That spring in an isolated house, Victor is in the kitchen with his brother, Luther. Victor asks Luther for a bite of the pie he’s eating. Luther tells him that he doesn’t have to, it’s his birthday – the pie’s all his. Enraged, Victor leaps at Luther. As he does, Luther calls out to his ma. While Luther’s mom walks in, she tells them that if the two of them don’t stop acting up, pa will be hearing about… this. Walking into the kitchen, ma is mortified when she witnesses Victor sitting on the ground eating a piece of pie while his brother Luther lies dead next to him. Victor simply states ‘aw ma, we were only playing.’
That fall, in the basement, pa rips out Victor’s sharp teeth with a pair of pliers. While he does, he tells him that he has the devil in him and if he pulls out enough, one day the Satan teeth ain’t gonna come back. Turning to leave, he states that he lost one son to the beast, he ain’t about to go losing another. Once he has left, ma walks over to Victor to wipe the blood off of his mouth. Victor tells her to let him go. Ma replies that she can’t, he’s too strong, he’ll… Victor cuts her off and says don’t be scared of pa, be scared of him. Looking into her son’s dark eyes, ma runs off in fear.
The next spring, Victor is another year older and is chained up in the basement with a cloth around his mouth. After struggling against his bonds, Victor breaks one of the chains free. As he continues to pull against his other chain, Victor discovers that it’s not going to come loose. Eventually, Victor breaks free and escapes the basement and makes his way to the kitchen where his ma and dad are. Holding the pliers in one hand and his hand ripped off on his right hand, Victor tells ma that he told her, she shoulda listened.
With that, Victor viciously attacks his parents and kills them in cold blood. After doing so, Victor sits on the front porch and eats a piece of pie. Stopping for a moment, he says “happy birthday” and proceeds to rush off into the woods.
Years later, Victor is walking the streets of what appears to be a Wild West town. Sniffing the air, Victor sniffs the air and catches a whiff of something from a saloon. Before he enters, a local townsman comes up to him and tells him that it’s good to see him back and asks him if there’s anything at all he could do to make his stay more comfortable. Tossing his fur at the man, Victor tells him to hold it. Entering the saloon, Victor sees a man inside the saloon fighting the men inside. Smiling, Victor joins the battle.
A short time later, the battle has ended and Victor and Logan are sharing a beer together. Logan informs Victor that he knows that he didn’t need the help. Victor replies that he knows he didn’t; he had a feeling that he could look after himself, kinda like he can. Logan responds that ‘you know, bub, you may be onto something.’ Logan then asks Victor what it was to him – playing? Victor says nah, that was just him taking a little exercise. His playing don’t look like no one else’s. He’ll know when he starts playing.
Victor then asks Logan what started the fight. When Logan tells him that someone made jokes, Victor states that comedians always got it coming. Logan remarks that certain jokes just get him a little ornery, ‘specially ones that concern a lady. Victor smirks and says yeah, it’s always a lady. Just then, an attractive Indian girl enters the saloon and says to Logan that this won’t make it any easier. Logan stands up and tells her, Silver Fox not to worry. It’s all gonna be fine, they just needed a few points of good manners explained by him and his new friend.
Victor Creed then introduces himself as such and says that he’s charmed. Putting his arm around Silver Fox, Logan tells Creed that he’ll see him around and that if a guy ever comes at him with a chair, he’ll know who to call. Creed says to Logan that he reckons he does and warns him to be careful; she’s a real pretty one. She’ll make him feel bad eventually, they always do.
Months later, Logan walks into the saloon carrying a dead Silver Fox in his arms. Drinking at the bar, Creed tells him that he told him so and happy birthday. With that, the rage builds up in Logan and a brutal, vicious battle begins between Creed and Logan. Over time, Creed is the victor and stands alone.
Many years later, Victor Creed is in the office of a young lady. She proceeds to ask him her one last question. The work will be regularly as black as any CIA-affiliated op gets. Is he absolutely certain that he doesn’t have any moral issues? Creed replies that he has no morals at all. Shaking his hand, the lady tells him congratulations and welcome to Team X. They’re honored to have him, his record is outstanding. When it comes to deniable operations, there’s few who have a comparable resume. Creed tells her that that… he is “not going to deny.”
She then adds that it’s lucky – another successful candidate is in the building. It’s probably best that they meet; they’ll be spending a lot of time together. She then opens the door to her office and introduces Creed to… Before she can get out Logan’s name, Logan proceeds to punch Creed in the jaw. As he gets up, Creed remarks to Logan that he was wondering where he got his licked self off to. He sees that he’s still an uppity little fella and asks if he’s come for his present early. Logan tells him that things have changed and continues to punch away at Creed. He was young and stupid back then. Responding back with a punch to Logan’s jaw, Creed tells him ‘and whupped.’ He then adds that he, Logan, can change the other two all he likes but the third ain’t ever gonna go anywhere.
At that moment, as the two of them battle, the young lady calls out for tranquilizers, nets, nerve gas, bazooka, and a tank if they can get it up the stairs. Standing next to a colleague she mentions that this confirms suspicions that the two subjects share a personal history. Observing the two men take on the guards and still try to go after each other, the man states that it’s probably a good idea they were planning on wiping their memories.
Two years and two mind wipes later, Logan, Creed, and Christoph Nord are enjoying some drinks at a local bar. Seeing Nord passed out, Creed remarks what else is new, Nord can’t drink worth a damn. Clinking their glasses together, Logan tells him to play fair, he doesn’t drink as well as they do, no one drinks as well as them. Downing their drinks, Creed says exactly, he can’t drink worth a damn. Once they finish, Logan recalls earlier in the day when Creed saved him from being killed. He says to Creed that he was there, if he wasn’t…
Creed cuts him off and tells not to worry. That’s what he’s there for. He’ll always be there for him. Now quit it, he’s gettin’ him all sentimental. Pouring another drink, Logan states that it’s a good day and it’s even his birthday. Creed asks his birthday? They should celebrate properly and proceeds to punch Logan across the face. Picking himself up off the floor, Logan asks Creed what that was all about. Punching him again, Creed tells him he has no idea but doesn’t it feel right?
Some years later in West Berlin, Creed is in a bar. After he finishes telling the bartender he can have the bottle back after he’s finished with it and that he’s celebrating, Logan walks in and yells his name. Logan proceeds to ask him what in damnation’s name’s going through that dumb skull of his. Creed replies that he’s thinking he’s thirsty and he’s thinking of a drink. He should try it.
Smacking the drink out of Creed’s hand, Logan tells him that he’s seen him do just about the craziest things. He’s seen him shoot guys in the back, guys who weren’t armed, guys who’d surrendered, torture people who’ve already given up all they know “just to be sure.” And it all slides off of him, how can he sit there and…? Creed cuts him off and informs him that he’s just at home with who he is – he should try it sometime, he’d feel better.
Logan angrily tells him damn it, Janice Hollenbeck was the extraction target. That doesn’t mean extracting his damn slugs from her body. He, Creed, shot her for no good reason whatsoever. Creed calmly tells him nope, he had his reasons. Only problem is, he, little man, can’t work out what it is. Enraged Logan slams Creed’s head into the bar. Picking his bloody face up off the bar, Creed mutters at last and proceeds to throw Logan face first down the bar.
After five minutes extreme violence, Logan tells Creed that he gives up and asks him why he did it. Creed replies hasn’t he looked at the calendar – happy birthday. Creed adds that he, Logan, always needs to be talked around to doing what they both know he wants to. This time, he didn’t need to wrestle with himself. It’s just his li’l present. Looking at Creed, Logan tells him that Team X, everything, he’s out, he’s done. He then tells him to stay out of his way. As he walks out the door, Creed tells him that he’ll see him in twelve “bub.”
Around ten birthdays later, Logan finds himself in another bar. The pretty barkeep asks him if she can do anything for the mysterious guy glooming up her bar stool. Logan tells her yeah and hands her a wad of bills. He then tells her to take it and disappear for the rest of the night. It’s his birthday and he’s expecting some company, he’ll need some privacy. The barkeep tells him okay and goes to leave. Thumbing through the money she tells him that she was alone for her last birthday and that’s just no fun. Looking at her with a solemn look on his face, Logan tells her to hurry up. This isn’t the sort of party you’d like to crash.
Just then, Creed arrives and they share pleasantries. Sitting down next to Logan, Creed asks him if he wants to skip the usual preliminaries and get straight down to seeing how many teeth he can fit down his throat. Logan tells him that he’s not fighting him tonight. He’s there because he liked him, Creed, once and he’s stopping this. He should too. Hell, did ever think about giving this sadist thing a break? Creed replies by asking Logan if he ever thinks about giving it a real try. He’d like it, they both know he’d like it. Logan tells him he’s wrong, it’s over and goes to walk out the door.
Creed tells him this is never over. The two of them will never stop fighting. He, Logan, loves fighting, he just needs an excuse. Logan tells him that he’s wrong and there isn’t a damn thing he can do to start him. Creed calmly asks Logan if he remembers Silver Fox. When Logan stops in his tracks but doesn’t turn around, Creed remarks that he thought not. He does though, she was real good. He then tells Logan that’s all the excuse he’s gonna need and he knows he gave him plenty more, just because he’s thorough like that. He was only saving time, he’d have done the same thing to that little girl eventually – it’s in their blood.
Enraged, Logan pops his adamantium claws. When he does, Creed tells him it’s the most natural thing in the world. As they square off again, he says this ain’t fighting, this ain’t even killing. This is just playing.
