Xander leaves Avery in the hidden room beneath Hawthorne House while he goes to find his brothers. The door they discovered requires all four Hawthorne brothers’ handprints, so Avery’s progress depends on Xander persuading Jameson, Grayson, and Nash to return to the game.

Alone, Avery worries that the brothers may not come. Jameson has already rejected the search, Grayson has become difficult to locate, and Nash has never cared much about Tobias Hawthorne’s puzzles. Avery realizes that October eighteenth is only part of the answer, not the full solution.

Avery reflects on the mystery surrounding her inheritance, her birthday, and Tobias Hawthorne’s apparent apology. The number of disconnected clues overwhelms her, and she recognizes that she cannot solve the puzzle by herself.

Then Avery hears footsteps overhead. At first, Avery thinks Xander may have returned, but no one answers. The sound makes Avery remember that someone in Hawthorne House previously helped Drake access the tunnels, meaning the hidden passage may not be safe.

Avery presses against the wall as the footsteps draw nearer and stop above her only exit. A pale female figure appears overhead, and Avery recognizes her with alarm as Rebecca.