Shady Grove, Virginia. Retired farmer Thomas McLeary would love nothing more than to enjoy his twilight years at his front porch, admiring the setting sun. He does not wish to be bothered with speculation about the country's fate in the midst of an increasingly bitter political climate. But when a runaway slave takes refuge on his property, he must reluctantly pick a side and risk his safety.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Erich Streicher, a writer for the Freedom Fightin' Firebrands, is more concerned about his personal life than defending the abolitionist cause. Marrying the love of his life and fleeing to the countryside offer hope for a bright future. But when Streicher's employer wages war on the young woman's father, he is embroiled in a conflict that jeopardizes everything he holds dear.