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"No shit," I said as I moved to the couch and dropped down onto it "But, um, I need to talk to you about…" I fumbled for some euphe," I finally blurted, then ? That was the best I could do?

A sel Sofia knoe’re zohthat I shared with Marcus that I’d figured someone like Sofia couldn’t, since she wasn’t one of us And yet…she did share it--and clearly accepted Marcus just fine as a zombie What does that leave for me?

I did my best to s back the ache and put on a nonchalant ss easier," I said "I just found out that the guy who died at your lab really was a zombie" I shot Marcus a quick I told you so! look

Sofia let out a sasp "Are you certain?"

"Then how could he have appeared so dead?" Marcus asked, frowning "Angel, how can you be so sure?"

I perched on the edge of the sofa "Because the weirdness isn’t just that he was a zombie It’s that this was one of the zombies that Ed killed"

He blinked "That doesn’t make sense What do you erprint on the watch and getting the ID, as well as the co scar and mole Marcus still looked dubious, but Sofia clenched her hands together and hunched her shoulders

"This explains so much," she said, voice unsteady "He must have been after my research" She lifted her eyes to Marcus "Pietro needs to know this I know soh my files Somehow one of the other zombie factions found out I…I need protection"

He moved to her side "We’ll keep you safe, Sofia Don’t worry"

I frowned and held up a hand "Hang on a sec Could so on? What research? What ‘zohtened "I’ve known about the zombies for several years, since shortly after Marcus was turned Pietro came to me with the offer to fund research in the hopes that I could either find a cure for it or find a way to manufacture a food substitute that would remove the need to consuh I iross as the whole zoave a sad shake of her head "There’s no way to re the host"

"Wait," I said "It’s not some sort of virus?"

"No, and I’ll explain why," she said, her face abruptly growing more animated Clearly this was a subject that excited her "You see, viruses infect to reproduce, whereas parasites infect to get a home, freeload, and live out their lives For the zombies that you see in the oing around trying to bite ate the infection But with you--the real zooal seems to be the host’s survival, and it’s pretty much hijacked your entire body to rimaced "No, wait I’m still confused A parasite…like tapeworrinned but it wasn’t anorance This was obviously her turf and a topic she relished "Here’s the thing," she said "Parasites and viruses share some basic traits--they both need to infect a host and use its resources to survive and reproduce, but their global outlook is very different A virus’s businessyour cellularany and all resources it can get its grubby hands on, until the host is either dead or its i virus out" She paused, tilted her head "Or into hibernation A lot of viral infections are actually perets used to them and forces them into retirement or hibernation, like chicken pox, herpes, warts, and hepatitis"

I shuddered "Seriously? I had chicken pox when I was a kid You’re saying I still have it?"

She chuckled "Actually probably not anymore, now that you’re a zombie But I’ll explain why that is in a second"

"Don’t feel bad, Angel," Marcus said "I’ve been through the sa it understandable"

"If you say so," I said, trying not to sound too doubtful