In Annville, the football team mascot is walking home. A streetlight flickers and then blows out, and a woman--Lacey--runs down the street. Lacey makes her way to the rail tracks and her pursuer drives after her. He gets out and grabs his gun, while Lacey comes to two other women hiding by a sewer grille. They tell her to get out of there, and lacey continues running. Lacey joins another woman, and her pursuer and several other men shoot the woman down. When Lacey woman runs into a field and into the wood, she pauses to catch her breath. The killer--Clive--finds her and prepares to shoot, and Lacey tells him that he's got her. He shoots her with a paintball and as she stares at it in irritation, she falls through a sinkhole into a shaft.
The Past
A young Jesse prepares the church. The parishioners arrive, almost filling the place, and his father John Custer comes in and begins his service.
Now
Jesse sits in the empty church, considering the past. Cassidy interrupts him to talk about Fiore and DeBlanc. The vampire says that he thought they were there for him and he cut them up and buried them, but they came back. Jesse has no idea what he's talking about, and notices that the van is damaged. Cassidy explains that he ran over the "clone people" and says that they need to get Jesse out of Annville. Jesse tells him to finish fixing the AC and gets into the truck. Cassidy warns that people are going to want what is in Jesse, and he says that he's going to give it to them before driving away.
Hugo uses a crane to lift Lacey's body out of the sinkhole as the townspeople look on. Odin talks to his assistant, who is setting up a soapbox, and she says that Donnie called in sick. He gets up and thanks everyone for coming out. As tulip watches from the crowd, Odin tells his boys to watch their roughhousing and the women to watch where they're walking. He finishes and walks away, and Hugo tells everyone to leave. Afterward, Tulip asks Mosie what's going on, but Mosie isn't shocked that Lacey died. The workers from the plant laugh and walk away while tulip glares at them.
Jesse goes to see Emily and asks how many people were at the last service. He wants the church full and asks how they make it happen, suggesting a raffle for a TV. Emily points out that they can't afford it, and Jesse says that they don't need to worry about the money. She asks if Jesse did something, but he wonders what she means. Emily says that someone breaking into Linus' place and the next day his face was all bandaged. She admits that she worries about Jesse sometime, and he says that she doesn't have to anymore. He plucks a Band-Aid off of her neck and asks her to pick up the TV, and Emily says that she's too busy. Jesse says that he'll ask Cassidy, and Emily quickly agrees to get the TV herself. When she wonders what he's going to do, Jesse says that he's going to do something wonderful.
The Past
Tulip and Jesse are outside the church and Tulip is teaching Jesse how to smoke. John finds Jesse and takes him away, and says that he needs to set an example. He whips Jesse in front of the other children.
Now
At the church, Jesse smokes a cigarette and remembers the past.
Cassidy meets with Fiore and DeBlanc, and Cassidy says that Jesse wants to know more about their plan. DeBlanc says that they'll remove what is inside of Jesse and leave, but refuses to say what they're refusing. Fiore tells Cassidy that they're going to cut Jesse open with a chainsaw, but DeBlanc suggests that they try to lure it out yet with its favorite song. He says that they're going to put it into its domicile and take it home where it belongs, and Fiore confirms that they're from Heaven. Cassidy points out that they aren't in charge, and DeBlanc agrees while Fiore laughs. The vampire asks what the payment is, and claims that Jesse has a weakness for drugs. The two men stare at him and DeBlanc finally hands over a wallet. Cassidy takes a lot of the money and starts to leave. They ask when he'll be back, and he only says "very soon."
Once Cassidy leaves, Fiore says that he doesn't trust Cassidy, takes out a field phone, and says that they need to let them know what's going on. DeBlanc points out that they're down there without permission, and warns that they're on their own and they have no choice but to trust Cassidy.
At the church, Cassidy brings in a woman and they use drugs with the money.
In his office, Odin is playing Qbert when the mayor arrives. Miles comes in and warns that Lacey is more than just a cow in the field. He asks what is causing the sinkholes and Odin says that it's plain as pie. Miles figures that's all he's going to get and starts to leave, and Odin asks how Austin was. He knows that Miles went to Threadgills Restaurant, and that he meet with Jerry Cutler and others from Green Acre Group. Miles talks about all of the cool stuff that Green Acre groups has, and Odin reads through the brochure. The mayor suggests that Odin should hear them out and it would be a hell of a partnership, and Odin tells him that his grandfather Jonas found out about some people moving in onhis territory and took care of them... and nobody said a damned wood. His son, Odin's father, was the same way. Miles points out that tax revenues are down and they need to grow the town or they die. Odin asks for his permission to arrange a meeting, but Odin pisses on the briefcase with the brochure.
At the motel, Fiore watches an ad for a Texas Burger while DeBlanc considers the coffee can. The field phone rings and DeBlanc tells Fiore not to answer it. After a moment, Fiore realizes that it's the motel phone and answers it. It's the motel manager, and Fiore says that they're checking out very soon. He hangs u, tells DeBlanc that he's hungry, and is going out.
Fiore goes to the front desk and asks for a Texas Burger . The manager says that all they have is a vending machine, and Fiore goes to it and stares.
Miles is in Emily's kitchen drinking wine when Emily drags in the TV. He assures her that he took care of her children, and refuses to take money for babysitting. Emily thanks him for his help, and Miles says that she does a lot for Annville. He invites her to sit and they drink, and Miles talks about everything he's done. He brings up Odin and says that he's gone nuts, and Emily tells Miles that she's never going to be with him. Miles says that she's told him enough times, and she undresses and reminds him that he has to be out before morning. Miles cleans the wineglasses and then her mouth, joins her.
At Mosie's, the prostitutes hold a wake for Lacey. Tulip is there and finally says that Lacey was run down and fell into a pit. Clive is there with his co-workers, and they insist that they didn't mean any harm. Tulip wonders what the prostitutes are doing running around in their underwear. Clive tells Tulip to shut her mouth, and Mosie interrupts them to say that there's no fighting. She offers the next hour on the house in honor of Lacey.
Once the prostitutes leave with the workers, Mosie warns Tulip about her temper and goes to make some tea. Tulip tries to ignore the women calling out upstairs, but finally grabs Lacey's baton and beats who she figures is Clive with it. She finally knocks him out a window, his throat bleeding, and Tulip realizes that it isn't Clive: it's Cassidy. A prostitute, Karen, drives them to the hospital and Tulip holds him, apologizing for her temper. She prays to God, asking him to help, and Cassidy asks Tulip to kiss him. Tulip does and Cassidy smiles.
At the hospital, tulip asks the receptionist for a doctor while Cassidy sits with glass in his neck. The receptionist asks who she's talking about, and Tulip realizes that Cassidy has walked out. She follows the trail of blood to the blood bank and finds Cassidy drinking from the bags.
The Past
John wakes up Jesse and says that they have to go. He drives them both to Odin's office and tells Jesse to wait outside. Jesse grabs an ash tray from the table and pockets it, and hears Odin yelling at John to denounce him. John comes out and Jesse follows him to the truck. They drive back to the church and John says that some people just can't be saved. Jesse clutches at the ash tray in his pocket
Now
Odin and Jesse are busy setting up a diorama of the Alamo in Odin's office. Jesse suggests that he wants Odin to come to church to act as an example, and Odin immediately refuses. The preacher says that Odin used to be a regular, and he might want to think about what happens after he dies. Odin reminds him that they've agreed not to talk about Odin's business or Jesse's God, and figures that nothing comes after he dies. Jesse wonders what happens if Odin is wrong and they're held to account for their actions. Odin isn't impressed and says that he's not afraid. He figures that Jesse is afraid, and Jesse says that he could make him come to church. Odin points out that wouldn't be very Christian of him, and after a moment Jesse points out that Odin doesn't own John's land. He says that if Odin comes to church and isn't a Christian after his sermon, he'll let Odin buy the land.
The next day at the service, Jesse thanks everyone for coming and says that he knows it's tough coming in. He figures that it's not going to do any good because the world is crazy,. Much to the congregation's shock, Jesse says that the world is turning to shit and it's all their fault because they turned their back on the Lord. They've despaired and lost faith, but the idols they've turned to won't save them. Jesse tells them that they're sinners, but it's not too late. He's going to remind them that starting immediately, he's going to bring them back to God starting with Odin.
Jesse walks up to Odin and says that he's going to start with the one among them that has strayed furthest. Everyone stares at Odin as Jesse tells the man to serve God. He asks Odin if he will serve God, and Odin says no. Jesse repeats himself and Odin still refuses and starts to walk away. When he says that it wasn't even close, Jesse uses the voice and tells him to serve God. This time, Odin says that of course he will.
Later, Fiore is eating a bag of blood-covered chips. The field phone rings and he and DeBlanc look at it nervously
Written by Gadfly on Jun 20, 2016