Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Should she call?
Would he blame her if she didn’t?
Probably not. She was just a stand-in, after all. There were countless people in the world who looked like her. If he ever missed her, he could always find someone else who looked like that woman.
Her battery dropped from 3% to 2%. Her heart skipped a beat.
She pressed call.
The phone rang. Each tone felt like a high heel driving straight into her heart – sharp and suffocating.
She didn’t know if Wyatt had finished his meeting. She didn’t even know if he’d see the call.
Then, on the third ring, his voice came through.
“I’m almost home.”
He still thought she was at Pavilion Hall.
Yunice’s throat tightened. She meant to tell him everything. But when the words reached her lips, they changed.
“Wyatt… there’s an old woman named Melina at the Jamerson Center. She’s my best friend’s grandmother. Could you have someone send her food and clothes now and then? Make sure no one bullies her.”
Wyatt didn’t sense anything wrong. He just thought she was being sentimental.
“Sure,” he said easily.
It was nothing to him-one call, and it’d be done.
Yunice added, “And Gill’s deli… she’s had people messing with her lately, jealous of her business. They even tried trashing her stall.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Her shop’s near the Northvale site, right? I’ll tell the crew to start buying lunch from her. Sound good?”
Yunice smiled. “Yeah.”
Then she fell silent.
She went over everything in her head. There was no one else she needed to ask about. No loose ends.
Carl would be fine – his position was untouchable.
Her brother… he was in healthcare. He’d understand.
Her phone dropped to 1%.
Wyatt finally noticed something was off. He eased off the gas and frowned.
“You’re at Pavilion Hall, right?”
Yunice didn’t answer the question.
“My phone’s about to die,” she said softly. “It might shut off any second now.”
Wyatt’s voice deepened. “You’re not at Pavilion Hall?”
He immediately tapped the car’s built-in dialer.
Jordan picked up on the second ring, confused as ever. “Madam went to see Mr. Gerardo at the hospital, didn’t she?”
Wyatt’s eyes narrowed.
He didn’t yet know Mr. Gerardo was about to become the country’s first confirmed case.
He spun the wheel, turned the car around, and said only: “I’m going to the hospital.”
Yunice’s phone was counting down its final seconds.
Her voice came through, quiet and clear: “Drive safe, okay? Don’t rush.”
Then – click.
The line went dead.
Wyatt tried to call her back. The robotic voice came on. The number you’ve dialed is currently unavailable…
He floored it.
But halfway there, Yunice’s voice echoed in his mind – “Don’t rush.”
He laughed bitterly and let off the gas.
Near the hospital, traffic came to a dead stop.
He waited five minutes. Nothing moved.
He didn’t hesitate – drove into the emergency lane, parked, grabbed the charger from the console, and took off on foot.
But the closer he got, the stranger things became.
The sidewalks were empty.
Saunders Hospital’s gate was shut tight.
Cars were being let in, but none were leaving.
Each vehicle was stopped, checked, and rerouted.
He watched men in full hazmat suits exit one of the ambulances.
His chest went cold.
He remembered the way Yunice sounded on the phone. The strange requests. The sudden concern.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
He didn’t rush the gates. He backed off and started making calls.
Through a private channel, Wyatt confirmed the truth. Saunders Hospital had just reported the first case of an unknown, highly infectious disease.
The entire facility – doctors, nurses, patients, even visitors – was now sealed inside.
Signal jammers were already in place.
No calls in. No calls out. Only old-school pagers would work now.
Wyatt knew if he didn’t get Yunice out now, it might be impossible later.
He didn’t waste time.
He called the emergency task force directly.
“I’ll donate ten billion in medical supplies,” he said flatly. “In exchange, I want one person out of Saunders Hospital. I’ll also dispatch a private medical team for safe containment and transport. There won’t be any risk of exposure.”