September 4, 2025

THE HAMMER FILES: Hit the Streets

Jack Hammer05 mins
A high-contrast, black-and-white graphic novel illustration of a man and his accomplice standing over a fallen man in a dark, rainy alley. The standing man aims a revolver at the man on the ground. A high-contrast, black-and-white graphic novel illustration of a man and his accomplice standing over a fallen man in a dark, rainy alley. The standing man aims a revolver at the man on the ground.
This entry is part 13 of 16 in the series Chapter 1: The Case of December's Debt.

A Deadly Gambit

From my perch in the war room, my telephoto lens captured the chaos in the room across the street: chips flying, Jamie flipping the table. The gig was up. I hit the rickety elevator, rode it to the ground floor, and kicked open the flophouse door, landing in the street just in time to see Jamie Diamond stumble and then leap up like a gazelle, taking cover behind a cargo van.

“Jack! Look out!” he screamed.

On the street were Rocco and some bald rat, the hitman I immediately placed. As my hand went for my hammer, I saw his sights were already squared on my chest. The target on my back had just moved to my heart. This was it. I’m a fair shot, but this rat was a professional. This was the end.

The Red Purse

At that moment, something leaped on me. A tiger? An alley cat? I heard the hitman’s gun fire, the bullet ripping straight through the tigers back, as we clung together heart to heart.

As I slowly lowered the tiger to the ground, there she was: the Red Purse. She looked at me with big, soulful eyes, tried to speak, and coughed out, “Oh Jack… Jack,” as blood poured from her mouth. “I’m you daa…” And she was gone.

The Aftermath

Then I heard a low roar, though the world had gone silent for me. It was a cross between Rocco telling me I was a dead man and Jamie telling me another bullet was coming my way. But I didn’t care. The sight of the angel in my arms took the breath from me. If we can’t even keep something this beautiful, this innocent, in this world, then what’s the point?

I heard a shot and a grunt. Rocco, his face a mask of grief and rage, stood over the bald hitman who was now on his knees, clutching a bullet wound in his gut. Rocco’s gun was smoking, having taken out the rat who’d shot his girl and missed the mark he was being paid to hit. He turned his gun on me. “I loved her, Jack,” he snarled, aiming the gun at my chest. “And you being her father made me hate you even more.”

The Final Justice

Just as Rocco’s finger tightened on the trigger, another shot rang out. Rocco staggered back, a red stain blooming on his chest. Jamie Diamond stood beside him, the small gentleman’s revolver he carries still smoking in his hand.

Rocco fell to his back, propped up on one elbow, his gun just out of reach. He groaned, “Dammit, Jack. I loved her. But I hated you more. I promised the family I’d kill you. Blood and loyalty, you know.” He gasped another breath. “Why do you think I was so hard on her?”

A panicked Jamie grabbed me by the arm. “Jack—this is bad! I’ve never killed a man before.” I thought about it real hard for a moment. “And you still haven’t,” I said as I stared into Rocco’s still-open eyes. I looked at his still-heaving chest and pumped five bullets into it.

Series Navigation<< THE HAMMER FILES: A Hand of TroubleTHE HAMMER FILES: The Dead Reckoning >>

Chapter 1: The Case of December's Debt.

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