At the beginning of the film, two lonesome Texas Ranger Division, Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones) and Maggie Swanson (Liz Vassey), are going to a church in order to question Percy Stevens (Cedric the Entertainer) about the whereabouts of his former prison roommate, Morgan Ball, who they want to testify against organized crime boss John Cortland. Percy is indignant, telling Sharp and Swanson that he is a "man of God" and has not spoken with Ball in years. However, Percy's cellphone rings, displaying Ball's name.