Axel grumbled to himself as he straightened his tie for what felt like the hundredth time and shielded his face against the wind.

Despite the Reseeding Effort thirty years prior and all of the good it did for Earth’s biosphere, technology still hadn’t advanced to the point where humanity could restore the gulf stream. Without it, Europe remained much colder than it was a century ago but people had learned to put up with it.

Despite it being only fall, temperatures had fallen to five degrees celsius, making Axel shudder under his thick coat. “Scheiss kälte,” he cursed as another breeze blew past.

“Grandfather…” David said reproachfully.

“Shut up Boy,” Axel countered. “When you get to my age you can tell me off for cursing at Frau Holle. Until then, allow me to express my suffering how I please,” he finished with a small smile as he ruffled his grandson’s hair.

Squawking in indignation, David pushed the old man’s hand off his head. “Grandfather! Don’t mess up my hair! Do you know how long I spent on it!?”

“Too damn long by my standards. We’re not going to a job interview. She invited us over, not the other way around,” Axel explained, annoyed as another cold wind roared by. “And when is this gottverlassen transport she spoke about going to arrive!”

Almost as if summoned a limo suddenly turned the corner onto the street, instantly grabbing their attention. Needless to say, but a very nice limo wasn’t something one just saw around these parts of Paris.

Looking around, Axel saw that it had also grabbed everyone else’s attention as well. Most had taken shelter inside to spare themselves the biting wind, but the few that were there had definitely taken notice of the vehicle.

“Gottverdammt,” Axel cursed yet again. “Doesn’t that woman know about subtlety?”

As the limo pulled to a stop in front of them Axel hurried David inside before entering himself, pulling his cane in with him.

Expecting to see Eve in the cabin with them, Axel immediately became nervous when he found that wasn’t the case. Instead, the limo was empty except for him and his grandson.

“Please remain calm, Mr. Meyer. We are heading to a more secure location where you will meet Mother,” A voice suddenly said over the internal speakers, unsettling Axel.

The voice sounded fairly androgynous and had an air of artificiality to it. A voice changer perhaps?

Also, Mother?

“Alright... that makes sense," Axel unwillingly conceded, "but I have a few questions I want answered.”

“Of course, what would you like to know?” The speaker asked pleasantly.

“Who are you? Where are we going? And what’s the plan when we get there?” Axel questioned rapid-fire.

“Well, you are headed to Mother’s estate near Stuttgart. It will take approximately two to two and a half hours to get there. Once you arrive Mother is planning on making her ‘sale’s pitch' she puts it,” the speaker explained as the car pulled away from the curb and started its journey.

“As for who I am, you may call me Pixel. I am Mother’s... child, and your assistant for the ride. Though I can’t be there in a physical capacity, should you require anything of me I am happy to help.

“David, if you wish for some refreshment, there are some beverages available in the compartment on the right,” Pixel declared, surprising both Axel and David at their unexpected change in topic.

“Oh, um, thank you, Pixel,” David said.

“If you would like some alcohol Mr. Meyer, that is also available.”

Axel, still thrown off by the rapid shift, considered the offer for a moment before deciding that he should be clear of mind for what comes next. “No Pixel. I’m fine.”

“Of course sir,” Pixel responded simply.

They all continued in silence for a time, David rummaging through the fridge, Axel calmly worrying of things, and Pixel doing God’s knows what. Night eventually fell and darkness descended on the surrounding countryside.

The world was much darker than it had been in previous decades, what with the majority of the population migrating to city centers.

It wasn’t a disaster that caused it or a sudden cultural movement, just the natural inclination of people to move where they believe that they’ll find the most profit. Cities are locations of trade and profit by design. It only makes sense that people would want to live there.

That, combined with the mechanization of agricultural centers, genetic engineering of farm crops to make them easier to grow, as well as the widespread use of climate-controlled environments to grow food, all put a lot of farmers and hired hands out of business.

Without the need for workers in the agricultural industry, many were further incentivized to move.

It didn’t happen all at once, of course. It was a slow process that took decades, but today almost ninety-five percent of people live in cities and the countryside is covered in ghost towns.

That wasn’t to say the whole countryside was deserted.

Little villas and vacation homes were dotted around, along with rest stops and tourist attractions…

But the nights were still significantly darker than they used to be.

“Damn shame,” Axel muttered to himself as he watched another empty settlement go past.

“What’s wrong Grandfather?” David asked, startling Axel out of his depressing thoughts.

Rubbing his eyes, Axel looked over at his daughter’s offspring. “It’s nothing Boy,” he said with a sigh. “Just an old man feeling melancholic.”

“About what?”

“Just… thinking about simpler times, that’s all.”

“And what are simpler about those time’s Grandfather?” David asked again with a mischievous smirk.

Glaring at the teenager for a moment, wise to his schemes, Axel eventually gave in and rolled his eyes.

“When was the last time you were out of Paris, David?” he questioned as he turned to stare out at the all seemingly all-encompassing dark that lurked at the edge of the highway.

“...I think it was when we last visited you at your ranch, a few years ago,” David said, consideringly.

“Was that really so long ago?” Axel wondered aloud. “I guess time really flies when you get to my age.”

“Oh stop being so melodramatic Grandfather. Your only seventy-one. You’ve still got a good thirty more years left in you at least. Plus, if you get mechanized then you’ll maybe live to your hundreds!”

Axel scowled. “Bah! That’s just propaganda by the Russians. Everyone knows that mechanized have a limited shelf life like the rest of us… Fucking tin-cans,” He muttered.

Frowning at his Grandfather’s use of derogatory terms, David opened his mouth tell him off before he was interrupted by Pixel’s voice sounding inside the cabin.

“Pardon me for interrupting gentleman… however, you have arrived,” they stated as the car took a turn off of the highway. Only a few seconds later, the limo pulled up to a glittering manor shining like a beacon in the night.

Stepping out of the car, Axel looked over the meticulously kept garden out front, the opulent architecture furnished with ornate carvings and majestic sculptures, the glittering lights placed perfectly so, as to make the surroundings that much more impressive.

“Wonderful isn’t it?” A voice called out from behind, breaking Axel out of his trance.

Turning his gaze he saw Eve standing on the steps leading up to the front entrance. She wore the same outfit she had when he’d seen her before. Sweat pants, lab coat, messy ponytail, it was like she hadn’t changed in the slightest.

“Yes, it is very… luxurious,” Axel said, grappling for the right way to say ‘wasteful’ without being rude.

Laughing at his sour expression, Eve waived away his poorly concealed contempt. “Yes, yes, I know. It’s quite gaudy, isn’t it? Don’t blame me though, I’m afraid that most of this was my parent’s idea. They weren’t the most frugal of people.”

“And who were they?” Axel asked, still somewhat annoyed at the needless flaunting of wealth but curious to know who Eve was connected too.

“Hmm… well… you’d probably know them as the-”

“Woh! This is so cool!” David shouted as he finally emerged from the limo. “Do you live here Ms.Eve?”

Eve smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm. “Why yes, yes I do.”

“That’s amazing!”

“Thank you." She laughed at his exuberance before composing herself.

"Now, allow me to properly introduce myself,” She said as she took a step back and bowed slightly. “I am Eve Nele Leichenmacher, also known as ‘the Inventor’ in more recent weeks. I welcome you to the Leichenberg Manor,” She announced grandly and began to lead an excited David inside as he peppered her with questions about the house.

While Axel stood outside with his blood running cold as he realized that they might be in more trouble than he thought.