After the successful marriage proposal, Poul and Sara packed up their things and prepared themselves to leave. Poul grabbed the crank to start the engine of the vintage vehicle they had arrived in. He turned it with a firm grip, expecting the familiar roar of the engine. But instead, there was nothing but a series of clicking sounds.
Puzzled, Poul tried again, turning the crank with more force this time, but still, the engine refused to start.
Sara leaned over the passenger seat, concern etched on her face. "Is there a problem?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.
But when Poul gave it more force this time, the engine sputtered to life, coughing and spluttering as it regained its rhythm. Poul's eyes widened in surprise, a mix of relief and excitement flooding his senses.
Sara's worry turned into elation as she witnessed the resurrection of the engine. A wide smile spread across her face, mirroring Poul's own expression of triumph. For a second they feared that the car won't start, which would probably lead them to get stranded here.
With the engine running smoothly now, Poul hopped onto the driver's seat.
"Are your seatbelt fastened?" Poul asked, looking at Sara.
"Yup," Sara replied.
"Okay, let's go."
***
Forty-five minutes later, just fifteen minutes away from Pittsburgh, Poul and Sara continued their journey, relishing the serene silence that enveloped them. The occasional sounds of the wind rustling through the trees and the gentle hum of the engine provided a comforting backdrop to their thoughts.
As they approached the outskirts of the city, the landscape began to shift, with factories that billowed black smoke replacing the tranquil countryside. The vintage car chugged along, gracefully navigating the urban terrain, its engine purring contentedly.
Along the way, they would notice passersby casting inquisitive gazes at the couple, specifically at the automobile.
"Hey…Poul, I noticed this on you lately, are you facing a problem of some sort?" Sara asked.
"Where did that come from all of a sudden?" Poul asked, his eyes fixed on the road.
"Well, I just noticed. You see Poul, even if your body is not the same as the ones you had in our past world doesn't mean I can't get a read on you. I didn't want to bring that up earlier as it might ruin the mood…" Sara explained.
"Ah…it just proves that I'm not good at hiding things," Poul chuckled. "Well, darling, you know Mr. Russell right? The alternate Thomas Edison of this world."
"Yes, I heard about him, and his smear campaign against your electric enterprise? What happened? Did he launch another smear campaign?"
"Something like that," Poul confirmed, nodding his head. "There is this man sentenced to death by execution, only this time it's going to be an electric chair, which will debut at a later date. And they are going to use alternating current, a current that is associated with our electric enterprise."
"I see…so what are you guys planning to do?" Sara asked.
"Well, Jonathan and Amelia are heading to New York to talk to Mr. Russell," Poul said and sighed. "We shouldn't be talking about business. For now, we should focus on our future."
"Yeah…" Sara said, gazing upward and watching as the orange sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the horizon. "Hey…Poul, I am wondering, what if Alexander were to hear about our engagement?"
"That is what I'm worried about. He might do something to us again. He has confronted me a lot of times now and I don't think he is going to stop any sooner. For now, he is our greatest threat. But just as I said to you, I will protect you, even if I don't win the presidential election, I will…" Poul paused as an idea popped up in his head.
"What is it?" Sara looked at him expectantly.
"Nothing my dear," Poul said, reaching out to her hand and squeezing it.
Sara looked at Poul, sensing that there was something he wasn't telling her. She could see the flicker of determination in his eyes, and her curiosity grew stronger.
"Poul, please tell me. I can sense that there's more to it. What are you thinking?"
"Thinking of ways on how to protect you," Poul revealed. "I'm just formulating now in my mind."
Poul realized that at this point, he and Jonathan are always reacting to the situation, always depending on others to save them. But this time, an idea that he had come up with right now would finally make them take the offensive.
The idea came after he was thinking that if he lost the presidential election, which has a high chance of happening given the current political climate of the United States, the concept of building a military force, a private army.
Yes, it might sound too much for defense, but that's the only way Poul could protect Sara and those who are precious to him. Alexander, at one point, would do something to them, he was sure of it, as he said before that he was not done yet on them. Well, if it involves endangering one's life, then the only way for them to protect themselves is that a private army.
However, building a private army for the sole purpose of self-defense wouldn't cut it, there must be another purpose for its existence. Poul and Jonathan knew that in the future, oil would be a precious commodity.
In the future, they would expand their oil mining operations abroad. Specifically in the middle east, where half of the oil global reserves are located.
In this world, the situation in the Middle East was tense due to competing interests and power struggles among various nations. The British Empire, in particular, had a significant presence in the region and was vying to establish control over the oil-rich territories. They sought to secure access to the region's vast oil reserves to fuel their industrial and imperial ambitions.
Poul's idea of building a private army tied into their plan to expand oil mining operations in the Middle East. By establishing their presence and securing oil fields, they could ensure a stable supply of oil for their own purposes. However, they also knew that they would be met with resistance from both local powers and foreign interests.
They couldn't forever rely on their country, not even Morgan. It's time for them to take matters into their own hands.
With a determined expression on his face, Poul is going to start major reforms in their business and way of life.
