The Desperate Riders (2022) Movie Script

[intense music playing]
Uh, howdy, pilgrim.
[grunts]
Thought you were dead.
[chuckles] Not hardly.
[man 1] Hey, hey.
Is that kid cheating?
- [man 2] I bet he palmed it.
- [man 1] Stand up, boy.
There's a kid in the saloon skinning
everybody at the poker table.
- [man 1] Get back here.
- [door opens]
[man 1] I'm talking to you.
Hey, kid.
You palmed that card.
[laughs]
That's a sorry excuse
for losing to a kid.
Own up.
I'm tired of talking.
Look, mister,
if you don't know how to play,
don't put up the money.
If you don't draw first, I will.
[tense music playing]
- [groans]
- [horse whinnies]
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Easy now.
How old are you, kid?
Seventeen.
Seventeen.
Did you palm that card?
I don't think I'm gonna
let you boys kill a kid today.
Who the hell are you?
[groans]
[breathing heavily]
Is there a doc?
Yeah. Grab your horse.
Doc's about a quarter mile away.
[groaning]
[grunting]
- That bullet.
- [grunting]
[doctor]
Well, you're pretty lucky.
Two more inches and that bullet would
have ripped through your spleen,
your stomach, and your ribcage.
But you just got a flesh wound.
[mutters]
Oh, my God.
It feels a lot more than
just a flesh wound.
[panting]
What kind of doctor are you?
I'm a practitioner of dentistry.
But I was a surgeon...
in the 5th Texas Infantry
during the War of
Northern Aggression.
I saw the amputations pile up.
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg...
and a dozen battles thereafter.
Here, drink some of that.
[grunts]
[doctor] Yeah.
I, uh, heard you say
you saved that kid's life.
I'm not sure what he was up to,
but nothing but moonshine
and trouble in that saloon.
And I don't think that he is man
enough for either one of 'em.
[grunts] Yeah.
Yeah, you know how kids are.
They're always getting
into trouble.
Yeah.
Judging by the scars on you,
seems to me you might have been
the same kind of kid yourself.
He's gonna have more problems
with the sheriff.
Now, he saved the kid,
but he shot three people,
including Ben Casey.
He shot Ben Casey?
Sure enough.
Shot him right in the chest.
Ben Casey.
Well, he and that crowd
he hung around with,
they were no good anyway.
[clears throat]
About time
somebody brought 'em down.
Ain't nothing wrong
with taking the law
in your own hands
if they're deserving.
I ain't never seen
anybody faster.
But that sheriff's
gonna look for him.
One of the boys he shot
was kin to the sheriff.
Well, you know, Lindstrom,
the sheriff and I go way back
to the war of secession.
We were in
Hood's Brigade together.
So, I'll make it right with him
when he gets back.
Don't you worry.
[chuckles]
I appreciate that.
[winces]
I don't want any...
I don't want any trouble.
I'm just curious.
What exactly were you doing
passing through town?
[grunting]
I was just going to see
some old friends. Figured...
[grunting]
Yeah, well, if you
keep up these gun fights,
you won't be doing any visiting or
jawing with old friends, that's for sure.
Accept my apologies,
but this may hurt.
[grunting]
- Oh, God!
- [cup clatters]
I didn't think
he'd be out for so long.
Well, maybe he's just resting.
Looking at all those scars,
there's a long history on that man.
A lot of men
pass through this town.
A lot of stories.
Some true,
some worse than others.
Well, I don't know
how many more stories
Kansas is gonna have
if he keeps this up.
Hoo... hooch is wearing off.
[groaning]
You got some good stuff, Doc.
I might have to try that.
Medicinal purposes only, Lind.
Where's my gun?
What did you do with my gun?
Right there, right there,
right there.
I-I took the liberty
of cleaning it
and oiling it for you.
You never know how patients
are gonna react after surgery.
I'm the only doctor
within a 100 miles of here,
and I don't recommend
doing surgery on yourself.
I tried that once.
It didn't work out so well, I tell you.
Anyway, my apologies,
my apologies. I...
My pa says the only thing more important
than a man's gun is his humility.
Your pa's a smart man.
You should learn to follow him.
- What do I owe you, Doc?
- Owe me?
You don't owe me.
You took out Ben Casey
and his sons.
If anything, I owe you.
[mutters]
Listen, I don't think
you should leave
until your head clears.
[grunts]
But, ah, hell, you're not gonna
heed me anyway, are you?
Mister?
If you get a moment, I'd just
like to run something by you.
[Kansas grunting]
Feeling okay?
Look, look, I don't...
I don't mean to bother you,
but just when-when...
when you're done,
I wanted to talk to you
about something of mine.
What do you want, kid?
Uh, well, actually,
I got this book here.
I think you might know it.
I mean, it's not... it's...
it's not exactly my...
my kind of...
- Oh, God.
- Kinda... kinda story,
uh, but that's you there.
- Help me on this horse.
- Okay.
[grunting]
You get up there all right?
Feels okay on there?
- So-so I wanted to talk to you for a moment...
- I'll see you around, kid.
[Billy] Hey, hey.
Did you hear what I said?
Sir, I just need
a second of your time.
But... it's my Pa, he's got...
I know his type.
He's searching for something,
but he don't know what.
And he won't stop
till he finds it.
Lindstrom, the next time
you bring me a patient,
it'd be really nice if their
teeth needed fixing, too.
Sure, Doc.
[Billy] Hey, mister.
Mister, I don't care
sour grapes about you, but...
Look, I'm broke
and I'm foot sore,
and so you got to listen.
[grunting]
Oh, God.
Look, we-we got us a ranch
down in Bell's Meadow,
west of Texas,
off in the foothills,
and my Ma's been getting letters
from Canon City prison.
Thorn Larson.
Pa got real mad
and burned 'em up.
I've never seen him that mad.
Ma said he used to bother her
before she got married
and Pa said you're the only one that can
maybe stop Larson when his time is up.
But I just heard how Larson busted free
at Canon City, so we gotta warn Pa.
What's your name?
Cassidy. Billy Cassidy.
What's your ma's name?
Carol.
And my pa's name is Sam.
You have any other kin?
Well, my pa,
he had a brother, Jack.
Seems he-he went off
to fight with Grant.
Got killed.
So there's no Cassidy's
left except my pa.
And-and my ma she's got a...
she got friend over from...
from Texas, Leslie Allen,
shoots better than I do, but...
Look, are you gonna
help us or not?
Honest truth. You cheat?
Well, yeah.
But he cheated first, so I just...
You damn cheat. God.
Don't-don't tell my Pa.
He'd whoop me for sure.
So you gonna help us or not?
How far?
Three days.
Quit smiling, kid.
Leslie, you're my best friend,
but if I didn't know better
I'd think you were a boy.
[chuckles]
The way you hold that gun.
[woman]
Like the love of her life.
How are you supposed to
find a husband
if you can outshoot
and outride them all?
[woman]
Come on, now. Leave her be.
One of us has to meet these men
on their own terms.
Lord knows you and I just
run the house for our masters.
After I married Sam,
and my father died
my mother moved to Texas.
And Leslie's mother
sent her along
to get away from
some secret admirer.
A long time ago.
How old were you, 15?
Sixteen.
Sixteen.
It changed her, though.
Do you even own a dress?
Now what happened
to the secret admirer
she was dragged away from?
She will not tell.
[tense music playing]
Whoa, boys.
This is my property.
Sam Cassidy?
That's me.
Oh, my God.
Ladies, get to the cellar now.
Now! Go! Get!
[women screaming]
Get outside!
Get out!
[groaning]
No.
Thorn.
Where's my husband?
You're looking at him.
Looks like we're gonna have to
extract that tooth, Mr. Veal.
Now, if you could just say "ah".
Now this ain't gonna
hurt too much.
I applied enough
numbing agent to your gums.
You wouldn't feel a bullet
going through your jaw.
Where is he?
Excuse me?
You talk to
a doctor like that?
You know, you may be in need
of medical attention one day.
I ain't got time for your games.
Where is he?
Where is who?
Kansas Red.
I know you treated the man
who killed my brother.
Now, where is he?
I don't know no Kansas Red.
You are lying, Doc.
And I'll shoot you.
Now, why don't you point
that sidearm another direction,
then maybe we can sit down
and talk calmly about this.
I'm losing time, Doc,
and so are you.
Now, where'd he go?
[sighs]
I don't know where he went.
I will shoot you
in your backside.
Why are you protecting him?
He ain't no kin of yours.
I'm not protecting anybody.
Now you need to leave my office.
I ain't leaving
until you tell me where he is.
And I sincerely hope I don't
have to shoot you in the leg
and get the truth
to leak out of you.
[grunts]
You really think
there's a posse coming?
I don't see anybody.
But we need to make tracks,
just in case.
Women gonna be trouble?
Men are already
fighting over 'em.
Well, they can wait.
I want Ms. Cassidy
to settle down.
And she's my woman, you know.
Yeah. I like the young one.
Ms. Cassidy sees or hears
one bad act,
I'll kill you.
[coyote howling in distance]
This frightens me.
Don't be scared.
You're with me.
You're different.
All those years in prison,
and all because of Jack Cassidy.
I'm gonna find him
one of these days,
and I'm gonna make him pay
for ruining my life.
Jack died in the war.
Damn.
All these years
I've been waiting.
And he cheated me.
[gasps]
Say a damn word,
I'll kill you.
- Understand?
- Mm-hmm.
Alright. So come with me.
[grunting]
[grunting and screaming]
Let me go!
Let me go! Let me go!
- You shut your mouth.
- No!
[panting]
- [yells]
- You just shut your mouth.
Oh, yeah.
- [grunting]
- [indistinct]
[muffled screams]
Let me go!
[grunts]
[grunts]
Move.
[groans]
Leslie's gonna die out there.
She's my best friend.
Well, you didn't care
when she ran off to Texas.
Why do you care now?
Charlie will find her.
She's on foot.
We'll get out of these woods
before long,
and we'll drop them off
at a trading post or something.
Where are you taking her?
- Ah-ah, leave her be.
- [woman] Wait, no! Wait!
I don't want you women
talking to each other anyway.
Nobody's gonna hurt you.
[panting]
[grunts]
Well, I'll be.
Billy. Where you been?
Where's Pa?
Well... sorry to tell you,
but he's buried up
on the hill with his men.
Folks has been taking turns
looking after the place
till y'all got back.
Wh... where's Ma?
Well... she carried off...
along with Leslie Allen
and Mrs. Walker.
[sobbing]
They say outlaws took 'em.
Fella by the name
of Thorn Larson.
Whole bunch busted out
of Canon City.
Sly Walker, you know,
he's in town at the doc's.
Shot up somethin' awful.
Even if he make it,
he ain't gonna
ever be the same.
Mr. Finnegan,
this is Kansas Red.
Mr. Kansas.
The name Finnegan.
Glad to know you.
I prospected up there.
I know that land.
I can track, too.
Want me with you?
Can you keep up?
There ain't no doubt.
[whimpering]
[Kansas] I'm gonna search
the lower elevation.
Make camp where I tie my horse.
[panting]
[panting]
Who's there?
Come on.
Come on.
[whispers]
What do I do?
Come on out.
Come on out!
Come out now.
- [gasps]
- Oh, miss.
- It's okay. Hey, hey.
- No, no.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
Miss, you all right?
Hey, hey, look at me.
Come on now.
Hey, come on.
It's okay, hey.
I ain't gonna hurt you.
You're cold. Come on.
Come on. You can trust me.
Okay.
Okay. Okay, I got you.
I got you. I got you.
Okay, okay.
I'll get you help.
I'll get you help.
[grunts]
Billy.
Ms. Leslie!
Get her down now.
Hold on.
Get her by the fire.
Easy.
- You got her?
- I got her.
Billy, we got coffee on?
Have a seat.
It'll be alright.
[grunts]
[sobbing]
We didn't...
My mother...
Your mother's okay.
She's okay.
And so is Mrs. Walker.
What about Sam?
He's dead.
All gone, except Walker.
He's gonna be crippled.
Here, Billy.
Give her that.
Uh, Ms. Leslie,
this is Kansas Red.
Have I... do I know you
from somewhere?
Not likely.
You have any idea
where they went?
West, somewhere west,
over the ridge.
You say west over the ridge?
You hear 'em talk about
anywhere in particular?
Mule-Mule Creek.
Mule Creek? That's...
that's an old trading post.
It's been abandoned years now.
Alright, Billy,
you take her back.
No, I am staying here.
I have earned my place.
And Carol is my friend.
What is it with you, huh?
You have a death wish?
She could just ride
the pack horse.
And I'm not goin' back either, so we'll
just shorten stirrups on the saddle.
You goin' back.
He looks so familiar to me.
You've probably seen his face
on them dime novels.
Pa said he's the only one
who could stop Larson.
No one can get Larson.
He's the most vicious man
that I've ever seen.
Let's just establish one thing
right now. I'm in charge.
Billy, take her back.
I am not going anywhere.
You're not. Good luck.
Larson's camp?
Reckon they've been gone
since sometime this morning.
Yeah, all the coals are out.
Marianne's.
[Kansas] All right,
look for hoof prints.
See what direction
they were headed.
They can't be that far
ahead of us.
[sighs]
[Leslie gasps]
No. It's Marianne.
- Don't. No.
- No. No.
There ain't nothing
down here for you to see.
No, no, no, no.
[crying]
[Finnegan] Blessed are the pure
in heart for they shall see God.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
[Leslie] No.
[crying]
- [gunshots]
- [Leslie gasps]
[indistinct chatter]
[grunting]
Everybody find something
to get behind.
I can't see anything.
Leslie, stay down.
Billy, where are you?
Finnegan, to your right!
[grunts]
Finnegan, coming your way.
Get ready. Shoot!
[grunts]
[gasps]
[Kansas] Hey, stop firing.
[grunts]
Let's get back. Regroup.
Get back, Billy.
Is everyone okay?
[Leslie] Yeah.
[Kansas] Finnegan,
can you get the horses?
We got to stay on their trail.
Whoa.
God dang it.
[groans]
[tense music playing]
[whispers]
Finnegan.
You know him?
I know him.
It's the Grossman brothers.
Tom here had a wife
and two kids.
[Kansas whispers]
Let's check this.
[Kansas] We're just gonna
stay here tonight.
Wow.
[clattering]
[gasps] Oh, my God.
Oh.
Oh, my God.
- Are you okay?
- Yeah.
- What's your name?
- Mavery.
My name is Leslie.
Are you here alone?
- Uh-huh.
- You are?
[gasps]
Oh, my God. Come here.
Come here. Are you okay?
Oh, it's okay.
I got you.
Oh. Oh, my gosh.
[Finnegan]
Mavery, Birdie!
It's so good to see y'all.
How you doing?
Hi, bud. Hi.
You guys.
Okay, there you go.
[Finnegan]
Ain't you a sight for sore eyes?
You know where your ma is?
Well, that settles that.
You stay here with the kids
until the stagecoach comes.
No, no.
I'm going to find my friend.
[sighs]
[Finnegan chuckles] Don't worry about
it, Ms. Leslie.
I'll stay here
with the children.
A couple more days
the stage will come through.
Now, if memory serves,
I could draw you a map
of where they might be going.
The direction they were going,
I figured they might be heading
toward a place called Chance.
Now, it's kind of
an outlaw hideout. Ain't no law.
Ain't really much
of a town either.
They might get there
to rest up a couple days,
- and find a stage or a bank.
- Mm, yeah, okay.
- [Finnegan] See you.
- Thank you.
Right now these children
need to get some shuteye.
Mm.
[grunts]
- [gasping]
- Say a damn word, I'll kill you.
[mutters]
No. [sobbing]
No. No.
- Hey, hey, hey. Hey.
- No.
Hey.
[gasps]
It's just me. Are you okay?
It's-it's just a terrible dream.
I have them a lot.
Well, I'm sure they'll stop
once we find your friend.
No, they won't.
[sniffles]
No.
They won't stop until
I tell somebody about them.
Please?
[sighs]
I love Carol like a sister.
But... when we were in Kansas,
her mother was determined
to get her to marry Sam.
He had a-a job.
He did well for himself in town.
His father was a preacher.
But Carol didn't care for Sam.
And I-I was a lot younger.
All of 16.
Fully grown.
[chuckles]
And crazy in love with Sam.
And he felt
the same way about me.
And then, all of a sudden,
he was running off,
marrying Carol.
She was so beautiful.
She could have had
anyone she wanted.
But Sam had the money.
I felt like...
I felt like Sam had betrayed me.
[sniffles]
Oh.
Then when I went back to the...
to the ranch to visit Carol...
he acted like he didn't even recognize
me, like I was a stranger.
And I didn't feel that love
like I remembered,
but it still hurt.
Now Sam's dead
and Carol's missing.
And I feel worse
than I ever, ever could. Just...
Just resentments,
and I just feel so bad.
And I-I just wanna
find Carol now.
The one thing
I don't understand...
is where does Larson
fit into all this?
All I know is that Larson
has been in love with Carol,
before she ever married Sam.
And she'd always flirt with him.
I've seen him a few times
but he scares me.
And his men...
his men are just as bad.
Thatch, that man, ooh,
he was a... he was a paymaster.
Larson killed a lot of men.
A lot of men.
I think in that bank robbery.
Thank you.
I feel like I can...
I feel like
I can go to sleep now.
[sighs]
We're gonna find your friend.
Okay.
[sniffles]
[sniffles]
You take good care
of your sister, okay.
Hm?
Be careful out there.
[child crying]
Look after 'em, now.
Mr. Finnegan.
Billy.
Don't go doing nothin' stupid.
[tense music playing]
Have we
really lost them?
Well, they got
a lot of money.
Bet they've been wantin'
to spend it.
Wha... Around here?
Right over that ridge
is Chase County.
Hey, uh, why don't y'all
head back, you and Billy?
I'll go out alone.
You'll get recognized.
What about you? Your face
is all over those dime novels.
It don't matter.
What about Larson?
You don't know what he looks like.
You don't even know
what Carol looks like.
Where'd you get that?
On the ranch.
Stay back.
[horse approaching]
Mister, I'm looking for
a Thorn Larson.
Him and his wife
left this morning.
He had about a dozen or so
mean-looking hombres with him.
Mean, mm-hmm, as hell.
They didn't
cause no trouble though,
they just bought up supplies
and had a drink.
Two of 'em
still at the saloon.
Hey, mister.
If they ain't friends of yours,
I'd head on out of here.
That army payroll paid us off pretty good.
Old Thorn...
Keep us in this for a while.
[indistinct chatter]
I don't believe this is the
kind of bar you want to be in.
Don't you turn
your back on me.
[grunting]
- [Kansas] Where's Larson?!
- Go to hell!
[man]
Come on, boys. Get him inside.
[grunts]
I'm Sam Gridley.
Kansas.
Kansas Red.
You the preacher man.
Want to say something over
those two boys you just shot?
No. Wherever they are,
they're already there.
I have to find Larson.
Well, all we know
is he headed west.
That's open country out there.
He could have turned anywhere.
There's a paymaster that was...
that was robbed on another stage
road just up the ridge east of here.
Well, if they've got
a lot of money,
about the only other place
they could spend it around here
would be Gold Hollow.
There's about half a dozen
saloons up there.
Heap of comings and goings.
They could blend right in.
It's about 40 miles due west.
I know your face.
I know your face from somewhere.
I can't...
I never forget a-a face.
Forget a name.
Where'd you say
you're from again?
I didn't.
Why don't you like me?
What did I do?
What is wrong with you?
Ah, dames.
Hey, get...
[Leslie grunts]
Let's get one thing straight...
I'm still in charge.
[grunts]
[exhales]
[grunts]
[groans]
Yeah, this will work.
All right, listen up.
You get hungry, bring the food
up to your room, okay.
Don't leave the room.
I'm pretty sure Larson's around.
I'm in charge.
Stay in the room.
I'm not...
[whispers] Come on.
- Hide...
- He don't know nothing about it.
Just keep your head down.
Pal, if you're
looking for the sheriff...
he ain't here.
He done gone off
to Lake City.
Vacation.
I heard Thorn Larson's
in town.
Sure as hell hope not.
Well, there's his
wanted poster right there.
Ho, ho, ho, ho. What is you?
Some sort of bounty hunter?
Kansas Red.
No shit?
You got one of those
telegraph machines?
Sure do.
But it's been down for weeks.
We caught wind of Larson
escaping and that was that.
He broke out
and rampaged the ranch
down in Tyler, and, well,
he took three women.
One's dead.
One got away, and well,
I hear tell,
that he forced one
to marry him.
Didn't hear nothin' about that.
But we got a whole bunch
of people coming and going here,
'cause of the mines.
He'd be real hard to find.
And he's gonna
have a lot of money.
Knocked out the relay station,
an army surplus,
and four dead troopers.
Payroll?
Didn't hear nothin'
about that neither.
Hmm.
Walk with me.
He's got maybe a dozen men.
And we got a loaded bank.
Now, he could be anywhere.
Now, this Larson,
he know you on sight?
Not likely,
it was before the war.
But you know him on sight?
Oh, yeah.
He stands out in a crowd.
He's a tall one.
[Billy] The more time
that we're out here,
the more chances there are
that Kansas...
- Billy, can you just...
- But also there...
You need to relax, Billy.
- What's wrong with your gun?
- My gun was taken from me.
- I just don't think that...
- Oh, my God. That's Thatch.
That's him.
That's Thatch.
- Kansas.
- Kansas.
We can't let him get away.
Kansas. Kansas! Kansas!
We just saw one of 'em.
The one that hurt Ms. Leslie.
He just rode out.
What are you two doing out?
Kansas, the way that man looked at Ms.
Leslie, he's coming back.
I'ma stay here...
to watch out for ambushes.
I'ma get up a posse.
Unless you two wanna die...
stay in your hotel! Okay?
[crickets chirping]
[door creaking]
[tense music playing]
- [yelps]
- Miss me, girl? Do you miss me?
- No! No!
- You miss me?
- No!
- You miss me?
[grunting]
You miss me, girl?
[muttering]
No! No!
- Come on!
- [yells]
[Leslie gasps]
[grunting]
Billy!
Ms. Leslie? Ms. Leslie!
[Leslie yelps]
[Kansas] Harms!
Yeah, I can't sleep either.
That Thatch fellow
done return.
Put a knife
to the night clerk's neck.
- Leslie.
- Snagged the key then slit his throat.
You okay?
And this one, Thatch done
started getting frisky,
she blew him right away.
Ah, dang it.
Sick and tired of this.
You all right?
Listen, that stagecoach is gonna
be outside tomorrow morning.
And I want you on it.
And, Billy,
you're going with her.
What about Carol?
[Harms] Carol ain't here.
Yup.
They done robbed a bank, too.
Left the owner half for dead.
Shit. I better
get up another posse.
I'm going with the posse.
We're leaving 15 to 20.
Billy, I need you
to go with Ms. Leslie.
I'm gonna find my mother
with or without you.
Damn it, Billy.
This isn't up for discussion.
You've got no right
to order me around.
I've got every right.
Kid...
I'm your father's brother.
No, Uncle Jack
died in the war.
No...
I'm Jack.
No.
No.
I told you things.
Really personal things
I would have never told you.
No.
No.
Pa teared up
when he talked about
how sweet Jack was,
how innocent Jack was.
And you, you are a crotchety,
miserable old...
See, you can't be him.
There's a stagecoach
outside tomorrow morning.
Be on it.
Uncle Jack.
I suppose I can rethink
the whole
you being dead thing
if I have to.
Well, kid, there's...
there's more than
one way of being dead.
Not no more.
I'm ridin' with you.
No you're not.
You're staying back with Leslie.
We're kin.
Kin ride together.
[Harms]
Let's go, boys. Come on.
There goes the posse.
Hell bent to the leather.
What time are we leaving?
Daybreak.
You all packed up, Billy?
About.
What the hell happened?
We ran into an ambush.
They popped out of some rocks,
along side a creek.
We got some of 'em. but...
I reckon, what,
seven of 'em got away?
[man] That's right, Deputy.
- Did you see my mother?
- Hell, I don't know, kid.
We'll get your ma, Billy.
We've all come this far
together, I'm riding with you.
Like hell you are.
It's too dangerous.
You need me.
I'm a good shot.
No, you're not.
- Is that so?
- Mm-hmm.
Alright, then.
I'll tell you what, Jasper,
why don't you round up the boys,
let the horses head back home.
Chalk this up to a loss.
My horse is pretty tuckered out.
He'll make it to Letterman Ranch
about 20 miles west of here.
The same way y'all are headed.
Logan made it that far,
ain't that right?
That is, if you don't
mind me tagging along.
Happy to have you.
Billy, get up.
Let's go.
[tense music playing]
What do you think, Harms?
Right there's Letterman Ranch.
We got to corral four horses.
Stockpile four guns.
Thorn and Thatch no doubt.
What-what are you
waiting on, Kansas?
I wanna make a plan, Billy.
Ma is right there.
Well, I ain't gettin' shot
for you again.
We ain't got no more time.
Keep your voice down.
What the hell's the matter with you?
Trying out us?
If you're not going with me,
I'm going by myself.
There's certain things in life
you're gonna learn the hard way.
This ain't one of 'em.
If you're not going,
I'm going by myself.
- [Kansas] Billy...
- All right.
- Billy, Billy!
- Billy!
[groans] I'll go chaperone him.
[grunts] Billy.
[grunts]
I remember when you were
just a skinny little kid.
[soft chuckle]
Just bashful. So quiet.
And so young
when you went off to war.
Yeah, and I remember you
a skirt of a girl.
Chasing after Sam.
Mm.
I wish I never told you
about me and Sam.
Hm.
Sam loved you.
He did.
But he loved Carol.
That's why he didn't go to war.
But then you joined up. Why?
What turned you
into a gunfighter?
Well...
[clears throat]
Probably talking to
women like yourself.
How are they doing?
They can't stay out
in the cold.
Think we're gonna have to...
garden?
Nah, we'll be fine.
[grunting]
[Harms] Come on, Billy.
[coughing]
Like that, Billy.
Help me get his jacket
up of him.
Why?
They'll think I'm one of 'em.
And they'll figure
the other's still on guard,
so you can't come.
Sounds risky.
I got to see
if my ma's in there.
All right.
Now go on.
I'll cover you from here.
Go on.
Sense of urgency, Billy.
Thorn?
[Thorn] I'm in here, darling.
Look what I found.
[Thorn] Oh, let's see.
Feathers.
- Yeah.
- I love it.
Feathers.
Yeah. Pretty.
Like you. Come here.
[tense music playing]
Well?
There were just two of 'em
standing watch,
and we got 'em both.
If we go now,
we can finish this.
If this thing goes south...
you gotta get help.
You be careful, Jack Cassidy.
[tense music playing]
[grunting]
What's going on?
What's going on over here?
[grunting]
[whispering]
Billy. Billy! Billy!
Don't you touch my mother!
- [Carol] Billy!
- I don't know you.
Explain yourself before I put
a bullet in your head.
Thorn, no.
He's your son.
What?
That's my kid?
Damn fine-looking boy.
Why didn't you
tell me, Carol?
Well, you were in jail
when I first found out.
My mother arranged for me
to marry Sam Cassidy
right away.
I didn't have a choice.
Holster your pistol, Larson.
Well, this just keeps
getting better and better.
I thought you was dead.
Not yet.
Don't you know
who this is, Carol?
- That's Kansas Red. That's who.
- It's all right, Billy.
That's Jack Cassidy.
I'd know them eyes anywhere.
Jack's dead.
You're gonna pay
for putting me in prison.
That was just petty thefts
all that was.
Petty theft and a dead man.
Can we...
can we put this behind us?
Get out of the way,
Carol.
It's been years.
We're together now.
We have our son.
He is no father of mine.
Attaboy.
Got sand. I like that.
Get along just fine, me and you.
And to answer your question,
Carol, no.
I can't put it behind me.
- [Carol gasps]
- [grunts]
Thorn.
[groaning]
Thorn, no!
No, no.
Thorn, no.
[Kansas] Billy. Billy.
[Leslie]
Carol, thank God!
[sobbing]
[Kansas] Billy.
You alright?
You just shot
the only man I ever loved.
Then why didn't you marry him
instead of Pa?
Because Thorn was in jail.
And I was with child,
and Sam had the money to take care of us.
From where?
The bank robbery?
Or the payroll?
All those dead men,
and Marianne,
and-and a woman
from the relay station?
We found them
on the side of a trail, dead.
Marianne ran away,
just like you did.
She just couldn't survive
on her own.
Really?
Is that what you think, Carol?
And what about the people that live here?
Where are they?
I don't know, Leslie.
How could you
do this to Pa?
He wasn't your father.
Living with Sam was like
living with a cold stove.
Everything he ever did
he did for you.
Everybody who's dead is dead.
Well, the others
must have done that,
because Thorn wouldn't have
killed those people.
Where have you been
all these years?
All those years.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[sighs]
God.
Here, come here.
Is it bad?
Yeah.
I've really got
to quit gettin' shot.
[chuckles] Yes, you do.
Ooh.
Mm, we've both wasted
a lot of years.
Yeah, we have.
We both need to start over.
- [Billy] Kansas, we need you!
- No. No, no, no.
[Billy]
The horses knocked over a fence!
[groans]
Yeah, it's never too late
to start.
[grunts]
Thorn was gonna be
my whole life.
Now he's gone.
Gonna sell the ranch,
live in San Francisco.
Maybe I'll meet someone
that can give me what I want.
How sad Jack must have been
all these years.
Going off to the war,
becoming so notorious.
I really must have
broken his heart.
And now he's off to Montana
with Billy.
I'm sorry you have to wait
for the southbound coach.
Texas is gonna seem
so tame to you now.
Carol, do you know why
Mother brought me to Texas?
Because I was in love with Sam.
But she wanted you to have him.
And now I see why.
I ju... I just wish
I hadn't resented her.
It doesn't matter now.
All I want now is Montana.
So, wish me luck.
Ma.
Safe travels, Ma.
You too, son.
Oh, oh.
Sneaky, sneaky.
So that's where it's been.
Uh, you and me
got some talking to do.
It's my money.
Thorn gave it to me.
It's not your money.
This here is stolen money.
All I have is my ticket.
I can't even pay for
a hotel room.
What would you have me do?
This here is a good portion
of the reward.
The rest of this is goin' back.
Now, listen, why don't you
head on out to San Francisco?
You write the sheriff,
we'll help you sell the ranch.
Now, Ms. Carol... you've been
through too much as it is.
Safe travels.
Well, what now?
It appears this is
the end of the line for us.
Thank you.
Till next time.
Thank you, Deputy.
You're a good kid.
You'll be all right.
Well, then. So long.
You're a sorry-looking pair.
Ms. Leslie,
why are you going to Texas?
You can go
to Montana with us.
I'm gonna buy a ranch
and raise horses.
Billy, I don't know
about that now.
She hasn't done anything else
we've asked her to.
That ain't gonna change.
She can cook pretty good.
She rides like a man.
She hits everything
she aims at.
I don't want you to go.
Billy...
You know, I-I've had
four lives now, and, uh...
Well, one in Kansas.
Um, one in a war
that will haunt me forever.
[stutters]
One wandering years and...
Well, I...
I got a chance
to start over now.
I guess what, um,
what I'm trying to say...
it just... it just wouldn't be
the same without you.
[sighs]
I...
Would you look at me
for a second?
Just...
I-I-I'd buy you
that new model Winchester.
And, uh, I'd shine it up
real nice, and..
And I'd carve-carve
your name in it.
Um...
Oh... [clears throat]
If you marry me.
And a piano?
[chuckles]
And a wood stove
with an oven?
Yeah.
And lots of children?
Ten.
- [Leslie chuckles]
- Ten.
Yes. [chuckles]
Yes. Yes.
[both laughing]
She said yes, Billy.
We're going to Montana.
I'm still the boss.
- Yes, you are.
- Yes.
[laughing]
[Kansas] Hey, there's just one
stop I need to make on the way.
[grunting]
Oh. Oh, God.
Well, if it ain't
the infamous Kansas Red.
You know, I almost lost my life
on account of you?
Yeah, how's that?
Well, after you killed
Ben Casey and his boys,
his brother Slim
showed up looking for ya.
Well, where's he at now?
Either heaven or hell.
Ain't for me to say.
Did you put him there?
I didn't have any other choice.
Well, I hope it wasn't too much
of an inconvenience, Doc.
[chuckles]
Thank you.
Well, what can I do for you?
Oh, yeah. I'm gonna need
a few more stitches.
Oh, my God. How many times
have you been shot, son?
- Well, I lost count. I don't...
- Uh-huh.
Well, you must have done
something good in your life.
Otherwise you wouldn't have had
so many chances.
Well, guess I'll find out
when I get there.
What do you say, Doc?
All right, come on,
I'll sew you up.
[grunts]
You don't want to go
by infection.
That's a bad way to go.
[grunts]
Maybe a few ribs there, too.
[doctor]
Oh, for God sakes.