Hughes still cared about Thomas's situation and, after waiting several days without any news, he pulled Thomas's information from the system. After noting it down, he found someone unaffiliated with the FBI to inquire what had happened to him.
However, the results were very bad. Thomas had been missing for several days. His neighbor said he hadn't been home for several days, his phone had been turned off, and his family couldn't reach him, even reporting him missing to the police.
When Hughes received the news, he found it somewhat unbelievable. A middleman was no minor player; such a person must have credibility, status, and the ability to be recognized by all parties. Could such a person just disappear? Although many people went missing in the United States every year, the disappearance of such a person at this time made it hard not to think of some unpleasant things.
