About Angela Wilson
Location: Midwest
Occupation: Web Producer/Freelance Writer
Bio: I love to read - and write - and surf. My FAV genres include mysteries, romantic suspense and thrillers. I'm finally working on my own thriller (under a pen name) and writing a book on marketing/PR for authors. I blog about writing at www.wickedwordsmith.com, and have accounts on various sites. You can find me on MySpace, Facebook and more by visiting www.angelawilson.net.
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Johnstone, Hawkins, Eric and Jake make it back to Jericho, where they report the mortar factory to Mayor Gray Anderson. Constantino is angered by the deaths of eight of his residents during the escape. He sends a boy with a radio to tell Gray that he must provide seven farms and half the disputed salt mine to New Bern as part of their surrender or face the consequences.
Furious by the threat, Gray refuses. Mortars fall and injure Jericho residents. Gray goes insane with anger and sends men out to take out the mortar trucks. Stanley Richmond – who owns one of the larger farms that Constantino wants – goes out with the team. When Stanley reports that they have found the truck with the mortar launch on it, Johnstone tells Gray he should scout the area first, then plan the attack. But Gray the Inept is angry and gives Johnstone the proverbial finger while he tells the men to take out New Bern.
All but Stanley are killed. Gray is eaten up by guilt for his terrible decision. Gray whimpers in his corner and tells his people he is going to deal with Constantino; they need to help him get the seven farms to do it. He’s just going to take the salt mine, which is owned by trading post owner Dale’s girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Johnstone is angry at Gray and sets up his own teams. He is, after all, the effective leader and former military man. He knows war. He gets scouts to find the mortar launch, which is somewhere about two miles outside of town. Jake, Emily and Eric team up. They discover a supply truck heading for Jericho, which could contain the mortars. Working with Hawkins, they decide to overtake the truck on horseback in a very rob-the-railroad scene. But their attempt is usurped by armed gunmen – the new force of Jonah Prowse, Emily’s father and a hardened criminal before the attacks.
Emily makes a deal with her father to fight for Jericho. He hates the town because they kicked him out early in the series. But she tells him he can have half the guns and mortars they take from a perimeter group they are going to overtake. Jonah finally agrees. It takes Johnstone a little longer to accept Jonah’s help, but eventually, he agrees to “deal with the devil.” There is a gunfight and Jericho’s men win with the help of Jonah. But Emily’s father changes the deal and takes all the kitty, leaving the Jericho people wondering where they are going to get the weapons they need to defend their humble homes.
Dale cuts a deal with a woman who was willing to give up her farm to Constantino. He will defend the farm and if they win, he gets it all. She has given up and doesn’t care. Dale tells his men to gather up all the refugees. He offers them a piece of the land if they fight to defend it. They agree. (Nice deal, Dale.)
Johnstone goes to Dale and asks him to fight for Jericho. Dale wants one of the abandoned farms and Johnstone gets angry. It’s about fighting for the town, not business, he says, and stalks off. Dale and his men eventually decide to help.
The men of Jericho scramble to find weapons and hope for a seemingly hopeless situation. Meanwhile, Hawkins takes Jake to his secret firearms stash. They pool the weapons and take them to a night meeting of the townspeople on the square, where Johnstone gives an impassioned speech about defending their very existence. It’s much like the speech he gave after the bombs to give the people hope, except this time, he’s trying to motivate them for survival. Jake and Hawkins hand out the weapons to every able-bodied person 16 years and older. They prepare for war.
One question: Did they forget about the tank they confiscated from the Marines in a previous episode? That would be helpful right about now. Johnstone is a former military man and obviously a better leader. He should have thought about that by now.
Odd moments were focused on Robert Hawkins. He showed unrealistic fear at the impending war with New Bern and wants to spirit his family away to Montana before his wife tells him to pull himself together. He seems lost and uncertain and that is totally not Hawkins.
It’s sad that this episode was so predictable. It was really a waste of time, if you think about it. The saving grace was some great camera work throughout –quick, unstable shots used to help create high tension. It’s exactly what should have been used throughout the series.
Season finale set for next week, though according to the CBS press site, it’s only the first part.
