The Scorpion and the High Hat

Benito Cane peered through the tenement window to the upstairs office across the street. He could just make out the wide brimmed slouch hat of The Scorpion. The asphalt vigilante was nosing around for some forged business papers. Cane smiled because, he had already recovered the papers and hidden them. He sent Jo-Jo to get the rifle out of the trunk.
     The door to the apartment clicked and opened.
     “Jo-Jo, hurry. We have him. Do you have the rifle?” Cane reached back, keeping his eye glued on his target. The rifle met his hand. He took it, opened the bolt and made sure it was ready to fire. He then pushed open the window, dropped down to a knee and braced the rifle from the window seal.
     “Boss Lubanno is going to be very pleased. It appears that we’re moving up in the Osgood Gang.” Benito took careful aim. He savored the aiming, not rushing…enjoying every satisfying moment. Scorpion took down a lot of good friends. Hardboiled killers, all.
     Easy. Easy. He urged himself mentally. He took a measured breath, steadied the rifle, locked the site on the vigilante’s hat. Then he slowly squeezed the trigger. It was a perfect shot. Then…click. It didn’t fire.
     Cane looked at the rifle in disbelief.
     “No firing pin.” Came the voice behind him. It wasn’t Jo-Jo.
     Cane spun, simultaneously pushing himself upright. In a furious moment, he could make out the red domino mask of the Scorpion. No hat. A red gloved fist filled his vision and as his jaw rammed into his skull, sending shockwaves through his whole body, his lights went out.
     The Scorpion, carried a tightly bound Benito Cane down to his Marmon V16, idling in the alley and unloaded him into the back seat next to a tied and gagged Jo-Jo.
     Scorpion looked down on the beaten Torpedoes. He said with a thin smile “I’ll be right back boys. I have to go across the street and get my hat. Then, we’ll discuss where those documents are hidden.”