I passed a bag of trail mix to Nicky, which she took with a groan as she lay on the grass. I carried the snacks just to use as bribes for her. The morning had passed quietly into the early afternoon. I had managed to keep out of Nicky's line of fire, not that it had helped her aim any.

She still hadn't managed to shoot anything yet despite dozens of rabbits taunting her. I sat on a log and watched her in amusement. Nicky had asked me to track down some rabbits for her and I had used my nose to cheat, so it wasn't like we had been having trouble locating the numerous furry critters.

I looked up and examined the tree above me. "So exactly how did your arrow get up there?"

Nicky glared at the arrow, "I refuse to answer that question."

I smirked, but didn't comment. Her coffee high had given way to grouchiness some time ago. She closed her eyes as she rested in the warm sunshine in the clearing. I sat silently as I kept tabs on the scents and sounds of the forest around us.

Nicky's breathing evened out as she fell asleep. I quietly climbed the tree to retrieve the arrow. If I hadn't seen her watching the rabbit, I would have assumed that she had been trying to shoot a squirrel. Nicky may do passably well on a stationary target, but moving animals were an entirely different ballgame.

I put the arrow back in her quiver and carefully scanned the forest around me. We had circled this forest several times and I knew there were no big predators nearby. We hadn't found any zombies either. I did smell some deer nearby though.

With a glance at Nicky I started moving through the trees. She would be fine for five minutes. I circled the clearing a few times to ensure it was safe before heading toward the deer. I watched from the trees as the deer approached. How thoughtful of them to come find us.

We really did need to have something to show for being gone most of the day, although the people would probably be more than happy to just have Nicky gone when she was like this. Each of the three does had fawns and I didn't want to take any of them. My attention turned to the two young bucks that were traveling with them. Taking a young buck wouldn't hurt the population any.

The wind was in my favor, so they had no clue about the danger they were walking into. I climbed halfway up a tree and waited with endless patience as they followed the deer trail. The deer didn't realize the danger until I launched out of my hiding spot.

A swift blow easily shattered the buck's neck with my momentum and it fell to the leaf littered ground as the other deer scattered in a panic. The sun was in the sky and I had no desire for its blood after what that drug did to me. I snorted before gutting the deer and leaving the entrails for some scavenger to enjoy.

I hefted the deer on my shoulder before returning to the clearing. I put the deer on the back of the side by side. Nicky was still sleeping, unaware that I had even left for a few minutes. I resumed my seat on the log and looked around in boredom.

I leaned back against the trunk of a tree and closed my eyes. I hadn't slept since yesterday. It wasn't easy to sleep during the day in the open, but I managed a light doze as half my mind tracked every sound and scent.

A distant rumble of thunder made me open my eyes. I had smelled the small storm approaching on the humid air, but our time was now up. We had to start heading back if we didn't want to get rained on. It must be the week for thunderstorms.

I stood up and walked over to Nicky, "There is a storm coming. We have to go."

She groaned and rolled over before pulling part of the blanket she was laying on over her head. Great. It is going to be one of these days. I walked over to the side by side before reclining the passenger seat as far as it would go.

I walked back over to examine the human shaped blanket burrito. With a sigh I bent down to pick her up and carry her to the side by side. I carefully put her on the seat before using the seatbelt to ensure she didn't slide anywhere. If Nicky noticed, she didn't care.

The keys were still in the ignition and I slowly drove back while avoiding any bumps or potholes that may wake the cocooned creature. It wasn't an innocent butterfly that lurked in those layers of blankets.

The guards looked confused, but didn't comment as they opened the gate for us. For once, luck was on my side and the garage door was already open. I drove in and parked in the back corner. Three mechanics watched me, confused as to why Nicky was bundled up and not moving.

I grabbed the deer and walked toward them. I kept my voice down, "Nicky is sleeping so you may want to keep any noise down."

The men exchanged looks that clearly said that they did not want to be the one responsible for waking her. One man spoke to his friend, "How about we head to the other garage? Considering how she acted this morning, I don't want to be around when she wakes up."

The other two nodded and managed to beat me out the door. I shook my head. There was never a dull or relaxing moment when Nicky got into the coffee. I was positive that whoever had given her that coffee had learnt their lesson. I fervently hoped that it wouldn't happen again.

I dropped the deer off with the butchers. They were happy for the extra meat. A man intercepted me as I was leaving the building. "Nina and Daniel are asking if you can join them in the lab."

"Thanks." I nodded and headed to the lab wondering what they wanted. I descended the stairs as the smell of chemicals grew stronger. Nina was in a room that I hadn't been in before. She was doing something with microscope slides. Daniel wasn't in the room.

Nina glanced up as I entered the room, "Thanks for taking Nicky earlier. I hope she isn't getting into trouble at the moment."

I sat on a tall stool, "She was asleep in the garage the last time I saw her."

My response startled her and she gave me an odd look. She shook her head and recollected her thoughts. "Well, Mike was infected. I have no idea how you managed to smell it though, it took three blood samples before it tested positive."

I shrugged wordlessly. Nina continued, "He chose to get the cure and doesn't want his companions to know. He is in the Stronghold somewhere, although he did promise to be careful and come back later for another blood test. To be honest, the test barely detected it last time and I am hoping that you wouldn't mind checking his scent."

"I don't see why not."

"They all plan to transfer to another Stronghold since the idea of sane zombies makes them nervous. There are some traders coming in a few days that will probably take them. We will just have to keep an eye on them in case someone else was also infected."

My head turned as I heard the door at the top of the stairs open and two sets of footsteps descended. Nina noticed my distraction and had a good guess as to the cause even though she wouldn't be able to hear our company approaching, "That is probably Daniel and Mike."

I easily recognized Daniel's footsteps so Nina was probably correct in regards to the second person. Their footsteps headed straight for the room we were in and Daniel entered the room as Mike cautiously trailed behind him. He swiftly noticed me and became even more uneasy.

The two women must have told the others that I was a Nightstalker, otherwise he wouldn't have reacted so. I remained sitting on the tall stool. Nina walked toward the nervous man, "How are you feeling Mike?"

He was sweating with nerves, but remained carefully polite, "I am feeling fine, thank you."

Nina gestured toward me, "I will grab a blood sample just in case, but I will also have Trinity check your scent. Her nose is quite keen and she was the one who noticed your situation earlier."

The man held still as Nina quickly collected a blood sample, but he kept glancing at me nervously, "Check my scent?"

I was halfway across the decent-sized room and he was almost petrified. As faint as the zombie scent had been earlier, I was too far away to pick it up if it was still present. If I got closer, the stench of his fear could easily overwhelm any fainter scent.

I exhaled slowly, "A human's scent changes as the zombie virus gets established. We caught you quite early and I noticed it when I was building up the fire. Toss me your shirt for a moment."

He blinked in confusion, but pulled off his shirt and balled it up before lightly tossing it toward me. I easily caught it with one hand and held it close to my nose while slowly inhaling. He had gotten a shower and a new shirt since arriving, so there weren't too many older scents to contaminate the more recent ones.

I could pick up the scent of a human from kilometers away if I was downwind. The close range and my focus on my sense of smell had the odors assaulting my nose. I was very glad that my bloodlust no longer wanted human blood or it would have been torture. I closed my eyes to help me concentrate.

I could smell the drug that Nina had injected into him. I memorized the smell of the cure in case someone else decided to try what Louise had done, although considering I no longer ate human food that possibility was next to zero.

His emotions, anxiety, and general state of nerves had left a sour smell on his shirt. To say that he was having a stressful day was putting it mildly. I could smell each ingredient and spice in the stew he had eaten for lunch. I dug deeper into fainter scents, seeking the heavier scent that came with the zombie virus.

I opened my eyes and tossed his shirt back to him. All three were waiting intently for my verdict. I turned to Nina, "If he is still infected, then I cannot detect it. I can clearly smell that drug you gave him and even the rabbit he ate two days ago, but as far as I can tell his scent is clean."

Mike exhaled in relief and Nina relaxed as she nodded, "I took five blood samples while you were doing that and all came back as negative." She turned to Mike, "You should be good to go, but take care for a few days just in case. I do want another blood sample before you leave this Stronghold as well as have Trinity double check just to ensure that it is truly gone."

Mike nodded and looked relieved. Daniel glanced at Nina, "Unless you need anything else, I will guide him back."

Nina shook her head and Daniel left with the human in tow. Nina looked back at me in curiosity, "You could tell what he ate two days ago by smelling his shirt?"

I made a face, "It depends how deep I dig down. He hasn't really eaten much until today, so it was easier than it would otherwise be. That was a new shirt too, so that helped."

She jotted down some notes before grabbing a couple of empty blood vials. "Since you are already down here, mind if I grab a few blood samples?"

I sighed but nodded, "Go ahead."

She quickly took three vials of blood. "I did some tests earlier to see if the controlex drug affected how the virus in your blood might spread. It may have slightly altered the virus in your blood, but the part of the virus that infects others hasn't changed. Even if we used your blood to cause someone to turn, the resulting zombie would feel the bloodlust. The changes that the drug caused don't carry over."

I raised an eyebrow, "How about we concentrate on making a vaccine instead of trying to create more zombies? Could you imagine the tension that would result if there were half a dozen zombies in this place?"

Nina winced, "Point taken."

I didn't bother telling her that most sane zombies wouldn't have the problems that Daniel and I did. As long as they weren't as humanized as Daniel, he would be the odd one out. If Nina ever did start letting people become zombies then I would insist on hauling them outside the fence and ensuring that they got in touch with their instincts as soon as possible.

The slam of the lab door at the top of the stairs had both of us glancing over our shoulders in surprise. Stomping footsteps were easily heard by both Nina and myself. "Sounds like sleeping beauty woke up and I somehow doubt that a prince kissed her awake."

Nina paled a bit, "That is Nicky?"

"Unfortunately."

The scowling lady appeared in the doorway, "What the hell gives?! I fall asleep in a forest meadow and I wind up waking up in the garage while wrapped up like a bloody mummy with a seat belt strapping me to a seat!"

I tilted my head at her rant and examined her soaked hair, "I knew you would escape and I didn't want you to catch a chill in the approaching storm. I take it that the storm has arrived and it is raining quite hard outside?"

"No shit Sherlock."

I pointed to the far counter, "There are towels in the last cupboard."

She grumbled and stomped over to the far side of the room to find the indicated towels. I caught Nina's eyes and nodded toward the door. Nina wasted no time in quickly making her escape.

I was once more left on babysitting duty. In a room full of glass, chemicals, and other things that shouldn't be touched. How do I keep getting myself into these situations?