The digital glow of Elias’s monitor was the only light in his studio apartment. He wasn't looking for love; he was looking for data. As a freelance "digital genealogist," Elias spent his days tracing the tangled threads of online footprints to help people find lost relatives or forgotten legacies.

It was sent by Maya, a woman trying to find the location of a specific, unnamed café her grandparents had frequented in 1960s Paris. All she had was a blurry photo of a neon sign reflecting in a puddle.

“The search parameters have changed. I’m looking for the person who helped me find the light. Are you busy this summer?”