Lincoln Burgess

Lincoln Burgess is the primary antagonist of the 2019 British crime film Avengement. He is the brother of the film's protagonist Cain Burgess, who he betrayed and later tried to kill for failing to do his job in losing a boxing match.

He was portrayed by Craig Fairbrass, who also played Ray Collishaw in St George's Day, Pat Tate in Rise of the Footsoldier, Dan Sullivan in Eastenders, Freddy "Dead Cert" Frankham in Dead Cert and Eddie Franks in Villain.

## Biography

Lincoln Burgess is a powerful and ruthless loan shark whose brother, Cain Lincoln, is a skilled martial artist with a quick temper nature. They first meet when Cain visits Lincoln to ask for an investment in a legitimate business. Lincoln refuses to lend him anything after Cain costed his brother and his fellow gangsters a lot of money from a fixed fight, which Lincoln had originally told Cain to lose on his behalf. Lincoln instead puts Cain on a scam job where Cain must rob a mark who has retrieved a package from one of Lincoln's gangsters. The plan goes well at first, but the mark, a middle-aged woman, doggedly chases Cain into the street, where she is hit by a car and dies. Cain is arrested and charged with manslaughter. Detective O'Hara explains that Lincoln's scam baits marks into acting as a bagman to forgive their debts. Lincoln arranges for someone to steal the bag, causing the mark to owe Lincoln even more money than before. When Cain refuses to cooperate with the police, a corrupt cop, Sgt. Evans, beats him.

Despite his clean record, Cain is sentenced to the most violent prison in England, where he is subject to constant fights. He loses most of his teeth, has napalm thrown on his face, and is stabbed multiple times, though he consistently wins. Despite the fights being in self-defense, his sentence is repeatedly extended. Cain realizes he must become a cold-blooded killer to survive, though he does not understand why he is being targeted. After several years, one of his attackers says Lincoln has put a large bounty on his head. O'Hara, who has since learned about the bounty, once again asks Cain to give up his brother. Cain agrees on the condition that he be allowed to visit his dying mother at a hospital. They are too late, and Cain misses his chance. Though he is heavily guarded, Cain escapes custody after violently beating the police officers who delayed his visit.

Cain later resolves to get revenge on his brother and goes to Lincoln's private bar, where he holds several of Lincoln's fellow gangsters at gunpoint and demand they explain Lincoln's betrayal. Cain overhears one of the patrons, Tune, describe how an unknown assailant killed Rook, a fellow gangster. Cain laughs as Tune's story becomes increasingly boastful, mocking him as a cowardly liar. Not knowing that he fought his way past the bouncers, Tune's friends caution him that the stranger may be one of Lincoln's friends. Eventually, Lincoln's lieutenant, Hyde, arrives and recognizes Cain. Dismissing Cain as naive and weak, Hyde is surprised when Cain reveals himself as Rook's killer. Cain forces Hyde at gunpoint to summon Lincoln, whom he blames for turning him into a killer.

When Lincoln arrives, Cain disarms him and takes him hostage. Lincoln appeals to Cain's better nature, not realizing the changes he has been forced to undergo. Hyde mocks Cain and insults the people they conned. Enraged at his flippant attitude at destroying so many lives, including his own, Cain shoots and kills Hyde in front of the others. Realizing that Cain has changed, Lincoln drops his pretenses and admits to setting up his brother. Cain angrily says that he never spoke to the police and that Sgt. Evans admitted to spreading the false rumor before Cain killed him. Although surprised at the viciousness of Cain's vengeance, Lincoln says he never even cared whether it was true; the real reason he ordered the hit was because Cain made a fool of him years ago when he botched the fixed fight.

Cain then reveals that he has emptied Lincoln's bank account. Cain insists that while there is no going back for him now, he can still help others who became victims of Lincoln's criminal dealings. Cain then prepares to kill Lincoln and offers to let everyone else leave. Tune flees, but the others say and Lincoln orders them to kill Cain. Although severely beaten and stabbed once again, Cain kills most of the gangsters. Tune returns with a submachine gun and accidentally shoots several gangsters. Cain shoots the rest once he disarms Tune. Lincoln vows to recover, and, with all the guns emptied, attacks Cain with a knife. But Cain overpowers Lincoln and stabs him with the knife, killing him. After Lincoln dies, Cain stumbles out of the bar and collapses on a bench. Detective O'Hara later discovers that Lincoln's bank account has been divided amongst his victims by Cain.

## Trivia

* According to Cain during the movie, Lincoln had victimized about 150 families in his criminal dealings.