Nine

The Wolverine had caught two bullets to the chest from the teleporter's initial attack, which shouldn't have been a problem. Either his metal bones should have blocked them, or his healing factor should be pushing the bullets out.

Obviously, that wasn't happening.

Victor could tell James' body was trying, but the healing moved sluggishly. The man was nowhere near healed enough to move, much less fight if it came down to it.

He needed to get the bullets out before the flesh closed over them, but they all also needed to go before anyone happened upon them. The merry band of idiots in their unitards wouldn't be any help; the X-Men were still a couple of hours out from their current location.

Victor hesitated. Normally, he wouldn't have given a thought to having at it and digging the bullets out. But then, normally, he wouldn't have needed to. His interference in this case would probably do more harm than good.

"Fuck."

The kid hovered to his left.

Her hands were smaller, and less likely to nick an artery.

"You good kid?"

She adjusted her backpack and nodded. They were all three covered in blood, and probably the stuff of normal folks' nightmares.

"Your pa heals like you and me, but these bullets are giving him problems," Victor heard himself say, "Think you can reach in there and get them out?"

Laura squinted at the wounds and nodded again.

"Try that one first," he pointed to the younger man's right. Better to practice on the lung side first rather than going straight to fucking up the runt's heart.

She found the bullet and began to pull.

"Stuck," the girl complained.

"Easy," Victor wrapped his hand around her wrist steadily guided her hand back out, "Don't let go of it."

Bullet number one fell to the ground seconds later.

He grimly examined the other wound. The healing on this side was coming along faster, but the damned thing was still inside.

"This one's worse. Gotta be careful with it."

Here was hoping he didn't fuck it up worse. Victor reached in, lengthening a claw to neatly slice the healed over muscle.

Laura followed his lead once he removed his own hand, deftly finding her quarry. She pulled the bullet out faster this time without needing him to guide her.

Sabretooth felt the stirrings of pride, until the sirens sounded in the distance.

There was nothing to say the cops were coming here, but there was no guarantee they weren't. And knowing his luck-

Part of him, the larger, instinctual part, insisted that they get the hell out of there. That didn't change the fact that the runt was still in no condition to travel far.

It was then that Victor noticed the door to Jimmy's room still hung ajar.

It was a terrible idea, and his instincts railed against it. There were no cameras on the floor proper, though. And even stretching his senses, he didn't hear or smell any frails cowering behind their own doors on the phone with nine-one-one.

They hadn't been seen.

Yet.

Victor reached down and hoisted his unconscious brother over his shoulder.

"Come on, brat. We're babysitting."