Chapter 5 - I had worn the pendant for nineteen years.It had never left my neck.

My mother had given it to me the day before she disappeared.

She told me one thing.

"Never let anyone take this."

At seven years old, I had thought it was a sentimental gift.

Now Tyler was telling me it was a key.

Caleb reached toward it.

I stepped back.

"What does it open?"

Tyler answered:

"Something your mother hid."

Marlene nodded.

"Your mother knew Northstar would come for her."

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know."

"That's a lie."

Marlene flinched.

"You know something."

"I know she trusted one person."

"Who?"

Marlene looked at Caleb.

"Your father."

Caleb shook his head.

"My father helped them."

"He helped build it," Marlene said. "Then he tried to destroy it."

I stared at the pendant.

"How do we know Tyler is telling the truth?"

"We don't," Caleb said.

Tyler laughed quietly.

"Good."

He pulled out his phone.

"I recorded something."

He played the audio.

A man's voice filled the room.

Cold.

Controlled.

"Tell the girl to hand over the pendant."

Another voice answered.

"What if she refuses?"

"Then take it."

"Her husband?"

"Use him."

My stomach dropped.

The first voice continued:

"She has no idea what she carries."

The recording ended.

Caleb looked at Tyler.

"Who is that?"

Tyler swallowed.

"I don't know."

"But you worked for them."

"I was never allowed to know names."

"Then how do you know they want her?"

"Because they told me."

I stepped toward him.

"Why help me now?"

Tyler looked at me.

"Because they killed someone."

"Who?"

"My best friend."

Silence.

"He tried to run."

Tyler's jaw tightened.

"They left his body in an empty warehouse."

"And you think helping us will save you?"

"No."

He looked toward the door.

"I think I'm already dead."

At that exact moment, every light in the house went out.

Marlene screamed.

A second later, something shattered upstairs.

Caleb grabbed my arm.

"Stay behind me."

We heard footsteps.

One person.

Then another.

Then a third.

The front door burst open.

Three silhouettes entered.

Tyler shoved us toward the kitchen.

"Back door!"

We ran.

A gunshot cracked behind us.

The window exploded.

Caleb dragged me through the back door.

We sprinted into the yard.

Another shot.

Marlene screamed inside.

Caleb turned.

"I'm going back."

I grabbed him.

"No!"

"My mother is in there."

"Caleb!"

Tyler suddenly appeared behind us.

His face was bleeding.

"She's not alone."

"What?"

"I got her out."

He pointed toward the woods.

"She's running."

We looked.

A flashlight moved between the trees.

Then disappeared.

We ran after her.

Minutes later, we found Marlene crouched behind an old shed.

She was clutching something.

A small metal box.

She handed it to me.

"Your mother left this with me."

My fingers shook as I opened it.

Inside was a single photograph.

A handwritten letter.

And a key.

Not a normal key.

A tiny black key with a number engraved into it.

317.

I unfolded the letter.

The handwriting was unmistakable.

My mother's.

The first line read:

If you're reading this, Northstar knows you exist.

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The second line was worse.

And Caleb is not who you think he is.