Make sure to throw the guy in the Château d'If first before he gets his news of 6 months of life left.
Or perhaps instead, place him in the desert in a small city that means "White Oak." This dying man vows to build a "New Mexico."
Since this dying man has no army he has to recruit it and the first person he recruits is his drop out student who he coerces by keeping his student out of prison.
Teasing Over.
Seriously though I would like to read that.