Prologue

 

A message arrived on his cell phone. It said, simply: "Please take the cab waiting for you at the door". He thought for a moment. It was too soon, wasn't it? He pulled the curtain away from the window with his fingers, just enough to see a black autonomous cab waiting at a cab stand by the front door of the building. It was a cold Monday morning in October and people were walking warmly outside. It could have been just a coincidence, but maybe not. Maybe it was all starting at that very moment.
He got into the car and, two blocks later, stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse that had been a car dealership years ago. 
- A.T: Is this it?
- S.I: Yes, the fare is already paid. Have a nice day.
He didn't think too much about it, nor was he overcome by any sense of distress at the unexpected situation. He had been on that ship some years ago, when the business was still active. Apart from the nerves that anyone would feel in such a situation, he moved forward without fear because he sensed that this was something important to him.
The door gave way with a slight creak. It was an open-plan building with a cold floor, but the heating was on. It was dark inside, except for a small light coming from an office at the back. 
He walked toward it with unsteady steps.
- A.T: Hello?
- S.I: Yes, this way. Please come in.
A woman's sweet voice reassured him. He approached, but there was no one inside. Only the light of a bulb hanging from the ceiling and a strange device in the middle of an empty desk. The device emitted a strange light and, in front of him, the silhouette of a woman dressed in a formal gray suit appeared. No older than him, just under forty years old. A very plausible hologram, so much so that he felt fascinated contemplating it for a few seconds.