The brothers, James, John, and Jacob Patton of the Patton gang served their ten year sentences, with renewed threats to kill Sheriff Nelson and burn Taos to the ground. It would be a formidable task for the three, but for ten years their sons have been planning and preparing to help their father’s threats come true. Eight tough angry men and others who were drawn to the Patton reputation and a chance at a big payday soon joined. When Ben Blue learned of what Nelson and his two young deputies were facing, he checked his weapons and pinned on his badge. Ben and the scrappy Mike Flynn rode into Taos to stand with their sheriff and his inexperienced deputies. Ben, Nels, and the others stood openly to protect the town, while citizens of the town fortified their homes and did what they could to protect their families. As everyone was busy preparing for the Patton’s attack, an unknown and unseen person known only as Abe began killing random citizens. It was soon learned that each killing was a member of the original posse that had taken down the Patton gang ten years earlier. Even though Ben hadn’t yet come to Taos, when the Patton gang was caught, he had caused so many problems for Abe that he became a target.