How do you write breadcrumbs for a conspiracy/mystery?

[momo_rennn]

Hello everyone,

In the story I'm writing, I have most of the reasons for why things happened plotted out, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the ball rolling so that the MC can go on her journey.

For context:
MC's memory has been manipulated, and she has lived her life mostly without contact with the real world. She gets most of her info from her best friend and random articles online. The core of the mystery revolves around a shadowy organization that is after people with a certain illness, which the MC has.

Some problems I was thinking about is, how would such an organization conceal their movements? How would they reveal themselves to the MC without fully revealing themselves?
Is it strange that the MC is looking for the organization while the organization is looking for her/actively trying to capture her?

The original idea was to maybe have the organization hurt her best friend and force the MC to go on her journey, but I was afraid it would feel too contrived for them to appear only to further the plot. Especially with this supposed organization that's supposed to be very underground and difficult to track, I'm not sure how to essentially force them into the sun for a couple seconds in a believable way.

I'm curious if anyone has any recommendations or thoughts on how to approach something like this or any recommended reading.

[fleet]

If the MC gets most of her info from her best friend and random articles on-line, have the mysterious organization send her a phishing e-mail, disguised so that the MC thinks it is from her best friend. The fake e-mail would say something like 'my e-mail account is going to be redirected to a trash account in a few minutes meet me at such and such a place right away so I can give you my new e-mail address'. The MC would go to that address, but her friend is not there. I leave the rest up to you. Have fun with writing your story.

[plastiekk]

For context:
MC's memory has been manipulated, and she has lived her life mostly without contact with the real world. She gets most of her info from her best friend and random articles online. The core of the mystery revolves around a shadowy organization that is after people with a certain illness, which the MC has.

I second fleets answer since she's online there are million ways to contact her.
It doesn't even have to be an email, but a random web page that calls her up and asks MC by name to do something, or gives her information that makes her curious about what it might be and makes her do something she wouldn't normally do.

Example:
* The Ancient York Daily Courier *
This article is about a past event that MC was involved in. Maybe a few details that she remembers (in her manipulated memories) and triggers her to act.