Days and days had passed since Keiko and Arkady's impromptu motorcycle trip to Weehawken. And yet still, Keiko couldn't shake off the unease that lingered within her mind regarding Arkady. She found herself constantly analyzing his every move and word, trying to decipher the enigma that he seemed to be. Despite her best efforts to focus on other matters, such as school and spending time with friends, that mysterious aura surrounding Arkady continued to gnaw away at her thoughts. She kept asking herself the same questions about him, but she never seemed to get any closer to learning the truth.

As Keiko grappled with her growing suspicions about Arkady, she decided to take matters into her own hands and do some investigating. She started by discreetly observing his interactions with others in the household, noting any peculiar behavior or conversations. She also confided in the Mistress about all this, hoping that the latter would give her seal of approval for continuing on with this risky investigation. Surprisingly, Mistress agreed, though she advised her granddaughter to be careful. After all, there was a good chance that Arkady would eventually realize she was onto him and ruin everything.

Speaking of ruining everything, Keiko worried that her father would find out what she was up to and try to stop her. So she had Mistress promise not to tell anyone else about this. Mistress knew better than to agree to something like that, but against her better judgment, she did. Keiko felt that it was her duty to keep this investigation secret, no matter what the cost may be.

Keiko kept going along with the "impromptu" motorcycle trips Arkady insisted that she join him on. She had a feeling that there were more to these trips than he was willing to admit, but to what extent? She knew better than to trust him when he assured her nothing sinister was going on, but she also couldn't just walk away. She was determined to find out what was really happening, no matter what the consequences were.

Eventually, three weeks before she was going to turn seventeen, she'd finally found her answer, albeit unwillingly. One day, she accepted an offer to go on yet another motorcycle trip. By now, she had caught on that these trips had been gradually getting longer. She still had yet to figure out why they'd gotten longer, but she had a feeling there were more to these trips than they seemed. She knew that accepting that offer was a crazy idea, but she knew that it would also give her an opportunity to get to the bottom of the mystery. Little did she know, this trip would be her worst nightmare come true.

As Keiko rode along on Arkady's motorcycle farther and farther away from Washington D.C., she felt the urge to ask him a question, one that she needed answers to right now.

"Where exactly are we going?" Keiko asked him.

"Home," Arkady simply replied in his usual monosyllabic manner.

"Home?" Keiko raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like your home in Las Vegas?"

She already knew that the trip from Washington D.C. to Las Vegas was 35 hours long, so she thought it odd that he would make a spontaneous trip that was that long and expect to make it there in one sitting. In fact, it seemed odd for anyone to do that.

"Yeah, exactly," Arkady replied. "My dad's been asking so many questions about you that I've lost count. I think he'll really like you."

Keiko didn't really know what Arkady had meant by that. "What kind of questions?"

Arkady's expression barely changed, if at all. "You'll see when we get there."

Keiko didn't like the answer to that question or at least how he said it.

Back at the White House, panic arose when Eddie realized that his oldest child was nowhere to be found. Instantly, he was overcome with worry and anxiety. What could have happened to her? Where did she go? Was she even still alive? He sought out Mistress in the hopes that she could give him the answers he needed.

"Where's Keiko?" Eddie asked Mistress. "I can't find her anywhere."

"I wish I could tell you," Mistress replied. "But I'm sure she'll be back later."

"Don't play games with me, Mom. Where is she?"

"Sorry, son. I really don't know where she is."

Eddie clenched his fists. "I don't believe you. Where is she?"

"I already told you I don't know. You need to calm down."

Eddie took a deep breath before speaking again. "Mom, please, you have to tell me where Keiko is. She might be in serious trouble."

Eventually, Mistress caved in and told her youngest child everything he needed to know, including that Keiko had gone off on a motorcycle trip with Arkady somewhere.

"Are you crazy?" Eddie asked incredulously. "How could you let her do that?"

"I felt like I didn't have much choice in the matter," Mistress replied quietly. "You know how persuasive and stubborn Keiko can be."

Eddie shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you would do this. We're going to have to follow along the motorcycle trail before it's too late. Where could she and Arkady have gone off to?"

Mistress sighed. "I don't know, but we can't stay here. We need to keep moving and find her." She got to her feet and led the way. "Come on, let's go!"

It was a long 35 hours, possibly the longest 35 hours in her life, but eventually Keiko and Arkady had managed to arrive in Las Vegas. They had traveled through what felt like hundreds and hundreds of miles of changing landscapes and wilderness, and the sun was just starting to set; but they did it. They finally reached their destination. Both of them were exhausted, Arkady especially, but relieved to finally be safe and sound. Moreover, they'd traveled all this way to the MGM Grand hotel and casino.

"Whoa!" Keiko exclaimed. "I think this is one of the fanciest places I've ever seen!"

"It sure is," Arkady replied. "It's where my family lives. Why don't you follow me inside?"

Keiko was once again gripped with that gut feeling. This time, it told her not to follow him inside the MGM. Just like before, Keiko ignored that gut feeling in the hopes that she'd sooner or later get to see Arkady for what he really was. However, it wasn't long before the MGM had managed to distract her. Her face was practically frozen in awe as she and Arkady entered the grand lobby of the MGM. The opulent decor, bustling atmosphere, and the sound of slot machines filled the air around them. Keiko couldn't even contain her excitement as she took in the sights and sounds of the famous Las Vegas resort.

Keiko and Arkady wandered through the lavish corridors of the MGM Grand, soaking in the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas surrounding them. The lights, the sounds of laughter and chatter, and the thrill of being in such a renowned place filled Keiko with a sense of exhilaration. As they strolled through the bustling casino floor, Keiko couldn't help but feel like she was in a dream. Perhaps her grandparents' assumptions about this place had been right all along.

"How much longer until I can meet your parents?" Keiko asked Arkady.

"Soon," Arkady replied. "Just be patient."

"I certainly hope so. I'm hungry. I've hardly eaten anything during this whole trip."

Arkady could feel a laugh coming on, but he resisted the urge at the last moment. "Don't worry. You'll get food soon."

Keiko had no idea what would happen once she finally met Arkady's parents, but she knew that it was hardly anything good.