Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men franchise, neither the comics nor the movies. If I did, the movies would be greatly more character oriented than they have shown to be...

Author's Note: Which segues nicely into the purpose of this fanfic... Which is I had a few one shots in my head based on X-Men Origins: Wolverine that bring in a bit more of the comic book aspects to the characters that mostly be brushed over and overlooked. Since this month is my absolute best friend's, lucky's girl, birthday, I decided to actually write them up and post them! Because it's her fault I've watched Origins oh so many times and know these characters inside and out. So happy birthday, dear!

This first I actually find the most fascinating because doing research on Agent Zero, or Chritoph Nord, he's a really deep, fascinating character. It's really sad that all he's shown as is the loyal guard dog who shoots on command. There's a whole lot more to it than that, so this is my interpretation of when comic verse meets movie verse.

Agent Zero: Cutting Deeper

"Who's your employer?"

"You don't have the guts. A defenseless woman? In cold blood?"

Even in the stale dark, Nord could hear the gun fire as she came at him with the knife. The spray of red from Ginetta Barsalini's chest was painted on his mind's eyes. And the 'cold blood' of it went as deep of his bones. He couldn't feel chillier, even years past the event.

Still, coming after him with a knife? Barsalini wasn't so defenseless.

Even if he hadn't defended himself, though, Nord had to admit the betrayal cut deeper. Might as well have carved him heartless.

Nord sighed and stretched out the tired muscles in his back, checking on the ammo in the pistol clenched in his hand. It was mostly there for comfort. If Nord felt like escaping this place it'd be in his best interest to dive out of a window and deal with the injuries. Fighting wasn't really an option.

Then again, every option really meant leaving his employer behind. Since William Stryker was in a meeting in the other room, not allowed to bring his bodyguard inside. Of course Oyama Kenji was 'kind' enough to leave his own bodyguards outside… Like that did much. Still meant they were between Nord and Stryker should something go wrong. And as this was Oyama's home, he had the upper hand.

But Nord still wasn't sure Stryker had anything he wanted. He still played along with this Team X thing merely out of amusement. And supplies. He was given his choice of so many gadgets that he was sure if he'd had this opportunity years ago, he would have found out who hired Barsalini right off the bat. Instead he was forced to be patient, wait for Stryker to be done with him…

Men like Stryker were never done though. Nord knew that when he first agreed. He hadn't done it impulsively, either. He was looking to build himself up out of the mess, out of the emotions… Stryker promised that and delivered immediately. He didn't ask for trust, only loyalty. It didn't matter for what reason, either. So long as Nord's gun didn't end up trained at the back of Stryker's head, Nord continued to get what he wanted.

Good enough for him.

The door to the conference room opened and Nord jumped to his feet, replacing the cartridge back into the pistol. But the two business men were bowing and shaking hands, everything definitely having gone well. Considering that grin and shine in Stryker's eyes that he wore well. Remembered it from the seedy bar where he'd managed to track Nord, the moment he agreed to joining his little team.

Never saw a man so pleased to have things go his way. Made Nord decide that if he was happy enough just to have his team pulled together, and obviously so, what was the point in betrayal? So he continued to serve. Wasn't like he had anything better to do.

"Got what you wanted I assume?" Nord spoke up once they were led out of the Oyama Estate and were away from surveillance.

"No," Stryker chuckled. "But I know it exists. So tonight… we're going to take it."

"Ah." Nord was completely passive on the outside but inside he really was amused. Of course Stryker would be arrogant enough to assume they could pull that off without consulting first. But he knew Nord's strengths and weaknesses. He never asked anything of any of his men that they couldn't do. "I can do that," he agreed, spinning the pistol on his finger.

"Good. Let's get started."

AN: Oyama Kenji (written in the traditional Japanese way of family name first) is Yurko, aka Deathstrike's father. He's the one that developed how to bond adamantium to a skeleton. So he's just a nice little Easter egg thrown in here