The sucker-punch to the back of the head made Jackie see stars, and the slash opened up a gash in his non-tattooed arm. The Snake he'd been shoved into shoved him back, and he overbalanced and fell backwards, still dizzy.

He was beginning to entertain the very real possibility he wouldn't get out of this alley at all.

Granted - he'd already been killed in probably the worst, most painful, most horrifying way a guy can go out. But he wasn't exactly itching to repeat the experience.