01x07 - Blood Atonement

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Under the Banner of Heaven". Aired: April 28, 2022.*
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Mini-series inspired by the true crime bestseller by Jon Krakauer, follows the events that led to the 1984 m*rder of Brenda Wright Lafferty and her baby daughter in a suburb in the Salt Lake Valley.
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01x07 - Blood Atonement

Post by bunniefuu »

Hello.

Sir, Taba found Onias

up at the Dream Mine.

He needs you there.
- Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪

Hey.

Gotta go.

♪♪ ♪♪

- If we're to see the light
in His mine again,

we must keep the generators
in its belly full.

If I'm not mistaken,
your calling

is to protect and serve.

And who higher to serve
than Heavenly Father?

You're a sturdy breed,

capable of carrying two
filled gasoline cans at once.

- As fun as that'd be,
Mr. Onias...

- Prophet Onias.

- Lives may be in jeopardy
at this very moment.

- How can we measure the
abbreviation of a mortal life

when considered next
to one's eternal salvation?

- What was that?

- I'm not the only
faithful shareholder up here,

but I do believe
I told you...

no g*ns.

- If you're f*cking with me...

- You'll never receive
God's favor with such language.

Answer me this.

You say Ron started to unravel

when Dianna refused
to come back to him.

Is that when he started
slicing throats?

- Our prophets spoke
of One Mighty and Strong

who would set the house of God
in order in these end days.

My body, in this life,
is not strong,

so I hoped it was Ron...

But in the fog of hope,
I was blinded

to how the allure
of being our One

might tempt even our strongest

to the delights
of flesh and blood.

- You've been called.

- Called?
For... for what?

- Heavenly Father calls you
to take the rest of our money

to Nevada
and bet it on a horse.

He's gonna whisper in my ear.

- I'm not certain the Lord

wants Zion built
in such a manner.

- It will make
our school strong,

and it will bring our families
back together.

Uh...

Of course I'll go.
I'll go.

- Of course you will.

Matilda...

Sam and Robin's wives

have been visited
by missionaries

who are accusing us
of apostasy.

No one's visited you?

No.

I told them
what you told me to.

I said, "Don't you
send anyone to my door."

- And I said, "Stop fornicating."
- Right, right.

Who'd you say this to?

♪♪ ♪♪

- To Dianna.

- To Dianna.

You think that Dianna
could have moved

our entire home alone?

♪♪ ♪♪

Who helped her?

♪♪ ♪♪

Who helped her
steal my children?

♪♪ ♪♪

- The Lows gave her money,

and the Stowes
helped pack the house.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Who else?

♪♪ ♪♪

It's okay.
You can tell me.

- I can't know for sure.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Brenda?

♪♪ ♪♪

- She planned it all.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Okay.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

Hey! Police!

Hey!
Police, stop!

Hey!

- You have spilled my blood
on holy ground.

A curse be on you and yours.

- Police, police!
Don't sh**t!

It's Officer Taba.

Care to dust yourself off
and join me and the prophet?

- I'm sorry.

Prophet Onias,
pleased to finally meet you.

I'm Brother Jebediah Pyre.

- Always happy to receive
a faithful saint into His home.

The prophet
was about to share the details

of Ron's revelations.

- Yes.

Ron brought forth a list,

a removal list.

Do you approve this list?

- No.

Thus saith the Lord,

"Unto My servants,
the prophets,

"it is My commandment
that ye remove

"the following individuals
in rapid succession

and that the"...

"And that the instruments
that I delivered unto thee

"be consecrated, dedicated,

and set apart
for this purpose."

Amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

- Ron, who is to be removed?

- Well, there's a list,
a list of names. Here.

See, the names,
they just tumbled out.

There may be more.
I don't know.

- For He taught us,
"Vengeance is Mine,

"and I will deal
with Mine enemies

in Mine own time."

These words, Ron...

They're madness.

- Which is something
that nonbelievers often say

about men who have revelations,
isn't that right?

Okay.

So we're gonna close our eyes,

and we're gonna feel that
little voice inside

telling us that these are
Heavenly Father's words, yeah?

And then we vote.

Where's... where's Robin?

♪♪ ♪♪

You didn't tell him, Dan?

Well...

- That Robin got to Nevada
and heard the Spirit

tell him to bet
on different horses?

That he lost
the last of our money?

Seems like your own blood

is starting
to doubt your wisdom, Ron.

Brothers, there's a reason

why families
50 miles from here

have heard
of the Lafferty name.

Together...

We can do anything!

- Say a revelation includes
instructions for a third party,

say Dianna,
to return back to Ron

but she never hears it.

Must she still suffer
its consequences?

- You must be confused.
She heard it.

- How if Ron had
received the revelation

after Dianna
had already left him?

- He read it to her
over the phone.

He told you that?

- I was there
when he called her

and commanded her
to return with his children.

- How did he find her?

- His son sent a letter
from Florida

with a return address.

♪♪ ♪♪

Ron took it as a sign from God.

- Dianna's in Florida now?

- Oh, I doubt that.
- Where, then?

- Dead, I would think.

♪♪ ♪♪

Ron would've atoned Dianna
before Brenda.

That was the order
of his revelation.

♪♪ ♪♪

- And her six children?

- I suspect they met
the same fate as Brenda's child

to secure their exaltation

and prevent them
from growing up in apostasy.

I'd think you'd have
figured this out yourself...

Brother.

♪♪ ♪♪

God's laws.

♪♪ ♪♪

Aah!

Ah, sh**t.

- Listen, before I waste time
digging through these...

- You all right?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I just cut myself.
What's up?

- Why Florida?
Dianna was from New Jersey.

- Yeah, well,
she was a convert,

and that tells me
that she wasn't all that fond

of the home
that she was brought up in,

so for now, we look for
anything addressed to Florida.

- Is there some LDS law
that says you gotta keep

every scrap of paper
your kid ever snotted on?

- Pretty much.

So Ron would definitely have
kept a letter from his son.

- Sorry, sir.
Wife's on line two.

- Okay. Hey, uh, just tell her
I'll call her back.

She wants me
to bear my testimony

in front of our congregation
on Sunday.

- Public speaking a problem?

- Not when I believe the words
coming out of my mouth.

If the brethren
smell any doubt,

I'll be single maybe by fall.

♪♪ ♪♪

- After Dianna met Ron, she
quit nursing school in Florida

so that they could get married.

I mean, that's the version
that I've always been told.

- So you think
she would have gone to Florida,

back to nursing school,

with six hungry kids
and no family support?

That's what you think?
- Sounds crazy, I know.

But it... it's exactly the kind
of thing that Brenda would do,

would encourage, maybe.

I mean, for the past few weeks,
I-I worried that...

- Brother Pyre,

I was impressed upon
by the Holy Spirit

to speak with you.

May we?
- Yes, of course.

Whatever you... you
would like to share,

we can share with Allen
as well.

- Allen, Brother Pyre,

we can all agree
the church finds itself

fraught with challenges.

To put a delicate matter
plainly,

the events leading
to the revelation six years ago

that our priesthood
be opened to Negroes,

all of the legal threats
from the communists

in the NAACP,

we've been struggling
with public perception.

We don't need
any more detrimental press now,

like not publicly
speculating about

FLDS connections to this case.

- Well, it's gone
beyond speculation now.

- You're of the Paiute nation?

- The Shivwits band
of the Southern Paiute.

- Oh.

Then I must thank you.

May I remind you
of our shared history?

1857,

joining hand in hand

to defend Zion
from annihilation.

Fancher wagon train
from Arkansas

will enter our territory
within the week.

Oh, it is a wealthy,
well-armed band.

Indeed.

Whispers that
they carry fugitives

from the mob that m*rder*d
our own dear prophet.

God Himself provides this.

Driven into the desert, it has
taken ten years to rebuild.

If we are ever to survive,
we must relieve ourselves

of the constant fear
of invasion.

If so much as one Gentile
steps into our territory,

we must make an example of him.

But we cannot wage w*r
on multiple fronts.

Not alone.

Colonel, how stands the
Southern Utah Indian Mission?

Are the Paiute with us now?

- According to Major Lee,
they are now our brothers, sir.

- Good.

Send word to Major Lee.

We will fight as one...

Mormon and Paiute together.

I'm sorry.

Us "Injuns" are taught

a very different version
of that story.

Excuse me, I got a missing wife
and kids to find.

- For some,
truth brings discomfort.

- For others,
lies do the same.

No one on that wagon train
had a thing to do

with Joseph Smith's m*rder.

- The scholars
disagree with you.

- The... the Mormon scholars
employed by the church.

Allen.

Allen.

- The old BYU arm twist.

- Brother Pyre...

Let us come together

for the sake of our church

and for the sake
of your eternal family.

- Sorry, what does my family
have to do with this visit?

- In the past,
you have bent man's law

for the sake of the church.

When your ward considered
elevating a member

to Boy Scout Master,

you volunteered
investigative details

from that member's past

despite the fact

that you never charged the man
with anything.

It's not how justice operates...

- He would have been charged
with child abuse

if the church
hadn't encouraged his wife

to stop sharing evidence
with me.

- We were grateful, Brother.

- So...

now you want to sweep
my wife and child's blood

under the rug for the sake
of the church's reputation?

Have I got that right?

- Brother Pyre, would you
please ask Mr. Lafferty

to mind his tongue?

I see.

Then that is all.

♪♪ ♪♪

Gentlemen.

♪♪ ♪♪

"Shake off
the dust of your feet

"as a testimony
against them

"and know
that in the day of judgment,

"you shall be judges
of that house

and condemn them."

- Did he just condemn us both?

I'm sorry.

♪♪ ♪♪

- But know that good can grow

from the dust
they leave behind.

- How?
How so?

- When my testimony d*ed,

I thought I'd die with it.

But a few weeks back, I got a
late-night emergency work call,

um, so I drove there,

and there Brenda was.

Uh, she'd followed me.

She thought I was lying,
still meeting with my brothers.

♪♪ ♪♪

But that night, I saw it...

The pain that I had caused,

and I knew.

I knew then
that I belonged to her

and to Erica...

not to my brothers,
not a church,

to them.

♪♪ A garden hoe ♪♪
What comes after?

And I could look her right
in the eye and truly see her,

not for anything eternal

but for what we had right here.

♪♪ ♪♪

My family became my faith.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Detective, found it.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Wait.

Don't turn a blind eye.

Find them for Brenda.

- Promise you
I'm gonna find your brothers.

- I mean, if she saw it
as her calling

to help Dianna
and her children,

to keep them safe,
keep them alive,

that's what you have to finish.

Don't let my family's death
be in vain.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Yes, ma'am.
The zip code is 33010, Miami.

That's a mostly Cuban area.

Mm-hmm, yeah, well,
the apartment manager said

that the unit was rented
to a white woman.

She used a different name,
but she fits our description.

- She paid cash.
- Right.

Well,
I can't really get a warrant

at this hour, Detective.

- Ma'am, if I'm able to get
the manager to open the door,

can you call it
a welfare check?

It's Detective.

- Oh, I'm sorry, Detective.

- So sorry.
- Okay.

Now, you're telling me
that her husband

may have k*lled a child
in Utah?

- Almost decapitated her.

And you think

he's in Florida now?

- I'm afraid so, Detective.

Okay, fine.
Give me an hour.

- Thank you so much.
Call us right back.

Appreciate it.
Thank you.

Welfare check.

♪♪ ♪♪

Over left, clear.

- Cover me.

♪♪ ♪♪

Okay.
We're clear here.

I pray one day,
Heavenly Father will bless me,

that I will be worthy to have
a righteous priesthood holder

to take me through the temple,

and if I'm obedient
to His covenants,

I can return to Him one day.

- Let's get this door.

♪♪ ♪♪

This I know to be true.

The pioneers' blood
spilled out onto the ground,

but they kept their faith,

so I know my own suffering

will make
my own faith stronger.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Clear.
- All clear.

All clear.

- No sign of v*olence
or... or blood?

- We're still processing
the apartment now, but, uh,

no, no visible blood.

We did find
three coloring books

on a closet shelf;
one of them's Mormon.

- If I send you prints
for her sister-in-law Matilda,

can you check
for those prints there too?

Yeah, I'll, uh...
I'll run prints, and, uh,

I'll see if anybody got
to know her in the building.

Thank you so much, Detective.

I really appreciate it.

- You bet.

Yes, sir, we found

the security footage
of the family you asked about.

She was with her family
full of white kids.

They're dressed like
they just come from a funeral.

Everything was normal,
then she saw something

- or someone that scared her.
- Come on. Everybody out.

They left
the groceries on the counter.

- They didn't even pay.
- I'm so sorry.

- Around nine days ago or...
- No. No, sir.

She thinks
it was just four days ago.

- Maybe even less than that.
- Thank you so much.

Yeah, no problem.

- You got an address?
- Yeah.

The area will be
seeing highs in the upper 90s

combined
with low humidity levels

and breezy winds further
drying already parched soil.

If dry
and hot weather persists...

Can I help you, sir?

Hey.
You're not allowed back there.

Hey!
Hey, stop!

Stop!
Don't move.

Stop!
Stop!

Jacob, Jacob!

Jacob, stay right there.
- Jebediah Pyre?

- Jacob.

Holy Spirit sent me to you.

- Jacob, get on the ground.

Get on the ground.

Jacob, get on the ground
right now!

- No, no!
- Hold your fire.

Get in there.

- Got him?
- Yeah.

Forgive me.
I'm sorry.

Sam gave me Dan's journal.

He said, "Protect God's Word."

Then a voice s-said to run.

- Hey! Hey!
- Go, go, go!

Hey! Stop!

- So I did.

And I... and I saw the dogs
lookin' for me,

but Holy Spirit kept me safe

till it told me
what happened to my Brenda.

- Your Brenda?
- My angel.

- So you heard
our press conference

on... on the radio

and that's
what brought you here

to... to see me?

♪♪ ♪♪

So, um...

so where... where are
Dan and Ron now?

- I don't know,
but that's where they've been.

- Okay.

Officer Steven's gonna
take good care of you, okay?

Okay.

- Thank you, Jacob.
- Okay.

Okay.

♪♪ ♪♪

"Unto My chosen son, Ron,

"I have commanded
that he shall be

"the mouth of God,

"and his brother, Dan,
shall serve as hand of God.

Like Nephi, commanded
to cut off the head of Laban."

- Mm-hmm?

Hmm?

Sit like that,
and this go here.

Hi.

How's it going?

What are you doing in my house?

Oh, what am I doing here?
Well, we're family.

Need a reason?

- I think you need to leave.

Oh.

Well, I think...

that you...

need to stop driving wedges.

That's what I think.

Allen must return to us.

And you, you will bring Dianna
back to Ron's side.

Immediately.

- Please leave.

- Actions have
consequences, Brenda.

You know that.

- Are you threatening me?

- No.

I am but the hand of God.

It is His mouth
that commands me.

Now, if you obey,
you will be forgiven.

Does that sound fair...

Sister?

Okay.

♪♪ ♪♪

"And lo, his hand left her

to contemplate
her transgressions."

It's like he thinks
he's writing a sequel

to the Book of Mormon.

Okay, so the next one,
this one's from Reno.

So when their school
and their family

didn't come running back,
it seems like

they went hunting for converts

to start their own
new School of the Prophets.

They followed through
with some contacts

from the... the last meeting
of the minds,

a few potentials,
some standouts.

In particular,
someone named Sandy.

"And lo, how Sandy provideth

"a roof, warmth,
and nourishment

"from the belly
of the beast's abode,

Circus Circus."

Also, two fellas
who happen to be roommates...

He wrote their whole names,
Ricky Knapp and Chip Carnes.

Ricky and Chip?

Those are the two
Doreen told us about.

And they crossed state lines.

We can pull in
the FBI now, Jeb.

- Yeah. Wait, Dan wrote this
ten days ago.

Ron said it was time
to start k*lling ten days ago.

And then the next morning,
Brenda receives a call

from a Florida payphone.
That's Dianna.

Ten minutes later,
she calls this number,

the office
to the president of the church.

That is as bold as it gets,

for a woman
to call the prophet.

- Women can't call him?
- No one does.

So something must have
really scared them both

to the point
where Dianna was scared enough

to run away
from an apartment

that she knew that Ron
had the address to.

When did, um...

Yeah, the cashier.

The cashier said
that she last saw Dianna

four days ago in her store.

That's... that is the day

that Brenda was k*lled.

And if that's true,
then Onias was wrong.

They went after Brenda first,
so...

so Dianna might be
out there still alive.

We gotta get to Florida.

Get us plane tickets.

I'm disappointed
you won't be

bearing your testimony.

Bearing my testimony
can wait

until next month's meeting.

I don't doubt
there will arise

some fresh, new hurdle
next month.

- This isn't
a simple case, Becca.

- Jeb,
he's my General Authority too.

- Just so you know, he told me
that it was the Holy Spirit

that sent him and not you.

They're all liars.

- I went to him
with my concerns,

and now he called to tell me
how you resisted him.

- How could you
go behind my back

and interfere like this?
- Interfere?

- You're not to talk
to him again, you understand?

Unless you have my permission.

- I must obey.
Right, Jebediah?

My dad is coming up
from Arizona

to get me and the girls.

I won't keep subjecting them
to this.

- You know, Becca,
our own founders, they, um...

They saw little girls
and women, all of them,

as eternal servants.

They were taught to be
obedient and submissive.

They were even abused,

some of them r*ped.

And you should see the things

that Annie is already writing
in her journals.

- I ma...

I married a man of faith,

and that's who I plan
to raise them with,

whether that's you...

or somebody else.

Mommy?

Yes, sweetie?

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

FBI's located Ron's car
outside a home in Cheyenne.

The owner of the house
is the brother

of a Mr. Chip Carnes.

- Okay, well, get your tails
to Wyoming, not Florida.

- Go on. Get going.
- Thank you, sir.

- Jeb.
- Yeah?

- End this before it does
any more damage to what...

I hope still matters most
to you, Brother.

Thank you, sir.

♪♪ ♪♪

Go. Go.

♪♪ ♪♪

Go, go, go!

♪♪ ♪♪

- Move! Move!
- Right there!

- Where I can see them!
- Freeze!

- Don't sh**t.

Please.

- No.
- Please.

Everything's clear.

Watch out, huh?

Stand up.
I'll cover him.

Watch out.

- Stand up.
Turn around.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Anything?
- All clear.

All clear.

Where are Ron and Dan now?

Hey, you can make this as
difficult as you wanna make it,

but in Utah,
you're convicted of m*rder,

that's a death sentence.

You know what that means?

Four high-powered rounds
that'll rip your chest open.

It's what Utah does
to child K*llers.

- No, we left Ron and Dan
in Nevada.

- And when was this?
- Four days ago.

Where in Nevada?

- Uh, at a motel room
just over the state line.

- We got pulled over
for a busted taillight,

and trooper let us go.
- Ron got nervous.

Got us a motel room
for the night.

I-I only started hangin' out
with Dan 'cause he was

a good time at first.
- So what changed?

All of the heaven talk, man.

It just got so f*cking crazy.

- I don't even believe in God.

f*ck God.

- Where were they headed?
- Reno.

Reno.

That's where Ron

wanted to go
make some quick cash.

- What'd they need cash for?
- To, uh...

♪♪ ♪♪

- To finish their list.
- Finish their list.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Why do you have Ron's car?

- We stole it, Chip and I,
to get away from them.

The... the blood.

You don't understand.

There was so much blood,
you could...

you could smell the iron in it.

♪♪ ♪♪

So what happened
on the day of the m*rder?

- Are we six now, Ron?

If so, I ain't getting
in the back.

Hey.

- Sam. Sam.
- Dan. Dan.

So Ron had
a revelation last night,

and He says
the Heavenly Father

says you and Jacob
were not called on this.

No.

Ron, Ron,
we can leave Jacob with Mom.

- I'm your flesh and blood, Dan!
- Right.

Which is why
the Lord has called on you

to stay here and to care
for Mom and Jacob.

Heavenly Father wants you
to do all that you can

to protect our family

while we go off
and do His work.

We left after breakfast,
the four of us.

We went to, uh, Robin's house.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Go get your hunting r*fle.

.243.
Go get it.

- Uh, I don't have it here.

It's, um... I lent it to Allen.

Why?
- Really?

What are you...

Look, Ron, I'm sorry I-I made
a mistake about the horses.

I-I should have listened
to you.

And I don't know what this is.

Whatever you're doing,
you don't have to...

Ron.
Ron, please.

♪♪ ♪♪

Ron, what... what...

what are you hunting for?

- Oh, anything
that gets in our way.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

- Hello.

Hey.

Everything okay?

- Um, I, um...

I-I think there was
someone at the door.

Okay.
Do you need to go get it?

- I don't know, it's just,
since Dan broke in...

Hey, hey.

Look, I can protect you
from them.

- Okay.

I-I just really
wanted to hear your voice.

- Really?
- Really.

Hey, sorry.

I-I gotta go.
I gotta finish here.

I'll get home
as soon as I can.

And maybe we could go watch
the Pioneer Day fireworks.

Yes, please.

Okay, I'll see you real soon.

See you.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Why'd you stop there?

- That's where Ron
started to lose it, yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Maybe this was
a test of our faith.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Have you lost
your will, Brother?

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

Ron, what if...
- One.

- Maybe...
- Not two.

- Ron, what if...

- what if...
- f*ck!

- You were only meant
to lead us this far?

♪♪ ♪♪

I have long prayed
for a sacrifice so great

that I might be able to prove
that I will do anything

and go anywhere
for Heavenly Father.

And I can hear Him.
I can hear Him.

- One.
- And it is His command

that I set His church
back in order now.

Six.

Do you hear Him say that?

He's saying...

that it is now I...

who is going to set
His church back in order.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

- ♪♪ And if that mockingbird
don't sing ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

July 24th, 1984.

Dear Dianna,
these past few months

have been the hardest
of my life.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

No! No!

- Please!
- Get over here!

♪♪ ♪♪

- Oh, my God.
- Oh, man.

Oh...

♪♪ ♪♪

Please!

Daniel, what do we do?

Ron. Ron.

- We must start completing
your revelations now, Brother.

Stop him, please.

If you've truly heard
the voice of God,

then you will
hand me the blades.

- The blades, do you have them?
- Please stop him.

♪♪ ♪♪

- No!
- You should knock her out.

No! No!

No! No!

Please. Please, Ron.
Please, Ron.

Stop him!

Please, Ron.

Ron, don't do this.
Ron.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

Please.

Dan, what do you want?

Ron.
Ron, look at me.

Heavenly Father knows.

He knows
this isn't who you are.

It isn't.

It isn't His voice you hear.

Please think
of your own children.

God's will.

Take care. There's nothing
you could've done.

- The selfish,
the cowardly...

♪♪ ♪♪

The murderers and liars...

♪♪ ♪♪

Their portion
will be in the lake...

♪♪ ♪♪

That burns
with fire and sulfur...

♪♪ ♪♪

Which will be
your second deaths.

♪♪ ♪♪

God will make me whole again...

♪♪ ♪♪

And send you both
into everlasting darkness.

♪♪ ♪♪

No! No! No!

Dan did it.

He cut Brenda's neck.

♪♪ ♪♪

Ron gave him a cord
to tie around it

to make sure that it was done,

but then,

Dan cut her baby's neck too.

♪♪ ♪♪

Dan drove to another home
after that,

but thank God no one was home.

♪♪ ♪♪

He missed the turn
to their third target,

and, uh, Dan said
it was a sign from God

that they needed
to stop k*lling

till they made enough cash
to keep going.

But if you ask me,

Dan knew he needed
to get Ron focused again.

- Focused on?

- On Dianna.

Dan brought her up every minute
on our way to Nevada.

Ron didn't say much,
but when he did,

it was always about
atoning his wife and kids.

♪♪ ♪♪

At the state sign,
slow down.

Now stop.
We got tracks over here.

♪♪ ♪♪

That looks like luggage.

♪♪ ♪♪

- It's the blades
he wanted blessed

for blood atonement

all alone in a case
with his name on it.

- Well, in the end,
they want the credit.

- Or it's a thr*at.

It's a thr*at to any cop who
dares to pursue God's warriors.

Problem is,
is the... the coroner said

that they used
something long and crude,

and so, these aren't
the m*rder weapons.

Ricky and Chip said the
m*rder w*apon would be here.

Bill, if they were
lying about this,

what if Reno
is just a story too?

Maybe Dan and Ron
are already in Florida

hunting Dianna and her kids.

A wrong turn here, Bill,
and a lot more people die.

Kids die.

- Did Ricky claim
to be an atheist?

- Yeah.
- Well, so did Chip.

So they got nothing
to gain from any God

by protecting Ron or Dan,

and they both said Reno.

- When I was a boy,
I-I was taught that atheists

were put on Earth
to lead us astray,

and now you want me to entrust
all these innocent lives

with a pair of 'em?

- Jeb, I'm very well aware

that your sporadically
compassionate people

have an allergy to facts

because facts
point toward truth.

Take your church leader's story

about our people
saving Zion together.

My great-grandpa told it
a different way.

The Fanchers were a wealthy
wagon train from Arkansas,

not from anywhere near
where Joseph was m*rder*d.

They were no thr*at
to your people.

There was no cannons,

no bluecoats.

They weren't an army at all.

- Heavenly Father will protect

His brave and loyal servants

from the Gentiles' b*ll*ts!

att*ck!

Your Mormon leaders
wanted to send a message

to America

that any Gentile entering Utah

risked their lives,

and they planned to place
the blame at my people's feet.

- What is this game?

Why are your men
dressed up as Paiute?

There's no time for questions.

You fight, or you starve.
That's your choice.

My people knew
that to refuse Brigham

was to make an enemy
of their occupier,

a man unafraid to shed blood.

But they had been lied to.

- Your prophet lies.

You lie.

You want the shame of this day
on our people.

No, no, no.

You can't abandon me!
Get back here!

If you abandon God's army now,

your blood
will stain His Earth next!

Paint your faces.

Use grease.
Use mud.

You're all Indian now!

- Different facts.

I mean no harm
to my Christian brothers!

I bring you fresh water!

♪♪ ♪♪

- Any mention
of that version of history

has vanished
from BYU's libraries.

- State your name.
- I'm Major John D. Lee.

I'm the Indian agent
in these parts.

- We're only passing through.

We have no plans
to take their land.

- These hills here are ringed
with Indian fighters.

You're outnumbered, friend.

But I have ear of the chief,

and I've negotiated
a compromise.

If you hand over your arms,

I'll pilot you
past the Paiute,

who right now

are organizing
a final push against you.

- I will consider it, Major.

- I would consider
your children, sir.

♪♪ ♪♪

Only Gentiles
and "Injuns" were k*lled,

so why risk the church's
reputation for my dark skin?

If you aren't white,
LDS, and a man in Zion,

your life is of little value.

Is that the way you see me?

Mormon myths?

Lies?

Is that what you want
to keep puttin' your trust in?

Or do you think we can
start trusting the facts?

Even if they do come
from a pair of atheists?

♪♪ ♪♪

Right where Chip said
they threw it from the car.

♪♪ ♪♪

They weren't lying.

♪♪ ♪♪

That's a skill particular
to your ancestors, Jeb.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Saints, do your duty!

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

"And lo, how Sandy provideth

"a roof, warmth,
and nourishment

"from the belly
of the beast's abode,

Circus Circus."

♪♪ In the mornin',
you go gunnin' ♪♪

♪♪ For the man ♪♪

The last time
we saw Dan and Ron,

they had beards
like Brigham Young.

Think Old Testament,

Charlton Heston
in Ten Commandments.

It's a problem.

They commit the crime
looking like Moses,

shave it off,
and your clue's dead cold.

- I don't think
they wanna hide from this.

This... this may sound
a little nutty to you both,

but I think
they're proud of this.

- Right.
We'll check with security.

Okay, that's all
I'm asking. Thank you.

♪♪ ♪♪

Right there.
Is that your Sandy?

♪♪ ♪♪

Could be.
Let's keep an eye on her.

Don't wanna
take her in too soon.

It might scare Dan and Ron off.

Where is she going now?

Backstage.

Toilet break.

- That's where everyone goes?
- No.

I take all my shits at home.

- Can you share with me
any more of her details?

Uh, full name, address?

- Not to tell you
how to do your job,

but you need a judge for that.

- You know this case
has crossed state lines now?

So if we don't solve it soon,

this whole place
is gonna be crawling with FBI.

And I know there's one thing
our people have in common,

is that we hate
having the feds in our home.

- So a little help, Gary?
- Jeb. Jeb.

I'll get a warrant,

I'll search her house,

and if it's clear,
I'll keep watch out outside.

All night.

I need you
to get some sleep.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

And the Lord will send
One Mighty and Strong,

holding the scepter of power...

For this, I...

I am His One.

♪♪ ♪♪

Hello.

- Detective Pyre.
- Yeah, it's me.

I've been trying to reach you.

Listen, we found
Dianna and her kids.

- Alive or dead?

♪♪ ♪♪

Everybody up.
Come on.

Come with me like I told you.

You lock this door,
and don't open it for anyone,

no matter what you hear.

♪♪ ♪♪

Listen, it's not
all good news, Detective.

♪♪ ♪♪

For very good reason,
she understood

that she and her kids
were being hunted.

♪♪ ♪♪

I'm Detective Lopez.
Where are the children?

In the basement.
They're locked in the basement.

Okay.

We got to her first,

but she didn't know Brenda
had already been k*lled.

♪♪ ♪♪

Everyone, out.

♪♪ ♪♪

Dear Dianna,

these past few months have
been the hardest of my life,

but knowing you're safe
brings me such meaning.

♪♪ ♪♪

I just pray I'll reach the day

when I'll be away
from this too,

that our homes
can be united again.

I'd give my life for that,

for I believe
that in order to stand proud

before our Savior
on the last day,

we mothers must
defend our families from evil,

to help men
see past themselves,

and to stand up to those,
even in our church,

who lead us astray

so we may stand glorified
on the last day,

together with you,
my eternal sister,

at my side.

♪♪ ♪♪

Love, Brenda.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Are the other wives safe?

The detective in Utah asked

if a Matilda
had been here with you.

No.

Then no, not yet.

♪♪ ♪♪

The kids are
in a safe house now,

but once they settled in,

Dianna disappeared.

Her purse is gone
and her keys are gone,

so she left of her own accord.

I just don't know where to,

and her kids' lips are sealed.

♪♪ ♪♪

I searched
Sandy's home discreetly.

Ron and Dan aren't there now,
but it looks like

they may have been taken turns
with Sister Sandy.

Lots of old condom wrappers.

Premarital sex is forbidden

by LDS laws of chastity,
so maybe she's a, um...

- If your boys didn't mind
committing a double m*rder,

why worry about forbidden sex?

- Well, they believed
they were allowed to k*ll

by God's laws, not...
- Well, maybe they married her

by sexual consummation

like Brigham Young
and all his wives, right?

Well, either way,
looks like Dan and Ron

spent some more time with her.

That, or she's a hell of a fan.

Oh. Stop there.

Yeah. Yeah, rewind.

All right.
There you go.

There they are, hmm?

Your cops came
to the Peppermill

asking about bearded men.

I remember them right off.

They won big, all right.

Thing is,
most pray before I deal,

then they forget all about God
if they win.

When they won, they got
right down on their knees.

♪♪ ♪♪

I am His One.

♪♪ ♪♪

The thing
that Dan did with his hand?

♪♪ ♪♪

It's part of a sacred
temple oath that we take.

Rather than
reveal our covenants,

we'd have our throats cut
ear to ear.

That wasn't meant
for casino security.

That was meant for me.

♪♪ ♪♪

That video is two days old.

They've had
all the money they need

to start k*lling again
for over 48 hours now.

Why are we still in Reno?

I need you to use

every bit of your LDS knowledge
you've got

and tell me where they are now.

Is it Utah? Florida?

According to your God,
who dies next?

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

So you think
she headed back to Utah?

- I don't know.

A devout LDS wife would...

head back
and help her eternal husband.

They got married in a temple.
That means something.

- And Dan and Ron know this?
- Yeah.

- So they'll just camp out
and wait for her?

- I don't know, Bill.
I don't know.

Oh, my gosh.

How do you do this?
How do you do it?

Just walking through life
with no compass?

- You think I have no compass?

Jeb, are you the kind of man

who would pinch
his own baby girl

so you could comfort them
when they cry out?

- What?
That's insane.

- So is trying to play hero
to Dianna now.

Our job is to get the monsters
off her back,

the ones you've helped feed

with all your
good Mormon testimony bearing.

Your responsibility is
to find the men who did this

and get them off her back.

Do that, and she'll do
just fine without you.

So one more time,
where are Dan and Ron?

♪♪ ♪♪

- I don't know.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

Hey!

What?

Can I ask what's happening?

Bill?

Bill.

Bill, what are you doing?

What are you looking for,
a sign from God?

Some sort of pioneer trek
into the desert?

Hello.

Bill!

What the f*ck?

What the f*ck?

- Just take a moment.

Look out.

I'm not sure why folks
need to call such things

a sign from God.

Why not just appreciate it?

If there is no God,

isn't this just
all the more miraculous?

Oh!

- Breathe...
- What?

- From here.

What I'm saying is,
be here and listen.

The gut is wiser
than most people think.

It's a compass.

It'll give you
all the wisdom you need.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Dan was in a dream I had.

He said, "I am His One."

- Oh, Jesus f*cking Christ.

Enough with
the Holy Spirit sh*t, Jeb.

- For better or for worse,
this is my gut.

The dream was born out of...
out of Dan's journals.

It was Allen's history books.

Every single Sunday school
I ever had to sit through,

and he said One, not two.

- So Dan whispered "One"
in a dream.

- This goes well beyond Dan.

After the Mormons
massacred that wagon train,

U.S. troops started
to advance on Utah,

and they... they came
to arrest Brigham...

Joseph.

- To seize all church assets,

and to end polygamy.

And it was very clear
to our third prophet

that the church
was in real trouble,

that the... that the church's
days were numbered,

so he made a calculation.

We must b*at the devil
at his own game.

He gathered the saints.

- We must deceive the Gentiles
into believing

that we have disavowed
His holy principle.

The principle of polygamy

had to be kept alive
but in private.

He invoked the words of our
first prophet, Joseph Smith.

- I will send
One Mighty and Strong...

- And he said
One Mighty and Strong.

"One day, One Mighty and Strong
will come"...

- Holding the scepter of power
in his hand

to set in order
the house of God.

- And that seed,
pushed into the earth,

has set the likes
of Onias and Brady

and Dan and Ron and countless
other men for generations

on quests to prove
that they are God's One.

And it's One.
It is not two.

There were two brothers
in that casino.

They both got down
on their knees.

They both know every rule,

so with that win
began a new struggle

for that singular seat.

A singular seat
next to Heavenly Father.

The pretender...

must be eliminated

if their list
is to remain holy.

One must end the other before
they set forth to k*ll again.

- It's a colorful theory
based on scripture.

- Scripture is their facts.

So if you're asking my gut,
right here, right now,

we call Reno's morgues.

And if they don't
have Dan or Ron on ice,

we turn around,
we head back,

'cause both brothers
cannot leave Reno alive.

There can only be one.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

"We must stand up

to those who lead us astray"...

♪♪ ♪♪

"We must stand up
to those who lead us astray

"so we may stand glorified
on the last day,

with you, my eternal sister,
by my side."

The only unidentified body

in any morgue in town
is female.

There's no Ron
or Dan Lafferty here.

Okay, so call
every other casino.

It's lunchtime.

I need eyes
on every single buffet.

Who knows how many other Sandys
they've married?

Please.
Thank you.

♪♪ ♪♪

All right.
I got you, buddy.

- Hey. Bill. Bill.
- Yeah?

That looks like Dan to me.

Yeah, so where's Ron?

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

All right.
That's not normal.

- Is it?
- No.

- We need to shut
this casino down

quietly and immediately.

- Get me FBI now.

- What's back there?
What... what's beyond?

What's beyond that...
that hallway?

Do we have cameras on...
beyond that hallway?

- No, Sir.
- No.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Die!
- No, Matilda!

No, no!

It's me.

No. Matilda.

I will go anywhere!

- I will do anything...
- It's me.

And go anywhere!

I feel it, Lord!
Yes!

- It's me.

It's me.

- I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- It's okay. No, Matilda.

It's okay, Matilda.

Are Ron and Dan in the house?

- Um...

uh, Dan, uh, called yesterday,

and he said
he's coming back for me.

- We have to leave.

Right now.
- No, I can't leave, Dianna.

They'll come and k*ll me.

- If you stay here,
the same thing will happen.

Matilda,
if we don't leave right now,

you'll never see
your girls again.

- Dan says
they're gone forever, Dianna.

- He's lying to you.

I promise you,
he's lying.

Come with me.
Come with me.

Matilda!

Guessing she's not handicapped.

- No, and she's just
locked in the spot

- closest to the back door.
- She's back.

- Dan Lafferty's
back there right now.

Get your team to the back lot.

If necessary,
we neutralize him.

Let's go!

- We try to take them alive
if possible.

They sliced the mother's throat
from ear to ear.

They did the same
to her baby girl.

If one drop of their blood
hits the ground,

they die thinking
this is all God's plan.

♪♪ ♪♪

It's locked.

Only Mother has the key.

Dianna?

Okay, just stay.

You stay right there.

♪♪ ♪♪

It's not a woman's place
to resist.

You can abandon Zion,

but you'll never escape
His wrath!

♪♪ ♪♪

Oh!

♪♪ ♪♪

- Sandy, right?
Detective Taba.

Come with me, please.
- What's wrong?

- Just come with me.
- What's happening?

Excuse me.
What's happening?

Okay.

Move, move.

♪♪ ♪♪

Okay, you stay down.

Don't let anyone see you.

♪♪ ♪♪

Come on!
Come on! Move!

Move! Move! Move! Move! Move!

Need one back here, guys!

♪♪ ♪♪

So why did you move
your car closer to the door?

- I thought
I was gonna get sick,

so I moved the car
in case I needed to lay down.

I, um... I think I'm pregnant.

- Oh!
- Sit down!

Hey. Hey.

- Nothing?
- They're not here.

Police! Freeze!

Relax. Just relax.
Everyone relax.

Stay calm.

All clear.
Dressing rooms are all clear.

I've got nothing in here, sir.

Hey!

Mom called.

Said you invaded our home,

- stole my brother's property.
- No, no, no, no, no.

- Out of the car, woman.
- No, no, no.

No, no, no.
Sam, please don't hurt her.

Please help.
Stop him.

Please help her.
He's gonna hurt her.

Help her!
- Gotta keep our girls in line.

- He's gonna hurt her!
Someone help her!

♪♪ ♪♪

Bear your testimony, Sam!

Do you step on women's necks

because
it makes you feel taller?

Because your mother told you
you were a chosen one?

That our country
is to blame for your failings?

Well, it's a lie!

You are not special!

You are not chosen!

You and your brothers
simply failed!

You are a small, weak

child of a man.

This I know to be true.

♪♪ ♪♪

You show him how weak he is,
Matilda.

Show him!

Go on.
Show him now.

Yes. Okay.

Okay, come here.

Sara.

Sara, come with us!

You don't have
to stay with him.

Come with us. Come.

♪♪ ♪♪

Get in the frickin' car,
Matilda.

♪♪ ♪♪

Shame on all of you!

♪♪ ♪♪

- Dan.

I've received
another revelation.

It has been revealed to me
that you're a false prophet,

and that in order
for His will to be done,

you must perish.

- So you're going
to blood atone me, then?

No, Brother.

'Cause your deceptions
are so wicked,

you shall not see
your blood spill.

You shall not enter
the kingdom of heaven.

♪♪ ♪♪

- How about we pray on it, Ron?

Together.

I think we should pray on it,
don't you?

♪♪ ♪♪

Dear Heavenly Father...

♪♪ ♪♪

All right.

♪♪ ♪♪

Anyone else
come through here?

People come
through here all the time.

- I ask You that
You may create a path for me

to be a vessel for You and...

a vessel for You through Ron,

and I will accept
anything that You...

♪♪ ♪♪

Shed my blood, Brother!

Stop it!

Stop resisting!

In here! In here!

No!
No, no, no, no, no!

♪♪ ♪♪

- Heavenly Father...
- You heathen!

- Oh, Father,
where are You?

- Grab him!

♪♪ ♪♪

- Forgive them, Dan,

for they know not
what they do.

Dan.

Dan?

Dan?

♪♪ ♪♪

- I ask you,

was Abraham a criminal?

Or Brigham Young?

♪♪ ♪♪

What laws of heaven

have I broken?

None!

♪♪ ♪♪

I am Elijah.

♪♪ ♪♪

- What is that?

- It's the state line.

♪♪ ♪♪

Thank you.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Gonna see
if I can get a flight back

to Salt Lake or Miami.

Salt Lake.
Morris checked in.

Dianna called her kids
back in Florida

from a gas station
just over the Utah border.

Matilda's with her.

They're safe.

- Better call Allen.

Allen knows.

Betty picked him up.

He's in Idaho now
with Brenda's folks.

- With her Bishop dad?

- If it's what he needs,
let him have it, Jeb.

Go home.

Angel of God,
guardian dear,

to whom His love
commits me here.

Ever this day,
be at my side

to light and guard,
to rule and guide.

Had to learn
that whole Catholic thing

when my folks converted.

- Oh.
- Never shook that one.

How 'bout this?

Dear Heavenly Father,

bless Jeb's return home
to his family

and my return to TV dinners,
midnight Marlboros,

and endless Diet Cokes.

In the name of Jesus Christ,
amen.

- Yeah...
- Your last try.

Oh, gosh.

You know,
when the colonists

were wiping out my ancestors,

we received a prayer of hope

that one day,
they'd all vanish

and the buffalo would return.

♪♪ ♪♪

- You think
that holds some power?

- Nope.

When the white man
saw us singing it,

they just mowed us down
like blades of grass

with their Christ-sickles.

I like singing it anyhow.

Reminds me of home.

We all need a home, Jeb,

so I think it's okay
to sing it now and then

even if I don't believe
it has power anymore.

♪♪ ♪♪

Hi there.

- It's time to put this one
in the drawer, Jeb.

Good job.

- Thank you.

How are you doing?

♪♪ ♪♪

Annie.

Daddy.

- Daddy!
- Trouble! Aw!

- Hi.

- Hey.

Hey.
- Hey.

♪♪ ♪♪

Hey.

♪♪ ♪♪

- So who's gonna
do the honors?

Caroline?
- Yes, please!

Okay, go ahead.

Dear Heavenly Father,

thank You
for bringing Daddy home

and our family back together.

♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪

- Oh, it's just a gift
from our Heavenly Father.

It's a miracle.

♪♪ ♪♪

- Or just to be here
with you, Mom.

I think that may be
miracle enough for me.

Is that okay, Mom?
- Yes.

Oh, my God, yes.

♪♪ ♪♪
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