1998, San Francisco The Lermontovs were an odd family. Danya and Arcadi were brother and sister, Maria was their aunt, Sergei was their uncle, and Sergei and Maria were brother and sister (Maria was older). Danya (who was affectionately known as Dasha) was eleven years old and Arcadi (who hated diminutive nicknames) was thirteen. Danya and Aracadis's parents had disappeared in some mysterious circumstances