BLOOD FEUD

Part II: Bloodlust

By Dino Pollard

Foot-long, adamantium claws slice easily through the larger mutant’s hide.

First blood is drawn by Wolverine.

Sabretooth ignores the gaping wound in his side, and instead lashes out with his own claws. Unlike Wolverine, Sabretooth possesses 10 claws, except they’re smaller and at his fingertips – but no less deadly.

Looking up, Hank McCoy can’t help but notice that the gaping wound in Sabretooth’s side doesn’t seem as gaping as he first thought. in fact, he notices that it grows smaller.

Wolverine takes no notice of this, rather counters Sabretooth’s strike with a well-placed kick to the larger mutant’s neck. Logan swipes downward, his claws slicing into Sabretooth’s chest.

“This is f’r ‘Nam…” he muttered, impaling Sabretooth on his claws and lifting him. He reached back with his free hand, prepared to deliver the killing blow.

“WOLVERINE!!!”

His head turned to see his fellow team-mates – Jean Grey (Psyche), Ororo Munroe (Storm), John Proudstar (Thunderbird), and Scott Summers (Cyclops) coming onto the scene. He also took notice of the shock in their eyes at seeing their team-mates Hank McCoy (Beast), Monet St. Croix (M), and Alison Blaire (Dazzler) lying on the ground, injured. Another part of the shock came from seeing their leader prepared to kill an intruder in what seemed like cold blood.

“Get back!!” Logan ordered. “This shithead’s mine!!”

Before Logan could deliver the blow, Sabretooth’s massive hand shot out and wrapped around his throat.

“Y’know what yer problem is, Logan ol’ buddy?” Sabretooth asked, using Logan for leverage as he flipped himself over his adversary and pulled the claws from his gut. “You’ve become too fuckin’ soft!!”

*SCHLUCK*

The X-Men watched in horror as Sabretooth tore into Logan’s throat, leaving a massive wound with blood seeping from it. Their thoughts are collective on this subject, but only John Proudstar gives voice to them.

“….Jesus H. Christ…..”

Sabretooth dropped Wolverine and looked at the rest of the X-Men. He lifted a claw to his mouth and licked the blood off it.

“Hmm… tastes a bit sweeter this time’ round.”

He grinned and took a step towards them. They flinched. He could smell the fear emanating from them. And it made him smile.

“Later kiddies,” he said, darting past them suddenly.

“What are we waiting for?” John asked. “Let’s get him!”

“I don’t see you moving too fast, Mr. All-American…” Ororo muttered.

“Let him go,” Jean stated, running over to Wolverine. “Logan’s our priority right now!”

“I’m alright…” Logan muttered, slowly getting to his feet. “Just… gimme a mo
ment to… collect my bearings…”

He reached his hand up to his throat, which was almost fully healed.

“Holy shit…” John muttered. “Dude… that’s like… dude…”

“No big…” Logan muttered. “Pretty soon, all that’ll be left is a scar. We gotta worry more about th’ others.”

Later.

“I only wished I was able to get there sooner…” Charles muttered, staring out the window. “I could have tried to stop him… if I just didn’t have this blasted chair…”

“No one died, Chuck,” Logan stated, taking a drag on a cigar. “Don’t blame yerself.”

“I don’t…” Charles said, turning his chair to face Logan. “I blame you.”

“Come again?” Logan asked, raising an eyebrow. “An’ this time, keep in mind that I wouldn’t have any problem punchin’ a cripple.”

Charles’ expression didn’t change.

“Sabretooth was looking for you. How did he know where to find you? How was he able to bypass security?”

Logan sat down and put out the cigar.

“When we were in Alaska, I got a faint hint of his scent,” he began. “He must’ve followed me back here.”

“And security…?”

“Sabretooth was trained by the same people who trained me.”

“He’s a SHIELD agent?!”

“No…” Logan stated. “Before SHIELD.”

“I want details,” Charles said, leaning forward on his desk. “And I don’t want to probe your mind for them.”

“You know as well as I do that’s easier said than done,” Logan stated. “My skull’s made of adamantium. Acts as a buffer, reverses th’ frequency. That, an’ I’ve been trained to resist psychics.”

“You’re right,” Charles said. “But, I can do it. It’ll cause both of us a lot of pain and discomfort, though, and we’ll need to use Tylenol for about a week.”

“I get yer point,” Logan began. “My past with Sabretooth dates back t’ the time I spent in Weapon X.”

“Weapon X?”

“It’s a hush-hush organization, with th’ express purpose of creating a super soldier. I dunno about all the details, but I think they’re part of the Canadian government. At least that’s where they were based, last I heard. They recruited two soldiers straight outta ‘Nam. Me an’ a guy by the name of Victor Creed.”

“Sabretooth.”

Logan nodded.

“We were stationed together in th’ war. Didn’t always get along. We found one o’ th’ Viet Cong hidin’ out in a village. Didn’t stop him from slaughtering the rest of the village, though – starting with the kids. I tried t’ stop him, an’ he damn near killed me. Healing factor wasn’t as strong back then. After the war ended, some of us went out t’ celebrate. I had one too many drinks, an’ when I left the bar, I was ambushed by five men dressed in black. They took me to the Weapon X complex, where I found that they also held Creed. They put us through a lot of trainin’ t’ determine th’ extent of our abilities. They also took methods to increase those abilities, which raised my healing factor’s ability. After that, they selected me for a new procedure – adamantium bonding. Creed wasn’t selected. The process worked. Bonded every bone in my body with adamantium – including my claws. I broke free, though. Cut myself loose from the Program, an’ escaped.

I wandered around for a few months until I was found by Nick Fury. He gave me an offer – the chance t’ work for SHIELD. I figured, what the hell. I ran some pretty tough capers – includin’ the Gulf War. Sabretooth, though, stayed with Weapon X. I heard he went AWOL a few months back, though. Somehow, he ended up in Alaska, an’ he picked up my scent. Obviously, he tracked me back here.”

“Is Sabretooth still involved with Weapon X?” Charles asked.

“No clue,” Logan replied. “All I do know is that he’s in New York, now. An’ he’s lookin’ t’ finish what he started in ‘Nam.”

“I would offer you assistance in this, but, considering the circumstances, I won’t,” Charles stated. “I don’t like the idea that SHIELD feels I need a baby-sitter. And to top it all off, this is a personal matter of yours. I don’t want my students endangered because of SHIELD’s baby-sitter. So go. Settle this, and come back.”

Logan stood up and turned towards the door.

“Oh and Logan, one more thing…” Charles began. “If something like this does happen again, I promise you that I will brave the buffer that your adamantium skull poses to my abilities – and you’ll need a lot more than Tylenol to help you recover from it.”

“Logan!”

As Wolverine walked away from Xavier’s office, he noticed Jean waiting for him.

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Who was that guy?”

“An’ old friend,” Logan replied.

“You’re going after him, aren’t you?”

“What tipped ya off?”

“He tore out your throat last time!”

“It grew back.”

“You can’t go alone,” Jean protested. “You’ll need some help.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Logan warned. “This ain’t yer fight.”

“Where are you going?”

“T’ get some more information.”

The birthplace of the Alien Autopsy and countless conspiracy theories concerning the government and aliens. One of which is the mysterious base known as Area 51. What no one realizes, however, is that Area 51 has nothing to do with any of those rumors. It’s true motives are far more sinister.

A middle-aged man built like a tank stood in a booth overlooking an area. In this area, several young mutants were engaged in battle.

“It was touch and go for awhile there,” he said to his companion – a bald man with a thin moustache. “But it seems like we’re finally back on track.”

“Good,” the bald man replied. “That snivelling daddy’s boy actually had a good idea. But, as usual, he executed it badly.”

“What about Fury?”

“Fury won’t be too much of a problem anymore – trust me on that.”

The larger man grinned and continued to watch his charges.

Logan walked down the corridor leading to Mastermind’s office. One of the guards stepped forward.

“Mr. Wyngarde isn’t seeing any visitors right now,” he stated. “No matter who they are. So you’ll just have to come back another ti–”

Logan gave no reply, just punched the bodyguard in the gut.

*SNIKT*

He pulled his claws out and continued to walk towards the door. The second guard stepped forward. Logan delivered a powerful roundhouse kick sending the guard back. The only thing that stopped him from falling was the sudden backstop provided by the wall. Once he caught his bearings though, Logan’s fist was pressed to his neck.

*SNIKT*

Wolverine withdrew and kicked open the large doors.

“Mastermind!”

No reply came. The back of Mastermind’s large chair was facing him.

*sniff*

He kept his claws extended and slowly walked towards another door in the room – a closet of some sort. He opened it to find Mastermind hanging, blood dripping from his corpse.

“Ya gotta admit, Logan…”

Wolverine slowly turned and saw Sabretooth sitting in Mastermind’s chair. He wasn’t surprised in the least.

“Th’ old coot had it coming,” Creed stated. “He was never good enough f’r the CIA. That’s probably why they cut him loose.”

“I suppose you are, though,” Logan said.

“That’s why I’m still with Weapon X.”

This comment surprised Logan a bit.

“Mastermind was wrong then,” he said. “When he said you went AWOL.”

“I was sent on a mission,” Sabretooth stated. “In Iraq.”

“Sadam…” Logan muttered. “Why would th’ Project want him dead?”

“I don’t question why,” Sabretooth noted. “I just do.”

“You failed, though.”

“Who says I was there already?” Creed asked. “I got wind o’ your activities, an’ decided it’d suit my purposes better if I took you out, first.”

“So ya off me, an’ that scores ya brownie points with Wraith.”

“Oh, there’s more. Sadam’s the first, but he’s not th’ last.”

“What’re you talkin’ about?” Logan asked.

“You’ll hafta kill me first,” Sabretooth replied.

“That can be arranged!” Logan exclaimed diving for the chair. Creed was up in an instant, slashing open his adversary’s chest.

“Ya just don’t fuckin’ get it, do ya?!” Sabretooth exclaimed, slamming his open palm against Logan’s chin. He delivered another blow to the stomach, followed by a slam to the chest where the claw wound was. Logan fell to the ground, and Sabretooth delivered a swift kick to Logan while he was done.

“You were always second-best,” Sabretooth continued, spitting on the fallen Logan. “Can’t believe they actually thought you were fit f’r the adamantium. Survival of th’ fittest, Logan. An’ lemme tell ya somethin, ‘bub’…”

Creed lifted his arm, claws drawn, prepared to deliver the finishing blow.

“YER NOT FIT!”

Before Sabretooth’s claws could connect with Logan’s head, something stopped them. Logan’s hand reached out, gripping onto Sabretooth’s wrist, preventing his arm from moving.

“That…” Logan stated, using his free arm to slash Sabretooth. “Was my favorite shirt.”

Logan began to fight savagely, focusing on using his claws and rage. Every single tactic he’d ever learned in SHIELD was now gone. Now, he was the equivalent of a savage beast.

Sabretooth’s hand shot out, wrapping around Wolverine’s throat. In one motion, Creed hurled him through the tinted windows which overlooked the club’s dance floor.

*KRASH*

People scattered from the dance floor as Logan landed hard on it. If not for his adamantium skeleton, he would’ve broken his spine.

Sabretooth leapt from the remains of the glass window, claws bared. Logan coiled his legs and shot them out as Sabretooth came closer.

*THUMP*

Creed rolled on the dance floor, the result of Wolverine’s two-legged kick. He stood up straight and glared at his old foe.

“Never should’ve left us, sonny-boy,” he muttered. “Should’ve just rolled with th’ punches.”

“I’m not like you, Creed,” Logan stated. “I don’t take shit from anybody.”

Sabretooth got into a fighting stance, ready to pounce on Wolverine once more.

*BOOM*

Something on the ground in front of Sabretooth exploded, sending him flying. When he looked up again, Wolverine was already on him, claws slashing furiously.

Sabretooth grabbed Logan’s wrists and threw him away.

*BOOM*

Another explosion in front of Creed.

*FCHOW*

*FCHOW*

*FCHOW*

Some sort of small, exploding objects struck Sabretooth from every direction, keeping him off-balance long enough for Wolverine to sneak up behind him.

Using all his strength, Logan drove his claws into Sabretooth’s back. They went deep – deep enough to pierce his chest as well.

“Let’s face facts, Creed…” Logan muttered. “Yer just second-best.”

*SNAKT*

Sabretooth’s body fell to the floor, his breathing erratic.

“An’ in this business, second-best don’t cut it.”

He heard sirens approaching and darted through the crowd to the emergency exit.

“What the hell is that…?” an entering cop asked, looking at Sabretooth’s form.

“You think it’s one of those mutants?” his partner asked.

“Stop right there!!”

Both cops turned to see a couple of men in black suits approach them.

“Special Agent John Wraith,” one of them stated, pulling out a badge from his breast-pocket. “FBI. This man is a fugitive we’ve been tracking for some time, now.”

“What should we do, Rob…?” the cop asked his partner.

“What you should do is stand down and let us go about our business,” Wraith replied. “This situation is under our control – just get these damn people outta here!!”

The two officers rushed to comply with the order. Once they were gone, Wraith bent down to Sabretooth’s face.

“You failed,” he whispered. “But don’t worry, there will be other opportunities to nab the traitor. Welcome back to Weapon X, Mr. Creed.”

In the remains of Mastermind’s office, a single man stood, with short, brown hair spiked in the front. He wore a black trench coat and a pair of dark sunglasses concealed his eyes.

He slid the glasses down on his nose, revealing that his eyes were black with red pupils. In his hand, he held a single playing card. He tossed it in the air, and it exploded.

Then, he was gone.