The year is 1911, the people had arrived at Blackwater, where a massacred happened 12 years ago. The people stepped out of the steamboat, where it was robbed during that time.
One of the crowds is a 38 year old Outlaw, John Marston, along with the two corrupted agents, Agent Ross and Agent Archer Fordham. John is among the surviving members of the Van Der Linde Gang, under a feller called, Dutch. The gang fell apart years later, other gang members died before the gang ended were, Hosea, Lenny, Jenny, Mac, Davey, Sean, Grimshaw, Kieran, Molly, Micah, and Arthur.
Other remaining members are Dutch, Bill, Javier and John himself. Ross and Archer had kidnapped his family to blackmailed John to hunt down his old outlaw friends in exchange for peace with his family. John, having no other choice but to comply as he and the two agents walk towards Blackwater, they come across a kid holding a folded newspaper, telling them about Bill Williamson runs his own gang.
"Extra, extra," The kid said, waving the folded newspaper, health benefits of smoking! Extra, extra, read all about-"But as the three passed by, Ross shoved him. "Hey watch it, mister! Bill Williamson's gang terrorizes New Austin!"
The three men continue walking down the street towards the Blackwater train station. Where they have to ensure John makes it to the train. As John climbs a few steps onto the train cart, he took one last look at the two agents before walking in. He sat alone, slouching as he overhear the people around him are having a conversations as the train goes for its next destination.
"Well, I for one am greateful Mrs. Bush, that they are finally bringing civilization to this savage land!" The old lady said to her friend.
"I could not agree with you more, my dear. My daddy settled this land and I know he'll be looking down on us, pleased at how we helped the natives."
John ignores them as the train still moving.
"Yes, they've lost their land, but they've gained access to heaven."
John doesn't bother to acknowledge their conversation but ignoring it, even though he can still hear them and he could see a woman and preacher talking in front of him.
The train goes through the tunnel and later emerged from its interior as John can barely see Armadillo up ahead. After two minutes, the train goes for a stop, stopping at Armadillo.
"Well, here we are, Mrs. Bush. Armadillo."
John and the others disembark from the train and headed towards the bar. John's first target is: Bill Williamson. Ross had sent a feller who can take John to where Bill was located. So he went into the bar and finds everyone in it.
"Mr. Marston!" He turned to his left to where the voice calling him and sees a man sitting with a woman standing beside him. "Over here!" John goes to the man as the woman walked away. "You must be John Marston." The man said.
"Sometimes," John replied. "I mostly go for the name, Jim Milton."
"I'm Jake. Your friends from Blackwater hired me to guide you."
"They ain't my friends," John told him. "But pleasure to meet you."
"I got the horses saddled up," Jake said. "You ain't gonna find a sturdier horses than all of these of New Austin." John and Jake went outside and mount on the horses. "Easy on the spurs now. We don't need to draw undue attention."
After waiting for the train to pass by their path, they proceed to ride off to Fort Mercer.
"So, it's Forth Mercer you want to visit?" Jake asked.
"That's right," John answered.
"Seems a strange place for a decent fella to visit, if you don't mind me askin."
"Who said I was decent?"
After explaining why it was abandoned for years, Jake decided to ask why John wanted to go to there. "So what are you doing up the Fort?"
"I'm looking for an old friend."
"Well, like I says, you ain;t gonna find many folk round those parts these days. And those you do find are bout as sociable as an ulcerated back tooth. I mean, I ain't one to judge a man by the company he keeps, but…"
"Well, he ain't been friends for a long time." John told him.
"Are you planning on spending any time in Armadillo, Mr. Marston?"
"I doubt it." John replied. "I ain't planning on staying very long."
"Well, if you're fixin for some female company, you can do a lot worse than Armadillo." Jake said.
"I'm a married man, I'm afraid."
After a few minutes, the duo made it to Fort Mercer.
"Listen, Mister," Jake spoke. "This here is what's left of Fort Mercer. Some gang rode in and took over the place."
"So I understand," John nodded.
"This is where we part ways, friend. You have yourself a good time." Jake rides off, leaving John to face his old friend alone. He rides up ahead to the Fort and stopped and dismount his horse as he look up to the balcony in front of him. He knew very well Bill was here and it's been 12 long years since he last saw him.
"Bill Williamson, I've come for you!" John shouted. "Bill! Come out here right now!"
"Go away now, John," He hears his voice after all these years. "Don't make me kill you."
"Nobody needs to kill anyone, Bill." John said.
Then Bill appears up the balcony along with his two guards, pointing their rifles at John.
"You must think I was born yesterday," Bill sneered. "You always did think I was an idiot."
"That ain't fair, Bill," John replied. "You were as my friend. I've come to try and save you."
This make Bill laughed. "Really? You're saving me? Do I look like I need saving?"
"Bill, please," John pleaded. "They're gonna kill us all. I can help you."
"Well, you never tried to save me before," Bill reminded of how John never saved him. "You only seemed to save yourself. You only cared about yourself."
"But I think differently, Bill." John said. "I implore think about this."
"You implore me?" Bill repeated. "You implore me?" Then he laughed. "You always were one for fancy words. Well, things are different now, John. Now, I'm in charge! No more Dutch, no more Hosea, nor Sean, Lenny, Jenny, Kieran, Micah, no more Arthur, and no more you!"
John's heart wrenched when he brought up Arthur's named. He was still damned about Arthur's death because of his TB and it hurt him even more whenever his name was brought up but he'd rather think about him than utter a single word of his name. But John is not going to show any weakness, and if Bill's not going let him help him, he's got no other choice but to do it.
"Well then…" He slowly grabbed his pistol and began to shoot but Bill anticipated his guard shot him on the stomach, leaving John to lie dead on the ground. Thankfully he's not dead but rather unconscious.
"Poor John," Bill laughed, walking away, leaving John to die but what he didn't know that they were two bystanders arrived just in time and helped rescued John and take him back to his place.