Conviction

 

The scene opens with a woman walking through a dark ally. Enter the snarling vampire looking for a snack. As the vampire comes toward the woman she backs off beginning to beg for her life. Cut to a dark figure leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Then landing with
Batman style in the all, Angel walks slowly towards the vampire "Doesn't sound like the lady's interested" he quips They begin trading blows and soon the vampire is dust. The woman is all confused so Angel tells her to "go home and stay outta dark alleys" as he walks off into the darkness.

His dramatic exit is hindered somewhat by the sudden appearance of five cars driving full throttle into the ally. What looks like a cop in full riot gear gets out introducing himself as Howser - Special Ops Unit followed by a smart looking lawyer. He gets out and begins to talk to Angel. Angel still in the dark asks "How ?" they found him "Tracking monitor in your lapel" comes the reply followed by the news that the vampire worked for one of his clients, but then a rather shell shocked Angel is reassured that it is his first week on the job so exceptions can be made. Angel and the woman her rescued are then asked for a photograph leading the woman to question if Angel's act of heroism was just a publicity stunt ?

Roll credits

Cut to a short clip of a school. Two boys are walking down the corridor and into class talking about comics "You have X-Men ?" as the bell goes.

Then back again to W&H post being wheeled along on a trolley. One brown package addressed to Angel stands out.

The camera then turns on to Fred and Wes who are looking rather lost. They have a short conversation about how big the building is, then Fred continues on in her rambling style to say that she has lost her "Ginormous" lab that has a machine that makes the sound "wumpa wumpa plluff"Enter Nox. Who after meeting Wes takes Fred to the lab she has lost. A basketball is suddenly fired at Wes by Gunn "You have to be quicker than that in this place" warns Gunn as he and Wes decide on which office they want. Gunn asking Wes if the "kung pow or whatever" will be ok. Wes corrects him with the right phrase "Feng Shui" as Gunn admits that he feels very out of place telling Wes "You got the mystical creds I just hit stuff"

Enter Lorne who seems totally at home on a mobile phone talking to a client and also giving out decorating tips to an assistant who is struggling to keep up with him.

Cue Angel in lift he steps out and looking more lost than Fred. He talks to Wes and Gunn as he recounts his brief stint in the ally the night before, and complains how "They put a tracer on me" Wes assures him that it won't happen again. They walk into Angel's (rather large) office to find a young woman sitting on Angel's desk. "My name is Eve" she says as she introduces herself then throws Angel a red shiny apple "Just to get over the irony" as she makes reference to the bible story where Eve gave Adam the apple from
the forbidden tree and got humans banned from the garden of Eden She is briefly questioned by both Wes and Angel who find out she is in contact with the Senior Partners and also makes reference that she's not all she seems to be. Apparently neither young OR a woman. After a short conversation on how to run W&H "To keep this business running you need to keep this business running" basically saying that Angel is going to have to let (at least some) of the evil carry on. Angel bites into the apple she gave him to show her he's not afraid and Eve leaves.

Cut to everyone going though the client files, it is obvious by all the sighing that they don't know where to start. Soon the gang one by one decided to go and turn in. Angel announces that he will have his secretary take care of it in the morning before saying "do I have a secretary ?" Soon the gang realise that they will need to check whole staff in case any of them are planning a mutiny "And here I was worrying about the clients" adds Wes as the all leave Angels office and everyone goes to bed. Gunn walks into his office and finds Eve "do you just not have an office of your own" he quips as Eve delivers some tantalizing cryptic messages "I can see why the Senior Partners picked you" then gives him a card and leaves but not before saying "you'll feel like a new man". Wes is standing in the doorway of his office and asks "what's did she mean" Gunn hold up the card "tailor" he replies

Its the next morning and Angel is still going through files. He looks at the brown envelope we saw on the trolley at the start of the episode and pushes it aside for later. He has some trouble with phone as he picks it up - "you have reached ritual sacrifice for goats press 1" after pressing some more numbers and more trouble with phone. Angels secretary comes in with a cup of blood and - "HARMONY ?!?!" And there is Harmony standing there "you're my secretary ?" asks Angel followed by asking for a reason why he shouldn't kill her. Angel continues to ask why Harmony is here "there're evil here, they don't judge" replies Harmony

She then tries to give Angel reasons why not to fire her - or kill her "and I type like a superhero if there was a superhero that's power was typing" Wes eventually walks in with the information on a problematic case and shows no sign of surprise when he sees Harmony. As he was the one who hired her thinking that familiar face was just what they needed "you turned evil allot faster than I thought you would" mutters. The conversation then turns to Cordy and it turns out that Harmony didn't know that she was in a coma. Harmony at first is like "is she gonna be ok ?" but quickly regains her vampire 'I don't care about anybody or anything' persona with "Anyway I really think you should not fire me"

The conversation turns to the case - Wes runs down the vital information "Corben Fries - 20 years for kidnapping pimping" but he is threatening to do something if he goes to jail. He admits he is guilty but brings up the fact that when Holland Manors was in charge it would have never got to trial, as he brings in allot of money to the firm "its strange my lack of incentive" replies Angel. Corben comes back with more threats and his Lawyer tells us that the "jury is tamper proof." so the case has to be won properly and if
he doesn't get off he will drop the bomb and “bye bye California” when he says the magic word. And the only ones standing will be the ones already dead "that’s a relief - I mean hey" ends Harmony

Lorne begins reading the staff's aura's as they murder some songs.....

Cut to the Lab, with Fred telling Nox the skinny on Lorne's power, and also that "I'm more the running away from things type" The phone rings and she picks it up confused on her title "Hi this is Fred, I..I mean practical science department this is the head...Fred...how may I help you ?"

The gang are now in Angel's office. Angel's is upset because he can't hit Corben "What I'm not allowed to hit people ?". Its a bomb but probably not an explosion which means its magic and or virus kind of thing. But any of the bomb could come from W&H. Angel tells them to see if W&H deals with virus's or mass destruction magic. They can't get hold of Gunn for some reason.
They have got the address for Spanky a freelance mystic that may be of use. "Can you get there by sewer ?" asks Fred "Not this time" Angel replies with a grin.

The lift opens and Angel steps out into a garage full of cars. He is spoiled for choic as he runs from one to another "Oh God they're so beautiful" as he doesn't know which one to pick. "Sir ?" its Howser who knows about Spanky and offers to go get him but Angel
insists on taking care of it. angel take care of it

Angel knocks on the door and Spanky opens it "Whad'ya you want ?" Angel says he's here fromW&H - on business.
Spanky then says "I'm gonna be upfront - I don't spank men" but figures because Angel is here from W&H its about a mystical job. Angel then asks about the job he did for Corben Fries. Spanky then tells Angel he built Corben a container that will hold anything you want in it and the container just holds it until the magic word is said by the desired person. Spanky suddenly gets rough and tries to render Angel unconscious by cutting of his air supply. And talking Angel though how he is doing it. Soon realising that Angel doesn't breathe "Vampire" he exclaims "Capital V" Angel replies then hits Spanky across the room with "i don't have a problem spanking men"

Cut to Gunn in a waiting room looking very bored. The door opens and a man that looks like a Doctor comes out. Gunn has been waiting for five hours reading out of date magazines. The Doctor asks if he is nervous then leads Gunn into a room with lots of weird machines "Nope definatly past nervous" The Doctor gives reference to Gunn's visit to the white room and Gunn says he wants to get things underway.

Fred and Nox are on a floor covered in papers. They have worked with Corben Fries before - Rat Poison and illegal pesticides. The researcher that was working on it was "fired....no wait...he was set on fire" The scientists were specialists on quick fire diseases. Fred backs away saying that Nox has helped in designing the diseases, but Nox replies with saying that they have contained more virus's than they have made. The phone rings again and Fred picks it up. Its news from Angel. Back to Spanky's apartment and Spanky is unconscious on the floor. Fred explains about the virus that could be spread by touch or even be airborne. And after a pause Angel tells Fred he knows where Spanky put the virus.

Cut to school the boy we saw at the start of the episode and the teacher says his name - Matthew Fries - Corbens son.

Gunn is strapped to a chair covered by wires and wearing a metal ring on his head. He seems to be in pain but when the Doctor stopped whatever he was doing Gunn askes if he has finished the Doctor shakes his head and Gunn tells him to get on with it.

Back to the W&H building where Fred and Wes are talking so far they have found no know antidote to the virus that is in the bomb and seem to be scrambling for ideas without killing Corben - which might also set it off. Fred and Wes realise that Angel seems to be taking it kind of personally. And seem to think that it might be the 'evil' building getting to them.

Angel is in his office and Eve reappears "Rough day at work ?". Angel can't believe that Corben took a lethal virus and stuck it in his son. The conversation turns to Connor and Eve knows about him. He is happy and well adjusted without any memories of Angel. Eve tells us that apparently Angel had the rest of the gang enchanted to forget about Connor. She is curious how Angel is going to play it. Angel says he will isolate the boy if he has too.

Cut to Fred and Nox in the lab. Nox is looking in a microscope and he tells Fred when she comes over that it is a retro virus spread by touch. Fred then begins to get angry when Nox doesn't have someone already looking for a cure. She then makes a big speech telling everyone that if they don't find a cure and soon that the whole city will die and she "will have the intense satisfaction that i am dieing with the only people in the world that actually deserve it"

Cut to the court room and Corben Fries lawyer is not doing well at all. Lorne is there and walks out of the courtroom and gets on his mobile to Angel and tells him that it would be a good idea to get the boy into isolation as the case is not going well at all. Angel asks how long and Lorne tells him that the defence is drawing it out but the Prosecution is still making mincemeat of them. The camera shifts to a black van parked outside. and the soldier guys are going to get the kid first after listening on Lone and Angels conversation. they are going to leave no survivors and no witnesses.

Angels office - Fred is still days away from finding a cure or removing the container from the boy. Wes asks if they can suspend the trial but Angel tells him that "its not going to happen" and then Angel sets off for the school Harmony comes in and tells him the Special Operations Unit already left for the school and that they would be needing cleaners - in other words a big job with lots of bodies.Back to School and the scene cuts to a class room then the black van.

The court. Wes comes in and asks Lorne how its doing. Corben turns round and gives wes a look that tells him that is not going well at all. Lorne asks if he has a plan Wes shows him a gun.

The van pulls up outside the school and they get out and sporting black special ops gear complete with guns the cover the hallway then after kicking down the classroom door and throwing in a smoke grenade they burst in and find Angel who says "It turns out with this new deal and all - i own a helicopter" with a smirk on his face. The Special Ops Unit just missed everybody and Angel tells him that he is SO fired. They fire on Angel he dives behind a desk and then they fight. Angel sporting some almost matrix style kicks.

Back to the courtroom and the judge is about end the hearing. Then the camera shifts and there is a man in a suit walking into the room as it moves up we see that is Gunn. Who asks the court for one more minute. Corben's lawyer introduces Charles Gunn who calls for a mis-trial, the judge asks on what grounds and Gunn replies with "You are" AS no judge should be allowed to stand in trial where there is a business colleague or employee. Gunn then approaches the bench and shows how the judge is related to Corben. He then spouts allot of legal talk and the Judge tells the council to see her in her chambers.

Back to the fight and Angel - in vampire mode is still kicking butt. Howser comes out pointing a gun at Angel. He knows it won't kill him but knows it will hurt. Angel tells him that he isn't part of the solution. Howser comes back with "Do you really think you can solve the problem" And effectively tells Angel that he will never be able to change W&H. Howser tells Angel that he may be trigger happy but he is pure and he believes in evil and that Angel is going to loose because they possess the most powerful thing in the
world - conviction. Angel tells him that there is one thing that is more powerful than conviction - mercy and with that kicks Howsers gun up so it is flat against his chest pointing at his head and it goes off as it goes off and kills him. The camera flicks to the blood on the wall and a beaten up solider asks "What happened to mercy" Angel replies "You just saw the last of it" and walks off

Back in Angels office and Eve is telling them that Gunn agreed to let them enhance his mind so he is a top notch lawyer. Fred asks why he didn't tell them and Gunn says its because they would freak and it is still him in there and he's not evil. Angel asks how does he know that they didn't put other things in there and Gunn says that he saw the man in the white room "who does allot of scary stuff but lying isn't one if them" Eve tells them that his degrees are all forged but he’s the "real deal" and he did save the day without resorting to violence then asks Angel how he did ? getting a stony faced reply.

Fred asks if this is going to be our life now and Angel says that W&H is a powerful weapon and they are going to learn how to use it - but meanwhile they are going to do the work our way one thing at a time as he picks up the brown envelope and opens it.
The pendant that he gave Buffy drops out onto the floor and begins to glow and dust begins to spurt out of it and turns into a swirling vortex and a figure can be seen appearing. A yell fills the room as he gets more and more clear then as he bends down struggling for breath the camera shifts up to Angel and Wes "SPIKE" the both growl then Harmony peaks round the door
"Blondie bear ?"

Roll credits.

Rating and Comments:
I found this episode be be very enjoyable. Introducing all the characters well into their new roles at Wolfram and Heart. Its many twists and turns ketp you guessing what would come next but still stayed on track with the storyline.
Rating: 10/10
Written By: Staff Writer - dragonfyre

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