After April collapses and goes into early labor, Jake makes Kenchy face his problems so that they can save April. The wind turbine arrives from New Bern but Heather does not return. Jericho makes a deal with New Bern to send ten of their people to New Bern to make more wind turbines as long as New Bern receives a percentage of their spring crop.

Jake believes something more is wrong after Eric doesn’t return from New Bern. Jake and Hawkins go to New Bern and discover that Jericho is in danger.

The hostility mounts between the citizens of Jericho and New Bern. A handful of residents of New Bern are shot and injured after getting caught trying to steal from the Jericho salt mine.

The battle with New Bern ensues, with Jericho residents out-manned and out-gunned, but not outsmarted. Jericho gains the upper hand but suffers a significant casualty. A friend of Jake's sends help from an unexpected source.

Jake and Hawkins have one chance to expose the conspiracy behind the Cheyenne government to the independent Texas administration. However, getting there proves to be the most difficult part of their plan.