1. A Meeting Under the Night Sky
The night covered New York City like ink. Even late into the night, the city center remained brightly lit, with a few scattered pedestrians walking the streets. Max's Café, located on a relatively quiet street, still had a few night owls in the corners, sipping coffee and speaking in hushed tones, even though most nearby shops had closed.
Jack pushed open the café door, greeted by the rich aroma of coffee. He scanned the room, and his gaze settled on a slender man sitting in a corner by the window, nervously stirring his coffee.
"Marcus Jensen?" Jack asked as he approached him in a low voice.
Marcus looked up, his expression tense but he nodded, "You're Jack?"
Jack sat down across from him, and the two studied each other for a moment. Marcus didn't seem like someone who was easily frightened, but tonight's events had clearly unsettled him.
"What did you find out?" Jack got straight to the point, his eyes sweeping over Marcus's face, trying to assess his sincerity.
"This is a lot more complicated than I initially thought," Marcus replied quietly, pulling a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket. "This is what I decoded from the encrypted data."
Jack took the paper and unfolded it, revealing a complex zodiac chart. Next to the chart were annotations written in ancient symbols, very similar to the ones Jack had seen on the card found at Samantha's house.
"I've seen these symbols before," Jack said. "In Samantha Green's home."
Marcus frowned, "It looks like we're both investigating the same thing. I don't know the full meaning of these symbols, but they're clearly connected to some very old astrological concepts. I suspect these symbols are being used to mark a special ritual—or serve as a kind of code."
Jack pursed his lips, his eyes sharply focused on the paper. "Are you saying someone is using these symbols to perform some ancient ritual? Possibly connected to Samantha's disappearance?"
"It's possible," Marcus nodded. "In the data I decrypted, there was also mention of a 'turning point of fate'—a concept in certain schools of astrology that represents significant change, sometimes even death."
"Death…" Jack repeated the word softly, a chill creeping into his heart. He placed the paper on the table and, after a moment of thought, asked, "Did you find any other related information when you cracked the data? Like who might be behind this?"
"No direct evidence yet, but…" Marcus's voice suddenly lowered, and fear flickered in his eyes. "Tonight, my computer was hacked, and I received a threat—someone warned me that if I continued investigating, there would be serious consequences."
Jack raised an eyebrow, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Do you think it was them? The people connected to the zodiac symbols?"
"I'm not sure, but I suspect it was them," Marcus took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "And I'm starting to think this case is more than just a disappearance—there might be a carefully planned murder behind it."
Jack nodded, his gaze growing more resolute. "If that's the case, we need more information. Do you remember where the encrypted data came from? We can start tracing it from there."
Marcus shook his head. "I found it on a hacker forum by chance. The uploader used an alias, and there were almost no traceable details. But I could try tracking the forum's server—maybe I can find some clues."
Jack thought for a moment before saying, "Then start there. When you get home tonight, try to trace it and see if you can find anything valuable."
Marcus agreed but still looked uneasy. "What about you? What are you going to do?"
"I'll keep investigating Samantha's background, especially the people she was in contact with. Maybe she came across the source of these symbols," Jack said, standing up to leave. "Same time, same place tomorrow, and we'll regroup."
Marcus watched Jack leave, feeling both reassured and a little worried. He knew he was now caught up in this dangerous game, and his only option was to keep going until the truth surfaced.
2. Threats in the Digital World
Back home, Marcus sat at his computer, taking a deep breath before starting the trace. He knew this task was critical—not just for Samantha, but for his own safety too.
He activated several advanced tracking programs, trying to trace the uploader's IP address from the encrypted data. However, the uploader wasn't an amateur—they used multiple layers of proxies and virtual private networks to mask their real location.
"Damn, this guy's tough," Marcus muttered, but he didn't give up. Instead, he continued with deeper traces. After several hours of work, he finally discovered a vulnerability—an almost imperceptible mistake in the encrypted data.
"There it is," Marcus's eyes gleamed with excitement as he began peeling away the layers of protection, eventually pinpointing a suspicious server. The server was located overseas, its exact location difficult to determine, but Marcus was certain it was one of the nodes the uploader had used.
He hacked further into the server, searching through its files. Soon, he found some hidden log files that recorded multiple access points. Marcus quickly decoded these addresses, eventually uncovering some leads.
But just as he was about to dig deeper, the computer screen flickered again. A line of blood-red text appeared: "I warned you. Stop investigating."
Marcus's heartbeat sped up. He immediately tried to shut down the program, but the screen went black, and his system was hacked again. This time, the attack was more severe—his hard drive started making a low grinding sound as the data was completely wiped, and all his files were permanently deleted.
"How is this possible?" Panic surged through Marcus as he realized how quickly his defenses had been breached. He wasn't just up against a group of mysterious people—these individuals had powerful technical capabilities, perhaps even more advanced than his own.
At that moment, his phone buzzed again, a new text message flashing on the screen: "This is your final warning. Leave, or you'll pay the price."
Marcus gripped his phone tightly, his palms slick with sweat. He knew there was no way out now, and things were only going to get worse. His enemies clearly had no intention of letting him off the hook. His only choice was to keep digging for the truth.
Despite the fear gnawing at him, Marcus understood that he had no retreat. He raised his head, his eyes filled with determination as he stared out at the night sky, vowing to uncover the secrets behind these symbols.
3. The First Lead
The next morning, Jack arrived at Max's Café as promised, ordering a black coffee and sitting by the window, waiting for Marcus. He hadn't slept all night, his mind replaying the scene of Samantha's disappearance and the strange zodiac symbols over and over.
Marcus arrived a few minutes late, looking pale and exhausted. "I tried tracing the forum server last night, but they found me again. My system was hacked, and they wiped out my data," he said quietly, his voice filled with frustration.
"They really are well-protected," Jack frowned. "Did you find anything useful?"
Marcus nodded. "Even though they destroyed most of my data, I managed to save some key log files." He pulled a USB drive from his bag and handed it to Jack. "These logs record multiple IP addresses that accessed the server. I can't pinpoint their exact locations, but I'm certain they're connected to the people uploading that encrypted data."
Jack took the USB drive and carefully pocketed it before asking, "What's your take on these IPs? Any theories?"
"Most of the IPs were routed through foreign proxy servers, making it difficult to trace their real locations. But a few of them originated from somewhere within the U.S.," Marcus explained, his tone fatigued but still sharp. "If we can find those domestic access points, we might get closer to the truth."
Jack nodded thoughtfully before saying, "We can try tracking the owners of those IP addresses or any institutions connected to them. If we can find those people, we might get closer to this organization, or at least figure out who they are."
"But we need to be cautious," Marcus added, his voice tinged with unease. "They clearly don't want us to continue investigating, and their methods might go beyond cyber-attacks."
"I'm aware of that," Jack said calmly, his voice firm with resolve. He glanced out at the street, now bustling with morning activity, and began formulating a new plan.
"I'll continue tracing these IP addresses, but I'll need your help," Marcus said with a sense of urgency. "We can try finding the source of those addresses or dig deeper. Maybe we can find a breakthrough."
"No problem," Jack replied curtly, his eyes flashing with determination. "We'll start today."
4. The Investigation Begins
Jack and Marcus decided to split up. Jack went to visit an old contact of his, someone who had been moving in the underground circles for years and might be able to help track down the actual owners of those IP addresses.
Marcus returned to his apartment, resuming his technical analysis and searching for more leads through other methods. Despite the threats, his curiosity and survival instinct pushed him to continue the investigation.
Jack arrived at an unassuming bar, tucked away in a narrow alley, where few people ventured during the day. The dim lighting inside made it difficult to see everyone in the corners, but Jack knew exactly where his contact would be sitting.
"Eddie," Jack called out, taking a seat as he spoke to a middle-aged man cleaning the bar counter. "I need some help."
Eddie glanced up, smiling faintly. "Jack, long time no see. Working on another tough case
?"
"You could say that," Jack nodded. "I need you to help me trace some IP addresses. I'd like to find out who's behind them."
Eddie smiled and gestured for Jack to wait a moment before disappearing into the back room. A few minutes later, he returned with an old laptop in hand.
"Give me the addresses, and I'll see what I can find," Eddie said, opening the laptop and quickly typing on the keyboard.
Jack handed over the log files Marcus had provided, and Eddie began examining them closely. "These IP addresses have gone through several jumps, so they'll be tough to track. But give me some time, and I might be able to find something."
"Do it quickly. I have a feeling we don't have much time left," Jack said, a trace of urgency in his voice.
"Don't worry, old friend. I'll do my best," Eddie nodded and returned to his work.
Meanwhile, Marcus was also hard at work in his apartment. He tried using different network tools to retrace the source of the encrypted data. Despite being detected by his enemies several times, he didn't give up. Instead, the pressure fueled his determination.
After several hours, Marcus finally made a breakthrough. He discovered a hidden timestamp in the encrypted data, which might reveal the exact time the data was uploaded. Using this timestamp, he was able to further trace the server's history.
Marcus quickly recorded the data and combined it with the log files he had found earlier, slowly piecing together a few leads. Although they were still vague, he could tell his enemies were deliberately hiding their tracks. But every action left a trace—if he dug deep enough, he would find something.
As he prepared to send the data to Jack, his phone suddenly rang. It was Jack calling.
"Marcus, I've made some progress on my end," Jack's voice came through the line, tinged with urgency. "Eddie tracked down some useful information. We need to meet."
"Where?" Marcus asked.
"Same place as before—Max's Café. Get here as soon as you can," Jack replied briefly before hanging up.
Marcus packed up his equipment, grabbed the USB drive, and quickly left his apartment.
5. The Threat Draws Closer
By the time Marcus arrived at Max's Café, Jack was already there waiting for him. They sat at the same table as before, surrounded by people engaged in low conversations, seemingly unaware of the danger lurking outside.
"What did you find?" Marcus asked, handing Jack the USB drive.
Jack took the drive and handed Marcus the report Eddie had provided. "Some of the sources of those IP addresses have been identified," he said. "A few access points are located within the U.S., specifically in some small towns in New York State. Eddie thinks these might be cover-up relay stations, but they could also be actual operation sites."
Marcus carefully read through the report, frowning. "These places look suspicious, especially this town—Greenville. I've heard of it. It's pretty remote."
"I'm planning to check it out," Jack said firmly. "If these addresses are really connected to our case, we might find some leads there."
"I'm coming with you," Marcus immediately offered. Although he wasn't skilled in fieldwork, he knew his technical expertise might prove invaluable.
Jack nodded, appreciating Marcus's courage. "Good, we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning." He paused, a hint of concern in his eyes. "But we need to be prepared. They already know we're investigating this case—they're likely to take more aggressive steps to stop us."
"I understand," Marcus replied, his voice tinged with nervousness but also determination. "No matter what happens, we have to find the truth."
After exchanging their findings, the two agreed to make preparations in advance to handle any dangers that might arise. They knew this investigation had grown increasingly perilous. One wrong move, and they could both become the next targets.
As the night deepened, Jack and Marcus sat silently at the café table, each contemplating their next steps and actions. The streets outside remained bustling, but in their hearts, a sense of urgency and unease was brewing beneath the surface.