[John and Maddie visit the lawmen's office again. They're getting guns ready.]
Ross: What do you want, Marston and Morgan?
John: My family. I've done what you asked.
Ross: No you haven't. This is the land of opportunity and I gave you the opportunity to save your family and you failed. How could I possibly reward you?
Archer: Marston and Morgan, you're a public menace. We should've had you killed.
Maddie: I wish you had, but since you didn't, where's my family?
Ross: Oh spare me the noble savage fall on my sword tripe, already. It's nauseating. You don't wish to be dead. You're an insignificant creature, desperately clinging onto life like the rest of the scum in this town. Yeah, I know it's tough. You like Dutch. He's a charming fellow. He makes sense. He's like one of those nature writers from back East. Only he gets things a tiny little step too far. Rather than just loving the flowers and the animals and the harmony between man and beast, he shoots people in the head for money. And disagreeing with him.
Archer: He's a goddamn killer.
Ross: Now, I'm not a great intellect, but the metaphysical leap from admiring the flower to shooting a man in the head because he doesn't like the flower, is a leap too far. So...I know it's easy. You see we -- me and Archer -- we're the bad guys. We enforce the rules. Now, while the rules may not be perfect, they're really not so bad.
Archer: Exactly, what's the alternative?
Ross: Yeah, see I'll tell you what the alternative is. It's not complicated. It's about one man and his gun versus another man. Sure, civilization may be dull, but the alternative, Mr. Marston and Mrs. Morgan, is hell.
John: And, the way you enforce this civilization, this freedom for men to like or not like flowers or whatever in God's name you were just talking about, is to kidnap a man's wife and son and his sister's daughter?
Ross: Well, I know there's contradictions. I'm not going to lie to you. As I said, I'm not a great intellect. Now, after the debacle with the army and the bank, we have to put Mr. Van der Linde to rest ourselves. Will you help us?
Maddie: Do I have any choice?
Ross: Now that you mention it, no.
John: Then, what was that pretty speech in aid of?
Ross: I don't rightly know, but it sure felt good saying it.
Archer: Shall we, Mr. Marston and Mrs. Morgan?
Ross: Let's go.
[They go outside to a vehicle with a gatling gun emplacement.]
Ross: Now keep your finger off the trigger until we get out of Blackwater.
Maddie: This killin' machine of yours seems to be turnin' a few heads.
Archer: Our armed forces have no equal. We have made incredible progress the past few years.
John: Is that what you call it?
Archer: And this isn't much more than a simple prototype. You should see what they're working on in Virginia. Soon there will be no war we can't win.
Ross: The army has made camp a little way outside town. They put word out a large cache of ammunition and food is stored there.
Archer: Van der Linde's gang need constant supplies, so that should be enough to draw them in.
Ross: No mistakes this time. You hear me, Marston and Morgan?
Maddie: I thought you were talkin' to Fordham.
YOU ARE READING
Red Dead Redemption
FantasiaRed Dead Redemption is set during the decline of the American frontier in the year 1911 and follows John Marston and his twin sister Maddie Morgan nee Marston, two former outlaws who, after his wife and son and her daughter is taken hostage by the g...
