John gathered the three of them in the strategic room attached to his suite. The lights dimmed automatically as the doors closed behind them. A large table screen lit up with a soft blue glow, waiting for commands.
Celine moved to the console and activated the security dampeners, sealing the room from every outside channel. No signals in. No signals out. Only silence, thick and private.
Morgan stepped forward, crossing his arms. "You said we start with the traitor inside the building. Do you have a name in mind?"
John shook his head. "I have a direction."
Rita, her hands wrapped lightly in bandage strips, leaned on the table. "Floor Twelve. The archive room. Whoever entered that place knew exactly what they were doing. That room is coded to your bloodline and Celine's emergency authority."
"Which means," Morgan said, "it was someone with high clearance."
"Not just high," Celine added. "Precise. Someone with access to legacy codes Harold kept hidden."
Rita frowned. "Someone Harold trusted."
John tapped the table screen. "There is only one reason to leave this ring in my archive. It is not a warning. It is not a threat. It is an invitation."
Morgan leaned closer. "An invitation to what?"
John pulled up the ring's image on the screen. "This is the original symbol worn by the first six members of the Founding Circle. It was only given to internal operatives. Not recruits. Not messengers. Only those who carried out the Circle's deepest work."
Celine folded her arms. "Only someone of senior rank would have access to such an object."
Morgan lifted a brow. "Then you are not searching for a traitor. You are searching for a shadow."
Rita whispered, "Who inside this building fits that description?"
Celine tapped the screen and pulled up the list of executive personnel. Names lined the display. Department heads. Analysts. Financial officers. Heads of security. Legacy board members. People Harold once depended on. People, John was still learning to read.
Celine highlighted seven names.
"These are the individuals with silent access to the archive floor."
Rita's eyes narrowed. "Silent access?"
Morgan explained. "Privileges that leave no digital trace. Harold used it only for emergency operations."
John studied the seven faces. Some he knew well. Some he had never spoken to directly.
Celine moved one profile to the side. "This one left the country last week."
She moved two more. "These two were with me during the purge."
She moved another. "This one is too loyal to Harold's memory. The Circle would not trust him."
Four names remained.
Morgan stepped closer. "And these four."
Celine met John's gaze. "These four can walk through The Crest without anyone questioning their presence."
Rita swallowed. "So which one do we go after first?"
John studied the faces. Four people. Four possible traitors. Four paths leading deeper into the darkness that his father had been fighting for years.
He pointed at the first profile.
A man named Elias Brenner.
Internal Operations Director.
Calm. Polished. Respected by the entire workforce.
Silent. Efficient. Unshakeable.
He looked harmless.
Which made him dangerous.
"We start with him," John said.
Morgan frowned. "Why him?"
"Because he fits the Circle's requirements," John replied. "He knows how to disappear in plain sight. He has no emotional footprint. He never takes sides. He never shows fear. He never shows ambition. He is the perfect shadow."
Celine nodded slowly. "And the Circle prefers shadows."
Rita exhaled. "So what is the plan?"
John zoomed in on Elias's schedule. "We do not approach him directly. Not yet. We study him. We disrupt his pattern. We make him react."
Morgan's eyes lit with understanding. "You want to corner him without him realising it."
"Yes," John said. "The Circle expects power moves. They expect confrontation. They expect intimidation. But they do not expect subtlety."
Celine smirked. "So we hunt quietly."
John nodded. "Exactly."
Rita lifted her hand. "What should I do?"
John turned to her. "You rest."
Her face tightened. "John, I am not weak."
"No," he said softly. "You are injured. And we need you at full strength before we make our next move."
Rita looked offended but knew he was right.
Morgan stepped toward the door. "I will gather the security logs for Elias's last seventy-two hours."
"I will scrub the digital trails," Celine said. "If he used legacy access, he would not expect anyone to detect the shadow pulses."
Rita sighed. "I guess I will… stay put."
John gave her a small nod. "Just for now."
Rita leaned back in her seat, though her frustration was clear.
John studied Elias's picture one more time.
Smooth smile.
Neat hair.
Calm eyes.
The type of man who blended into the fabric of the building until he was invisible.
The exact breeding ground for betrayal.
As the room emptied, Celine lingered.
"John."
He looked at her.
Her voice lowered. "Be careful with this one. If he is Circle, he will not hesitate. And if he is not, accusing him will fracture your leadership."
John inhaled deeply.
"I know."
"They are watching for mistakes," Celine added. "All of them."
John looked at the silver ring still resting on his table.
"Then let them watch."
He closed his hand around the ring.
"Because this time, I will not blink."