She unlocked the door and found her mother's note lying on the kitchen counter:

Maria, Gone to Albuquerque for a workshop & art show. I'll be gone for the week, be good, do the dishes, and call if you need help. I'm at my usual hotel, the number's on the fridge if you forgot.

Love you,
Amy

Maria sighed, set her bag down, and went to get something to eat. She pulled out some cold spaghetti and stuck it in the microwave before she went into her room and changed into a light tank top and a pair of flannel pants. She hurried back to the kitchen as the electronic beep of the microwave broke the hushed silence that always fell over her house. She jumped when she saw who stood waiting for her, a tall man, dark eyes and a long black trench coat, standing in her kitchen, looking through her bag.

"Excuse me, sir," she said, masking her fury at being shocked and having this strange man looking through her things. "But what are you doing looking through my bag?"

"Where's the keeper?" the man demanded, dropping her bag on the floor.

"Keeper?" she asked, confusion seeping into her voice, she felt as if she'd forgotten something important. "Keeper-- what are you talking about?"

"You know, little one, I know that you are the last of the transcendent ones, the keeper has shown herself. Where is she?"

"Who?" Maria stepped backwards, a flash of memory struck her, if you could call it that, 'Ria, tell him, it's all right. You know what is to happen, this is the first of the stars of darkness. One from the past, one from the present, and one from the future. Trust nothing that you see, and nothing that you know, save the three, their keepers, and yourself.' She heard the voice of the keeper in her mind, all around her, running through her. She looked up at the man defiantly, "it is true that the keeper has shown herself, but her whereabouts are unknown to me. Look for her yourself, dark star of the future. I will not assist you in your search."

The dark man snarled a purely animal sound, and rage filled Maria at being confronted. His hand curled around her neck and she glared up at him, despite the pain.

"You are nothing to me, little one. In fact, it would do me well to destroy you now," he smirked at her and she frowned.

"Then why do you stay your hand?" she smirked, "fear is it?" Laughter.