Not Fade Away

Plot

We're where the last episode left off. The gang have all agreed to help Angel destroy the circle. He says they can't take them all in one place, the circle is too powerful and would destroy them. They have to take them separately. He says they will move soon, but until then they have to keep fighting so the circle doesn't suspect anything. Gunn asks about Illyria and Angel isn't sure she can be trusted. They explain she's with Drogyn and Angel says Drogyn's dead, he killed him. Spike is angry and Angel punches him. They start to fight and Marcus comes in. Angel says he's just finishing. He kicks them out, telling Wesley Illyria is his responsibility. Marcus says he has a problem. He's been summoned by the circle.

The gang arrive at Spike's to find Illyria still unconscious. She wakens and tells them Marcus took Drogyn. Lorne says he took him straight to Angel and Angel has lost it. He says any of them could be next. Gunn says they aren't being monitored and Lorne says he isn't playing, he means it. He doesn't trust Angel. Gunn says they just have to hope the circle trusts him. Cut to the circle meeting and the archduke saying the insurrection of Angel's friends is worrying them. The archduke's minion gets tangled in Vail's tubes and Angel shoves the minion aside. The archduke says some of Angel's friends are the problem. Angel asks who missed the cut and Vail says they are interested in Wesley who seems intriguingly unstable. The senator says Gunn is not of interest to them. The archduke says he's not the big problem. Angel asks if it's Spike and the archduke says no, it's Angel. They are concerned he has hope in the Shanshu prophecy. They want him to sign away his chance at becoming human again. He agrees. The racquet ball demon stabs him with a pen, it has to be signed in blood. Angel signs.

Angel is in his office looking out the window. Harmony enters wondering where everybody is. He asks if she misses being human. She says part of her always knew life would end after high school. He says he doesn't remember what it was like. She says not so good. But she does remember her heart and how it would race when she kissed a boy for the first time. She says she knows something is happening and everyone is in on it except her. He says she's not part of it. She wants to help. He says he wants to pay a quiet visit to the archduke and she can keep Marcus occupied.

Angel is asking Lindsey to help him fight the circle. Lindsey says the demons are too strong. Angel says they used to rule the world and now they don't. Lindsey doubts that. Angel says he wants Lindsey because it's not what's expected. And if they succeed, there will be a power vacuum at Wolfram & Hart which Lindsey could fill. Lindsey asks what if they fail. Angel says Lindsey will talk his way out of it. Lindsey says he was talking about Angel. Angel says he hasn't been listening. Lindsey says he breezes out when Angel gets speechy. He says he's in. He wants to be there for the big fight.

Wesley is going for supplies to help Illyria. Angel enters, surprised to learn Marcus is the one who attacked Illyria. The others are surprised he didn't know. Angel says they will kill them all tonight. Angel tells them to take the rest of the day off. To live the day as if it is their last, because it likely is. Cut to Lorne stepping up to a mike in a club and singing. Angel goes to visit Connor. Spike is in a tough bar drinking for courage. Gunn is helping Anne move furniture to a shelter. He asks what would she do if none of it mattered, if things will never get better. She says she'd pack the truck. He helps.

Wesley is making medicine for Illyria. She is eager to help them and get revenge for her humiliation. She doesn't understand why he is with her and not going out. He says there is no perfect day for him. He says there's nothing he wants. She says he wants Fred and he says yes, if it were possible. She says she could become Fred, but he won't ask. He says the first lesson a watcher learns is to separate truth from illusion. He won't accept a lie. Cut to Spike reading his poetry. He's at a poetry slam. He does the poem we heard part of in Fool For Love. The crowd loves it. He goes on to a poem about his mother.

Connor and Angel are talking about Nina. Connor reveals he knows Angel is his father. He's grateful for what Angel did. He's applying for an internship and Angel offers to help with his resume. Lindsey and Eve are making out. She doesn't think Angel trusts him. He says Angel needs him and he'll play fair as long as they are on the same side. He says his task can't be tough since he's going in with Lorne. He tells her not to worry about Lorne's reading of her in A Hole in the World. He says he wants her to stay safe.

Angel is meeting with the gang. He says one of them will betray him. Spike volunteers, but Angel calls on Wesley. He says Vail expects Wesley to betray Angel and it will get him in the door. He tells Illyria that Izzerial (the racquet ball demon) and three other circle members dine together every night. He sends Gunn to take out the senator and her vampire aides. Spike is sent to retrieve the baby given to the fell brethren. He asks Lorne to back up Lindsey. Cut to Harmony in bed with Marcus telling him about Angel's secret plan.

The gang are setting out on their missions. Angel says to meet in the alley by the Hyperion after. Lorne says he'll do this last thing for him, for them, but then he's out. He won't meet them and they won't see him again and not to come look for him. Illyria tells Gunn to try not to die. Wesley and Angel lock eyes. Spike asks Angel what he thinks this means about the Shanshu prophecy. Angel says they won't survive.

Vail is dining with Wesley. Wesley says Angel is unpredictable and has a conscience. Vail says he makes a good case. We see an energy ball forming in Wesley's hand. Cut to Spike disguised as one of the brethren infiltrating their lair. Cut to the senator's office, Gunn enters and starts fighting her vampire aides. Cut to another demon lair and Lindsey bursting in. Cut to Izzerial and his friends getting into a car with Illyria standing in front.

Angel passes Harmony in the lobby and tells her to keep Marcus busy. He goes to his suite and gets a knife. Marcus enters. He knows he's going to see the archduke. He grabs Angel and tosses him out the window, he falls through the skylight below and into the lobby in front of Harmony. Harmony says Hamilton isn't her boyfriend and she didn't betray Angel. He tells her to drop the act. He always knew she would betray him. He says it's because she doesn't have a soul, she says she would if he had confidence in her. He tells her to get out, she's fired. She asks for a recommendation. He says there's one in the desk. She takes it. Marcus enters. She says may the best man win and leaves. They fight and Marcus sends him flying again. He mocks Angel and asks if he really thought he could kill the archduke. Angel says no, he's already killed him. Cut to the archduke dead, poisoned by drinking his minion's poisoned blood - Angel injected the poison when he shoved the minion in the meeting earlier. His intention was always to face off with Marcus.

Spike gets the baby and is attacked by the brethren. Lindsey is fighting demons. Wesley has knocked down Vail, but Vail successfully counter attacks. Marcus is getting ready to stake Angel, but Connor appears and knocks Marcus aside. He says he knew something was up when Angel visited. Gunn is fighting off vampires. He kills the senator and is confronted by even more vampires. Illyria walks away from the devastated car and the dead demons. Eve paces nervously. Lorne walks through demon blood and guts. Lindsey is washing the blood off his hands. He asks Lorne if he's heard from the rest of the team and Lorne says no. Lindsey says he really feels like part of the team. Lorne says that's today. He says this was Angel's plan. Lindsey offers to sing for him. Lorne says he's heard Lindsey sing. He pulls out a gun and shoots him. Lindsey is shocked that Lorne, not Angel, kills him. He falls dead. Lorne drops the gun and leaves.

Vail has Wesley at his mercy. Wesley tries to stab him, but fails. Vail stabs Wesley, mortally. Wesley unleashes an energy bolt which knocks Vail down. Illyria enters. She realizes Wesley is dying. He says it's good she came. She says she was concerned. She asks if he would like her to lie to him now. He says yes. She transforms into Fred. She says the pain will soon be over and they'll be together. He says he loves her and she says she loves him. He dies. Vail approaches and says Wesley's death was meaningless. Mockingly, he tells Fred to take her best shot. She transforms into Illyria and puts her fist through his head shattering it.

Marcus is doing well against both Connor and Angel. He tells Angel he can't be defeated. That the power of the Wolf, Ram, and Hart runs through his veins. That it is in his blood. Angel says he shouldn't have said that. He vamps and bites Marcus. Super powered, he kills Marcus. The building starts falling apart. He tells Connor to go home. He gets Eve and tells her Lindsey isn't coming for her. He says it's time to go. She says 'go where'.

Angel arrives in the alley. Spike is there. Gunn runs up. He's bleeding badly. Illyria drops in and says Wesley is dead. She says she has uncontrollable grief and wishes to do more violence. Spike says wishes are horses. A demon horde led by a dragon attack. Illyria says Gunn will last 10 minutes at most. He says lets make them memorable. Spike asks what the plan is. Angel says fight. Spike asks for specifics. Angel says he wants to slay the dragon. He says lets get to work.