Chapter 14: Claws & Fangs

The Wolverine stood there for a moment. X-23, Chris, and Rocket frozen in their stance for the time being. Shattered glass covered the floor, crumbling under Wolverine’s powerful footsteps. The light shining in reflecting from his claws. A perfect battle stance.

“Laura! Are you okay!?” Wolverine shouted intensely with his rough, gravelly voice.

Laura? Chris, and Rocket thought. Confused by the two’s seeming acquaintance. And also frightened by Wolverine’s steely gaze that had settled on them. Oh boy! That look is bad juice! Pulp and all! Rocket acknowledged.

“Y-yes!” She yelled.

(Hours Earlier)

“This is it boys!” Sabretooth shouted. “We need to eliminate these so called “Heroes” as fast as we can!” He ordered the Mad Gear Gang.

“Where’s Ronan?” A gang member asked.

GRRR! “We don’t need that arrogant space man!” Sabretooth yelled when suddenly he grew uneasy. Sniffing the air with anger. “Looks like we have a change of plans…” He said, picking out a familiar odor from further withing the jungle and away from the road where they’d set up their ambush.

With haste the men reluctantly followed Sabretooth deep into the jungle. Not knowing what they were in for and or what their squad leader was thinking. Why are we abandoning the objective? They thought but dare not upset Sabretooth with his immense temper.

“We’re almost there!” Sabretooth yelled as they burst forth from the jungle.

In that moment Sabretooth and several members of the Mad Gear Gang had entered a clearing, where the sun shone and a raging river was positioned nearby. Sabretooth utilizing his incredible sense of smell all the while.

“Come out you dog! I know you’re here!” The mutant roared in anger.

In that instance a branch twitched and shook. As if some unseeable entity had leapt onto then off of it. But unseeable wasn’t exactly accurate. It was fast. Faster than any member of the Mad Gear Gang could register at the time. Sabretooth saw it though. It was then that his scowl turned confidently into a smirk.

“So you are here!”

Standing before the Brotherhood member Sabretooth was Wolverine. His sworn rival and lifelong enemy. Readying his claws and quickly scanning his surroundings, Victor or better known as Sabretooth was making sure he and his opponent wouldn’t be interrupted. He then looked back at the members of the Mad Gear Gang. A dozen or so in total under his command.

“He’s surrounded! But don’t interfere unless I say! I’m gonna reclaim my honor from my defeat by that dog by beating on this mutt.” Sabretooth said confidently.

Wolverine stood tall. His normally sloppy posture was pristine, arms fixed down by his side. It was then that a trio of sharp adamantium claws emerged from the knuckles of his right hand. Then he said “This Mutt’s got teeth bub. And I gritted them the moment you decided to target Laura!”

With breakneck pace the two mutants engaged in battle. Their feet light but their muscled physiques powerful. Claws flying they slashed and clawed at each other as neither of them were able to hit a decisive blow. Minor cuts and bruises being the only thing the two were able to land. Sabretooth’s sharp nails would pierce through the air with Wolverine’s face as the target. But it wouldn’t land. Wolverine would slice upward, but Sabretooth’s flexibility would allow him to bend backwards away from the slash.

Sabretooth smirked. “Having a tough time pal!”

Wolverine met his smirk. “Not any worse than you.” He calmly said.

This angered Sabretooth as he leapt forth. Wolverine did the same, both sets of claws drawn and plunging towards Sabretooth’s face. Going for the kill. Sabretooth had to cancel his offensive and switch to a defensive maneuver. Grabbing both of Wolverine’s wrists. Eliminating his ability to slash. I got you now! Sabretooth thought gleefully. He then started using his knees by kneeing Wolverine in the gut with hard precise blows. Indenting and bruising the mutants abdomen. Wolverine coughing lightly from the pain induced.

“Hmph! Think that’ll really be enough to finish me off!” Wolverine yelled knowing that the damage incurred wouldn’t be a problem due to Wolverine’s healing factor. That and due to Wolverine’s smaller stature he knew just how to get out of this bind.

Wolverine then leapt into the air, his wrists still bound by Sabretooth’s powerful grip. He then brought the power of his own knees into play, striking a blow against Sabretooth’s chin. In that moment his grip on Wolverine’s wrists loosened as Wolverine ripped them away. He then retracted his claws on his left hand. This prompted Victor to focus on his right as Wolverine went in for the slash as Victor knocked his right arm out of the way. But unfortunately for him this left his right flank wide open. *CRACK!* Wolverine’s left hook took Sabretooth by surprise, nearly breaking his jaw. In that moment they both leapt back away from each other.

At the same time members of the Mad Gear Gang looked on in anticipation. They knew it’s only a matter of time before Sabretooth needed their help to do the deed and defeat Wolverine.

“Stay ready guys! Sabretooth’s record doesn’t give me a lot of confidence.” One of the gang members said. “And without Ronan here helping I don’t like Sabretooth’s chances!”

It was then that a woman emerged from the jungle behind them. “You’re right to feel that way.” She said as she swung a punch at the gang member with her robotic arm, knocking him out immediately.

This caught the Mad Gear Gang off guard. “Wh-who the hell are you!?” One of the grunts asked as they all threw up their fists, lead pipes, and 2X4s.

The woman stepped forward, standing over their fallen comrade then with an eerily calm gaze she said. “My name’s Nilin.” The woman said, sporting red hair with blonde highlights and a robotic arm. “And I’m sorry to say it boys but… you won’t get your chance at Wolverine.”

While Nilin took on the Mad Gear Gang, Wolverine and Sabretooth’s fight persisted. The two jumping in and out, utilizing their superhuman agility to strike and avoid strikes. But between the two of them their was a clear Victor already and it wasn’t Victor Creed. Wolverine then finally stopped measuring up his opponent and went in for the slash. Unprepared for such a lunge Sabretooth’s reflexes reacted. Slashing Wolverine’s face as his chest was slashed by Wolverine. Leaving three perfectly symmetrical one inch deep lacerations. Blood lightly flowing from them. It was then that Wolverine threw a harsh elbow at the stunned opponent. Cracking his jaw even further.

Victor then knew that he wasn’t able to win this on his own. Letting go of his pride he knew he’d need the assistance of the Mad Gear Gang to take on his old rival. He then looked back toward the spot where they’d been waiting ready to call on them. But then he saw it. A woman with a robotic arm standing above the defeated gang. What!? Sabretooth was completely shocked. He didn’t even smell the presence of someone else due to his fixation on Wolverine.

It was then that he was backed into a corner, and found himself at the edge of a roaring riverbank. He looked at it with eyes shaking before looking back at Wolverine and Nilin. No! I failed Magneto again… It looks like I only have one option. Unable to face his enemy nor his allies, Sabretooth only saw one option.

“Well tricky Vic! What’ll it be?” Wolverine asked as he stood firm.

“…” Sabretooth gulped and did his best to breath. Quelling his rage as much as he could so as not to lose sight of his own survival. “It’ll be… me.”

In that moment Sabretooth jumped into the river and let it carry him down stream. Nilin ran up in preparation to jump after him as Wolverine stopped her.

“What are you doing? He’s escaping.”

“Don’t worry. Victor’s pride and rage are matched only by his own selfishness.” Wolverine then retracted his claws. “He won’t be coming back.”

“Well you know him better than I. I say we go get your friend now.”

Wolverine then tensed his muscles, ready to run. “Yeah and fast. That Ronan guy may still go after her! Not to mention those other scents with her were ones I didn’t recognize. And I didn’t like the putrid odor coming from one of them.” Wolverine couldn’t have known that Rocket Raccoon had sneezed just after he said that.

(PRESENT TIME)

“Now that we know you’re friends with this Laura, that’s the gist of how we managed to find you.” Nilin told Chris and Rocket as X-23 hugged Wolverine and caught him up to speed on her situation.

Chris looking over at the two of them saw Wolverine look at him directly, and in that moment he flashed a smile. This caught Chris off guard as he looked away and back at Nilin.

“And exactly why did you two come find us? No… better yet how’d you find each other?” Chris asked her as she smiled.

“To put it simply I recruited Wolverine. After the collision of our worlds a group of great villains assembled. Likely with world domination as their goal. So in turn… many great heroes miraculously found each other to combat them. However many of us were still scattered. Isolated from the rest of us. It was my job to find as many of them as I could. But I’m afraid there’s no longer time for that…” She said.

“So the big baddies were sending out squadrons to crush some of these clusters of heroes?” Rocket said, joining in the conversation.

“Yes.”

“And like us there’s heroes that the enemy reached before you did?” Chris asked.

Nilin’s expression saddened “Yes…”

The three of them paused their conversation for a moment. Looking over at the reunited Mutants who were happy to see each other. Better yet they were just happy to see a friendly face. And in the face of the news Sabretooth had in fact been stalking them, X-23 regained her confidence. This delighted Chris. Happy to see X-23 acting happy when before she seemed unsure of herself and filled with an underlying unhappiness. Chris then turned back to Nilin.

“Nilin was it? You said there was no more time left.”

“That’s right. I found several heroes that I managed to recruit into our ranks. Wolverine was the most recent. I was about to settle for just his help but then he said he was tracking the scent of a friend of his. Laura, or as you know her X-23.” Nilin said.

“Settle?” Rocket said.

“That’s right.” Nilin stood up, robotic fist clenched. “The enemy has begun to amass an incredible force. Several small armies from Shadaloo to the Mad Gear Gang. Now also these giant robots called sentinels. So now… it’s time for my new mission. Infiltrate the enemy forces!”

Nilin’s resolve shook the group. Chris and Rocket shocked at the proclamation. It was then that Wolverine and X-23 joined the conversation. Wolverine looking affirmatively at Nilin as X-23 did the same to Chris and Rocket. Wolverine’s eyes also met them soon after. Particularly he was looking at Chris.

“I think you soldier boys call this…” Chris gulped between Wolverine’s words. “Espionage!”