"I can do that," Peyton said, smiling. "Long as it means you an’ I are gonna be friends."
"We'll see," Bunny told him and she shoved him back.
Marco stepped into the room as Peyton staggered, nearly running into him. Catching the man by the shoulder to steady him, he swept the room with his yellow eye, looking at each of them in turn.
"Problems?" Marco asked.
"No problem," Bunny told him. "Peyton was just saying hello."
Marco looked down at the man he held by the shoulder. "Is that right?"
"Sure enough was, dead man." Peyton laughed. "I was just being neighborly. That's all. Nothin' to get you all wound up about."
Marco looked at him for a moment longer then put him on his feet. "We have work to do. Get your tools and come with me."
"At this time of night? Are you crazy?" Peyton exclaimed.
"Now," Marco said.
"Fine, fine. I hope this ain't gonna take too long, though," the other man whined as he left the room.
Marco watched him go before turning his eye back on Bunny and Rosa. "Everything okay?"
Rosa nodded slowly as Bunny answered, "Nothing I can't handle."
Marco nodded and left, tailing after Peyton. Bunny slid back into her chair, letting out a long, slow breath. Her hands had been shaking, and though she'd never admit it, she’d felt more than a little dizzy.
"That's Peyton, by the way," Rosa told her.
"Nice guy. Where'd you pick him up?"
Rosa looked at her, sorrow in her eyes. "Don't be fooled, Bunny. He's dangerous. And just the first of many like him."
Bunny sighed, looking back towards the door. She hated to admit Rosa was right, but knew she was. In her time on the force, she'd seen a hundred just like him. Now, with the way things were, people like him were only going to get worse.
It had only been one day.
Bunny stood on the roof of the clinic, watching the city burn. Everywhere she looked in the wee hours of the morning fires burned out of control. Dawn was still a little way away, but somehow she doubted that this time it would wash away the horror as it had before.
It was still and quiet this time. Nowhere did she hear sirens or gunfire. No screams floated to her on the wind, just an empty silence that spoke volumes. The only thing that kept her from feeling hopeless was the sight of helicopters in the distance.
She could make them out well enough to know they were Blackhawks and were moving in and out of the Washington Park area, meaning the military was at least holding their ground. It wasn't much, she knew, but it was something, and it meant the others may well be safe and sound.
The soft crunch of gravel behind her drew her attention as Marco approached, stopping to stand near her, looking out over the city with her. As unnerving as he was, she was a little thankful for the company. Or at least, for company that was less unsettling than Peyton. That alone made her want to smile, or perhaps she was dangling from the edge of her sanity after all.
"You should be sleeping," he said after a bit.
Bunny shrugged. "I think I've slept enough, all things considered. What about you?"
"I don't sleep anymore," he replied.
"That's unsettling."
"You have no idea."
She looked at him in the gloom, finding him no more frightening than she had before. He didn't look back at her, studying the skyline then looking down, at the handful of dead roaming the street below.
"How different are you from them?" Bunny asked.
Marco shrugged. "Hard to say. I guess time will tell."
"No overwhelming urges to chew on somebody?"
He laughed. "No, I can't say there have been. Can't say I've felt hungry since it happened. Also a bit unsettling."
"So, why are you different, then?"
"Soon as you find out, do me a favor and fill me in. I'd appreciate it," he told her, finally turning his devastated face fully on her.
Bunny looked at him for a moment then back down into the street. "Why do you think it's happening?"
"Who knows," Marco replied. "Maybe God's just had enough of us and doesn't want us in Heaven anymore. Maybe the Devil ran out of room in Hell. Maybe it's a virus. Maybe there's no reason at all."
"There's always a reason," she told him.
"Yeah, tell it to a guy with a whole face and a pulse."
"Do you mind if I ask how it happened?"
"I don't mind if you ask," he replied with a smile.
"No promise you'll answer then, huh?" she said, smiling as well.
He didn't say anything at first, just watched the dead as they roamed aimlessly. "Be sure you want to know. It's a pretty unpleasant story."
"Tell it to someone who didn't escape from a strip club," she snorted.
Marco cocked an eyebrow at her. "Something tells me your story might be more interesting than mine."
"Maybe," Bunny said. "But don't hold your breath."
"I can do that," he said.
Bunny laughed without meaning to. "For a dead guy, you've got a pretty good sense of humor."
"Yeah, well, it's laugh or go crazy," he said. "Maybe that's the difference between me and them. I laughed."
"Tell me what happened," Bunny said.
Marco sighed a bit. "The night it started, then."
"The night it started," Bunny agreed.
“Makes it sound like it was years ago, instead of yesterday.” He sighed.
“Feels like years ago,” she replied.
"What were you doing when it started?" he asked.
"Does it matter?"
"Not really, but I'm curious. Humor me."
Bunny nodded. "Fine. I was taking my clothes off on a stage."
"Sorry I missed it," Marco told her with a
