Chapter 1 - Five Years Later

Munich, Germany 2023

Torrential rain pounded on the roof of the deserted house located just outside the town of Munich. The house, a charming little cottage with blossoming gardens and a simple, white picket fence, offered a sanctuary for those seeking anonymity. A small German family- a mother, a father, and their daughter- had purchased the house after relocating from the bustling city of Berlin. The mother worked as a nurse at the local doctor's office, the father was a software developer for an undisclosed company which he would brush off when asked, and the daughter, a twenty-five-year-old student, had been studying remotely at a university in England. They were an utterly unremarkable, ordinary family, barely catching anyone's attention.Due to the blip that devastated the world, they had not been seen for five years, or so the neighbors presumed. The house had remained dark and silent during those long years until one of its inhabitants finally returned.Harlow jolted awake, gasping as she found herself lying on her side in the kitchen. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. It seemed she had fainted upon entering the kitchen for a later lunch, having trained so hard that day that she had forgotten to eat."You idiot" she scolded herself inwardly.She slowly pulled herself up from the ground, her head spinning, and clutched the counter to regain her balance."Mom!" she called out. Harlow scanned the kitchen, convinced that her mother had been there earlier, chopping vegetables for dinner. However, the bench revealed a disturbing sight- spoiled food emitting an unimaginable stench."Mom! Dad!" she shouted, rushing through the house, searching room after room, but all she encountered was silence. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Harlow combed through every nook and cranny in her relentless search for any trace of her missing parents. The absence of their car in the driveway gave her a glimmer of hope that they had gone for a drive, but the sight of decaying food and piled-up newspapers shattered her optimism. Occasionally, sounds of celebration from the streets reached her ears, prompting her to leave a note for her parents before venturing toward the source of the commotion in town.Harlow arrived at the local pub where her family had dined a few times before. However, the atmosphere inside was vastly different from what she remembered. Laughter and euphoria filled the air as if the town's football team had just won a big game. Finding an empty spot at the bar, she took a seat."What is happening here?" Harlow muttered to herself.The bartender approached her and asked, "What can I get you?""Um, I..." Harlow faltered, momentarily forgetting the German accent she and her family had adopted since arriving in this town."Are you all right? Are you also searching for your loved ones, Miss?" the bartender inquired."What?" Harlow replied, confusion etching her face."You know..." The bartender's expression shifted to one of sorrow. "Oh, you don't know. You're one of the vanished," she stated matter-of-factly."One of the vanished?" Harlow questioned."Five years ago, people vanished without a trace, and today, they suddenly reappeared in the same spot they disappeared from," the bartender explained."So my parents and I vanished, but then why was I the only one at home?" Harlow pondered aloud.The bartender offered a shy smile. "Miss, half of humanity vanished, and now, all of a sudden, they've returned. If that's not a miracle, I don't know what is. Your parents are probably out there searching for you too. Don't worry, they'll turn up," she reassured Harlow cheerfully, pouring her a drink. "Are you 18, Miss?" she asked."Technically, I'm 30 now," Harlow muttered."Well, that's one silver lining to all of this!" The bartender chuckled and turned to attend to the next customer.Harlow stared at her drink, contemplating her next move. "I need to find my parents," she resolved.Throwing back the liquid courage, its fiery burn served as a reminder that she had neglected to eat all day—just as she had for the past five years.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Harlow swiftly left the pub, her mind unable to comprehend the notion that five years had elapsed while it felt like only minutes. With the town immersed in celebration over the return of their loved ones, she knew seeking answers would be futile."Excuse me, Miss?" a woman with a deep German accent called out to Harlow, interrupting her thoughts. "I'm not from this area, and I am terribly lost. Could you possibly help me?""I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm in a hurry," Harlow huffed, turning into one of the numerous alleyways in town. To her surprise, the woman persisted, following closely behind."Please, you must help me. I'm searching for my family, and I believe they're from this part of town," the woman pleaded, attempting to grab Harlow's arm."Please, just leave me alone," Harlow brushed off the woman's advances, growing increasingly frustrated."Wait!" the woman called out desperately, gripping Harlow's arm forcefully and drawing her closer until their faces were inches apart."Hail Hydra," she whispered, her American accent flawless. Harlow's eyes widened, her mouth opening to speak, but before she could utter a word, a sharp pain shot through her neck as the woman plunged something into her.Harlow's vision started to blur, her body growing numb in the woman's grasp. The assailant retrieved a phone from her coat pocket, dialed a number, and brought it to her ear.A smile crept across the woman's face as she gazed down at Harlow's unconscious body. "Bring the car around. The traitor's daughter has returned".