A cut down session as we focus on Sheriff Cody Joyce and Reverend Diago Carter, due to unavailability of others and line up our finale on the 31st August.

We join as Diago makes his way to Caleb Burrows’ General Store. He waits for a quiet moment and then approaches Caleb, he needs guns, lots of guns. Caleb takes him into the back and gets young Tom to man the front. They partake in a fresh bottle of whiskey.

Caleb looks disappointed, “All our guns and ammunition have been purchased by Mr King, next stock's due end of the month. Sorry, Diago.”

Diago tries to convince Caleb that King isn't all he makes out to be, and that the rumoured infractions by Apaches are just that, rumours. Caleb seems unconvinced and that seems to mirror a lot of the towns folk’s opinions. King has brought prosperity, the town is growing.

They are interrupted as a Pinkerton enters the shop and gets Tom to put up posters. There are leaflets too and the Pinkerton hands Diago one. The leaflet and poster tell of a curfew due to the increasing incursions by Apaches in the region, no one is allowed out on the streets after dark.

Cody is in his office when a Pinkerton comes in and informs him of the curfew, direct from Cody's boss King. Cody tries to argue there is no evidence for Apache crimes but the Pinkerton just shrugs and Cody heads out, bumping into Diago. They discuss this development, what it means and their concerns. Diago suggests they need more allies, Quinlivan and the stranger in the church, so they head to Diago’s church to quiz him.

At the entrance to the church are around thirty Apache children and a few Apache women, one of them is Ela, wife of Kuruk. Ela explains that the children are here for protection, a blessing. Kuruk has seen Diago give this; A mark of the cross with magic water. Bad times are coming, they need all the help they can gather.

Diago tries to convince the women to convert but they only want the magic sign. As Diago prepares to offer some kind of simple blessing, Ela whispers, “…and Kuruk wants his guns.” Diago shifts nervously, he gets out a couple of his pistols, putting them on the pew next to Ela. A hand closes over them, the stranger. He smiles down at them, “So the reverend is supplying guns to the Apache. Well, well, what a turn up.”

The stranger notices Cody behind him and steps back. He places a large travel bag on the pew. Between Diago, Cody and the stranger, there is a series of careful, probing questions before they remove their guns and retreat to the vestry. A few whiskies are sunk.

It turns out the stranger is Curtis Mortimer, brother of Clarence Mortimer, now called King. Curtis is here to claim what King stole from the family, leaving them destitute over 25 years ago. Curtis wants payment, or blood. Curtis also knows Daan, who he says is a friend.

Cody upsets Curtis as he pries into his intentions, the situation is tense, Diago fingers the handle of his hunting knife. Eventually they all back down and Curtis suggests they meet to discuss plans at the Homestead Inn that evening.

Diago has an idea, suggesting that the Apache children might be safer at the church, at least in the short term. Ela agrees, she takes the two guns offered by Diago, though she looks worried, saying Kuruk needs more than a few pistols.

Cody and Diago walk down to the Homestead Inn, they think it's time to talk to Quinlivan, to rally support and devise a plan. Standing at the entrance to the Inn is Fletcher, unsteady, unshaven he swings a fist at Cody, they fall to the ground wrestling and punching until Cody grapples Fletcher, subduing him. The fight knocked out of him Fletcher agrees to talk over a whiskey or two.

It turns out Fletcher thinks Cody is now King's puppet, that he hated what he'd become, in working for Rockcliffe and King, and doesn't want Cody going the same way. Cody could become a great lawman, but he has to follow his own path. Fletcher is going to find his son, John Jr, who is in trouble in Santa Fe. Cody says after all the trouble has blown over he'll come and find him and help. After hesitation, they shake hands and Fletcher leaves a small leather bound notebook on the table.

The notebook contains scrawled notes from Fletcher, much is speculation and rumour. It's clear he's been trying to figure out what King is up to. The last notes are circled “Captain Richard Woods. Thrown out of army along with members of his troop due to atrocities against local Apache camps. Reservation? Provocation? Knows King?! How? Why? Ordnance missing.”

They see a shadow over their table and Cody closes the book. Looking up, they see Quinlivan, he reverses a chair and sits.

Quinlivan suggests they have to act now, right now, as darkness falls. He is quizzed on his plans for Steaming Rock (previously he wanted the land rights for where the Apache's reservation is). He puts his cards on the table, Quinlivan wants to build a railway that runs north-south through Steaming Rock but would recompense and relocate the Apaches, “Hell! I'll do a deal with the Devil if it gets me out from under King's boot. You folks are welcome to Steaming Rock.”

As the group ready themselves and decide on a plan, they realise the missing piece of the puzzle is the location of Clarence King. Is he back at Santa Fe? Is he holding up in town? Is he out overseeing his mining or logging camps? Or camped out in the wilds?

Bradley, one of Quinlivan’s men bursts in through the swing doors of the Homestead Inn, “Just seen a wagon and a half dozen union soldiers arrive in town…”

Mortimer comes down from his room, putting a large bag on the table, inside an array of pistols, rifles and knives. Also, a wooden box that Mortimer gingerly opens, sticks of dynamite inside. Mortimer gestures, “Just a few remnants of the family business. Available to a good cause.”

Quinlivan looks at them all, “Let's go get King.”