- "I know you snitched me out to Luke Cage! Think I'm playing with you, bitch, huh? I will kill you!"
- ―Cockroach Hamilton to Drea Powell[src]
The Chase of Cockroach Hamilton was Luke Cage's hunt for Cockroach Hamilton in order to gain information on Mariah Dillard for having connections to sell her guns to him and Nigel Garrison.
Background[]
When Mariah Dillard decided to sell her gun business, she gathered Nigel Garrison, Arturo Rey III, and Cockroach Hamilton at Harlem's Paradise, as potential buyers. Rey III was chosen as the most suitable candidate, and Dillard provided him with a Hammer Industries Assault Rifle and the Judas Bullet to take out Luke Cage. However, Rey III's ambush was unsuccessful, as Cage survived the shot and brought incapacitated Rey III to 29th Precinct Police Station for NYPD to take him into custody.[3]
Luke Cage hunting for Cockroach Hamilton
Cage started to target Hamilton as the potential buyer and went around Harlem, searching for him. He interrogated a number of Hamilton's associates but none of them knew where he was, as Hamilton went full ghost. One of them was able to provide Cage with the information about Drea Powell, a girlfriend of Hamilton, who was living in Harlem.
Misty Knight attempted to pressure Rey III into testifying against the Stokes Crime Family, but Benjamin Donovan managed to bail him out. Back at Merlin Discount Furniture, Rey III was approached by Shades and Comanche who demanded Rey III to pay the money he promised to Dillard. However, Rey III refused to pay, accusing the Stokes Family of setting him up with a bogus Judas Bullet, and threatened to testify if Dillard does not clear him out of charges. Infuriated by Rey III's disrepect to Dillard, Shades killed him, and the Stokes Family could not collect the payment.
With Rey III dead, Cage and Knight assumed that Hamilton would be the next in line for Dillard's gun business. As Knight provided Cage with Powell's address, Cage went to speak with her, but Powell refused to speak about Hamilton with Cage. Regardless, Cage spoke with her neighbor who told Cage about Hamilton's underground casino he had been running in New York City docks.[4]
Chase[]
Cockroach Hamilton fires Josh at Luke Cage
- "Bet you a man now, boy, huh? Want some of this?"
"I want some." - ―Cockroach Hamilton and Luke Cage[src]
Luke Cage came to the casino, where Cockroach Hamilton threw a big party for his patrons. Seeing Cage, Hamilton ordered his bodyguards to take him out, but Cage was unaffected from a taser shock and easily subdued the guard. In the consequent panic, Hamiltron tried to sneak out with a crowd but Cage caught him, telling Hamilton to stop having a business with the Stokes Crime Family. In response, Hamilton armed himself with a high powered six-barrell shotgun. Undettered by the weapon, Cage arrogantly asked Hamilton if he thought the weapon could help him, and Hamilton replied that it would. Hamilton then shot Cage at close range, knocking him out a window and dislocating his shoulder. Victorious, Hamilton took the opportunnity to escape the casino. Cage had already been struggling with anger issues, and this humiliating defeat only angered the superhero even more.
Luke Cage strangles Cockroach Hamilton
Hamilton assumed that Drea Powell was the one who told Cage where to find him, so he came to his apartment and proceeded to beat Powell out of rage. After C.J. Powell attempted to pull his father off of his mother, Cockroach smacked his son to the ground. Unbeknowest to Hamilton, Cage recieved a call from Callahan and was informed that Hamilton was hurting his family. Enraged at both the abuse and seeking vengeance for his earlier defeat at Hamilton's hands, Cage immediately headed to their apartment. Hamilton was ready to beatdown his son for interrupting him and showed off his fist, while asking C.J. if he wanted "some of this".
Just as Hamilton said this, Cage broke down the door to their apartment and entered the room, while boasting to Hamilton that he wanted "some of this". Without his trusted shotgun to aid him, Hamilton was no match for Cage, who proceed to vengefully beat and toss Hamilton around the room, trashing much of the apartment in the process. Cage continued to beat and choke Hamilton, to the point that he nearly died from Cage's attacks. It was only after he noticed Hamilton's family staring at him in terror that Cage came to his senses, before Hamilton passed out from his wounds.[4]
Aftermath[]
- "Luke Cage was on some NatHeo shit. I thought I was getting mauled by a bear. I was so helpless. I tried to fight back, Lord knows I did, but he just kept hitting me again and again.."
"You were beating your girlfriend!"
"That's hearsay!" - ―Cockroach Hamilton and Luke Cage[src]
Realizing what he had done, Luke Cage called Claire Temple, so she could tend to Cockroach Hamilton's wounds, but Temple then called the NYPD. Misty Knight assured Cage that he will not be charged for attacking Hamilton, but she and Temple expressed their concern, seeing how much Hamilton was hurt by him. Knight later visited Hamilton at the hospital, asking him about the domestic violence and the firearm the police found at his casino, but Hamitlon refused to say anything.[5]
Benjamin Donovan represents Cockroach Hamilton
Later, Hamilton hired Benjamin Donovan and tried to sue Cage for assault and attempted murder, as Donovan informed Foggy Nelson that Cage owes Hamilton $100,000 compensation. Donovan offered to settle the matter outside of the court if Cage pays, but he had no such money and did not want to ask Danny Rand for help. Nelson then introduced Cage to Piranha Jones who wanted Cage to attend his private party and was willing to pay Cage even more than Hamilton wanted from him. Meanwhile, Knight was frustrated that Hamilton might get away with his crimes, so she attempted to plant the Judas Bullet at his apartment to prosecute him, however, she instead found Hamilton's headless body there, having been decapitated by Bushmaster.[6]