Neither side expected a phone call could have such an impact on their emotions.
Seated on the floor, Millie was talking with the others, trying not to think that maybe there were zombies near them, that everything was alright.
And she was quite successful.
Zombies were far away, worries could wait.
The vibration of her phone broke that little peace of mind she had.
They had.
In an instant, everyone's attention were on this phone.
She didn't recognise the number, but if someone called her... It was positive, right ?
So she answered without a second though.
"Hi ?"
"Millie."
"Dad ?"
Just his voice was enough to astonish her.
Just her word was enough to astonish the others.
Arthur could feel his heavy heart turn a bit lighter.
At least she was alive.
Millie felt the hand holding the phone was shaking, but she didn't care.
All that was happening now was expressed in her sparkling eyes.
"Wounded ?"
"No."
"Where are you ?"
"In the hospital."
Arthur's eyes turned cold.
He perfectly knew the situation in this city.
And she was in the middle of all this.
Millie, who had shown only a few tears since the beginning of this nightmare, felt her throat tighten now.
With a shaking voice, she told, without her father asking, what had happened to her since the appearance of the first zombie.
Arthur listened attentively, and did not interrupt her at any moment.
Not only did he gain valuable information about his daughter's situation, but it reassured him to hear her voice.
After several days without news and weakening hopes, he needed at least this to calm his own anxieties.
From the beginning of the call, the man sitting in front of Arthur stared at him with big eyes.
The chances of survival were dwindling by the hour and yet ...
While still not recovering from his surprise, Millie continued her monologue.
"And so I changed the baby for the first time. It was really disgusting. And right after ... Oh! I must pass you someone! "
Without giving her time to react, she slipped the phone into her older sister's hand before she signaled her to speak.
Arthur waited patiently on the other end of the line, not knowing what his daughter had in mind.
"Hello? "
Her father, always impassible, suddenly froze.
His shock was betrayed only by a slight movement of the left eyebrow, but his neighbor noticed it immediately.
Although his attitude changed for a mere seconds, it was enough to know that something important had happened.
"... Nora? "
This time, the man facing him had his mouth open, completely flabbergasted.
'Not only his youngest daughter survived ... but also his eldest? The one for whom everything seemed lost ?! But this is a miracle! It's unbelievable! '
"Hello, Dad. How are you ?"
Arthur's eyebrow twitched. 'Shouldn't I be the one to ask this ?'
Well, his daughters' manners didn't surprise him anymore.
"Fine. You ?"
Nora thought about it. Now her body wasn't the same, and they were not in a situation called safe, so...
"Still mostly alive."
The group around her stared awkwardly at her.
Was that a reassuring sentence to say to her father ?
Arthur frowned. His daughter's choice of words seem a bit wrong.
"Explain."
Contrary to Millie, who talked a lot about her days in the hospital room, Nora made a concise summary about the situation they were in.
She didn't hide anything about her own body condition and retell everything properly.
The only thing she didn't mention was Shane's threats and the treatment given towards her.
Not that she wouldn't enjoy that.
But Shane and the others went to a city full of dangers when they were not forced to, and rescued them when they didn't have to.
Even if this psycho lost a lot of points on Nora's good people list, she couldn't deny they helped them to get out.
That, and the fact it was quite a bad idea to be disliked by them when they didn't get out of this hell yet.
She wanted her revenge on Shane, yes, but a bit later.
When the gun and the zombies would be out of her sight.
And she wanted to do it herself, not let her father do it.
After Nora's explanation, Arthur stayed quiet.
He could send his men to rescue them.
But...
They weren't prepared to deal with zombies, and it could complicate the rescue.
And it would attract a lot of unwanted attention, too.
Those in the army would block the way as well.
To take them out of the city with both security and discretion was tricky.
But what reassured him was there was those four helpers there.
Of course, he didn't trust them, he wasn't a fool.
But they had enough capabilities to enter the city, go to the hospital and help them.
They had good chances to escape from this.
And...
Even if he couldn't do much while they were inside this mess, it didn't mean he was powerless.
He looked at his watch.
His preparations must be made thoroughly.
His gaze fell on the man in front of him.
'Looks like I'll make him work a bit.'
His neightbor felt suddenly an icy breeze on his neck.
'W-what was that ? Is the A-C broken ?'
Arthur asked for a few more details, and received quick answers.
"Go to the car and don't move from there."
Nora blinked.
"Why ?"
"You'll know when you see it."
Nora was speechless.
'It wasn't an answer, right ?'
"What are the risks ?"
Nora raised her head towards the guys before her.
"Is it sure we can escape safely ?"
Shane smiled.
"Do you think we're suicidal ? We took an armoured car, enough guns and munitions to last a whole month with those monsters, and basic necessities. There is always a risk, but as long as we're in the car, it will be greatly diminished."
Being given this reasoning, Arthur had to admit.
Those kids were prepared.
His bonus help will garanty his daughters safety to 100%.
"Be careful."
"We will. I'll call you back as soon as we get in the car."
"Mm. On this phone."
The man in front of him was about to cry.
It was his phone !
Did that mean he needed to accompany Arthur everywhere to recuperate it ?
Horrible !
Arthur hung up the phone and looked at it's owner.
"I'll give it back."
Stopping his tears, his neighbor smiled happily.
"If you work."
The smile disappeared.
"B-But I always work for you..."
"You have a warehouse near that city."
"Uh... yes, we're evacuating right n..."
"Don't."
"Why ?"
"We'll use your toys."
The tears came back.