"The Ring"
Cordelia is sitting in front of her computer at the office of Angel Investigations, trying out a new demon database program. She wonders aloud why Wolfram & Hart aren't listed.
Wesley offers that it's probably because they're attorneys, not demons.
Cordy isn't sure there's much difference between the two.
Wes asks if the Vigories ("She") are listed.
Cordelia does a search and comes up empty.
Wesley picks up a book and is comforted that there's still an apparent need for research the old fashioned way.
Cordelia is perusing images of various demon species in the database. She notes that someone should start a dating service database for demons so they could seek each other out for companionship. When Wes gives her idea a less than enthusiastic response, she tells him it was just a joke and wonders when the last time was that Wesley actually had a date.
Wesley assures her he has a very active social life.
Cordelia wonders if anyone really considers sipping cocoa in front of the television while watching game shows to be an active social life.
Wesley is insulted by her comments and shoots back a barb at Cordelia about her life revolving around the latest shoe fashions and a "push up bra."
Cordelia is about to offer a reply to that when Angel enters the office, wondering if he should set the two of them up with counseling.
Cordelia figures Wes thinks she's too dense to benefit from counseling.
Wes counters, saying she takes things far too personally.
Cordy makes a crack about Wesley's attitude.
The door to the office opens, a man in a suit walks in. His face looks like he's been pummeled.
Angel interrupts Wes and Cordy's verbal joust to point out they have a client.
The man enters, asks for Angel and introduces himself as "Darren MacNamara." Angel introduces himself. Darren tells him he came because he heard Angel was known for handling things that were a bit out of the realm of ordinary.
Darren is a bit unsteady on his feet.
Angel and Wes assist him in sitting down before he falls down.
Angel asks Darren what's going on.
Darren tells him that his brother, Jack, was kidnapped the night before. He hands Angel a small box and tells him that it was left in his mailbox that morning.
Angel opens the box and finds it contains a human finger. He asks who was responsible.
Darren answers they weren't human.
Darren is showing Angel some pictures he identifies as being of his brother, Jack. He doesn't know what the kidnappers want, they didn't make any demands, just sent him the box with the finger inside.
Angel wants to know the circumstances of the abduction.
Darren says his brother had called him the night before, asking him to come to his place. Jack has a problem with gambling and had gotten in too deep with a bookie.
Cordelia asks if he knows the name of the bookie.
Darren says the guy's name is "Ernie Nellins." He knows the guy works out of a sports bar called "Shots". He says he's paid Jack's debts before with this bookie, but he told his brother he wasn't going to bail him out again. He hadn't realized how far things would go. He felt guilty about refusing to help, so he went to Jack's place and arrived just in time to see his brother being taken away by some kind of "creatures." He tried but couldn't stop them.
Angel tells Darren they'll look into it. He hands him a notepad and tells him to write down anything he can remember seeing at Jack's place while he goes to have a chat with the bookie.
In a back room at "Shots", Ernie the bookie is playing poker with some of his associates.
Angel enters the room and tosses the pictures of Jack on the table.
Ernie pulls a gun.
Angel grabs his hand and without effort, disarms him. He's not looking for trouble, just Jack.
Ernie gets up and walks out of the room into the alley. Angel follows.
Ernie demands to know who Angel is.
Angel tells him he's just looking to find Jack, Darren will pay up whatever Jack owes.
Ernie says it's gone beyond the matter of money now. It's about Jack being an example to others of what happens when they don't pay what they owe. He doesn't know where he is.
Angel casually offers him a hundred dollar bill to kickstart his memory. That works.
Ernie takes the cash and tells Angel to look for Jack underground at "Beechwood Canyon."
Angel pulls his car to a stop in in Beechwood Canyon. He gets out of the car and walks a short distance down an embankment where he finds access to an underground tunnel and descends into it.
As Wesley reads information to her from Darren's notes, Cordelia enters the information into the demon database in the office computer describing the characteristics of the demons that grabbed Jack. They are trying to define the species.
She completes entering the info, hits search and waits for the results.
Wes picks up a book and offers that he could most likely find the answer much quicker by looking it up. Before he can finish his thought, Cordy announces that the computer has identified the species.
Wesley looks at the results on the computer monitor and notes that its been identified as a "Howler demon."
Angel descends a ladder into a tunnel. The illumination from his flashlight reveals bloodied body parts floating in a puddle on the ground. He is suddenly attacked by two Howler demons.
After a brief battle, Angel manages to knock one of them unconscious with the flashlight. He pins the other to the wall and demands to know Jack's whereabouts.
The demon tells Angel that Jack was sold.
Angel wants to know to whom.
In a low rent neighborhood, an expensive sports car pulls up in front of a building where well dressed people are passed through after having tickets checked.
Angel watches as well dressed couples get tickets checked before entering one of the buildings.
Angel notices a basement window with burglar bars over it.
He tests the bars a bit, glances around to make sure no one is looking, then yanks the bars off of the window and enters.
Inside the club, an attractive professional looking woman knocks her ticket off of the bar. Angel catches it before it hits the floor. The woman is impressed with his reflexes.
Angel glances at the ticket stub and sees it indicates a wager in the amount of $5000 has been placed on "Cribb".
The woman takes the ticket stub, smiles and thanks him.
Angel enters another area where he sees a crowd surrounding an enclosed ring in a pit, cheering, as two demons fight each other. One of the demons knocks the other down. It doesn't get back up.
The crowd begins to chant, encouraging the demon left standing to kill its opponent.
One of the guards standing around the ring tosses the standing demon a knife. He slashes the other demon's throat with it to the raucous cheers of the crowd.
The emcee announces "Cribb" as the winner and notes this is his seventh kill. He introduces the next fighter, Trepkos.
Angel notices a man he recognizes from the photos as Jack being lead through the crowd. He follows.
As Angel exits into a vacant section of the building, he's suddenly blinded by a bright light. As he lifts his hand to shield his eyes, Jack indicates he's pleased that Angel made it further than many.
Darren is with his brother, and warns him to watch out for Angel, noting the damage he did to the Howler demons.
Angel sees the obvious. It was a set up all along.
Jack tries to get a look a Angel's teeth, treating him like an animal on display.
Angel grabs him by the wrist and shoves him into another guy. Some of the men who had been standing around begin to assault Angel with cattle prods, shocking him into unconsciousness.
Jack pulls himself up. He thinks Angel has the right attitude to be a fan favorite.
Angel awakens to find himself locked in a cell, along with another demon. Other demons mill about outside of the cell, some utilizing various weight training equipment, others sitting at a table. There is a red line on the floor that marks off a small area in front of the cages. He notices a large metal bracelet on his wrist with the number 21 in roman numerals engraved on it.
Angel attempts to communicate with the demon sharing the cage with him, trying several different languages, but gets no response.
Jack enters the cage area, hits a button which slides the cage doors open and announces there is only one rule.
Angel makes a move toward him.
Jack points out the red line and tells him to remain inside of it, the wristband will ensure it. He knows Angel wants to kill him but he's confident he won't because that won't get him out of there. Jack says the only way out is to get rid of the wristband and the only way that comes off is after the 21st kill.
Angel doesn't intend to kill anybody.
Jack doesn't care one way or the other. Either he kills his opponent or it kills him. Makes no difference to Jack.
Back at the office, Wesley is finishing up a phone call. He hangs up and tells Cordelia that Kate hasn't heard from Angel and she didn't really seem to care that he hadn't been heard from.
Cordy is nervously fiddling with her necklace. She thinks they should report him missing.
Wes reminds her he's only been out of contact for one night.
Cordy reminds Wesley that Angel was supposed to be in touch with them. She feels something is wrong.
Wes tries to reassure her, telling her Angel is likely just hiding out somewhere waiting for sunset.
Cordelia is unconvinced. She finds it odd that Darren seems to have disappeared and wonders why he isn't waiting by the phone on word about his brother.
Wesley puts on his coat. He tells Cordy to keep looking, he's going to follow Angel's trail, see where it leads. The last place he knew Angel was going was the bookie's, that's where he'll start.
Cordy reminds him the bookie is a dangerous type.
Wesley assures her he intends to be prepared as he pulls a tangled mass of weapons from the file cabinet. He looks at Cordy, embarrassed, as he prepares to sort it out and arm himself.
A guard dishes out some brownish, gruel type stuff into bowls and slides a bowl and bread on a tray to each of the demon prisoners. The demons partake of the offering. Angel doesn't.
He sits at a table with other demons and introduces himself.
Cribb tells him to "Shut up."
The demon (Mellish) sitting next to Angel, starts to take a bite of his bread but before he can do so, Cribb shoots his tongue across the table and snares it.
Mellish weakly protests.
Cribb grabs Mellish's bowl and slides it next to his own, obviously not intending to give back what he has taken.
Angel coldly tells Cribb to give Mellish his food back.
Cribb isn't about to do it. He's killed vampires before, he doesn't see this one as being any different.
A couple of guards approach the table, cattle prods at the ready, as Angel slides the bowl back in front of Mellish.
Cribb assures him he'll collect for this insult later.
Mellish approaches Angel and asks him why he did what he did for him earlier. He tells Angel he can stand up for himself, he's already killed two opponents in the ring.
Angel notes dryly that means he only needs 19 more to be free.
Mellish is defensive, assuring Angel he can and will get the kills he needs to get out. He doesn't want Angel making trouble for the rest of them.
Jack comes in and announces the match-ups for the evening's contests. Vlasovik against Baker, Trepkos against Mellish.
Mellish drops the bowl he's holding.
Cribb notes Mellish doesn't stand a chance.
Darren tells Jack they already have Trepkos' next opponent lined up for Saturday's match. They fully expect he will kill Mellish and move on to the next contest.
One of the demons hurls himself across the room. Angel tries to stop him but can't get to him. The demon crosses the red line and disintegrates.
Jack is annoyed that the money they paid for that particular demon went to waste.
Darren picks up the wristband, which is all that remains of the demon. He thinks the demon's death serves as a good reminder for the other captives but now they need to find a replacement to match up with Baker.
Jack suggests Angel.
Ernie the bookie and some of his associates are beating up on a guy when Wesley enters and tells him to stop. Ernie wonders who's telling him what to do.
Wes identifies himself and says he's looking for Angel.
Ernie isn't interested in answering Wesley's questions but Wes isn't easily dissuaded.
Ernie makes Wesley an offer, telling him that Angel gave him $200 for the information he was looking for. He wants to know how much the information Wes wants is worth to him.
Wes assures him he'll get the information without paying a penny for it, even if he has to beat Ernie to a pulp to get it.
Ernie and his associates don't take Wes seriously until he pulls a small crossbow from behind his back.
Ernie draws his gun but before he has a chance to do any damage with it, Wesley fires the crossbow, pinning Ernie's hand to the wall with the small metal shaft ejected from the weapon and causing the gun to drop to the floor.
The gun slides across the floor to Wes, who retrieves it and holds it on Ernie's associates who were also maneuvering for their weapons. Wes instructs them to drop their guns. He directs the hapless beating victim to leave then turns his attention to Ernie, while keeping his associates covered with the gun.
Wesley begins working the small metal shaft pinning Ernie's hand to the wall up and down. Ernie groans. Wes asks where he can find Angel.
The emcee is in the ring, greeting the patrons who have gathered for the bloodsport.
The attractive, professional looking woman who Angel spoke to earlier at the bar is conversing with Darren. She tells him she's heard rumors Angel has a soul and wants to know if Darren thinks that would be an asset or a liability in a fight.
Darren is toying with one of the wristbands as he tells the woman he doesn't have an opinion.
She wants to know the odds on Angel to win.
Darren offers even money.
The woman accepts the bet.
Darren walks away.
Angel is standing alone, leaning against a wall as the other demons loosen up for their respective bouts.
Mellish approaches him and suggests he loosen up as well, so he'll be better prepared for the fight. He figures he owes Angel for the help with Cribb over the food, so he's offering that Angel's opponent doesn't see well on his left side due to an earlier injury. He suggests that if Angel stays on his opponent's left side, he'll be able to kill him.
Angel makes it clear he isn't going to kill anybody.
Mellish thinks he's crazy and tells him he won't have a choice.
Jack enters and lets the fighters know the matches are about to begin.
Angel walks into the ring as the emcee introduces him to the crowd.
A bell rings. Baker kicks Angel, who is thrown back against the wall by the blow. He refuses to fight, avoiding Baker's blows by blocking or moving out of reach.
Some of the other demons awaiting their matches watch from the cell adjacent to the arena. Cribb notices that Angel is making no attempt to actually engage Baker.
Wesley and Cordelia are outside of the club. Cordelia points out a couple exiting their car.
Wesley wonders if Cordy remembered to bring the badge. She didn't. They approach the couple.
Cordelia introduces herself and Wesley as detectives. She directs Wes to show them his badge (which, of course he doesn't have). He pulls out his wallet, flips it open and waves it around in front of the couple quickly so they can't really get a look at anything.
Cordy tells Wesley to take note of the couple's license plate.
The male half of the couple demands to know what's going on. He doesn't want anything written down.
Cordelia advises him to calm down and asks him to identify himself.
The guy gives her his name, Matthew Winslow, a multimedia magnate. He tells "detective" Cordelia that he is tight with the police chief.
Cordy tells him they'll pass on his best wishes to the chief and asks to see the couple's event tickets.
Winslow reluctantly hands her the tickets, threatening her with a visit from his attorney.
Cordy informs him he's purchased tickets to an "unlicensed" activity and wonders if he was aware of that fact. She tells him she's trying to help him out by giving him this information before he makes the mistake of entering the premises.
Wesley offers that there may be some unplanned action at the event.
Cordelia gives him a kick.
Winslow thinks they are trying to hint that the place will be raided and are giving him a chance to stay out of it. He asks if he's free to go home.
Cordelia suggests that would be a good decision.
Winslow thanks Cordelia as he and his lady friend get back into their car and take off.
Cordy chides Wes for nearly blowing the ruse.
In the ring, Angel is getting beaten pretty badly by Baker.
Cribb continues to watch, disgusted that Angel won't even try to fight back.
The crowd is getting restless for some action but Angel continues his tactic of ducking and avoiding as best he can.
Cordelia and Wesley enter the area, having used the couple's ticket to gain entrance. Cordelia sees Darren, who is still toying with one of the wristbands.
Wes and Cordy work through the crowd, getting closer to the ring where it dawns on Cordelia what's going on. She wonders about the bracelets.
Wesley tells her if someone crosses the red line wearing one, they're dead.
Darren lays the wristband he's been toying with on top of the railing and makes a motion to one of the guards near him. The guard takes a knife and throws it into the ring.
Baker retrieves the knife and gashes Angel's arm with it.
Angel morphs into vamp face in response.
The crowd starts chanting for a killing.
Angel wards off a couple slashing attempts by Baker, then grabs the hand holding the knife and turns it into Baker's chest.
The crowd begins chanting Angel's name as Baker drops to the ground, dead.
Angel looks at the blood on his own hand with an expression more of regret than anything else.
The emcee announces the time and the winner of the bout.
Wesley and Cordelia look on in concern as Angel slowly walks out of the ring, back into the cell.
Angel, morphed back into his human face, reenters the cell adjoining the ring.
Jack calls to Trepkos and Mellish, telling them they're up next.
As Trepkos passes Angel on his way out of the cell to the ring, Angel tells him if he refuses to fight, no one will die.
Cribb doesn't think the matter should concern Angel since he won his match.
Angel points out that someone had to die in order for that to happen.
Cribb offers that just because Angel got lucky doesn't mean he knows everything.
Angel calmly assures Cribb that Baker was only one of many kills he's made.
Jack tells Trepkos and Mellish to get out into the ring.
Angel tries one more time to get through to Trepkos, pointing out that the prisoners can only stand up to their captors if they do it together and that means stopping the fighting.
Jack continues to urge Mellish and Trepkos out into the ring.
Trepkos tells Angel he'll kill Mellish mercifully.
A guard rushes Mellish out into the ring as Jack smirks at Angel.
The emcee introduces Trepkos to the raucous cheers of the crowd.
Mellish strikes Trepkos in the head. Trepkos then grabs Mellish by the arm and with his other hand grabs him by the neck and snaps it.
Cordy and Wes have left the club and are standing outside. Cordy suggests calling the police.
Wesley thinks they probably already know what's going on and if they don't, bringing them in would only prompt Jack and his associates to get rid of any evidence of what they've been up to.
Cordelia realizes he's saying that means the fighters would be killed but also knows they need to free Angel as soon as possible.
Wesley agrees that is what needs to be done, but he's not sure how to go about it considering the matter of the wristbands. He tells Cordy they were created by ancient magicians, they won't be easily removed.
Cordelia thinks an ancient key sounds like a logical solution.
Wes offers that he may be able to construct one of his own but he'll need to have one of the wristbands to work with and he's not sure how to go about getting a hold of one.
Cordelia removes one of the wristbands from her pocket and shows it to Wesley.
He's impressed with her resourcefulness.
Back in the barracks, after the matches, Jack is taunting Angel about killing Baker. He figures Angel has proven he's no different from the rest of them.
Angel gets up and walks closer to Jack as he's talking, up to the red line. He suggests to Jack that it's time someone taught him a lesson. Angel reaches out to grab Jack by the throat. Sparks of energy engulf his arm but don't disintegrate him since he has reached only onto the red line but not over it.
Angel yanks Jack across the line, into the barracks and uses him as a shield, holding him in front of himself, his arm securely wrapped around Jack's throat. A guard approaches but is warned off by Angel who assures him he'll kill Jack if the guard tries anything.
Angel loosens his grip on Jack's throat enough so he can talk then demands to know how to remove the wristbands. He wants to know if there is a key and if so, where to find it. He tells the other demons to look for a key, but they continue looking on, refusing to get involved.
Angel sees he'll get no help from the other demons and realizes if anything is going to be accomplished, he'll have to do it alone. He directs the guards to bring Darren.
Darren enters the barracks, along with guards armed with cattle prods. He orders Angel to let Jack go.
Angel tells him Jack will be freed when the captives are freed.
Darren isn't in any mood to bargain.
Angel again tries to get him to free the prisoners, assuring him that it's the only way to keep his brother alive.
Darren draws a gun and shoots his own brother several times. A bullet hits Angel in the shoulder, causing him to release Jack's body.
The guards charge and attack him with the cattle prods, shocking him into unconsciousness.
Angel awakens on a leather couch in a posh office. The attractive woman he'd seen at the bar is also there. She wonders if he's okay.
He tells her he remembers her from the bar.
The woman hands him a glass of champagne and introduces herself as "Lilah Morgan."
Angel takes notice of the bookcases and notes she's an attorney. He believes he's familiar with her employers, Wolfram & Hart.
Lilah admits she is an associate with the firm. She tells Angel that she was able to convince Darren and Jack to sell his contract to Wolfram & Hart. She lifts her glass of champagne in a toast and congratulates Angel on his freedom.
Angel doesn't share the toast. He assumes the deal is that he's free as long as he forgets about what's going on at the club.
Lilah points out there are a lot of people Angel could be helping.
Angel doesn't buy her concern.
Lilah offers sometimes compromise is necessary.
He knows she's saying to pretend nothing happened and that's not something he's willing to do.
Lilah reminds him what happened with Baker. She knows he has a strong instinct for self-preservation. She tells him he has one chance to live and this is it.
Angel thanks her for the champagne and opens the door to exit the office. Two guards armed with cattle prods are outside the door.
Angel has no intention of fighting them. He tells them to return him to the cell.
Wes and Cordelia are back at the office. Wes has been working on the wristband all night. He tells Cordy after researching the matter, and translating some ancient text, he's concluded that to open the wristband will require something that will conduct just enough electricity, but not too much.
He carefully touches a wire to the wristband igniting an explosion and shower of sparks that sends Wes over backwards, onto the floor.
Cordelia rushes to him to see if he's okay.
Wes gets back up and deduces he needs something that doesn't conduct quite so potent a charge.
Angel is being escorted back to the cell as the other demons look on.
Trepkos remarks to Cribb that he doesn't understand why Angel would come back when he clearly had his freedom.
Cribb just thinks Angel is crazy.
Darren tells Angel that his returning doesn't prove a thing as Angel crosses the red line and extends his wrist to Darren to be re-banded.
As Darren locks the band on Angel's wrist, he reminds him that the others offered him no assistance before and that isn't going to change. They all know that it's every one for himself and Darren believes Angel will figure that out soon as well. He tells Angel that night's match will have him fighting Trepkos. Trepkos needs only one more kill to earn his freedom and Darren figures Angel will be it.
Darren leaves as Angel and Trepkos look at each other.
Back at the office, Wesley continues to work on the wristband. He ducks beneath the edge of the table as raises his hand above it to touch the band with a piece of wood held by pliers. Nothing happens. Wes thinks he needs something thinner.
Cordelia peers from around a pillar she's been hiding behind and reminds him that time is wasting.
Wesley realizes this, he just doesn't know what other materials to try. He's in need of a material that's flexible enough to get into the lock but strong enough to spring it.
Cordelia offers the idea of using horsehair as she starts picking at her bracelet.
Wesley isn't understanding.
Cordy tells him the hair in her bracelet is from a pony she had back in Sunnydale, before the IRS confiscated it. She gives Wesley a strand of the horsehair and retreats back behind the pillar.
Wes ducks back under the edge of the table as he carefully extends his hand to the wristband, touching the roman numerals on it with the horsehair. The wristband pops open.
At the club there is a sign announcing that night's matches, including Trepkos against Angel.
Lilah places a $10,000 bet on Trepkos to win.
In the ring, the emcee introduces Angel to the crowd as the doors open and Angel enters. Trepkos then introduced as he follows Angel into the ring. They face each other, bathed in the blood-like glow of the red lights that illuminate the ring.
Angel wants to know if this is really how Trepkos wants to earn his freedom. He tells Trepkos if he does this, he will never be truly free, even if he does manage to walk out of the ring with his 21st kill.
Trepkos offers to kill Angel mercifully.
Angel doesn't intend to make it easy for him.
The fight begins with Angel fighting in what has become his typical style in the ring, only defensively.
Cribb and the other demons look on from the cell adjacent to the arena. He's disgusted by Angel's lack of effort.
Trepkos knocks Angel to the ground. He pulls himself back to his feet.
Cordelia is traveling down a dingy hallway, toward a security guard. She approaches the guard and tells him she can't find the way to the restroom. She asks for his assistance. As she distracts the man, Wesley moves around the corner, behind and past the security guard.
Trepkos continues his pummeling of Angel.
Cribb turns away from watching the match playing out in front of him as Wesley approaches the prisoners' cell. He tells Cribb he's looking for Angel and begins to describe him.
Cribb tells him Angel is about to get himself killed and then demands to know who Wesley is.
Wes thinks the two of them can offer mutual assistance as he tells Cribb that he has a key. This piques Cribb's interest as Wesley holds up the horsehair key.
Wesley tells Cribb that the key will unlock the wristbands and offers to free the prisoners if Cribb will help him save Angel.
Cribb shoots his tongue out from halfway across the cell, snags the key from Wesley's hand and pulls it back to himself.
Wesley's demands for the return of the key go unheeded.
Trepkos and Angel are still fighting in the ring. From the gallery above, Darren instructs one of the guards to liven things up a bit. The guard tosses two wooden poles into the ring. Each pole is sharpened at one end.
Trepkos catches one of the poles in midair, the other lands on the ground. Trepkos rushes Angel but he manages to get out of the way, pick up the pole laying on the ground and roll back to his feet. The fight continues.
The crowd is getting into it as Wesley joins Cordelia in the gallery. Cordy wants to know what happened with the key.
Wes tells her that one of the demons took it from him.
Cordy knows Angel can't hold out much longer against Trepkos. She tells Wes they need a plan and they need it now.
Wesley sees Darren and has an idea.
Trepkos has managed to separate Angel from his weapon. Angel slams Trepkos against the wall, Trepkos comes right back, running Angel through his side with the sharpened end of the pole.
Angel hits the pole with his hand, breaking off the section that's still protruding from his body. He grabs Trepkos by the wrist as he comes at Angel with what's left of the pole and knocks his opponent's feet out from under him.
Trepkos is slammed down to the ground, lying on his back.
Angel pulls out the piece of the pole still embedded in his side and pushes the sharp end against Trepkos' throat.
In the holding cell, Cribb has just released the lock on his wristband. He hears the crowd chanting Angel's name and walks over to the viewing portal to see what's going on.
Angel pauses briefly, the business end of the pole still poised at the throat of his opponent as the crowd chants for Angel to finish him off.
Angel gets off of Trepkos, tosses the remainder of the pole aside and walks off, his back turned to his opponent.
Trepkos responds by getting up and kicking Angel in the back. The crowd now chants for Trepkos to get the kill. He continues pummeling Angel, who isn't even trying to protect himself at this point.
As Trepkos grabs Angel and raises his fist to deliver a final blow, the crowd falls silent. Angel and Trepkos look at each other, the former making no attempt to deflect the oncoming blow. Trepkos lets Angel go and turns away.
Angel falls to the ground.
Darren tells the guards at the ring to finish off both contestants. The guards approach, cattle prods at the ready.
Wesley and Cordelia have made their way to where Darren is standing. Wesley has a gun aimed at Darren. He instructs him to call off the guards.
Darren has no intention of cooperating.
Suddenly, the doors to the holding cell adjacent to the arena are thrown open and the ring fills with the demon captives.
Wesley is distracted by the activity below in the ring and Darren uses that to his advantage. He grabs Wesley's gun hand. They struggle for control of the weapon.
The demons are dispatching the guards as the crowd disperses toward the exits.
Cribb bends over Angel, who's still lying on the ground, and unlocks his wristband.
After killing most of the guards, the demons head back out of the arena the same way they entered it.
Darren wrestles the gun away from Wesley and shoves him down. Just as he's about to shoot, Cordelia shoves Darren over the railing of the gallery into the ring below.
Cribb is helping Angel stay standing. Darren aims the gun at Trepkos. He accuses Trepkos of ruining the fun for everybody.
Trepkos turns so that Angel and Cribb are now behind Darren. Angel yanks Darren's gun hand downward as the gun fires and Cribb slaps a wristband onto Darren's arm. Cribb then shoves Darren toward Trepkos who tosses him into the air.
Darren disappears in a flash of light as his body passes over the red line between the ring and the gallery. The wristband falls back to the floor in the gallery, landing between Wesley and Cordelia. Everyone else has gone.
Cribb frees Trepkos from his wristband.
Trepkos catches Angel as his knees buckle.
Angel thanks him for the assist.
Angel, Cribb and Trepkos head for the exit together.
Angel wavers and is caught again by Trepkos who assists him out before he falls.
Angel exits the club, flanked by Wesley and Cordelia who are each helping to support him.
Cordelia suggests that Angel is lucky he heals fast because she doesn't think he looks so good at the moment.
Angel feels lucky Wes and Cordy found him when they did.
Cordy tells Angel it was Wes who made the key.
Wesley says it was Cordy who found the way to make it work.
Angel praises them both for a job well done and thinks they did something positive overall.
Wesley notes the former captives now free.
Cordelia adds it was a number of demons they set free.
The three of them pause to consider that for a moment as they watch the freed demons head on down the street ahead of them.
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| Written by: Howard Gordon | Original Air Date: February 29, 2000 |
Cordelia is sitting in front of her computer at the office of Angel Investigations, trying out a new demon database program. She wonders aloud why Wolfram & Hart aren't listed.
Wesley offers that it's probably because they're attorneys, not demons.
Cordy isn't sure there's much difference between the two.
Wes asks if the Vigories ("She") are listed.
Cordelia does a search and comes up empty.
Wesley picks up a book and is comforted that there's still an apparent need for research the old fashioned way.
Cordelia is perusing images of various demon species in the database. She notes that someone should start a dating service database for demons so they could seek each other out for companionship. When Wes gives her idea a less than enthusiastic response, she tells him it was just a joke and wonders when the last time was that Wesley actually had a date.
Wesley assures her he has a very active social life.
Cordelia wonders if anyone really considers sipping cocoa in front of the television while watching game shows to be an active social life.
Wesley is insulted by her comments and shoots back a barb at Cordelia about her life revolving around the latest shoe fashions and a "push up bra."
Cordelia is about to offer a reply to that when Angel enters the office, wondering if he should set the two of them up with counseling.
Cordelia figures Wes thinks she's too dense to benefit from counseling.
Wes counters, saying she takes things far too personally.
Cordy makes a crack about Wesley's attitude.
The door to the office opens, a man in a suit walks in. His face looks like he's been pummeled.
Angel interrupts Wes and Cordy's verbal joust to point out they have a client.
The man enters, asks for Angel and introduces himself as "Darren MacNamara." Angel introduces himself. Darren tells him he came because he heard Angel was known for handling things that were a bit out of the realm of ordinary.
Darren is a bit unsteady on his feet.
Angel and Wes assist him in sitting down before he falls down.
Angel asks Darren what's going on.
Darren tells him that his brother, Jack, was kidnapped the night before. He hands Angel a small box and tells him that it was left in his mailbox that morning.
Angel opens the box and finds it contains a human finger. He asks who was responsible.
Darren answers they weren't human.
Darren is showing Angel some pictures he identifies as being of his brother, Jack. He doesn't know what the kidnappers want, they didn't make any demands, just sent him the box with the finger inside.
Angel wants to know the circumstances of the abduction.
Darren says his brother had called him the night before, asking him to come to his place. Jack has a problem with gambling and had gotten in too deep with a bookie.
Cordelia asks if he knows the name of the bookie.
Darren says the guy's name is "Ernie Nellins." He knows the guy works out of a sports bar called "Shots". He says he's paid Jack's debts before with this bookie, but he told his brother he wasn't going to bail him out again. He hadn't realized how far things would go. He felt guilty about refusing to help, so he went to Jack's place and arrived just in time to see his brother being taken away by some kind of "creatures." He tried but couldn't stop them.
Angel tells Darren they'll look into it. He hands him a notepad and tells him to write down anything he can remember seeing at Jack's place while he goes to have a chat with the bookie.
In a back room at "Shots", Ernie the bookie is playing poker with some of his associates.
Angel enters the room and tosses the pictures of Jack on the table.
Ernie pulls a gun.
Angel grabs his hand and without effort, disarms him. He's not looking for trouble, just Jack.
Ernie gets up and walks out of the room into the alley. Angel follows.
Ernie demands to know who Angel is.
Angel tells him he's just looking to find Jack, Darren will pay up whatever Jack owes.
Ernie says it's gone beyond the matter of money now. It's about Jack being an example to others of what happens when they don't pay what they owe. He doesn't know where he is.
Angel casually offers him a hundred dollar bill to kickstart his memory. That works.
Ernie takes the cash and tells Angel to look for Jack underground at "Beechwood Canyon."
Angel pulls his car to a stop in in Beechwood Canyon. He gets out of the car and walks a short distance down an embankment where he finds access to an underground tunnel and descends into it.
As Wesley reads information to her from Darren's notes, Cordelia enters the information into the demon database in the office computer describing the characteristics of the demons that grabbed Jack. They are trying to define the species.
She completes entering the info, hits search and waits for the results.
Wes picks up a book and offers that he could most likely find the answer much quicker by looking it up. Before he can finish his thought, Cordy announces that the computer has identified the species.
Wesley looks at the results on the computer monitor and notes that its been identified as a "Howler demon."
Angel descends a ladder into a tunnel. The illumination from his flashlight reveals bloodied body parts floating in a puddle on the ground. He is suddenly attacked by two Howler demons.
After a brief battle, Angel manages to knock one of them unconscious with the flashlight. He pins the other to the wall and demands to know Jack's whereabouts.
The demon tells Angel that Jack was sold.
Angel wants to know to whom.
In a low rent neighborhood, an expensive sports car pulls up in front of a building where well dressed people are passed through after having tickets checked.
Angel watches as well dressed couples get tickets checked before entering one of the buildings.
Angel notices a basement window with burglar bars over it.
He tests the bars a bit, glances around to make sure no one is looking, then yanks the bars off of the window and enters.
Inside the club, an attractive professional looking woman knocks her ticket off of the bar. Angel catches it before it hits the floor. The woman is impressed with his reflexes.
Angel glances at the ticket stub and sees it indicates a wager in the amount of $5000 has been placed on "Cribb".
The woman takes the ticket stub, smiles and thanks him.
Angel enters another area where he sees a crowd surrounding an enclosed ring in a pit, cheering, as two demons fight each other. One of the demons knocks the other down. It doesn't get back up.
The crowd begins to chant, encouraging the demon left standing to kill its opponent.
One of the guards standing around the ring tosses the standing demon a knife. He slashes the other demon's throat with it to the raucous cheers of the crowd.
The emcee announces "Cribb" as the winner and notes this is his seventh kill. He introduces the next fighter, Trepkos.
Angel notices a man he recognizes from the photos as Jack being lead through the crowd. He follows.
As Angel exits into a vacant section of the building, he's suddenly blinded by a bright light. As he lifts his hand to shield his eyes, Jack indicates he's pleased that Angel made it further than many.
Darren is with his brother, and warns him to watch out for Angel, noting the damage he did to the Howler demons.
Angel sees the obvious. It was a set up all along.
Jack tries to get a look a Angel's teeth, treating him like an animal on display.
Angel grabs him by the wrist and shoves him into another guy. Some of the men who had been standing around begin to assault Angel with cattle prods, shocking him into unconsciousness.
Jack pulls himself up. He thinks Angel has the right attitude to be a fan favorite.
Angel awakens to find himself locked in a cell, along with another demon. Other demons mill about outside of the cell, some utilizing various weight training equipment, others sitting at a table. There is a red line on the floor that marks off a small area in front of the cages. He notices a large metal bracelet on his wrist with the number 21 in roman numerals engraved on it.
Angel attempts to communicate with the demon sharing the cage with him, trying several different languages, but gets no response.
Jack enters the cage area, hits a button which slides the cage doors open and announces there is only one rule.
Angel makes a move toward him.
Jack points out the red line and tells him to remain inside of it, the wristband will ensure it. He knows Angel wants to kill him but he's confident he won't because that won't get him out of there. Jack says the only way out is to get rid of the wristband and the only way that comes off is after the 21st kill.
Angel doesn't intend to kill anybody.
Jack doesn't care one way or the other. Either he kills his opponent or it kills him. Makes no difference to Jack.
Back at the office, Wesley is finishing up a phone call. He hangs up and tells Cordelia that Kate hasn't heard from Angel and she didn't really seem to care that he hadn't been heard from.
Cordy is nervously fiddling with her necklace. She thinks they should report him missing.
Wes reminds her he's only been out of contact for one night.
Cordy reminds Wesley that Angel was supposed to be in touch with them. She feels something is wrong.
Wes tries to reassure her, telling her Angel is likely just hiding out somewhere waiting for sunset.
Cordelia is unconvinced. She finds it odd that Darren seems to have disappeared and wonders why he isn't waiting by the phone on word about his brother.
Wesley puts on his coat. He tells Cordy to keep looking, he's going to follow Angel's trail, see where it leads. The last place he knew Angel was going was the bookie's, that's where he'll start.
Cordy reminds him the bookie is a dangerous type.
Wesley assures her he intends to be prepared as he pulls a tangled mass of weapons from the file cabinet. He looks at Cordy, embarrassed, as he prepares to sort it out and arm himself.
A guard dishes out some brownish, gruel type stuff into bowls and slides a bowl and bread on a tray to each of the demon prisoners. The demons partake of the offering. Angel doesn't.
He sits at a table with other demons and introduces himself.
Cribb tells him to "Shut up."
The demon (Mellish) sitting next to Angel, starts to take a bite of his bread but before he can do so, Cribb shoots his tongue across the table and snares it.
Mellish weakly protests.
Cribb grabs Mellish's bowl and slides it next to his own, obviously not intending to give back what he has taken.
Angel coldly tells Cribb to give Mellish his food back.
Cribb isn't about to do it. He's killed vampires before, he doesn't see this one as being any different.
A couple of guards approach the table, cattle prods at the ready, as Angel slides the bowl back in front of Mellish.
Cribb assures him he'll collect for this insult later.
Mellish approaches Angel and asks him why he did what he did for him earlier. He tells Angel he can stand up for himself, he's already killed two opponents in the ring.
Angel notes dryly that means he only needs 19 more to be free.
Mellish is defensive, assuring Angel he can and will get the kills he needs to get out. He doesn't want Angel making trouble for the rest of them.
Jack comes in and announces the match-ups for the evening's contests. Vlasovik against Baker, Trepkos against Mellish.
Mellish drops the bowl he's holding.
Cribb notes Mellish doesn't stand a chance.
Darren tells Jack they already have Trepkos' next opponent lined up for Saturday's match. They fully expect he will kill Mellish and move on to the next contest.
One of the demons hurls himself across the room. Angel tries to stop him but can't get to him. The demon crosses the red line and disintegrates.
Jack is annoyed that the money they paid for that particular demon went to waste.
Darren picks up the wristband, which is all that remains of the demon. He thinks the demon's death serves as a good reminder for the other captives but now they need to find a replacement to match up with Baker.
Jack suggests Angel.
Ernie the bookie and some of his associates are beating up on a guy when Wesley enters and tells him to stop. Ernie wonders who's telling him what to do.
Wes identifies himself and says he's looking for Angel.
Ernie isn't interested in answering Wesley's questions but Wes isn't easily dissuaded.
Ernie makes Wesley an offer, telling him that Angel gave him $200 for the information he was looking for. He wants to know how much the information Wes wants is worth to him.
Wes assures him he'll get the information without paying a penny for it, even if he has to beat Ernie to a pulp to get it.
Ernie and his associates don't take Wes seriously until he pulls a small crossbow from behind his back.
Ernie draws his gun but before he has a chance to do any damage with it, Wesley fires the crossbow, pinning Ernie's hand to the wall with the small metal shaft ejected from the weapon and causing the gun to drop to the floor.
The gun slides across the floor to Wes, who retrieves it and holds it on Ernie's associates who were also maneuvering for their weapons. Wes instructs them to drop their guns. He directs the hapless beating victim to leave then turns his attention to Ernie, while keeping his associates covered with the gun.
Wesley begins working the small metal shaft pinning Ernie's hand to the wall up and down. Ernie groans. Wes asks where he can find Angel.
The emcee is in the ring, greeting the patrons who have gathered for the bloodsport.
The attractive, professional looking woman who Angel spoke to earlier at the bar is conversing with Darren. She tells him she's heard rumors Angel has a soul and wants to know if Darren thinks that would be an asset or a liability in a fight.
Darren is toying with one of the wristbands as he tells the woman he doesn't have an opinion.
She wants to know the odds on Angel to win.
Darren offers even money.
The woman accepts the bet.
Darren walks away.
Angel is standing alone, leaning against a wall as the other demons loosen up for their respective bouts.
Mellish approaches him and suggests he loosen up as well, so he'll be better prepared for the fight. He figures he owes Angel for the help with Cribb over the food, so he's offering that Angel's opponent doesn't see well on his left side due to an earlier injury. He suggests that if Angel stays on his opponent's left side, he'll be able to kill him.
Angel makes it clear he isn't going to kill anybody.
Mellish thinks he's crazy and tells him he won't have a choice.
Jack enters and lets the fighters know the matches are about to begin.
Angel walks into the ring as the emcee introduces him to the crowd.
A bell rings. Baker kicks Angel, who is thrown back against the wall by the blow. He refuses to fight, avoiding Baker's blows by blocking or moving out of reach.
Some of the other demons awaiting their matches watch from the cell adjacent to the arena. Cribb notices that Angel is making no attempt to actually engage Baker.
Wesley and Cordelia are outside of the club. Cordelia points out a couple exiting their car.
Wesley wonders if Cordy remembered to bring the badge. She didn't. They approach the couple.
Cordelia introduces herself and Wesley as detectives. She directs Wes to show them his badge (which, of course he doesn't have). He pulls out his wallet, flips it open and waves it around in front of the couple quickly so they can't really get a look at anything.
Cordy tells Wesley to take note of the couple's license plate.
The male half of the couple demands to know what's going on. He doesn't want anything written down.
Cordelia advises him to calm down and asks him to identify himself.
The guy gives her his name, Matthew Winslow, a multimedia magnate. He tells "detective" Cordelia that he is tight with the police chief.
Cordy tells him they'll pass on his best wishes to the chief and asks to see the couple's event tickets.
Winslow reluctantly hands her the tickets, threatening her with a visit from his attorney.
Cordy informs him he's purchased tickets to an "unlicensed" activity and wonders if he was aware of that fact. She tells him she's trying to help him out by giving him this information before he makes the mistake of entering the premises.
Wesley offers that there may be some unplanned action at the event.
Cordelia gives him a kick.
Winslow thinks they are trying to hint that the place will be raided and are giving him a chance to stay out of it. He asks if he's free to go home.
Cordelia suggests that would be a good decision.
Winslow thanks Cordelia as he and his lady friend get back into their car and take off.
Cordy chides Wes for nearly blowing the ruse.
In the ring, Angel is getting beaten pretty badly by Baker.
Cribb continues to watch, disgusted that Angel won't even try to fight back.
The crowd is getting restless for some action but Angel continues his tactic of ducking and avoiding as best he can.
Cordelia and Wesley enter the area, having used the couple's ticket to gain entrance. Cordelia sees Darren, who is still toying with one of the wristbands.
Wes and Cordy work through the crowd, getting closer to the ring where it dawns on Cordelia what's going on. She wonders about the bracelets.
Wesley tells her if someone crosses the red line wearing one, they're dead.
Darren lays the wristband he's been toying with on top of the railing and makes a motion to one of the guards near him. The guard takes a knife and throws it into the ring.
Baker retrieves the knife and gashes Angel's arm with it.
Angel morphs into vamp face in response.
The crowd starts chanting for a killing.
Angel wards off a couple slashing attempts by Baker, then grabs the hand holding the knife and turns it into Baker's chest.
The crowd begins chanting Angel's name as Baker drops to the ground, dead.
Angel looks at the blood on his own hand with an expression more of regret than anything else.
The emcee announces the time and the winner of the bout.
Wesley and Cordelia look on in concern as Angel slowly walks out of the ring, back into the cell.
Angel, morphed back into his human face, reenters the cell adjoining the ring.
Jack calls to Trepkos and Mellish, telling them they're up next.
As Trepkos passes Angel on his way out of the cell to the ring, Angel tells him if he refuses to fight, no one will die.
Cribb doesn't think the matter should concern Angel since he won his match.
Angel points out that someone had to die in order for that to happen.
Cribb offers that just because Angel got lucky doesn't mean he knows everything.
Angel calmly assures Cribb that Baker was only one of many kills he's made.
Jack tells Trepkos and Mellish to get out into the ring.
Angel tries one more time to get through to Trepkos, pointing out that the prisoners can only stand up to their captors if they do it together and that means stopping the fighting.
Jack continues to urge Mellish and Trepkos out into the ring.
Trepkos tells Angel he'll kill Mellish mercifully.
A guard rushes Mellish out into the ring as Jack smirks at Angel.
The emcee introduces Trepkos to the raucous cheers of the crowd.
Mellish strikes Trepkos in the head. Trepkos then grabs Mellish by the arm and with his other hand grabs him by the neck and snaps it.
Cordy and Wes have left the club and are standing outside. Cordy suggests calling the police.
Wesley thinks they probably already know what's going on and if they don't, bringing them in would only prompt Jack and his associates to get rid of any evidence of what they've been up to.
Cordelia realizes he's saying that means the fighters would be killed but also knows they need to free Angel as soon as possible.
Wesley agrees that is what needs to be done, but he's not sure how to go about it considering the matter of the wristbands. He tells Cordy they were created by ancient magicians, they won't be easily removed.
Cordelia thinks an ancient key sounds like a logical solution.
Wes offers that he may be able to construct one of his own but he'll need to have one of the wristbands to work with and he's not sure how to go about getting a hold of one.
Cordelia removes one of the wristbands from her pocket and shows it to Wesley.
He's impressed with her resourcefulness.
Back in the barracks, after the matches, Jack is taunting Angel about killing Baker. He figures Angel has proven he's no different from the rest of them.
Angel gets up and walks closer to Jack as he's talking, up to the red line. He suggests to Jack that it's time someone taught him a lesson. Angel reaches out to grab Jack by the throat. Sparks of energy engulf his arm but don't disintegrate him since he has reached only onto the red line but not over it.
Angel yanks Jack across the line, into the barracks and uses him as a shield, holding him in front of himself, his arm securely wrapped around Jack's throat. A guard approaches but is warned off by Angel who assures him he'll kill Jack if the guard tries anything.
Angel loosens his grip on Jack's throat enough so he can talk then demands to know how to remove the wristbands. He wants to know if there is a key and if so, where to find it. He tells the other demons to look for a key, but they continue looking on, refusing to get involved.
Angel sees he'll get no help from the other demons and realizes if anything is going to be accomplished, he'll have to do it alone. He directs the guards to bring Darren.
Darren enters the barracks, along with guards armed with cattle prods. He orders Angel to let Jack go.
Angel tells him Jack will be freed when the captives are freed.
Darren isn't in any mood to bargain.
Angel again tries to get him to free the prisoners, assuring him that it's the only way to keep his brother alive.
Darren draws a gun and shoots his own brother several times. A bullet hits Angel in the shoulder, causing him to release Jack's body.
The guards charge and attack him with the cattle prods, shocking him into unconsciousness.
Angel awakens on a leather couch in a posh office. The attractive woman he'd seen at the bar is also there. She wonders if he's okay.
He tells her he remembers her from the bar.
The woman hands him a glass of champagne and introduces herself as "Lilah Morgan."
Angel takes notice of the bookcases and notes she's an attorney. He believes he's familiar with her employers, Wolfram & Hart.
Lilah admits she is an associate with the firm. She tells Angel that she was able to convince Darren and Jack to sell his contract to Wolfram & Hart. She lifts her glass of champagne in a toast and congratulates Angel on his freedom.
Angel doesn't share the toast. He assumes the deal is that he's free as long as he forgets about what's going on at the club.
Lilah points out there are a lot of people Angel could be helping.
Angel doesn't buy her concern.
Lilah offers sometimes compromise is necessary.
He knows she's saying to pretend nothing happened and that's not something he's willing to do.
Lilah reminds him what happened with Baker. She knows he has a strong instinct for self-preservation. She tells him he has one chance to live and this is it.
Angel thanks her for the champagne and opens the door to exit the office. Two guards armed with cattle prods are outside the door.
Angel has no intention of fighting them. He tells them to return him to the cell.
Wes and Cordelia are back at the office. Wes has been working on the wristband all night. He tells Cordy after researching the matter, and translating some ancient text, he's concluded that to open the wristband will require something that will conduct just enough electricity, but not too much.
He carefully touches a wire to the wristband igniting an explosion and shower of sparks that sends Wes over backwards, onto the floor.
Cordelia rushes to him to see if he's okay.
Wes gets back up and deduces he needs something that doesn't conduct quite so potent a charge.
Angel is being escorted back to the cell as the other demons look on.
Trepkos remarks to Cribb that he doesn't understand why Angel would come back when he clearly had his freedom.
Cribb just thinks Angel is crazy.
Darren tells Angel that his returning doesn't prove a thing as Angel crosses the red line and extends his wrist to Darren to be re-banded.
As Darren locks the band on Angel's wrist, he reminds him that the others offered him no assistance before and that isn't going to change. They all know that it's every one for himself and Darren believes Angel will figure that out soon as well. He tells Angel that night's match will have him fighting Trepkos. Trepkos needs only one more kill to earn his freedom and Darren figures Angel will be it.
Darren leaves as Angel and Trepkos look at each other.
Back at the office, Wesley continues to work on the wristband. He ducks beneath the edge of the table as raises his hand above it to touch the band with a piece of wood held by pliers. Nothing happens. Wes thinks he needs something thinner.
Cordelia peers from around a pillar she's been hiding behind and reminds him that time is wasting.
Wesley realizes this, he just doesn't know what other materials to try. He's in need of a material that's flexible enough to get into the lock but strong enough to spring it.
Cordelia offers the idea of using horsehair as she starts picking at her bracelet.
Wesley isn't understanding.
Cordy tells him the hair in her bracelet is from a pony she had back in Sunnydale, before the IRS confiscated it. She gives Wesley a strand of the horsehair and retreats back behind the pillar.
Wes ducks back under the edge of the table as he carefully extends his hand to the wristband, touching the roman numerals on it with the horsehair. The wristband pops open.
At the club there is a sign announcing that night's matches, including Trepkos against Angel.
Lilah places a $10,000 bet on Trepkos to win.
In the ring, the emcee introduces Angel to the crowd as the doors open and Angel enters. Trepkos then introduced as he follows Angel into the ring. They face each other, bathed in the blood-like glow of the red lights that illuminate the ring.
Angel wants to know if this is really how Trepkos wants to earn his freedom. He tells Trepkos if he does this, he will never be truly free, even if he does manage to walk out of the ring with his 21st kill.
Trepkos offers to kill Angel mercifully.
Angel doesn't intend to make it easy for him.
The fight begins with Angel fighting in what has become his typical style in the ring, only defensively.
Cribb and the other demons look on from the cell adjacent to the arena. He's disgusted by Angel's lack of effort.
Trepkos knocks Angel to the ground. He pulls himself back to his feet.
Cordelia is traveling down a dingy hallway, toward a security guard. She approaches the guard and tells him she can't find the way to the restroom. She asks for his assistance. As she distracts the man, Wesley moves around the corner, behind and past the security guard.
Trepkos continues his pummeling of Angel.
Cribb turns away from watching the match playing out in front of him as Wesley approaches the prisoners' cell. He tells Cribb he's looking for Angel and begins to describe him.
Cribb tells him Angel is about to get himself killed and then demands to know who Wesley is.
Wes thinks the two of them can offer mutual assistance as he tells Cribb that he has a key. This piques Cribb's interest as Wesley holds up the horsehair key.
Wesley tells Cribb that the key will unlock the wristbands and offers to free the prisoners if Cribb will help him save Angel.
Cribb shoots his tongue out from halfway across the cell, snags the key from Wesley's hand and pulls it back to himself.
Wesley's demands for the return of the key go unheeded.
Trepkos and Angel are still fighting in the ring. From the gallery above, Darren instructs one of the guards to liven things up a bit. The guard tosses two wooden poles into the ring. Each pole is sharpened at one end.
Trepkos catches one of the poles in midair, the other lands on the ground. Trepkos rushes Angel but he manages to get out of the way, pick up the pole laying on the ground and roll back to his feet. The fight continues.
The crowd is getting into it as Wesley joins Cordelia in the gallery. Cordy wants to know what happened with the key.
Wes tells her that one of the demons took it from him.
Cordy knows Angel can't hold out much longer against Trepkos. She tells Wes they need a plan and they need it now.
Wesley sees Darren and has an idea.
Trepkos has managed to separate Angel from his weapon. Angel slams Trepkos against the wall, Trepkos comes right back, running Angel through his side with the sharpened end of the pole.
Angel hits the pole with his hand, breaking off the section that's still protruding from his body. He grabs Trepkos by the wrist as he comes at Angel with what's left of the pole and knocks his opponent's feet out from under him.
Trepkos is slammed down to the ground, lying on his back.
Angel pulls out the piece of the pole still embedded in his side and pushes the sharp end against Trepkos' throat.
In the holding cell, Cribb has just released the lock on his wristband. He hears the crowd chanting Angel's name and walks over to the viewing portal to see what's going on.
Angel pauses briefly, the business end of the pole still poised at the throat of his opponent as the crowd chants for Angel to finish him off.
Angel gets off of Trepkos, tosses the remainder of the pole aside and walks off, his back turned to his opponent.
Trepkos responds by getting up and kicking Angel in the back. The crowd now chants for Trepkos to get the kill. He continues pummeling Angel, who isn't even trying to protect himself at this point.
As Trepkos grabs Angel and raises his fist to deliver a final blow, the crowd falls silent. Angel and Trepkos look at each other, the former making no attempt to deflect the oncoming blow. Trepkos lets Angel go and turns away.
Angel falls to the ground.
Darren tells the guards at the ring to finish off both contestants. The guards approach, cattle prods at the ready.
Wesley and Cordelia have made their way to where Darren is standing. Wesley has a gun aimed at Darren. He instructs him to call off the guards.
Darren has no intention of cooperating.
Suddenly, the doors to the holding cell adjacent to the arena are thrown open and the ring fills with the demon captives.
Wesley is distracted by the activity below in the ring and Darren uses that to his advantage. He grabs Wesley's gun hand. They struggle for control of the weapon.
The demons are dispatching the guards as the crowd disperses toward the exits.
Cribb bends over Angel, who's still lying on the ground, and unlocks his wristband.
After killing most of the guards, the demons head back out of the arena the same way they entered it.
Darren wrestles the gun away from Wesley and shoves him down. Just as he's about to shoot, Cordelia shoves Darren over the railing of the gallery into the ring below.
Cribb is helping Angel stay standing. Darren aims the gun at Trepkos. He accuses Trepkos of ruining the fun for everybody.
Trepkos turns so that Angel and Cribb are now behind Darren. Angel yanks Darren's gun hand downward as the gun fires and Cribb slaps a wristband onto Darren's arm. Cribb then shoves Darren toward Trepkos who tosses him into the air.
Darren disappears in a flash of light as his body passes over the red line between the ring and the gallery. The wristband falls back to the floor in the gallery, landing between Wesley and Cordelia. Everyone else has gone.
Cribb frees Trepkos from his wristband.
Trepkos catches Angel as his knees buckle.
Angel thanks him for the assist.
Angel, Cribb and Trepkos head for the exit together.
Angel wavers and is caught again by Trepkos who assists him out before he falls.
Angel exits the club, flanked by Wesley and Cordelia who are each helping to support him.
Cordelia suggests that Angel is lucky he heals fast because she doesn't think he looks so good at the moment.
Angel feels lucky Wes and Cordy found him when they did.
Cordy tells Angel it was Wes who made the key.
Wesley says it was Cordy who found the way to make it work.
Angel praises them both for a job well done and thinks they did something positive overall.
Wesley notes the former captives now free.
Cordelia adds it was a number of demons they set free.
The three of them pause to consider that for a moment as they watch the freed demons head on down the street ahead of them.
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