As John returns to New York City, Santino opens a contract for $7 million to kill John under the guise of avenging his sister, leading numerous assassins to unsuccessfully attack John. Cassian confronts John in the subway and, after a vicious fight, is left with a knife stuck in his aorta. The badly injured John seeks help from an underground crime boss known as the Bowery King, whose subordinates treat John's injuries. Intrigued by John's intent to kill a member of the High Table, the Bowery King sportingly gives him a gun with only seven bullets, one for each million of the contract, and directs John to an art museum where Santino holds a gala. John pursues Santino throughout the museum, killing his remaining henchmen and Ares, but Santino manages to escape to the Continental, where he intends to remain indefinitely in its sanctuary. Despite Winston's warnings, the exasperated John shoots and kills Santino in the Continental lounge.

The next day, Winston meets with John and explains that, per the High Table, the contract on John has been doubled and offered globally. As a further consequence of killing Santino on Continental grounds, Winston declares John "excommunicado", terminating all his access and privileges to underworld resources. However, Winston delays announcing John's excommunication by one hour to give him a head start and provides him with a marker for future use. Before leaving, John advises Winston to tell every other assassin for the High Table that when they try to hunt him, they will all be killed. John departs with his dog as Winston makes a call enacting John's "excommunicado" to be activated in one hour. As the contract is activated and cellular phones begin to ring all around him, John begins to run.