Sabretooth & the Exiles #5

'Have you ever been scared? Have you ever been truly hurt? It's easy to be fearless when you know you can't die. Welcome to mortality, Victor Creed' Graydon Creed tells his father, the mutant known as Sabretooth, as he grabs him by the throat there is a loud cracking noise before Gradyon drops Sabretooth to the floor. A wall of alternate-reality Sabretooth heads can be seen, as Graydon asks 'Have I snapped enough nerve endings to paralyze you, Dad? You brought me back from Hell, and now I'm going to send you there'. Sabretooth doesn't answer, while Graydon realizes that his father doesn't remember this. Graydon explains that Sabretooth found him in Hell and sacrificed himself for him. 'You thought you were being noble' Graydon declares, but as he places a foot on Sabretooth's lower leg, tells him that he should have left him there. Sabretooth screams as Graydon steps down hard on his leg, breaking it, while warning his father that he is going to break him apart, piece by piece.

Suddenly, an alert on Graydon's wrist watch warns him that there is something – or someone – incoming. 'Damn it. Not them!' Graydon utters. 'My Exiles – they came for me' Sabretooth utters – but it isn't a group of outcast mutants who burst into the room, but alternate versions of Sabretooth himself, who crash through the wall of Sabretooth heads. 'Son, you deserve a time-out!' Sabretooth of Earth-2013, the Sentinel of Rough Justice, remarks. 'And to have your teeth knocked loose' Sabretooth of Earth-12, the Baddest of Bad Boy Celebrities, wearing a pink jacket, exclaims. A female Sabretooth, of Earth-1912, Savage Sabretooth, roars. The trio of Sabretooths attack Graydon. 'There goes my gel manicure. But it's worth it' the bad boy celebrity Sabretooth complains as he slices his claws across Graydon's chest. 'Sic semper tyrannis!' the Sentinel of Rough Justice calls out amidst the flurry of Sabretooth heads that are being knocked about. 'You think this is an army?' Graydon asks as he releases some gas from a gauntlet on his wrist, which keeps the Sabretooths at bay. 'I'll show you an army' Graydon mutters as he escapes through a panel in the floor.

'This is a... surprise' Sabretooth utters, before the astral projection of Third Eye appears, and informs him that the Exiles are in trouble down in Station Four. 'We need -' Third Eye begins, but Sabretooth interrupts him, revealing that he can't even move his arms of legs. 'Then we're lost. All of us. Lost...' Third Eye's voice trails off.

At that moment, 'There's no help coming' Third Eye announces to the other Exiles down on Station Four. 'And those kids we left in the ship are too green to fight with us' Mortimer Toynbee a.k.a. Toad remarks, referring to the mutant prisoners rescued from Station Three. Nekra Sinclair assures the others that Madison's ship will keep the other mutants safe while they deal with this threat. 'They're just babies. They don't know what they're doing... how to control their powers...' Idie Okonkwo a.k.a. Oya points out. The Exiles are in some sort of nursery within Station Four, where several infants are kept in strange pods, their powers already manifested, and displaying in various ways – fire, water, telekinesis and other forms of energy.

'Poor things' Chris Colchiss a.k.a. Melter remarks. The Exiles aren't the only ones in the lab, as Orchis' very own mad scientist, Dr. B. Barrington and her bodyguard, The Creation, are in the lab, too, and The Creation points out that it is as if the infants are lashing out at anyone who gets close to them. 'Not anyone. Any adult. As far as they know, adults always bring pain' Dr. Barrington explains. 'I wonder who taught them that, Doctor' Eleanor Murch a.k.a. Nanny snaps as she looks at one of the children, before quietly telling her beloved Orphan Maker that the bad doctor's words give her an idea, and that she knows how to save them all. 'But you'll have to trust me' she remarks. 'Sus' Orphan Maker responds.

Back on Station Five, the alternate Sabretooths gather around this world's version of themselves. The Sentinel of Rough Justice explains that it is called the “Barrington Coil” which is why he can't heal. 'You look like such a mess' the Bad Boy Sabretooth adds, while the female Savage Sabretooth notes 'His spawn is escaping'. Sabretooth looks down at his wounded body and sees a scar, he realizes that is where Barrington put the Coil, he asks if someone can take it out. 'Why should we?' the female Sabretooth snarls. 'She's angry with you. We all are' the Sentinel of Rough Justice points out. 'You're the reason why we're here and so many of our kin are dead' the Bad Boy Sabretooth explains. 'A Creed acting kind? That always goes bad. Should've left that kid in Hell' he adds. 'Get this out of my and I'll fix everything' Sabretooth announces.

The female Sabretooth responds by ripping Sabretooth open, blood sprays across her, and Sabretooth screams, while the female Sabretooth pulls the Barrington Coil out of Creed's body. 'Good riddance' she mutters, tossing it aside. The Sentinel of Rough Justice informs Sabretooth that this is what they did for each other down in the holding pens. 'Tear it out, hope to survive. It's your turn' he tells him, before the three alternate Sabretooths turn and head away. 'If you make it, come find us. If you die, you weren't strong enough to be a Creed' the Bad Boy Sabretooth snaps. 'Hello, pain' Sabretooth grins as his healing factor activates.

Elsewhere, Graydon Creed makes his way into another room where he tells himself that they must be distracted, or else they would have been on him by now. 'All my aunts and uncles. There is no rest for you' Graydon utters as he looks at dozens of bodies covered with white sheets in a dark room. “That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die” Graydon quotes, which causes the headless bodies to rise from the tables. 'I made a promise to myself, once I understood I was back with the living' Graydon declares. He adds that if he succeeded, there would be no Creed left alive, except for him, of course. But he wasn't going to waste all this valuable material – and Dr. Barrington helped him see that science is just a tool, not bad or good – it only depends on the intent of those who wield it. The headless bodies stand before Graydon Creed and announces that the Sabretooths will serve him for as long as he draws breath – if they won't be his family, they will be his slaves!

Down below the ocean in Station Four. 'That's your plan?' Nekra frowns. 'It will work' Nanny assures her. 'But it requires enormous trust from us. Trust in you' Toad points out. 'You make that sound difficult' Nanny responds. 'Well, we know you, so it is' Melter remarks. 'I've known her a lot longer, and you totally shouldn't trust her' Orphan Maker whispers to Melter. 'Peter! I heard that!' Nanny exclaims. 'We are going to have a talk after I sacrifice all these people. SAVE! Save all these people!' Nanny quickly corrects herself. 'And the way you'll “save” us is by regressing our minds to a childlike state. These babies will no longer view us as a threat and they'll stop trying to kill us' Third Eye summarises, noting that Nanny will be the only one left with her faculties intact. Oya points out that they have to trust Nanny to bring their minds back to normal when the danger passes.

A moment later, Nanny uses her ability to regress adult minds to childlike states, telling everyone that they are all calm and quiet now, and none of the terrible grown-ups are around. 'Except for Nanny. And you can trust me' she utters. While the Exiles sit or lie on the ground, Dr. Barrington sits in a feotal position and sucks her thumb. The Creation plays with a small ball, and Nanny looks at one of the infants as she declares that there was a second part to her plan, but she didn't share it with the others – the second part is just for them.

On Station Five, the three alternate Sabretooths rush down a corridor, before Bad Boy Sabretooth remarks that this is not the direction Graydon went in, and that his scent is far off. 'We're not looking for that runt' the Sentinel of Rough Justice announces. 'Then what?' the female Sabretooth asks. 'This!' the Sentinel of Rough Justice announces as he tears open a door to another room, where a strange transportation device is being housed. The Bad Boy Sabretooth tells the others that he remembers this thing, and that he was right in the middle of a real fun “party” and the next thing he knew, he was trapped in this cage by baby-boy Creed. The Sentinel of Rough Justice reveals that he had just snuffed out the last of the Summers extremists, enemies of the state, while the Savage Sabretooth reveals that she was on a hunt. 'How about we all go back to our real lives?' the Sentinel of Rough Justice suggests as he presses a button on a console, which lights up the mysterious device.

'Leaving so soon?' a voice calls out. The three Sabretooths turn to see Graydon Creed and dozens of headless versions of themselves, who run towards them. 'Here we are, a boy and his dogs. Sic 'em!' Graydon exclaims. 'This is gonna hurt' the Sentinel of Rough Justice remarks as the three Sabretooths defend themselves against the headless pack. 'As many of you as I've killed, this never gets old!' Graydon calls out, flexing his muscles, when suddenly, 'Guess who's back?!' Sabretooth shouts as he appears behind his son and slashing his claws across his back. 'Took you long enough!' the Sentinel of Rough Justice remarks. Sabretooth explains that his healing factor needed a few minutes to reset after getting gutted. He pulls the cap which is placed over the neck of one of the Sabretooths off, and the Sabretooth falls to the ground. 'Cut the signal to these bodies and they'll drop!' he calls out to the others, adding that he assumes the signal is coming right from his baby boy's suit.

'This is Graydon's last hunt!' the Savage Sabretooth exclaims as she leaps at Graydon, who shouts 'Hands off, dog' as he blasts her at close range with a surge of energy from his gauntlet. 'Bedtime, kid!' Sabretooth snarls as he tackles his son from behind and throws him into the glowing transportation device, where Graydon vows to find a way back. 'Count on it!' he warns his father. 'You stay with us!' the Savage Sabretooth calls out as she grabs Sabretooth by his ankle as he starts to fall into the glowing transportation machine, too. The Sentinel of Rough Justice and the Bad Boy Sabretooth gather with Sabretooth and the Savage Sabretooth. 'Looks like we all made it' the Sentinel of Rough Justice points out, to which Sabretooth smirks and tells his doubles that he has a proposal for them, as they stand over the scattered headless bodies of their other alternate selves.

The Exiles' vessel pops back up from under the surface of the water, and Nekra, Toad, Oya, Melter and Third Eye wake to find themselves in the cafeteria along with Bab, Herd and the other rescued mutants. 'That daft plan actually worked?' Toad asks, while Oya remarks that Nanny kept her word. Nekra points out that neither Nanny or Peter are here though, and Third Eye reports that she stayed below, with the babies. 'What makes you think that?' Oya asks. 'Doesn't take a psychic to figure out what she was after' Third Eye suggests. 'Nanny having six powerful babies to raise as she sees fit' Nekra frowns. 'That is not a comforting thought' Melter adds, before Herd asks if they are safe. 'All the kids are worried' Bab remarks. Nekra stands on a table to address the hundreds of mutants and assures them that they are safe. 'And we make a pledge to keep you that way, no matter who comes for us' she announces. Holding a small skrull seed in her fingers, Nekra adds that if Creed comes after the kids, they will be armed with this Death Seed. 'Krakoa's final punishment for Victor Creed I won't hesitate to unleash it on him' she declares.

Meanwhile, The Creation flies above the ocean, carrying Dr. Barrington in her arms, she asks the doctor if they are finally through with trying to climb that Orchis ladder. 'I'd hoped we would be welcome in the ranks of Orchis. I was willing to do anything to join' Dr. Barrington responds, to which The Creation tells her that Orchis was never going to make a place for women like them. 'Then we'll have to make a place of our own' Dr. Barrington announces. The Creation asks her where they will go, to which Dr. Barrington suggests they go to the Antarctic, to the Plateua of Leng, where there are older forms of science, ones she would master before they face their enemies again. Motioning up to Station Five above them, the Creation asks 'And what about him?' 'The GC? I wish him only the worst. I hope all his schemes end in pain and ruin'. The Creation asks why the GC was obsessed with Sabretooth, to which Dr. Barrington tells her that it was merely the tantrum of an abandoned child, nothing more. 'How common. May they both rot in Hell'.

Finally, aboard Station Five, Sabretooth is flanked by his counterparts – headless ones included. He smirks and decides that he is in heaven, that finally he has found a team he could respect. 'One made up of me's, myselves and I's'. Sabretooth tells everyone that an old friend of his has a birthday coming up. 'Last I heard he was on Krakoa. Let's go find him and raise some... well, you know'.