.

George Ryder rose from his bed with the first crack of sunlight, slowly fastening his clothing onto his body and placing his faded chester hat upon his head. He slowly stalked out of the building in which his gang possessed as a hide out at Twin Rocks, and hauled his barely awake body up the ladder to the roof top. On there, he could smoke his first cigarette as he watched the sun rise. He did this every morning, watching the plains of New Austin come alive from the height of the rooftop. The rest of his gang would not wake for another hour or two.
In mid drag, he caught sight of lonely farmer a little ways away, shouting for help as he did his best to try and fend off the pack of wolves that were snapping at his legs. George merely watched in silence, his face blank of expression, as the man was eventually devoured. The farmer had been in close enough proximity that, if he really wanted to, George could have shot the wolves away from him. Yet he refrained. George Ryder was anything but kind.

It is early morning in Blackwater when Zhou awakes from a restless night of sleep. The morning sun's light slowly illuminates Zhou's apartment as he dresses. After he pays his respects to his ancestors, Zhou puts on his ammo belt and holsters his revolver as he exists his apartment.

The smell of the nearby lake hung heavy in the air as Zhou made his way to Sam Wah's store. Upon arriving at the store Zhou could see a number of other gang mates approaching the store. When Zhou and the other outlaws enter the store, Sam Wah glanced up and smiled. "Good morning gentlemen" he said as he led them to the back of the store. The outlaws entered a hidden room that was positioned behind Sam Wah's laundry equipment. Inside other outlaws were seated around a table and the room was dimly lit. The Blackwater Dragon's weekly meeting had begun.

Matando Bichos



El Capitan Evarado Anselmo watched the rebels scuttling across the roadway from the safe position of the ridge. He smirked, and handed his field telescope back to Sergeant Manuel.

“They’re growing bolder,” he said. “I think it’s time to remind these vermin that any romantic notion they may have of war, is but a false one."

“Agreed, el Capitan. Should I give the order?” Replied Manuel, dusting sand from his shoulders.

Evarado looked across the ridge at the twenty or so snipers he had arrayed there. Each of them looked down on the roadway through rifle scopes, tracking the progress of the rebels with stern faces. He had little faith in their ability to hit all the targets, but they would kill enough to send the intended message: travelling so close to the army’s strongholds will not be tolerated.

“Yes,” he said, reaching into his heavy tunic for a cigar. “Do not stop firing until they’re well beyond rifle range.”

Sergeant Manuel nodded, and then addressed the snipers. “You heard el Capitan Evarado, put these wretches to the slaughter.”

“But sergeant,” called one of the snipers, looking up from his rifle scope. “There are women down there, unarmed, with children.”

Evarado smiled broadly, walked over to the sniper and promptly drew his Mauser. “If the women of my country are rutting with these rebels and producing offspring, then they’re worse than the men holding the guns. Kill them, kill them all private. Do it with the Grace of God.”

The soldier hesitated, “I don’t think God would command me t-“

The cold metal of Evarado’s Mauser suddenly pressed itself against the private’s forehead. “Thinking don’t do a man a great deal of good in war, you’d do well to remember that, amigo.”

“Y-yes Sir,” the sniper stammered, and then returned to his scope.

Evarado lit his cigar, and held it to his lips. He noticed that the rebels had stopped to look up at him; to them he must have been a strange sight, just a lone figure on the ridge, silhouetted by the sun. No doubt by his attire, they’d made him an officer of some kind, but from all the way up here he could do them little harm. His snipers however, disguised in desert brush, certainly could.

“Fire!” He snapped.

Twenty rifles crackled, covering the ridge in a light fog. Some of the rebels, so small from their vantage point, doubled over and collapsed. Horses broke free from their carts, darting off in all directions. The women, some with children, ran off into the wilderness. Then the rifles thundered again, drowning out the screams, as they downed more of the rebel group.

“Who taught you how to reload?” Screamed Evarado above the racket of men pulling back bolts. “You think the American Army shoots this slow?”

Sergeant Manuel, prompted by his captain’s words, started barking threats at the snipers. This only panicked them however, and whatever discipline held in the 21st Infantry Company broke there and then. Bolts jammed, fingers fumbled, shots fell wide.

Evarado booted one of the snipers in the chest, forcing him onto his back with the force. The man groaned some, winded, and scampered away as the el capitan picked up his rifle and looked down the scope. The face of a heavily bearded man, covered in dirt and blood, stared back at him. He was yelling, perhaps out of grief, maybe out of defiance. Evarado didn’t care, he pulled the trigger, and then the man fell down with a trail of blood jetting into the air.

Cocking the bolt, Evarado spat out his cigar. “That’s how you shoot, you worthless donkey rutters!” He fired again, and a rebel who had the ill wisdom of firing back at the ridge dropped to the ground with a hole in his chest. “You got to stop thinking that these vermin are people, they’re not, they’re rats!”

Before long, and the ‘battle’ was over. Evarado inspected the scene personally, and counted ten dead, five wounded. Those unfortunate five were put in chains, and hauled off back to El Presido. There he would be able to ‘debrief’ them, and discover where the rest of their brothers-in-arms were hiding. It would be a while before the rebels felt safe to move through his immediate vicinity again, and not for the first time, the capitan wished there were more men like he to get this job done.

Early morning was in Mexico as Mike Burnwood woke up from his sleep by the sound of rifles. He had been here for a couple of months now. Hunting down some army captain by his name Evarado Anselmo. He heard rumors that the rebels put a great bounty on his head. So he decided to cross the border and hunt the guy down and take him out. As the sound of rifles woke Mike up, he quickly folded the blanket he covered himself with and put it in the saddlebags as he quickly got on his horse and rode quickly towards where the sound came from. After a couple of minutes of riding Mike stumbled upon a gruesome scene. Alot of bodies, all of them shot, were lying on the ground, dead. Women, men, children. Mike gets off his horse as he takes off his hat and presses it against his chest. "Of my God! What is this carnage?" Said Mike with a quiet tone as he put his hat back on his head and leaned down and patted a dead child on the head. He was probably no more then 9 or 10 years old. As Mike was doing that, a woman in her 30's ran towards him, forcing him away as he leaned down next to the child and started screaming. "My Nino, my nino, noooo, mi nino, noooo!" Mike didn't knew much spanish but as far as he knew the woman was screaming about her child. As he watched her cry her heart out, Mike went over to her and gently placed his right hand on her elbow. "I'm sorry about your child. Their deaths will be avenged, I promise." Said Mike as the woman rised up, turned towards him and with her eyes drowned in tears she wrapped her arms around Mike as she continued crying.

Freedom...Now that was something that Rosie would never trade away for anything. It was worth all of the pocket change she had ever stolen, it was worth more then all of the money in the entire west. Rosie knew that for certain. Rosie let out a hoot as her horse sped up, several other Bass Bell Gang boys rode up alongside her. They had just completed a heist, nothing major. A bunch of them just bet heavy in a game that they knew they would win. Rosie was also able to slip a ring off of an extremely intoxicated man's finger, pocketing it right in front of him while he was too busy asking about her prices.

Riding fast through the dry, hot, air made Rosie feel like a hundred bucks. As they rode along the other members of the Bass Bell Gang discussed what they were going to get with their money. New clothes, new guns, a nice knife, prostitutes. It was the same every time. Each of the gang members had a black bandana wrapped around their arm, including Rosie. Soon the riders began to split off from each other, heading back to where they come from. Not only is this a tacit in not getting caught, but it also allows everyone to go off to hide their goods close to home.

It didn't take long for Rosie to return to her home, the General Store. She hopped off her horse, leading it to the shared stable for some rest and shade, then walked in through the back door. Rosie could hear Meg long before she saw her. The soft, but over time grating, sound of a wooden leg brace squeaking against itself. And the soft hobbling limp that follows. “Heya Meg!” Rosie called into the store. “I'm home!”

After the members of the Ryder Gang began to awake, George made his way back down to the dusty ground and entered their building at Twin Rocks.

"Alright, men! I want everyone ready at their horses in ten! No bullshit," George hollered to his gang, who looked like they could use a good morning call. Today, top performance was crucial - today was the day they planned to rob the bank in Armadillo and they were prepared to kill anyone who stood in their way. Returning to his room briefly, to wrap his bandana around his face, George looked at himself in the mirror. It was not often he gave a care to his appearance. What good would it do? He was certain there was no woman that would ever love him or show him affection if he didnt have to pay them afterwords.

Once all the members of the Ryder Gang were mounted and ready to ride, George took the lead as he spurred his horse and willed it to gallop upon the dusty trails of New Austin. They had planned for the robbery to take place at seven but he was hoping they would arrive a little early to allow him to take a quick detour through Armadillo and pick up some supplies. It was not often that he visited the town - for if a lawman or bounty hunter were to spot him, there would surely be a confrontation. Not that he couldn't handle it, but he just didn't want the hassle of having to kill a few men just to visit town. As the gang approached Armadillo, George already had his first destination in mind; the General Store.

Vida es Barata



El Presido, 21st Infantry Company’s base of operations.

“I will ask you again, Señor,” said Evarado, irritably. “Where is the one known as Abraham Reyes?”

“Fuck you!” spat the prisoner through broken teeth. “I’ll never help you murderers!”

Evarado sighed as he nodded at the pitiful creature before him, “I respect your loyalty.” He sat himself down on a simple wooden chair, and waved his hand at Sergeant Manuel. “Again.”

Sergeant Manuel shoved the hot iron into the man’s face, scorching flesh. The resulting scream was deafening, as the prisoner struggled against his restraints, twitching and squirming. Not satisfied, Evarado gave Manuel the go ahead for a second jab. Another animalistic, soul shattering scream echoed throughout the interrogation room of El Presido.

“The sooner you talk, the sooner this ends, amigo,” Evarado said, standing up and walking over. “Tell me where this Reyes fellow is, and it’ll all be over.”

No words were forthcoming, and Evarado had wasted enough of his time with this roach. He pulled out his Mauser, aimed and fired. The prisoner’s head shot back, blood and brain matter spattering the white clay of the room’s interior.

“Bring in the next prisoner,” he said, “and get this filth out of my sight.”

Buck sat looking at his cards. Through the small gap between his cards and the brim of his hat he eyed his opponents. Buck was horrible at poker, but he was here for information. The man on his left was some sort of card shark, legitimately there to con people out of money. The man to his right was haggard and had a weathered face. Just some no account booze hound trying to get enough money for another drink. The man across from him narrowed his eyes in Buck's direction. This was the man Buck was after. Buck knew that this man knew something about the Blackwater Dragons and there was a nice bounty out for their capture.

"Your move stranger." The card shark sneered at him. "Call or fold." Buck lowered his card slightly and eyed the three men. In one motion he threw his cards down and reared back and kicked the table forward. The three men jumped back in surprise and started to go for their guns. Before any of them could get a full draw Buck unholstered his single action .45. He fanned the hammer and shot the first man in the chest. The man on his right had gotten his gun out of his holster and was raising it towards Buck. Before he could raise the barrel Buck cocked back and shot him in the face. The man Buck was here to question had fully raised his gun at Buck and fired. Buck ran forward towards the man and ducked slightly. The man's bullet grazed the top of Buck's hat as Buck threw an uppercut and sent the man flying back unconscious.

Everyone in the saloon stopped at stared at Buck. As Buck was pulling the man up and dragging him out of the saloon, he stopped and addressed the saloon. "They were cheating." Buck slammed the man up against the outside of the saloon wall. He awoke with a start "The Blackwater Dragon's!" Buck yelled. The man's eyes went wide with horror. "I...I don't know nothing." The man spit back. Without saying another word, Buck pulled out his hunting knife and stabbed the man in the arm. The man howled with pain. "O, ok. Ok. I'll talk." Buck got up nose to nose with the man. "Tomorrow." The man said weakly. "Tomorrow, they meet in Sam Wah's store. That's all I know I swear." "I appreciate your cooperation." Buck sneered, pulling out the knife. The man feel to the ground cradling his arm in pain.

Buck walked back into the saloon and sat at the bar. "Whiskey." He barked out. The bartender shakily poured him a shot and went to walk back down the bar. "Leave the bottle." Buck said, shooting back his whiskey. He looked towards where the card table was. It was being picked back up and the other two men were being dragged out. Buck turned back to the bar and poured himself another drink. All he could focus on was taking out the gang and collecting his bounty.

Zhou sat down at the table with the other gang members. The meeting began with Lei Qiang asking for updates on their criminal operations. Lei Qiang is the leader of the Blackwater Dragons and a merciless killer from Peking. "Our silver operation has been very successful this week. We were able to steal multiple pounds from the miners in Gaptooth Breach". Lei nods in approval "very good"

The rest of the meeting drags on with each member reporting good news in the operation they control. "As a reward for our success, let us have some tea" Lei says as he stands. Sam Wah brings in a pot and small glasses for everyone. As the tea is served Lei's face becomes serious once more. "One more thing gentlemen. I have heard rumors of a bounty hunter attempting to track us and end our operations. I advise you all to be very cautious while in the city".

After finishing his tea Zhou and a few other gang members exit Sam Wah's store. "Could I interest you gentlemen in a drink?" One gang member says. A drink sounded wonderful to Zhou at the moment. So the men began to walk down the street to Blackwater's saloon

Mujer Salvaje



El Presido, 21st Infantry Company’s base of operations.

"Put that iron down, sergeant, do you think it is okay to harm a woman in such a manner?" Roared Evarado, shoving Manuel forcefully against the wall. He turned sharply, and smiled warmly at the the terrified woman, as two burly soldiers held her arms with tight grips. "Forgive me Señorita, my men are good souls, but the harsh ways of war clouds their manners."

"Please let me go," she sobbed. "I don't know anything about the rebels, I was travelling with them for safety."

"Perhaps," said Evarado thoughtfully. "Though surely the glorious Mexican Army is protection enough on the roads?"

The woman scoffed, "if they were, I wouldn't walk around without a dozen men protecting me. And even then it's touch and go as to whether they'll rape and murder me."

Evarado's smile grew wider, he liked this woman, enough to give her the test. "I believe you, Señorita, and I beg your forgiveness. Release her."

The two soldiers holding the woman relented their grip, and she shrugged them off. There were thick red finger marks on her arms from where they had held her, and she winced as she rubbed them .

"You are free," said Evarado, though he shook his head. "Unfortunately, I do not have men enough to spare to escort you into town."

"Sounds about right," she sniffed. "I'll find my own way."

"Indeed, but here, take this," he said, drawing Manuel's revolver from the man's gun belt. The sergeant looked quizzically at the capitan, but was paid no heed.

In a heartbeat, the woman had lunged forwards, her face contorted in rage, and she snatched the weapon. Before any of Evarado's soldiers, or the sergeant, could react, she had the weapon held at his head. She grinned briefly, then pulled the trigger. Nothing but the click of an empty chamber rewarded her efforts.

"Oh, Señorita, how you break my heart," said Evarado, frowning at her. "I had you marked as a good Mexican woman, honest and dignified. Yet, you are nothing but a rat rutting whore."

The soldiers quickly apprehended her, punching her in the face and stomach over and over until Evarado finally told them to stop. She sobbed through swollen cheeks, and a sliver of blood fell from her mouth. Her eyes had become enlarged, heavily bruised, and now she had a permanent squint.

"If you're standards are so low as to rut with rats, then you'll enjoy rutting with wolves," sneered the capitan. "Give her to the men, let them do as they wish."

"Yes sir!" Said one of the soldiers, smirking.

They hauled the whimpering, screeching woman away, and Evarado sighed bitterly. "T'is a shame," he said, looking at Manuel. "But the show must go on. Next prisoner!"

After the Ryder Gang had entered Armadillo and hitched up their horses near the outskirts of town, George told them to wander about the town for about twenty minutes or so, to not attract attention to a bunch of outlaws gravitating towards the bank all at once. Each member was assigned a specific time to go to the bank, each being five minutes apart. George was going to be the last one to the bank, at precisely 7:00.

As the gang dispersed amongst the town, George made his way to the General Store. Upon entering, he hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and sauntered in through the door way, his boots clicking on the wooden floor. He took note of two women who were near the back of the store, one with a leg brace and one who had a black bandana wrapped around her neck. Finding her slightly attractive, George nodded to them as he lightly touched the brim of his hat. "Mornin', ladies." He was not one to make small chat or friendly conversation with others, but he had a weak spot for women, especially prostitutes.

Rosie and Meg had been conversing about Rosie's latest heist, Rosie danging a fancy ring on a chain in front of her friends face, when the door suddenly sung open. Rosie quickly and frantically tried to stuff the ring back into her pocket. She feared that a cop had walked into the General Store, or a civilian looking to make a couple extra bucks by turning in a member of a gang. Meg, fearing a similar thing, quickly rushed to the counter to assist whoever just walked in. Her voice was full of fake cheer, the kinda of tone that would make someone suspicious. "Good Day good sir! What are you interested in today!" Rosie, who seemed to be 'busy' looking at a shelf of various herbs and spices, stole glances over her shoulder at the stranger.

She silently let out an obscenity.

She recognized who was in their general store, who wouldn't recognize him. George Ryder of the Ryder Gang. The boys in the Bass Bell Gang warned about him. He was stone cold and a killer. Rosie glanced nervously at Meg. Her friend was out in the open, she could easily be killed or kidnapped or worse. The poor girl was too innocent to know any better. Rosie, never one to plan ahead, quickly pulled Meg aside. "You know Meg...I think it would be a good idea for you to check up on how the dog is doing." Meg looked quizically over at Rosie. "What? The dog is fine. We have a customer!" Rosie quickly pushed her friend out the door. "Don't worry I'll man the store!" Once Meg was out Rosie couldn't help but feel a little better.

She slowly turned back towards George. "Good Mornin' sir."

Suspicious eyeing the scene that had just unravelled in front of him, George remained quiet, letting his appearance and presence speak for him. These women clearly knew who he was. Not even five minutes in town and he had already been recognized.

Slowly stalking closer to the woman, he cleared his throat. "I'm lookin' for some high quality rope," he told the woman with his voice low and rough. He would let her imagine what he was going to do with it. The woman in front of him seemed to become more attractive by the minute. Something about her looked awfully familiar. She looked just like a prostitute he had seen some time ago who hung around a gang, who's name currently had escaped him.

Buck was about halfway through the bottle when he saw four men walk in together and sat down the bar from him. Buck did a double take. Could this really be Zhou, just sitting her next to him? Buck kept facing the bar and poured himself another drink. No need to bring unwanted attention to himself. His hand slowly gravitated towards his gun. Buck grinned to himself as he brought up the whiskey glass to his lips and took a sip. As he was about to draw on Zhou and his men, Buck paused. There had to be more of Zhou's men in town. He wouldn't make it out of this saloon alive to collect his bounty, even if he did dispatch of all four of the men.

Buck pulled his hand away from his pistol and finished his glass of whiskey. He paid the bartender and slowly walked outside. There were several wooden chairs outside on the saloon's deck. Buck sat down in one and lit his cigar and took a long drag. He would wait until Zhou and his men left and follow them. He'd find their hide out and ambush them there. He'd take the whole gang out and get the bounty for all of their heads. Buck smiled as he exhaled the smoke.

.

After a long night of socialising and drinking Zhou and his friends left the saloon. Among the group of his friends is Li Wong, a dear friend of Zhou who has been with him since they arrived in America. Li Wong asks the men if they would be interested in trying the new product that had just arrived from Guangzhou. The men were too tempted and agreed as they stumble back to Sam Wah's to sample the newly arrived Poppy.

Rosie seemed to be trying to compose herself, that was until he mentioned needing rope. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She coughed lightly, trying to clear her voice. "We have...uh...several different widths of rope...In the back." She turned away, towards a door behind the counter. "It's in the back...I'll get a couple and you can chose the size you want." And with that Rosie hurried, almost too quickly into the store room. Rosie just hoped he didn't mess around with anything. She wasn't lying about the rope, she quickly began to gather several different sizes of rope. Rosie tried to calm herself down, her gang boys would tell her a lot about this guy. He was worse then anyone in the Bass Bell Gang. And if you looked into his eyes he would shoot you dead.

And Rosie wasn't quite ready to die. She wasn't sure why she was so scared, she was a hardened criminal. She could have wiped out a gun, but she assumed he would be faster. Or maybe he was one of those guys who wouldn't hit a girl. Either way, in her store he was a customer. If he payed he would get the rope, no matter what he planned to do with it. With several different widths of rope, Rosie reentered the shop. She glanced around quickly, hoping to see if he stole anything. "Here you go sir, take your pick." Rosie was making clear efforts not to make eye contact, the gun in her pocket suddenly feeling very heavy.

Buck watched as Zhou and three of his men stumbled out of the saloon. They are all visibly intoxicated. Buck smiled as he puts out his cigar. He hears one of the men talk about going to try some new product that they have just gotten in. Buck grins ear to ear. Zhou and his men are going to be drunk and drugged up when he gets to them. "Well, shit." He thought to himself. "Maybe I can just bring 'em in alive." That wasn't Buck's style, but this should be easy. Drunken men are the easiest bounty to catch. Buck lets the men get some distance ahead before he gets up and follows them.

They walk for a little bit. He hears Zhou and his men talking loudly about this new product. Most of the words are badly slurred. So he can't really make out the details of what they are saying. As they approach Sam Wah's store, Buck ducks behind a building. He checks his guns to make sure they are both fully loaded. He re-holsters his Colt and readies his Winchester Repeater as he turns the corner and heads to Sam Wah's.

Buck braces himself against the edge of the door frame and peers in. It looks empty, but the door leading to the back is slightly ajar. Buck creeps as quietly as possible on the creaky wooden floors. Luckily, he hears loud talking and laughing coming from the back room that helps hide his approach. There is a shelf on the side of the door that opens outward. Buck braces himself against the shelf, but can't get a good view of the back room.

Buck takes a few deep breaths before he opens the door, leading with his rifle. As he walks in he sees the four men sitting around a table. The two facing him are random lackeys with Zhou and another man facing away from Buck. "Ok now. Y'all come quietly and no one has to die." He says walking further into the room. Before he could react, two men jumped him from behind. Buck fell forward as he grabbed one of the men. He pulled the man in front of him just the one of the men at the table had stood up and fired at Buck. It hit his human shield right in the chest.

Buck threw the man to the floor and raised his repeater. He quickly shot the two men facing him at the table and went to turn to shoot the other man that had originally jumped him. As he spun around and ducked, the man opened fired. The fact that Buck had ducked saved his life. As the bullet just missed his head and nicked the top of his hat. Buck stood up and charged the man as he opened fired. The men fell back dead and Buck dove to the side once he cleared the door to the front of the building.

Buck had apparently moved just a bit to slow as a bullet hit him in the back as he dove to the side. He sat up against the shelf and put his hand to his side. He looked down to see that it had only grazed him. He would live, but he was bleeding badly. He yelled out: "Give it up Zhou! There ain't no way out. I'm taking ya in. One way or the other!" Buck was worried more of Zhou's gang might come in at any minute. He was torn on whether he should try and save himself before more men came in, or try and take Zhou out now while he had the chance. There was only two men left in the back room Zhou and another lackey. Buck didn't know if he could out gun two men with an injury.

George eyed the woman, and then the rope. With her being noticeably shaken by his presence, it made him feel slightly powerful - but also slightly saddened. While he had no problem with having little to no intimate relationships, he internally wondered what it would feel like to be loved instead of feared. Clearing his throat, he gestured to the rope that appeared the thickest and said, "That one'll do."

Following the woman to the cash counter, he leaned up against the counter, leaning his face so close near hers, he was sure she could smell the smoke on his breath. "Say, what's a pretty woman like you doin' at a place like this anyway?"