Chapter 1
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Angel and Spike woke up in a cage. It took them a moment to get their bearings.
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Spike: Last thing I remember, we were fighting those things from Hell, and I saw you turn to dust. It must have been right before I turned to dust.
Angel: No, I saw you turn to dust, probably a minute before I turned to dust.
Spike: There is no way you lasted longer than me.
Angel: I had just drank Hamilton's blood, so I would have lasted longer than you.
Spike: Even if that's true, you had performance enhancing blood. At the very least that's an asterisk next to your alleged accomplishment.
Angel: But you admit I lasted longer than you.
Spike: I don't admit that. I'm just saying that "If" you lasted longer...are we in Hell?
Angel: Well being stuck in a cage with you does seem like my personal Hell.
Spike: I'm serious. Chances are we were both killed by those things that Wolfram and Hart sent after us.
Angel: And being locked in cages, and considering all the bad things we did.
Spike: You escaped from Hell once, any thoughts?
Angel: I blocked out a lot of that, but this place seems kinda familiar.
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As Angel looked around he saw some of the people in the other cages. Most were demons, including some other vampires. But there were two familiar faces. Doyle, and Oz.
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Angel: Doyle, I'm sorry you wound up here.
Doyle: So am I.
Spike: And Oz, last I saw you was when I helped rescue you from Adam.
Oz: Thanks for that, I guess.
Angel: When did you die?
Oz: I did what now?
Angel: Do you remember what happened?
Oz: I'm kinda sure I would remember dying.
Angel: Do you remember dying Doyle?
Doyle: I'm not really sure what you're talking about man. We're not dead, at least not yet. But the man upstairs, he wants to see you dead, and soon.
Angel: The man upstairs? You talking about God, or the devil?
Doyle: No, this is more like the guy who runs into 7/11 to get Satan a slurpee.
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As they spoke the boss came down. Angel recognized him, it was Jack McNamara. Four years ago Jack and his brother Darin had enslaved Angel, along with other demons, and forced them to kill each other in a gladiator combat. Supposedly the prisoners would be released if they won 21 fights, Angel was always skeptical of that. Angel freed those demons and the McNamara brothers were both killed. No surprise that Jack was in Hell, and he seemed to have a new scar on his neck. He seemed very pleased as he walked to the cage holding Angel and Spike.
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Jack: I've been waiting a long time for payback vampire. I look forward to seeing you suffer.
Angel: You enslaved me, I got you killed, we both wound up in Hell. I don't suppose you're willing to let bygones be bygones.
Jack: What the hell are you talking about. I was talking to your friend.
Spike: Me? What did I do to you?
Jack: You led your little rebellion, your girlfriend gave me this scar.
Spike: Dru, bit you, good for her.
Jack: I believe her name started with a B.
Spike: Buffy?
Jack: Yeah that's it.
Angel: What's he talking about Spike?
Spike: Hell if I know. I think I'd remember being here with Buffy. When was this?
Jack: Six years ago.
Spike: Buffy and I were still enemies six years ago.
Jack: Charles! Could you come down here for a second?
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Charles Gunn, a former friend of Angel and Spike, came down. He was clearly on Jack's side at the moment, he seemed to recognize Angel, but was not happy to see him. Angel and Spike both remembered seeing Gunn die in the final battle.
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Angel: So you made it down here too Gunn. Sorry to see that.
Jack: Charles, you know Angel.
Gunn: I did, a little. We worked together a few times.
Jack: Spike here claims not to remember what he did, how his girlfriend gave me this hickey, and how he got my brother killed.
Angel: Actually your brother killed you, I'll take credit for an assist on that, and for killing your brother.
Gunn: Maybe he's afraid of what you'll do to him.
Jack: And Angel here seems to think that he's the one who messed with my family. Why is that?
Gunn: Maybe he's gone crazy.
Jack: We just got him yesterday, it usually takes longer for them to lose it, if they survive.
Angel: Let me remind you all of something, we're in Hell. We all died, and got sent here. You Gunn, you died about four minutes before I did.
Spike: He died at least five minutes before I did.
Gunn: So how come only you know this fact?
Angel: Good question.
Jack: So if this is Hell, let me explain the rules.
Spike: Let me guess, we all have to fight each other to the death for the amusement of others who probably belong in Hell.
Angel: Last time he said that anyone who wins 21 fights earns their freedom.
Jack: That's it exactly. Oh, and any attractive female demons might be able to earn their freedom earlier as my personal, employee. And anyone can earn extra points by doing certain favors for our guests. There are cameras everywhere, they can rent you for a price.
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Jack left. Before Gunn left he spoke to Angel. He did seem to have some guilt over this situation.
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Gunn: Nothing personal Angel.
Angel: You used to have integrity, now you work for scum like him. What happened?
Gunn: You know what happened.
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Angel wasn't exactly sure what Gunn meant, but Gunn left before he could answer this. Angel and Spike discussed this situation.
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Angel: It makes sense that someone like Jack would be doing this in Hell, torturing others, getting power for himself. But why are we the only ones who seem to realize that we're in Hell.
Spike: Maybe the longer we're here the more our memories change. But Gunn only died four or five minutes before we died.
Angel: Time moves differently in some Hell dimensions, Gunn could have been here 100 years before we joined him.
Spike: Makes sense. What exactly happens if we die here?
Angel: We're already in Hell, how much worse could it get?
Spike: Fair point, and I say we refuse to fight each other.
Angel: Yeah, we are not going to give these sickos what they want.
Spike: We kill each other, we do it on our terms, not theirs.
Angel: Damn right.
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Later Gunn saw his boss, Jack macNamara, speaking with a demon named Trask. He was giving Trask money for the latest demons he brought in for the gladiator fights. Gunn recognized Trask's uniform, it was of the Scourge. The Scourge were a group of pure blood demons, intent on eradicating all those of mixed heritage. Gunn spoke with Jack about this in private.
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Gunn: You working with the Scourge now?
Jack: Charles, you're my best employee, I appreciate all of the vampires and demons you brought to the ring. But did you think you were the only one we hired for this?
Gunn: You do know they want to wipe out all humans right?
Jack: Trask says his faction is more separatist than supremacist. In any event, you and I will have been dead for 100 years before they come close to it. In the meantime we can work together. You have your reason for working for me, they have theirs.
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Doyle and Oz compared stories with Spike and Angel. They all remembered each other, but each remembered events differently. If Hell altered people's memories, noone could be certain that their version of events was the real version. Angel and Spike could understand why they were sent to Hell, each had murdered many people for over 100 years. But Doyle, he had been much more of a venial sinner, a drunk and a gambler. The worst thing he did was turn away that distant cousin, who ended up being slaughtered by the Scourge. Angel always thought that when Doyle sacrificed his life to save the Lister clan that he would have atoned for his past. And Oz, he didn't do much evil, except lose his temper when he realized that his ex-girlfriend Willow was dating another woman. Was that enough to earn him a spot in Hell, or had he done some bad things in the four years since that day? Eventually, Jack brought two more people down here, both people that Angel and Spike knew. One was their mutual frenemy Lindsay McDonald. If Lorne followed through, than Lindsay would have died shortly before Angel and Spike. The other person was Jenny Calendar, a former member of Buffy's team whom Angel had murdered after briefly losing his soul. Lindsay probably belonged in Hell, but why Jenny? Another good question was why Jenny and Lindsay seemed to be a couple.
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Angel: Jenny, I'm very sorry for what I did to you.
Jenny: What's he talking about Jack?
Jack: I should warn you, he and his blond friend are a little crazy.
Jenny: Still, he is attractive.
Lindsay: Can we have a few minutes to look over the merchandise.
Jack: Yeah, I can give you a few minutes. Just be careful, we don't have liability insurance.
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When Jack left Lindsay and Jenny dropped the pretense of being a couple.
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Spike: Do you two know where we are?
Jenny: Los Angelas.
Angel: Lindsay, think back to how we met.
Lindsay: I was representing the vampire Russell Winters. He had just tried to murder a friend of yours. So you came into his office, and threw him out a window into direct sunlight. He was dust before his chair hit the ground.
Angel: Exactly, I killed him because he tried to kill Cordelia.
Lindsay: Who's Cordelia? Russell Winters had just tried to kill a waitress named Tina.
Angel: What do you mean he tried to kill Tina?
Jenny: Look we don't have time for this. I promise that we will explain later but right now I just need you two to be ready.
Spike: Ready for what?
Jenny: Escape. Buffy is getting ready but you two need to be ready to move when the time comes.
Angel: You're saying, we not dead and this is not Hell?
Jenny: You're not dead yet. But if you're not ready when the time comes you will be.
Spike: Then what do you need us to do?
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Angel and Spike were scheduled to fight each other to the death. Jack McNamara was distracted, he wanted to see Spike die. Jack barely noticed when Trask brought more half-breed demons for the ring. Lindsay, Jenny, and Buffy were able to covertly deactivate the collars, with help from Willow's computer program. The guards had largely relied on the collars to keep the demons at bay, now they were useless. The demons rebelled. Gunn joined in the fight, specifically he helped defeat Trask and the other members of the Scourge. He had done some things he wasn't proud of, but he wasn't about to help a group that wanted to one day wipe out all of humanity. It was however Doyle who ended up killing Trask, and had no idea why that was ironic. Jack MacNamara was once again killed, as were some of the spectators who had cheered on as oppressed demons had been forced to murder each other. Angel, Spike, Oz, and Doyle hooked up with Jenny and Lindsay. Gunn had left after the battle, whatever his path was he had to figure it out on his own. Lindsay and Jenny brought their group to a safe house, where they would get more of an explanation. During the drive Angel spoke more with Jenny and Lindsay.
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Angel: Jenny, do you remember what I did to you?
Jenny: No, but from what I heard you murdered me.
Angel: I am sorry.
Jenny: Apology accepted.
Angel: And Lindsay, you said that Russell Winters tried to murder Tina?
Lindsay: Yeah, you saved her at the last minute.
Angel: And Cordelia?
Lindsay: I'm sorry, I don't know who that is. In any event, not a good start to our relationship. Several months later, I came to you for help, asking you to help save some children from being murdered.
Angel: And we did. You did help save them.
Lindsay: And Holland still offered me a promotion. He offered me the world, in exchange for my soul. It took all of my strength to walk away from that office, and back to you.
Angel: You're saying you walked away from Wolfram and Hart, for good.
Lindsay: No, I returned when you did.
Angel: Doyle, were we still the good guys?
Doyle: We were, once. But after you took Lilah up on her offer to run Wolfram and Hart, I walked away, so did Wesley.
Angel: He did?
Doyle: Yeah, so did Fred. Well actually she stayed and tried to help Wesley take you down covertly.
Spike: Am I very stoned, or is everyone else.
Jenny: We're almost here. She can explain it.
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They all soon arrived at the safehouse. They all met a familiar face, Buffy Summers. The slayer who two vampires had fallen in love with.
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Angel: Buffy, can you please explain what exactly is going on here?
Buffy: D'Hoffryn.
Angel: King of all vengeance demons.
Buffy: Yes. A wish was made, much of the world changed because of it. You two are a number of very select people who remember things as they were. But it's not exactly how events transpired in this new world.
Spike: You remember how events happened in, the other world.
Buffy: Yes, I know that you both died on May 19th 2004, after Wolfram and Hart unleashed their full fury on you.
Spike: Do you know which of us died first?
Buffy: No.
Angel: It was obviously me because I had Hamilton's blood in me.
Spike: Taking performance enhancing blood is not something to brag about.
Angel: In any event, Buffy do you know who made the wish that somehow changed the world?
Buffy: Unfortunately yes. I did it, I made the wish.