Joe Rogers Test Scene

[the_next_avenger]

4 a.m. -

Joe stumbled into his apartment, clutching his rib cage. He was certain that at least three were broken and one was bruised really badly. It hurt to breathe and he felt like crap. It took a lot to wind him but the St. Louis syndicate was working overtime to cover themselves after the beating Joe was putting on their operation. Every night, they lost another warehouse or another one of their lieutenants mysteriously got picked up on charges that stuck. It was all Joe could do to keep things going but it was lonely work.

Mom was probably worried sick about him. He was sure that he'd seen SHIELD agents at the store four blocks away this morning. Usually, when they got that close, he would pack up and move to a new hiding spot, but he'd been too exhausted to keep moving the last few nights.

Now, he unlocked the front door of his dingy little apartment and half-walked, half-fell through the door, slamming it behind him without meaning to. He leaned against the wall for a moment, trying to catch his breath and staggered into the living room.

"Where is the rum? Where did I put that rum...?" he asked aloud, looking for the bottle. He couldn't get drunk but it would dull the pain long enough for him to sleep. Then he'd drag himself out of bed off to work at UPS before another night of crime-busting.

"Nope, nothing like Dad. Not at all." he chuckled to himself before groaning in pain. He was so out of it that an elephant could have snuck up on him and he might not have noticed it.