Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
The doctor didn’t take the bait. “That’s not your concern.”
When Owen wouldn’t give a straight answer, the doctor turned back to the women. “Do either of you have proof of identity?”
Yunice frowned slightly. Her ID was in her bag, which had gotten lost in the chaos earlier.
Elsie, on the other hand, sprang into action. She didn’t have her ID on her, but she knew Owen kept her personnel file-with a photocopy of her ID-in his office drawer.
She opened the drawer and pulled out the documents.
Just as she was about to hand them over, Owen slammed a hand down on hers and muttered, “Yunice is the one who reported the incident. She was the first point of contact. This isn’t a good thing-you don’t want to be her right now.”
Elsie’s expression froze. Even though Owen had seen right through her, she couldn’t let go of the chance to get out.
She quickly said, “Owen, didn’t you say we’re family? Families are supposed to help each other. If Yunice’s situation is that bad, then I should step up for her.”
And before Owen could stop her again, she handed the documents over.
The doctor glanced at the photocopy, comparing the picture and name. He nodded. “Got it. You’re Yunice.”
Then he pointed to a bag of protective gear on the nearby cart. “Change into that and come with us.”
Elsie beamed with joy, relieved her bluff had worked.
But as soon as she heard she was leaving, a sliver of anxiety crept in. “Sir, may I ask where I’m going? If you don’t explain, Owen will worry about me.”
The doctor was tight-lipped. “That’s classified. Get moving.”
That answer made her even more nervous.
She had assumed Wyatt might be trying to get Yunice out… but what if that wasn’t the case?
What if they weren’t here to release Yunice, but to send her, as the first point of contact, into Mr. Gerardo’s treatment unit?
If that was what was happening, then claiming her name might have just sealed her own fate.
Elsie hesitated at the doorway, torn between going and staying. She kept pestering the doctor, pleading for answers.
“Please, I promise I won’t tell anyone. I just… I don’t want Owen to worry, that’s all…”
Suddenly, she felt a tug at the back of her collar. Whipping around, she saw Yunice gripping her shirt, pulling her back before stepping forward and handing her phone to the doctor.
“I wasn’t lying,” Yunice said calmly. “My name is Yunice too.”
Though she’d lost her physical ID, Yunice had a scanned copy on her phone. She hadn’t shown it earlier-she’d been waiting to see how far Elsie would go, and what she could fish out of the situation.
Once it became clear that nothing useful could be gleaned, she stepped forward to verify her identity.
The most ironic part? While Yunice had changed her ID number, she hadn’t changed her name.
The doctor glanced between the two women, baffled all over again.
Then he stepped outside to contact someone via radio.
Meanwhile, Owen was deep in thought, analyzing everything.
Why did they need Yunice?
She was the first point of contact, yes-but she didn’t have a medical license, nor was she an official hospital employee. A specialized response team wouldn’t go out of their way to involve her in treatment.
And if the doctors were so tight-lipped about where they were taking her, then it had to be something secretive.
But what kind of situation required secrecy?
Something they didn’t want the public to know about.
Owen’s palm curled into a tight fist. His mind wandered to Wyatt, who’d been lingering outside the hospital this entire time.
Why was he just waiting there-not coming in, but not leaving either?
Could he really be planning to get Yunice out of this quarantine zone?
What kind of sleight of hand would Wyatt use to pull that off?
Owen’s eyes flicked toward the unopened bag of protective gear…
Just then, the doctor returned and pointed directly at Yunice. “Put on the gear. You’re coming with us.”
Panic surged through Elsie. “I’m Yunice!”
The doctor ignored her.
Watching the exchange, Owen grew more convinced that something was going on behind the scenes.
Otherwise, how could these people be so sure which one of them was the Yunice they wanted?
The fact that they still wouldn’t say where she was going-it had to mean Yunice was leaving this sealed facility.
The fewer people who knew, the better. If word got out that someone had been allowed to leave while others remained imprisoned, the backlash would be immense.
And this was the primary infection zone. No one could even say how many people would survive by the end. Who would be left to report that someone had slipped through the cracks?
This world was so unfair.
Owen was tense all over. His gaze lingered on the doctors who had moved on to the neighboring offices, busy verifying everyone’s identities and enforcing lockdown procedures.
They didn’t bother watching Yunice change. Once she was gone, Owen and Elsie would be sealed in the office too.
Pointing toward the break room, Owen said to Yunice, “There’s a lounge in there. You can change.”
Yunice picked up the gear, hesitant. She didn’t know what awaited her.
She suspected this was Wyatt’s doing-that he’d found a way to smuggle her out of Saunders Hospital.
Originally, she had planned to stay and fight alongside the others. But she decided not to act on her own. It was better to tip Wyatt’s plan.
If she wasn’t infected, great. If she was infected, she could at least serve as a live research subject for Wellinges Pharma-far better than dying here like a headless chicken.
She made her decision. She’d change into the gear and go with them.
As Yunice stepped into the lounge with the protective suit, Elsie watched with wide, despairing eyes.
It felt like someone had stolen her only chance at survival.
She looked pitifully at Owen, voice trembling. “Owen…”
Owen’s fists clenched and unclenched. He wanted to say he was sorry.
But seeing her pale, terrified face, something inside him cracked.
Elsie was his youngest sister. He couldn’t just stand there and watch her die.
She was so young, so obedient, so full of potential… She hadn’t even had a chance to shine. How could she die here for no reason?