Nick Waters had never wanted to be anything but what he was born. The son of an Iowa farmer.

Then after his pa was killed in the war between the states and his ma died of fever he decided to go into the army himself. After he was wounded, he finished out the war in charge of a prison camp for Confederate soldiers. With the war over, he headed west to find a new home, a wife and maybe children. After some time of drifting around it looked like maybe he'd found just what and who he'd hoped for in the town of Big Springs.

Not knowing at the time that if he wanted it, it would have to be gained from fighting with a rancher who demanded that the people of Big Springs call him King Red. Nick Waters was not a man who would call anybody king. It was peace he wanted, but if necessary, he'd give them a war like no other.