Grasshopper Products Presents

In Association with

Rockstar Studios

And

Capcom

New Hanover. Not much to see in a county with livestock towns and much of the wild untamed. Ranches dotted the land here and there, The Cumberland Forest to the northeast, and hilly Roanoke Ridge was further east. Then in the center of it, The Heartlands. A Vast prairie spread far and wide, containing Bison, Pronghorn, Cougar, Deer, birds of all sorts, and horses running free and wild. It was near this part of the land that a group of people had settled in a part called Horseshoe Overlook. This group, however, was more than just a group of traders and likes. Oh no, my dear readers, this was a gang. A Gang that had committed crimes and acts that many have tried to forget. This was…The Van Der Linde Gang.

Now trying to survive in a World and Country that wants folk like them, no more. They are destined to die, destined to disband, and live a life of survival and death. Killing and massacre…Sin and Blood. But, perhaps that could change. A Certain individual, currently trying to put his mind to rest on his cot, was around his mid-30s…he had been with the Van Der Linde Gang for twenty years now…but, perhaps his destiny isn't to die of Tuberculosis. Dying with Honor.

No…something else awaits the man. Perhaps, only time will tell.

-Chapter 1- Yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream

It was currently 1:00 a.m. in Horseshoe Overlook. Much of the Van Der Linde Gang had gone off to sleep. With a few exceptions, such as a rather large man with a scruffy, white beard, drinking whiskey quite heavily. Singing with a drunken mind and tone in his throat. Sitting next to the campfire.

"Come, bustle, bustle, drink about

And let us merry be

Our can is full, we'll pump it out

And then all hands to sea," The man sang with little finesse, soberer.

Meanwhile, resting on his cot, his hat resting on his desk, his eyes shut softly, sleeping soundly and fondly, Arthur Morgan was getting his sleep for the night. It had been a rough few months since Blackwater. The Ferry Job went south far too quickly. Now they were on the run from Pinkertons. They were in the Mountains before they got to…where they were now. The Mountains were harsh and freezing. Arthur, Dutch, and Micah had come across a small house. Hoping that they would hopefully hold up in it until the storm blew over.

Suddenly, it was Arthur in his dream. The Flashback.

Flashback…One Month ago…

Arthur hid behind a small cabin, they were in the mountains, It was dark outside, and a perpetual blizzard had overtaken the entirety of it. He was hiding behind a cabin, with his Cattleman Revolver out in his right hand. Hiding behind a Wagon was Micah Bell.

Micah moved a cover off the wagon.

"Shit, Arthur, there's a body in here," Micah whispered loudly to Arthur, immediately catching his attention. A Body?!

"Whatchu mean a Body?!" Arthur whispered back. He peaked around the corner to see Dutch still conversating with a large group of men that had stepped outside. Many of them were wearing black coats and hats. Dutch was holding a lantern and tried to get them to help. But clearly, they weren't in the mood for helping.

"I mean there's a goddamn body in…the…fucking…wagon!" Micah whispered loudly to Arthur. Arthur thought about it for a few moments.

"What do we do?" Micah asked Arthur. Who was surprised.

"You're asking me? That's a first," Arthur said.

"We ain't got time for this, Arthur, what do we do?" Micah asked as he pulled out his Lemat Revolver.

"Just hold on, wait for my signal," Arthur said. Micah gave him a look.

"I assume the signal would mean that you take the first shot?" Micah asked.

"You'd assume right," Arthur said as he pulled back his Cattleman Revolver. Dutch still seemed to be trying to persuade the men.

Arthur quickly aimed at the one in the front. He took a slight breath in and pulled the trigger. Creating a loud BANG! The Bullet flew straight at the man's head. Piercing his skull and killing him on the spot. All the men immediately went on the defensive pulling their Revolvers out. Dutch immediately ran for cover.

"God Damn it, Arthur! I had it under control!" Dutch yelled as he got behind some fence.

"You sure looked like you did," Arthur yelled back now speaking in his regular voice. Micah quickly shot at another one of the men. Hitting him in the throat causing him to ragdoll to the ground and smash into a wall.

Dutch pulled out his Lemat Revolver firing it quickly at two men. Both were hit in the chest, one fell over, and the other staggered.

"Micah, Cover me!" Arthur yelled.

"Sure thing!" Micah shouted as he pulled out another Lemat Revolver and started to fire away at the Men. Arthur quickly started to run forward to the men. Shooting at three of them. Luckily, he had good aim. One was shot straight in the eye as he fell over dead. The other two were hit in vital organs causing them to start to bleed out.

Arthur then rammed his shoulder into another man that was close to him, forcing him to slam on his back. Arthur then hammered the man with bullets, rapid firing with his Cattleman Revolver. It took at least three shots before the man actually died.

Arthur then heard a feminine scream from inside the house. This quickly caught his attention.

"Dutch, I'm gonna check in the house!" Arthur shouted as he took cover behind the wall of the house.

"You go, son, Micah and I can handle the rest of these bastards!" Dutch yelled from afar as he shot at another man, causing him to fall over dead.

Arthur nodded his head and made a break for the door. He quickly kicked down the door, swinging it wide open. As soon as he walked in, he was met with a man holding a woman, about Arthur's age, with a revolver pointing at her head.

"Stay the fuck back, or I will blow this bitch's head off!" The man shouted as he pushed the revolver closer to the woman's head. She was terrified at the moment. She tried to break free, but the man had a grasp on her throat.

Arthur had his hands up with his revolver in hand.

"Alright, just calm down there son," Arthur said as he inched slowly toward him.

"Drop the gun!" The man shouted. Arthur slowly bent down to put his revolver on the ground.

"Alright, I'm putting my gun down," Arthur said as he put it on the ground gently. He then reached for something on the back of his belt, pulling a cleaver off of it, but keeping it hidden behind his back.

"Now, You're gonna let me walk out of here, or the first thing you'll see is a bullet in this little bitch's brain! Just like how her husband was gutted like a pig!" The man yelled, the woman seemed to hate hearing that, and she tried to break free from him once more.

"Stop struggling!" The man shouted with anger. But the woman wasn't having it. She then bit down on his arm, causing the man to yell in pain. He turned to woman around and smashed the end of his revolver in her face, causing her to fall to the ground. The man was about to shoot the woman.

"You Bastard!" Arthur yelled as he slashed the cleaver in the man's chest, causing him to gasp for air, Arthur, however, wasn't done. He pulled out the cleaver and slashed it into the man's throat. Slitting it as blood splattered from his neck. Killing the man instantly. Falling over dead on the floor. Arthur put the cleaver back on his belt.

The woman on the ground was crying, her face was facing the floor.

"Ma'am, it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you," Arthur said as he put caring arms on her shoulder, he slowly tried to bring her up on her feet. Without a word said, she immediately hugged Arthur, embracing him in a hug, and burying herself in Arthur's warm coat.

Arthur was at first taken by surprise by the sudden hug, but he accepted it and did his best to comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her caringly.

"It's okay, ma'am…it's okay…I gotchu," Arthur said. Suddenly, the door bursted open as another man came through with a pistol aimed at Arthur and the woman.

He screamed as blood covered his face.

Arthur put himself in front of the woman to shield her. He readied himself for a bullet in the back but it never came.

He heard a gunshot but it didn't hit him.

Arthur turned around to see that Micah had shot him in the head. With his Revolver leveled where the man's head had stood.

"You good in there, Arthur?" Micah asked as he put his Lemat Revolver back in his holster.

"Yeah, Thanks, Micah," Arthur said.

"You're mighty welcome, who you got there?" Micah asked. Arthur looked at the woman in his arms.

"Ma'am, what's your name?" Arthur asked. The woman didn't look at him, she only held him tightly. Arthur took pity on her.

"Sadie…Sadie Adler," The woman said very weakly and weeping.

"It's alright, Mrs. Adler, You're safe now," Arthur said, holding her gently and comfortingly.

"He was my husband…those…those…" Sadie said weeping more and more.

"Shh, shh, It's alright, you don't have to say anymore," Arthur said.

Micah stood at the door and made sure that was the last of them.

"Arthur, I think that's all of them," Micah said.

"Where's Dutch?" Arthur asked.

"He went to go check out the barn, see if any was hiding in there," Micah said as he started to reload his Lemat Revolvers.

"Right, Micah, would you mind watching her and make sure nothing happens to her, I'm gonna go check on Dutch," Arthur said to Micah.

"Sure thing, boss," Micah said as he finished reloading his revolvers.

"Alright, Mrs. Adler, I'll be back, I'm gonna go check on a friend," Arthur said as he tried to gently separate himself from Sadie.

"Here, you can sit right here, I'll be back, don't you worry," Arthur said as he gently sat Sadie down on a comfy bed. She was in a white nightgown, her hair unkempt. She, however, wasn't complying too well, she didn't want to leave Arthur's arms.

"Please don't leave me," Sadie said weakly. Arthur looked around not sure what to do.

"Ah, What the hell…Micah," Arthur said.

"I gotcha, I'll go check on Dutch, you watch the pretty lady," Micah said as he went to go and check on Dutch leaving the doorstep.

As Micah left, Arthur sat down on the bed with Sadie still wrapped up in his arms. Weeping softly, sniffling, and crying.

"It's alright, Mrs. Adler, I gotchu…I gotchu," Arthur said.

"Arthur!"

"I gotchu,"

"ARTHUR!"

End of Flashback…

Arthur sprang awake hearing the voice of Dutch calling his name. Arthur could then see Dutch walking toward him at a fast pace.

"What is it now, Dutch?" Arthur asked.

"It's Molly, she's missing, Arthur," Dutch said, acting very worried.

"Missing? What, you mean she just up and left?" Arthur asked.

"Son, She wouldn't wander off at this time of night, I was sleeping with her, and the next thing I know, I wake up and she's gone," Dutch said. Seeming extremely worried about the woman he had been sleeping with.

"Oh, so now you're lightening up to her," Arthur said, getting a small laugh.

"Arthur, I need you to be serious about this, Would you mind going out and looking for her, please," Dutch said.

"Dutch, What time even is it?" Arthur asked as he rubbed his face a little.

"That ain't important right now, Can you help me, son, please," Dutch said.

"Ah, what the hell, I'll go looking for her, Though something tells me she's just fine," Arthur said as he slipped on his boots and stood up.

"Thank you, son," Dutch said.

Arthur grabbed his gun belt and wrapped it around his waist. He then started to walk off toward the woods. Searching for Molly.

"Alright, Molly, Where'd you run off to," Arthur said to himself.

To Be Continued…