Investigation into Serena's Disappearance and Ana's Father

Key Insight

A week without sustenance leaves the protagonist famished, stumbling upon Lowe and Alex intently focused on a computer. Alex announces a breakthrough in finding a connection to Serena. The search revealed unusual difficulty in identifying Human-Were Bureau workers, which led him to uncover Thomas Jalakas, a former comptroller of public accounts. The protagonist recalls Serena emailing his office for an article and meeting him, but the piece was never published. Suspiciously, Jalakas's resume contained no mention of an an 11-month stint at the Bureau 8 years prior, raising immediate concerns about his hidden past.

A photograph confirms Thomas Jalakas's undeniable resemblance to Ana, with his wide mouth, square jaw, and dimples, identifying him as Ana's presumed father. The protagonist deduces Serena met Ana's father, who likely informed her about Ana. However, their hopes of questioning him are dashed as Lowe reveals Jalakas died in a car accident two weeks after Serena's disappearance. Despite this, Lowe maintains Serena is likely alive, reasoning that if resources were used to stage Jalakas's death as an accident to eliminate loose ends, the same would have been done for Serena, preventing her from becoming a traceable casualty.

Lowe further connects Thomas Jalakas to Governor Davenport, who appointed Jalakas to both his Bureau and subsequent financial positions. The protagonist questions this unusual career progression. Acting swiftly, Lowe, leveraging his authority as Alpha of the Southwest pack, secures a dinner invitation with Governor Davenport for the following evening, under the guise of delivering a thank-you gift for hosting their wedding ceremony. Expressing deep concern for the protagonist's safety, Lowe urges extreme caution for their impending visit into potentially dangerous territory, emphasizing the significance of this first substantial lead on Serena in a long time.