Following the Trail

Kate was just about to step inside the towering glass building of Global News Network when Jason suddenly emerged from the right, moving swiftly to block her path. His expression was intense, his movements purposeful. She immediately knew something was up.

“We need to go somewhere,” Jason stated firmly, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.

Kate frowned, shifting her bag higher onto her shoulder. “Where?” she asked, glancing past him toward the building's entrance.

“First, get in my car. Then I’ll tell you,” Jason replied, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Kate sighed, shaking her head. “I have a meeting with Rodrick. He’s waiting for me,” she reminded him, trying to gauge just how serious he was about whatever this was.

“Rodrick can wait,” Jason countered without hesitation. His eyes locked onto hers, unwavering. “Where I’m taking you is far more important than your meeting.”

Kate studied his face, noting the determination in his expression. Jason wasn’t one to exaggerate, and if he was this insistent, it meant he had something big.

“Okay,” she relented, “but at least let me run inside and tell Rodrick I have to leave.”

“You can do that over the phone,” Jason said flatly. He wasn’t budging.

There was something about his tone, something weighted and serious. It was enough to make Kate pause. Jason was never this forceful unless it was crucial.

“You don’t understand,” he continued, lowering his voice slightly. “Where I’m taking you... it could be a breakthrough in our case.”

A breakthrough.

Kate inhaled sharply, her journalist instincts kicking in. If Jason was right—and she had no reason to believe otherwise—then whatever he had discovered was worth more than any meeting.

“Okay… let’s go,” she said, nodding.

Without wasting another second, she turned toward Jason’s car, which was parked right in front of the building. It was his usual sleek black sedan, always spotless, always ready to go at a moment’s notice. Jason clicked the unlock button on his key fob, and the car beeped twice. He slipped into the driver’s seat while Kate settled into the passenger side.

As Jason started the engine, Kate quickly pulled out her phone from her bag, typing out a message to Rodrick:

“I’m going with Jason. I’ll meet you in two hours.”

She hit send, then looked up at Jason. “Alright, now tell me—where exactly are we going?”

Jason gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed ahead as he spoke. “Last night, you concluded that Lowan Box and Darrel Luke were two fake identities created by the same person,” he reminded her.

Kate nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

“And after that, I asked you about Juan Luu—the guy who left those cryptic comments on Sasha Paula’s posts, telling her to stop condemning Satanism,” Jason continued.

Kate nodded again. “Yes, and I suggested that Juan Luu could be yet another fake identity, meaning that whoever was behind these names had not just two, but possibly three different personas.”

Jason glanced at her briefly before returning his focus to the road. “Exactly,” he said.

Kate arched an eyebrow, growing impatient. “Jason, stop dragging this out. Just tell me what’s going on.”

Jason smirked slightly, but his eyes remained sharp. “I did some digging last night. It took some effort, but I found Juan Luu.”

Kate’s eyes widened. She turned in her seat to face him fully. “You what?”

Jason nodded, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly in triumph. “Yeah. I know exactly who he is… and right now, we’re heading straight to his house to have a little chat.”

Kate exhaled, her pulse quickening. This was big.

If Jason had actually tracked down Juan Luu, it meant they were closer than ever to unmasking the real identity of the person behind these murders, these disguises, and this eerie connection to the Rubaiyat.

For the first time in this investigation, they were one step ahead.

"You did a great job," Kate said. Finally, she saw a way to find the killer, and this thought made her both excited and happy.

"Where does Juan Luu live?" Kate asked.

"He lives near Henley Beach," Jason said.

"Juan Luu lives in the same area where Sasha Paula used to live?" Kate asked.

"Yes," Jason said.

“Hmm... tell me more about Juan Luu,” Kate asked.

“It appears that Juan Luu was once a member of the Pathway of Ascendants. Three years ago, he posted a photo of himself wearing a T-shirt with the cult's logo on it. From his Facebook page, I also found out that he was an engineer and worked at a firm. But two years ago, he left his job and posted about his resignation on Facebook. Some of his friends even asked why he was quitting such a good job, but Juan didn’t reply to anyone,” Jason explained.

"And then, for two years, he went into some kind of hibernation. He didn't make any new posts on social media or comment on anyone else's posts. Then suddenly, after two years, he commented on Sasha Paula's post, forbidding her from condemning Satanism so openly. Despite Juan's warning, Sasha didn't pay any attention and continued posting material against Satanism," Jason explained in detail.

"Why did Juan ask Sasha not to post against Satanism?" Kate asked.

"Juan's sentiments must have been hurt by reading Sasha's posts. That's why he asked her to stop posting such material," Jason said.

"Did you find anything about Lowan Box and Darrel Luke?" Kate asked.

"No, Clark was telling the truth. There is no Lowan Box registered in the national identity card system. I also checked Darrel Luke's name, and there's no such name registered either," Jason replied.

"And what about Juan Luu?" Kate asked.