Part VII
Pietro reached inside the cage, pulling out the young girl who was now in a near fetal position. A thumb was in her mouth, making her look even younger. A dark stain in her hair caught his attention. Frowning slightly, it took him a moment to spot the bruising near her hairline.
Scowling, he looked back over to the men as they hoisted Victor up into a kneeling position.
"Weren't my instructions to secure the child without damage? How incompetent are you that three of you couldn't even manage to grab an infant less than a tenth your size without striking her?"
They mumbled among themselves, but none of them spoke back to Pietro. Fortunately for them, he had just noticed Victor's eyes on him and began to smile. Shackled, muzzled and tethered, the cat wasn't going anywhere. Might as well let him know what was in store for him until he finally decided to cooperate.
Lifting the girl, he carried her as easily as a large doll as he moved over to the tree. She was limp, like an unconscious person. Or a cat. His eyes weren't on her any longer, so he didn't notice when her eyes slightly opened.
"Now... where was I? Ah yes... I am, of course, fully aware of that vaunted healing factor of yours, but it seems to me that it should be something that I should be able to take advantage of. For instance, the disemboweling I mentioned earlier. I plan to spread your entrails about - might even be fitting to make a cat's cradle out of them in the trees. While they are still a part of you, but outside your abdomen, I am of the opinion that your healing factor will probably keep you alive, but full healing will be impossible."
"I also am of the opinion that the local wildlife will take a great interest in the display. Between the bird, insects and other scavengers, I'm sure there is only so much of that you will care to endure before telling me what I want to know. Jackson? Cut him open."
Victor just glared at him, but then the wind shifted slightly and he picked up a scent. He began struggling harder against his bonds. Pietro assumed it was in reaction to the knife coming toward him.
"Put her down, you asshole!"
Pietro was a bit surprised that Sabretooth still felt he could give out orders, but decided that it was simply a bit of impotent bravado.
"I think not. She's young enough that I should be able to turn her over to some of my people to be raised. She might grow into a decent tracker that we can use to locate and eradicate the rest of your kind."
As the knife was plunged in, the hot smell of Victor's blood hit the air, strong enough to sting even the human noses in the area. After that, several things happened in rapid succession.
Jackson hesitated half-way through the gutting procedure and vomited. He'd never done anything like it before and hadn't imagine it would be such a nasty business. Victor roared, not from pain but from frustration at not being able to reach Adimu. Pietro yelled at Jackson.
"Can't you even manage to do that ri..."
His yelling was cut off suddenly as Ororo and Logan burst onto the scene themselves. Ororo was staring in shock, Logan was snarling.
"Dammit... we're too late."