Virtual IP setup Problem

[Madhur]

I am trying to run multiple network nodes (A, B, C, D and E). Each
node requires unique IP address to be assigned. Due to crunch of linux
machines at home, I planned to use Virtual IP, running A, B, C and D
on Machine 1 and E on Machine 2. An IP packet is expected to travel
from D to C, C to B and B to outside network. On the other way around
from the outside network -> B, B->C and C->D. Lets I ping a machine
in the outside network. I can see the packet traversing D->C, C->B B-
>outside network and on the way around outside network ->B, B->C, C-
>D, but the ping response is not shown at command prompt. This means
the packet is getting dropped at the IP stack of Machine 2.
When I had close look at the packets, I could observe that packets
which are coming out from C->D were with Ethernet MAC address being
all zeroes. This might be the cause of IP packets getting dropped. Is
there a solution I can avoid so that packets are not dropped. When I
start doing pinging C from D, ping packets from the outside network
gets displayed. For time being temporary solution, I start redundant
ping which keeps pinging C from D.
This problem is almost killing my multiple node issue. I kindly
request for help.