(Six)
Logan watched Kimble go and then walked back into the galley. Valentin and Joseph were laughing to themselves. If they weren't going to break free, the least they could do is have a few laughs. Bruce sat in between them, leaning forward with his face in his hands, trembling as he found no humor in any of this. Logan wondered why Bruce should be so afraid. He knew of Bruce's suspicions, but there was no way to prove that Kimble was this Zander fellow, not right now anyhow.
Logan went to the cupboards and finished putting the meat in the box, seeing the wisdom of removing it and completing Kimble's task. He certainly hoped they wouldn't be stuck here for days on end. He wasn't sure who was going to go crazy first, Kimble or himself from being cooped up in this tin can with all of this madness. He kicked the box to one side and rubbed his eyes. All of this tension was giving him a headache.
"You gonna cry, too, pup?" Valentin sneered.
Wolverine's rage bloomed like a silent bomb. He turned without a sound and smashed his fist into Valentin's face. He had reacted so unexpectedly and so quickly, Valentin never had a chance to dodge the blow.
Bruce was sitting next to Valentin and was splattered as Valentin's nose exploded with blood and shattered bone. Bruce screamed at the sight of it, his voice a high hysterical shriek. He cowered as Logan next stood over Valentin, his face full of hate and rage.
Logan shoved Valentin's head down onto the table. The force of it snapped the strap on Valentin's arm sling, adding to his helplessness. Valentin slid his splinted arm across the table for balance, but Logan wasn't done yet. He leaned in real close to Valentin's face, baring his teeth. "Let's get somethin' straight, you an' me. We need both Fallen an' Kimble ta get outta this mess an' I ain't about ta let ya screw this up. Whatever respect I mighta had fer you is long gone. Yer three claws away from bein' a bloody smear on this table. You readin' me?"
"You don't frighten me, little man!" Valentin growled fearlessly from his awkward position.
Logan popped his claws out real close. Valentin couldn't help but twitch in fear this time. He'd seen Wolverine use those claws and knew just how deadly they were. He shivered as he heard Logan's dry growl in his ear. "Maybe I didn't make my self clear. One more freakout on account of you and yer spendin' the rest of this trip in yer little room over there. In pieces if it comes ta that. You gettin' me now?"
"Fuck you!" Valentin replied with a sneer, still unwilling to give an inch.
Logan grabbed Valentin's hair, raising his head not to free him, but to slam Valentin's head back down against the metal table with a quick snap, stunning him. Valentin lay still then, wheezing out blood and spit with every unconscious breath. "Anyone else?" Logan snarled, looking at the others.
Bruce shrank away, covering his face.
Joseph glared at Wolverine, as defiant as his Master. "I'll kill you for that!"
Gambit came to the table, stepping up on the bench with one foot. He put the fingertips of his right hand on the metal table and looked deeply into Joe's face, his demonic red on black eyes glittering with playful malice. Joseph jumped a little when he felt a sizzling shock as the red eyed mutant gave the table a little charge of bio-kinetic energy. "Oui? You feel dat? Gambit can do dis to anyt'ing, not just 'is fancy playin' cards, comprenez? Don' t'ink you wanna see what 'e can do to your face." Gambit would never use his power directly on anyone, but Joseph didn't need to know that. "You gonna go quietly now, or is Gambit gonna 'ave 'imself a little down home barbecue?"
Joseph said nothing, but put his head down submissively.
"Bien. I t'ink we done 'ere now," Remy said, backing off.
"Let's go," Logan said, untying the men. He and Remy saw Joseph and Bruce back to the barracks while Henry looked Valentin over.
Valentin's nose was broken. He woke in a foggy daze but sat still as Henry next set the bone and taped him up. His eyes were already bruising from the abuse, adding to his already disheveled appearance. "I suggest you don't keep antagonizing Logan," the big blue doctor advised him. "I'm not sure how many more of your bones you want him to break."
Valentin said nothing in return and Henry led him away back to the barrack's room.
Henry made his delivery and looked over to the cage, seeing that Fallen's lav door was shut. Maylee had come up from her hiding spot below and was curled up on Fallen's bed asleep. Beast hoped Kimble was getting some sleep as well, they were all tired and irritable. This was going to be a long trip and already everyone's nerves were on edge. He prayed all the violence was behind them now. Considering the events so far, he doubted it.