Angel (1999–2004): Season 4, Episode 3 - The House Always Wins - full transcript

Angel, Fred and Gunn discover that Lorne is being held prisoner in a corrupt Las Vegas casino.

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NARRATOR:
Previously...

I thought I'd stop by and say
arrivederci, Angel hair.

I'm leaving for Vegas
tomorrow night.

ANGEL: You're really going?
- I'm really going.

I sort of need to talk to you in person.

I'm late. I'm late.

What you're being called to do
transcends love.

- You've become a higher being.
- Me?

I know somehow
it's all gonna be all right.

I need Cordy, now.

If I miracle ear anything, I'll send
a smoke signal. Take care...



...and make sure
Fluffy's getting enough love.

WESLEY: There is someone
who may know where Cordy is.

She is far from you, champion...

...and needs you no longer.
- I need her.

What you seek can only be found
inside the Axis of Pythia.

It's an ancient relic said to find
souls or entities across dimensions.

ANGEL: Entities like...
- Cordelia.

Do you think he found her?

There was all this light around her...

...and the light seemed
to be made up of pure joy.

Finally, I find her,
and I realize she already is home.

What are you, deficient?

Get me out of here!

[HEAVY BREATHING]



[GASPS]

Nothing human can move that fast.

What are you?

Don't know yet.

But I know what you are...

...and what to do with you.

- That'll do.
ANGEL: You talk too much.

Gives him time to...
Watch it.

Don't let him box you in.

That's it, Connor.
No, don't go toe-to-toe.

He's too big.

Faster than he looks.

Wait for an opening.

Stay sharp.

- You can do it.
CORDELIA: Of course he can do it.

ANGEL: That's it.
CORDELIA: He's his father's son.

Same dark good looks.

Same lost-boy sweetness.

And the broodiness, boy,
he's got that down stone-cold.

You really don 't have to worry
about him, Angel.

But maybe there is something you could
be worrying a little more about.

Like, for instance, me! Remember me...

...the one stuck in misty magic land
for, like, eternity?

You've gotta get me out of here,
Angel, please.

Help me!

[GRUNTING]

I know you're there, watching me.

Oh, my God!
Angel, you can hear me?

I so love you!
You don't know what it's been like.

FRED: We weren't spying.
CORDELIA: For crap 's sake.

CHARLES: Well, actually we were.
- Okay, we were.

It's just we've been
a little concerned about you.

Wondering where you've been skulking
off to these past few nights.

I'm not skulking.

You should go after him.
Talk to him if that's what you want.

FRED:
What exactly do you want, Angel?

I'm only asking because, well...

...you've been seeming
kind of distracted.

Like, maybe you're not
as ready as you think...

...to move on without
Connor and Cordy.

Frankly, when your head's
someplace else...

...we are into serious floundering.

You act like a guy with a clear agenda,
always on the move...

...but we don't know
where we're going.

Come on.

For instance.

FRED: Where are we going?
- On a little retreat, the three of us.

FRED:
Like a spiritual journey?

Whoa, you mean like that monastery
you went to in Tibet?

ANGEL:
Exactly.

The House Always Wins

CHARLES:
This is my kind of spiritual retreat.

ANGEL:
I thought we could use a getaway.

I haven't had a vacation in a while.

Not counting my recent ocean cruise.

Yeah, but the reason we're here
is to see Lorne, right?

Absolutely.

Maybe afterwards we can check out that
Danny Gans guy I see billboards for.

You mean, after Lorne reads you
to help you get back on your path?

Yeah, whatever.

Wow, this place sure has changed.

Get out. You never told me
you'd been to Vegas.

Yeah, a few times.

Been a while, though.

- Used to be dunes over there.
- Oh, man, it has been a while.

They tore down the Dunes
10 years ago.

Not the casino. I mean actual dunes.

Bugsy used to call them dung piles.

- Bugsy? Bugsy Siegel?
ANGEL: Yeah.

Not one with words, I know.

But the man hit a mean backhand
on the tennis court.

So, what do you guys wanna do first?

Well, the place Lorne is singing
is called the Tropicana.

The Tropicana? The Tropicana?

- That can't be right.
- Why not?

The Tropicana's a high-profile casino...

...not a low-key, out-of-the-way dive.

Looking the way Lorne does,
he'd have to go someplace...

...a little bit more,
you know, discreet.

How discreet exactly?

[CHEERING]

[LORNE SINGING]

No one seems bothered
by the fact he's a demon.

They must think it's all makeup...

...like the Blue Man Group.

You don't think the Blue Man Group...?

Only two of them.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

I've gotta tell you folks,
I gotta tell you...

...you are, by far, the kicking-est crowd
I've had the privilege...

...of performing for,
here at the Tropicana.

Yes! Yes, that's right.

Give it up for your sweet selves!

Whoo!

All right! Now, you know what,
just for you guys...

...I think it's time we cranked things
up a notch. What do you say?

Here you go, honey.

Maestro, give me some drums,
s'il vous plait.

[DRUMS PLAY]

Oh, that's it.
Paco, give me a little bass.

[BASS PLAYS]

Oh, merci, merci.

Now all I need is a little help
from my Lornettes.

Hey! Strut it, girls!

Hey! Let's see it, girls.
Come on, baby.

[SINGING]

[SCREAMS]

He's very good.

Here he comes.
He's gonna plotz when he sees us.

He better not stick
that damn mike in my face.

Come on, Charles, it's all in fun.
Besides, you have a nice voice.

Do it if you want.
I'm not in the mood...

- He's gone.
- What?

He just went right by.

Oh, well, good.

All right. Well, you're
just a tickle-me cutie.

- What's your name, peach pie?
- Vivian.

Well, it looks like you got
a celebration going on here.

Yeah, yeah, well,
a going-away party actually.

Going away? Honey, we just met.
Where you going?

Paris. I was just accepted
to a culinary school there.

Oh, well, isn't that great?

How about sending a little goodwill
to our chef of the future?

Oh, that's marvelous.
Thank you, honey.

And, Vivian, I've only got
one thing to say to you.

[SINGING]

FRED:
That was just wow, wasn't it?

I mean, the laser lights,
those Lornette girls.

And, hello, 30-piece orchestra.

But I don't know why he dissed us
during the sing-along.

It's just nice to be asked.

ANGEL:
I thought it was a little overproduced.

It's like I told Sammy Davis:

"When you and Frank and Dean are
the meal, you don't need trimmings."

- Hold up. You knew the Rat Pack?
- Know them?

No. I met them, once,
twice, for drinks.

Maybe it was three times.

You know, I did have a life
before you guys came along.

So do you know
what you're gonna sing?

- Sing?
- For Lorne, so he can read you.

We don't have to do that right away.
We just got here.

Hey, who's up for some blackjack?

- Hi! Hey, how are you?
- Lorne! Lorne, it's us!

- Will you sign my book?
- Hey, love you.

We love you too...

Wait, that was him being
superficial, wasn't it?

- Wait, wait. Hey, Lorne, wait.
- Hold it, pal.

Easy, okay?

- I know him. I want to say hello.
- You and everybody else, pal.

SPENCER: Your friends?
LORNE: Friends?

Oh, they're just some old fans of mine.

Oh, thanks, kitten. Thank you.

[KNOCKING]

Excuse me, Lorne,
I don't wanna disturb you...

...but I have to tell you that
that was...

[KISSES]

...brilliant.

You are...
Well, there just aren't words to...

Yes, genius.
That's what you are.

- A consummate...
- I'm kind of tired right now, Lee.

Oh, right, of course.
Who wouldn't be?

The show that you put on?

And you're out there,
giving 100, 150 percent.

Two hundred, easy.

And that is why you are the king, baby.
And I am just so lucky to have a talent...

...like yours headlining at my casino.

I don't wanna take up more
of your valuable time.

Yeah, can we just do this later?

Uh, gee, I'd love to, Lorne.

But you got another show to prepare for,
and I've got things to do.

Yeah, but later
would be just so much better.

[GLASS BREAKS]
[GROANS]

I think now is a good time.

Or should we pink-slip
another girl from your act?

[SIGHS]

LORNE: Guy in the striped tie,
down front on the end.

Two-term Nevada senatorship
in 12 years.

Green sweater boy, table 12.
Gonna write himself into a Pulitzer.

The girl over here in the blue.

Vivian, chef of the future.

Gonna have three five-star
restaurants in the next decade.

What else?

Um, that's it.

That's it. That's all.

Okay. Well, that's terrific.
You're a prince.

Now, if there's anything else
that my staff...

...can provide for your comfort,
just say the word.

Have a terrific second show.

No, I'm working late as well.
It's fine.

Sorry to disappoint,
Lilah, but I am not waiting...

...at the door with a scowl
and burnt pot roast.

Well, if your lot can have the world
destroyed by midnight...

[BEEPS]

Damn it, hold on.

Pryce here.

One minute.
Can Emil put all that together for me?

It's a pretty funky package.
Wouldn't be cheap.

I don't need it to be cheap.
I need it to work.

MAN: I suppose, yeah.
- Go.

Yes, I'll bloody well take
Angel's clients if he's out of town.

Call me back with the details
in 20 minutes.

Sorry, Lilah.

Midnight might not be...

Uh-huh.

Oh, you did?

That is my favorite pair.

Are you sitting at your desk?

Take them off.

Why are you still here?

No, not after your meeting, now.

Pretend you've dropped your pencil.

Very good.

Now.

Angel, sit down, relax,
play a few hands.

I don't get it. Lorne knows we're here.
Why hasn't he contacted us?

Maybe he was just tired
after his performance.

Maybe it's hard to see us
common folk from way up on high.

Huh?

Success.
Makes you forget the little people.

FRED:
Oh, I don't believe that. Not Lorne.

CHARLES: You saw the way
he dissed us. It happens.

Hit me.

WOMAN:
Congratulations.

I don't understand.

I won something?

A chance to play
Million Dollar Spin to Win.

It's an exclusive game here
at the casino as a promotion.

Wow, so I could win a million dollars?

Change your life.
Show the man over there your chip...

...and he'll admit you
into the game room.

Thank you.

- Excuse me.
- I'm not a waitress, sir.

ANGEL:
You were in the show with Lorne.

I was wondering if you could
get this note to him.

- I'm sorry, I can't do that.
- It's okay.

See, I'm an old friend of his,
and he'd want to know I was here.

If you could just get
this note to him for me...

...I'm sure he'd appreciate your help.

I know I would.

I'll see what I can do.

CORDELIA: You're picking up on it too,
aren 't you, Angel?

Something's wrong with those people.
They could probably use your help.

So that's got me wondering.

Where's that keen sense of perception
as far as I'm concerned, huh?

What, am I out of the range
of your super-vampire senses?

Angel!

MAN:
Blackjack. Congratulations.

- I'm feeling really bad about this.
- Well, don't feel guilty, babe.

If I had your head for numbers,
I'd be counting cards.

No. I mean about Lorne
acting weird with us.

The guy's on some old star trip, man.
Who needs him?

Angel does. I'm really
worried about him, Charles.

Okay, I know he was right
to send Connor away...

...but with Cordelia gone, the Loneliness
must be unbearable for him.

The man's had to bear a lot more
than that over the years.

So Lorne or no Lorne, I think this trip
is gonna do Angel a world of good.

- I hope so.
- He's gonna be fine.

Maybe you're right.

I wish we knew what
was going on with Lorne.

- Well, let's find out.
- What, now?

If it'll make my honey feel better,
put her mind at ease, my fun can wait.

It's because you're
out of chips, isn't it?

Yeah.

Where'd Angel go? He was standing
right there a second ago.

Wherever he is, I bet he's having
a lot better luck than me.

[GRUNTING]

You just don't give up, do you?

We don't cotton to stalkers
around here, freak.

Don't even think about
coming back to this casino...

...because we're gonna
remember your face.

Let me give you a few more
things to remember me by.

This place was so much friendlier
when the mob ran it.

ANGEL:
Sorry.

[CAR HORN HONKS]

MAN:
Idiot!

- You all right?
- Fine.

Where were you trying to go?

I ran out of quarters.

I need more quarters.

Have to play to win.

Man, heads of state
don't get this much security.

Something's feeling
a lot not right about this.

That's what I've been saying.
Only with better grammar.

Shall we find Angel?

We're never gonna get past bruisers
one and two over there without a fight.

Whoa, what's this?
He already got his drink.

Uh...

Yeah, he did. Right, I know.

They told me...
I mean, they sent me to...

Oh, I get it. It's a little preshow
diddle for the green guy, huh?

What?

Diddle? I'm what?

Oh, don't be nervous.
The demon, he doesn't bite.

Not with his mouth anyway.

Wait a minute.

You missed a couple of spots
on your neck and behind your ear.

You might want to fix that
before you go out on stage.

Oh, right.

Because... Because that would
have been really embarrassing.

[LORNE GRUNTS]
[FRED GASPS]

Oh, I'm sorry, peach pie.

I thought that you
just might have been...

Your diddle buddy?

My what-le what?

Oh, Fred? Winifred?

Oh, hallelujah!
Oh, sweet cheeks!

You don't know the hell
I've been through.

Uh-huh, it looks like real torture.

Yeah, well, it took you heroes
long enough to rescue me.

- Frankly, we weren't aware you needed...
- Uh, uh.

Rescuing.

- Weren't aware? I told you.
- When?

Every time you called me,
I kept asking about Fluffy.

I thought you were just using
some show business catch phrase...

...I wasn't hip enough to get.

- Who's Fluffy?
LORNE: Fluffy!

Fluffy the dog.
The dog you don't have.

The universally recognized code for,
"I'm being held prisoner! Send help!"

Oh, okay, I'm hip now.

Who's holding you prisoner?

Oh, the creep who owns this place,
Lee DeMarco.

He used to be some
second-rate lounge magician...

...until he got his hands on
something legitimately mystical.

Now he's a first-rate psychopath, and
he's using me to destroy people's lives.

Using you how?

There's this game.

MAN: I told you, you can't come in here.
This is a private game, by invitation only.

Sir, there is a game in progress.
You'll have to leave.

No. It's all right.

MAN:
But the wheel is already spinning.

I know. Let him play.

I'm not here to play games.

I wanna know what happened
to a girl here.

LEE:
We get a lot of girls in here.

Can you be more specific?

I don't think I need to be.
It's not just her, is it?

I'm sure I don't know
what you're talking about.

Maybe I can jog your memory
with a little...

MAN:
House wins.

Thank you for playing.

Compliments of the casino.

I invite you to take advantage
of our slot machines.

Good luck.

Thanks.

[FRED SCREAMS]

Oh, my God! It was horrible!

He attacked me with
these, um, laser beams...

...that shot out of his horns,
and he escaped!

He's gone!

There's no other way out.

Right.

No, because he went through some
sort of demon metamorphosis thing.

And he spit out his entire skeleton,
like... Like... Like, bleh!

Like that.

And then he just...
He slithered away, down the drain...

...in the sink, in the bathroom! Hurry!

Security One, we have a code green.
Repeat, code green.

- Someone wanna give me the low down?
LORNE: We're dead...

...if we don't get out of Dodge.
- Good enough.

MAN: Let us out of here.
LORNE: We need the big guns.

Where's Angel?

You're gonna wanna see this. This
is what we got from our party crasher...

...the demon's friend.

- A vampire?
- With a soul.

Well, now, this is interesting.

MAN:
Yes, sir.

Among other things, he's positioned
to be a major player in the apocalypse.

Was, you mean?

Have our brokers
get the word out on this...

...and you might want to put a call in
to that weirdo law firm in L.A.

[PHONE RINGS]

Mr. DeMarco's.

CHARLES:
Angel, where you been?

Here.

I was there before.
Now I'm here.

LORNE:
Company's coming.

Big bad's going down.
We gotta get Lorne out of here.

Think you can slow them down?

Okay.

Give me your car keys.
Hold them off as long as you can.

I'll get the car, pick you up at the end
of the block in front of the Nugget.

Okay.

Good luck.

- Where the hell are we?
- No, wrong exit. This is Glitter Gulch.

Which way's the car?

I think it's back this...

Never mind.

Go.

So this DeMarco guy's
destroying lives. How?

- By taking them.
- By killing people?

No, worse, muchacho.

He'd been using me to read
members of my audience.

Find those with what he calls
"valuable destinies."

Power, wealth, fame...

And then the ones I pick, they get
chosen to play this Spin to Win game.

Only it's no game.

It's a big scam-ola.

Then their destinies
are imprinted on the chips...

... and that old black magic wheel's
tricked out to never pay off.

House wins.

The house always wins...

...and everybody loses.

Their futures, their destinies.

They get offered up to an extremely
black global market...

... and sold to anyone willing to pay
big money to change his or her life.

FRED: Futures trading.
LORNE: Can't get any more literal.

What happens to them?
Those people?

Nothing.
Nothing happens to them or will.

They got no purpose, direction.

Unable to accomplish or succeed
at anything ever again.

Most never leave here.
Some never get out of the casino.

They sit there, shovelling coins into
slot machines that never pay off...

...like zombies or...
- Angel!

- They got him.
- Uh-oh.

- Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty big uh-oh.
- No, that uh-oh.

What now?

Now we do that
fighting-for-our-lives thing we do.

Yeah, or I do this.

[SINGS]

FRED:
That was brilliant, Lorne.

I may never hear my upper
registers again, but nice work.

Yeah, great work.
Like how you sold Angel out.

- Charles.
- DeMarco must've wet his pants...

...when you told what a ripe destiny
that was for the pickings.

A champion to save
the world or destroy it?

- You believe I'd do that?
CHARLES: I don't know.

I don't know why you did any of it.

You were living large, blaring
Tony Bennett so loud in that suite...

...you couldn't hear
your conscience screaming.

- Charles, it doesn't matter.
- It does to me.

I wanna know, Lorne,
why didn't you say no to...?

I did!

The first time he asked me to,
of course I refused.

So he blew a girl's brains out
right in front of me.

And he said that's what I could
expect every time I said no.

Sorry.

No more than I am, slick.

Okay, as soon as I find Angel,
I'm bringing him right out.

Leave the engine running,
in case they follow us.

- But...
- I'll be careful.

But what about his destiny?

Angel's? We can't leave
without getting it back.

Yeah, well, this is Vegas, sunshine.

Generally speaking, you lose here,
you don't get it back.

[SLOT MACHINE RINGING]

Angel.

- You know who I am, right?
- Gunn.

That's right. And I'm your friend.

I know. I'm not stupid.

Yeah, okay.
Angel, something's happened to you.

- Oh, I got two cherries.
- What?

Two cherries.
If I get another, I get my quarter back.

You can't, Angel. Listen to me.

There's been a casino heist,
only you're the heistee.

They jacked your destiny.

We got to fix it, but until then,
we got to get out of here.

I have to play to win.

- Game's over. We're going now.
- As a matter of fact, you're not.

Angel?

LEE:
Lorne. I am so relieved.

I was afraid that something terrible
might have happened to you.

Missing your second show like that.
All those poor, disappointed people.

All I could do was refund their money
and comp their rooms...

...for the inconvenience. And my, what
an inconvenience it was for all of us.

Yeah, yeah, okay, Lee. Okay,
white flag's up. You got me.

Grind your organ.
I'll be your monkey.

But you get nothing from me
if you hurt anyone else. I swear it.

Lorne, sweetie, you worry too much.

I promise, you will be
the only one hurting.

Your friends will be dead so quick
they won't feel a thing.

CORDELIA:
Oh, that's just great.

What's the point of being
an all-seeing, powerful...

...whatchamawhosit if I'm not
allowed to intervene?

My friends are gonna die.

I mean, what am I supposed to...?

Angel.

God, look what they've done to you.

If I could just get you in that room,
maybe...

Oh, think, bubblehead.

How do I...?

Huh?

[SLOT MACHINE RINGS]

MAN:
Got a winner.

Take them out in the desert
and shoot them.

Bring the demon.
I'd like him to watch.

SPENCER: Mr. DeMarco.
- Not now, Spencer.

Sir, we have a winner.

That's impossible.

SPENCER:
He's won a little over $300,000.

And a car.

Pretty good haul for somebody
with no destiny, huh?

What are you doing?

You, you, back on the phones.

And bring me that vampire, now!

Hi.

I want answers.

And they better be the right ones,
or you're dead.

I know this room.

Now, I'll start again.

How did you win on that slot machine?

I put a quarter in the slot,
and I pulled that little lever.

Are you playing games
with me, vampire?

I have to play to win.

It was a fluke.

A glitch in the machine.

There's nothing there.

Pay him his winnings in quarters
and take the others on their desert tour.

[GRUNTING]

FRED:
Leave him alone!

Angel!

What am I paying you for?
Shoot them!

No, no, no, no, no!
Maybe I went about this wrong.

We can still come to terms, right, kid?
I mean, it wasn't all bad here.

I mean, not all the time.
What's it gonna take?

A bigger suite? Fewer shows?
You got it. What do you say?

- Duck.
- No!

This room, there's something familiar.

Angel?

You're my friend, I know.
I'm not stupid.

Oh, now I remember that room.

Elvis and Priscilla's
wedding reception, 1967.

Yes!

All right. It's not like that I was,
you know, really invited.

They just put me near the dais.

I think somebody thought
I was in the band.

Probably because
I was all drunk and surly.

They had these little fried
peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

CHARLES: Okay, no more road trips
for at least six months.

FRED:
I can't wait for a nice, hot bath.

Hey, you okay?

ANGEL: Doesn't make sense,
winning on that slot machine.

Maybe DeMarco was right,
glitch in the machine.

Or maybe lady luck
was smiling down on you.

ANGEL:
Lady luck.

I don't know.

I just... I don't get why or how I was
able to fight when I had no reason to.

No destiny.

LORNE: Even without a flight plan,
you're still a stealth bomber.

You were fighting
for your friends' futures.

The people you love
are a part of your destiny.

Nobody can take that away,
not even you.

Listen, I got a lot more
insightful bon mots like that...

...but I've been in a car for five and
a half hours, and I gotta pee. Excuse me.

Hey, so that bath idea...

...maybe I can help with
one or two hard-to-reach spots.

Or three.

Okay, but three is where I draw the...

Cordelia?

Who are you people?

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