aired on: October 19, 1999

written by: Douglas Petrie

directed by: Bruce Seth Green

As Angel Investigations takes on its first paying client, an old friend of Angel's is back in town - Spike. And Spike being Spike, he's got a plan cooking.
Oz has also made a little trip to L.A., and he stops by the office. He came to town primarily for a gig, but also to give Angel something Buffy wanted him to have - the Gem of Amara. This gem, set in a ring, renders the wearer 100% unkillable, if he's a vampire. Spike dug up Sunnydale looking for it, but as Oz explains, he "got a fistful of Buffy" instead and left it behind. Buffy wanted to be sure it was in good hands, so she sent it with Oz to give to Angel.

Doyle, Cordelia and Oz head off to have a drink at the pub, but Angel stays behind. And instead of putting on the ring, he hides it, under a brick in a sewer tunnel outside his apartment.

Later, Angel takes a call from Rachel, the first client, and leaves his apartment to help her, but as he heads to his car, he's greeted by a two-by-four to the head, wielded by Spike. Spike, of course, wants the ring, but Angel's not about to give it up. Though Spike has the weapon, Angel wins this battle; Doyle and Cordelia show to see Spike down for the count. But Spike won't go away easily, and Angel, concerned that Spike is out for blood, sends Doyle and Cordelia to stay at Doyle's place, just to be safe. There, Doyle starts calling up everyone in his phone book, trying to track down Spike. Doyle gets a lead, and Angel goes to check it out.

The lead leads Angel to Spike, and Angel chases him down. But Spike's got a friend along - a friend with a chain-link lasso, which is soon around Angel's neck. Spike and his vampire friend, Marcus, take Angel to an abandoned warehouse, where they hang him by his arms and prepare to torture him. Marcus, a torture expert, goes to work, driving hot pokers through Angel's body.

Spike, meanwhile, heads to Angel's place to look for the ring, and Doyle and Cordelia find him there. Spike tells them Angel's being tortured, and that as stubborn as he is, he might die before he gives up the ring. If they find the ring and give it to him, he'll let Angel go - they have until sundown to save him.

Doyle and Cordelia search Angel's apartment for the ring, to no avail. Then it hits them - he's probably buried it in the sewer tunnels where he gets around during the day. Using his half-human, half-demon sixth sense, Doyle sniffs out the ring. But they don't want to just give it to Spike. They need a plan.

They tell Spike that the ring isn't on them, but they know where it is. Once they see that Angel's alive, they'll give up the ring.

Spike leads them to his little house of pain to show them that Angel's still alive, and demands the ring. Doyle tosses it on the floor, and demands that Angel be set free. But that was never part of Spike's plan. Fortunately for Angel, Oz is in town - he busts into the warehouse in his van, Doyle and Cordelia help Angel down, and they all drive away. Spike, frustrated, looks for the ring, but finds it gone as well. Marcus has picked it up, and he's enjoying its benefits with a walk in the sunlight. Spike is not a happy vamp.

As the van drives away, everyone is worried about Angel - except Angel. He's worried about Marcus. Oz turns the van around, and heads for the beach. There Marcus is stalking a pack of Cub Scouts. Oz rams him with the van, but he gets up. Then he shoots him with a crossbow. Marcus pulls out the arrow. After all, he's got the ring. Then Angel steps in. He jumps from the van into the sunlight, bursting into flame. But he tackles Marcus, and they both dive into the ocean. They surface, and in the shade of a pier, a fierce battle begins. When Angel impales Marcus on a rusty beam, it's Marcus who's being tortured. Angel slides the ring from his finger, and Marcus turns to dust. Placing the ring on his own finger, Angel walks out from under the pier and into the daylight, the first he's known in 200 years.

But Angel's not going to wear the ring. He knows was brought back for a reason - to help the people who need help in the night. He's enjoyed his day in the sunlight, but he has a mission. He crushes the ring, destroying the Gem of Amara.