---

Cordelia, Gunn and Wesley are walking down the street having just left the office. Cordy and Wes are each carrying a box containing their things from the office. Cordelia is annoyed, she asks Gunn and Wes what just happened. They define "fired" for her in various ways. She says she gets that but she still wants to know what happened. She's still processing the "fired" thing.

Wes thinks maybe Angel will reconsider, he hasn't exactly been himself lately. Gunn reminds him that Angel just locked a bunch of lawyers in a room with a couple of psychotic vampires.

Cordelia says it's all about Darla but at least Angel is consistent. It's always some "little blonde" driving him crazy. She wonders what they're supposed to do now. Gunn casually says he's going to get something to eat, then go home.

Wes and Cordelia just look at him. This is no big deal for Gunn. He liked the extra cash but it was just a sideline for him. He says if Angel wants to go it alone, that's the way it is.

Cordelia isn't okay with it and neither is Wesley. They're disappointed. Wes says that he doesn't know why Angel did what he did, but he figures maybe he just needs some time right now and the best thing they can do is leave him alone.

They all depart, each headed off in a separate direction.

---

In the basement of the Hyperion, Angel drops some boxes, picks one off the top and opens it. It's full of sketches he had drawn of Darla. He opens the door to the furnace and throws them in.

He immerses himself in working out, knowing he's not ready to fight them yet having too long been sleeping in "soft beds", living in a world that's not his.

---

In the cellar at Holland's, bodies are piled on the floor. Lindsey opens his eyes and extricates himself from the bottom of the pile.

---

A paramedic is checking Lindsey over. Lindsey wants to know why Darla spared him. He knows there has to be a reason. The paramedic suggests he be checked out at a hospital. Lindsey thinks he's the only survivor.

One of the paramedics calls out that they have another survivor. Lindsey seems more annoyed by that news than anything else. He stands up to get a better view.

The paramedics help Lilah to her feet.

---

Wes enters his apartment, puts down the box of things from the office and removes his coat. Virginia Bryce tells him he can't be fired, he's on a mission. She wants to know exactly what Angel said. Wesley tells her that Angel told them they were "fired." Virginia wonders if he can file a grievance with his union. Wesley tells her he's not a member of any union, he doesn't even really know what his job title is.

Virginia says he should be union, her father always used conjurers that were union. The wizard community is progressive that way.

Wes reminds her that her father tried to offer her as a human sacrifice. She remembers, which is why she doesn't talk to him anymore but therapy and a large trust fund make things easier to deal with. She thinks Angel is just jealous of Wesley since Wes must have done too good of a job impersonating him in saving her life. Wes doubts that's it and tells her that Gunn and Cordelia were fired as well.

Virginia wonders why.

Wes tells her it's about Darla being revamped and joining up with Dru again. Angel has a tangled history with them. He figures Angel will be hunting them and he doesn't want anyone in the way.

Virginia figures it's Angel's loss then. She's confident Wesley will easily get another job. She asks him what else he's good at. There's a rather long pause as Wesley realizes there really isn't anything.

---

Back at the hotel, Angel is doing a bit of sword work, a bit of 'kick the punching bag into the wall' work and determines he's ready.

He heads out of his room, down the stairs to the lobby, down the basement stairs, through the trap door in the floor and into the sewer tunnels. He figures he's not quite on the level of W&H but he feels close enough and ready to take the fight to them, face to face.

---

At the offices of W&H, Lindsey checks with the secretary. He's distressed there are no messages. As he walks on down the hall he's joined by Lilah. She's noticed he's getting the cold shoulder as well. Lindsey isn't really interested in talking to her. She wonders if he's "bitter" that Darla didn't kill her. He offers that he doesn't feel that strongly, "more like bummed."

As they walk down the hall, others stare at them in passing. Lilah is angry there's been no contact from anyone in the firm. Lindsey wonders what she expected was going to happen. They are the only survivors, that automatically puts them under suspicion.

Lilah doesn't like the suspicion part because it usually means dead shortly in some kind of accident.

Lindsey snaps at her that they weren't responsible. Lilah reminds him that responsibility has nothing to do with it. It's policy for the firm to look for someone to blame and she figures they are going to be the ones to get it. Lindsey tells her "they" ordered Drusilla brought in, he just followed the orders. Lilah doesn't figure that will matter. She suggests Lindsey can live in denial if he chooses but there will be blame and they are the only ones to pin it on.

Lindsey opens the door to his darkened office. He drolly notes that there were others who got out of the cellar as he's greeted by Darla and Dru.

Darla tells Lindsey to close the office door. He hesitates. She assures him that if she and Dru had wanted them dead, they would be already. Lindsey closes the door.

Lindsey walks toward Darla and stops half way. He wants to know why she let him live. She walks up to him, gets seductively close and tells him she's in love with him. After a moment of letting that sink in, she laughs in his face. Dru is also amused.

Lindsey tells Darla that she left them in a difficult position. Darla doesn't see it that way. In her view, they're a couple of smart and ambitious lawyers who want to move up. Since the boss got eaten, there's an opening.

Lilah wonders if Darla thinks Lindsey is going to get promoted.

Darla figures one of them will be. That's why she left them alive. She wants to maintain contact with W&H, she thinks they can benefit each other.

Lindsey wants to know what she wants.

Darla wants power. When she was being used by W&H she realized she didn't much like being in that position and she recalls having told him so. She and Dru plan to have power, to be major players, and though Lindsey can't give her the things she wants, he has what she needs to get it through his connections.

Lilah tells her she and Lindsey can't be of any use to them if they're dead. The senior partners are looking for someone to take the fall for what happened. Darla doesn't think it would be logical for both of them to be killed. She's ready to work with whoever is left standing.

Lindsey wants to know if the target of this power Darla wants is Angel. Darla doesn't want to hear it. She snaps that not everything is centered on Angel. She just wants a good time.

Lindsey offers that he's surprised by that, he thought Angel would be her first priority.

Darla reminds him she was without Angel for 250 years. She wonders if Lindsey thinks that her brief time as human would have made her soft.

He doesn't think that. He just thought she'd want to kill Angel.

Darla intends to bide her time.

---

Four vamps enter the sewer tunnels, reveling in recent kills. Angel jumps down on them from some pipes above and takes them on. As he finishes off the third of the four, the fourth heads for the exit, trying to make an escape. Angel runs him down and tackles him, knocking him to the ground. Angel gets up, the vamp looks up at him as Angel pulls out a sword and decapitates him.

He drops the sword and exits the tunnel, feeling ready. He knows he now has to discover what Darla and Dru's plans are.

---

At the karaoke bar, the Host is singing. Wes walks up to the bar and orders a Bloody Mary. The bartender asks him if he wants blood in that. He declines. Wes watches as the Host finishes singing. Wesley is trying to steel himself, thinking maybe Cat Stevens would be a good choice. The bartender delivers his drink. Wes takes it and turns around just in time to see Cordelia walk past him.

They're both surprised to see the other. Cordy asks why he's there. Wes says he just came in to get a drink. Cordelia looks at the Bloody Mary and sarcastically notes that of course this was the only place he could get one of those. She figures he was going to sing.

Wes denies that then asks why she came in. Cordelia says she was in the neighborhood. Wes points out that her neighborhood is 15 miles away. Cordelia says it's LA, the neighborhoods are large.

They both realize neither is buying what the other is selling as they sit at the bar. Wes wonders what Cordelia plans to sing. She hasn't decided. He figures they're both a bit lost at the moment finding themselves in a sudden state of unemployment. He admits to being embarrassed by the whole karaoke thing.

Gunn walks up and offers that he can relate to that. Cordelia reminds him he said the job was just a sideline. Gunn says he has a reputation to keep. He can't just let people see through the macho routine. Wes asks him what he plans to sing. Gunn assures him he wouldn't be familiar with it. Cordelia thinks they're all pathetic and it's completely Angel's fault. She hopes he's happy now with nobody to talk to.

---

In the sewer tunnels, Angel has Merl strung up by his feet over a well of pooling runoff water. Merl says he doesn't know anything. Angel gives the rope some slack and dunks Merl's head underwater then pulls him back up. Merl's response is a wisecrack, which gets him dunked again.

This time Angel makes his point. Merl admits he heard that Darla and Dru were cruising the underground spots, looking to recruit demons for a "crew" they're putting together. He claims that's all he knows. Angel dunks him again.

Merl gives Angel the location of a demon hangout, telling him that's the only place that Darla and Dru haven't been to yet. Angel ties off the rope, leaving Merl hanging by his feet, and leaves.

---

At the hangout, a vamp and another demon are fighting while a crowd of others cheers them on. Darla applauds as she and Dru walk in. Darla introduces herself. She figures they are known to some of those present by reputation. The demon who was just in the fight isn't impressed. He says he never heard of them. Dru, who has been standing behind him, grabs his ears and rips them off. Darla wryly notes that he won't hear of them now as Dru looks quizzically at the ears she's holding.

Darla assumes she has the crowd's attention now. She has an offer. Among the crowd is a vamp in game face, wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up. It's Angel.

Darla tells the crowd she and Dru are the only game in town and they're looking for the best, those who are experts at devastation and who enjoy it, to join them in their crusade of mayhem.

Angel moves toward the back of the crowd. As he passes behind Dru on the way, she senses him. She starts to ramble. Darla isn't pleased with being interrupted. Dru tells her that he sees her, what she was. She tells Darla "you'll never be alone again" which throws Darla. She doesn't want to hear anymore. Dru tells her that he's watching her even now. Darla looks around anxiously, but sees nothing. Dru tells her that he remembers when she "was warm." Darla snaps at her to shut up as she finishes her offer to the crowd. She tells them auditions will be held that night as she drops a piece of paper with the address onto the floor. She tells them winners will have the chance to join them, losers will be eviscerated and left for dead. She and Dru depart.

Outside in the alley, Angel morphs back into his human face. He's shaken, remembering Darla saying his name, realizing he's still too close to the memories of Darla as human to be ready to fight her. He walks out of the alley.

---

Lindsey is in his office at W&H. Lilah comes in. He wonders what she wants. Lilah tells him she wants out. She's tired of waiting, tired of living on pins and needles knowing one of them will die but not knowing which it will be.

Lindsey reminds her that everyone dies. Lilah knows that but reminds him in return that not everyone ends up "in a dog food processing plant." Lindsey tells her she has the same chance he has, 50/50.

Lilah isn't willing to accept that. She suggests they can win if they stick together. They can leave together, just take off. Lindsey tells her W&H would hunt them down. Lilah offers that they can protect themselves by taking files as insurance. She knows Lindsey did it before, she's heard the rumors. She figures he'd know from experience which files to take, which would offer the best protection. She assures him that she'll take the risk by stealing the files, he just has to tell her which ones to take. They can get out of this mess together. She wants to know if he'll go along with that.

Lindsey moves closer to her, touches the side of her face, moves in like he's going to kiss her and runs his hand down to her chest, ripping out the microphone she had taped under her blouse.

Lindsey speaks loudly and clearly into the microphone saying he would never do such a thing and is shocked that she would think so. He tells her not to bother with frame-ups. The senior partners will kill who they decide to kill and that's the end of it. He suggests she deal with it as he leaves the office.

---

At the karaoke bar, Cordelia and Wesley are doing their usual bickering routine as Cordelia thinks the current situation is all Wesley's fault. Gunn offers that Angel let them off easy by just firing them. If he had to listen to the two of them carry on like this day after day, he figures he would have killed them.

That comment results in Wesley and Cordelia dragging Gunn into the bickering. This goes on for awhile, everybody pointing out everyone else's shortcomings, real and imagined, as they all end up shouting at each other at the same time.

Wes, Cordy and Gunn end up onstage mangling Queen's "We Are the Champions".

Later in the bar, the three of them are sitting at a table, the only ones left in the club. They've all clearly had a bit much to drink for the evening. The Host walks up to them and notes the maudlin mood. He congratulates them for putting their all into the singing attempt even though it was painful to listen to. As he's talking he's taking off his coat.

Cordelia tells him he's supposed to give them guidance now. Wesley figures that would be reasonable since they did do the singing thing. Cordelia fights back a yawn and asks what they are supposed to do with their lives now.

The Host rolls up his coat and tells Cordelia that he'd like to answer, but "when the big guys talk", he doesn't and they're about to say something. He puts the rolled up coat behind Cordelia's head just before she's jolted backward with a vision.

Gunn asks what she saw. She says she saw a bleeding young woman in a nearby alley being dragged by a demon. They get up and head for the alley.

---

Back at the hotel, Angel is loading up on weapons, stashing everything that will fit into a duffle bag. As he walks into the lobby, the phone is ringing. He walks toward the desk, picks up the battle ax laying there and walks out, leaving the phone still ringing.

---

Wesley, Gunn and Cordelia enter the alley but don't see anything. Cordy wonders if they were too late. Gunn points out blood on the ground. Cordy figures it must belong to the woman she saw in her vision but there's no other trace of her. Gunn says that if Angel were there, he could track her. Cordy says he would also kill the big demon with large, sharp teeth that dragged the woman away. Gunn points out they have no weapons and says he wishes Angel were there.

Wes rather testily points out that Angel isn't there and though he's "walked away from his duty", they aren't going to follow suit. Cordelia asks how they go about finding her. Wes suggests they start with the basics, examine the area for clues. As he squats down to examine the bloodstain on the ground, he steadies himself against the outside wall of a building. He notices that his hand has blood on it. He points out the blood trail that goes up the side of the abandoned building.

Cordelia notes that the building is abandoned and the doors are locked. She wonders how they are supposed to get in. They all look up to the window, realizing the only way in is to climb up to it.

---

Darla and Dru exit a bar. Dru didn't like the bartender. She notes that his eyes got stuck on her fingers as she puts her fingers in her mouth. Darla says that should be the last one for the night, they should get back to meet those who show up for the auditions. Dru notes that Darla is tense. Darla tells her that recruiting a legion of demons is stressful.

Dru tells her "he won't leave". Darla doesn't want to hear it. Dru says it doesn't matter how many soldiers they have, he'll still come. Darla wants to know why everybody thinks this is about Angel. She just wants to make some mayhem. Not everything revolves around a man.

Dru senses that Darla misses Angel, "like a heartbeat." Darla sternly assures her she does not miss being human. The heartbeat was a symptom of a disease to her, she's been cured. She says Angel should be there with them, he should be the one burning the city to ashes. She figures she's doing his job. She sarcastically suggests that rather than be with them he's probably "flogging himself in a church somewhere." Dru takes a moment. She likes the "flogging" imagery, but not the "church" part.

Darla says if the world was perfect, she and Angel would be wrecking havoc, killing, burning the city to ashes and enjoying every minute of it.

Dru stops and talks about seeing fire. Darla thinks she's commenting on her remarks about burning the city. She says there would be nothing left. Dru goes on about pain, suffering, dancing flames and the music of screaming.

Darla looks at her for a moment, seeing Dru in her own little world. She tells her to hurry up, they don't want to be late auditioning potential minions.

---

Angel arrives at the rundown auto repair shop hosting Darla and Dru's tryouts and slides open the door. Several demons are inside, intending to audition. Angel drops the bag and arms himself with the ax as the demons stare at him.

---

At the abandoned building, Wes, Gunn and Cordelia have made their way inside through the window. Cordelia wonders why it's always old, smelly, abandoned buildings and never something nice in Beverly Hills.

They see the young woman lying on the floor. As they move toward her, the demon jumps down from above, landing in front of them.

Wesley tells Cordelia to help the woman out of the building as he and Gunn take on the demon. The demon throws Gunn against the wall then jumps Wes, knocking him to the floor. As Wes is down on his stomach, the demon jumps on his back and sinks its teeth into his shoulder.

Gunn gets up, grabs a wooden stool and smashes it against the demon's back, knocking it off of Wesley. Gunn picks up a piece of the broken stool and drives it into the demon's head, killing it.

Wesley gets up and tells the others they need to get the woman to the hospital. Gunn asks if he's okay. Wesley notices the bloody gash in his shoulder and realizes maybe he isn't. Gunn says the demon nearly tore them apart. Cordelia points out that may be so, but in the end, they are the ones standing.

---

Darla and Dru approach the outside of an old auto repair garage. Darla runs things down for Dru. They go in, cull the weak ones and get out. She's running low on patience. Dru likes the place. She notes to Darla that it's nice and dark and smells like death. Darla tells her the smell is motor oil. Dru wants to buy the place, make it their "castle". Darla doesn't like it, there's no view. Anyway, she reminds Dru, they have no money although she figures Lindsey could probably be useful in solving that problem if he's still alive.

Dru likes Lilah, she feels she's wicked. Darla smiles and says Lindsey and Lilah are "sweet kids" but naive. Then again, they're only human. Darla doubts they even know what the "real plan" is that W&H have for Angel but she'd really like to know what that is.

Dru touches the handle on the door and senses something. She relates it in her usual roundabout way which Darla doesn't really get. She slides the door open and sees the bodies of the would be minions strewn about.

Darla senses someone there, she looks across the way and sees Angel standing against a wrecked car, smoking a cigarette. Darla smiles, figuring she should have seen this coming. She wonders why Angel is standing so far away from her, why he doesn't come closer and stake her. Angel says nothing, just looks at her.

Darla is suddenly uneasy. She calls "Angel" but gets no response. She calls "Angelus" but gets no response.

Angel takes one final drag off of the cigarette and tosses it to the floor, igniting a trail of gasoline on the floor that leads to a pool of it Darla and Dru are now standing in. The flames erupt and race toward them, engulfing them both.

Angel looks on briefly as they are both consumed by flames, screaming. He turns and walks away.

The meaning of Dru's earlier ramblings are now clear. The "dancing flames", the pain and suffering, the "music of screams" all come into play as Darla and Dru burn.

They run out of the factory. Darla picks up a sledgehammer and knocks the top off of a fire hydrant. They both douse the flames in the gush of water erupting from the broken hydrant.

Dru continues screaming and crying as Darla puts her arm around her and tries to comfort her. Darla says "that wasn't Angel". Dru's response is to say that "he's all gone" as she continues sobbing in pain. Darla knows that wasn't Angelus either. She asks "Who was that?", not really expecting an answer to be forthcoming.

---

Lindsey and Lilah are walking down the hallway at W&H. Lilah asks if he heard about what happened. Lindsey tells her that Darla and Dru are still alive. Lilah says she heard Angel did it. Lindsey wonders if she has a point. Lilah thinks that a dozen dead demons and torching Darla and Dru seems a bit more morose than usual for Angel. Lindsey figures Holland's vision lives on.

They enter a large conference room where someone is waiting for them, Hunt Acrey. There are also a number of others standing in the background as guards. Hunt tells them that the senior partners feel this is a time for grieving and reflection. Holland was a man with immense talent and will be irreplaceable but they have an opening that needs to be filled. They need an "executive vice-president in charge of special projects."

Hunt stands up and addresses Lindsey. He points out that Lindsey's record with the firm is inconsistent, listing the actions Lindsey has taken against them. Lilah smiles, figuring this means she'll be the one taking the new job and Lindsey will be Alpo.

Hunt turns his attention to Lilah, pointing out to her she isn't without shortcomings. They were displeased that she lost Bethany, costing them an excellent potential assassin. He also notes that both Lindsey and Lilah have failed to keep them apprised of visits from Darla and Dru, the two responsible for eating most of their department.

Neither Lindsey or Lilah is looking too smug at this point.

Hunt goes on to offer that neither of them is especially qualified to run the division. Their competitive relationship with each other has been "vicious, destructive and ..... healthy". He thinks they're a good balance for each other so the decision has been made to make them acting co-heads of the division until it's decided which one will have the position permanently.

He congratulates them on the promotion and reminds them that the senior partners will be watching.

---

In the basement of the hotel, Angel is practicing throwing small, knife-like implements into a target, hitting near or in the center with each attempt. Wesley comes part way down the stairs. Angel glances at him briefly as he walks back from removing the knives from the target to take his position in front of it again. He then returns his attention to the target, his back to Wes.

Wesley tells him the others have decided to keep the agency open with or without him. He tells Angel they haven't turned their backs on the mission, even if he has. He says "someone has to fight the good fight" as he walks up the stairs and leaves.

Angel throws another knife at the target which hits wide right and high of center. He closes his eyes a moment and regains his focus as he thinks to himself, "let them fight the good fight, somebody has to fight the war." He opens his eyes and throws another knife at the target, hitting it dead center.