The room remained silent long after the call ended.
The faint beep from Noah's heart monitor suddenly sounded much louder than before.
Aiden was the first to move.
He picked up Noah's phone from the bedside table and stared at the blank screen.
"Call ended."
Matthew was already speaking to the federal agent in the hallway.
"Lock down every entrance to this floor."
"We're tracing the number now."
Within seconds, two more agents appeared outside Noah's room. The relaxed atmosphere that had settled over the hospital throughout the evening disappeared, replaced once again by quiet urgency.
Leon arrived less than fifteen minutes later.
Apparently Matthew had called him the moment the phone rang.
He walked into the room, his dark coat still damp from the cool night air.
"You received a call."
It wasn't a question.
Noah nodded.
Leon looked at Matthew.
"What did they get?"
"The number bounced through multiple encrypted relays."
Matthew sighed in frustration.
