Hey, prime members, you can listen to American Scandal add free on Amazon music, download the app today.

A listener note, this episode contains references to adult content and language, and contains material that some might find offensive.

It's February 1992 on the outskirts of Waco, Texas, and a UPS truck rumbles down a dirt path. Reaches a gate and comes to a stop.

Larry Gilbrith, the UPS delivery man, shifts the truck into park. He glances out the window, noticing the winter sky fading into twilight as he gazes at his final destination for the day.

It's Mount Carmel Center. Gilbrith lets the engine idle, and soon a guard comes out to greet him.

Gilbrith has been making deliveries to Mount Carmel for months now, but the place still puts him on edge.

People here treat him well enough, but they guard their compound like it's some kind of fortress. The guard at the gate carries a shotgun.

All around the property, what looked like manned observation posts. In one afternoon, Gilbrith even saw men running drills and camouflage fatigues. He had to wonder, what kind of Christian community is this?

Now with his truck idling, Gilbrith sees the guard unlocking the gate. The guard then waves him through. Gilbrith drives up the main cluster of buildings. He climbs out and walks around to the back of his truck.

He grabs a couple packages, spots a large box on the top shelf, addressed to David Kuresh.

As Gilbrith stretches up and grabs it, the box tilts, nearly falling off the ledge, and then several round black objects spill out. They fall and clank against the metal floor.

Gilbrith looks down at his feet and goes rigid with fear. He's surrounded by a half dozen hand grenades. His mind screams at him to run, but his body remains frozen. His heart pounds and he closes his eyes. But nothing happens.

He squint at the grenades, his breath heavy, and he reaches down and gingerly picks one up. It's a hollow casing and surprisingly light in his hand.

Gilbrith exhales in relief. He quickly gathers the casing, stuffs them back into the box, and carries everything to mount Carmel's front door. But there's no way he's going to knock for his signature.

Gilbrith drops them there, then jumps into his truck and pulls it into gear. He avoids eye contact with the guard as he drives out. His knuckles white on the steering wheel.

Soon, he's on his way back home. Gilbrith pulls up to his house and walks inside. There he finds his wife Debra in the kitchen.

With one look at his face, she knows something's wrong. Larry, what's happened? You remember what I've been saying about those people? The ones up at Mount Carmel? What happened?

I was taking a box off the shelf and it opens up and a bunch of grenades fall out.

Grenades? My Lord Larry, you could have been killed. That's what I thought. It turns out they were just empty shells or something, but God, it scared me to death.

Okay, that does it. I'm calling the sheriff. Now, now hold on, Debra. I don't know if we want to get involved in this business. What if they find out we called the cops? Larry, these people are right on our doorstep. I'm calling the sheriff and I'm doing it right now.

Okay, alright, you're right. Call the sheriff and then tell him I'll answer whatever questions he has.

Debra makes a phone call and Gilbert starts to think again about the men at Mount Carmel, the way they crawled commando style across the prairie, like they were getting ready for battle.

...