A Taste of Cold Steel

Sonny's mother, Lovee, knows he's scavenging for Eddie and tells his father, Jewels Pavalon, who has a vice-grip on Chicago's justice system. Sonny's manipulated into a guilty plea to murder when he stumbles into a confrontation that leaves Biscaine, Pavalon's bookmaker, dead and Sonny unconscious. Sonny's lawyer, Tom Harris, a beaten-down public defender, doesn't have the stamina or energy to vigorously defend Sonny so he passes the buck to the state public defender's office.

As Sonny awaits transport to prison from the Cook County jail, Pavalon sends Rico, a budding killer focused on being a crime-family member, to kill him. By sheer coincidence, Sonny survives a vicious stabbing. His drug addiction, false imprisonment and near-death experience transform Sonny into a calculating victim who reunites with his brother to get revenge against his father and the justice system.

Sonny's state public defender, Steve Hamilton, obtains his freedom and puts Sonny on a collision course with the former lead detective on his case, Lt. Luther, and the rugged prosecutor, Wayne Tretter. Sonny's persistence brings him to Rico-who is Eddie-and literally into his brother's arms. They confront Pavalon., which erupts with an explosion of lies and deceptions, hatred and emotions when Lovee, Sonny and Eddie's mother, is exposed as their aunt while Pavalon is revealed as an incestuous predator, pimp and gang-lord. Consumed by the profound lies and manipulations, Rico responds predictably. He lashes out at his deceivers, including himself, and Sonny loses more than he gains through vengeance.