Joe sat only a couple of meters away from Max and Aron as the two spoke in low, urgent tones. Even though there was chaos all around them, nurses shouting for supplies, doctors moving swiftly down the hallways, and whispers passing between onlookers, Joe could feel the desperation in the air like a heavy blanket pressing down on them all.
Most eyes were locked on the unusual team of doctors that had rushed in earlier, clearly not part of the regular hospital staff. Their presence alone had caused a commotion, the kind of attention that didn't go unnoticed. But Joe… Joe was focused on something else entirely.
He had caught part of the conversation, just enough to hear a name. A name that didn't just pass through his ears, but seemed to echo in his brain.
Stern? Stern? Joe pressed his fingers to his temples, furrowing his brow. Where have I heard that before? It rings a bell… but I can't quite put my finger on it.
