The Reckoning of the Rogues

Alex's Perspective

I was taken into the gang just over ten years ago. I met three men who treated me with utter respect and equality. Ricky Silverstein, Bren Winn and Samuel Tennon. The first and most immediate thing they told me of was to refer to them by the names 'Will', 'John' and 'Ben'. Not once was I provided with an explanation of why I was supposed to give them different names, but I went with it.

Throughout my whole life, I'd been quiet. I had never talked, never communicated and hardly ever showed emotion. That's the way I liked to live, and after over twenty years of keeping the streak, I decided not to drop it.

The gang never heard me speak. The only time they got a brief understanding of my voice was when I laughed or coughed, which was extremely rare.

Prior to joining the gang, I already trained myself with a rifle and pistol. I knew how to aim decently well, and could defend myself against low to mid danger threats, but no more. Luckily, joining the gang allowed me to improve my skill and soon I became more skilled than Will.

But why did I join the gang? I was desperate. No money, no support, no friends and hardly living on crumbs of food. I lost my father due to a terrible accident with a train when it veered off the tracks, killing almost everyone inside. My mother still lived however, but distraught at my father's death, she became shocked and helpless. I tried to help her for a while, but eventually I had to leave her as I realised she would never be who she was again.

I never found love in my life. Despite the many compliments I received by men and women alike about my looks, my hair and even my nonchalant and likeable personality, I still never found love. It never interested me I suppose.

A few years into this gang and I had extremely strong bonds with everyone. Especially John who accompanied me and always took my side in arguments. Ben was easily agitated and caused a lot of fights, but I was wily and intelligent. Ben never stopped causing fights. Multiple times did I try to convince Will that he was slowing us down, but Will was set on keeping everyone until the end. As I mentioned earlier, John always supported me. He was a brilliant friend and if I ever lost him I would be destroyed.

As time progressed, I started to realise the good intentions of this gang started to slip and shatter and we took a more outlaw side. I came to the suspicion of a severe and long lasting façade of my friends. However, John was too trustworthy to give up on.

It was eight years into the gang when I came to the realisation that the gang was on the run from the law and had created the names for themselves as covers for the terrible deeds and to not be instantly caught. I could no longer trust Will or Ben, but John was still my closest friend and I trusted him with my life.

It was ten years later. The year was 1900. The year we started to hunt down Rogue. As expected, we lost John almost instantly.

With the loss of John, I was shattered. I nearly took my own life multiple times but justice and protection was more important than my own life. The finger I lost in the battle was like losing John. Losing a substantial part of me that would disadvantage me and slow me down.

I saw no purpose in Ben or Will anymore, but I also saw no purpose in putting them down yet. I went along with their plans for a while, pretending to still like them and trying not to constantly grieve over the death of my companion.

The opportunity finally came. We met Maddie and her gang. She tried to get us with her to hunt down Rogue, but Ben was hesitant. When Will finally asked him the question of if he was truly determined to kill Rogue, I knew Ben would say 'No'.

Through these years, Ben watched me. He knew I was skilled. He knew I could end his life in an instant without him being able to acknowledge what even happened. When Ben was asked the question, he looked at me. I nodded encouragingly. From Will's perspective, it just looked supportive and brave. What he couldn't see was my left hand, cocking the revolver I had holstered threateningly at Ben.

Ben was too nervous to back down, noticing my action, so he agreed to go after Rogue. Now I knew I had succeeded...

I was taken aback to see Rogue didn't come for us. Rather Auger. A man I had met before I joined the gang. Almost identical to Rogue, but he preferred his hair cut short.

'Did you cut your hair?' Will asked to Auger. It was obvious he hadn't noticed. No. He hadn't. This was Auger.

I was overjoyed to see Ben die with Lasagna.

Finally I had my chance to understand. Auger uncovered Will's secrets, pretending to be Rogue.

Rogue had faked his own death.

Learning finally that Will and his gang were the arsonists that burned Rogue's house down with his parents inside, I was satisfied enough to end it.

I put a bullet through Auger's head and Will's head. I had finally succeeded.

Now all the true threats were gone.

Ricky, Bren, Samuel, Auger, Lasagna.

In honesty, I expected myself to die at some point along the way, but I thought wrong.

I knew Maddie and her gang would come looking for us eventually, so I left the area and hid in Littecliff, the place they would least expect me to be hiding. The same place they were in.

Maddie and her gang did eventually find all the dead bodies. Noticing the one person that wasn't dead, me. Now I am sure they are after me next, which is a drastic mistake.

Rogue has a new partner. Rogue is more intimate with this one. Her name is Two. At least that's what others call her.

Rogue is the only one that could beat me in a duel. I saw the massacre at the bank job. I saw the carnage he caused. Seven-thousands deaths and ready to increase.

So now I had three choices:

- Lie to Maddie and her gang, convince them that I didn't kill anyone. It is risky, but I could join them.
- Go after Rogue and Two myself. Again, risky, but I would be unstoppable.
- Join Rogue and Two.

All equally as dangerous, so now I have to be careful no matter where I go or what I do.

All I know is, Rogue is crafty. When he seems to finally be dead, he isn't.

I shall make my choice soon, and I hope to succeed.

Till we talk again, Crimson.