"Let me think," Angel said, a hand on his chin. "I think I'll go with...NO." His hand flew out from his chin and hit the Master in the face. Immediately, five poisoned arrows shot at him all at once. This had been what Angel had hoped for. He raised his hand and blocked all 5 arrows at once, careful not to let the tips penetrate his skin. The arrows clattered to the ground, and Angel quickly hammered the Master with a line of steady punches, then one final kick to knock him off balance. This time five more arrows joined the five that were already in the air, streamlining towards Angel. He jumped to the side and dodged most of them, he caught two of them neatly and threw them back. But the arrows failed to puncture the hard skin of the demons.

Kelly watched as Angel took on more and more of the demons, while the Master signaled his army of miniature Beasts. The ground seemed to shake as each one of them teleported to the room they were signaled to. They surrounded Angel, ready to fight. Arrows stopped shooting through the air, and all was silent. Everyone expected Angel to give in.

"What's wrong, you guys tired?" This comment from the vampire shocked nearly everyone.

"Please," the Master spoke up. "Don't be foolish. Give in, Angel. Open your eyes and see that you cannot win. The forces of Darkness call you back to our side. Remember what you are, Angel. Let us restore you to who you really are. This goody-goody shining knight in armor is just a mask. And you know that; we both do." Angel stepped closer to the Master. He peered into the demon's face.

"I think I'd like to keep this mask." Angel touched his cheek, then punched the Master with a right hook. "It beats having this ugly-looking thing." Angel let his fangs slide out and his eyes turn yellow.

In the next moment, Angel had the Master by the neck, determined to snap it, then decapitate it with the hidden blade under his wrist. It was a special blade, designed for decapitating demons. "Call off your slaves," Angel growled in the Master's ear. "I know they will not attack without a sign. Make that sign and there will be no one to lead them anymore, will there?"

Like playing chess, Kelly thought. Look for a trick and use it. Even if it's a risky one. With a strong mind, any move you make will become unbeatable. Angel took that risk and now he's winning.

"No, there won't," the Master agreed. "But you will be trapped in this dimension with an army of demons. Soon you'll find there isn't any human blood in this place, and the only human would be a little girl trapped in a cage, starving to death. Then you'll think, 'well, why not might as well put her out of her misery and have a nice meal?'

Have you really thought of all of the ways this can end? I've taken every possible way and made it so that the end results are always the same. I win. You lose. And that's how the game is going to go, Angel." A look of hatred came over Angel. Again, he'd been outsmarted. He let the Master go. Now the only hope is for the gang to find them in time.

Kelly gritted her teeth. Now the tables have turned. It is Angel who is losing. I cannot let that happen. I can't just stand here and let this unravel before me. Angel is sacrificing everything to save me. Now I must sacrifice what I can to save him. Time. The minutes that remain in my life. That is all I can give. I just hope that Angel knows how to receive.

"What is it with you babies? You can't win by yourself so you call in the big guy. The real deal. You won't win, you know. Angel will always be on top, no matter what. This is a game to you, isn't it? The Good Vs. The Bad. Except it's not a fair game; you've got the advantage. You've got this all planned out. For a long time. Kidnap one of the good guys, and the rest will fall. This is how it always goes. The evil guys get to make the first move. The good guys can only react in what little time they are allowed. You may think you are stronger than us, because you've got the advantage. But no, you're not. We both know it.

Take away the bow and arrow from the Indians and give them guns. After a few generations, you decide to change your mind and take back the guns. Without the advantage, the Indians will lose. We are stronger because we have no advantage. We have learned to outsmart you and beat your advantages. This is why you'll always lose. It doesn't matter whether or not you rule the world. In the end, you know you're weak. Too used to the advantages. Soon the tables will turn, and you will fall. Hard." The Master turned and chuckled at Kelly.

"You're bright," he commented. "Too bad you won't live long enough to make a mark in the world."

"And you," Kelly said angrily, pointing at him. "You snotty, ignorant dry piece of shit! You think you own everything? Think again, faggot. You'll never be anything more than a pile of shit. You won't succeed in whatever plans to take over or destroy the world. Because you'll slip up. One mistake can prove fatal. So, before you make a damned fool out of yourself, you'd best stop now."

Yes, that's it. Stall him. Keep him occupied, she thought.

"What is it thatyou are trying to prove? My plans have been carefully planned out for six months. Nothing will set it off track."

"That's what you think. Because you're such a fucking idiot, anything you try to do will be sabotaged."

"You should be the one to talk," the Master shot back, raising a hand to touch the metal bars of the cage. "If I am such a fool, please explain to me why you are the inside this cage, and I am the one outside of it, the one who has the key."

"You don't have the key," Kelly spit back, taking a blind stab.

The Beast's eyes narrowed. "You know this how?"

"Because anyone with half a brain knows this cage does not open with a key. You said yourself that you have been planning this for six months. What happens when you need to open this cage and there is no key to be found?" Now her mind was spinning. She had taken a huge risk by saying what she said. She hoped for the best.

Now it was clear that the Beast was angry, angry that a kid uncovered his secret.

"You don't know anything, do you?" The Beast laughed at her.

"Do I?" Kelly stared right back into the Beast's eyes, hoping to win this battle of wits.

Suddenly it came to Angel. I know, he thought. I know.