THE MUERTE SEQUENCE. A story mosaic telling the tale of one man's lifetime encounter with Death. Its impact on his life, the people its taken from him, and the people he's delivered to it in the name of vengeance and the greater good. In between, small stories of those in and around his life who also deal with the Woman of Many Names: Santa Muerte, Saint Death, the Great Mother of Death.
Part One: THE REVEREND'S POWDER
THEN:
Reverend Billy Simms has healed tens of thousands during his two decades as a faith healer, and his reputation as “the real thing” draws thousands of the sick, the weak, and the wounded.
Against his better judgment, Matt agrees to accompany his cancer-stricken sister to the faith revivalist’s assembly. A skeptic at heart, he recognizes the reverend as a fraud, but can’t help but to feel hope as his sister’s condition seems to improve.
Two days later, she's dead.
NOW:
As Reverend Simms stands naked, unconscious, and strapped to a hand truck, Matt has a decision to make. He has reached a fork; one road stretching toward forgiveness and the other descending into bloody revenge.
Part Two: CONSECRATED HIGHWAYS
Ten years have past since the events of THE REVEREND'S POWDER. Instead of choosing a life of goodness and reflection, Matt has built himself into one of the most feared gun-for-hire operators in the country. The way he sees it, he's doing a public service, taking out the bad guys before they hurt too many innocents. Innocents like his poor sister.
But what happens when you're too good at your job? When Death takes notice of you and appreciates your service? When you baptize yourself in blood?
Matt faces the tough answers to those questions as he hunts down a crazy drug cartel killer racing across the country, carrying out human sacrifices in the name of his pagan god. And he'll learn what price he'll have to ultimately pay for being hand chosen by the Mother of Death?
Part Three: GLADIUS, or: MARTY ROBBINS DOESN'T PLAY HERE ANYMORE
Ten years since the events of CONSECRATED HIGHWAYS. Twenty since those that transpired in THE REVEREND'S POWDER. But time means nothing to the Mother of Death. Once she chooses you, she'll have you, regardless of the passage of time.
In Mexico, a bus of Christian volunteers travel toward a leper colony to perform works of mercy. On the way, the bus is stopped by a group of local bandits. Bandits in the employ of the local drug cartel. And they're not looking for money.
Soon, the males volunteers find themselves pitted in gladitorial combat for the entertainment of the cartel. Entertainment demanding blood be spilled as an offering to the Mother of Death. Among them, Scott, Matt's son.
As Scott learns, he's got more of his dad in him than he knows. Killing runs in the family. And the Mother of Death may have found her best new recruit.
