Written by: David Greenwalt
Directed by: Terrence OÍHara
Original Air date: 4 March 2002
Teaser:
In his office, Wesley reads his final devastating notes and checks on Conner who is crying in his crib. Angel comes in with a glass of blood in his hand and chastises Wesley for not knowing what to do with a crying baby. Wesley doesnÍt look so good and Angel admits to having unusual energy the past few days. Angel takes Conner and walks into the garden where a young girl with a guitar is singing for Lorne. Back inside, Fred walks downstairs and is talking on a cell phone to Gunn as they meet together in the lobby and Wesley berates them on their misuse of office equipment. Wesley offers to take the baby to the park, but Lorne interrupts and introduces them to Kim and she sings for them with a sweet voice, but suddenly a demon takes over her face for a few seconds and then becomes human again. She cries in LorneÍs arms, ñCatchy finish, huh?î
Act I:
In the lobby, Kim is telling the crew about the rock band she joined, but Angel is acting incredibly jumpy and taking gulps from his red glass. Lorne met Kim a while back and put her on her true destiny, which is singing instead of finishing medical school. Fred is testing KimÍs blood while she explains that members in her band began to change ¿ the lead guitarist grew a seventh finger and the drummer grew a spiny thing on his back. Luckily, Wesley and Fred find that Kim is only infected and it can be remedied by taking a mystical antibiotic and based on her green saliva, the band members are actually Wraithers, demons that try to look like humans, but can only do so for a limited time before they change back. Kim gives them the location of the band, and Angel is over-enthusiastic about going and refuses to hear FredÍs plea of informing Cordy and Groo.
At HoltÍs headquarters, his followers are practicing their fighting skills on a chained up vampire as Justine corrects them. Justine is having doubts about killing actual humans, those that follow Angel, but Holtz convinces her otherwise. Wesley shows up and Holtz talks to him.
Behind Echo Park, Angel, Gunn and Fred crash in on the bandÍs practice, literally. The members are visibly half demon already and quickly attack. Fred guides two girl groupies outside, while Gunn and Angel take the band out. Our vamp with a soul enthusiastically rips off an arm from a demon much to GunnÍs surprise.
Back at HoltzÍs, Wesley tries to reason with the centuries old vampire hunter; Angelus is not Angel and vice versa, but Holtz plays on WesleyÍs fears and gives the ex-watcher one day to make his difficult decision.
At the Hyperion, Lorne is retelling a highlight from the infamous Rat Pack with ConnerÍs stuffed animals as the three return from fighting the Wraithers. Angel is unusually thirsty and jugs down a glass of blood and loses his temper with ConnerÍs crying, flinging his glass against the wall. Angel finally realizes something is up, ñWhatÍs wrong with me?î
Act II:
At the Hyperion, the crew discusses AngelÍs recent change and he admits that the latest blood he received from the butcher seems tastier than usual. Lorne suggests that someone spiked AngelÍs blood with something extra, which may explain his earlier actions. Fred quickly moves to find out by testing a sample of the blood.
Wesley is walking back to the Hyperion through a friendly neighborhood, but his senses have improved and he calls Justine out, who was following him. She wants to know about his devotion to Angel and each criticize the other for their differing loyalties but Wesley points out that Holtz is only after one thing: revenge. Wesley walks away seeing that Justine is just as faithful to Holtz as he is to Angel but Holtz, appearing behind her, startles her.
Back at the Hyperion, Fred checks the blood under a microscope and Gunn offers Angel the baby, but under the circumstances he refuses. Fred reveals the pigÍs blood was spiked as Angel realizes that it was tainted with human blood, that of ConnerÍs. AngelÍs vampire sense knew the blood belonged to Conner somehow. If Angel were fed enough of ConnerÍs blood then sooner or later heÍd want way more. ThereÍs only one person who would do such a sick thing.
Later, Lilah is at an upscale bar enjoying a drink. Looking into the mirror behind the bar, she turns and welcomes Angel, her senses have improved. She admits that feeding Angel his sonÍs blood is just another part of her job and he decides to make himself comfortable by taking a seat next to her. Angel tries to awaken a sense of decency in Lilah, but sheÍs so far gone thereÍs no turning back for the Evil-Lady Lawyer. Sahjhan pops up and throws a near jealous fit seeing Lilah so chummy with his sworn enemy but Angel doesnÍt remember Sahjhan at all. Angel puts it all together: Sahjhan brought Holtz back and when he didnÍt work fast enough, the demon went to Lilah. The dimension jumping demon leaves with a promise that Angel will pay, but for what, is not clear.
Wesley returns to the Hyperion and finds Conner alone and quickly gathers the babyÍs things as Lorne comes down with a heated baby bottle. Wesley explains that Angel knows heÍs taking the baby for the night so that they can enjoy the park in the morning. The baby is fussy and Wesley picks him up and hums a lullaby to calm him but quickly catches himself when he realizes that it was enough for Lorne to read him. He places the baby down and chases Lorne into the main office tackling the gifted singer. They struggle and end up behind the desk but Wesley finally knocks Lorne out with a statue to his head. Wesley quickly takes Conner and the packed bag, but before he can get away Angel enters and inquires about Sahjhan, seconds later Gunn and Fred arrive with food. The ex-watcher offers that there are better research materials at his apartment and finally takes Conner out into the night.
After leaving, Angel sadly realizes this is his first night without his son when Fred hears a moan coming from the main office. Before they can look into it, Holtz appears with his gang.
Act III:
Holtz and his gang surrounds the crew in the lobby, ñHowÍs fatherhood treating you?î Angel asks about Sahjhan, but the vampire hunter isnÍt forthcoming with much and after one of his men signals that ConnerÍs crib is empty a fight ensues as Holtz steps back. Inside the main office, Lorne finally stands up and throws an ear splitting high note that debilitates their opponents. Holtz slips out and the fight is over. Fred quickly calls Wesley, as Lorne walks into the lobby bruised and bleeding and with the bad news that Wesley visited Holtz twice without AngelÍs knowledge but doesnÍt understand why he would took the baby away, as in forever.
Across town, Wesley leaves his apartment with Conner and a suitcase, which he places inside his SUV, but before he can secure the baby, Justine stumbles a few yards away. Wesley pulls a gun on her, but realizes she has been beaten and puts the gun away and approaches her. Holtz broke his word and went after the baby with his gang and taught her a lesson after she questioned him. Wesley insists on taking her to a hospital, but Justine slices his throat with a knife before Wesley can defend himself and takes Connor. She drives away in his vehicle, while Wesley falls to the ground clutching his throat as blood fills his hand.
Act IV:
Back at the Hyperion, Fred finds that Wesley isnÍt responding to his pages, home phone or cell and this aggravates Angel. Lorne realizes that the men were just stalling to give Wesley time to get away. Angel needs to get to Holtz and his anger rises at the thought of Wesley working with Holtz, but Gunn warns him not to jump to conclusions. Angel manhandles Gunn and Fred breaks them up; instead Angel picks up one of the injured men and threatens his life. He spills HoltzÍs location and Angel takes his sword and runs out. Fred and Gunn know Angel is irrational and decide to go out and find Wesley.
Outside HoltzÍs home, Lilah and Wolfram & HartÍs special military unit have the parameter covered and have captured two of HoltzÍs men. The captain is given the location of Holtz via his earpiece and the group heads downtown to Spring Street near the 6th street Bridge. Unknown to the rest, Angel takes out two men and uses their vehicle to follow the others.
In a deserted back street, Justine stops to pick up Holtz and he greets his new son with a smile renaming him Stephen Franklin Thomas and reveals that their home will be a ranch in Utah as she resumes driving. A military hummer cuts off the SUV and it screeches to a halt, Justine jumps out and attacks Angel, which gives Holtz enough time to take Conner and threatens to snap his neck.
By this time, Lilah and her men have surrounded them, pointing automatic weapons and demands the baby. They are trapped in a stalemate, everyone wanting the baby alive and willing to kill him. Sahjhan appears and prefers the baby dead but Lilah double crosses him and wants the baby for the firm, not a big surprise. Angel wrestles a weapon away from one of the ops men and points it at Lilah. Angel faces a hard decision and orders Holtz to take the baby with him. The vampire hunter is only too happy and assures Angel that Conner will never know his father ever existed but this angers Sahjhan who opens a portal to a demon dimension to, ñthe darkest of the dark worldsî and threatens to open it wide enough to swallow everyone in the vicinity unless the baby dies. Lilah orders her men to kill the baby, but Holtz jumps through the portal with Connor in his arms. Angel tries to follow but the portal ejects a bolt of energy keeping him out. Sahjhan closes the portal and disappears. Lilah mumbles something about a mountain of paperwork, while Justine drives away in the SUV.
No one shows concern for Angel, lying on the ground in unimaginable pain staring at the once portal that swallowed his son. Tears blurring his eyes, Angel can only utter one word, ñConner!î
In his office, Wesley reads his final devastating notes and checks on Conner who is crying in his crib. Angel comes in with a glass of blood in his hand and chastises Wesley for not knowing what to do with a crying baby. Wesley doesnÍt look so good and Angel admits to having unusual energy the past few days. Angel takes Conner and walks into the garden where a young girl with a guitar is singing for Lorne. Back inside, Fred walks downstairs and is talking on a cell phone to Gunn as they meet together in the lobby and Wesley berates them on their misuse of office equipment. Wesley offers to take the baby to the park, but Lorne interrupts and introduces them to Kim and she sings for them with a sweet voice, but suddenly a demon takes over her face for a few seconds and then becomes human again. She cries in LorneÍs arms, ñCatchy finish, huh?î
In the lobby, Kim is telling the crew about the rock band she joined, but Angel is acting incredibly jumpy and taking gulps from his red glass. Lorne met Kim a while back and put her on her true destiny, which is singing instead of finishing medical school. Fred is testing KimÍs blood while she explains that members in her band began to change ¿ the lead guitarist grew a seventh finger and the drummer grew a spiny thing on his back. Luckily, Wesley and Fred find that Kim is only infected and it can be remedied by taking a mystical antibiotic and based on her green saliva, the band members are actually Wraithers, demons that try to look like humans, but can only do so for a limited time before they change back. Kim gives them the location of the band, and Angel is over-enthusiastic about going and refuses to hear FredÍs plea of informing Cordy and Groo.
At HoltÍs headquarters, his followers are practicing their fighting skills on a chained up vampire as Justine corrects them. Justine is having doubts about killing actual humans, those that follow Angel, but Holtz convinces her otherwise. Wesley shows up and Holtz talks to him.
At the Hyperion, the crew discusses AngelÍs recent change and he admits that the latest blood he received from the butcher seems tastier than usual. Lorne suggests that someone spiked AngelÍs blood with something extra, which may explain his earlier actions. Fred quickly moves to find out by testing a sample of the blood.
Later, Lilah is at an upscale bar enjoying a drink. Looking into the mirror behind the bar, she turns and welcomes Angel, her senses have improved. She admits that feeding Angel his sonÍs blood is just another part of her job and he decides to make himself comfortable by taking a seat next to her. Angel tries to awaken a sense of decency in Lilah, but sheÍs so far gone thereÍs no turning back for the Evil-Lady Lawyer. Sahjhan pops up and throws a near jealous fit seeing Lilah so chummy with his sworn enemy but Angel doesnÍt remember Sahjhan at all. Angel puts it all together: Sahjhan brought Holtz back and when he didnÍt work fast enough, the demon went to Lilah. The dimension jumping demon leaves with a promise that Angel will pay, but for what, is not clear.
Holtz and his gang surrounds the crew in the lobby, ñHowÍs fatherhood treating you?î Angel asks about Sahjhan, but the vampire hunter isnÍt forthcoming with much and after one of his men signals that ConnerÍs crib is empty a fight ensues as Holtz steps back. Inside the main office, Lorne finally stands up and throws an ear splitting high note that debilitates their opponents. Holtz slips out and the fight is over. Fred quickly calls Wesley, as Lorne walks into the lobby bruised and bleeding and with the bad news that Wesley visited Holtz twice without AngelÍs knowledge but doesnÍt understand why he would took the baby away, as in forever.
Back at the Hyperion, Fred finds that Wesley isnÍt responding to his pages, home phone or cell and this aggravates Angel. Lorne realizes that the men were just stalling to give Wesley time to get away. Angel needs to get to Holtz and his anger rises at the thought of Wesley working with Holtz, but Gunn warns him not to jump to conclusions. Angel manhandles Gunn and Fred breaks them up; instead Angel picks up one of the injured men and threatens his life. He spills HoltzÍs location and Angel takes his sword and runs out. Fred and Gunn know Angel is irrational and decide to go out and find Wesley.
In a deserted back street, Justine stops to pick up Holtz and he greets his new son with a smile renaming him Stephen Franklin Thomas and reveals that their home will be a ranch in Utah as she resumes driving. A military hummer cuts off the SUV and it screeches to a halt, Justine jumps out and attacks Angel, which gives Holtz enough time to take Conner and threatens to snap his neck.
No one shows concern for Angel, lying on the ground in unimaginable pain staring at the once portal that swallowed his son. Tears blurring his eyes, Angel can only utter one word, ñConner!î