"Hey, look, a freckle," Luffy whispered, poking the new brown spot on his arm with admiration.

"I think it's just a mole," Chopper replied, whispering too.

"What's the difference?" Luffy wondered, tilting his head to the side.

"Moles are darker and usually permanent," Chopper explained. "Freckles are usually lighter and a whole bunch of them in one place…"

"Freckles…" Luffy shook his head. "I knew someone with freckles."

"They're just a mutation of melanin," Chopper breathed out, "Usually from sun exposure."

"Okay, I believe you, but," Luffy drawled quietly, lying on his stomach in the tent. "How the hell do you know that? Why are you so smart?"

Chopper smiled, "I learned a lot in Versipellis."

"Ah," Luffy nodded.

"Didn't they teach you things in Deadhouse?" Chopper asked, his quiet voice nearly a squeak.

Luffy shook his head, "Nothing worth repeating, really." Luffy paused, "I did learn about edible bugs and plants. That was kinda fun once I got past the initial shock."

"What do you think is taking them so long?" Chopper asked, looking toward the tent zipper with worry.

Luffy sighed, "People love to talk in circles. They had to go get the people. The people have to ask other people to come look. The new people look and have questions. They ask our people. Our people answer. The other people join the new people and then they ask our people more of the same questions. Our people don't have any new answers so they repeat everything they've already said… on and on ad nauseum."

"And before you ask, No, I don't know what ad nauseum means but I do understand the feeling…" Luffy added.

Chopper laughed, shaking his head, "Yeah. Okay. I know what it means."

The tent opening was unzipped and Sanji poked his head in, "Guys, we're packing up."

"What? Why?" Chopper asked.

"They're closing this section. They're moving us to another lot." Luffy nodded wordlessly, collecting the items scattered through the tent and handing them to Sanji. "They haven't left yet," Sanji explained, "Stay quiet, stay hidden."

"Who's 'they'?" Chopper squeaked.

Luffy licked his lips, "Probably the people running this place."

"Hey," Sanji began unsurely. But he didn't continue. Sanji collected their things from the tent and climbed out, zipping it closed behind them.

"That dumbass is going to launch us into the back of the truck isn't he?" Chopper sighed.

Luffy nodded, snickering softly, "Yep."

And true to their prediction, the tent was untethered and tossed into the back of the truck, them inside. They heard arguing and the tent was unzipped. Usopp yanked them out, keeping them low and covered. He tossed the emptied tent back to the ground, "Fine. Alright. We'll leave the tent…"

"Not sure why," Franky rumbled, "It's not like our tent had dead people in it."

"It doesn't make sense to take the tent!" the official snapped. "There's a tent in your new lot!"

"Okay, okay," Nami sighed, "We get it. Lot number 5-22. We're going."

"Thank you," the official groaned. "Honestly, you're being rather difficult for no particular reason."

"I was attached to that tent," Zoro said, climbing up into the back of the raised truck. "But I'll move on, I'm sure."

"I'm sure," the official repeated, shaking his head. "Now go on. Everyone else is leaving. We want to shut this area down…"

Franky revved the truck engine and nodded, "Right. Got it. Thanks, brother."

Luffy and Chopper finally sat up as they pulled away. Franky drove slowly, teems of people attracted to the sound of his loud truck and the surprising procession of cars. It wasn't typical to move lots.

"Thanks for the ride," Clay said, shrugging. "I appreciate not having to walk."

"It's not a problem," Franky said, honking his ridiculously loud horn to amuse a group of children.

"Franky," Robin murmured, "Watch out for the little one on the right."

"Yeah," Franky nodded, "I see her."

"What lot did you get?" Usopp asked Clay.

Clay smiled, "Seems you won't be getting rid of me anytime soon, I'm 4-23."

"Good," Luffy said. "'Cause I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh, really? What can I do for you, Josè?"

Luffy scrunched up his face in confusion before remembering. He nodded, "Oh, yeah. Okay. Well, I've been meaning to ask, were your neighbors acting strangely?"

Clay nodded, "Oh, well, like I told the last guys, I-"

"Clay, I'm asking you now," Luffy said, his eyes wide and serious.

Clay sighed, his head bowing down, "Well, I mean, maybe…"

"You, uh, didn't eat anything she made recently did you?" Luffy pressed.

Clay's eyes widened, "Oh, well, I guess… maybe a week ago…"

Luffy nodded, "And how are you feeling?"

Clay reacted strongly to what Luffy had asked. He practically flung himself to the bed of the truck. He pressed his hand against his forehead and exclaimed loudly, "Oh my God! Am I going to die?!"

"Calm down," Sanji groaned, shoving Clay back up. "Sit down and be quiet a minute."

"I'm going to die because I was a fat ass that loved Mediterranean food…" Clay cried.

"Honestly," Robin said softly, "That's always how I intended to go."

"We're not planning on dying, guys," Luffy scolded. "Come on. Relax." Luffy scooted closer to Clay. "Answer me, how are you feeling?"

"Well, besides being incredibly stressed out I'm fine, I guess," Clay decided, gesturing with his hands as he spoke.

Luffy snickered in amusement, "Okay. Well if that changes let me know."

"Ya know, I feel kinda itchy myself," Usopp panicked, scratching at his skin.

"Shut up. Nothing's wrong with you," Zoro snapped, shaking his head.

"We're assuming the worst case scenario here to be fact," Chopper pointed out. "We have no indication that this isn't an isolated incident. I mean, do you know the normal appearance of decomposing bodies? I mean, I don't… I've seen bodies but…" Chopper shook his head and covered his eyes.

"One thing at a time," Nami agreed, holding her hands out peaceably. "Let's move into our new lot and get back to what we're supposed to be doing."

"Which was?" Clay asked, looking around.

Nami smiled sheepishly, "Well, uh, surviving…"

"I can drink to that," Clay announced, pulling a flask from his bag.

"My God, man," Zoro wheezed, "Where did you get that?"

Clay smiled and handed the flask to Zoro, "Oh, you'd be amazed at what I have up my sleeve, muscle-boy."

Zoro chugged greedily from the flask, "Got another one of those?"

Clay twisted in place, "Oh, muscle-boy, I don't but I can get some more."

Zoro nodded in approval, "Let's do it. Do it. Can't wait."

"Should we be sharing drinks?" Usopp whispered, gesturing with his finger over his throat.

Zoro shrugged, "If liquor kills me, it's how I wanted to go."

"It's not like I have anything to catch," Clay said, locking eyes with Usopp. "I'm not contagious."

"Oh, no, that's, uh, not what I meant," Usopp backtracked.

"So, why are you two hiding from the government?" Clay asked, gesturing to Chopper and Luffy.

"Huh?" Sanji murmured, looking around in confusion.

"How do you know?" Luffy asked, narrowing his eyes.

Clay laughed, "Ya'll were hiding in the tent. Why?"

"Human trafficking risks," Robin said with a shrug. "Keeping the children safe from prying eyes."

Luffy scrunched up his nose, "Children? I ain't a children…"

"Shush," Zoro murmured, kicking Luffy softly with his foot. "Leave it."

"Nami," Clay said suddenly as he stood, "Come with me."

"Why?" Usopp asked.

Clay made a face, "Because we're going to go use our girlish charm to get some more liquor or beer. Or better yet, both."

"Well, at least one of you has the charm down," Sanji muttered, shaking his head.

Robin snapped her fingers in warning, "Don't insult Nami. She's young and probably cares too much about what people think about her."

Nami smiled, "Nah. I'm good."

Robin smiled, "Oh thank goodness."

"I wasn't talking about Nami," Sanji insisted.

Robin rolled her eyes, "Duh. Thank you, Sanji."

"I'm surrounded by morons," Chopper sighed.

Robin nodded, "Tell me about it." Chopper pulled his backpack off and walked over to Robin, climbing into her lap. He snuggled up against her. Robin shook her head, "Aren't you hot?"

Chopper nodded, "Yeah, but I'm sleepy."

Robin smiled, "Alright." She rocked the small child back and forth, ignoring how unnaturally warm his skin was. "Go to sleep…"

"You should rock me to sleep Zoro," Luffy decided, crawling between Zoro's legs.

Zoro sat up in surprise, scooting back as Luffy poured into his lap. "Whoa! Hey! I'm not a chair…"

Luffy snickered, "I know you're not a chair." Luffy pointed a thin arm toward Robin and Chopper. "I wanna do that."

Zoro's face reddened. He was glad that Luffy was looking the other way and that he could blame the color on the heat. Zoro grumbled in complaint, "I ain't your mama. Go somewhere else…"

Luffy grunted loudly in disappointment. He crawled away, looking from person to person. Robin frowned, looking down at Chopper as he fell asleep. She was just about to apologize for not having any room when Franky finally spoke up, "Alright, brother. This is super weird for me, but come on…"

Luffy smiled in triumph. He crawled across the tent floor and into Franky's lap. He leaned across his broad chest and snuggled up against his scarred, severed arm. Franky patted Luffy awkwardly before finally giving it his best shot. He realized he was smiling down at Luffy and quickly cleared his throat, "Ain't a children, my ass."

"Didn't wanna play mom, Zoro?" Sanji teased, lighting a cigarette.

Zoro groaned, "Hell no." He looked down at his hands and shook his head, "It's too hot to be touching like that…"

"They're sleeping heavy," Usopp realized.

Robin stroked Chopper's little nose, "Aren't they cute?"

Usopp chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before responding, "They're all sweaty."

"It's hot as balls out here!" Franky rumbled. "Yeah. They're sweaty. I'm sweaty."

Usopp nodded and turned back to watching the other lots. Zoro and Sanji looked up, their eyes meeting at the exact same time. Something unspoken travelled between them.

"I'm going for a walk," Sanji claimed, shoving his bandaged hand into his pocket.

"Okay, cool," Usopp called after him. "Check on Nami and Clay if you're headed that direction."

Sanji nodded, "Will do."

The next week was rather uneventful on the surface. A summer cold was spreading through the survivors. The heat kept their activity to a minimum. They slept in shifts, the two assets only allowed to walk around in the dead of night and early, dark morning. It was impossible to craft a plan in such congested quarters. The camp was overcrowded and loud and uncomfortable, and, unsurprisingly, very unsafe.

Bad news came shortly after. The next delivery of supplies had been postponed. The officials assured everyone it was temporary, but shipment day came and went three times without any new deliveries. The food crisis devastated the already low morale.

They'd just taken a vote and decided to leave the next morning when it happened.

"Hey, guys!" Clay shouted, running over to their lot.

It was Sanji and Usopp's watch. Usopp had fallen asleep and Sanji was nowhere to be found. Usopp startled awake, clutching his rifle, "Yeah? What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's the elderly couple in 5-o-9," Clay explained, "They're dead."

"Oh, shit," Usopp gasped. "How?"

"What's going on?" Zoro asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes and pulling his pack closer.

"Those old folks in 5-o-9," Clay repeated, "They're fucking dead. Like, murdered, dead."

"Murdered?" Luffy asked, jumping to his feet.

"There's blood everywhere," Clay breathed into his hands. "It's disgusting."

"Where's Sanji?" Zoro asked, narrowing his eyes.

Usopp shrugged guiltily, "Uhhh… well…"

Sanji walked up behind Clay, scaring the other man when he suddenly spoke, "Pack up. We're leaving right now."

"What's going on?" Franky asked, patting his pocket and searching for his keys.

"Code red," Sanji murmured, extinguishing his cigarette and placing it behind his ear.

"Did we establish a color coded system of warnings?" Usopp asked.

Luffy shrugged, "Red's my favorite color. Is it bad or not?"

"It's bad," Sanji breathed out, grabbing supplies and throwing them in the back of the truck. "Move your asses."

"Handsome," Clay called out, "What's going on?"

Sanji looked from Clay to the others before growling in frustration, "Pack your shit. If you don't come with us you're gonna die."

"Huh?" Clay arched his brows, "What did you see?"

"Care to share, Wonderboy?" Franky grunted, helping Robin pack her belongings.

"Later," Sanji snapped, throwing the rest of their stuff into the bed of the truck. "Come on ladies. Get inside quickly," Sanji ushered Nami and Robin into the truck. He turned toward Chopper and beckoned him closer, "Chopper. Now."

Franky started the ignition. Sanji flinched, shaking his head, "So fucking unnecessarily loud."

"I don't get it," Luffy admitted, climbing into the truck bed after Zoro. "I don't feel like I'm in danger."

Sanji was the last in the truck. He slapped the roof and nodded, "Go Franky. Don't stop for anything."

Franky turned around to complain about the violence to his truck but he swallowed his words. Sanji was bleeding. There was blood dripping from his bandaged hands; a wound on his shoulder. Franky nodded, "A'ight. Ain't stopping for nothing."

There were screams a few rows down. Robin turned to Franky, her eyes meeting his. Franky parked. He turned to Sanji with a scowl. Sanji panicked, "What are you doing? Drive…"

Franky shook his head in refusal, "Are these people in danger?"

Sanji nodded, "We're all in danger."

"This place is full of families," Robin pointed out. "We can't just drive off and save ourselves."

Sanji thumped his head against the roof of the truck, "They're culling."

"Culling?" Luffy asked, crouching in the truck bed.

"Why?" Clay asked, furrowing his brow.

Sanji hesitated before dropping down into a crouch, "There's infection."

"Zombies?" Usopp blurted out, shaking his head. "How?"

"They're not zombies."

"Then what?" Chopper asked.

Sanji licked his lips before answering, "It's a sickness…" Sanji shook his head, "I'm not sure. It's something different…" Sanji paused a moment, "They've started going after everyone who was sick…"

"Wasn't it a cold?" Robin questioned. "Is that what people are worried about? Is it something else?"

"I don't wanna kill normal people," Luffy whispered, grabbing Zoro's shoulder. "We should go."

Zoro nodded, "It's okay. I don't think we're going to get involved."

"We're not?" Robin asked.

Franky shrugged, "I don't particularly feel like starting a bigger fight."

"That's right," Nami agreed. "If we interfere, it might turn into something bigger."

"So, let me get this straight," Usopp breathed out. "We're going to run away and let unarmed people get mowed down in bed?"

"Damn it," Zoro snapped. "Franky, drive to the armory."

"Huh?"

Zoro grimaced as he repeated himself, "Drive to the armory. We can't do shit if we're unarmed."

Sanji sighed, "No need." He began to hand out weapons. "I grabbed these while I was there earlier."
"Convenient," Zoro murmured, grabbing both machetes. "These were probably mine to begin with."

Sanji nodded, "They were. They were right next to my pistols."

"You're armed," Clay said, "What now? An old west style shootout?"

Sanji and Zoro leapt from the truck bed. Zoro shook his head as Luffy moved to follow, "We'll meet you guys at the gate."

"But…"

"Wait a minute…"

"I don't know if that's a good idea…"

Luffy nodded, "Okay. Meet you at the gate."

Zoro smiled, "Yeah."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Usopp asked.

Luffy nodded, "Hell yeah it is."

"We should stick together," Nami groaned.

"Franky, drive to the gate," Luffy instructed. "I have a feeling that getting out isn't going to be as easy as we thought."

"Don't you think we're overreacting?" Clay suggested. "I mean, do we know for sure that that's what's happening?"

"Sure, we could be wrong. This could be an isolated incident or a false alarm or whatever," Franky replied. "But I'd rather overreact than fucking die."

"But look around," Nami argued. "Do you see people going around killing people? Everyone's asleep. Nothing's going on…"

"I'd trust what Sanji says before I'd trust what I see," Luffy insisted.

"Worst case scenario," Robin explained, "We're up too early and the day is going to be very long."

"You mean best case scenario," Franky murmured.

"Do I?" Robin wondered, tapping her chin.

"Yeah, baby," Franky breathed out, slowing down. ""Cause it's looking less likely by the minute."

"What do you see?" Usopp asked, leaning forward.

"Just a blockade," Franky replied.

"But we're not even close to the gate," Nami pointed out.

Franky nodded, "Yeah. I know. That's the problem."

"I'll go see what's going on," Luffy offered.

Usopp pushed him back down, "Hell no. You're staying put. I'll go."

Franky pulled up to the blockade and parked. "Alright. Be careful."

"Ah. I really don't wanna go alone," Usopp groaned, slowly jumping to the ground. "I think I might throw up… I mean, what's going on here?"

"Settle down," Clay breathed, following. "I'll come with you."

"Ah, thank you," Usopp murmured gratefully. "Awesome."

"Not sure what I'll do if there's a problem, but I did take martial arts as a kid."

Usopp nodded, "Great. Remember anything?"

Clay shrugged, "Well… I'm a professional dancer. I could probably strangle a man between my thighs…"

Nami snapped her fingers, "Hell yes. That's right."

"Hello?" Clay called out, stepping over the sand-filled barrels blocking the road. "It's Clay Bon. Lot number 4-23."

"Maybe we can drive around it?" Usopp wondered, walking around the barrels.

"Hello?" Clay yelled loudly, waving his arms over his head. "Hello! Anyone home?"

"You're gonna wake everyone up," Usopp reasoned, shaking his head.

Clay shrugged, "Okay. Fine. I don't care." Clay spun in a circle, pushing himself up on the toes of his feet. "Hello! My friends, where have you gone?!"

Finally, with his lips pursed together, Clay unzipped one of the tents. He peered inside before straightening up, his hands on his hips. He turned around, looking from Usopp to the truck, "There's no one home."

"Really?" Usopp was surprised. He walked over to the nearest tent and unzipped it. It took only a moment to realize the tent was empty. "No one's here…"

"Maybe they moved," Chopper suggested.

Usopp's face twisted with terror, "Oh no… what if… what if… Oh, shit! I can't even decide what the hell I'm supposed to be scared of now!"

"Get back in the truck, we'll go around," Franky instructed, gesturing.

"Wait…"

Franky turned around to look at Luffy, "What?"

"Check the next row," Luffy instructed, hopping out the back of the truck. He jogged a row over and began to search the tents. He shook his head, murmuring to himself as he moved from one to the other. "Usopp, Chopper, come with me."

"Chopper?" Robin worried, looking toward the young boy in concern.

"He's not human," Luffy explained. "I need him."

"I'm human. I'm very mortal," Usopp breathed out.

Luffy snickered, slapping Usopp's back, "But I might need your bangbang."

"Alright, dang it," Usopp grabbed a rifle from the truck bed and handed it to Nami. "Remember what I taught you? Hold it down so it doesn't bounce up and knock your teeth out. Aim and shoot."

"I do not remember," Nami panicked. "Don't leave me with it. Oh God. Wait, Usopp!"

"You get the gate open," Luffy instructed, meeting Franky's gaze. "No matter what."

"Got it," Franky agreed. "Come on, Clay. Hop in."

Clay shook his head, "I'll stay with these two. I'm worried about them."

Nami groaned, "Don't be. It'll only encourage him."

"Don't I get a gun?" Robin asked, looking around.

Franky shook his head, "Robbie, baby, I don't know if that's the best idea."

"Why not?" Robin asked, offended.

Franky smiled, "You're dangerous, that's why, baby."

"Fair enough," Robin sighed, taking the cattle prod that Nami handed her.

"See you at the gate," Luffy said, smiling at Franky.

"Yeah, buddy," Franky sighed. "See ya at the gate."

"Where are we going?" Usopp whispered, following after Luffy.

Luffy checked a few more tents before turning around to speak with the others, "There's nobody here."

"Yeah. I noticed. What about it?" Clay asked.

"There should be people here."

"We were moved," Chopper pointed out. "Maybe they were too?"

"Maybe."

"But that's not what you think happened…" Clay realized.

Luffy shook his head, "I think Sanji saw something very bad."

"Handsome was hurt," Clay added. "There was fresh blood on him."

"Oh, sweet Jesus," Usopp prayed. "Protect me from whatever lurky monsters are out there waiting to eat my delicious meat…"

Chopper inhaled deeply, "I don't smell… well, anything…"

Luffy nodded in agreement, "Me neither."

"Smell?" Clay shook his head. "It smells horrible out here."

"Well, yeah, but I mean like…" Luffy shrugged, "Never mind."

"Let's find Sanji and Zoro," Usopp suggested. "So we can get the heck outta here."

"You mean let's find the people," Clay corrected.

Usopp shrugged, "Yeah. That too. But only if they're still people. I don't wanna find no werewolves or zombies or whatever the fuck else there is out there…"

"I'd say something comforting, but I feel like reality is too terrifying for that," Clay sighed. "But I've never seen a werewolf if that counts for anything."

"It doesn't, but thank you," Usopp whispered. "It's too late for that…"

There was a bright onslaught of light. Suddenly the entire compound was brightly lit. Large stadium lights flooded the ground, blinding them in the darkness of night. Luffy crouched down, covering his eyes with his arm, "What is that?!"

Usopp shoved Chopper roughly, throwing him to the ground. He ducked beneath a car, doing his best to hide. Clay dropped down next to him, squinting in the sudden brightness.

"What's going on?!" Chopper squeaked.

Usopp propped his gun on his thigh, "Shit. Shit's going down."

Author's Note: Hello! Thank you for reading "Deadhouse". I love you guys. You've been truly awesome and supportive. And I love my feedback. I read your comments and they inspire me to keep going. That said, I will be taking a short break in April. It's my son's 10th birthday coming up and I also have two big travel events. I *will* post if able, but if not, I will continue in May. Thanks for the understanding. I hope to have your continued readership.

Cheers,

YamatosSenpai