neck and wraps her legs around his torso. He carries her on his back as he rapidly ascends to the top of the tree, which is 60 feet in the air. Dawn gasps in terror.
CONNOR: Look out. You can see the whole town from here.
He picks Dawn up and puts her on his shoulders. At first this makes her even more frightened.
CONNOR: I won't let go.
The tree is swaying a few feet from side to side.
DAWN: Guess that means we'd go down together.
CONNOR: Relax. You're safe. It won't break. Look at the view.
After a few seconds, Dawn works up the courage. It's a lot less scary to look out than it is to look down.
DAWN: Wow. You're right. I can see all the way down to the beach. And then some. There's the school. City Hall. Your place. Hey, I can see my house from here. And think I see the Potentials in the backyard doing training, or jazzercize, or whatever it is they do.
CONNOR: Aren't you glad you came up here?
DAWN: Right now I'm a little worried about how we're getting down.
CONNOR: That part's easy.
Connor leaps off the branch. Dawn screams. They fall 60 feet to the ground. Connor lands with Dawn still on his shoulders. She gets her feet on the ground and recovers her breath.
DAWN: That was new. Like bungee jumping. Without the bungee cord.
CONNOR: Wasn't that cool?
She pushes Connor into a nearby tree. He smiles.
DAWN: Can't we find exciting things to don't involve putting my life at risk?
CONNOR: I thought we had?
Dawn shoves him again and walks away.
DAWN: I meant other than that. You're lucky I love you. Else I'd probably woulda let Buffy kill you by now.
Connor walks after her and hugs Dawn from behind.
CONNOR: That's not why I'm lucky.
She turns around and smiles, taking his hands in hers and walking backwards as he walked forward towards her.
DAWN: I'm really going to miss you.
CONNOR: Don't have to miss me yet.
Lorne walks out of Willy's. The demons give him a standing ovation. A few of them yell "One more song!" and "Encore!."
LORNE: Thank you. Thank you so much. You've been a wonderful audience.
He walks down the sidewalk with Clem.
LORNE: Always leave em wanting more.
A cat walking the other way meows. Clem turns and looks at it. His mouth begins to water.
LORNE: Are you one of those cat eaters? No wonder the humans shun you.
He turns Clem around.
CLEM: It's not fair. They eat turkeys. Why can't I eat cats? Turkeys are much smarter. Not to mention cuter.
Lorne looks at Clem's very large waddle. He decides against making the comparison.
LORNE: But people don't eat them alive with their bare hands. Plenty of demons in LA eat cats. But they buy the meat. It's much more respectable.
CLEM: You're a really good singer.
LORNE: Thank you, Clement.
CLEM: Almost as good as David Hasselhoff.
Lorne shoves Clem against the wall and looks violently angry.
LORNE: I'm no fighter. And I'm certainly not a killer. But like anyone, I have my limits.
CLEM: I meant it as a compliment. Honest. You're better than Wayne Newton. Maybe I should have put it that way.
LORNE: Thank you. Wayne is a fan, fyi.
They approach the Bronze. Clem gets cold feet.
CLEM: I'm not so sure about this.
LORNE: Remember. This is your town too.
CLEM: As long as you go in with me. You're probably even funnier-looking to them than me.
LORNE: For a nice guy who means well, you're really testing my patience.
They both pay at the door and walk in.
LORNE: See. You did it. I'll go get a Seabreeze. You find your friends.
The bartender doesn't know what to make of Lorne.
LORNE: It's a costume. I'm in a production of Rocky Horror. "Let's do the time warp again!" Thank you. [pays, then sips] Not bad.
Lorne walks through the club, looking around.
LORNE: Even the human hangouts in this hellhole are a dump. How did Angel survive three years in this backwater?
CLEM: Hi guys.
BUFFY: Clem! Clem? What are you doing here?
CLEM: It's a free country.
SPIKE: I like the new defiance. Where does it come from?
CLEM: I made a new friend. He's an assimilationist. Came here with me. There he is. Hey Lorne! Over here, buddy.
Lorne walks over to the Scoobies. Xander and the Potentials looked shocked to see a green-skinned horned demon at the Bronze, not to mention one dressed like Lorne.
LORNE: Finally. I get to meet the great Buffy Summers. Truly an honor.
WILLOW: Hey Lorne. What are you doing in town?
XANDER: You know this demon?
WILLOW: He works for Angel.
LORNE: When I'm not performing.
CLEM: He just put on a great show at Willy's.
LORNE: A Lynryd Skynrd medley. It really was the best thing I could find on that jukebox.
GILES: Did you do "Free Bird?"
LORNE: That one's too corny even for me to touch. [Giles looks insulted]
CLEM: He did a great "Tuesday's Gone."
XANDER: You're a singing demon?
LORNE: A demon who sings.
ANYA: Have you ever played Vegas?
LORNE: Last year. Five months sold out.
ANYA: I saw you! You were incredible. Fabulous show.
LORNE: Thank you, sugarplum. I trust you weren't one of the women who threw their panties on stage.
ANYA: I wasn't wearing any panties.
Lorne's jaw drops and he puts his drink up to his forehead. Xander looks outraged.
XANDER: What were you doing in Las Vegas?
ANYA: Vengeance. Is there a better place for vengeance?
LORNE: You're a Vengeance Demon!?
ANYA: Was. Now I'm human. Again. Probably for good this time. [Lorne looks a little disappointed]
ANDREW: What kind of show are we talking about? Cabaret? Or a theatrical production with showgirls?
ANYA: There were lots of dancing girls. Painted green to look like demons. None of them actually were demons.
ANDREW: So why did you quit?
LORNE: I was being held hostage by an evil wizard who used by gifts to destroy people's lives.
ANDREW: Show business can be so brutal.
GILES: What gifts would these be?
LORNE: I can read people's thoughts when they sing. Sometimes I can see their destiny.
BUFFY: I could read people's thoughts once. Drove me insane.
LORNE: As a demon, I can filter out the voices, make it bearable.
ANYA: Is this why you worked the audience and had people sing?
LORNE: Yes. I would read their destinies and tell them to my captor, who would steal their futures and sell them on the open market.
ANYA: There's a market for that kind of thing!? A market where you can trade people's destinies for goods and or services? Why didn't I know about this?
LORNE: If I refused, he started executing showgirls until I went along with the program.
GILES: I'd imagine an ability to learn someone's destiny would be more of a curse than a blessing.
LORNE: The last time I tried to read someone's future, a dozen psychics ended up with their brains splattered on the walls. Not my fault, by the way. Nowadays I tend to avoid that part. Just look for thoughts.
XANDER: You're a musical demon who makes people sing so they will tell you what they're really thinking.
LORNE: I'm sensing a lot of suspicion from you.
XANDER: We had a demon who came here and made the whole town burst into song for a day. Then a few people burst into flames.
LORNE: A real-life musical? How absolutely charming! How Busby Berkeley. Except for the killing. I don't believe in going that far in the name of art. Must have been quite an experience. I'd love to see how my friends would handle that. Provided most of them were given speaking roles. But no, I don't have that kind of power. People choose to sing for me. So I can help them with their problems.
ANDREW: You're like the demon Dr. Phil!
LORNE: Except I know what I'm talking about. And I'm much better looking.
Spike decides to test Lorne out. He starts quietly singing along with the music playing over the loudspeaker:
SPIKE: "So why do you, wanna throw another chain, around my heart? You don't really love me. Anyway I'm so caught up in yesterday."
Lorne runs away.
SPIKE: Was my singing THAT bloody awful?
LORNE: A Manhattan, pronto. Make it a double. [a different bartender from the one who served him before stares at Lorne] Less gawking, more pouring.
Lorne gets his drink. He quickly downs it.
LORNE: Paging Sigmund Freud. And I thought Connor had a raging Angel-centric Oedipal Complex.
He takes his Seabreeze and walks back over to the gang.
LORNE: You must be Spike. Never sing for me EVER again.
SPIKE: [looks hurt] Am I really that bad of a singer?
LORNE: No. Your voice is very good. Better than most I hear. It's the subtext. Yours is not a head I do NOT want to get inside of.
ANYA: So he really is that twisted. What did you hear? Anything about me?
LORNE: So this is Anya. Charmed to meet you. Glad you enjoyed my show. And this handsome fella must be Rupert Giles. [looks at Xander] Who are you?
XANDER: Xander.
LORNE: Angel and Cordy never mentioned anything about a Xander.
WILLOW: So what finally brings you to the Hellmouth, Lorne?
LORNE: I know the guy who's performing. Thought it was a good excuse to meet all the people I've heard so much about over the years. By the way, has anyone seen the demon seed – I mean Connor?
WILLOW: He's probably with Dawn.
LORNE: Ah yes, the girlfriend. Poor thing. Really feel sorry for her. And more than a little frightened.
GILES: I take it you're not fond of Connor.
LORNE: He has threatened to kill me.
SPIKE: He does that so often it's lost all meaning.
LORNE: He's unpredictable, to put it mildly. Usually surly. Occasionally maniacal. Has he tried to kill any of you?
SPIKE: Tried to stake me on a number of occasions.
BUFFY: He also tried to kill me.
LORNE: Killing humans. Boy's breaking new ground. Did he use a taser?
BUFFY: Repeatedly.
LORNE: Some things don't change.
GILES: So you've known Connor his entire life?
LORNE: Since before he was born. Changed his diapers. Sang him to sleep. [some of the people look a bit disgusted] When he was an infant. [they look relieved] Saw him return as a very angry and heavily-armed young man. Made quite the entrance through a tear in the dimensional fabric. Haven't spent much time with him since then. He doesn't like demons. Or most people, for that matter.
XANDER: Did you ever meet Holtz?
LORNE: Unfortunately. Talk about a psycho.
XANDER: You didn't think he was a good man?
LORNE: He blew up my home! With me and several humans inside. I don't know what he was like in the Old World, but by the time he made it to the 21st century Holtz was two tacos short of a combination plate if you get my drift. And his followers. Boy did they drink the Kool-Aid. With him playing daddy, no wonder Connor turned out so wacko. Course you can only blame so much on a lousy childhood, no matter how lousy it was, especially when he's got a father like Angel. He showed Connor nothing but love, and the boy hurt him. Then Angel kept loving Connor, and Connor kept hurting Angel. And the kicker is he goes around whining that Angel is the reason his life sucks.
WILLOW: Connor whines?
ANYA: Something else he has in common with Dawn.
LORNE: He had people who wanted to help him, and he didn't care. Almost like he didn't even want to be happy.
ANDREW: He's happy. At least recently.
LORNE: Who are you and why are you pointing a camera at me? The lighting in this place just awful. I'll probably end up looking like a walking asparagus.
WILLOW: He's been very chipper for the past day and a half.
ANYA: And he's nice to everyone. Even Andrew. And nobody's ever been nice to Andrew.
LORNE: We're talking about the same Connor, right?
GILES: Dawn appears to have caused Connor to mellow. It's actually quite disturbing. Like he's on some sort of opiate.
XANDER: You find it disturbing that he's NOT homicidal?
LORNE: I think he finds it disturbing that Connor is acting nice to everyone. I, for one, would agree with him. On the alternate reality scale, a nice Connor is somewhere between surreal and inconceivable. What's happened to him?
SPIKE: Dawn.
LORNE: And she did this without glowing?
Dawn and Connor are at the beach, watching the sunset. Connor stands behind Dawn, his arms around her waist.
DAWN: You've really never seen the ocean during daytime?
CONNOR: Wasn't a big fan of the ocean.
DAWN: Let me guess: there were sea monsters where you grew up.
CONNOR: Weren't any oceans. Some ponds, swamps. Monsters did live in them. Rivers were a little safer cause the water moved. But we just used them to get water. Current was too fast to step in.
They walk down the beach.
DAWN: Then you never learned to swim. I should teach you.
CONNOR: Maybe this summer. When you visit, we can go to the beach.
DAWN: Used to go to Redondo Beach when I was young. I mean, I didn't, but I think I did.
CONNOR: Ocean doesn't seem so bad when it's light out. Then again, things always seem better when you're around.
DAWN: When exactly in your lonely life did you learn to be so good with the sweet talk?
CONNOR: I dunno. Just say what I feel. Sometimes people like it.
Angelus walks into the parking lot outside the Staples' Center. He approaches a group of five vampires standing near a group of three vampires.
ANGELUS: Get out. This is my turf.
LONNY: Since when?
ANGELUS: Since I said so. Go crawl back into the gutter.
DERRICK: Or what?
ANGELUS: Or I'll kill you all.
The eight vampires laugh.
DERRICK: I recognize this fool. Ain't you Angelus?
LONNY: Heard you got ganked by your old crew.
DERRICK: We're supposed to be scared of a joker who got bum-rushed by humans?
ANGELUS: I see there are two volunteers. Anyone else want to die?
Lonny throws a right cross. Angelus grabs Lonny's right arm with his left hand and lands a right jab to Lonny's face. He spins the vampire around and snaps Lonny's neck from behind. Derrick charges and tries a left hook. Angelus ducks and kicks Derrick in the shins with his left foot. Derrick falls on his face. Angelus puts his right heel down on the back of Derrick's neck, severing his spine and dusting the vampire. He looks at the other six vampires. They run away.
ANGELUS: That's right. I'm back.
He walks towards the arena. A limo pulls up. Out step a man in his late-50s and a women in her mid-20s.
ROGER: We're not that late. Probably just missed the tip-off.
A few seconds later, the woman realizes Roger is no longer walking next to her. "Roger? Roger?" She sees Angelus standing in front of her.
ANGELUS: That's the problem with older men. They always die on you.
He grabs her and turns bumpy.
ANGELUS: Okay. Not Always.
He bites down. When he has drained the young woman, he drops her and looks at the tickets he took from Roger. Lakers-Spurs. Courtside. He tosses them in the trash.
ANGELUS: Always been more of a hockey fan.
Angelus walks away from the arena, looking for some more fun and something else sweet to eat.
Dawn and Connor are inside a diner on Main Street. They've just finished a very large chocolate milkshake.
DAWN: If you were really that hungry, you could have ordered your own.
CONNOR: I did.
DAWN: I forgot. You drank it before they brought out the burgers.
CONNOR: You said I could help you finish it.
DAWN: Except you drank more of it than I did.
CONNOR: I thought it was fun. Sharing. Looking into your eyes.
DAWN: [smiles] Okay. That part was nice.
CONNOR: Can I try a bite of your cake?
DAWN: Are you ever NOT hungry? [gets an idea] Try some of the frosting. It's really rich.
Takes a glob of the chocolate fudge frosting on her right index finger and puts it in Connor's mouth. He sucks on it for a few seconds. Dawn pulls her hand back. Connor smiles. He moves his head towards Dawn's and caresses her left cheek with his right hand.
CONNOR: Not hungry.
Dawn scans around for a waitress.
DAWN: Check. Please.
ANYA: Angel owns a hotel. A prime piece of downtown real estate. And he just lets it sit there, generating zero cash flow?
LORNE: He lives and works there.
ANYA: From the way you tell it, he hasn't had a playing client in over a year. I know he's been busy fighting evil pro bono, and then being evil pro bono. But I was able to run my business during an apocalypse. How can he support three human employees with such meager revenues?
LORNE: One of the benefits of spending every waking moment fighting for your life is that you don't have time to go out and splurge.
ANYA: So an apocalypse reduces overhead? I've found the opposite to be true. On account of the wanton property damage.
LORNE: It's a really big hotel. You can trash one wing and hardly notice.
WILLOW: Connor mentioned something about a memory spell gone wrong.
LORNE: It worked. Just took time.
WILLOW: Did you guys use the Latin or the Greek text?
LORNE: There wasn't much text. And it was in English.
WILLOW: No wonder things went crazy. Why on earth did you do it that way?
LORNE: A friend told me how to do it.
WILLOW: Your friend obviously knew jack about magic. That's borderline wicca malpractice.
GILES: I'm just curious, what was Wesley like as a 16 year-old?
LORNE: Pompous. Klutzy. Clueless.
GILES: Which is exactly what he was like as a 26 year-old.
BUFFY: What was Angel like?
LORNE: Tortured. Self-pitying.
XANDER: You mean he brooded before he even had anything to brood about?
ANYA: Obviously this disaster would not have happened if you had a proper magic shop in Los Angeles. I know! You should start one at the hotel. One-stop shopping. The detective agency and the store generate customers for each other. Plus, a hotel would be a perfect place for your little cabaret. And how bout this crazy idea? Use the hotel as an actual hotel!
LORNE: I think the people would be scared off by the demons.
ANYA: I mean a demon hotel. I know from experience that they are a very nomadic bunch. You can provide a friendly, comfortable place for them to stay when they're in town. And the hotel guests would naturally be drawn to your cabaret. It's horizontal integration at its best. This is the problem with hero types like Angel. They never care about money. He's sitting on a gold mine, and he doesn't even know it.
LORNE: Well tickle me pinkish. You're like the Martha Stewart of the demon world.
ANYA: Except I don't resort to the black arts nearly as often as she does.
LORNE: I meant it purely in a non-evil way, cupcake. [Lorne looks around] This being the Hellmouth and all, I assume there's a spell which puts the kibosh on all demon violence within this club?
BUFFY: You can do that?
WILLOW: Not with any mortal magics I'm aware of.
LORNE: I had one at my old club. Done by the Transuding Furies.
SPIKE: They're based in LA these days? Been a while since I've seen those floating birds. Tell the sisters William says hi.
Lorne grimaces and looks slightly nauseous.
LORNE: That reminds me why I never want to read you. So any demon can just walk in here at any moment and trash the place?
XANDER: It's happened.
LORNE: That's a tad terrifying. Explains why demons are so unwelcome here. I take it a demon's never performed in this club?
BUFFY: Sometimes they get on stage and announce that they're going to kill everybody. But I always kill them before that happens.
LORNE: Not the sort of performance art I had in mind. I just realized there's no opening act here tonight.
Lorne walks backstage and talks to Lindsey. He looks bemused by Lorne's proposal.
LINDSEY: You want to borrow my band?
LORNE: Just a couple songs. A warmup act.
LINDSEY: Could scare everyone and clear the place out. But the guys have already been paid. Knock yourself out. [musicians look at Lorne] Don't worry bout the look. He's a pro.
Lorne briefly discusses arrangements with the five musicians in Lindsey's band. He's glad they have a saxophone player since both of the songs Lorne wants to perform have horns. The musicians know the two selections, and they head out on stage. The crowd notices. They launch into the opening chords of Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness." Lorne enters stage right with the microphone in his hand, singing:
LORNE: "Oh, she may be weary. Young girls, they do get weary . . . "
At first the crowd gasps in horror. But as Lorne keeps belting out the tune, they accept the scary-looking but good-singing green guy. They assume the costume's part of some joke they don't get and focus instead on the music.
WILLOW: And I really thought I'd seen it all.
Andrew happily videotapes the singing demon.
ANDREW: So there are bars in LA where demons and humans hang out together. Just like that scene in Star Wars. But without the fighting. That is so cool.
ANYA: I told you guys he was good.
GILES: A little on the schmaltzy side for my tastes.
SPIKE: Like Liberace. But not nearly as hideous-looking.
XANDER: I wish we had demons as cool as this guy in Sunnydale. [Xander sees Clem looking forlorn] Sorry, Clem. I didn't mean it like that. You're a very good friendly demon.
ANYA: He's right. It's not your fault Angel has a BETTER demon friend than Buffy does. We're not going to make you two compete for our affection. Plus, when he leaves, you'll go back to being the coolest demon in Sunnydale.
CLEM: It's okay. Lorne's a cool cat. Excuse the pun. It's not like we're in competition or something. You guys would still like me if he moved to town, right?
BUFFY: Of course. We like you for you. You don't have to impress us. Wow! It's like he held that note forever.
The Potentials are trying to make sense of the weirdness.
MADARI: What kind of demon is he?
JOAN: I think he's a lounge demon.
FADILA: Does this mean there are friendly demons who are, like, contributing members of society?
AMANDA: I wonder what other singers are really demons.
Gunn drives his truck, with Fred sitting in the middle and Wesley on the right. They're out looking for vampires to kill. Hopefully, Angelus's vampires. Gunn slams on the brakes and tires screech to a halt. In an alley to their right are eight vampires sharing two human corpses. The three of them load up and get out. The vampires notice they have company. They also notice they have numerical superiority, and expect to make quick work of the humans. They charge at them. Fred dusts one of them with her crossbow. Two vampires come at Wesley. He beheads the one to his left, keeps spinning around and hits the one to his right with a left roundhouse kick. A vampire grabs Wesley from behind. He hits the vampire twice in the ribs with the back end of his ax handle, then lands a right elbow to the vampire's face, breaking free. He spins around and beheads the vampire.
Fighting on Wesley's right, Gunn kicks one vampire to the ground with his left foot and knocks another one down with a swing of his baseball bat. He stakes that vamp with pointy end of the modified bat. The vampire he had knocked down stands up. Charles hits him in his left knee with the bat. He swings for the vampire's head, but it grabs the bat with its two hands. Holding onto the bat with his right hand, Gunn has a stake pop out of his left wrist and uses it to dust the vampire.
Fred drops the crossbow and wields her mace against an attacking vamp. She hits him twice in the head. He throws her to the ground. When he charges in carelessly, Fred sweeps out his legs. She stands up, hits the vampire twice with her mace to prevent him from getting to his feet, then stakes him in the back. Wesley and Gunn are now each fighting one vampire. Wes and his vampire trade right punches. Fred pulls out her flail and attacks the vampire on his left flank. Now outnumbered, the vampire turns and runs, but Fred tenderizes his back with her flail before he gets too far. Wes catches up to the vampire and kicks him in the face. When the vampire stands up, Wesley forces his back to the wall. With nowhere to run, Wesley beheads him. Fred now turns to assails the vampire Gunn is fighting from behind.
Gunn takes a right cross, then lands right and left jabs. He blocks the vampire's right kick and knocks him back with a right uppercut. The vampire turns and runs – right into Fred's flail. He yelps in pain and spins back around, holding the left side of his neck where the spikes dug into his flesh. Gunn kicks the vampire in the stomach with his right foot, lands a left cross to his nose, and stakes the vampire. They pick up their weapons and head back to the truck.
GUNN: Eight vamps. Not bad.
WES: But none of them were Angelus's.
FRED: Whoever they were, they won't be killing any more people. We're gettin' good at this.
When they reach the truck, they hear a thud. They look and see that a woman's corpse has fallen into the flatbed. Another one follows a few seconds later. They look up to see where the bodies are coming from. Angelus leaps down from the rooftop, landing on his feet in the middle of the street. Gunn, Wes and Fred are shocked to see him. They look around nervously, expecting his cohorts to be lying in wait.
ANGELUS: Don't worry. It's just me this time. Actually, that's why you should worry. [goes bumpy] Good work back there. Tough, resourceful, efficient, cohesive. Angel would be so proud. Me – I just wanna see how good you really are. I'll be very impressed if any of you are still standing 60 seconds from now. Any one care to call me overconfident?
Gunn stands in front of Angelus with his bat. Wes stands to Gunn's right, wielding the short spike on the back end of his ax blade. Fred stands to Gunn's left with her mace and flail. They are unnerved by the sight of a completely-healed, robustly arrogant Angelus. But they're confident one of them can land a good blow and hurt Angelus enough to buy time to for them to dash to the truck and make a clean getaway. Plus, their success two nights ago makes them less intimidated by Angelus than they had once been.
Wesley swings his ax spike for Angelus's left ribcage. At the same time, Gunn swings his bat for Angelus's face and Fred swings her flail for his right kneecap. Angelus reaches his left arm out to the side and snaps Wesley's ax handle in two. At the same time, he reaches his right arm out in front of him and grabs the barrel of Gunn's bat. He pushes Gunn backwards. When he reached his right arm out, he moved his right foot forward. Fred's flail missed its target and the chain wrapped around Angelus's right calf. He then pulls his right leg backwards. Fred continues holding onto the flail, so Angelus's action drags her to the ground. Angelus turns to his left to face Wes, who puts his hands up to protect his face and slowly and prudently retreats. Angelus carefully approaches Wesley. Gunn tries to ambush Angelus on his right flank. Without taking his eyes off Wesley, Angelus sticks his right fist out to the side and nails Gunn in the face with a right jab, knocking him to the ground. When Angelus throws the punch, Wes tries a right jab of his own. But Angelus is too fast for him. He pulls his right arm back and connects with a left uppercut before Wesley can land the punch. The uppercut sends Wesley backwards and airborne. He lands against the front left side of the truck. Angelus grabs the back of Wesley's neck and slams his head through the truck's front right headlight. Gunn tries another attack. Angelus reaches his right arm out, grabs the bat when it is two inches from his skull, then knocks Charles backwards with a left cross to the face. Fred swings the flail in her left hand. At the last instant, Angelus ducks and avoids a blow to his face. When he ducks, he steps forward so he will not be hit by the flail when it comes round again. Inside the weapon's range, he grabs its chain and yanks it out of her left hand. Fred now uses the mace in her right hand. Angelus kicks her in the chin with his left foot before she can land a blow.
Gunn swings his bat for Angelus's knees. He jumps in the air to avoid the blow. Gunn drops the bat and tries a left jab. Angelus gets his feet on the ground and grabs Gunn's left fist in his right hand. Charles tries a right cross, but Angelus grabs Gunn's right wrist with his left hand.
ANGELUS: You just don't give up.
He head-butts Gunn, knocking him to the ground.
ANGELUS: That'll cost you.
Wes has struggled to his feet. Angelus is moving towards Fred and away from Wesley. But he hears the Wes approaching from behind and reaches his left hand backwards, grabbing Wes by the throat. He continues to look at Fred.
ANGELUS: Pop quiz, baby. Which one of your men do you save?
She comes at him with her mace. He kicks her in the chest with his right foot while still gripping Wesley's neck.
ANGELUS: The answer, of course, is neither.
Wes tries to kick Angelus in the groin with his right foot. Angelus swivels his hips to the side and the kick sails by harmlessly. Wes does connect with a left punch to the right side of Angelus's face. Angelus squeezes Wesley's throat even tighter. He belts Wes twice in the stomach with his right fist, then lets go and lands a right roundhouse kick. Angelus finishes Wesley off with a mighty left uppercut. Wesley's body flies through the air, and his back slams onto the front hood of Gunn's truck. Charles attacks Angelus from his right and lands a left cross to Angelus's face. Angelus turns and hits Gunn in the face with the back of his right hand. He looks at Gunn and Fred, both of whom are standing, but barely.
ANGELUS: I wonder if you'd give your life to save her. No I don't. I know you would. But I'm not going to give you that chance. See Charles, it's no fun for me unless I get to see you mourn for her.
Fred comes at Angelus with her mace. He shields his face, and she hits him in the chest. He levels her with a right jab.
ANGELUS: I just love it when the girl puts up a fight. [looks at Gunn, smirks] Don't you?
Gunn throws a right kick for Angelus's chin. He leans back out of the way. Gunn tries a right cross, which Angelus blocks. He punches Angelus in the stomach with his left fist. Angelus punches Gunn in the stomach with his right fist. Charles is clearly worse off from the exchange of blows.
ANGELUS: Never give up. Never surrender. God that's lame.
He clobbers Gunn with left and right hooks to the face. Angelus grabs Charles and tosses him 15 feet in the air. Gunn crashes through the front windshield of his truck. The back of his head hits the steering wheel on the way down, and his feet end up just above the glove compartment. Angelus turns to his right and looks at Fred, who has gotten back to her feet. He walks towards her. She backs away. When he gets close, she swings her mace. Angelus rips it out of her right hand. He grabs both her wrists and shoves her to the ground. Angelus gets on top, holds her arms down and spreads her legs. Finally, she looks really scared. More like a victim than a fighter. Angelus was waiting for that moment. He savors it while he holds her down and looks into Fred's eyes.
ANGELUS: In my fantasy, they both watch. Pity that I had to knock them unconscious. Tonight's your lucky night, Freddy. Can't say the same for Faith. Sweet dreams, baby.
Angelus slams the back of Fred's skull into the pavement, knocking her out. He picks her up and throws her towards the truck. Fred's back crashes into the roof of the cab. She bounces off the roof and falls face-first into the female corpses Angelus tossed into the flatbed before the fight started. A perfect landing. Angelus puts back on his human face and walks away, whistling joyfully to himself. This is turning into a very good night for him.
NEXT: Lindsey takes the stage, making the women swoon and the men jealous. Faith and Gwen mix Slaying with partying, while Dru slaughters a biker gang before taking on Faith and Gwen. But now that Angelus has got his groove back, Dru shouldn't be the biggest of Faith's worries. Angelus is in the mood to kill himself a Slayer.