Everyone is dead; Addison's ex-boyfriend, father, mother, and sister. She walks through her house, seeing their mangled bodies. She wakes up. It's a nightmare, about something that happened a decade ago. Addison goes to her office in DC, where she writes freelance as a columnist. Another freelancer suggests that she dig into a viral video wherein a mysterious man saves another man's life on the street. If she can land an interview with the mystery man, then the_ Post _might hire the person. Addison watches the video and recognizes the mysterious man as Todd from their high school in a small town in Virginia, and decides to go to his house. To her delight, he opens his door to her and invites her in. But he tells her sternly that he will not do an interview. They have a nice chat, and before Addison leaves she gives him her business card. Visiting this town has brought up memories for Addison. She thinks about how her ex-boyfriend had come into her house with a knife in the middle of the night, killed her mother and sister in their sleep, then fought the father managing to stab him back before dying. Addison wasn't home, but at a party and still high when she came home and found everyone's bodies. On her way home, she stops at McDonald's and runs into another former classmate, Simone. Simone suggests that Addison write a story about Julia Harding, a missing woman, and other women who have gone missing from their small town. Addison gets a strong feeling there's a story there. Addison works up the courage to go into Todd's house and look around. He happens to be home and invites Addison in for dinner. He gets tipsy with wine and gives her all the details she needs for her story. They kiss and go upstairs. In the middle of the night, Todd is out of bed. Addison goes downstairs to hang out with him. But instead she finds him with a woman chained up in the basement. He tells her she shouldn't have poked around, and shoves her inn. She wakes up with shackles on her hands, and finds out the woman is Julia. Todd returns. He tells Addison that he had helped her ex boyfriend plan her family's murder, and that they had wanted her to be at the party during it because he thought she was pretty and wanted her to survive. Julia slams her body into Todd. Addison and her choke him with the chains. He dies. They call 911. Later, Addison finishes a story about Todd. She has found career success by writing about Todd, who turned out to be responsible for the other missing women as well. She continues to investigate what happened in the video of Todd and the man he saved. She begins to think Todd hadn't tried to save him at all, but was actually killing him, but then pivoted when he was caught on camera. Years earlier, Todd had visited Addison's dad, who is a Colonel. Todd asks him for a letter of recommendation to the Virginia Military Institute. But the Colonel denies him, saying he wouldn't be a good fit. Todd leaves and vows to kill him.