THE NEW CIRCLE

The morning sun cast a weak light through the drawn curtains of Philip’s apartment. He sat at his desk, staring at the chaotic jumble of papers and files scattered before him. His mind was heavy with the events of the previous night—the cryptic warning, the shadowy figure, and the masked men. It all seemed to be closing in on him. Clara’s phone call had come through just an hour ago, saying she had more information to share. Philip had barely slept, and the lack of rest was beginning to take its toll.

The phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. It was Clara. He quickly answered, his voice strained. “Clara? What do you have?”

“Philip, I’ve been digging into the footage from the security cameras around the docks,” Clara’s voice crackled with urgency. “I found something significant. I think we might have a lead on the identity of the shadowy figure.”

Philip sat up straighter, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “Go on.”

“There’s a brief moment when the figure is illuminated by the