Issue 24: Blink of an eye

[dakota]

As the trio reached the other side of the small town, they rounded a corner and came face to face with the unthinkable. Before them stood Sabertooth, more feral than any of them had ever encountered. He wore a uniform similar to that of Hydra troopers, but it along with his claws and chin and fangs were blood soaked.

At his feet lay, of all things, another Sabertooth, eviserated by the second one standing over him victoriously. With a flash of light, the standing Creed was teleported away.

Cyclops looked at Blink and Polaris, " What the hell is going on here?"

[kurff]

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"Lets get this Creed stabilized and contained while we have the chance. I think We need to call in the time broker or the avengers. That Hydra uniform, more importantly that teleport ability has me worried. We have find out what this one knows. That means telepathy and trying to save his life if we can." Blink said carefully approaching. 'please don't be him, please don't be him...' she thought nearing him.

"Stay with us, Creed..If your who I think you are, it's me Clarica..." she called out with sense sudden urgency. Her concern for more than reasons than one. If the teleporting Creed was not native then that meant more trouble than these X-men might be able to handle on there own.

[dakota]

"Blink." Cyclops said, placing a hand on Clarice's shoulder. " Blink, he's gone. I'm sorry."

The gutted Creed looked just like her Victor, but so had his killer.

"Cyclops, you aren't going to believe this," Cannonball came across Cyclops' communicator, " but we just watched Sabertooth behead another Sabertooth and teleport away."

"What the hell is going on?" Polaris scowled.

[kurff]

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"He might be gone, Cyclops. the one who killed this looked like him too." she looked Cyclops, "Until I'm certain I presume no one dead. The Creed I know was gutted by Holocaust and survived. The head is intact and that means he may regenerate. Even if this not my Creed he could be a lead should he recover. If he doesn't the body might leave a clue." she answered. If he was dead she'd mourn later and solve this now. Blink needed a clear head and a good motivator..and saving or avenging Sabertooth was as good any.

"Polaris, I'd say someone has a problem with Sabertooth. The one that killed this one had a uniform like hydra trooper or something. An affiliation with someone like hydra could explain the teleporting. A few others also had that in devices. This definitely worth a call to the Time Broker and the Avengers. We should see if there are any other Sabertooth's or other people multiplying as well." She wasn't about to give up just yet. She sent a message telling Jarvis about this to update them.

"Do you guys have access to a time or dimensional travel device? Need to make a call outside of the usual area code so to speak.." Blink asked looking at both. She'd hoped a guy like forge was around Even Beast might be able to pull it off.

[dakota]

"Sorry, teleporters is one thing we are light on right now." Cyclops replied.

Polaris added," Other than the Brotherhood, who doesn't have a problem with Creed?"

"True, but there has to be more to this." Scott said, checking the gutted Creed for a pulse. He shook his head, then activated his communicator. "Everyone form up. Something very strange is going on and we will need full strength to face it." He then looked at Blink,"' We can call the Avengers if you want, but can I ask why? And who is Timebroker?"

[kurff]

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"Before the avengers I was with a team that traveled between realities that fixed events to repair time lines. The Time Broker was the one who set up the missions for the Exiles. If there is another reality involved he might be able to tell us something helpful. Knowing the avengers they are in the middle of saving the world. and I'm guessing after the last mission my call would be ignored since I'm probably listed as medical leave." she nodded. Scott was right, She had to learn to be a warrior and stand her own two feet. That meant no avengers..and going back or perhaps starting her own team would need to be earned. This was a place to do that.

"Okay, I'll think out loud on this part for the added input. Who would want multiple Sabretooth's? They must be Clones or from another reality in all likely hood. Who has the means to clone or get copies of him should shorten the list of suspects." she nodded to the two X-men, "That one that killed this killer here was wearing a suit something like a Hydra trooper. Would it be possible Hydra or Weapon X is responsible somehow, cyclops? The brotherhood name I know. I'm not familiar with this realities Roster of them, though." she replied. the possibility was a bit frightening.

"Havoc going missing I get the feeling is also involved in this just not sure how, Lorna. It might help us all if you guys brought me up to speed on Havoc's disappearance and anything you might know about this worlds Sabretooth. Can we take tall, bloody and charming here with us?" she adds looking at the body. Hoping it wasn't him but readying herself for a revenge mission if it was.

The applications of an army of Sabretooth's is frightening. the Concept of the infinites was scary enough. Blink only heard of the Weapon X organization from Sabretooth a bit, the 'Weapon X' team the Time broker had was supposedly composed various realities of them primarily. All of them dangerous according to her surrogate father. The list of people who can clone was large. Sinister, Weapon X and Hydra among many others. The Hydra suit however shortened that list somewhat to those that would likely work with or were opposed to Hydra. Also that teleport ability if it was in the suit..it could traced or used to identify who made it.

[dakota]

"I am not helping drag a dead Creed around." Lorna snapped, looking down at the remains. " The last I heard from Alex, he was supposed to be meeting Madrox when he hung up on me because Victor jumped him. Sorry, you might have feelings for Sabertooth, but they aren't mine. I intend to rip some answers out of him."

"Lorna, relax." Cyclops said. " We'll find out what happened to Alex. When we get back to the Blackbird, we can contact the Avengers to see if they have any information. I don't think they are clones though, more likely brought here like you suggested, but I had no idea why. Maybe with your powers, we can capture one."

"Oh fearless leader," Beast's voice came over his communicator, " I have two Victors pounding each other out of existence over here in the church yard if you would like to watch."

[kurff]

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"Lorna, you could just use magnetic powers..none of us need to do any real work. Plus this may not be the one that jumped alex...or my surrogate father." she added neutrally. Blink did understand though helping a good sinister or Apocalypse she would feel the same.

"You have point on the clones. if it was weapon X or hydra they wouldn't be fighting each other. They'd be taking over a small nation or made into an army." she did not like any possibilities that were being brought up.

"Cyclops, You ever worry about your dad or where he might be?" blink asks for some reason she did not fully understand. In this particular time it wasn't helpful but she felt a need to ask for some unknown reason. "Let's try and snag us a pair live sabertooth's maybe Lorna and I can get some real answers?"

[dakota]

"No damned way am I dragging any Sabertooths anywhere. I don't mind torturing a few for information though." Polaris replied as she walked passed Cyclops.

Thankfully Blink could not see Scott's eyes because of his visor, but his set jaw betrayed his annoyance at her comments." Let's see if we can capture one or two." He keyed his communicator," Blink came up with an idea. We need to contain at least one, preferrably two Creeds alive to figure out what is going on."

As both Cannonball and Beast replied, "WHAT?", Cyclops motioned for Blink to go with him before turning to follow Lorna

[kurff]

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"Don't be too bothered. If you asked me to save a good sinister, Apocalypse or Holocaust I might react the same..We can comeback for these two hear later with beast and one the others who is not so directly affected." she responded to Lorna's reaction. Its what magneto would have said. Still it felt wrong somehow coming from her.

"If were lucky we trick one the two live ones into giving us the info we need. Also I was in savage land and one of the Master of Evil noted I had a different energy signature. Perhaps Beast or Forge can use that to locate my father if we share a similar signature." she nodded as she followed after a quick look for a communicator or clue on the body before leaving. Once more she was seeing great reasons to leave. Blink saw more good reasons to move on and none to stay was a curse of the reality traveller.

"I just hope I'm not right about that clone army bit...seems too 'George Lucas' for my taste." she joked trying to be a bit more cheerful. The potential loss of another home or only real family left was not a pleasant thought. "Is your Professor Xavier alive still? I'm just curious.."

[dakota]

despite being thorough, Blink found nothing of interest on the body. The team regrouped and Beast looked at Cyclops and Blink," I presume you have a plan how to capture a teleporting Sabertoth or two?"

[kurff]

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"Yes, I think I may have one, unless your fearless leader objects that is. We could capture, KO and Scan them for an energy signature similar to mine. A master of evil mentioned I had an odd energy signature. My hope is that is similar to that of my fath...sabertooth's." Blink carefully changed the term to keep things from getting too tense. These people were freaked out by the differences of her already and the different sabertooth did not help. At least they were polite. If there was a chance she could stun both she would.

"Cyc, can you put both them off balance with a single blast long enough for me to try create a teleport field around them and displace them long enough to stun or KO? If we need to a can KO them after I lower the teleport field. Beast any chance you help with out undue risk is welcome. As is any good ideas that do not involve killing them would be welcomed." she asked cautious to not be to leader type in front of Cyclops. Last thing blink needed was a turf war. the idea of placing two or more pins that 'exploded' in a stun field came to her worse case she could use direct hits or contact via normal hits. Clarica would however be ready with a fight and drew two pins holding them at the ready to parry as she went about the plan should they agree.

[dakota]

"I can blast two of them, but it may do more than just put them off balance" Cyclops replied with a nod, " But I don't how rescuing your dimension's Creed solves whatever is going on here?"

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"Just leave them alive enough to regenerate. If you can down them both and leave them alive all the better. As for my father...He may be involved and may have an idea of whoever is targeting this and/or various realities Sabertooth's." she pauses and looked cyclops in the visor. Did these people not have families? did they not care about others?

"More importantly he's my father, he'd go through hell and back to save me. Its only right I do the same and that is good enough reason. Wouldn't you do that for yours? What you need to be aware of is I don't have a world, I don't have a home or a place where I belong. Mr.Creed is the last thing I have that is family and his side is the last place I belong. Where I come from, Cyclops that is worth saving." she responded then stepped back so he could shoot. Readying for a throw if needed to assist.

[dakota]

"That we can do." Cyclops replied, then said nothing on the family comments, but it was easy to tell she had hit a nerve. " We find your Creed, and you can keep Lorna from taking him apart, we'll see what we can do. First things first, we need to locate two of them and intervene. "

"On it, Cyke. Will start searching." Cannonball said, taking off.

"I'll see if I can determine a pattern to the appearances." Beast added.

"And the rest of us?" Lorna folded her arms.

"Unless someone has a better idea," Cyclops replied," we wait."