"To Shanshu in LA"

Written by: David Greenwalt Original Air Date: May 23, 2000

Wes doing research
In Angel's office, Wesley is at the desk, working on researching the scroll containing the prophecy of Aberjian ("Blind Date"), Angel is sitting in the chair reading a book, and Cordelia is in the outer office, looking over a newspaper.

Wes repeats various pronunciations of "shanshu", trying to get a handle on its meaning.
Cordy wonders how long it will take
Cordelia comes in, still reading the newspaper, wondering how long it's going to take him to figure it out.
Wes explains it's not so simple
Wes impatiently explains that the prophecies were composed over a 4000 year period, in many different languages, some of which weren't even human. He sarcastically offers to bring in some kind of demon to pull his brain out of his skull, offering that may hurry the process along.
Angel does his best to ignore Wes and Cordy
Cordelia isn't amused by his attitude.

Wes attempts to explain to her the importance of the word "shanshu" in the prophecy for the "vampire with a soul". It's critical that he get it right.
Cordy wants to know what it says about her
Cordy just wants him to hurry up figuring out what it says about Angel because she wants to know if there's anything in the scroll about her. She's hoping for some clue about her future. Will she have romance? Fame? Lots of money?
Wes informs Cordy the scroll isn't a magic 8-ball
Wes informs her the scroll is an ancient, and sacred, text not some cheesy fortune telling device.

Cordelia says she was just kidding.


the tenant directory listing
Outside of Angel's office, a shadowy figure in a shiny, purple, hooded cape moves past the building's tenant directory listing, having taken note of the location of the offices of Angel Investigations.


Cordy points out the article about Lindsey
In the office, Cordelia calls Angel's and Wesley's attention to an article in the newspaper, featuring Lindsey. She reads that he's been promoted at Wolfram & Hart to the position of Junior Partner, along with a hefty raise and benefits.
Wes thinks it's too bad Lindsey made a bad choice
Wes finds it disappointing that Lindsey chose to go back to his old ways after everything Angel had done for him.
Angel, indifferent
Angel is indifferent as he goes back to reading his book, noting that Lindsey made his choice.

Angel suddenly looks up.

Wes asks what's going on.
Angel checks out the noise
Angel says it's late for company as he gets up and exits to the outer office.

Cordy and Wes follow close behind.
Nabbit gets a scare
Angel approaches the hooded figure from behind and taps it on the back with a battle ax. The figure turns and screams, revealing his identity. It's David Nabbit.
Angel apologizes
Angel apologizes for startling him.

Nabbit asks if they can do it again.

Wes wonders if Nabbit needs their assistance with something.
Nabbit takes a seat
Nabbit doesn't need any help, he just wanted to hang out with them for awhile. He had skipped his scheduled board meeting because it was his turn to be "dungeon master." He wonders if the gang wants to hang out together as he looks past Angel, into the office. He walks into the office, impressed with the layout, hoping to catch some activity. As he takes a seat on the couch, he rambles on about how exciting their lives must be, fighting demons, expecting one could walk through the office door at any given moment.
Nabbit wonders if there are any demons around
Everyone looks toward the door, then back to Nabbit, nobody says anything.

Nabbit asks if they've seen any demons lately.


the monks chant
Outdoors, among some trees, two monks are chanting near a large white circle that has been laid out on the ground.
Vocah arrives
As the chanting ends, the ground trembles, a ring of flames engulfs the white circle. Through the flames, a figure appears, "Vocah". The upper part of his face is covered by a copper colored mask, his skin a sickly white, his eyes and teeth blood red. He's attired in a hooded cloak. He steps outside of the circle and passes the monks. He walks up to Lilah, Lindsey and Holland who have been standing outside of the W&H office building, watching the proceedings.
Holland greets Vocah Lindsey, Lilah look on
Holland welcomes him.

Vocah says nothing, simply strides past them.

The three attorneys follow him inside.


an uncomfortable silence
Back at the office of Angel Investigations, David Nabbit is sitting on the couch while Wes, Cordy and Angel stand around. There's an uncomfortable silence as no one seems to know what to say.
Nabbit decides to leave
Nabbit finally breaks the silence, making an attempt at conversation. When that fails, he gets up from the couch, tells the others it's been nice seeing them, a sentiment with which they politely concur, then leaves.
Wes figures it out
After a moment, Wes blurts out that he knows the meaning of the word in the scroll. He goes into Angel's office, the others follow closely.

In the office, Angel sits back down in the chair, puts his feet up on the desk and returns to his book.
Wes explains the translation
Cordy looks on as Wes goes back to his research. He realizes that the root of shanshu may be a language other than what he had originally thought, and if that's the case, it could mean "death."
Cordy realizes what Wes is saying
Cordy realizes that the prophecy refers to the "vampire with a soul" and if Wesley is right, it foretells Angel's death.
Angel asks if there's anything else
Angel looks up briefly from his reading and casually asks if there's anything else.

Cordelia notes that he doesn't seem too concerned by the news.
Wes reckons there's room for error
Wesley offers that it's probably not something that will happen for a very long time, prophecies are open to interpretation and his translation could be off so Angel shouldn't worry about it.
Angel continues reading
Angel remains unconcerned and continues to read his book.

Wes notes it's a good thing Angel isn't the least bit concerned, but is noticeably bothered by Angel's non-reaction to the news.
Angel catches Cordy as she has a vision
Angel looks up, glancing from Wes to Cordy then jumps up and catches her as she has a vision. The vision shows a woman being attacked by something. Cordelia wants an aspirin, then tells Angel she saw a woman, likely homeless judging by her appearance, being attacked by a slime demon.

Angel asks her for a location.
Cordy describes her vision Angel gets the info
Cordelia says she smelled a horrid odor, which would be the slime demon who is inhabiting an area behind the waste treatment plant.

Angel heads out.

Wes calls after him, asking if he needs assistance.

Angel declines, telling Wes to take care of Cordelia, he'll handle it.


Vocah gets the bad news
In an office at Wolfram & Hart, Vocah has just been told that the firm no longer has the scroll of Aberjian. He's not happy with this revelation.

Holland tells him that the scroll was stolen.

Vocah reminds him that the ritual cannot be done without that scroll. Lilah tells him they are aware of that.
Lindsey steps up
Lindsey steps up and takes responsibility for the scroll being missing. He says he'll correct his mistake.

Vocah tells him not to do anything, he will get it back himself. He asks who took it.
Holland admits Angel got the scroll
Holland tells him it was Angel who stole it from the W&H vault.
Vocah, upset
Vocah is even more incensed by this bit of news. He reminds them that he was brought forth to perform the "raising", the ritual that is to rip Angel away from The Powers That Be and the scroll is the key to that ritual.
Lilah acknowledges the irony
Lilah offers that they realize the irony of the situation.

Vocah says with the scroll, Angel's connection to The Powers is complete.

Lindsey doesn't reckon there's been enough time for Angel to fully study the text of the scroll yet.

Vocah assures them Angel won't have the time to study it, his connections to The Powers will be severed and the scroll will be returned.
Lindsey asks how they can help
Lindsey wants to know how they can assist in that effort.

Vocah tells him he'll do it himself. He leaves the office, accompanied by the two monks.


Kate arrives
At the entrance to an alley, two police officers look on as a car pulls up. Kate Lockley gets out of the car. The cops make a few wisecracks to each other about her penchant for weird calls.
Kate gets the info
Kate approaches them. One of the officers tells her there were reports of loud, strange noises. The other officer says they had a report of "something slimy" attacking a homeless woman and dragging her down the alley.

Lockley tells them she heard the call on the radio and advises them to stay put. One of the cops asks if she wants backup. The other asks if she'd prefer a Ouiji board.

Kate shoots them an annoyed look but ignores the questions as she proceeds down the dark alley, alone.
Kate sees Angel and the homeless woman
As she walks down the alley, she hears a woman groaning and a man's voice. Kate puts a hand to her gun. The homeless woman and Angel emerge from a corner of the alley and head out of it, toward Lockley.

The homeless woman is rambling.
Angel assures the woman things are okay
Angel assures her she's safe.

The woman says that Angel killed him, "sliced him up real good."

As Angel and the homeless woman reach the point where Kate is standing, Angel stops, the woman walks on past. She says Angel saved her from "spies" and keeps on walking, talking to no one in particular about not appreciating be spied on by the "dental association."

Angel greets Kate.
Kate wants to know what Angel killed
She doesn't return the greeting. She asks Angel what he killed in the alley.

He tells her it can't hurt anybody now.

She demands to know what it was.
Angel tells Kate what he killed
He tells her it was a "slime demon."

Kate notes that LA is crawling with all sorts of undesirables, including vampires.

Angel tells her he knows things have been difficult for her, most people have a hard time dealing with this sort of thing when they first find out and starts to suggest something but Lockley cuts him off.
Kate doesn't want to hear it
She doesn't appreciate being told how people act and react by someone she considers a non person. She thinks she's handling things just fine, she doesn't care what anybody else thinks. The only thing she cares about is ridding LA of Angel's "kind."
Angel listens as Kate rails
Angel isn't quite sure what she's talking about.

Lockley clarifies that she means his "kind", vampires. She hasn't forgotten it was vampires who killed her father. She will never forget that. She turns and walks back out the alley the same way she came into it leaving Angel standing alone.

After a moment, he turns and walks away, in the opposite direction.


Wes, frustrated
Wes is in Angel's office, sitting in front of the desk. He closes a book he's been reading and steps out into the outer office where Cordelia is already sitting. Wesley tells her that every definition he's been able to find for "shanshu" defines it as "death."
Cordy doesn't think the prophecy is necessarily right
Cordy notes that it's "just a prophecy", it's not like it's a given.

Wes reminds her that prophecies come from a higher place.
Wes ponders while Cordy gets a doughnut
Cordelia doesn't think it's any big deal, after all Angel is always putting his life on the line, it's not like there's anything new in that. She gets up and heads for a box of doughnuts.

Wesley tells her the prophecy of Angel's death is troubling, but what he finds even more troubling is Angel's reaction to the news.

Cordy wonders what it is about Angel's reaction that bothers Wes.
Wes considers things as Cordy gets coffee
Wes tells her Angel is "cut off" from the world. He isn't disturbed by the prophecy of death because there's nothing in life that he really wants. It's those yearnings that make people human.

Cordy notes that Angel is sort of human since he has a soul as she gets up and heads for the coffeemaker.

Wes tells her it's not that simple, he may have a soul but he's not "a part of the world" and he never really can be.
Cordy isn't convinced
Cordy doesn't get the correlation and thinks it's absurd Wes thinks Angel is cut off just because there doesn't seem to be anything that he really wants.
Wes makes a point
Wes snatches the doughnut from her hand, Cordy protests. Wesley asks her what it is that connects people to living.

At the moment, all that's on Cordelia's mind is getting her doughnut back.

Wesley spells it out for her, what connects people to life is being a part of it; living, growing, changing.
Cordy gets it
Cordelia realizes those aren't things Angel can do, he really has nothing to look forward to, he is destined to always be separate from the world while existing in it. She thinks this is a bad thing and tells Wesley they need to come up with something to change this.
Wes isn't sure things can be changed
Wes isn't sure that's possible.

Cordy isn't ready to give up so easily. She's determined they need to come up with something.

Wes doesn't believe there's really anything they can do, Angel is what he is, that's a fact that cannot be changed.
Cordy, determined
Cordelia says Angel is good, he helps people who need it and it's time to help him. She's determined that it's time he start wanting things, "whether he wants to or not."

Wes and Cordy hear the elevator and go into Angel's office to greet him as he steps out of it.
Angel offers a good morning
Angel bids them good morning.

Cordy returns the greeting then offers coffee.

Angel declines.

She offers a doughnut.

He declines.
Cordy offers pastry
She tries to tempt him with more pastry.

He declines and tells her he doesn't want anything.
Cordy casts a concerned glance at Wes
Cordelia shoots a concerned look at Wesley which doesn't escape Angel's notice. He wonders if he's supposed to understand what's going on.
Angel reacts to Cordy's suggestions
Cordelia tells Angel he's cut off, but she's going to help him with that. She wonders if he'd like a dog. Angel just looks at her. Cordy suggests a plant, they don't require a lot of attention. When that gets no response, she suggests an "ant farm."

Wesley says he has to leave.

Angel asks where he's going.
Wes, on his way to check out bookstores
Wes says he's going to check out some rare book shops. He needs more reference material to assist him in his translation of the scroll. He knows it's probably not wise to take the scroll with him.

Angel agrees and says he'll store it in the weapons cabinet in his apartment.

Wesley suggests that Angel might want to consult the Oracles ("I Will Remember You", "Parting Gifts") regarding the prophecy.

Angel declines.
Cordy tries one more time
Wes asks him to reconsider, then leaves.
Angel heads for the elevator
Cordelia tries to nudge Angel toward a visit to the Oracles as well, pointing out it's a chance to get out and "have some fun."

Angel turns his back to her, gets on the elevator and takes it down to his apartment.


the Oracles are confronted by Vocah
In the chamber of the Oracles, they are being confronted by Vocah.
an unhappy Oracle
The female Oracle is offended by his presence, telling him they do not offer counsel to the "powers of darkness." She wants to know how he managed to gain entry into the chamber.
Vocah figures it's his time
Vocah tells them time is up for the old order, it is time for the new order to rise.

The female Oracle tells him he's trespassing, she demands he leave.
Vocah produces the scythe behind his back
Vocah puts one hand behind his back. A scythe materializes out of thin air, taking shape in his hand.
the male Oracle has nothing to say
The male Oracle tells Vocah there is nothing more to say.

Vocah doesn't intend to talk.


Cordy checks out the street fair
Cordy is strolling through a street fair. She looks at some clothing, then notices a vendor selling art supplies.
Cordy checks out some paints
She walks over to the display, picks up a set of paints, telling the vendor they're for a friend. She thought it would be good for him to have a hobby, he's a little disconnected from the world.
the vendor
The vendor tells her art supplies are good therapy for such things, they're used in mental institutions to help people get back in touch.
Cordy admits her friend is a little different
Cordelia offers that her friend isn't crazy, just a bit different. She asks about the price for the paints.
Vocah moves through the crowd
While Cordelia wraps up her purchase with the vendor, Vocah walks among the crowd, unnoticed.

As Cordelia finishes her business and turns to walk away, Vocah walks past her, brushing his hand against hers.
Cordy is assaulted by visionsCordy falls to the ground
Cordelia senses something, looks around, but sees nothing. She begins to walk on when she's stopped in her tracks by a vision. She takes out her cell phone, but is unable to make a call before she's struck with another vision. She falls to the ground, writhing in pain and screaming as she's assaulted by an endless stream of visions.

The art supplies vendor comes over to her and yells for someone to call 911.


Vocah enters the officeAngel looks over the scroll
It's late night, Vocah enters the office of Angel Investigations as Angel walks down the steps in his apartment, examining the scroll.

He rolls the scroll back up and puts it in its case, then locks the case in the weapons cabinet. He senses something and starts to turn back toward the cabinet when the phone rings.
Angel takes a callVocah steals the scroll and leaves something behind
Angel answers the phone. It's the hospital calling about Cordelia. Angel tells them she has no family in town, he's on his way. He hangs up, grabs his coat and heads out.

Vocah breaks open the weapons cabinet, removes the scroll, puts something inside the cabinet and closes the doors.


Angel looks for info on Cordy
Angel runs down the hallway at the hospital, stopping at the nurse's station to ask where he can find Cordelia.

The nurse tells him the doctor is with her, Angel will have to sit in the waiting area.

Angel hears Cordelia scream and takes off running.

The nurse's call, telling him to wait, goes unheeded.
Cordy is attended to
In the examining room, Cordelia is writhing on the bed, tied down in restraints. The doctor orders more drugs.

Angel rushes into the room, pushing past the doctor who tries to intercept him. He asks what happened.
Angel checks on Cordy
The doctor asks if he's family, to which he replies affirmatively. The doctor tells him Cordy was brought in several hours earlier, they've so far been unable to determine what's wrong. She asks Angel if Cordy has any history of mental problems or drug use.

Angel tells her no.
the doctor doesn't know what's wrong
The doctor says the tests they've done don't show any "organic damage" but they've been unable to get her sedated.
Angel asks Cordy if she can hear him
Angel asks Cordy if she can hear him. He calls her name a couple of times but gets no response.

Cordelia continues to writhe in pain, lost in the assault of never-ending visions.
Angel knows drugs won't help
The doctor tells Angel they're trying numerous drugs and asks if Cordy has any drug allergies.

Angel says drugs aren't going to help.

The doctor responds they'd better find something to help, and soon.


Wes arrives back at the office
Wesley walks into the office, one arm loaded down with books. He goes downstairs to Angel's apartment and notices the broken lock on the doors of the weapons cabinet. He puts down the books he's carrying and walks up to the weapons cabinet.
Something inside the cabinet gets Wesley's attention
He slowly opens the cabinet doors, sees something and begins to cautiously back away.
the explosion
Angel drives up, parks across the street from the office building and gets out of the car. As he walks toward the building, it's rocked by a huge explosion and fireball that blows out all the windows and sends Angel flying through the air and onto the street.

Flames engulf the building along with the cars that were parked in front of it. Alarms are heard going off all over the neighborhood.


Angel finds Wes
Angel rushes into his apartment.. He calls for Wesley but gets no response. He searches among the flames and rubble, finally finding Wes, lying on the steps, unconscious.
Angel carries Wes out
Angel says his name a couple of times, but still gets no response. He picks Wesley up, lays him over his shoulder and carries him out of the building.
Angel accompanies Wes to the amublance
Outside of the building, fire trucks and police cars have arrived. Wesley is still unconscious, lying on a gurney, being wheeled to a waiting ambulance. Angel walks beside him and stops as they load Wes into the ambulance.

Angel starts for his car.
Kate confronts Angel
Kate Lockley shows up and gets in Angel's face.

He's in no mood for her attitude. He tells her he has to leave.

She tells him he's a witness to a crime and he's not going anywhere.

Angel wonders if she thinks she can stop him.
Kate's happy not to play friendsAngel has had enough
Lockley tells him she's glad they're no longer pretending to be friends and she's tired of his attitude.

Angel has finally had enough. He tells Kate, in no uncertain terms, that though he's sorry her father died, he isn't the one who caused it and he's tired of her blaming him for everything she can't deal with. If she wants to be enemies, he has no problem with that. He walks off and heads for his car.


Angel watches over WesWes
At the hospital, Wesley is in a bed, bruised and unconscious. Angel stands next to the bed, watching him for a bit.

Angel leaves and walks down the hall and into Cordelia's room.
Cordy, still tormented by visionsthe symbol on Cordy's hand
Cordy is sedated, no longer writhing and screaming. She's lying in bed, staring blankly, still immersed in never-ending visions.

Angel takes a hold of her hand and promises he'll make things right. As he releases her hand, he notices a symbol seemingly tattooed on the back of it.


Angel does the entry spell
Angel is standing outside of the closed entry to the chamber of the Oracles. In his hand is a small piece of paper with a copy of the symbol on the back of Cordelia's hand drawn on it. Angel says the incantation to gain entry.
Angel enters the chamber
A blinding flash of white light accompanies the opening of the entry to the chamber. Angel steps inside, taking a moment for his eyes to adjust.
the dead Oracles
He finds the bodies of the Oracles, lying dead on the floor in pools of blood. Vocah's scythe is embedded in the body of the female Oracle.
the Oracle's essence materializes
The spirit of the female Oracle takes translucent form next to Angel. She tells him things are coming undone, the minions of darkness now enter the temples.

Angel asks if she can help him. She tells him she has little time left, she's been dead quite a while. She's not impressed with the experience so far.
the Oracle fills Angel in
Angel starts to tell her about the situation with Cordelia but the Oracle already seems to know. She tells Angel Cordelia is in trouble, the mark belongs to the one who was also responsible for the carnage in the chamber.
Angel asks who's behind it
Angel wants to know who is responsible.

The female Oracle tells him it is Vocah, a minion of darkness. His goal is to weaken Angel so he has opened Cordelia's mind to everyone who is in need and pain. She tells Angel that Cordy won't survive long.
Angel needs to know how to stop it
Angel wants to know what needs to be done to stop it.

The Oracle tells him that Vocah has the scroll of Aberjian, that is what Angel will need. She begins to fade out.

Angel pleads with her to stay longer.
the Oracle tells Angel what he needs
She reappears and tells him he has to find the scroll. The words of Anatole, contained within it, are what's needed to remove the mark from Cordelia and save her.

Angel wants to know where to find Vocah. He promises he will make Vocah pay for what he's done.

The Oracle tells him Vocah has come for "the raising."
the Oracle tells Angel to stop Vocah
Angel doesn't understand what she's referring to.
Angel retrieves the scythe
The Oracle says Vocah is hiding "behind man's law", as many of them do. She tells Angel to stop him and disappears.

Angel assures her he will do just that as he pulls the scythe from the back of the body of the female Oracle lying on the floor and leaves.


Gunn and his crew load up the truck
Outside of an Italian restaurant, Gunn and his crew are loading up excess food onto the back of their pickup truck. Gunn congratulates the others on their good work in gathering the food for those who are without.

Angel drives up, obviously in a hurry.
Gunn, ready for a fight
Gunn and his crew reach for weapons. Gunn realizes it's Angel and tells the others it's okay, Angel is familiar to him.
Gunn meets up with Angel
Gunn walks toward Angel's car, they meet just before he gets to it.

Angel tells Gunn he needs his help.
Angel tells Gunn about Wes and Cordy
Gunn makes an attempt at small talk, but seeing it going nowhere, gets down to business.

Angel tells him Cordelia and Wesley are in the hospital. He wants Gunn to protect them there while he goes after the one responsible for their being hurt.
Gunn wonders what to expect
Gunn wonders if Angel expects this assailant will come after Wes and Cordelia himself or if he'll send someone to do his dirty work.
Angel says it won't matter
Angel tells him it won't matter, the guy isn't going to get to his friends, they mean a lot to him.

Gunn understands that.


5 vamps, chained to the box
Inside of a mausoleum, five vampires surround a large box, each chained to it.
Vocah enters, following the monks
Two monks enter, Vocah follows them in.

The monks and Vocah begin reciting the words to the raising ritual.


Lilah, Holland
Several people walk down the steps, headed away from Wolfram & Hart toward a waiting limousine. Holland, Lindsey and Lilah are among the group.

Lilah wonders if they're running late.

Holland assures her that rituals take a long time, they won't be late.
Angel keeps an eye on things
Angel peers around the corner of a column from a discreet distance.

Lindsey motions toward a couple of men standing by a large truck, he directs them to follow.

Holland looks to Lindsey for reassurance that Lindsey has planned for all possible contingencies.
Holland reminds Lindsey the partners are watching
Lindsey assures him he has.

Holland reminds him the Senior Partners are watching, it wouldn't be wise to disappoint them.

Lindsey is certain they won't.
Lilah recalls the liver eating incident
Lilah reminds Lindsey about another lawyer in the firm who disappointed the Senior Partners and was forced to eat his own liver as a result.
Angel follows the W&H brigade
Lindsey follows Holland and Lilah into a waiting limo.

Angel watches as the limo pulls out, followed by the truck. He gets into his car and follows.


Lilah, Lindsey and Holland arrive
At the mausoleum, Vocah and the monks continue with the ritual as the gang from W&H arrive.

Holland is disappointed the ritual isn't further along.
something distracts Vocah
Vocah suddenly stops in the middle of the ritual, looks up and then lays the scroll on top of the box in the center of the room.
Lilah wonders what's up
Lilah quietly asks what's going on.

Holland doesn't have the answer.

Vocah arms himself with a scythe, again materializing one out of thin air.
Angel crashes through the windowAngel, Vocah battle it out
Angel comes crashing through the window, armed with the scythe he pulled from the dead body of the female Oracle. He and Vocah battle each other.

Holland looks to Lindsey, expecting him to do something.
Lindsey continues the ritual
Lindsey briefly watches Vocah and Angel fight, then picks up the scroll and begins reciting the words. He screams at the distracted monks to say their parts as well. They respond to his order by continuing.

Lindsey goes on with the ritual, now speaking in Latin.

Holland instructs Lilah to bring the movers into the mausoleum.
the whirlwind engulfs the boxa flash of light
As Lindsey finishes the incantation, a whirlwind engulfs the box, turning the five vampires chained to it into dust. The ground shakes, the whirlwind, now containing the dusted remains of the five vampires, enters the box and a circular explosion of blinding light emanates from it, sending Lindsey flying into the wall. He lands hard on the floor, unconscious.

Vocah and Angel have been battling each other through all of this, seemingly oblivious to the goings on. They continue their fight.
Holland orders the box removed
The movers enter the mausoleum. Holland instructs them to get the box out of there immediately.
Lindsey comes to
They do as he instructs, pushing the box out of the room.

Holland briefly glances back at the unconscious form of Lindsey, then follows the others out of the mausoleum.

As Angel and Vocah continue going at each other, Lindsey slowly wakes up. He has the scroll in his hand.
Angel gets the upper handVocah, unmasked
Angel finally gets the upper hand on Vocah, pinning him against the wall with the scythe. The mask is knocked off of Vocah's face in the process, revealing a decomposed visage, partially eaten away and covered with wriggling maggots.

Angel sinks the scythe's blade into Vocah's chest, killing him.
Lindsey attempts to protect himself
In the meantime, Lindsey has pulled himself to his feet and grabbed a cross mounted on a stand. He holds it out in front of him, threatening Angel with it.
Angel wants the scroll
Angel pulls the scythe out of Vocah's body and takes a couple of steps toward Lindsey. He wants the scroll.

Lindsey has no intention of giving it up.

Angel knows that Lindsey has made his choice, he has chosen the side he'll be on.
Lindsey sees things clearly now
Lindsey thanks Angel for helping him through his previous "crisis", but he sees things more clearly now. He knows what has happened was foretold in the prophecy and those who aren't aligned with the power are powerless.
Angel warns Lindsey
Angel wonders if Lindsey can foresee what's going to happen to him if he doesn't hand over the scroll.

Lindsey knows that Angel needs the scroll to cure Cordelia. He knows she is Angel's connection to The Powers and he has no intention of giving up the scroll since it is foretold that Angel's connection would be severed. He holds the scroll over an open flame, ready to torch it.
Angel prepares to toss the scytheLindsey grabs his bloody stump
Angel tosses the scythe across the room, severing Lindsey's hand from his arm.

Lindsey drops the cross, screams and collapses to the floor in agony, clutching the bloody stump to his chest.
Angel suggests Lindsey  not believe everything
Angel casually walks over to the scroll, now laying on the floor next to Lindsey's severed hand. He picks it up, suggests Lindsey not "believe everything you're foretold" and walks out.

Lindsey remains on the floor.


Wes recites from the scroll
In Cordelia's hospital room, Wesley is sitting in a wheelchair on one side of her bed, Angel is on the other side. Wes recites the words of Anatole from the scroll.
a bright light flashes in the room
As a nurse walks down the hall outside of Cordelia's room, an explosion of light bursts from the room. The nurse rushes to determine the cause.
Cordy returns
Cordy is awake and lucid again.

Angel looks at the back of her hand, the mark is gone. He welcomes Cordelia back as the nurse leaves to get the doctor.
Angel assures Cordy they'll help those who need it
Cordelia tells Angel she saw all the people in pain and need, they have to help them.

Angel assures her they will.


Wes does some research
At Cordy's apartment, Wes is sitting at the table, poring over books. Angel is seated on a chest, leaning against the wall. Cordy is in the kitchen, making lunch.
Cordy brings Wes a sandwich
Cordelia brings a sandwich and sets it on the table, in front of Wes, then returns to the kitchen..

Wes tells Angel he hasn't been able to figure out exactly what it was that W&H raised in the box, but he'll keep on it.
Cordy urges Wes to eat
Cordy retrieves a clear plastic, covered container of blood from the fridge and returns to the table. She sets the container on the table and tells Wes to take a break as she pushes the sandwich toward him and urges him to eat.

Wesley gives Angel a look.
Cordy offers Angel some blood
Cordy offers the blood to Angel, who hesitates in taking it. She assures him there's nothing to be embarrassed about, they're "family."

Angel takes the container from her.

Cordy notices Wesley still looking at her and wonders what's up.
Wes isn't sure what to make of Cordy's new attitude
Wesley stammers for an explanation.

Angel interjects Wes just isn't accustomed to Cordelia's new attitude.
Cordy gets it now
Cordy says she understands things now. There are a lot of people they need to help. She just hopes "skin and bones" can discover what W&H raised before the prophecy is fulfilled and Angel "croaks". She then realizes that was more like her old attitude.
Angel likes both versions of Cordy
Angel tells her he likes both.

Wesley is looking at one of his books, he offers that he may have made a small mistake.

Angel puts the glass of blood down and stands up.
Wes realizes he may have made a mistake
Wes admits he may have been wrong in his interpretation that "shanshu" meant Angel was going to die. He thinks maybe it means he's going to live.

Cordelia offers her opinion, as mistakes go, that's hardly a small one.
Wes reckons he has it figured out
Wesley explains that the word "shanshu" is rooted in many different languages but within the context of the oldest, life and death are the same thing, each being part of the same cycle. Something that isn't alive cannot die so, Wes explains, it's saying that Angel gets to live until he dies, it says he becomes human.
Cordy wonders if Wes is right this time
Cordelia is surprised and asks if that's the prophecy.

Wesley reads from the scroll that the vampire with a soul will "shanshu" once he completes his destiny, he will become human. That is his reward.
Angel thinks it might be nice
Angel thinks that might be nice.

Cordelia asks Wesley to explain the part about the vampire with a soul having to complete his destiny first.
Wes explains the details
Wes goes back to reading and explains that Angel's becoming human isn't going to happen soon. He has to survive numerous challenges in the forms of plagues, apocalyptic battles, and several evils that will be let loose upon the world.

Angel suggests that boils down to nobody needs to celebrate anytime soon.
Cordy thinks it's worth celebratingAngel reckons maybe it is worth celebrating
Cordy thinks it is something worth celebrating.

Angel reluctantly agrees that maybe it is after all.


Holland lets Lindsey  know his sacrifice is appreciatedLindsey gets assurance Angel will pay
Lilah, Lindsey and Holland enter the vault at Wolfram & Hart. The box from the raising ritual is in the center of the room. Lindsey's arm is in a sling, the stump heavily bandaged.

Holland tells Lindsey his sacrifice made a good impression on the Senior Partners. He assures Lindsey they will get even with Angel and it begins with what's in the box.
Lilah peers into the boxDarla in the box
Lilah leans in to peer through the bars, into the box. She tells the box's occupant how pleased they are at the arrival. She knows things don't make much sense now, but they will, soon. She addresses the occupant of the box by name, "Darla."

Darla is cowering in a corner of the box, disheveled, confused, naked and shivering.



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