Chapter 5
Fade in Recovery chamber
Wesley takes his hand away from his eyes to see Lindsay laying amidst the broken glass coughing and in pain.
Angel: That was easy.
Wesley: Too easy perhaps.
Lindsey looks around struggling to get his bearings.
Angel: Lindsey?
Lindsey coughs up a little blood and looks at him.
Lindsey: Wh…What did you…?
Wesley: You're back at Wolfram and Hart Lindsey. Can you stand?
Lindsey starts to rise and Angel gives him a hand. He brushes it away.
Angel: Maybe you could show some appreciation?
Lindsey: (coughs one last time and stands) For what?
Angel: For getting you out? It didn't look like you were resting comfortably.
Lindsey: And how did you do it?
Wesley: You shouldn't have to ask.
Lindsey: Why? Why help me?
Angel: We have a problem. One that you might be able to help us with.
Lindsey: Where's Eve?
Wesley: Just outside.
Lindsey pushes past Angel and opens the door. He sees Spike leaning over Eve still lying unconscious. Spike stands when he hears him and Lindsey angrily tries to tackle him. Unfortunately, his strength is non existent and Spike merely swats him away. Lindsey falls next to Eve and strokes her hair.
Lindsey: What did you do?
Angel: What happened?
Spike: Your little tricks in there caused quite the stir.
Illyria: She's weak.
Lindsey: If she's…
Wesley: Let's not start with idle threats shall we?
Eve starts to stir and Lindsey cradles her head in his lap.
Angel: Listen, we can move her into my office. But we have work to do.
Lindsey: What do you want?
Angel: We need to know how you brought Spike back. Exactly how.
Lindsey: Why? Want to send him back?
Spike: I'd watch that tongue if I were you.
Angel: Some questions have come up. Questions only you have the answers to. Spike, help me with her. Wes, watch him.
Wesley: My pleasure.
The group moves from the vestibule.
Cut to Lobby
Harmony and Xander survey the damage.
Xander: This kind of thing happen a lot?
Harmony: Pretty much. Keeps things exciting I guess.
Gunn enters the room.
Gunn: You two okay?
Xander: Sure. What's a day without magical whammies?
Harmony: Where were you?
Gunn: We need to find Angel.
Xander: Pretty sure that was a given.
The elevator dings and they turn to see the others stepping off the elevator. Angel is carrying Eve.
Harmony: What happened to her?
Spike: Couldn't handle the show.
Xander: I know the feeling.
Gunn: Angel we need to talk.
Wesley: We have real problems here.
Gunn: Oh I think what I have to say might trump it.
They all follow Angel into his office as he lays Eve on the couch and Lindsey sits next to her.
Angel: Harmony, go get some cool towels and water.
Harmony leaves and Angel faces Gunn.
Angel: What is it?
Wesley: Angel, I think we should take one thing at a time.
Angel: And I think leaving anything to chance would be a mistake. Gunn?
Gunn: The senior partners cut us off.
Spike: What?
Gunn: When things started getting heated, I went to see the conduit.
Wesley: Without consulting anyone?
Gunn: I believe you were otherwise occupied.
Wesley: That's not the point…
Gunn: I guess I just couldn't have anything to offer now could I?
Wesley: And you're surprised?
Angel: Stop it! Wesley, we will all find a way to work together on this. Am I clear?
Wesley doesn't respond and Gunn just glares at him.
Angel: Wes, you and Gunn take the amulet to the lab. Pull all the records you can find from when Fred ran her tests on it.
Wesley: I can handle it.
Angel: Don't test me Wesley. Work it out and don't come back until you do.
Gunn: You might not see us for a while.
Angel: I expect you back here within the hour. Take her with you.
They leave in silence.
Spike: not sure that's the best plan.
Angel: Not really concerning myself with your opinion right now Spike.
Spike: Big bloody surprise.
Eve: Lindsey.
Lindsey: I'm here.
Eve smiles and reaches for him.
Xander: Isn't that sweet? Can we get back to why I came here please?
Angel: We're working on it.
Harmony comes back in the office.
Harmony: Here. I brought some for you to clean up with too.
She hands Lindsey the towels and water.
Angel: Have you seen Lorne?
Harmony: No, he hasn't checked in.
Angel: Go try and get him. Have security check the building for damage and report back to me.
Harm: Sure Boss.
Angel: Lindsey, we need you to focus. When you brought Spike back, I need to know how you did it.
Xander: And if you know where you pulled him from? And if you got a little help from Africa? And…?
Lindsey: Slow down! (To Eve) You okay?
Eve nods with a slight smile and Lindsey stands to look at the others while dabbing at his wounds.
Lindsey: Why is it suddenly so important?
Xander: Because last I checked we weren't allowed to bring people back from the dead. Believe me, I know the risks.
Spike: Let's not be so quick to point fingers. I'm not disliking what he did.
Xander: There's the selfish Spike we all know and…well, that's about it.
Angel: We know you were in Sunnydale last year. Who did you get the power from, or what?
Lindsey looks at Eve sharply.
Eve: I just wanted you back. I had to tell them.
Lindsey: I was doing research. If I was going to find a way to take revenge on you, I knew that was the one place that had the best leverage. I actually went to go after the girl, but when I got there, the First was already wreaking havoc. I decided to hide and watch. See what I could get from it.
Xander: And apparently you got a lot.
Lindsey: I got enough.
Angel: So it was you that pulled the amulet from the crater.
Lindsey: Man, was that a pain in the ass! You folks damn near buried it for good.
Xander: Not good enough.
Lindsey: I was watching her. Saw when you came. That night in the cemetery.
Angel: When I gave her the amulet.
Lindsey: Yes. By the way, what was up with the cookie thing?
Spike: Cookie what?
Angel: (Warning tone) Lindsey.
Lindsey: Ok, ok, I'll leave it. But wow.
Xander: Is cookie a code word?
Lindsey: (Ignoring him) So I heard about the big showdown and I skipped town. Wasn't gonna get myself caught up in the mess. But when it was over, when the dust had cleared, I went to what was left. Which wasn't much. Almost missed it altogether. But thanks to a lot of study and work, I had developed my sixth sense. I felt power left over. Something at the center that was pulling me in.
Angel: Can we hurry this up?
Lindsey: After a lot of work, I found it. Recognized it almost immediately. That's where my girl came in.
Spike: Your contact inside.
Lindsey: Called in a favor. Made sure the senior partners couldn't trace it. Once we hooked up, the sky was the limit.
Eve: I pulled the files on the amulet. Found out what it was, who it was supposed to be for. And when I found out Angel had made it back and told Lindsey he knew who had taken your place.
Lindsey: And the perfect plan of revenge fell right into my lap.
Angel: And that worked out really well for you didn't it?
Lindsey: If your girlfriend hadn't made a visit from beyond it would have.
Xander: Buffy was here? I thought you said you hadn't seen her!
Spike: Boy are you out of the loop.
Angel: Ok, so you had the amulet, wanted revenge and formed a plan. But how did you do it? What about his soul?
Lindsey: That was the weird thing.
Xander: Really? More weird? Imagine that.
Angel: Did you know he had a soul when he was killed?
Lindsey: Not until I started. Eve gave me the info I needed for the tattoos to keep myself hidden. Once I had them applied, I came back to work with her on the research for the resurrection.
Xander: The question is, did the soul go back to the power that gave it to him in the first place? Or was it released?
Lindsey: That was the funny part. It wasn't there.
Spike: What do you mean it wasn't there? It bloody well went somewhere!
Lindsey: The first time we tried, we had a visitor.
Angel: Who?
Lindsey: Your boy went to the enemy for his soul.
Xander: Tell me something I don't already know.
Lindsey: Itley. It came to us. Not a nice guy.
Spike: Tell me something I don't already know.
Lindsey: Apparently, giving your soul over to the cause, sacrifice doesn't sit well with him. Threw his balance all loopy. Luckily, we had a common goal.
Angel: You worked with him.
Lindsey: I'm good, but I'm not that good. Resurrection? Well, let's just say Darla was a piece of cake compared to this.
Eve: You swore never to say her name again!
Xander: (looks at the both of them) O-kaay. Don't think I want to know the reason for that reaction.
Lindsey: Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good.
Angel: Or bad in this case.
Xander: So Spike got his soul back.
Lindsey: Yes.
Angel: And is it his soul?
Lindsey: What do you mean? I'm not sure I follow.
A voice speaks up from the doorway.
Willow: I'd like to be more clear myself.
Angel: Willow.
Xander: Willow!
Willow enters the room surveying those around her finally stopping to rest on Xander.
Willow: We are not amused.
Cut to Lab
Illyria: You're wasting your time.
Gunn: Finally, something we can agree on.
Wesley: Pardon me if your opinions don't quite cause a stir. (holding book) Books of Legorah.
Gunn: What's that?
Wesley: A sect specializing in ancient amulets.
Wesley opens the book and stares for a moment before flipping the pages hurriedly.
Wesley: What the…? (closes book and repeats) Books of Legorah.
He looks again and then goes to Fred's computer. He types furiously for several minutes before staring blankly at the computer.
Illyria: What is it?
Gunn: Let me guess.
Wesley: (looks at Gunn) What do you know?
Gunn: You ready to listen now?
Wes: You knew I wouldn't be bale to get the information?
Gunn: The conduit. It told me. We've lost our backing.
Wes: What do you mean?
Gunn: I mean we're cut off. The senior partners have us on permanent punishment.
Wesley: You mean, we have no resources?
Gunn: Not from this place. Not anymore. Whatever Angel and you did to get Lindsey back, it was the last straw.
Wesley: Or maybe it was what you did.
Gunn: Listen, I went to get some answers and had my ass kicked! But not before being told that we've bruised some major egos. We were never supposed to last this long. Not without losing sight of the mission. We threw it back in their faces one too many times and now they're throwing it back in ours.
Wesley: Why didn't you tell us sooner?
Gunn: Were you in there before? You haven't been ready to hear a word I've said since…
He stops before the words come out and they stare at one another.
Illyira: Why are we here?
Wesley: What?
Illyria: If the Wolf, Ram and Heart have turned against us, why do they allow us to stay?
Wesley: That would appear to be the question of the hour.
Gunn: Maybe we could go and get some help on this one now.
Wesley: Very well. We obviously won't accomplish anything here.
They turn to exit the room when the door slams shut.
Gunn: That can't be good.
A sound gets their attention and they look up to see the room filling with some sort of gas.
Wesley: I would say this is very, very…not good.
Fade to Black