Chapter 17

Bret frames the day as the beginning of an irreversible shift, tied to the secret of Matt and a sense of helplessness. After Robert’s medication-fueled meltdown at Susan’s party is quietly contained, the group decides to take Robert to the Jonathan Club before Thom’s college-trip departure.

Driving to Santa Monica, they find the club nearly empty. A valet warns about the Riders of the Afterlife breaking in, vandalizing, and sacrificing pets. Despite the ominous mood, they sign in and set up on the cold, deserted beach. Susan and Thom are distant; Robert is restless and disappears to wander and swim.

While KROQ plays somber tracks, Bret notices Thom and Robert meet alone at the shoreline, talking and laughing like confidants, which heightens Susan’s fear and Bret’s unease. Robert soon leaves for Century City after a brief goodbye with Thom, who returns to the group as daylight fades.

Inside the empty men’s locker room, Bret finds Robert’s open locker and follows sounds to a stall glowing with a candle. He discovers a red, dripping pentagram and a freshly killed seagull, plus a blood-spattered werewolf mask—an apparent cult warning. Thom startles Bret; both conclude Riders infiltrated the club.

The valet reacts with weary acceptance, citing similar incidents. In the parking lot, Thom notices Susan’s numb detachment and briefly softens with a performative reassurance. That night he calls Bret and asks for a ride to LAX, underscoring his growing distance from Susan and the group as the ominous pattern around them intensifies.