Mercy's Above My Pay Grade

A mafia collector walks into a rain-darkened diner to break its owner's hands and finds his oldest friend washing dishes to repay the gambling debt they once ran up together. His friend has been charging hungry customers for meals donated by a church, setting aside enough cash to buy his own release while leaving the owner liable for the balance. The collector puts his hammer on the counter and makes his friend return the money, coin by coin, to the customers still waiting outside. When their captain arrives with a second hammer, the collector must cripple the owner or put his own hands beside his friend's on the chopping board.