Mary Beth's Synopsis

Previously on Angel, Angel met Wolfram & Hart lawyer Lindsey MacDonald, Lindsey hired Faith to kill Angel, Angel confronted Lindsey about it -- later perplexing Lindsey with his keen fashion sense. Angel met Gunn, a street vigilante vampire hunter and recruited him to help should the need arise.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the dark city, a street vendor sells toy soldiers to some kids who look entirely too young to be out this late, especially in this part of town. A blind woman (we can tell she's blind 'cuz of her entirely unsubtle dark glasses and cane) strolls along, and the vendor kindly gets the toys and things out of her way as she passes. In a warehouse-y type place presumably nearby, Angel's mid-fighty fighty with some nasty vampires. He does some dispatches of them fairly easily with his fighting skills, some good old fashioned ingenuity, and a pulley, before turning to head back home. He stops when he hears a moan from the direction of the door. A black man stumbles in clutching his bleeding gut, falls to the floor, and dies before Angel can get to him. Angel checks on the victim anyway, then rises and turns -- only to find the blind woman from earlier standing right behind him. She grabs him by the throat and throws him across the room and into the cement wall. Ouch. And pretty good aim for the sightless.

Angel tries to fight back, but she anticipates his every move, blocking him, ducking his blows, shoving him hard out of the way. She's going all Neo on him with her fighting (i.e., "She knows Kung Fu"). At one point, her glasses fall off and we see the whites of her eyes. And I mean white -- all white (except, of course, for the shadow of the actresses eyes, which we can see below the my-god-those-have-to-be-painful contact lenses she's wearing). Then, we catch a glimpse of her point of view -- all black except for swirling colors where Angel should be. She knocks Angel a good one -- through a wall that's just plastic and wood frame. By the time he recovers and comes back for more, she's gone.

~*~*~*~

Another day, another morning of research for Wesley and Cordy. Wesley is thoroughly frustrated with his volumes of demon lore. Lots of info. . . none of it on Angel's foe from the previous evening. Wesley even goes so far as to suppose Angel's discovered a new species. Cordy, who's Willowing away her time on the computer quips back "What? Helen Kellerus Homicidalus?" Hee! Wheel's turning, Wesley goes on to ponder if the woman is a demon at all. "Perhaps she's simply learned to hone her senses around her disability. Angel said it was is if she anticipated his actions before he carried them out." "A handy skill," Cordy remarks, "In a fight or on a date." She's so practical. She's also hacking her way into LAPD Online, where with a few keystrokes, she can find out if this person has a record. A close-up on the screen shows she's searching the "police crime & criminals database" -- a handy thing to have available to the public online, no? -- for "blind woman murder." She's come ups with Vanessa Brewer, born July 18, 1967 in San Francisco, 5'6", 133, no known associates, several arrests . . . . I'll unpause the screen now. Wesley is awed that Cordy has found her, but Cordy reminds him that they don't always have to search World of the Weird for their assailants. Normal people can be evil, too. Cordy exposits her rap sheet for us, er, I mean Wesley, even though he's reading over her shoulder now. Lots of crimes, no convictions. . . she was on bail when the previous evenings assault occurred. Three guesses as to who represents her.

In a courtroom, Vanessa sits meekly at the defendant's table as Lindsey MacDonald of Wolfram & Hart pleads passionately (as passionately as one can when he slurs his words) for the court's compassion for his client. While he drones on about how inconceivable it is that his poor, disabled client could commit such a crime, Angel waltzes through the doors, spots Brewer, and heaves something across the room at her. . . . which she instantly grabs in the air, without pause, without a turn of the head -- her sunglasses, left at the scene of the attack the night before. The court erupts and as the judge bangs his gavel for order, Lindsey turns to watch Angel rush back through the doors. Vanessa quietly puts her sunglasses back on.

Back at the offices, Wesley is in full research geeker mode. "She obviously doesn't see the way we do." Gee, Wes. Ya think? But, he acknowledges, she can see. He babbles on to the audience, er, Cordy, about the human eye and electromagnetic spectrums, while Angel returns (via sewers and elevator) to his office -- very glowery and grim. Or, more so than usual. Wesley supposes that Brewer can see outside the usual electromagnetic spectrum. . . . the audience, er, Cordy, interrupts with a big Who Cares how she sees? She does. Why harp on this at all? "Because," Angel interjects, "Wolfram & Hart is representing her pro bono. Which means she's probably still working for them."

At Wolfram & Hart, Lindsey watches from the reception area as Vanessa meets with a bunch of grey-haired suits (including Principal Willie DeWitt, from the days of Growing Pains!) in one of the conference rooms. Lee sidles up to Lindsey and sticks his head over his shoulder like a weaselly devil whispering in his ear. . . oh wait. That's basically what he is. He expresses amazement that Lindsey was able to get Vanessa off on all charges. He's impressed with his associates "devious legal maneuvering." Lindsey looks smug. They continue to watch as Vanessa talks to Willie. Now I can't decide if he reminds me of a weasel or a lizard. Anyway, Lee professes there's something "hot" about her. . .that he wouldn't say no, because he'd be too scared to (Something I have no trouble believing from this slimeball.)

Vanessa turns to look in Lindsey's direction and noticing this, his superior calls him over. Schmoozing and congratulating is had, then Vanessa grabs Lindsey's hand and thanks him, telling him "it's nice to see you again." She's definitely creepy. The partners escort her out and Lindsey's boss, whose name we finally learn later is Holland, asks to speak with him alone for a moment. The ominous music does nothing to ease the tension.

Over by the window, Lindsey takes in the view, while Holland commiserates on the creepiness that is Vanessa. Chit chat over, though, Holland joins the junior associate at the window and asks Lindsey if he's okay. "You look a little stressed," he tells him. Lindsey offers the proper subordinate answer of "I've been putting in the hours. . . " But Holland knows it's more than "the perspiration." "The inspiration" has been getting our boy down, too. Lindsey admits that he's made some poor decisions -- Faith, being one. Holland reassures him that they are happy with his success with Vanessa. And that "he's fond of him" and wants to see him do well. Lindsey is grateful, but before he can say more, Holland goes on to throw out more amusing double entendres about this being "harvest" time at the firm when they separate the winners from the "dead weight." And knowing W&H as we do, one has to wonder how dead that weight is. Holland tells Lindsey that his youth is his disadvantage. He hasn't had many choices or challenges yet, he's getting restless. Lindsey tries dissuade him, but Holland's on a mission. He's been there, he tells Lindsey. "It took me awhile to realize how the world was put together and where I belonged in it. And actually the world isn't that complicated. It's designed for those who know how to use it." Lindsey plays along with it. Holland jumps on him. "Don't give me that 'yes, sir' crap. I want you to think about these things." He tells Lindsey he won't be happy until he's found his place in the scheme of things. And with that, the lecture is over. He tell Lindsey that "I don't think she had a happy childhood." Suffering a little corporate whiplash, Lindsey has a hard time following. Holland's talking about Vanessa again. She's going to be doing another job for them soon, something particularly heinous. He wants Lindsey to construct an appropriate background that will get her off, a background involving child abuse. And he wants it done now. Lindsey wonders what she'll be doing. . . Holland tells him that she'll be taking care of some children arriving soon that pose a threat to W&H clients. "Is that too shocking," Holland wonders. Lindsey swallows his tongue (not literally) and goes along, but. . . is that a bit of doubt we see in his eyes?

Back at Angel Investigations, the reaction to Vanessa Brewer's acquittal is decidedly different -- and much worse on the poor phone Angel heaves across the room. Cordy and Wesley listen as he rails against the system -- about how he can't fight evil if they won't put it behind bars, how he can't play by their rules. He's feeling powerless, unable to do battle if he can't get into the ring. Wesley, thankfully, cuts him off before he can make more poor metaphorical examples. He insists that Angel does have a place; his battle "will be fought elsewhere." Planning on moving, Wes? Angel's not comforted. "It's their system," he mutters mostly to himself, "and it's one that works. It works because there's no guilt, there's no torment, no consequences. It's pure." His eyes are narrowing as if he's letting some rather deeply hidden feelings surface right now. "I remember what that was like. Sometimes I miss that clarity." Cordelia wants clarification, cuz Angel's wigging her out: "But. . . not the trying to kill your friends and family part, right?"

"Nothing ever changes," sighs Angel as he sinks to his chair, head in hands. About that time, something, of course, changes. Lindsey walks in all tussled hair and rumpled tie and declares "I need your help. I want out."

~*~*~*~

Angel closes the door to his office while Lindsey stands behind him. "You probably think this is some kind of trick," Lindsey mutters. Angel doesn't answer. Instead, he asks Lindsey if he's afraid of him. Lindsey replies that he's not. Angel counters that he's smelling a lot of fear -- "big, stinking mortal terror." So he doesn't think it's a trick. He does think it's a big joke. Lindsey says he doesn't want to be there, but he doesn't have a choice. Angel doesn't agree. "You always have a choice. You sold your soul for a fifth floor office and a company car."

"You think you've got me all figured out," Lindsey asks him. Angel says he knows everything he needs to. "What was your father?" Lindsey wonder. "A merchant, right? Linen and silk? Did pretty well. Had a couple of servants -- 'til you killed them." "Just the one," Angel replies, unfazed. Heh. Lindsey shrugs it off, saying their files aren't one hundred percent. He continues to present Angel and the viewers with his life story, whether we want it or not: "I guess it's fair to say you've never seen anything like real poverty. I'm talking dirt poor. No shoes, no toilet. Six of us kids in one room. And come flu season it was down to four. I was seven when they took the house. They just came right in and took it. And my daddy's bein' nice, you know? Joking with the bastards while he signs the deed. See we had a choice -- you got stepped on or you got to steppin'. And I swore to myself I wasn't goin' to be the guy standing there with a stupid grin on my face while my life got dribbled out . . ." Angel's chin falls off his hand. "Ooof. I nodded off. Did you get to the part where you're evil?" He asks. Hee!

Lindsey, thankfully, gets to the point -- Vanessa's got another job. This time to kill kids. Lindsey says he's done and seen some nasty things, but this is too much. Angel tries to get more info, but Lindsey doesn't have it. He only knows the job involves kids from overseas and will be done in a couple days. Anymore info will be at the firm, in files kept in a vault. Angel tells him to go back, but Lindsey balks. He can't go back. There's no way to get in. They're constantly watching. "Other companies have drug-testing, they have mind-readers." He's certain if he goes back, they'll kill him. Angel's feeling no pity. "That's what we call an acceptable risk." He thinks Lindsey's just panicking. That's not change, he says. "I get myself killed, that'll convince you I've changed?" Lindsey asks. Angel's reply? "It's a start."

A little later, the whole gang is plotting the infiltration of W&H. Lindsey (or Born Again Boy, as Cordy calls him *snerk*) says security is tight. He tells them where the vault is (near Boiler room) but doesn't have sewer access unless he "burns [his] way in." He can get in with Lindsey's pass, which Lin will leave downstairs for him. Cordy isn't happy Angel's going in at all, but no one's listening to her. Angel has to go in 'cuz the vault's guarded by a demon. Lindsey tells them what kind, and Wesley says he'll put together a battle plan, with weaknesses and such. They're feeling good about the plan when Lindsey remembers the Shamans -- demony things that W&H uses to sense when a vampire crosses the threshold. Angel says that won't be a problem. Cordy still worries about them (or rather, Angel) getting caught. Lindsey responds that "the righteous shall walk a thorny path." Born Again Boy is right.

Somewhere in the night. . . . Angel has found playing with his cool machine-stake-gun-thingy on the back of his truck. Obviously, the plan has already been laid out but we're not privy to what it is yet. Gunn says that "yeah, I can get a hold of one," but he wants to know why he should. Angel tells him its "in the interest of justice and maybe doing the right thing." Gunn's not interested in "some rich guy's heartbreak." Angel offers Gunn some advice in aiming his, heh, gun -- and when it helps out with the shot, Gunn asks Angel to "give me one good reason." Angel replies that "it will be extremely dangerous." That, dear readers, is music to Gunn's ears.

The next day, Lindsey arrives at W&H, places his badge on his pocket, and as nonchalantly as a guy trying to act nonchalant heads to the elevators and downstair so SL-27, er, sorry. Wrong show. SL-3. Meanwhile, Angel lights up a blowtorch in some shaft somewhere and gets busy with it. Down on SL-3, Lindsey walks along and is startled by Lilah exiting one of the records rooms. They make with some tension filled small talk, which Lilah probably figures is par for the course around that place. She says she's doing research -- only when she wants it done right. Lindsey agrees that he doesn't mind looking like an idiot unless it's because of someone else's mistakes. Lilah says she thought Lindsey never did his own research anymore. He asks that she not let it get around or "the amoebas" won't respect him anymore. Lilah seems to accept this and heads off. Lindsey waits until she's gone and then ducks back out of the room and on his way. Down the hall, he removes his badge and sticks it under a rail with some gum or something. Angel is done cutting through the wall from the sewer. He checks his watch and uses magnets to remove the metal hole. Lindsey heads back upstairs to the security office. In the sewer, Angel strips out of his overalls to reveal . . . *sigh* a three-piece suit underneath. He waits. In the security office, Lindsey talks with the main guy about some security mumbo jumbo. . . .and watches the monitor as we see someone enter the lobby.

It's Gunn. And he's in full performance mode. "Woo-hoo!! My God!" he shouts. "They told me it was true, but I didn't believe 'em. But damn, here it is! Evil white folks really *do* have a mecca." I love this guy. As Angel waits and Lindsey watches, Gunn continues with Diversion Technique #232: "Oww!" he yells, "Did you just step on my foot? Was that my foot you just stepped on? Are you assaulting me, up in this haven of justice!? Somebody get me a lawyer!" The security guards watch in some confusion of what to do. "Oh, I get it," Gunn continues, "You all can cater to the demon, cater to the dead, man, but what about the black man!" And with that, times up. He calls in his buds, who bring in a large carpet. At that instant, Angel jumps up through the hole and into the W&H building. . . and in the security office, the Shaman goes nuts. Vampire in the building! Well, yes, because Gunn and his buddies unroll the carpet to reveal a seriously confused and angry vamp. Gunn makes an exit, and the guards chase and dust the vamp (they have stakes inside their billy clubs.) Angel heads for the vault and encounters the demon Lindsey told him about. Before it can really get with the fighting, Angel reaches into his pocket and blows a powder in it's face. It freezes, and Angel pushes it over with one finger and a "thank you, Wesley." Angel enters the vault.

Upstairs, Lindsey heads out for the exits, but is interrupted by Lee wondering what's up. Lindsey brushes him off. In the vault, Angel finds the disks containing the files he needs and starts to leave. But he stops short at the site of a scroll on a pedestal. It seems to call to him -- but that could just be the heavenly choir music playing over the moment. He goes over and contemplates the thing for a minute before deciding to grab it, too. Of course, grabbing that sets off alarms. Loud ones. A gate starts down, but he manages to slide under it. Upstairs, Lindsey's cel rings. It's Angel, telling him to get out. Now. Angel makes his way back to his hole and into the sewers, home free. But Lindsey has more obstacles. Security guards make him nervous. He joins Lilah by the elevator where she tells him they're "a sweep" and she's never going to make her lunch. Lee's there, too. Yay. Lindsey stiffens as something at the end of the hall catches his eye. "What is it," Lee wants to know. "Mind readers," Lindsey replies.

~*~*~*~

Wolfram & Hart associates line up in one of the conference room. Lee is whining about how they could have at least been "memo-ed" about this. If I didn't before, I now officially hate him. I hate anyone who makes verbs out of nouns. Lilah points out that would negate the "random" part of "random mind readings" and then hops on the phone to her lunch date. I like Lilah. She's a cool sort of bitch. Holland walks around with these twin mind readers -- two black women with bad haircuts who sort of stare at each person then move on. They stare at Lee. They stare at Lindsey, and hold for quite some time. They stare at Lilah. They look back at Lindsey then go to talk to Holland. After a moment, Holland speaks: "Well, I have to say this is a shame. Just a shame. Whenever I hear of disloyalty, it hurts me. Hurts me greatly." He nods to a security guard, who moves in behind the associates, and then Holland continues, moving in toward Lindsey. "But this kind of thing must be dealt with quickly and cleanly." He's in Lindsey's face now. But then he moves over to Lee, who's not paying attention. "And. . . unambiguously. I'm sorry, Lee, I truly am." This catches Lee off guard. "What?" the weasel asks. "No!" Turns out Lee's been in secret talks with a rival firm. Lee tries to say he was just trying to make them think he wanted to talk, but Holland doesn't like any kind of disloyalty. The guard puts a gun to the back of Lee's head and cuts him off mid-rant. With a bullet to the head. All we see it the blood spatter on Lindsey's face. But still. Ew.

"Terminating an employee is never pleasant," Holland says before excusing everyone. . . except for Lindsey. Busted!

Angel returns to the office, worried about Lindsey. But Angel's not concerned. If he got out, he'll show up, if not, there's nothing they can do. He hands the disks to Cordy, and Wesley notices the scroll in the briefcase. He asks what it is. "I have no idea," Angel replies. Wes opens it up and reads a bit. It's in ancient Aramaic. Angel is not impressed. Or concerned. "Was there a reason you took this?" Wes asks. Angel says there was, but when pressed admits he doesn't really know why. Cordy, meanwhile, puts the disk in the zip drive and discovers the files are encrypted. Yay.

Back in the conference room, Lindsey takes a seat while some guards dispose of Lee. "Quite a pity. You can't get that out of the carpet," Holland bemoans. "Believe me, we've tried." That's comforting. One guard remains behind as Holland sits across from Lindsey. "Are you afraid?" Holland asks. He knows Lindsey has betrayed the firm by helping an enemy that's given them lots of grief, stolen files, tried to sabotage an important case, and then actually lied about it! The nerve. Holland asks if he actually believed he'd get away with it. Lindsey starts to speak, but Holland tells him this is a delicate moment. One word and the guard will add Lindsey's blood to Lee's stain. Lindsey says "I don't want to lie. I didn't want to betray you. I just wanted out." Holland seems to appreciate this answer. "Then you're in a crisis. A crisis of faith." He goes on about achieving clarity of self once one's found his place in the world. "It's no mean feat," he says. "Since most men are cowards who just move with the crowd. But very few make their own destinies. They have the courage of their convictions, and they know how to behave in a crisis."

"Like now," Lindsey answers. Yes. Holland knows that Lindsey has what it takes to succeed at W&H -- drive, ambition, and excellence -- but he doesn't know where he belongs. And until he does, there are important questions to be answered. . . .the first being does Holland nod to the guard behind him. But no, not this time. Because Holland thinks Lindsey needs some time to think . . . and achieve clarity. He's sure once he has that time, Lindsey will do the right thing.

Lindsey is stunned. "I can go?" Holland confirms this. As Lindsey rises, Holland tells him he believes in him.

In the Angel offices, Cordelia is consulting the master -- Willow herself -- for help with the encrypted files. Angel looks bored. Wesley shows up with coffee and asks about progress. "She's been on the phone for an hour and 45 minutes. Cordy interrupts the call to say "Hey, guess what they've been doing all day." Wesley guesses saving the world. "Well, yeah!" Cordy answers. "But they've been breaking encrypted computer files, too." Angel is shocked, "What are the odds, huh?" Back on the phone, Cordy tells Willow it's "just Wesley" then holds up a finger. Is this the answer? "Uh-huh. uh-huh. Uh-huh. Okay." she puts her hand over the receiver to tell them that "Willow says 'Hey.'" They're thrilled. But a few more keystrokes and Cordelia's in. She hangs up and they start surfing. They find Vanessa's file -- she wasn't born blind, but lost her sight at 21, by her own hand. She did it herself and she's studied all kinds of stuff with cave dwelling monks to achieve "enlightenment" so she could be the perfect killer. Or something. It makes her more sensitive to her surroundings than a sighted person -- which, isn't that par for the course with someone who loses a sense? Anyway. . . this makes her tough to beat. Moving on, they find info on her current assignment-- the children. These kids, found in 3 separate remote locations and coming together here for the first time -- form a holy triumvirate with the power to see into the hearts of things. They're blind, too. And as they mature, so will they're power. Which, Lindsey says from the doorway, makes them a real threat to Wolfram & Hart. He apologizes for being late. Cordy tells him they just figured he was dead. Angel asks if he made it out okay, Lindsey brushes this off with a "yeah" and focuses on the job -- they only have so much time "before they discover which files are missing." So he doesn't tell them he was found out. Interesting.

Wesley tells them the kids are in a safe house waiting for their mentor to arrive. Angel tells Wes & Cordy to intercept the mentor and keep him away from the house. He and Lindsey will go for the kids and bring them to him.

At the safe house, an older gentleman brings snacks to the children -- hot cocoa, fruit, and sandwiches. He leaves to return to the kitchen and meets with a pointy object to the chest. It's Vanessa and her cane. He falls to the floor dead. The children, er, don't look on as Vanessa enters the room, ready to kill.

~*~*~*~

Long story short, big actiony sequence ensues. Long story long, Angel arrives to stop Vanessa, grabbing her so Lindsey can get the kids out. She shoves Angel to the ground though, and takes on Lindsey. . . who is a pathetic fighter and she takes him down easily. Angel jumps back up and takes her own, basically matching her blows at first, now that he's prepared for her, but she gets the upper hand eventually. We see her point of view a few more times -- all black with blurry colorful images where Angel is. Lindsey, bless him, tries again, but she knocks him down again. She does for the kids with the cane, but again senses Angel behind her and knocks him back. She throws him across the room and he lands on the floor beneath her. Still.

Angel watches from the floor as Vanessa searches for him. . . and he finally realizes that what she senses is movement. He holds still, something much easier for a deadguy to do, I'd think, until she turns her back. He jumps up and then freezes again before she can turn and find him. She makes a few swipes at the air with her cane, unsure. He waits again . . . then charges at her head on, knocking her back and freezing again. She jumps up and can't find him. He zips across the room behind her and freezes, arm cocked back, ready to punch. She swipes at the air once more, until he attacks. This continues a few more times, until he finally stands right in front of her, grabs her cane, and stabs her in the stomach with it. It was a pretty cool fight.

Later, Wesley finds Angel at his desk. . . brooding. Wesley tells him the kids are with their mentor. "Good," Angel replies. "They have an important role to play," Wesley tells him, then holds up the scroll Angel found at W&H. He believes that scroll is how W&H knew about them. "You know what it is?" Angel asks. "If I'm right," Wesley answers. "The Prophecies of Aubergion. For centuries thought lost." He's translated some of the text, which mentions the children. But it also told him why Angel was drawn to it. "There's an entire passage about you. It doesn't call you by name," he continues, "but it tells of a vampire with a soul." This doesn't surprise Angel. "But you said you didn't know what it was," Wesley says. But somehow he did. Wesley reassures him that "there is a design, Angel -- hidden in the chaos as it may be. But it's there. And you have your place in it."

At Wolfram & Hart, Lindsey returns to Holland's office, to find the old man packing up his office. Lindsey apologizes, saying he did what he had to. "To save the children," Holland finishes for him. "How noble." Lindsey returns the Wolfram & Hart files, save a few things he copied or kept for himself -- as insurance so he could be safe. "What does safe mean to you?" Holland asks. "Not being at war with Wolfram & Hart," Lindsey responds. "Having my own life." Holland is disappointed. He tells his protege that no one has is own life. "We're all part of something larger." Like Wolfram & Hart, Lindsey responds. "I hand-picked you when you were a sophomore at Hastings," Holland laments. "Not because you were smart. Not because you were a poor kid. . ." but because he had potential. For seeing things as they are. "It's not about good or evil. It's about who wields the most power," Holland tells him. Lindsey tries to break in, but Holland asks him why he came back. "To return some disks? Take a moral stand? I don't think so. You walked in that door and called me by my first name. You never did that before. You wouldn't have had the nerve. But you're different now. You stood up to us and won. Do you know how many people have that much nerve? I can count them on one hand. I need people like that working for us." Lindsey is taken aback that Holland is offering him his job back. But Holland isn't . . . he's offering him a new job, a permanent one "with a thundering raise and ungodly benefits." Lindsey can even have his office because Holland is "going upstairs." And I can't help but think that should be downstairs. . . . "What I'm offering you, Lindsey, is the world. Now I know you pretty well, and I'm betting you're going to take it."

With that, Holland takes his belongings and heads for the door. "You may not know me was well as you think you do," Lindsey calls. "As I've been trying to tell you," Holland responds, "that's a decision each person has to make for himself. If you want it, it's yours. If you don't, walk out this door. I'm going upstairs now." Holland leaves and Lindsey pauses for a moment, then walks to the doors, shuts them and moves to the desk. Running his hands along it, he sits and takes in his new surroundings before taking his phone off the hook and spinning his chair around to take in the city behind him. Out in the night, Angel watches over his town.

Lizbet's Review

Bear in mind that this review is being written mid-second season, long after we've known much more about Lindsey.  That said... gah gah gah.  How on earth was I missing such an attractive man, just because he hadn't had anything interesting to do yet?

Putting aside the hormones for a moment, this is a knock-out ep, swinging in a far different direction than anyone would have expected.  The cliché of bad guy gone good would have failed if Lindsey had started a Whole New Life based on this episode... but that doesn't mean I wasn't clinging to my chair, begging him to walk away from the promotion.  This episode was cool moment built on cool moment; everything with Lindsey at the office, especially the line-up mind read, the moment when we think Lindsey's caught, the moment when they kill Lee, and then Holland reveals that yes, he does know what Lindsey's up to.  Lindsey with Angel Investigations was also wonderful; uncomfortable, knowing he was hated, and yet hitting the one thing he refused to do.

SunSpeak

"Okay, I came in late to Blind Date, and watched the ending first. But I think Angel & Co. missed out on a prime opportunity here, and maybe missed the point of their 'saving souls' mission too. Lindsay, who I've been hating as a squirrely worm for the last few months, was definitely on the fence there after finding out about the potential child murders. Everyone's got a sticking point, and that one was his. He wanted out *bad*. The problem was, he wasn't given any reason beyond his own conscience to stay on the side of good, and when tempted he slid back into a slot that was comfy and warm and came with a window view, because he didn't have any other plans thought out. Angel Investigations' complete lack of caring whether he lived or died struck me as kind of cold. Hey, I didn't like the guy either but they could have at least exhibited some *minor* sense that his survival might have been a good thing. Angel was freaking about W&H's being in 'another reality' --- that of the court rooms, a place where he doesn't have the expertise or clout to fight them well--- and if he'd worked at it, he could've turned Lindsay into a useful ally. Instead, Angel let his dislike of the guy overwhelm the fact that he *was* doing the right thing, and might have gone on to keep doing the right thing if encouraged. Too bad no one in the office saw it that way--- they saw 'scared weasel trying to escape', without giving him any credit for how hard it was to even attempt to break free from W&H. If they had, maybe he wouldn't have gone back to them." -- Kiki

I have to agree with you. After I stopped moaning that I didn't want to have to care about the snake, I kept feeling the same thing as you said. They *should* have tried to encourage Lindsay to stay good, but it was more believable as it was played out, at least to me. Angel is feeling incredibly frustrated at *everything* (we can probably add mixed feeling about Buffy into this mix--he loves her & in a way it was easier for him to leave than for him to know and see that she now loves someone else, while for him, she'll always be the only.), and finding out the person who killed someone right in front of him just got off (actually this whole senario just hit a bit of Highlander for me--Duncan & Richie witness a murder and can't testify, which frustrates Richie to no end) and then having the sleeze who got the murdress off just waltz in is a bit much to deal rationally with. And remember, this sleezoid also was in on many multiple murders (in the first ep alone!) so I think cutting him some slack was probably realistically *not* gonna happen anytime soon. I also am thinking that maybe an undercurrent plot for next season is maybe the gradual de-sleezing of Lindsay, and possible his ultimately becoming a good person and helping the helpless, only from a lawyery stand point. Then again, maybe he'll just go completely Darksider. *g*" -- Julie

"I was disappointed in Angel too, especially after he so recently extended SO much benefit of the doubt to Faith. Then again, he knew Faith before she tried to become Ultimate Evil Chick, and he knew how phony her badness really was. Lindsay has been too cold--and too damn *convincing*--too many times to easily buy it. Angel was absolutely right about one thing: waking up and saying "I can't believe I let it get this bad" is one thing, doing something about it quite another. Unfortunately, I think he failed to understand how much of a risk Lindsay took just by walking through their door."
"What I so passionately loved about this episode is that I agree with the above -- Angel fell down on the job. He's *not* perfect, he isn't going to be perfectly supportive to everyone. He identified very strongly with Faith, and was willing to stand up for her to the love of his life. But Lindsey he couldn't identify with, and so Lindsey remained something smelly on the bottom of his shoe. Doyle told him he'd have to start caring about the people of the world -- and he has. The ones who demonstrably deserve it, or the ones he can connect with. But his "blind" spot on Lindsey is a flaw that makes it much more interesting." -- Val & Lizbet

"As for missing the opportunity...I dunno. On the one hand, I see where a little more of a helping hand might not have come amiss. But on the other, I can see Angel's point that Lindsay's own conscience *should* be enough. That's the only way Angel can trust in a person's change. It certainly makes sense in light of his own experience; and I can see where it's difficult for him to really grasp that when the conscience has been there all along and just suppressed, it just isn't *going* to pack the same kind of massive wallop as having it slammed back into your body after a nice century-long vacation in the ether. I'm also not sure he really grasps how persuasive the W&H higher-ups can be." --Val

"I do think Angel racked up some trust-investment points by risking his own ass on Lindsay's plan, and that went at least some of the way toward making up for the subzero initial reception. But he's no believer in making things easier on people in these matters; and I can't decide whether I think he would be doing Lindsay any favors that way or not." -- Val

"I honestly don't think Lindsay knows what the hell he's doing. His face as he sat down at the desk wasn't that of a man who's made a decision. It was a man trying to figure out what the hell his next move should be. I choose to believe that means that there is hope for him. Of course, it doesn't help that I fell rather desperately in love with him about halfway through teh first act. The fact that, to my taste, he's drop dead gorgeous, aside, the second he started actually thinking and feeling, rather than just wandering past the whole right/wrong thing with eyes averted, you started being able to see the potential. I wasn't any more impressed with the poor-boy speech than Angel was. What impressed me was that, when he found his sticking point, the thing horrible enough to make him blink, he actually opened his eyes and looked, instead of squeezing them further shut and running off. Not an easy thing to d, especially when your entire envirnment tells you to do the opposite. He gave in to pressure at the end, yes, but, as Val and Lizbet have said, he had no other influences other than his own conscience to to get himt o bend any other way. But his own conscience was enough once; maybe it will be again. Damn, I hope so. I don't want to end anymore episodes crying into my pillow." -- Perri

"In the meantime, I'm not giving up on Lindsay. I *knew* he was going to still be on the inside of those doors when he closed them, and my gut still twisted when he did it. By accepting the new position, he's put himself in a vastly harder place to escape from, and he knows it. He may think for the moment he's resigning himself to putting his conscience out of commission permanently, and he may be right. But I don't think *he* knows himself any better than the senior partner guy, either. He knows he'd have the life expectancy of a sand flea as a double agent, especially now that they'll be keeping an extra eye on him; but he will also be able to do them far more damage when and if the time comes."
"Oh, yeah. I can forsee this going a lot of ways, many of them very, very messy. One comment: Well, Cordy's always wanted to date a lawyer, right? This one is quite scrumpcious. *g* But his moral ambiguity, not all-bad and all-good is going to make me want to see him. Lots."
"What she said. To the word. *g* I actually thought the same thing about Cordy; she'd be excellent for him, of course, kicking his butt back onto the straight and narrow on a regular basis. And I get the feeling there's a really good guy under all of the crap, if he can just find something to hold onto to haul himself out. And a reason to want to. Damn it, Angel, it was too much to say "Thank you"?!?" --Val, Lizbet, & Perri

"*Awesome* episode; Angel is really hitting its stride." -- Perri