XXXII

Nabbed

Peach awoke with a start and wiped the line of slobber from her chin. The attendant was staring at her and Peach smiled at their shared experience of drooling on themselves. To her surprise, the attendant did not smile back. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was pulled back in a thin tight line. Off of Peach's confused look, she motioned with her eyes. Peach turned her head slowly in that direction and saw the purple rabbit with the menacing handkerchief over his face sitting right next to her. She yelped at the sudden sight of him and was immediately embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry," she said, her cheeks flushing. "I didn't expect anyone there."

He made no attempt at a response and kept his gaze fixed on the mint green wallpaper. He didn't move. His ears didn't twitch at the sound of her voice. It was as if she had said nothing at all and wasn't even there. He had set himself a new task and the new task was to watch the wallpaper in complete stillness. He would watch that wallpaper until the task was done and then, he would perform the task that he had been waiting very patiently to complete. But, for now, the wallpaper demanded attention and that other thing could wait.

Peach observed him for a moment. She disliked judging too hastily. She didn't know him or what he was going through. It is a cruelty to look down on others when the tower you're in is so high, she thought. She tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but his entire manner disturbed her. His stiff and rigid posture, his hands folded neatly in his lap, and the way he stared at the wall to the oblivion of all else. It was unnatural and performative. She realized that's what it was that unnerved her and it sent shivers down her spine. It was a performance that was meant for her. She looked at the attendant who motioned to the phone. Peach shook her head. She should at least be sure before having her call C-Sec.

"Why don't I move to- uh-give you some space." She got up and moved a few chairs over. Nabbit got up, followed, and sat right back down next to her. "Okay," she said, drawing out the vowels. "You're really starting to creep me out." She gave a nervous laugh but he said nothing. He continued to stare at the wall with those black needle-point eyes.

"Miss, excuse me," called the attendant in a breathless voice, which betrayed her rising panic. "I have an update on your request." Peach got up and approached the front desk. She cast a glance over her shoulder and saw that Nabbit, mercifully, stayed seated. She leaned in over the desk and the attendant spoke in a whisper. "He came in about ten minutes ago and has been sitting there ever since. I asked him if I could help him with something but he'd rather watch the paint dry."

Peach rolled her eyes. "After the day I've had," she whispered back, "it only makes sense to end it with a creep."

"Do you want me to call someone?"

She thought for a moment. Should she call C-Sec? The rabbit hadn't really done anything except play musical chairs. His actions were clearly threatening but as far as the police were concerned, they were just under the line of what could be considered an offense. Calling them might do more harm than good. "Yes," she said finally. "Call the Great Fox in Bay 17 when I leave. That way my team will know when to expect me. And it will avoid making a scene."

"You got it."

"So, what's the update on that sample?"

"I just said that to call you over. It should be done any…" She stopped short as a beep chimed on her monitor. "And there she is. Let's see." With a few taps on the keyboard, she leafed through the results. Her brow knitted as she read over the pages and she pushed her thick black glasses up the bridge of her nose, just to make sure she was reading things correctly. "Weird," she said as she finished her readthrough.

"What's weird?"

"You were right about contaminants," she said, scrolling again through the results. "And this one's a doozy. The sample contains dangerous levels of 5-cycloprotiferane."

"Come again?"

They heard a shuffle behind them and their heads snapped in that direction. Nabbit got up from his chair and exited the main lobby, the bell at the top of the door ringing his exit.

"I guess the paint finished drying," said the attendant with a shrug before returning back to her monitor.

"Lucky me," sighed Peach, though she wasn't relieved. "So about this cyclo thing."

"It came to market as a sleeping tablet called Mesmerex. Ever heard of it? The kids call it Zombie Dirt."

Peach shook her head.

"Anyway," the attendant said. "They discontinued it because it had this nasty side effect of hypnosis. If you hit the dose high enough, you could get someone to saw their own leg off and thank you for it."

"And I'm guessing the dose in that sample is high enough."

"That and then some. I know I shouldn't ask but where the hell'd you get it?"

"Somewhere it won't be found again."

"That's a relief. I wouldn't want to imagine what could happen if it got into the wrong hands." She gave Peach the vial back and she tucked it into the pocket of her hoodie.

"What do I owe you?"

"On the house," she said with a wave of her hand. It wasn't everyday she got to help a famous person, let alone a princess.

"The richer you are, the more free stuff you get," said Peach, shaking her head. She reached into her other pocket and pulled out her purse. The attendant's cheeks flushed red and she looked down at her keyboard. Peach placed a pile of coins on the desk and said, "If it's all the same to you, I'll pay you anyway."

The attendant nodded and took the appropriate amount, leaving the rest as change. Peach placed the change back in her purse and pocketed it. She thanked the attendant for her time and left, the bell ringing her exit.

The alleyway was completely dark by the time she left the Tubes and oddly vacant. The Citadel had completed its rotation towards the moon. She pulled at her collar at the chill that ran down her neck but there was no breeze. Hell, the ventilation barely worked in the Lower Decks. She remembered Mario's words about being out after dark and made haste down the alley. Her steps clacked loudly off the chrome walls, which was a far contrast to the bustling noises from earlier. It unnerved her and her steps quickened. She was almost at a jog when she crossed a side alley that was completely devoid of light.

Suddenly, a figure jumped out at her! In one quick motion, Nabbit threw the white sack over her head and wrapped his hand around her throat with a vice grip, choking off her windpipe. He dragged her back into the shadows before she ever had a chance to scream.