There were a few things in life that Dr. Charles Lindsay regretted. He regretted not asking out Nathan Holtz back in school, he regretted giving Indian Food a try, and now he was regretting taking a position in Montana instead of Iowa.

Right now, the cult had him and his entourage held at gun point in the middle of the geothermal hotsprings. A priestess was ranting on about how they had trespassed on Eden's Gate territory and that they shall repent for their sins.

Charles and the others could do nothing but watch in horror as two of their friends were waterboarded to death with the hot spring water. The priestess promised that those who survived the repenting shall be blessed by the Father's Faith and shall be branded with pride knowing Faith forgave their transgressions. Literally branded, if the red-hot branding iron with the cult's symbol on it was any indication.

The good doctor couldn't help but whimper, "I really should have gone to Iowa."

Meanwhile in the distance, America and her team saw the events unfolding.

"Aw man, that's fucked up." Sharky said.

"Says the man that burns people alive." Grace mumbled.

"Hey, I don't burn innocent people, I burn people that do THAT to innocent people." He defended.

"Everyone, shut it." America whispered. "Grace, do you have a good position here to snipe or do you see a better vantage point?"

Grace set up her rifle and looked through the scope, scanning the area. "This is good."

"Alright." She scanned the area one last time. "This is a hostage situation guys. No guns, unless necessary. Hostages come first. James and Sharky, I'm going that way. You two go the other way to try and flank them. Grace, if they try killing other people before we reach them . . . blow them to hell."

"Got it."

"Move out."

The three started removing the peggies wandering the docks. Their eyes were watching the priestess' proceedings with reverence, feeling pride swell in their chests that the nonbelievers shall be cleansed, either spiritually or physically from this earth. Either way, the results shall lead to a cleaner world. The Father would be pleased.

Their internal worship was silenced though when the three Resistance fighters snuck up behind them and slit their throats. Their bodies were dragged into the brush or water where they all waited for the cultists to bleed out. Once dead, they moved onto the others.

When the surrounding cultists were removed that's when the rest started acting sporadic, wondering where their fellow fanatics were. Grace had taken a shot, sniping the Goliath in the neck who was about to brand a crying, gasping woman.

"Looks like the cat's out of the bag." She activated her walkie. "Get in there before they kill the hostages! Grace, try to buy us some time to reach them!"

She got an affirmative then charged in.

The group performed a flanking maneuver, while Grace kept them down with her sniper shots, James and Sharky took the northern bridge, and America moved up the southern bridge. They also kept the cultists pinned down with gunfire. The hostages laid as flat as they were able and prayed nothing terrible would happen to them.

Both Sharky and James blasted the cultist's cover with their shotguns, while America used her rifle. The peggies tried fighting back, but all that resulted in them getting riddled with bullets.

In the end, the only one left alive was the priestess, but she was bleeding out from a sucking chest wound. She was breathing haggardly and was giving the Resistance fighters a scathing look that promised damnation. She tried cursing them, but America just pulled out Judgment and placed a bullet between her eyes.

James and Sharky helped the survivors up after untying them.

"Oh! T-thank you for saving me. My name is Dr. Charles Lindsey, but everyone calls me Doc, even though I'm not a doctor."

"We know who you are, Sheriff Whitehorse and Vergil sent us to get you. You're their only doctor, why would you leave?" America asked.

"I know, I know, it was stupid. I shouldn't have left, but I thought I might have found something, an herb that grows around these parts, to help research the Angels, maybe even . . . fix them."

"Did you?" James questioned.

Doc looked down in shame and disappointment. "No. My conclusions were wrong." He sighed deeply. "I had really hoped . . ." He looked over the dead bodies of the ones that followed him.

America understood his turmoil and grabbed his shoulder. "At least we got to you guys in time, it could have been worse. Much worse."

"Yeah." He responded, unconvinced. "This adventure wasn't a total waste. The herb might not cure an Angel, but I think I've concocted something that can attract angels."

"Why would that be useful?"

"Because we can use this as bait to herd the Angels, distract them or get them out of the way so they can leave us alone."

That did sound useful. Better than Sharky's method of blaring Disco music.

"You can look more into this back at the Prison, where it's safe. We'll escort you back there."

"Aw man, that's a hell of walk." Sharky whined.

"If I may." One of the survivors approached. "Not too far from here is the Eden's Gate Convent. An outpost where they perform their freaky rituals."

"What about it?" Grace wanted the quick point.

"They got a helicopter there. If we take it over, we can take a ride on that instead of loading us all into one truck."

The Deputy looked between her teammates as they all gave their silent approval. "Where's this Convent?"

They traveled for about a fifteen minutes, going for an inclined hike north. Exiting from the thick forest they came to a small cliff that overlooked the Convent. It was a small outpost, made of two buildings. The biggest one was a church-like structure and the smallest was apparently some kind of barracks. Both were connected to each other by two pergolas. There was a garden in the back where Bliss flowers were being cultivated, plus a small pond that was radiating Bliss.

While resistance was not heavy, there were still many cultists wandering around. Some took gun positions on the pergola, armed with .50 cals, in the garden in the back were cultists performing their baptisms on their own people, as violent as ever. While the group counted eight enemies, there were likely more inside the buildings.

Just as common were the hostages, being lined up to be next for the cult's sick rituals. They were being dragged out of the barracks kicking and screaming it seemed.

"This is where the cult got their start." James revealed. "Once Joseph got enough people to listen to him they built this place to hold their sermons." He spat on the ground. "Fuckin' eyesore."

America looked back through her binoculars and spotted their objective: a white cult helicopter.

"Alright, here's what we do. Grace, take you sniper spot here, watch our backs. Sharky, you stay behind and watch Grace's back. Come in only if things start to heat up."

"Got it, Dep."

"And don't use your dragon's breath buckshot. I don't want this place burning down."

"Aww, okay." Sharky whined.

America then addressed their followers. "You guys stay behind those trees. Don't come out until Grace gives you the okay."

"Got it, Deputy." Doc confirmed.

"James, we'll split up and take them down one at a time. Keep you eyes peeled and be careful."

"Understood."

They were on the move now, crouching low and fully aware.

James made his way to the garden and America started at the front of the compound. America crept along the wall and peered around the corner. A peggie walked out of the front door and just seemed to embrace the fresh air. It would be his last breath when America grabbed him from behind and shoved her knife into his neck. Then she dragged him back around the corner to hide. Her next destination was the inside of the Convent.

Meanwhile James was making subtle work of the cultists loitering in the garden. Their precious baptism was a very distracting occasion allowing him to pick each one off without issue. The ones that were being baptized were luckily already dead because the cultists were just that batshit.

He came across some poor souls locked in cages and gave them silent reassurance. They'd be free once all the peggies were dead.

Back with America, she was glad to see the Convent's main building only had three peggies in it. One Angel cleaning up on the farthest side, while two armed cultists walked around. One was circling the pews, the other was setting the alter.

She took out a throwing knife and lodged it into the Angel's head. She quickly moved to take out the peggie by the pews before he responded to the Angel's slumping noise. He turned just in time to receive her knife in his neck, receiving a gurgled, bloody cough in response. That was too much noise and got the attention of the last cultist. America was about to use a throwing knife on him, but a bullet impacted through the side of his head. Surprised, America looked to see an open window in perfect view of Grace's sniper spot. She could even see Sharky giving the thumbs up from there.

The only remaining cultist were the ones guarding the pergolas. The two deputies climbed atop of them and removed the guards from their posts and their lives. With the final gasps released, the last of the peggies were dead on the ground.

Eden's Convent was now theirs!

"It's all clear!"

The rest came out of hiding and got to work on removing the cult filth from the place. Prep it for the Cougars to take over. A couple of the rescued even decided to stay and hold the place until help arrived.

America's Posse and others gathered around the helicopter.

"Does anyone know how to fly a helicopter?"

"I do!"

Everyone looked at Sharky skeptically.

Annoyed, he pulled out his wallet and took out a helicopter license. "See. Certified helicopter pilot, right here."

Grace took the license and examined it. "This is over a year expired." She said handing it back.

Sharky swiped it away, a bit frustrated. "So! It's proof I can still pilot one of these things."

America sighed. "Hate to say, but he's right."

Everyone hated hearing that. The civilians started getting nervous about flying with the pyromaniac.

"Relax, amigos." Sharky tried calming them down. "My aunt taught me and she's one of the best helicopter pilots around. I got this."

"Come on, lets release the others so they can hitch a ride too. Take them all to the prison Sharky and inform the Sheriff that Eden's Convent is captured."

"You got it, Deputy!" He saluted.

They got to work on freeing the hostages. Many of them were frazzled from being so close to death. When the cult didn't even care about murdering their own, what chance did they have in surviving?

Thankfully, the cult kept the outpost well stocked with weapons and food, so they could hold this place for the time being until more help arrives.

America entered the barracks and found another hostage. A middle-aged woman curled up in the corner. She took one look at the Deputy and screamed.

"No! No! Please don't hurt me!"

"It's okay." America eased. "Its okay. No one's going to hurt you, I promise." She slowly approached and kneeled down. "Give me your hand."

The woman looked worriedly between America and her hand. Slowly she took it. America smiled as she pulled the distraught woman up. But then the woman smiled and before the Deputy's eyes the woman had transformed into Faith Seed.

"America!" Grace yelled running toward the two.

Stunned, America couldn't stop Faith from blowing Bliss onto her, engulfing her vision.

Faith giggled. "Welcome to the Bliss."