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| Episode 3, Season 1 Title: "In The Dark" Written by: Doug Petrie Directed by: Bruce Seth Green Original Air Date: 19 October 1999 Teaser: 
A dark alley in downtown of Los Angeles, a young girl hides in a doorway but is surprised by her abusive boyfriend accusing her once again of an imaginary boyfriend. He slaps her hard and is about to kill Rachel with a gun when Angel comes to the rescue and knocks out Lenny. Angel is on RachelÍs case and he comes through just as he said he would.
Up above the warehouse across the street, Spike is watching as Rachel and Angel talk and Spike entertains himself with making up their dialogue. Spike mimics Rachel in a damsel in distress voice, while Angel becomes batman with the untouchable hair. Both depart and Spike finally turns serious and reveals that he is in Los Angeles to finally be rid of Angel and get something of his back, the Ring of Amarra. Act I: 
Outside the Angel Investigations offices, Oz parks his van. Meanwhile Cordelia is excited at their first paying client and rejoices at their first invoice but Doyle pops her bubble when he points out that an invoice is not money. Oz walks through the door and Cordy is delighted to see a Sunnydale native and after catching up, they head downstairs to see Angel. After a quick introduction between Angel and Oz, our wolf-boy presents Angel with the Gem of Amarra. Doyle immediately recognizes the valuable item as the powerful ring that renders the wearer unkillable, stakes, sunshine, fire, nada can kill the wearer of the ring. Oz gives Angel the 411 about Spike digging up Sunnydale for the ring but Angel just holds it in his hand. Cordy, Doyle and Oz take off to have a drink, while Angel stays behind but he quickly hides the ring below in the sewer tunnels.
The morning after at the office, Doyle is getting over a major hangover and the reality of calling Oz, ñMy little bam-mamî all night as Cordy so happily reminds him. Meanwhile below, Angel gets a call from Rachel and the news that Lenny is out of jail on a technicality, meaning she is in danger and he quickly heads out even though itÍs day. In the basement parking lot, Angel is about to get into his car when Spike surprises him. Angel knows why Spike is there and they fight. Cordy and Doyle run down and the fight stops. Spike compliments Cordy on how good she looks. Spike parts with a warning, ñ IÍll get that ring. This isnÍt over until one of us is a pile of dust, ïMate.î Angel orders Cordy to stay with Doyle, a place Spike doesnÍt know. Angel knows Spike wonÍt leave LA until he gets the ring. Act II: 
At DoyleÍs place, Cordy watches as Doyle makes the rounds on the phone tracking information on leads about Spike. Doyle asks her to get comfortable and she tries hard to do so. He asks about Spike and Cordy gets started on Spike History 101.
Angel finally makes it to RachelÍs apartment, and she realizes her relationship with Lenny starts because she always looks for him first. He advises her to leave Lenny for good and she will be stronger for it and to find a little faith in herself. Angel stays out of direct sunlight and hides in the shadows of her apartment as he continues his visit. Back at DoyleÍs, Cordy continues her tales of Spike and Angel calls. Doyle has a lead on a place downtown. At the Arbor Room on 3rd street, Angel fights his way through until he finds a guy that tells him that Spike is in the back alley. Angel finds Spike feeding on a girl but he quickly letÍs her go and runs into a dead end street and Angel quickly follows. Spike gives up but this is too easy, ñI maybe a slow learner..î Out of the shadows SpikeÍs partner lassos Angel with a large chain and our vampire with a soul goes down, ñEventually I catch on.î SpikeÍs buddy knows what heÍs doing and quickly secures Angel. Act III: 
Later that day, at DoyleÍs apartment, Cordy is anxious about Angel not reporting in to them and she fears something is wrong. But Angel has the ring, or so they believe, and Doyle reassures Cordy that Angel is probably surfing the waves surrounded by bikini babes.
Meanwhile at a warehouse, Angel is chained up as Marcus, an expert torturer with plenty of experience prepares hot metal rods. Spike reveals that Marcus enjoys children and is a vampire. Marcus inserts the first hot metal poker as they listen to Mozart's Symphony #41 and asks, ñWhat do you want Angel?î A while later, Spike has become impatient despite the several hot pokers protruding from AngelÍs body. Spike decides to look for the ring at Angel Investigations since itÍs obvious that Angel isnÍt going to be revealing the locale of the ring any time soon. As he walks away, Angel lets out a tortured scream. In AngelÍs kitchen, Spike is trashing the place looking for the ring. At the warehouse, Marcus has upped the stakes and is done with the pokers and shoots holes through the roof. The sunlight falls on Angel. Meanwhile, Spike makes it upstairs and bumps into Cordy ready with a loaded arrow sling gun and Doyle but Spike quickly lets them know that he wants the ring. And oh yeah, Angel is being tortured but of course itÍll be a long time before Angel will give up the ring. Doyle and Cordy have until sundown to find the ring and bring it to Spike near PetermanÍs Fishery behind Seward and Westminster. At the warehouse, MarcusÍs torture techniques are wearing down Angel but unknown to the torturer; Angel has captured securely between his feet a stake. Angel aims and drives his feet up but Spike steps in time to stop Angel. Marcus is now upset that he was nearly dusted and AngelÍs screams are now louder than ever. At Angel Investigations, Cordy and Doyle have searched everywhere for the ring, everywhere except the sewer rat invested tunnels. While Cordy is around the corner, Doyle turns demon to find the ring under a brick. Cordy is ecstatic at their luck but Doyle is street smart and knows Spike will kill them even if they give him the ring. Cordy knows they need a plan. At the set place, Spike is hiding in the shadows while Cordy and Doyle demand they see Angel if he wants the ring. Spike obliges and takes them to the warehouse and see Angel is still hanging and in pain. Doyle tosses the ring on the floor but of course Spike is not letting them go. He goes for the ring when suddenly Oz bursts in with his blue van. Cordy and Doyle take Angel down and quickly leave with Oz. Spike realizes too late that the ring is gone with Marcus. Moments later, Marcus with the ring on, is walking the sunny streets of Los Angeles, looking for his favorite thing, children. Act IV: 
At the warehouse, Spike is very upset! He does ALL the work and no ring! He is about to go out at it again in search of the ring but the sunlight from the holes in the roof singes his hair and a lovely fire starts. He quickly slaps it out but this is the last straw and Spike just gives up, ñI really hope they kill each other!î
Not far from the warehouse, Marcus has found his way to a pier full of children. Marcus couldnÍt be happier. In the van, Angel is determined to fight Marcus but Oz, Doyle and Cordy thinks he is delirious. Angel needs to get to a hospital but there arenÍt any for vamps. Angel reveals that Marcus likes children and that he couldnÍt have gone that far. Oz decides to turns the van around. Moments later, just as Marcus is about to introduce himself to some children, the van pummels Marcus and sends him flying onto the pier but he quickly rises and Oz shoots him with an arrow. The ring has made Marcus invincible and nothing is lowing him down. Angel jumps out of the van into the sunlight and tackles Marcus off the pier and into the shadows below the pier. In the safe shadows, Angel fights Marcus and defeats the torturer by impaling him onto a protruding plank of wood and taking the ring from his finger. Angel puts on the ring before stepping out onto the beach and into the direct sunlight. 
On the beach, Cordy, Doyle and Oz run to check on Angel as he enjoys the sunlight for the first time in over two hundred years. They decide to give him some time to enjoy the sun and hopefully get rid of some of that paleness.
Near sunset, Angel and Doyle are at the top of their office building discussing the meaning of the ring. Angel understands that the ring is not his redemption as Doyle tries to convince him otherwise. Our vamp with a soul knows that he is there to help the people that get lost in the night. Those that live in the daylight get plenty of help. Angel gazes at the setting sun faced with the decision he must make. He takes the ring off and smashes it with a brick, destroying the ring. Doyle gives him a message from Rachel that she has found a little faith. In retrospect, Angel has had a good day, ñExcept for the bulk of it where I was nearly tortured to death.î Doyle and Angel head downstairs to continue their mission of helping the helpless that live in the Los Angeles night.
Summary by CoA Council member, Raciella
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