Rule Cordell is a pistol fighter, one of a special breed of warriors spawned by the Civil War, men with exceptional skill with the new weapon, the Colt .44 revolver. Like many other former Rebel soldiers, Cordell finds no place in the post-war world of bitter enemies and money-grabbing politicians, so he seeks refuge in bloody Texas and joins the band of guerillas led by the wild and charismatic Johnny Cat Carlson. Cordell thinks he is fighting to bring freedom back to Texas, but he soon finds that Johnny Cat and his men are just outlaws out for all they can get. Now Cordell is ready to strike out on his own again, but the road to freedom will lead him through some hard choices and tough trouble. Before he can leave his past behind him, he'll have to face up to it, and the father who turned him to the gun in the first place.