Update or insert new parse object using cloud code

As many who came before me, I'm trying to run a bit of cloud code that will check for uniqueness and then insert or update the object as necessary.

The code correctly determines whether or not there is an existing object in the db with the same device token as the request.object

However, the existing object will not update it's countdownValue to 200. I have tried adding and omitting the object.save() function I have tried adding, omitting, and exchanging the response.error and response.success functions

The preexisting object remains untouched in all cases.

I have tried Updating existing Parse object in Cloud Code and many others.

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

var Countdown = Parse.Object.extend("Countdown");

Parse.Cloud.beforeSave("Countdown", function(request, response) {
    if (!request.object.get("devicetoken")) {
        response.error('A Countdown must have a devicetoken.');
    } else {
        var query = new Parse.Query(Countdown);
        query.equalTo("devicetoken", request.object.get("devicetoken"));
        query.first({
             success: function(object) {
                  if (object) {

                       object.set("countdownValue", "200");
                       object.save();
                       response.error("Failing on purpose");
                  } 
                  else
                  {
                       response.success();
                  }

             },
             error: function(error) {
                  response.error("Could not validate uniqueness for this Countdown object.");
             }
       });
    }
});