Episode1:The Unexpected Call
831 Words
The clock on the wall ticked faintly, each second marking Addison Burke’s final hours before her much-anticipated vacation. The sterile white walls of the hospital lab glowed under the fluorescent lights as Addison typed furiously on her computer, logging the results of her final round of tests. Her scrub top hung loosely on her shoulders, a reminder of the long hours and little sleep that had defined the week.
She sighed, her fingers hesitating on the keyboard. Just three more entries, and I’m free for ten whole days. The thought brought a flicker of relief, like the first sip of coffee after a grueling shift.
Her phone buzzed on the counter, and she glanced at the screen. Dr. Markson. Addison’s stomach sank. She swiped to answer.
“Dr. Burke,” her boss’s voice crackled through the speaker, brisk and businesslike as always.
“Good evening, Dr. Markson,” Addison replied, already bracing herself for the inevitable.
“I know you’re supposed to leave for vacation tomorrow, but I need you to stay late tonight.”
The words hit like a sucker punch. “Tonight?” she repeated, hoping she’d mishear.
“There’s an urgent case. The Henderson file. I need your expertise on the cultures we’re running. It can’t wait.”
Addison’s grip tightened on the phone. “But, sir, I’ve already—”
“Addison,” he cut her off, his tone softening just enough to feel like a pat on the head. “You’re the best we’ve got. You understand the stakes here.”
“Of course,” she replied, biting back the frustration bubbling in her chest. “I’ll be there.”
“Thank you,” he said, already moving on. “Send me your updates by midnight.”
The line went dead.
Addison stared at the blank screen for a moment, her shoulders slumping. She pulled off her gloves and shoved them into the disposal bin with a little more force than necessary. Her vacation wasn’t officially canceled, but it felt like a thread unraveling.
The sound of her ringtone startled her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the caller ID: Pete. Her younger brother rarely called unless it was something big—or he needed to vent.
“Hey, Pete,” she said, forcing a smile into her voice.
“Addy!” Pete’s voice came through loud and fast, already thick with frustration. “I swear, this job is going to kill me.”
“Good evening to you too,” Addison replied, leaning back against the counter. “Rough day?”
“Try rough month.” Pete sighed heavily. “Ross has been on my back all week about this patent. He’s obsessed, Addy. Katrina Sawyer this, Katrina Sawyer that. Do you know she’s apparently on some secluded beach somewhere? And guess who gets to track her down? Yours truly.”
Addison chuckled softly, despite herself. “Pete, you knew what you were signing up for when you started working for Justin Ross.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Pete grumbled. “But I didn’t sign up to be his personal bloodhound. He’s got more resources than the NSA—he can find this Sawyer woman himself.”
“What’s so special about this patent anyway?”
“Something about revolutionary battery tech. I don’t know. It’s the next big thing, apparently, and Ross wants it before anyone else can get their hands on it.”
Addison could hear the exhaustion in her brother’s voice, and a pang of guilt tugged at her. He worked harder than anyone she knew, but in the high-stakes world of billionaires, hard work often went unnoticed.
“Listen,” she said gently, “you need to set boundaries with him, Pete. You can’t run yourself into the ground over this job.”
“I know,” Pete said, though his tone made it clear he wasn’t convinced. “But if I pull this off, I could finally get that promotion. Maybe even a raise.”
“Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself, okay?” Addison said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Pete replied, his voice softening. “How about you? Ready for your big getaway?”
Addison hesitated. “About that...”
“Oh no,” Pete groaned. “Don’t tell me Dr. Markson roped you into something again.”
“It’s just one case,” Addison said, though she didn’t entirely believe it herself. “I’ll still make my flight. Probably.”
“Addy,” Pete said, his voice full of exasperated affection, “you need to stop being so damn reliable.”
“I’ll work on that,” she said with a smile.
As the call ended, Addison stared at her reflection in the glass cabinet. The faint circles under her eyes, the stray wisp of hair escaping her ponytail—it all told the same story. Duty came first, always.
But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this time she might regret it.
- Writer
