Chapter 8

Ext: Night

A dark Los Angeles Street. Muffled sounds are heard, pan until the fight is visible. The two trade blows and the bigger of the two is getting the upper hand. She throws a punch but her hand is caught in a death grip of her opponent, he picks her up like a rag doll and tosses her against a brick wall. She falls down trying to catch her breath.

Vamp: You picked the wrong vampire, Slayer.

He starts to advance when he's stopped in his tracks.

Connor: Slayer huh? That sounds vaguely familiar.

The vamp spins to confront the intruder and is staked before his eyes can even focus.

Connor slips the stake into his back pocket and offers a hand to Buffy.

Buffy: (taking his hand slowly to stand) Where did you come from?

Connor: I was in the neighborhood.

Buffy: You might want to pick a different neighborhood next time Kid.

Connor: Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt your impending death at a bad time?

Buffy: Listen here...you know what? Forget it. I don't even have time.

She starts to walk away and he calls after her.

Connor: You're welcome!

Buffy scowls and keeps walking.

Buffy: (mumbling to herself) Thanks Xander. Not only do I get to deal with Angel, but I've got kids thinking I need their help now.

Connor: (from right behind her) What did you say?

Buffy startles and turns to find him inches from her. She looks past his shoulder to see the distance she's covered.

Buffy: How did you...?

Connor: You said Angel. Do you know him?

Buffy: It's no one you know. How did you hear me?

Connor: I got my hearing from my Father.

Buffy: And you're staking abilities?

Connor: Long story. So do you know my father?

Buffy: Father? Oh! Your father's name is Angel? (chuckles) Definitely not the same Angel.

She starts to walk again and he follows.

Connor: I guess it's just a coincidence. What are the odds that I would find a girl getting attacked by a vamp, who would be looking for Angel and that...wait, he called you Slayer?

Buffy: Listen, I really can't tell bedtime stories right now. Why don't you go find your Dad and ask him for one? I have to get to my friends. Ok?

Connor: Fine, you're a piece of work. I save your life, and you call me a kid. See, this is why I could never deal with this crap on a full time basis. I knew I shouldn't have come back. So what if no one answers at Wolfram and Hart? What business is it of mine? I'm in town for half an hour and....

Buffy: Did you just say Wolfram and Hart?

Connor: So now you want to talk to a kid? What do you know about it?

Buffy: I came to...what's your father's name again?

Connor: Angel. I thought we already covered this.

Buffy: You get your hearing from your father... (She's thinking out loud and obviously trying to make sense of it)

Connor: So you do know Angel? And you're a Slayer? (He pauses then seems to get it; he grabs her by the throat and picks her up, lifting her feet off the ground) What do you want with my father?

Buffy squirms slightly but mainly still just looks dumbfounded.

Buffy: Fath...Angel...your father...no.

She passes out and goes limp. Connor almost drops her but shifts her weight to begin carrying her down the street.

Connor: Great.

Cut to:

Interior-Angel's office

Everyone is still silent. Xander sits in a chair seemingly catatonic. Angel paces behind his desk. Lindsey and Eve sit on the window sill. Willow and Wesley watch the others.

Wesley: (clearing his throat) This is all speculation of course.

Willow: Thoroughly researched, educated, plausible speculation.

Xander: Does anyone have a barf bag?

Harmony: You are a barf bag Xander.

Lorne: Am I the only one still concerned with getting out of here in light of this new information?

Lindsey: I'm with you.

Lorne: Lovely. I've always wanted you on my team.

Willow: We have to figure out if the eyes and ears of this place know this.

Xander: What does it matter? The damage is done.

Wesley: It matters because we don't know if the senior partners have locked us all in here because they're working with Itley, or if Itley has already demonstrated his power by overriding the senior partners and using us as bait to bring Buffy to him.

Eve: Both scenarios spell death for all of us.

Xander: Thanks for the tip Twiggy.

Angel: We need everyone here on this.

Wesley: Gunn should be with us soon.

Willow: And Spike.

Angel: (looking around) Where's Illyria? Wesley?

Cut to Hall

Illyria: I used to play these games.

Spike: What game is that?

Illyria: Toying with humans, giving them hope, then tearing them apart slowly so I could enjoy it.

Spike: I had a few of those days myself. (sighs) Good times.

Illyria: You do miss it.

Spike: I have memories, but I much prefer my current outlook.

Illyria: We would have been good together.

Spike: Are you making a play Blue?

Illyria: A play? I do not understand.

Spike: Never mind.

He stops in front of a door and pushes against it.

Spike: I'm so over this.

A loud crackle is heard and Illyria covers her ears. Spike turns just as...

Angel: Spike, Gunn, get back to my office. Forget the exits, we need to talk.

Illyria: (lowering her hands) The one with the frown is in the walls.

Spike: (smirking) No, The one with the frown is on the intercom. Let's go.

Cut to Gunn striding into an elevator. He pushes the button and the doors close.

Voice: Didn't you read the sign?

Gunn looks around and sees no one but notices the sign above the doors, "In case of Emergency, use stairs"

Gunn: Is there some emergency I should know about?

Voice: Always the brave soldier.

Gunn: If you're going to do something, do it, otherwise, I really have to be somewhere.

With a crash, the ceiling collapses and Gunn is sucked up through the opening. He lands on the top of the elevator car struggling to see in the dark. Something hits him across the face and he straightens to reveal blood seeping from long catlike scratches down his cheek. He raises a hand to feel the damage and is knocked down from behind. He lands on all fours and spits a bit of blood.

Gunn: So you wanna play games? Hide and Seek the best you can come up with?

He stands slowly and is knocked backwards, barely managing to stay atop the car by grabbing onto the cables. The metal cuts into his hands and he grimaces. Another blow to the face drops him to one knee. More blood and scratches.

Gunn: It's sad you have to hide and can't face me like a...man? Demon? Beast?

Voice: I am all. Everything you've seen, it is all in me. A power you can not fathom.

Gunn: Let me guess. Itley.

Voice: Your usefulness has expired.

Gunn: Then let me just give you a heads up. If you want the quaking in the boots from everyone, you might want to think of a name that isn't 'little' in pig latin.

The car cables snap and Gunn begins the descent to his death.

Cut to Ext

Connor stands before Wolfram and Hart. Buffy moans and he sets her down on the curb.

Buffy: What the...?

Connor: For a Slayer, the fainting is a bit surprising.

Buffy: (gathering her surroundings) What? I mean, listen, that wasn't...you were choking me!

Connor: Whatever. You said you wanted Angel, here we are.

Buffy turns to look at the building. They both stare for a moment.

Buffy: (Without looking at Connor) Don't these things usually have doors?

Connor: As a rule.

Buffy: Sp probably not a good sign huh?

Connor: I'm thinking not.

Buffy: Any ideas?

Connor: Workin on it...

With that a loud crash shakes the street where they're standing and smoke billows towards them. When it clears a bit, they see a small hole in one corner of the building.

Buffy: New snazzy LA thing?

Connor: Wouldn't know.

Buffy: Wanna check it out?

Connor: After you?

Buffy: You don't talk much do you?

Connor: Not to Vampire Slayers. Just as a show of respect.

Buffy: Right...with your father being one and all.

Connor shrugs and Buffy smiles.

Buffy: I can not wait to hear this story.

They head towards the building.

Cut to Angel's office

Xander: What the hell was that?

Lorne: You might have answered your own question there.

Angel: Illyria. Wesley, I told you to watch her.

Spike: (Coming in the office) Wrong answer Captain.

Illyria follows him in.

Willow: Where's Gunn?

Spike: We didn't see him. What's with the earthquake?

Angel: Good question. Did you two find anything?

Spike: A lot of walls where doors used to be.

Illyria: Something is toying with us.

Lorne: Ya think?

Wesley: We need to find Gunn.

Lindsey: While you kids find all your playmates, I think Eve and I will get as far away from you as possible. Come on.

He begins to take her hand and suddenly they both slam against the window.

Willow: You will leave when I decide.

Eve: Witch.

Willow: Among other things.

Xander: What if it was Buffy?

Angel: What?

Xander: (standing up) Willow, you said Buffy was on her way, what if she's here and that thing took her over? What if she's trying to get in, to get us?

Wesley: It's a possibility I suppose.

Spike: Why would Buffy come after us? She's mad at you Xander. I for one would love to see Buffy.

Angel: I bet you would.

Willow: It's not her. Not yet anyway. Something is keeping us here, yes. But it is not Buffy.

Angel: So what do we do next Willow? You came all this way. I assume you have a plan.

Willow: My plan was to stop Xander from ruining lives. Unfortunately he's way too fast.

Xander: I didn't ruin anything!

Angel: Then we keep it busy.

Spike: What?

Angel: If this Itley is here and looking for Buffy, it has to come through us. If it wants to trap her, then maybe it won't notice us setting our own trap.

Wesley: What did you have in mind?

Angel: I say we run interference. Maybe if we give it enough to worry about, it will slip up, we separate, we wreak havoc and hope that one of us gets an opening.

Xander: An opening for what?

Willow: You'll know it when you see it. I like it, where do we start?

Angel: They don't want us to be able to stop what ever is happening outside this building, but how about if we help them remember what's in it?

Wesley: I'll take the lab.

Angel: Good, take her with you. (Wes takes Illyria and leaves the room) Lindsey, you want to get far away? Take Eve and go down to the basement, you like playing with curses and spells? Pull out all the stops. Fill this building with everything Wolfram and Hart ever asked you to secure.

Lindsey: You're in over your head. But if I'm going down, I'd be more than happy to take you with me. Let's go Eve.

Angel: Willow, can you stay here? What kinds of fun can you make happen?

Willow: (smiling) I think I can think of a few things.

Xander: Does it involve eyes of black? Cause Angel, you don't want to see Willows eyes of black trust me.

Angel: Then I guess you and Lorne can stay here and make sure she doesn't get carried away. Spike you're coming with me.

Spike: You really want to unleash bad together? Used to get us in some tough spots if I remember correctly.

Angel: Are you scared you can't handle it?

Spike: Don't make me guffaw.

Angel: Everyone knows what to do, good luck.

Lorne: Back at Ya Big Guy.

Xander: oh Boy.

Cut to Exterior

Buffy and Connor tear away enough debris to fit inside the hole. Buffy is the last to squeeze through and as soon as she does the wall seals behind them.

Connor: That can't be good.

Buffy: I'm going to kill him.

Connor: What?

Buffy: Xander...never mind. What is this thing?

Connor: A pile of metal?

Buffy: I see that much. But what did it used to be?

Connor: Elevator.

Buffy: Oh. I would have figured that out you know.

Connor: Maybe you can take the next one.

He points to what looks like blood dripping onto the ground. Buffy leans in for a closer look.

Buffy: Looks like we have our first casualty.

She pushes a large metal piece away from her and sees the exposed hand.

Buffy: poor guy. (She looks up) That can not be fun.

Connor straddles some twisted wreckage to look himself. He sees the hand and seems to get upset.

Connor: What are you waiting for? Help me!

Buffy helps push aside the rest of the debris and they stare down at the body lying unmoving.

Buffy: Do you know him?

Connor: Yes.

Buffy: I'm sorry.

Connor: He's not dead.

Buffy: He fell God knows how far and crashed into concrete at high speed. I think he's gone...what's your name by the way?

Connor: Connor. Gunn.

Buffy: Connor Gunn. That's interesting.

Connor: My name is Connor. His name is Gunn.

Buffy: Oh! Sorry.

Connor leans down to listen for breath. He hears nothing. He closes his eyes briefly and then pushes up using Gunn's chest as leverage. A sound escapes his lips and Connor looks back to see him move slightly.

Connor: Gunn! Help me get him out.

Buffy: I don't think we should do that Kid.

Connor: Whats wrong with you?

He sees her looking up and drops Gunn's arm to see what is above them. A black swirling mass hangs directly over them; Tendrils reach out towards Gunn and envelop Buffy and Connor. Connor tries to swat it away.

Buffy: It's not a mosquito.

Connor: Do you have a better idea?

Buffy: (ducking to evade being surrounded) We run.

Connor: Not without Gunn.

Buffy: He's hurt, we won't make it if we try and take him with us.

Connor: I'm not leaving him.

Buffy: What about Angel? Aren't you worried about him?

Connor: He can take care of himself.

A growl begins low in the walls until the black mist begins to lift.

Buffy: We have to move now.

Connor: You go. Find Angel, tell him I'm here, I can handle this.

Buffy: I don't know what's going on here, but you can't fight this.

Connor: Can you?

Buffy: More of a chance than you.

Connor: Then prove it.

Buffy looks at him for a minute and then shakes her head. She turns to run down a hallway and just as she rounds the corner, she hears Connor cry out in pain. She stumbles but forces herself to keep going.

Buffy: Stubborn, mule-headed, won't listen to anyone...(she stops dead in her tracks) Oh my God, he is his son.

Lindsay: Well lookie here....

Buffy looks up to see Lindsay and Eve standing in a doorway into the basement.

Eve: Just in time...

They smile at one another as Buffy looks on.