Horses are grazing and then flee in panic at the sound of a drone overhead as CBS’s Marshals season two, episode three opens. Three men on the ground are positioned nearby.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode three – “Falling Sky” – and there are spoilers.)
Cal (Logan Marshall-Green) is preparing himself for chemotherapy and admits being out riding with Kayce (Luke Grimes) is the medicine he really needs. Kayce volunteers to sit with him, but Cal turns him down. He reminds Kayce that he needs to concentrate on getting his home (meaning Tate) back to normal.
Kayce’s confessing that fixing the house is easier than helping Tate when shots ring out. They ride up and find Tate (Brecken Merrill) in the middle of target practice. Kayce’s shocked because this isn’t like Tate, and when Tate explains what he’s doing, Kayce suggests he stop listening to the Navy SEAL podcast. Tate’s really withdrawn and Kayce just doesn’t know how to connect with him.
When Tate rides off, Kayce pauses and stares at a buffalo.
Belle (Arielle Kebbel) helps Andrea (Ash Santos) look for a new place to rent since she’s committed to staying in Montana. They chat, and Andrea admits that she’s been looking into her father’s murder. Andrea freezes when Belle goes downstairs to check out the basement. There’s no way she’s going to rent this place.
Broken Rock tribe members confront Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) about allowing military drones to fly over the reservation. The drones spook livestock and have been causing blackouts. Thomas claims he can’t do anything, since the tests are taking place outside the reservation’s border. He finally realizes that what this is really about is allowing a cannabis farm coop on the reservation, which has already been denied by the council. Shane Whitebear (Duke Davis Roberts) wants one approved as a new stream of revenue. Thomas refuses to consider it.
After the group leaves, Thomas and Mo (Mo Brings Plenty) watch as a drone crashes and causes an explosion not far from the building.
Cal arrives at work and immediately hears about the video circulating online of the drone crash. Miles (Tatanka Means) explains it was a military-grade drone that crashed into a propane tank, destroyed a house, and killed the elderly man inside.
Gifford notifies Cal that his team is now assigned to the drone crash. Plus, Kayce’s assigned to act as a liaison between the rez and the military. Colonel Brooks and a team arrive, along with Gavin, CEO of Horus Avionics, makers of the military defense drones. Gavin immediately insults the team and then claims domestic terrorists on the reservation shot the drone down. He hands over a broken laptop that supposedly contains video of the three men shooting at the drone and claims they also harassed Horus’ men a week ago. Colonel Brooks wants the marshals to arrest them, since the military can’t.
Cal explains dealing with the rez is a delicate business, and Kayce adds that they don’t do the military’s dirty work. Brooks makes Cal agree they will investigate.
The three suspects are Matthew and Koda Nash and their roommate, Jacob. They’re all activists against military testing from big families on the rez. Miles refuses to go along when they head out to arrest the three men until Andrea suggests that his presence might help calm the situation.
The team heads to the area of the rez where Matthew, Koda, and Jacob live, hoping to bring them in peacefully. Unfortunately, tribal police and tribe members aren’t about to allow the marshals to take anyone from Broken Rock into custody, even though Chairman Rainwater gave Cal permission.
Miles does his best to keep things calm as Cal knocks on the door and announces the marshals are coming in. Rainwater and Mo arrive and it’s obvious the tribe members aren’t as interested in the marshals as they are in shaming Rainwater and complaining about his leadership.
The three activists aren’t home, and instead of tearing the rez apart, Cal suggests they head back to the station. Their tech people will try to get into the broken laptop Gavin handed over.
Rainwater asks for a quick chat with Kayce, and as they walk over, Kayce confesses to Mo that he’s been seeing a buffalo. Mo explains a buffalo symbolizes self-sacrifice, but Kayce has already sacrificed everything – except Tate.
Rainwater introduces Kayce and Miles to Jacob’s father, Lawrence. He’s got a voicemail from his son admitting they’re on the run, he’s confused about what to do, and that Matthew and Koda seem angry. Jacob’s dad just wants his son back safe, and they all acknowledge everyone’s on edge over the military drones flying over the rez.
Andrea traces the call to a house on the edge of the rez that belongs to a family friend of Matthew and Koda. Kayce and Miles head there and after not getting a response, they enter the home, guns drawn. They locate Jacob dead with blood surrounding his head.
Back at the station, Miles insists Matthew and Koda didn’t kill Jacob, despite all the evidence pointing to their involvement. Miles wants to pass the investigation on to another agency since it’s now a murder investigation. Cal reminds the team that the top priority is the drone accident, so they’re stuck hunting down the fugitives.
Kayce heads home and he and Tate discuss Tate’s future over dinner. Tate doesn’t seem to care about going to college, even though that’s what Monica wanted. Tate remains closed off and Kayce suggests a fishing trip. Tate refuses since he was almost drowned in a river.
Morning arrives and Belle lets Cal know she’s all ready to go with him to chemo that night. He turns her down and suggests that she take care of her son instead.
The digital evidence techs were able to get into Koda’s laptop, and Andrea shows Miles and Belle files of videos of drone footage that Koda and Matthew shot. The footage was uploaded to an anonymous user on a file sharing site, and Belle points out that the drones are top secret technology. Belle realizes that someone would have paid a lot for a look at this technology. It’s possible they killed Jacob to cut him out of the payoff. Miles refuses to even consider it.
Mile and Kayce visit Rainwater’s office and hand over Jacob’s necklace. Jacob’s dad barges in, furious that no one protected his son. After he leaves, Thomas and Mo admit they have no idea how to ease the division that’s tearing the rez apart.
Kayce returns to the station and fills Cal in on what went down. They’re worried Lawrence is going to go after Matthew and Koda’s family. Kayce says the DoD always leaves collateral damage, and Cal confesses his cancer came from burn pits in Afghanistan.
A tip comes in that the Nash bros are at an old Broken Rock community center. The team heads there and Miles describes what’s inside the large building. They head in, well-armed and ready for anything. A minute later shots ring out and Kayce spots two shooters. They’re in tactical gear and toss a smoke grenade to escape; the shooters definitely aren’t the Nash brothers or anyone from Jacob’s family.
Kayce and Miles step outside to track the shooters while Cal, Andrea, and Belle continue looking for Matthew and Koda. They find Matthew shot and bleeding out, but help can’t get there soon. Cal wants Andrea and Belle to stay with Matthew, but Andrea insists that one of them go too. Cal finally agrees and takes Belle with him to back up Kayce and Miles.
Matthew’s in a lot of pain but manages to tell Andrea that the drone fell out of the sky; they didn’t shoot it down. It was armed and exploded before hitting the building.
Kayce spots blood and he and Miles follow it while a drone flies overhead. Andrea radios them with what she learned, and Miles and Kayce realize the drone is searching for Koda. Miles suggests there’s a hidden shelter up ahead, and Koda may be hiding there.
He’s right; Koda is inside and injured. Koda explains that they were documenting the drones to turn over evidence of what Horus was really doing. Koda didn’t have time to upload the crash site video before he, Matthew, and Jacob had to go on the run from Horus and the military.
Matthew’s sorry this is happening. He and his brother just wanted to protect the rez.
Miles takes off, dressed in Matthew’s jacket and hat. That should lure the drone away. Kayce has Matthew stay put while he leaves to search for the two men who shot at them.
Miles comes under fire almost immediately.
Belle spots the person who’s remotely manipulating the drone and after a brief discussion, Belle takes the lead and fires a kill shot. The shooters are now working without help from the drone. One shooter has Miles pinned down and doesn’t see Kayce approach. Kayce takes him out and then he and Miles team up on the second shooter. Miles lays down fire and Kayce’s able to circle above the shooter and kill him. Kayce radios Cal to let him know both shooters are down.
Kayce removes the man’s mask and confirms he works with Gavin at Horus and isn’t with the military. He and Miles are glad they weren’t actually fighting the military, but Kayce acknowledges the “military industrial complex doesn’t have a lot of honor.” However, he believes Miles does have honor after making that decoy run.
The team returns to the station, and Cal’s pleased they cleared Matthew, Koda, and Jacob’s names, prevented an insurrection at the reservation, and exposed Horus. Koda sent the video to Air Force investigators showing the drone was armed and wasn’t shot down.
Belle asks again if she can go with Cal to chemo, but he turns her down. He’s sure he can handle it himself.
Thomas thanks Kayce and Miles for everything they did and for clearing the names of the Broken Rock Three. The military has ended all drone testing near the reservation. Larry’s dad joins them and shakes Kayce and Miles’ hands. He’s relieved it’s been confirmed his son was a good guy, and he thanks Thomas for everything.
Thomas confesses he’s realized he needs to reconsider what’s best for the tribe. He’s given the go-ahead for the cannabis growing co-op.
That night, Andrea is back on the office’s couch where she’s been sleeping when she has a nightmare that she’s been abducted and restrained. She’s definitely suffering from PTSD; hopefully she’ll ask for help soon.
Cal walks through the hospital halls and notices others receiving chemotherapy have friends or family with them. He tears up and closes his eyes. Belle surprises him by showing up uninvited. She’s refusing to take no for an answer and won’t let him do this alone. She takes his hand, and he smiles.
Kayce asks Tate to head to bed early. Tomorrow he’s taking Tate to see a therapist, which is something neither he nor John would have ever done for themselves. Tate’s angry, but Kayce is adamant this is what’s best for his son.
