Pages 1-36 Summary

The book opens with 16-year-old Polyhymnia O'Keefe, known as Polly, seated in Constitution Square in Athens. She has come to Athens on a trip arranged by her friend and mentor, Maximiliana Horne, known as Max. Polly's uncle and aunt, Sandy and Rhea, were to meet her in Athens, but were detained by work and will not arrive for three days. As she sits at the square drinking coffee, Polly observes the other American teenagers who have gathered in the area. She overhears a snippet of conversation in which the teenagers agree that their parents have sent them abroad to keep them out of their hair, and that they regularly get large sums of money via wire transfer. Polly notices one young man sitting alone also observing the loud teenagers, and the two exchange a quick glance.

Polly recalls her route to...