The pointed pick struck Trotsky’s skull, punching through his parietal bone and penetrating almost three inches into his brain. Trotsky let out [a] long, mournful cry [that Mercader never forgot]. Despite his injury, he fought back. He spat in Mercader’s face and began struggling with him, biting his hand. The sixty‐year‐old Trotsky put up such a fight [that] he broke Mercader’s hand, and the commotion drew Trotsky’s bodyguards. Bursting into the room they latched onto Mercader and started to beat him savagely. Only Trotsky’s intervention saved him.
“No … don’t … kill … him.” Trotsky labored to speak. “We… need … answers.” The men did as he said and restrained the bruised and bleeding assassin.
Tbf, one thing I wouldn't reproach Trotsky is taking an icepick in the head wrong, dude even struggled with the assassin after getting icplicked!
oh shit, i had no idea. That's pretty badass, actually
(Source.)
Also when his bodyguards came in, he told them not to kill the assassin because they needed him to talk