ATS
4.03
The house always wins
Wesley: "Previously on Angel"
Lorne: "I thought I'd stop by and say arrivederci, Angel hair. I'm leaving for Vegas tomorrow night."
Angel: "You're really going?"
Lorne: "I'm really going."
Cordy on phone: "I sort of need to talk to you - in person."
Cordy in car: "I'm late. I'm late."
Skip: "What you're being called to do transcends love. You've become a higher being."
Cordy: "Me?"
Cordy, ascending: "I know somehow it's all going to be all right."
Angel: "I need Cordy. Now."
Lorne: "If I miracle ear anything, I'll send up a smoke signal. Take care of yourself and, ah, and make sure fluffy is getting enough love."
Wesley: "There is someone who may know where Cordy is."
Dinza: "She is far from you, champion, and needs you no longer."
Angel: "I need her."
Dinza: "What you seek can only be found inside the axis of Pythia."
Fred: "It's an ancient relic said to be able to find souls or entities across dimensions."
Angel: "Entities like..."
Gunn: "Cordelia."
Fred: "Do you think he found her?"
Angel: "There was all this light around her, and the light seemed to be made up of pure joy. Finally I find her, and I realize she already is home."
Cordy: "What are you? Deficient? Get me out of here!"
A man runs out of the back door of a club into a dark alley. He is breathing hard and holding his left upper arm. He pulls up short as Connor suddenly steps out from behind a parked car.
Man: "Nothing human can move that fast. What are you?"
Connor hits the man with a hard right.
Connor: "Don't know yet. But I know what you are..."
The man spins back to face him, now wearing his vamp face.
Connor: "...and what to do with you. That'll do for now."
The camera pulls back to show Angel leaning on the edge of the roof of a nearby building, watching.
Angel: "You're talking too much. Gives him time to... Watch it! Don't let him box you in. That's it Connor. No, don't go toe to toe. He's too big. Faster than he looks. Wait for an opening. Stay sharp. You can do it. - That's it."
Cordy: "Of course he can do it. He's his father's son. Same dark good looks, same lost boy sweetness, and the broodyness, boy, he got that down stone cold."
Camera pulls back again into the white light and clouds from where Cordy is watching them both.
Cordy: "You really don't have to worry about him, Angel. But maybe there is something you could be worrying a little more about, like, for instance, *me!* Remember me? The one stuck in misty magicland for like, eternity? You've got to get me out of here, Angel. Please! Help me!"
Angel raises his head from watching Connor as if listening to something. We hear sirens. Connor does a back flip and kicks the vamp in the chest. The vamp comes back up and smashes Connor against a trash container, knocking the stake out of his grip, and hits him with a hard cross.
Connor shakes off the hit, picks up his stake and stumbles after the fleeing vamp.
The vampire pulls up short as some masonry crashes to the ground in front of his feet. Looking up he sees Angel watching him from the rooftop above. Hearing something the vampire turns around - and Connor slams the stake home. As the vampire disintegrates Connor looks up, but there is no sign of Angel now. After another quick look around, Connor runs off.
Angel, once again leaning on the edge of the roof, watches him.
Angel: "I know you're there - watching me."
Cordy: "Oh my god! Angel, you can hear me? I so love you! You don't know what it's been like!"
Fred: "We weren't spying."
Cordy: "Ah, for crap's sake."
Fred and Gunn walk up to Angel.
Gunn: "Well, actually, we were."
Fred: "Okay. We were. It's just we've been a little concerned about you. Wondering where you've been skulking off to these past few nights."
Angel: "I'm not skulking."
Gunn: "You should go after him. Talk to him if that's what you want."
Angel doesn't answer.
Fred: "What exactly do you want, Angel? I'm only asking because, well - you've been seeming kind of distracted. Like, maybe you're not as ready as you think to move on without Connor - and Cordy?"
Gunn: "And frankly, man, when your head's some place else? We are into some serious floundering. I mean, you act like a guy with a clear agenda, always on the move, but - we don't know where we're going."
Angel straightens up, the trace of a smile on his face and walks past them.
Angel: "Come on."
Gunn: "For instance."
They hurry to catch up with Angel.
Fred: "Uhm, Angel, where *are* we going?"
Angel: "On a little retreat, the three of us."
Fred: "Oh, like a spiritual journey?"
Gunn: "Whoa, you mean like that monastery you went to in Tibet?"
Angel: "Exactly."
Angel's car drives down the highway towards the brightly lit "Welcome to Las Vegas, Nevada" sign, as we hear Lorne sing "Viva Las Vegas."
Intro
Angel's convertible drives past the brightly-lit front of the Mirage. Drives past the Riviera. Drives past the Stardust.
Gunn: "Now this is my kind of spiritual retreat."
Angel: "I just thought we could all use a little getaway to decompress. I know I haven't had a vacation in a while - not counting my recent ocean cruise."
Fred: "Yeah, but the reason we're here is to see Lorne, right?"
Angel: "Absolutely. And maybe afterwards we can check out that Danny Gans guy I keep seeing billboards for."
Fred: "You mean after Lorne reads you? To help you get back on your path?"
Angel, fingering the steering wheel: "Yeah, whatever. Wow. This place sure has changed."
Gunn: "Get out. You never told me you've been to Vegas before."
Angel: "Yeah, a few times. Been a while though. Used to be dunes over there."
Gunn: "Oh, man, it has been a while. They tore down the Dunes ten years ago."
Angel, with a slight laugh: "Not the casino. I mean actual dunes. Bugsy used to call them dung piles."
Gunn: "Bugsy? Bugsy Siegel? "
Angel: "Yeah. Not one with words, I know, but the man, he had a mean backhand on the tennis court. So, what do you guys wanna do first?"
Fred: "Ah, well, the place Lorne is singing at is called the Tropicana."
Gunn: "The Tropicana? *The* Tropicana? That can't be right."
Fred: "Why not?"
Angel: "Ah, the Tropicana is a pretty high profile casino, not some low-key, out-of-the-way dive. Looking the way Lorne does, you have to go some place a little more, you know, discreet."
Fred focuses on something up the road: "Uhm, how discreet, exactly."
Angel stops beside a huge billboard advertising Lorne, the green, velvet fog and his exclusive engagement at the Tropicana.
We hear applause as scantily clad girls in green makeup and red horns prance across the stage fluttering huge fans made out of fluffy white feathers. They put the fans together and Lorne slowly rises up out of the middle of them.
Gunn, Fred and Angel sitting at one of the tables just off the stage stare as Lorne begins to croon.
Lorne: "It's not that easy being green. Having to spend each day the color of the leaves. When I think it could be nicer being red or yellow or..."
Gunn: "No one seems to be bothered by the fact that he's a demon."
Fred, grinning: "They must think it's all makeup - like the blue man group. (To Angel) You don't think the blue man group..."
Angel: "Only two of them."
Lorne: "Oh, but green's the color of spring, and green can be cool and friendly like. Oh, and green can be big like an ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree. Oh, when green is all there is to green it could make you wonder why, but why wonder why wonder. I am green and it'll do fine. It's beautiful and I think it's what I want to be."
The crowd applauds. Angel joins in somewhat hesitantly.
Lorne: "Thank you! Thank you so much! You know, I got to tell you folks, I got to tell you, you are by far the kickingest crowd that I had the privilege of performing to here at the Tropicana. (More applause) Yes! Yes, that's right. Give it up for your sweet selves. Alright! (Loosens his tie) Now, you know what? Just for you guys, I think it's time we cranked things up a notch. What do you say? (Cheering) Here, you go, honey. (Lorne drops his tie down into the crowd). Yeah. Maestro, give me some drums, si'l vous plait. (Drums play) Ah, that's it! That's it! Paco, give me a little bass! Ah, merci, merci! Now all I need is a little help from my Lornettes!"
The stage curtain opens to reveal the dancing girls from earlier, and the crowd cheers.
Lorne: "Yeah! Strut it, girls! Yeah. Come on girls!"
Lorne jumps off the stage launching into "Lady Marmalade." Fred lets out a scream and claps wildly. Gunn and Angel turn to stare at her.
Fred, brushes her hair back behind her ear: "He's very good."
They all turn back to watch Lorne perform. At one point he holds the mike in front of a guy wearing a suit, who complies by singing the next line. The crowd cheers. A little while later he offers the mike to a middle-aged lady to sing another line as he works his way through the crowd.
Fred: "Oh, here he comes! He's gonna plotz when he sees us."
Gunn: "Huh-uh. He better not stick that damn mike in my face."
Fred: "Oh, come on, Charles. It's all in fun. Besides, you have a nice voice."
Gunn: "Yeah, you do it if you want, but I'm not in the mood to..."
Angel: "He's gone."
Lorne walks right past them, never even so much as glancing in their direction.
Fred: "He just went right by."
Gunn: "Oh. Well - good."
Lorne offers the mike to a cute young lady in a light blue dress and she sings the next few lines.
Lorne, laughing: "All right! Well, you're just a tickle-me cutie! What's your name, peach pie?"
Girl: "Vivian."
Lorne: "Oh, Viv, looks like you got a little celebration going on here."
Vivian: "Ah, well, a going away party actually."
Lorne: "Going away? Honey, we just met! Where are you going?"
Vivian: "Paris. I was just accepted to a culinary school there."
Lorne: "Oh, well, isn't that great? How about sending a little goodwill to our chef of the future?"
The crowd cheers.
Lorne: "Ah, yes, marvelous. Thank you honey. (Fake kisses Vivian) And Vivian, I only have one thing to say to you..."
With that Lorne launches into the rest of the song, walking back up onto the stage. Gunn and Fred are watching and smiling, but Angel looks less enthusiastic.
Angel, Fred and Gunn are waiting among a group of other fans at the backstage entrance.
Fred: "This was just - wow! Wasn't it? I-I mean the laser lights, the Lornette girls, and hello! Thirty piece orchestra?"
Gunn: "Yeah, but I still don't know why he dissed us during the sing-a-long. (Fred gives him a look) It's just nice to be asked, is all."
Angel: "Ah, I don't know. I thought it was a little over produced for my tastes. It's like I told Sammy Davis at the Sands: 'when you, Frank and Dean are the meal, you don't need the trimmings.'"
Gunn: "Hold on. You knew the rat-pack?"
Angel: "Know them? No. I met them - once. Twice. For drinks. Maybe it was three times. I did have a life before you guys came along."
Fred: "So, do you know what you're gonna sing?"
Angel: "Sing?"
Fred: "For Lorne - so he can read you."
Angel: "Hey, you know, we-we don't have to do that right away. We just got here. Hey, who's up for some blackjack?"
Lorne steps out of the stage door and the crowd in the hallway begins to cheer and shout.
Lorne: "Hi! How are you?"
Fred: "Lorne! Lorne, it's us!"
Lorne signs some autographs for people in the font, but never really looks at any of the gang.
Lorne: "Hey! Love ya."
Fred: "We love you t... Wait. (Turns to Gunn) That was him being superficial, wasn't it?"
Lorne turns away towards his dressing room, flanked by two security guards. Angel tries to follow.
Angel: "Hey, Lorne, wait."
Two more security guards stop Angel.
Angel: "Whoa. Easy, okay? I know him. I just wanna say hello."
Guard: "You and everybody else, pal."
One of Lorne's bodyguards stops as they turn a corner. Spencer continues on with Lorne.
Guard: "Who are your friends?"
Lorne: "What friends? Oh, they're just some old fans of mine."
Lorne and his guard pass through the doors to Lorne's dressing room, which are guarded by two more black jacket men with ear-plug radios.
Lorne sits down in front of his dressing table. One of the Lornettes sets a drink down beside him.
Lorne: "Oh, thanks. Thanks, kitten."
The girl leaves. Lorne knock the drink back in one swallow, then goes to take off his jacket.
There is a knock on the door. Spencer goes to answer it and lets in a short guy in a light suit.
Lee: "Excuse me, Lorne, I don't wanna disturb you, but I have to tell you that that was (Makes to kiss his fingers) mwa! Brilliant! You are... Well, there just aren't words to... Yes! Genius. "
Unmoved, Lorne pours himself another drink.
Lee: "That's what you are. A consummate..."
Lorne: "I'm kind of tired right now, Lee."
Lee: "Ah, right. Oh course. Who wouldn't be? The show you put on? You're out there giving 100, 150%. Like 200 easy! And that is why you are the king, baby. I'm just so lucky to have a talent like yours headlining my casino!"
The guard pulls out a seating chart.
Lee indicating the chart: "Look, I don't wanna take up any more of your valuable time."
Lorne: "Can't we just do this later?"
Lee: "Ah, gee, I'd love to, Lorne. But you've got another show to prepare for, and I've got things to do."
Lorne: "Yeah, but later would just be so much better."
Spencer hauls back and sucker-punches Lorne full force in the stomach. The glass shatters on the floor as Lorne folds down onto the seat behind him, gasping. Spencer straightens his tie and Lee gets in Lorne's face.
Lee: "I think now is a good time. Or should we pink slip another girl from your act?"
With a sigh Lorne points at the chart.
Lorne: "The guy in the striped tie down front on the end - two-term Nevada senator-ship in twelve years. Ah, green sweater boy, table twelve, is going to write himself into a Pulitzer. Ah, the girl over here in the blue? Vivian, chef of the future, is gonna have three five-star restaurants in the next decade."
Lee: "What else?"
Lorne: "Uhm, that-that's it. That's it. That's all."
After a look at Lee the guard takes the chart away and Lee pats Lorne on the knee.
Lee: "Okay. Well, that's terrific. You're a prince. (Gets up as the guard opens the door) Now, if there is anything else that my staff can provide for your comfort, just say the word. Have a terrific second show."
Lee pushes a button on a little remote switch and a set of iron bars slides across the opening of Lorne's dressing room.
Break
A man (Hawkins?) is sitting on the sofa in Wes' apartment looking over some papers on the table in front of him. Wes is passing behind him, talking his cordless phone.
Wes: "No, I'm working late as well. It's fine. Sorry to disappoint, Lilah, but I'm not waiting at the door with a scowl and burnt pot roast. (Hands Hawkins another page) Well, if your lot can have the world destroyed by midnight we could still... (His phone beeps) Damn it. Hold on. (Wes pushes a button on his phone) Pryce here. One minute. (To Hawkins) Can Emil put all that together for me?"
Hawkins: "Pretty funky package. Wouldn't be cheap."
Wes: "I don't need it to be cheap. I need it to work."
Hawkins: "I suppose. Yeah."
Wes: "Go. (To phone) Yes, we'll bloody well take Angel's clients if he's out of town. Call me back with the details in twenty minutes. (Pushes button on phone) Sorry, Lilah, midnight might not be... Uh-huh. Oh, you did? - That is my favorite pair. Are you sitting at your desk? - Take them off. (To Hawkins) Why're you still here? (To phone as Hawkins leaves) No, not after your meeting. Now. - Pretend you've dropped your pencil. (Drops down on the sofa) Very good. Now..."
Back in Vegas Gunn and Fred are sitting at a blackjack table in the Tropicana. Angel is standing behind them.
Gunn: "Angel, come on. Sit down. Relax. Play a few hands."
Angel: "I don't get it. Lorne knows we're here. Why hasn't he contacted us by now?"
Fred: "Maybe he was just tired after his performance."
Gunn: "Yeah. Or maybe it's hard to see us common folks from way up on high."
Fred: "Huh?"
Gunn: "Success. Makes you forget the little people."
Fred: "I don't believe that. Not Lorne."
Angel spots one of the Lornettes walking by holding a tray.
Gunn: "What? You saw the way my man dissed us. It happens. (To dealer) Hit me."
Angel picks up a napkin from the table and pulls out a pen.
The Lornette walks up to Vivian, sitting at one of the tables and hands her a green chip with 'Play to win' written on it.
Vivian: "I don't understand. I won something?"
Lornette: "The chance to play our million dollar spin-to-win. It's an exclusive game we have here at the casino as a promotion."
Vivian: "Wow! So I could win a million dollars."
Lornette: "Change your life. (Points to a security guard) Just show the man over there your chip, and he'll admit you to the game room."
Vivian looks over and sees a cut out of Lorne saying 'got to play to win, pussycats' in front of a curtain.
Vivian: "Thank you!"
The Lornette turns away and Angel steps into her path.
Angel: "Excuse me."
Lornette: "I'm not a waitress, sir."
Angel: "I know. You're in the show with Lorne."
Behind them, Vivian shows the chip to the security guard and is admitted through the curtain.
Angel: "I was just wondering if you could get this note to him for me."
Lornette: "I'm sorry. I can't do that."
Angel: "It's okay. See, I'm an old friend of his and he'd want to know that I was here. If you could just get that note to him for me, I'm sure he'd appreciate it. (Gives her a smile) I know I would."
Lornette: "I'll see what I can do."
She walks away and Angel throws one last look at Lorne's cut-out before turning away. He looks along the rows of slot machines, where people sit, feeding quarters into the machines, their eyes straight ahead, their expression never changing.
The camera pulls up to show us the game room and Angel from above.
Cordy: "You're picking up on it, too, aren't you Angel? Something is wrong with those people. They could probably use your help."
The camera pulls back into the white glowing clouds where Cordy floats.
Cordy: "So that's got me wondering: where is that keen sense of perception as far as I'm concerned, huh? What, am I out of the range of your super vampire senses? Angel!"
The sound of his name echoes as the camera focuses back on Angel, standing between the slot machines. Angel looks up and scans the room.
Fred and Gunn are sitting at the black jack table. Fred has a pile of chips stacked in front of her. Gun has a half empty drink.
Fred: "I'm feeling really bad about this."
Gunn: "Oh, don't feel bad, babe. If I had your head for numbers, I'd be counting cards, too."
Fred: "No! I mean about Lorne acting weird with us."
Gunn: "The guy's on some old 'star trek.' Man. Who needs him?"
Fred: "Angel does. I'm really worried about him, Charles. (Fred glances behind her at Angel) Okay. I know he was right to send Connor away, but with Cordelia gone, the loneliness must be unbearable for him."
Gunn: "The man has had to bear a whole lot more over the years. So, Lorne or no Lorne, I think this trip idea is going to do Angel a world of good."
Fred: "I hope so."
Behind them, two security guards grab a hold of Angel and drag him away.
Gunn: "It's gonna be fine."
Fred: "Maybe you're right. I just wish we knew what was going on with Lorne."
Gunn: "Well, let's find out."
Fred: "What - now?"
Gunn: "Hey, if it'll make my honey feel better, put her mind at ease, my fun can wait."
Fred: "It's because you're out of chips isn't it?"
Gunn gets up: "Yeah."
Fred: "Where did Angel go? He
was standing right there a second ago."
Gunn: "Well, wherever he is, I'm betting he's having a whole lot better luck
than me."
The two security guards have taken Angel out the back of the casino and are beating up on him with fists, feet and a baton.
Guard: "Hey, you just don't give up do you? We don't cotton to stalkers around here, freak. Don't even think about coming back to this casino. Because we're going to remember your..."
Angel comes from the last series of hits, wearing his vamp face.
Guard: "...face."
Angel: "Let me give you a few more things to remember me by."
Angel, back in human face, takes both guards out with a couple of quick hits.
Angel: "This place was so much friendlier when the mob ran it."
Angel walks around the corner of the casino and bumps into Vivian.
Angel: "Sorry."
Vivian shows no reaction, just keeps right on walking - out in front of a taxi driving past. Angel grabs a hold of her and swings her out of the car's path.
Driver: "Idiot!"
Angel: "You alright?"
Vivian: "Fine."
Angel: "Where were you trying to go?"
Vivian holds up a big plastic cup: "I've ran out of quarters. I need more quarters. Have to play to win."
Fred and Gunn glance around the corner of the hallway at the guards in front of Lorne's dressing room.
Gunn: "Man. Heads of state don't get this much security. Something's starting to feel a lot 'not right' about his."
Fred: "That's what I've been saying - only with better grammar. Should we find Angel?"
Gunn: "Well, we're never gonna get past bruisers one and two over there without a fight."
One of the Lornettes comes out of a door in the adjacent hallway and walks past, not seeing them. Fred and Gunn exchange a look.
The door to the Lornettes dressing room opens, and a Lornette walks out carrying a martini on a little tray. She walks up to the guards at Lorne's door.
Bruiser: "What's this? He already got his drink."
The Lornette looks up. It's Fred wearing the green makeup, red horns and scanty outfit of a Lornette.
Fred: "Ah. Yeah. He-he did. Right. I know. They-they told me... - I mean, they sent me to..."
Bruiser: "Oh, I get it. It's a little pre-show diddle for the green guy, huh?"
Fred: "What? (Laughs a little) Diddle? I'm what?"
Bruiser: "Oh, don't be nervous. The demon, he doesn't bite - not with his mouth anyway."
The guards look at each other and laugh.
Fred tries to walk through between them but the bigger guard stops her.
Guard: "Wait a minute."
Fred stops, turning to glance back to where Gunn is peeking around the corner of the hallway.
Guard: "You missed a couple of spots on your neck and behind your ear. You might want to fix that before you go out on stage."
Fred: "Oh, right. 'cause that would have been really embarrassing."
Fred minces through the door into Lorne's dressing room - to drop the tray as Lorne barely stops the swing with the whiskey bottle towards her head as soon as the door closes.
Lorne: "Oh! I'm sorry peach pie. I thought that you just might have been..."
Fred: "Your diddle buddy?"
Lorne: "My whatle what? (Gets a good look at her) Oh, F-Fred? Winifred? (Lets out a laugh and hugs her) Oh, hey, hallelujah! Oh, sweet cheeks! You don't know the hell I've been through!"
Fred looks around: "Uh-huh. It looks like real torture."
Lorne: "Yeah, well, it took you heroes long enough to rescue me!"
Fred: "Frankly, Lorne, we weren't aware you needed rescuing."
Lorne: "Weren't aware? I told you!"
Fred: "When?"
Lorne: "Why, every time you called, I kept asking about Fluffy!"
Fred: "Oh. I just thought you were using some show business catch phrase I wasn't hip enough to get. Who's Fluffy?"
Lorne: "Fluffy! Fluffy, the dog? The dog you don't have? The universally recognized code for 'I'm being held prisoner. Send help.'"
Fred: "Oh. Okay. I'm hip now. Who's holding you prisoner?"
Lorne: "Oh, the creep who owns this place, Lee DeMarco. He used to be some second rate lounge magician until he got his hands on something legitimately mystical. Now he's a first rate psychopath and he's using me to destroy people's lives."
Fred: "Using you how?"
Lorne: "There is this game."
Angel enters the "Million Dollar Spin to Win" game room. Four people are sitting around a table with a spinning roulette wheel.
Croupier: "I told you sir, you can't come in here. This is a private game. By invitation only."
A security guard reaches for Angel. Angel takes hold of the guard's arm and breaks it without ever taking his eyes off the croupier.
Croupier: "Sir, there is a game in progress. You will have to leave."
Lee comes through a curtain: "No. It's alright."
Croupier: "But Mr. DeMarco, the wheel is already spinning."
Lee: "I know. Let him play."
Lee tosses Angel a chip. Angel catches it, and tosses it onto the table. It lands beside the wheel.
Angel: "I'm not here to play games. I wanna know to a girl who came in here."
The chip on the table slides into one of the empty game spots on the table without anyone touching it.
Lee: "We get a lot of girls in here. Can you be more specific?"
Angel: "I don't think I need to be. It's not just here, is it?"
Lee: "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
Angel: "Maybe I can jog your memory with a little..."
Croupier: "House wins!"
Angel looks down at the table as the croupier swipes the chips up with his paddle.
Lee: "Thank you for playing. - Compliments of the casino."
Every one of the players is being given a cup full of quarters. Angel stands unmoving, looking at the game table. A slight frown momentarily crosses his face. Lee hands him a cup.
Lee: "I invite you to take advantage of our slot machines. Good luck."
Angel: "Thanks."
Angel takes the cup and turns to leave together with the other players. Lee watches him leave.
Break
Gunn is peeking around the corner towards Lorne's dressing room. He presses forward against the wall as a scream sounds.
The door opens and Fred stumbles out, her face covered with her hands.
Fred: "Oh, my god! It-it was horrible! He attacked me with these - these laser beams that shot out of his horns and he escaped! He's gone!"
Bruiser: "There is no other way out."
Fred: "Right. No. Because - 'cause he went through some, some sort of - of demon metamorphosis thing. And, and he spit out his entire skeleton like, like - like blah! (Pretends to vomit) Like, like that! And then - and then he-he just slithered away! Down the drain! In the sink! In the bathroom! Hurry!"
The first guard hurries into Lorne's room. The second one reports in on his radio before following.
Bruiser: "Security one. We have a code green. Repeat, a code green!"
As soon as both guards are through, Lorne, wearing a trench coat and Fedora, comes out and closes the door behind him.
Gunn comes running up: "Somebody wanna give me the low down?"
Lorne, tying the door handles together with a scarf: "Later. Suffice it to say we're dead if we don't get our fannies out of Dodge."
Gunn: "Good enough."
They run down the hall, Fred losing her horns in the process.
Lorne: "We need the big guns. Where is Angel?"
A back room in the casino. The walls are lined with monitors showing different views from all over the casino, as well as ticker tape like read out like they have at the stock market. One reads 'deal with Disney new ABC series,' another 'NBA cup 2005' and 'two time lottery winner' and 'fortune 500 Restauranteur'
Spencer, the head of security walks over to Lee and hands him some papers.
Spencer: "You're gonna want to see this. This is what we got from our party crasher. The demon's friend."
Lee looks at the paper.
Lee: "A vampire?"
Spencer: "With a soul."
Lee points at the paper: "Well now, *this* is interesting."
Spencer: "Among other things, he's positioned to be a major player in the apocalypse."
Lee: "Was, you mean? Have our brokers get the word out on this. And you might want to out a call in to that weirdo law firm in LA."
The phone rings and the head of security picks it up.
Spencer: "Mr. DeMarco's"
Fred is wiping off her makeup as the three of them are striding through the casino. Gunn spots Angel sitting in front of a one armed slot machine.
Gunn: "Angel! Where have you been?"
Angel pulls the lever: "Here. (Points) I was there before. Now I'm here."
Lorne: "Company is coming, kids, and I don't mean my aunt Ghurt."
Gunn: "Look, there is big bad going down. We got to get Lorne out of here. You think you can slow them down?"
Angel inserts another coin and pulls the lever: "Okay."
Gunn: "Give me your car keys."
Angel pulls the keys out of his pocket and hands them to Gunn, then inserts another quarter.
Gunn: "Hold them off as long as you can. I'll swing the car around, pick up at the end of the block, in front of the Nugget, okay?"
Angel pulls the lever.
Angel: "Okay."
Gunn: "Come on."
Angel: "Good luck."
The gang hurries away as Angel moves to the machine next to the one he was on and inserts quarter.
A security guard comes down the steps to intercept the gang. Gunn downs him with a single cross without ever breaking stride.
The gang is outside on a crowded street, lit by hundreds of lights.
Gunn: "Where the hell are we?"
Lorne: "Oh. Wrong exit. This is Glitter Gulch."
Gunn: "Which way is the car?"
Fred: "Uhm, I think it's back this... - Never mind."
A couple of security guards make their way through the crowd and the three of them huddle together. The guards pass through the crowd behind them.
Lorne: "Go!"
They weave their way through the crowds.
Gunn: "You said this DeMarco guy is destroying lives. How?"
Lorne: "By taking them."
Gunn: "By killing people?"
Lorne: "No, worse muchacho. He's been using me to read members of the audience (flash to Lorne listening to Vivian sing), find those with what he calls 'valuable destinies' - power, wealth, fame, yada, yada, yada. Then the ones I pick they get chosen to play this spin-to-win game. Only ah, it's not a game. It's a big scamola. (Flash to Vivian putting a chip down on the game table) Then their destinies are imprinted on the chips. And that old black magic wheel is tricked out to never pay off. (Flash to croupier collecting the chips) The house always wins, and everybody loses."
We see the chips drop into a container topped by a glowing white sphere.
Lorne: "Their futures, their destinies, they get offered up to an extremely black global market, sold to anyone willing to pay big money to change his or her life."
Fred: "Futures trading."
Lorne: "Can't get any more literal than that, crumb cake."
Fred: "What happens to them? Those people?"
Lorne: "Uh, nothing. Nothing happens to them, or will."
The camera zooms away from the gang and in on Angel, still feeding the slot machine.
Lorne: "They got no purpose, direction, unable to accomplish or succeed at anything ever again. Most never leave here. Some never even get out of the casino. They just sit there shoveling coins into slot machines that never pay off. Like zombies or..."
Gunn suddenly stops walking: "Angel! They got him."
Fred: "Uh-oh."
Gunn: "Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty big oh-oh."
Fred: "No. *That* uh-oh."
Gunn looks where she is pointing and sees a group of guards moving towards them. He turns, but more guards are coming up behind them.
Fred: "What now?"
Gunn: "Now we do that fighting for our lives thing that we do."
Lorne spots a trio of street musicians gathered around a microphone.
Lorne: "Yeah, or - or I do this."
Lorne takes a hold of the microphone and lets out a high pitched note. All around people duck, covering their ears as all around light bulbs explode, showering the street below with shards of glass.
The gang manages to get away in the ensuing confusion. They come to a stop in front of the Red Barn on Freemont.
Fred: "That was brilliant, Lorne. I may never hear my upper registers again, but nice work."
Gunn: "Yeah, great work. Like how you sold Angel out."
Fred: "Charles..."
Gunn: "Why, DeMarco must have wet his pants when you told him what a ripe destiny that was for the pickings. A champion to save the world or destroy it?"
Lorne: "You really believe I'd do that?"
Gunn: "I don't know Lorne. I don't know why you did any of it. Why, you were living so large, belting out Tony Bennett so loud in that sweet suite of yours, you couldn't hear your conscience screaming at you!"
Fred: "Charles, it doesn't matter."
Gunn: "It does to me! I wanna know Lorne. Why didn't you just say no to that piece of..."
Lorne: "I did! The first time he asked me to, of course I refused! - So he blew a girl's brains out right in front of me. And he said that's what I could expect every time I said no."
Gunn looks down
Gunn after a beat: "Sorry."
Lorne: "No more than I am, slick."
The gang pulls up the car across the street from the New York, New York and Gunn gets out.
Gunn: "Okay. As soon as I find Angel I'm bringing him right out. Better leave the engine running in case there is a posse behind us."
Fred scoots over into the drivers seat.
Fred: "But..."
Gunn: "I'll be careful."
Gunn runs towards the Tropicana.
Fred to Lorne: "But what about his destiny? Angel's. We can't leave without getting it back!"
Lorne: "Yeah, well, this is Vegas, sunshine. Generally speaking, you lose here - you don't get it back."
Gunn finds Angel sitting in front of one of the slot machines.
Gunn: "Angel."
Angel turns and looks up at Gunn.
Gunn: "You - you know who I am, right?"
Angel: "Gunn."
Gunn: "Right. And I'm your friend."
Angel: "I know. I'm not stupid."
Angel turns back to the machine and inserts another quarter.
Gunn: "Yeah. Okay. Angel, something's happened to you."
Angel: "Ah. I got two cherries."
Gunn: "What?"
Angel: "I got two cherries. If I get another one, I get my quarter back."
Gunn takes a hold of Angel's shoulders and turns him to look at him.
Gunn: "You can't. Angel, listen to me. There's been a casino heist. Only you're the heistee. They jacked your destiny. Now we got to find a way to fix it. But until then we got to get out of here."
Angel: "Have to play to win."
Angel pulls the lever. Gunn pulls Angel up from his chair.
Gunn: "Game's over. We're going now."
Spencer: "As a matter of fact - you're not."
Gunn sees the head of security coming up, followed by Fred and Lorne, held between more guards.
Angel sits back down in front of the machine.
Gunn: "Angel?"
Angel inserts a quarter and pulls the lever.
Break
Lee sits behind his desk, feet on the table. The guards escort Lorne, Gunn and Fred in.
Lee: "Lorne! I'm so relieved! I was afraid that something terrible might have happened to you. Missing your second show like that? All those poor disappointed people. All I could do was refund their money and comp their rooms for the inconvenience. And, my, my, what an inconvenience it was for all of us."
Lorne: "Yeah, yeah. Okay, Lee, okay. White flag's up. You got me. Grind your organ, I'll be your monkey. But you get nothing from me if you hurt anyone else. I swear it."
Lee: "Lorne, sweetie, you worry too much. I promise *you* will be the only one hurting. Your friends will be dead so quickly they won't feel a thing."
Cordy up in her clouds: "Oh, this is just great! What's the point of being an all powerful what's-a-ma-whosit if I'm not allowed to intervene? My - my friends are gonna die! I mean - what am I supposed to... - Angel. God. Look what they've done to you. If I could just get you in that room, maybe... - Oh! Think, bubble head! How do I..."
The slot machine in front of Angel stops on nothing. Angel inserts another quarter and pulls the lever. The machine stops on two diamonds with a third one just above the line. Angel looks down into the cup he is holding. There are no more quarters in it.
Angel: "Huh?"
Suddenly the third diamond moves down. The light on top of the machine and a bell go off as the machine dings constantly. Angel looks up at the spinning light as people gather around him.
Lee gets up: "Take them out into the desert and shoot them. Bring the demon. I'd like him to watch."
Spencer: "Mr. DeMarco."
Lee: "Not now, Spencer."
Spencer: "Sir - we have a winner."
Lee looks up and sees that the winner is Angel.
Lee: "That's impossible!"
Spencer: "He's won a little over three hundred thousand dollars - and a car."
Lorne: "Pretty good haul for somebody with no destiny, huh?"
Lee looks at the people just standing around.
Lee: "What are you doing? You! You! Back on the phones!"
People go back to their jobs, and Lee turns to Spencer.
Lee: "And bring me that vampire. Now!"
Two guards usher Angel into the back office.
Angel: "Hi."
Lee: "I want answers. And they better be the right ones, or you're dead."
Angel: "I know this room."
Spencer hits Angel across the chin, making him drop the empty cup he's still holding.
Lee: "Now. I-I'll start again. How did you win on that slot machine?"
Angel: "I put a quarter in the slot and I pulled that little lever."
Lee looks at Angel for a moment then walks to stand right in front of him.
Lee: "Are you playing games with me, vampire?"
Angel: "I have to play to win."
Lee looks at Angel for a while longer. Angel just looks back.
Lee: "It was a fluke. A glitch in the machine. There is nothing there. Pay him his winnings - in quarters and take the others on their desert tour.
One of the guards prods Gunn forward. When Gunn isn't fast enough to move, the guard hits him and Gunn stumbles to the floor.
Fred: "Leave him alone!"
The second guard points a gun at Fred's face.
Angel, watching, suddenly morphs into his vamp face, bats the guards gun hand away and grabs a hold of the guys throat.
Fred: "Angel!"
All over the office people jump up from their desks.
Gunn takes advantage of the confusion to attack the guard on him. Spencer reaches for Fred, but she punches him in the face while Gunn tosses his guard over his shoulder.
Lee: "What am I paying you people for? Shoot them!"
The guard Angel is grappling with pulls the trigger of his gun - ending up hitting Spencer in the neck.
Lorne knock down a guard and takes the baton away from him, then sets his sights on the glowing sphere presiding over the destiny chips.
Lee runs over to interpose himself between Lorne and the sphere.
Lee: "No, no, no, no! Don't! Maybe I went about this wrong! We can still come to terms, right, kid? I mean, it wasn't all bad here, right? I mean, not all the time? What's it gonna take? A bigger suite? Fewer shows? You got it! What - what do you say?"
Lorne: "Duck."
Lorne hauls back and smashes
the sphere.
Lee: "No!"
The sphere explodes with a bright light. Lee is knocked to the floor, looking slightly scorched. Lorne stumbles backward and Gunn and Fred catch him before he falls. Bright streamers of colored light are shooting from the remains of the sphere. One of them hits one of the slot machine zombies in the back. Another impacts with Vivian, who gasps, and shakes her head as if waking from a dream.
A third stream hits Angel full in the back. Angel turns and surveys the room.
Angel: "This room. There is something familiar."
Gunn: "Angel?"
Angel: "You're my friend. I know. I'm not stupid."
Angel holds out his hand with a grin and Gunn slaps it with his own, letting out a big sigh.
Vivian is hurrying down the isle between the slot machines, checking her watch, a small smile on her face. Angel and the gang come down another isle.
Angel: "Oh, now I remember that room! Elvis and Pricilla's wedding reception, 1967. Yes! Alright. It's not like I was, you know, really invited. They just put me near the dais."
The others keep walking, not paying any attention to Angel.
Angel: "I think somebody thought I was in the band. Probably because I was all drunk and sourly. They had these little fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches."
Flash cuts of high rises at twilight, dusk and night. Camera zooms across a nighttime city. The headlights of a car flashing past the camera. The Hyperion at night.
The gang walks up to the door of the Hyperion.
Gunn: "Okay. No more road trips for at least six months."
Fred: "I can't wait for a nice hot bath."
Lorne to Angel: "Hey, you okay?"
Angel: "Just thinking. It doesn't make any sense winning on that slot machine."
Gunn: "Well, maybe DeMarco was right. Glitch in the machine."
Lorne: "Or maybe Lady Luck was smiling down on you."
Angel: "Hmm. Lady Luck. I don't know. Just, I don't get why or how I was able to fight when I had no reason to, no destiny."
Lorne: "Well, even without a flight plan, bucko, you are still a stealth bomber. You were fighting for your friends' futures. The people you love are part of your destiny, and nobody can take that away, not even you. Ah, listen, I have a lot more insightful bon-mots like that, but I've been stuck in the car for five and a half hours and I got to pee. Excuse me."
Lorne hurries past them into the hotel.
Gunn reaches out and touches Fred on the arm.
Gunn: "Hey. About that bath idea: maybe I can help you with one or two of those hard to reach spots."
Fred smiling: "Or three."
Gunn: "Hmm."
They walk into the Hyperion. Angel is standing motionless on the landing just inside the door.
Gunn: "Okay, but three is where I draw the..."
Fred and Gunn stop beside Angel. All three of them stare at Cordy, dressed the same way she was for her date with Angel, standing in the middle of the lobby with her back to them.
Angel: "Cordelia?"
Cordy turns around and looks at them.
Cordy: "Who are you people?"
THE END OF EPISODE