Ever since back at Mesa pharmaceuticals something had been bothering him. 10K shifted uncertainly not really wanting to ask the others. When he asked questions like that it only served to highlight his age to the rest of the group. And (he felt) undermine his usefulness by displaying his inexperience.

But it was really nagging him. Zombies were supposed to be dead which just enough brain activity to run after people and try to eat them. They weren't supposed to be able to do...well...what they were doing. It raised questions (at least for him). If zombies were just supposed to able to eat people and chase after them then what did it mean if they could do other stuff. Occasionally he had met a zombie smarter than the others usually that meant it was a little more cunning than it's friends at figuring out ways to get to brains but this was different.

Different parts of the brain controlled different functions. Everybody assumed the zombies just had their lower brain functions intact and so could perform only the most basic of actions but if that wasn't the case then what did that mean. Were the zombies somehow evolving or were the ones they had seen a higher class of zombie. Or even more worrying maybe zombies weren't simply slowly decaying anymore but instead beginning to breed and grow and then eventually generations more of them would—

"Penny for your thoughts?"

10K looked up as Warren finished stoking the fire and settled back down just a few feet from him.

Cassandra appeared asleep bundled in a blanket as she stretched out next to him. And Murphy and Doc were having one of their not quite arguments about something he couldn't quite make out so 10K figured it would be okay to tell her.

Warren at least wouldn't make fun or joke about him being the kid like most of the others did.

"Back at the pharmaceutical plant the zombies were...uh..." He felt his face turn red as he tried to figure out how to say it.

Warren was staring at him quizzically , probably wondering why he was blushing. 10K cleared his throat and tried again. "Well you know how they were—" He gave an ineffectual gesture with his hands which he was sure hadn't been enlightening at all. And he was right. Warren raised her eyes looking more confused he swallowed feeling really awkward and mumbled. "They were uh—having sex."

"Oh." Now she looked uncomfortable.

But now that he had started he felt like he had to finish. "Yeah, well that wasn't normal...I mean if Z's don't have the brain function to—"

"What do you define as normal kid?"

10K jumped at the unexpected voice and looked up to find Murphy had moved closer and was eavesdropping as he was known to do. He raised his hands up gesturing in a wide circle. "Because nothing about our whole situation is normal.

"We've got the end of the world as we know it, Z's everywhere and no end in sight... Normal is gone for the duration of humanity." Murphy paused to pick his teeth but he wasn't finished yet. After a moment he continued. "I'd say what those Z's was doing was the most normal thing I've seen in a long time."

10K was bright red by this time. Murphy's loud comments had woken Cassandra up and 10K could feel her stirring beside him. He wished he could sink down but it felt like everybody in camp was watching him. He wished he had never said anything.

Doc was more pragmatic and less vulgar about the whole thing. "Nothing much to it kid, some of the Z's got into some amphetamines and were hopped up little bastards, some of them got in the Viagra, and got something else hopped up. That's what's it's made for you know." Doc laughed.

Well that sort of explained things...actually 10K hadn't known. He acted like he knew with the others because it was really tiring to always be the one who asked the question about something that everybody but him knew about. He had put two and two together being that they were at a pharmaceutical factory and figured out it was a drug. He also got from the way they were talking that it was related to the zombies suddenly taking an unhealthy and disgusting interest in each other. But the rest he had no idea. He was to young before the apocalypse to pay much attention to pharmaceutical commercials and afterwards there wasn't any television to see anyway. So Cialis, Viagra...etc were all just weird sounding names to him.

Something about his face betrayed his lack of knowledge.

Murphy was staring at him a little too closely and 10K sometimes felt the man could read minds. This was one of those times. "Wait let me guess, you didn't know what the hell Viagra was." He paused then added. "And I bet that's not the only thing that you don't know...how old are you sixteen, seventeen?"

"None of your business." 10K growled. Murphy was really beginning to piss him off.

Murphy was unperturbed. "Bet with the apocalypse and everything nobody ever gave you a lesson on the birds and the bees huh?"

10K swallowed, his face felt burning red. Even Cassandra was watching him curiously now, and he was well aware that anything he said would just make him seem even younger. Still he tried. "Yeah actually my pa did."

It was partly the truth, though the talk had never got into much more than just the basics before things went to hell in the world and the proper way to load a rifle became a lot more important than girls.

Murphy was straight faced for all of two seconds before he laughed. "Bullshit. Bet you're still a virgin. You never knocked boots, did the deed, had a roll in the—"

"Murphy that is enough!" Warren glared at him.

"You know there's nothing wrong 10K with being a vir—" Doc began obviously sensing his discomfort and trying to alleviate it.

"I'm not a virgin!" He said it louder than he meant to and Doc looked chastened even though he really wasn't mad with the old man. It was Murphy he would have liked to kill right about now.

Murphy was starting up again. The man truly knew no bounds and had moved out of reach from Warren so he could continue his harassment in relatively safety. "Well, your V-card explains why you're trying to get 10K kills. Sexual frustration will do that to a man, drive you homicidal."

10K could feel himself shaking with anger. First of all it was none of Murphy's business what he had or hadn't done. Second, he was not in the mood for Murphy's shit.

Maybe Warren noted the look in 10K's eyes but in any case she loudly over talked Murphy's continued insults. " Murphy, I think we're all a little frustrated , none the least we have to listen to your big mouth."

Murphy was on a roll and not to be stopped. "It's perfectly fine...normal even. " He gave a wistful sigh. "All I can say is at least on this little road trip I was able to get a little action, that sweet denim clad pie carrying chick from that cult and Amelia the—"

"Wait—" Doc stopped Murphy mid vulgarity. "You and that pilot back in Edgemont did the dirty?"

"Yeah—"

Warren cut him off before he could continue. "Now I know you're lying I was with you the whole time before you boarded the plane and that cockpit was too small for—"

"Who said it was before we crashed?"

It took a few moments for things to sink in. The look of horror on Warren's face was priceless. "You didn't...she was a —"

Murphy shrugged. "She was dead , well technically undead but her body still—"

Doc shook his head. "You are one sick depraved individual—"

10K was glad the heat was off him. But the images he was imagning of Murphy and the zombie pilot were disgusting. He certainly hoped it wasn't true but with Murphy anything was possible.

Murphy was now defending his actions. "Desperate times calls for desperate measures. Maybe if this group was a little more sharing. I mean little-miss cannibal whore over there isn't attached to anyone she could help a man but does she use —"

The self restraint 10K had been practicing broke at that point and Murphy found himself sprawled on the ground. 10K hadn't even realised he had moved but the other man's comments about Cassandra were too much.

He went after Murphy again only to be pulled back by Warren and Doc. Cassandra was shouting something too but all he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears. It took a few moments before he calmed down enough, then he shook Warren and Docs hands off.

Murphy had gotten to his feet and was holding his now bleeding nose. 10K glared at the man. "Keep your fucking mouth shut Murphy."

Then he stalked away to the van they had taken from Mesa pharmaceuticals. His body was still throbbing with anger. Talking about him had been bad enough but what he had said about Cassandra...well Murphy was luckily all he had was a broken nose to show for his words.

He leaned back closing his eyes and trying to calm his breathing only to sit bolt upright knife in hand when the van door creaked. He relaxed when he heard a muffled groan.

Quickly he sheathed the knife and pulled the doors open. Cassandra was standing there trying to climb in and at the same time avoid putting weight on her injured leg. She wasn't succeeding at either.

"Here, wait" 10K grasped her around her waist and quickly boosted her into the van.

"Thanks" She breathed as she set about making herself comfortable on the piled blankets in the back. He couldn't help noticed the muffled moans she made anytime she moved her injured leg.

"Your leg any better?" He knew it was stupid to ask. They hadn't found any antibiotics and infection had obviously set in but he was hoping against hope that she would somehow be okay until they could get to California and hopefully some medical care.

Cassandra didn't bother to speak; she just shook her head keep , her lips compressed in a grim line. Her eyes were fevered but she was shivering like it was freezing...she looked miserable. 10K shifted closer allowing her to lean back against his chest so part of her body was cradled against him. He pulled the blanket up higher but it didn't make a difference. He could still feel her trembling in his arms.

"That was nice of you b-back there." Her teeth chattered.

He brushed her sweaty hair back trying not to feel how fevered her skin was against his own. They had long since ran out of Tylenol. "About what?"

Cassandra lips curved into a smile he could just see by the firelight leaking into the van. "Defending m-m-my honour like that."

10K shrugged. He would have done it for Addy or Warren too, though he probably would have stopped at just knocking Murphy down and not tried to go further. But Murphy had made the mistake of insulting Cassandra and that was something entirely different.

She added, quietly. "It was kinda true though...not like he lied."

10K glanced down and he wasn't sure whether it was fever or the memories of before she had came with them but her eyes seem wet. His own vehemence surprised him. Normally he was quiet, mild mannered...except when Cassandra was concerned. "Murphy had no right to say that. We've all had stuff done to us and did stuff we regret. Murphy especially can't say shit about anyone. He..." He hesitated but then told her something that had been bothering him.

"You know how he found food in that town we got overrun with Z's"

Cassandra nodded.

"Well in the bottom of that pink backpack I found a picture of a family. And when we were leaving town there were two zombies that looked like them...like they had been freshly turned."

10K felt Cassandra stiffen against him. Then she asked. "You think he had something to do with that? I though he said they were dead."

"Or he made sure they were and took their supplies." 10K added. "If he stole from them he wouldn't have wanted the rest of us to know so how hard would it be for him to lead a zombie in. They follow him around like a dog."

Cassandra was silent but 10K could see her coming to the same conclusion he had. It was just too convenient how he had found water and food like that and Murphy was unconscionable.

"I don't trust him. All he cares about is saving himself and after tonight, I—"

Cassandra cut him off, his half-rant. "Hey, 10K."

He glanced down at her as she shifted so she was staring more directly into his eyes. "I, uh wanted to tell you—I don't care about you being a vir—"

10K's face was burning again. "I'm n—"

Cassandra pressed a finger over his lips. "Just in case you are it's, fine actually kinda sweet." She swallowed and her voice tightened. "I was too before Tobias and—anyway—If I was feeling better I would have kicked Murphy's ass myself for what he was saying about you."

10K couldn't help but laugh at that.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow, in pretend irritation. "Think I can't?"

"No, No" He raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Anyway, before Murphy started you weren't just having a conversations about Zombie sex were you? You mentioned their brain function..." Cassandra startled him bringing a blush to his cheeks at her straightforward way of adding to the halted discussion he hadn't though she was awake when he was talking with Warren.

He hesitated wondering would she laugh. But Cassandra looked genuinely curious. So he launched into an explanation of his theory.

At the end Cassandra sighed. "Well, if that's true it doesn't sit well for us. Zombies gaining higher functions or even managing to reproduce means that this isn't going to end ever. At this rate it's already a million to one probably more and if we have a bunch of little zombies being made or Zombies doing more than just running trying to eat brains we're screwed...and not in a good way."

There was a pause then 10K asked in the voice that told her he really didn't want to sound stupid and young but he was still curious about the answer. "You can be screwed in a good way?"

Cassandra looked up at him, wondering what to say. Then she settled back..."Yeah, 10 there actually is..." She hesitated then settled back against him. "You've got a lot to learn."

She was almost asleep but as her eyes were fluttering closed, she smiled and whispered. "Maybe, I'll be your teacher one of these days."

Just before Cassandra fell asleep 10K whispered. "I'd like that."

Cassandra opened her eyes and leaned up giving him a rare smile. She pulled his face down so she could kiss him. He felt her breath brush against his cheek as she whispered. "And I would too."

Thanks for reading. I do think the Z's on Z nation are smarter and have a greater capacity for development perhaps into a different and more dangerous predator than traditional Zombies, say TWD for instance. Comments welcome. Also the mention of Zombie Amelia/Murphy is a reference to a fic called Why Not?. Check it out on Archive of Our Z Nation fics.