The hospital where Gabriel Ibarra was hospitalized didn't have the same uncomfortable silence as San Elías. Here there was noise, doctors crossing hallways, family members arguing in hushed tones. Life.

  Volkov and Novak walked straight to the reception desk.

  "Detectives," Volkov said, showing his ID. "We need to speak with Gabriel Ibarra before any transfer."

  The receptionist hesitated.

  "The transfer has already been authorized."

  "Not by him," Novak replied firmly.

  Minutes later, they were in front of room 312.

  Gabriel Ibarra didn't look frail. His arm was immobilized and he had bandages on his torso, but his eyes were wide awake. Too wide awake.

  When he saw Volkov, his expression changed from distrust to urgency.

  "Are you the detective?" he asked.

  "Marek Volkov."

  Gabriel looked toward the door before speaking.

  "I'm not going to San Elías."

  "Why?" Novak asked.

  Gabriel swallowed.

  “Because Helix manages it.”

  Silence fell immediately.

  Volkov didn't react with surprise. He just moved a little closer.

  “Explain.”

  Gabriel took a deep breath, as if deciding how much to risk.

  “I worked on the construction site where the collapse happened. It wasn't an accident. The materials were defective. They knew it.”

  Novak discreetly activated the recorder on his phone.

  “Who knew?”

  “Supervisors. Engineers. And people who never even set foot on the construction site… but signed everything.”

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  Volkov kept his voice calm.

  “What does that have to do with the hospital?”

  Gabriel gritted his teeth.

  “After the collapse, people came to ‘help’ us. Lawyers, representatives. They said Helix would cover the medical expenses. That they would transfer us to specialized centers.”

  “Saint Elias,” Novak said.

  Gabriel nodded.

  —Two colleagues agreed. They said it was better care. One died within a week. The other… stopped answering calls.

  Volkov took another step closer.

  “Did they pressure you into accepting the transfer?”

  “They came today. They told me my treatment would be faster there. That they didn’t have the resources here.”

  “Did you sign anything?” Novak asked.

  “No.”

  Gabriel looked directly at Volkov.

  “Because I overheard something.”

  The atmosphere grew tense.

  “What did you hear?” Volkov asked.

  “Last night. Two men talking outside my room. One said that if I ‘remembered too much,’ it would be a legal problem. The other replied that they knew how to handle those cases at St. Elias.”

  Novak felt a chill.

  “Did you recognize either of them?”

  “One was a lawyer from Helix. I saw him after the accident.”

  Volkov remained silent for a few seconds.

  “Gabriel, what exactly do you remember about the collapse?”

  The man closed his eyes for a moment.

  “Before the structure collapsed… someone yelled for them to stop the work. That the beams weren’t secured. But the supervisor said to keep going. That it had already been inspected.”

  He opened his eyes.

  “It wasn’t a mistake. It was a decision.”

  Footsteps in the hallway.

  Volkov glanced toward the door.

  A man in a dark suit was approaching, accompanied by a hospital administrator.

  “Time,” Novak murmured.

  Gabriel clutched the sheets.

  “Don’t let them take me there.”

  Volkov made a decision in seconds.

  “Don’t sign anything. Don’t accept any new medication without an independent doctor reviewing it. And if they try to transfer you without your consent, that’s illegal.”

  The man in the suit entered without knocking.

  “Detectives,” he said with a professional smile. “I’m the legal representative for Helix Urban Group. This patient needs better facilities.”

  “He doesn’t want to be transferred,” Volkov replied.

  The lawyer looked at Gabriel with feigned kindness.

  "Sometimes patients don't understand what's best for them."

  Volkov held his gaze.

  "And sometimes companies don't understand what's illegal."

  The air in the room grew heavy.

  The lawyer offered a faint smile.

  "I hope you're not interfering with a medical decision."

  "No," Volkov replied. "We're preventing a potential crime."

  The man adjusted his tie.

  "Careful, detective. Accusing someone without evidence can be problematic."

  Volkov took a half step toward him.

  "Dying without an identity is, too."

  The lawyer didn't reply. He just looked at Gabriel.

  "Reconsider your decision."

  And he left.

  Silence hung in the air.

  Novak looked at Volkov.

  "They're going to try something else."

  Volkov nodded.

  "Yes."

  He looked back at Gabriel.

  "And it won't be legal."

  As they left the room, Novak spoke quietly:

  "If Helix controls St. Elias, then the hospital is part of the cover-up."

  Volkov didn't take his eyes off the hallway.

  "He doesn't just control it."

  "What do you mean?"

  Volkov replied emotionlessly:

  "He needs it."

  And if Gabriel survived long enough to testify…

  The structure Helix had built over the years would begin to crack.