Austin Griggs is also 18 , He is a contradiction—charming yet unsettling, charismatic yet unreadable. To most people, he is the kind of guy who fits in everywhere but belongs nowhere. He knows how to make people like him, how to smile just right, how to say the words that make others trust him. But beneath that polished exterior is something colder, something calculated, and those who pay close enough attention can tell that Austin isn’t just another high school golden boy—he’s something else entirely.

Austin is intelligent, manipulative, and highly observant. He doesn’t just see people—he studies them. He knows what makes them tick, what makes them insecure, what makes them trust. It’s not that he enjoys deceiving people, but rather that he sees no point in honesty unless it benefits him. Life, to Austin, is a game. A game where the person who controls the board wins. And Austin doesn’t like to lose.

On the surface, he is friendly, approachable, and even likable. He has a way of making people feel like they matter, as if their words hold weight. But it’s an illusion. He chooses his words carefully, weaving just enough sincerity into his voice that people rarely question whether he actually cares. He can play the role of the concerned friend, the understanding listener, the guy who just wants everyone to get along. But when he isn’t performing, when he isn’t wearing the mask, there’s a certain emptiness behind his eyes—like he’s always a step ahead, like he’s always thinking about something no one else can see.

Despite this, Austin is not openly cruel. He doesn’t resort to physical intimidation or reckless violence. Instead, his power comes from influence. He can turn people against each other without them even realizing it. He can convince someone to do his dirty work while keeping his own hands clean. He is a master at subtle manipulation, at planting seeds of doubt, at making people question what they think they know.

And when things don’t go his way?

Austin doesn’t panic. He doesn’t lash out. He simply adjusts his strategy.

Austin’s motives are unclear, and that is what makes him so dangerous. He is not the type to act on impulse or emotion—everything he does has a purpose, even if that purpose is not immediately obvious. His connection to Clementine’s disappearance remains a mystery, but what is clear is that he knows more than he lets on. The fact that he had two houses, that his supposed home was eerily empty and abandoned, that the group was caught in his house under suspicious circumstances—it all points to something wrong.

But Austin is not afraid. Even when Harvey and the others break into his house, even when they start poking around where they shouldn’t, he doesn’t act like someone caught off guard. If anything, it’s almost like he expected it. And that raises the question—how much of this is coincidence, and how much of this is part of his plan?

While Austin rarely shows emotion, there are rare moments where something darker leaks through the cracks. When things don’t go the way he anticipates, there is a flicker of something behind his calm demeanor—frustration, calculation, control slipping just for a moment. And then, just as quickly, it’s gone. But those moments reveal the truth: Austin is not invincible. He is careful, yes. He is smart, yes. But he is also hiding something, and whatever it is, it’s big enough that he cannot afford to let it slip.

There is also an undercurrent of anger beneath his charm, a quiet, controlled rage that he keeps locked away. He does not explode—he sharpens his anger into a weapon. If he is ever truly pushed to his limit, there is no telling what he might do.

Austin is the enigmatic antagonist, the presence that lingers in the shadows even when he isn’t on the page. Whether he is directly responsible for Clementine’s disappearance or whether he is protecting a bigger secret, one thing is clear—he is involved. The way he always seems one step ahead, the way he doesn’t panic even when caught, the way he watches instead of reacts—it all suggests that Austin is far more than just a high school senior with a perfect reputation.

He is:

• The manipulator – He controls people without them realizing it.
• The strategist – Everything he does is intentional, every move is calculated.
• The enigma – No one truly knows what he is thinking.
• The threat – He is dangerous not because of brute force, but because of his mind.

Austin is hunting something, protecting something, or covering something up. The only question is—what?