A/N: Nope, still don't anything that Stan Lee owns. Thanks to:
Fire Black Dragon – Victor and I missed your reviews! Glad you're back!
xPrincetonx – I think you'll like the Zero parts in this chapter...
Fyrefly – Yeah, I was actually absurdly pleased this that part for some reason.
NightStalkerBlade – Remember when reading this chapter that this Zero is your Zero's evil twin...
Bdbelley – Yay! A new reader! And a flattering one too! You're cool. Thanks for reviewing, glad you like the story!
Gothicpug – Zero gets served again
mandya1313 – Merci! (Next time, Russian!)
HeyPeoples – Hope this doesn't disappoint!
EmbryStarscream – Aw, you're too nice! Thanks for reviewing!
And thanks to sarcasticlover93 for favoriting!
A/N 2.0: OK, so I just noticed that last night I posted a draft version of chapter 25, not the final version! The old one was missing a couple paragraphs that I think add to scene so I'm reposting chapter 25, the correct chapter this time. Sorry for the mix up!
Chapter 25
The Great Escape
The brothers waited until Dukes and Zero were distracted while moving Lupa's crate. They were too far away to hear what was said, but when Victor and Jimmy saw Stryker's right hand man open the crate's door, they knew what he was going to do next. Victor burst through the forest out into the airfield, loping on all fours with death in his eyes. Despite the fact that Creed knew beforehand about the tranquilizers, seeing Zero inject some weird blue shit in his mate's arm let the Sabertooth loose in all his feral glory.
Not caring that he'd outstripped Jimmy in his rage, Victor leapt forward tackled Agent Zero, the syringe in the blindsided mutant's grip still half full. Sabertooth had built up such speed and momentum crossing the field that the two men tumbled head over heels for a good 20 feet before finally stopping. Creed used the spinning roll to propel himself into a ready crouch while Zero was dazed and lay on the ground on his back, one of his legs bent in an unnatural position underneath him.
Slowly and deliberately, Victor stood and walked towards the felled mutant like a tiger approaching conquered prey. He looked down on his opponent who was fading in and out of consciousness and smirked. Oh, he was going to enjoy this next bit immensely...
Sabertooth viciously kicked Zero a few times, only satisfied when he heard the awful crunch of ribs breaking and a guttural moan. He chuckled as his opponent weakly fumbled for the gun resting in the holster on his hip. Creed just shoved the searching hands away and ripped the weapon off the mutant's belt. Grinning widely, Victor stepped on Zero's chest and took the .45 caliber from its' leather case. Locking eyes with the enraged and agonized assassin, he bent the metal barrel, rendering it useless. Creed pressed down hard on the ribcage beneath his booted foot, savoring the sound of air rushing from his victim's lungs. He ground his boot into flesh and leaned forward to smile wickedly at his prey. Using the back of his hand, Creed smacked the mercenary across the face with enough force to make the expert marksman feel like his entire eyeball was going to pop out of it's socket.
"Now you listen real good ta what I'm about ta tell ya. Me an' my brother? We're out. Handin' in our resignation papers, as it were. An' guess what? We already know what we want fer a goin' away present. That's why we're here, ta pick it up. I think you know what I'm talking bout, too. Ain't that right, David?" Sabertooth growled, he was using that tone again, the one that meant pain and blood and the End. He wasn't touching the injured man, just used his voice to install fear and the anticipation of further, worse pain.
"The wolf bitch. You want her," Zero gasped out, saliva tinged pink with blood sputtered out with the words.
He was pretty sure one of his broken ribs had punctured a lung and that his left thigh bone was at the very least fractured, not to mention the knee was fucked too. He definitely had a concussion from the rolling fall as currently there were two blurry, Sabertooths standing over him. Overall, David North felt like he'd been run over by a Mack truck. A six foot, six inch, 250 pound feral running 20 miles an hour, Mack truck.
Creed reached out and took one of Zero's hands, "Ah, ah, ah."
With each 'ah' he broke a finger.
"Not nice ta talk about my woman that way," Victor smiled gently, like reprimanding a child. "I. Don't. Like. It. When someone disrespects my mate. So I'm gonna have ta punish ya for that little slip, make sure ya learn yer lesson, an' all...Give ya a permanent reminder 'bout what happens when ya talk about her."
Victor leaned down and ripped open David's shirt. He extended the yellow claw on his right index finger. When it was about two inches long he used his left hand to grip Zero's neck.
"Stay still."
David couldn't have disobeyed at this point, his body was frozen in primal terror. Thousands of generations ago this was something his ancestors feared deep down into their bones: death by a wild beast, being torn apart alive. That fear was practically written into his genetic code, carried down through the eons. Agent Zero just stared at that razor sharp claw coming closer and closer to his bare chest. Victor frowned a little in concentration and began to carve his name – slowly – using his talon as a writing instrument and Zero's living skin as parchment. Blood made a lovely colored ink. After finishing, the marked man's body was shivering from shock and blood loss, Creed had cut deep.
"There! Now. Me, my brother an' my mate are gonna take this plane and go far, far away. We're even gonna let you and Dukes live. But only so you two shitheads can run on home to Stryker an' tell him what's what. The three of us are gonna disappear and no one is gonna go lookin' for us. Ever." Victor paused to make sure he had his captive's full attention. He broke Zero's last two fingers as well, just to be sure, relishing Zero's subdued moans of pain.
"If anyone tries ta look for us...well, I won't be happy. An' I'll know if someone starts sniffin' 'round in my business, starts pokin' 'round lookin' fer us. I've been playin' this game much longer than yer Colonel, I know more people an' lotsa folks owe me favors. He don't wanna mess with me or mine. An' she is Mine. Got it?"
Agent Zero jerked his head in a nod, "Got it." He was sweating in pain now, breathing hard and covered in scrapes, bruises and dirt, trying to hold in his pathetic whimpers.
"Good boy. I'm sure someone'll be alone soon enough to fetch you two. Have a nice life, Zero, an' remember what I said."
Victor stood and began to walk away before he stopped briefly and looked over his shoulder once to send a bone chilling smirk the other mutant's way. He strode towards the plane where Jimmy and Dukes waited, well hidden from David's sight and hearing.
The men were hunched over Lupa's crate, talking to each other with matching worried expressions on their faces. They looked like a couple of fussing mother hens. The female feral's arm was still the only part of her out of the box, Jimmy's fingers were resting on her wrist, checking her pulse. At that moment all the anger and rage and bitterness and hate fell out of Victor like the bottom dropped out. He could only see that bruised arm and the little line of blood weeping from where the needle pierced her pale skin. Creed felt like his heart had frozen inside his chest.
Is she alright? What if she isn't alright? How much did she get injected with? How's her body gonna react ta that shit? Concerns Victor had never had before were racing through his mind. How long is she gonna sleep? How long will it take fer her ta heal up? Will the scars disappear or will they stay? Is there any permanent damage? Can we be 'permanently' hurt? No. She'll heal...She'll heal...
He shook his head to clear those distracting thoughts, "We gotta hurry. Dukes, how you wanna do this?"
"Uh, can Jimmy do it?" Dukes ventured hesitantly.
Creed looked like he was holding on to his vicious temper by a razor's edge. While immensely strong and powerful, the Blob still felt pain just like anybody else.
"Fuck it, whatever," The Sabertooth grunted.
Before Dukes could turn to face Logan, he got punched in the face. Falling on his ass, he looked up in surprise at Jimmy.
"That'll leave a nice mark."
Victor snorted at his little brother's comment and ripped off the wooden crate's door. He reached in and pulled out an unconscious Lupa. Holding her bridal style, Creed stared at Dukes. "Don't look for us," he said fiercely before striding to the plane with his mate.
Jimmy glanced at Dukes and grinned ruefully, "I gotta do some more or else they'll never believe it, bub."
"I know, I know," the Blob stood up.
"He'll never say it, so I will for him. Thanks. She might not have lived this long if it weren't for you. And if you hadn't come to me when ya did...Well, just, thanks."
Dukes nodded and prepared himself for the next hit. It took a couple dozen good punches before Logan finally landed the one that knocked Dukes out. Sighing, he left his former comrade laying on the ground and boarded the jet.
Now was time for phase two of the plan...
oOo
A/N: And she's out! Please review and lemme know what you think. There's probably going to be only a few more chapters before I wrap up so if you got any ideas now it the time to tell me! Oh and remember, reviewers get a cupcake!