Mark Hammond

Mark Hammond
Full Name:	Mark Hammond
Appearance(s):	The Getaway
Status:	Unknown
Gender:	Male
Born:	1967
Relatives/Friends:	Suzie Hammond (wife) Alex Hammond (son) Liam Spencer (best friend)
Main Affiliation:	Charlie Jolson (formerly) and the Bethnal Green Mob Nick Collins (formerly) and the Collins Gang Yasmin (partner) DC Frank Carter (ally)
Enemies:	Charlie Jolson Harry Preston Jake Jolson DCI Clive McCormack Sparky Eyebrows Grievous Big Walter
Nationality:	English
Played by:	Don Kembry

"Where's my son, you fat bastard?"

―Mark Hammond

Mark Hammond is the main protagonist in The Getaway. He is an ex-con and former member of the Collins gang. In 1997, Mark was jailed for armed robbery and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released in 2002 and vowed to go straight and settle down with his wife, Suzie Hammond, who had given up singing to be with him, and his son, Alex Hammond. Unfortunately for Mark, his wife was killed and his son was kidnapped by the Bethnal Green Mob. Mark was framed for killing his wife as he picked up the gun that was used to kill her. He chased after the Bethnal Green Mob and arrived at a warehouse owned by the infamous Charlie Jolson, the head of the Bethnal Green Mob. Charlie blackmailed Mark into doing his dirty work all over London, if Mark refused then Charlie would have Alex killed. With no other option but to obey Jolson's demands, Mark became a fugitive and was soon dragged into the criminal underworld that he had vowed to leave forever.

Early Life

Mark Hammond was born in London in 1967. He decided to lead a life of crime and worked for the Bethnal Green Mob and later defected to Nick Collins gang. Mark prefered working for the Collins gang because they had new ideas and he became good friends with another member of the gang called Liam Spencer. In 1993, Mark married Suzie and the following year they had a son called Alex. In 1997, Mark was arrested by DCI Clive McCormack for armed robbery and was sentenced to five years in prison. Mark wasn't released from prison until 2002 and had only been out for a few months before being dragged back into his former life of crime.

2002

In 2002, he was released from prison after a five year sentence for armed robbery. He decided to leave behind his life of crime and settled down with his wife Suzie and son Alex. Mark now ran a nightclub in London. One morning, two months after his release, things took a turn for the worst. Suzie who was walking Alex to school was confronted by gang members from the Bethnal Green Mob. The members were Harry Preston, Grievous and a hitwoman called Yasmin. After a brief struggle, Suzie was shot by Harry and Alex was dragged into a car driven by another gang member called Eyebrows. Mark came rushing out of his apartment but was too late. He accidentally incriminated himself by touching the dropped murder weapon. A dying Suzie pleaded Mark to get their boy back, then dies on the pavement in Mark's arms. A passer-by saw this and screamed, thinking that Mark had killed Suzie. Instead of staying to help, Mark drove off and chased the gang car. Leaving the weapon behind at the scene and running off made the police believe that Mark was the culprit. Mark found the gang vehicle at a warehouse. Inside, he found his son in the hands of Charlie Jolson, the notorious boss of the Bethnal Green Mob. Before Mark could act, his was knocked out and dragged into a chair. Jolson gave Mark a proposition. Mark needed to work for Jolson and do everything he said or his son would die.

"Let's play a little game. I ring you, you do the job. You don't do what I tell you, the kid dies. You don't do it when I tell you, the kid dies. You don't do it where I tell you, the kid dies. You talk to anyone, you're late, or you let me down, your kid dies! You getting my drift?" ―Charlie Jolson

The jobs that Charlie had Mark do for him were: burning down a bar in Soho, called The Republic, which was operated by Mark's old gang, the Collins gang, breaking into an art gallery in Hyde Park, called the Reptilian Gallery, run by the Triads, to steal a statue filled with heroin, breaking out Charlie's nephew, Jake Jolson, from a police convoy, dropping off a dead Triad in Chinatown, outside a restaurant named the Siu Fung in order to start a turf war between the Triads and the Yardies, attacking a police station, called Snow Hill, to assassinate the corrupt police officer McCormack, picking up a girl who Charlie liked from a Collins bar, Touch of Class, and stealing £300,000 of drug money from the Yardies at a crackhouse. These actions angered the other gangs in London who wanted Mark dead and also drew police attention to him. In addition, the public believed that Mark went psycho by murdering his wife, kidnapping his son and then going on a crazy rampage through London. During his missions, Mark asked his former Collins gang comrade Liam Spencer to help him. Liam was initially annoyed at Mark because his attacked his old gang, but understood Jolson's control over him, so he agreed to help. After Mark killed the corrupt DCI McCormack, whom he had a grudge against, he met Yasmin who was involved in kidnapping his son. Yasmin knew where they are keeping Alex and understood that Mark would not have much luck in finding his son himself, so she requested that Mark would spare her to allow her to help him. Mark agreed, and the two worked hard to find Alex. However, Jake Jolson, who had a strong hatred of Mark, tried to double-cross him. During a shootout at Charlie's depot, just after Mark had completed his last mission for Charlie, Mark killed Jake's friend Sparky. Jake and Eyebrows however managed to knock Mark out. Jake tried to kill Mark, but was stopped by Charlie. Mark and Yasmin, the latter being caught in Charlie's mansion, were locked in the basement of Charlie's warehouse. Charlie Jolson phoned the other gang leaders and agreed to hand Mark over to them. After Charlie left with Harry and Jake, Mark and Yasmin sat in their cell feeling sorry for themselves. Luckily for them, DC Frank Carter had overheard Charlie's plan and offered to break out Mark and Yasmin as long as they agreed to work for him. Mark agreed but Yasmin did not trust Frank, believing that he was no better than Charlie Jolson. However, Frank broke them out and Mark and Yasmin drove over to Charlie's mansion to find Alex. Unfortunately, they were too late as Mark saw Harry driving off with Alex. Mark decided to phone Frank who explained that he was at the depot and was going to follow Jake to the Sol Vita, an old cargo ship which Charlie wanted blown up along with all of the other gang leaders on board. Mark and Yasmin drove off to the Sol Vita to rescue Alex and kill the Jolson's. Once they arrived, all the gangs were fighting each other on the ship. Mark fought his way through them and headed downstairs where he confronted Harry. They fought each other resulting in Mark killing Harry, avenging Suzie's murder. Mark eventually found Alex in the room where Charlie's bomb was. Yasmin was there also, having killed Eyebrows, and she also wanted to leave along with Mark and Alex. They were stopped by Frank, having just killed Jake, who wanted Charlie Jolson dead as well. Just then, Nick Collins arrived with Liam who was holding a gun at Charlie's head. Nick ordered Frank and Mark to drop their weapons. The Triads, led by Shan Chu Lee and the Yardies, led by Jamahl, appeared and the three crime bosses wanted to kill Mark for ruining their businesses. Yasmin intervened which allowed for Mark to explain what had happened. The gangs understood and decided to spare Mark on the condition that he left London and never returned. Mark tried to get them to free Frank but they refused because they didn't want a cop knowning about their business. The final scene showed Mark, Yasmin and Alex walking free from the ship just as it exploded. The scene ends with them looking at each other, concerned about what just happened.

Aftermath

After escaping from the Sol Vita it is unknown what happened to Mark Hammond. There are several possibilities:

• It has been suggested that Alex Hammond may have been killed after the Sol Vita exploded. If this is the case, Mark may have been killed also, or took his own life after his son's death.

• If Alex survived, it is possible that Mark left London along with Yasmin and Alex. If this is the case, it is likely that they either moved to a quiet part of the country or even left the UK since Mark was so highly wanted.

• It is possible Frank Carter may have been able to clear Mark's name, although this is unlikely due to the amount of deaths Mark had been responsible for, some of which had been police officers.
• It may even be possible that Mark Hammond was jailed for life for killing so many people.

Personality

Although once a criminal, Mark vowed to leave behind his life of crime when he was released from prison. Mark is devoted to his family and is devastated when his wife is killed and his son kidnapped. Mark is forced to carry out violent and criminal acts for the sake of his son's life. It is due to Mark's devotion to his son that he agreed to carry out the crimes that Charlie Jolson made him do. Although Mark showed remorse at having to shoot his former friends like the Collins Gang, some of his killings were in vengeance e.g. McCormack and Harry. Mark has a sarcastic side to him. This is evident when Harry was giving him instructions on how to kill McCormack. His violent behaviour led some people to believe he was a psycho, but he was nowhere near as crazy as his enemy Jake Jolson, who enjoyed killing people.

Murders Committed by Mark Hammond

• DCI Clive McCormack - Killed in "Filthy Business" under orders from Charlie Jolson for turning on the Bethnal Green Mob. Also an old enemy of Mark Hammond.
• Sparky - Killed in "A Cat in a Bag" because Mark turned on the Bethnal after knowing they wouldn't give him back his son.
• Harry Preston - Killed in "Aboard the Sol Vita" for trying to stop Mark from rescuing his son. Also the archenemy of Mark Hammond.

Optional:

• Republic Bartender - Killed in "Burning Bridges" for being in the bar during Mark's assignment to burn down Collins' restaurant.
• Telephone Repairman - Killed in "Filthy Business" under orders from Harry Preston to stop the real telephone van from reaching Snow Hill Police Station.

Mission Appearances

• The Frightener
• Burning Bridges
• Art Appreciation
• Aiding and Abetting
• Taxi for Mr Chai?
• Out of the Frying Pan
• Filthy Business
• A Touch of Class
• The Cowgirl and the Cash
• A Cat in a Bag
• The Prodigal Son
• Aboard the Sol Vita
• Escort Duty (cutscene only)
• Meet Mark Hammond
• Showdown with Jake (cutscene only)
• Land of Hope and Glory (cutscene only)

Trivia

• In The Getaway: Black Monday, the orange bin lorries found in the Shoreditch area have a little doll of Mark Hammond on their windscrean wipers.
• In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, there is a character named after Mark Hammond called Marcus Hammond. He was a target to be assassinated by the games protagonist Tommy Vercetti.
• It is thought that Mark left the Bethnal Green Mob, because he did not agree with their racist views. Proof of this is his friendship with Liam Spencer .
• Whenever Mark Hammond kills someone, he will either say "Have some of that!" or "How you feelin' now?".
• On an Interesting note, Don Kembry provides the voice and face for the character Albert Hammond in the game L.A. Noire, who is a boxer, since Team Bondi who made L.A. Noire comprise of some of the people who created The Getaway, it is an obvious nod to the series.
• Mark Hammond said that he left the criminal life when he was released from prison. However, he does have a gun on him at the start of the game.