~~~
Back in the hospital
~~~
Inside the ventilation duct, Nora was slowly but surely advancing.
As she predicted, Shane released her from her cuffs.
But she wasn't that happy though.
Because he put them back. This time it wasn't behind her back, but on the front.
Even if she could take of her gag, even if she moved quite good, she was still handcuffed.
And she ended up the first to go in that tunnel.
On her knees, with Shane right behind her.
While she tried to complain, he just said one sentence.
"We don't want someone dangerous behind us, plus you're quite a good scout for those zombies, right ?"
So she went first.
'That psycho !!! A scout for zombies ? Of course they'll detect me, with those cuffs, how could I be silent ? And he got a full view of my butt ! Pervert !'
Of course, all this was her inner thoughts.
She wouldn't dare to say it out loud.
But she was wrong on one thing.
Shane was actually more focused on their advance than on his sight.
Jamie was right behind him with the baby, followed by Daisy, Millie, Kyle and Jake.
He knew his little play with the cuffs could attract the zombies.
He wouldn't have done so if it was just to annoy Nora.
But he was actually trying to confirm a little idea he had.
When they entered the hospital, they used their guns to make the way safe.
But the zombies who came towards them didn't seem attracted because of this, but more because of their own movements and voices.
Right now too, there wasn't any sign of those zombies.
Maybe the duct didn't permit any sound to be eard, or the zombies didn't react.
If it was the second case, that would mean that zombies react only if it's a human sound, like a voice, and not a metallic one.
At least, it was a good thing for now.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Nora stopped advancing before him.
"Left or right ?"
" What ?"
Nora sighed, exasperated.
"Do I turn left or right ?"
"Left. I told you before, the sole time you need to turn, it will be to the left."
Nora started to advance again, but what Shane told her irritated her. And she started to mutter the thoughts she had since they started to crawl in here.
"Suuure, that's a good idea to place first someone who doesn't know the way. Smart."
When he heard that, a smile appeared on his face.
"No other choice, lil' monster."
As entertaining as she was, Shane couldn't pass the opportunity to aggravate the situation a bit further.
And to his joy, she continued.
"That's what you say. Who tells me it's the truth, huh ?"
"Still me. Could you go a bit faster ?"
"Who's fault is it if I can't ? You cuffed me !"
"Who's fault is it if you eat people ?"
"Only zombies ! I didn't eat you, right ?"
"Of course, I didn't let you try your luck."
"No you'd rather stay behind the butt of an honest and upright girl !"
"So that's what bothering you since we departed, uh."
"Yes !"
Shane stopped speaking for a few seconds, before he replied, thoughtful.
"Well, you don't have to be bothered. Your ass has a good shape, nothing to worry about."
"I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO LOOK !"
At that moment, Jamie intervened.
"Stop arguing, my son is sleeping !"
"Sorry, bro, she's overreacting."
"You... !"
"Shhh, Jamie said the baby's asleep, remember ?"
Nora could only close her mouth and lose the fight, while Shane kept smiling for the rest of their travel in the duct.
Half an hour later, Nora was the first to go out. She went to the side to let the others pass while she stretched her muscles.
So tiring.
A good thing was that little Shawn didn't wake up at all. Even now, he was peacefully snoring.
When everyone stood on their feet, they started to advance.
As this part of the hospital was still in construction, the bare walls and floors were full of tools and other necessities.
Apparently, the laborers had the time to run away, leaving everything behind.
If they succeeded in saving their lives, that is another story.
Shane made sure to stay besides Nora, but appart from that, he didn't mention the gag.
And now that he was right next to her, Nora remembered his sadistics tendencies and kept quiet.
Before, when she couldn't see him, it was still fine.
She knew it would be difficult for him to do anything.
But now...
It was best to stay silent. Just in case.
There wasn't any elevators here, so they had to use the stairs.
Their way out was much faster than when the boys went in, as they had to advance carefully, in case some zombies were there.
But hopefully for them, it was quite deserted inside, and the zombies on the other side of the hospital didn't come here yet.
They took care of those they met in entering, and now, their advance to go out was easier.
An hour later, they took their first break.
Shawn needed to get changed and feed, and the others took the opportunity to sit for a bit.
While Daisy and Jamie got busy around their son, Millie took this opportunity to ask :
"Sooo... Why did you take six hours to come ? We're already half-way, now, and we didn't take three hours to do so."
Jake scratched his head before he replied :
"Well, the time consuming thing was to ascertain there wasn't any zombies here. After that..."
"He torned his pants."
A blank look appeared on the three women's faces, while Jake was trying to explain what Kyle just said.
"Wait, it's not that !"
Shane smiled.
"It's exactly what happened, though."
"Yes, but it was a nail that was, uh, there and..."
"It was were you wanted to sit, and when you felt it, you stood up, too fast and it was too late. Bye, pants !"
"Shane !"
"What, isn't it what happened, Kyle ?"
Kyle calmly nodded.
"It took a while to sew."
Millie and Nora subconsciously looked at Jake's pants.
'They even took needle and thread with them ? Or is it improvised ? Is there still a hole ?'
Jake took a step back, embarassed.
"W-what ?"
The two sisters looked at each other before they smiled.
"Nothing ♪ "
~~~
At the same time, another place
~~~
In the capital, before an official building of the government, a middle aged man walked towards the single car parked in front of the building's doors.
He entered it promptly and without a single word, the chauffeur started the car and drove away.
The other man present in there stared at him for a while before he sighed.
"You're just out of interrogation. Why do I feel like you're looking for trouble, right now ?"
His neighbor didn't answer and just extended his hand.
While sighing again, the man accross him gave him a few stacks of paper.
"We're hurrying to your house. Even if she doesn't want to show it, sis-in-law is on the verge of collapse. Shouldn't you think of making her a bit reassured and let her have a rest ? "
After a few minutes, he got an answer.
"She's stronger than you think. What I do can help her."
"Ah."
"Is that all ?"
"Yes. All the survivors are listed here. Millie... Sorry."
"Her phone ?"
"No answers."
The old one."
"What ?"
"She's not used to her new phone. She still uses the previous one."
"She's a teen and she doesn't jump onto her new things ? Wait, why Laurene didn't tried it ?"
"Can't remember phone numbers."
"Seriously ? Why didn't she told me ?"
"So you didn't know."
"What, you both thought I already knew ? I can't guess that kind of thing !"
"Useless."
"Eh !"
"Phone."
"Eh ? Ah, yes, here."
Arthur Rainfrew took the phone handed over, and composed a number.
While they were waiting, the man in front of him had a lot of thoughts.
The possibility of Nora being alive was already inexistant.
While every hopes stayed on Millie, it wasn't optimistic at all.
He didn't want to shatter this, but...
Those children should be dead now.
But soon, his thoughts were proved to be wrong.
"Hi !"
"Millie."
"Dad ?"