After being sequestered to a bunker to recover from his wounds, Lee Harden is finally going topside with his fellow Project Hometown Coordinator, Terrence "Tex" Lehy. Lee wants to ally the UES with Texas, in order to combat the threat of a powerful oil cartel to the south. But Tex's methods raise serious questions, and Lee quickly discovers that Texas has its own set of problems. In the Fort Bragg Safe Zone, the conflict with the Lincolnists is rapidly escalating. Master Sergeant Carl Gilliard has just returned, and he's intent on destroying the Lincolnists, using whatever means are necessary. Angela is caught in the middle, unable to reconcile her sense of civil morality with her desire for justice. One thing remains certain: before there is peace, there will be blood.