Chapter 2
Part 3 — The Hidden Name
The silence inside the booth became so heavy that even the faint sound of rain against the glass walls seemed to disappear.
All eyes were glued to the enormous screen of the golden hypercar.
The first message remained visible:
Authorized access. Recognized creator.
But beneath it, a second window was slowly beginning to open.
The system seemed to be searching for something in its own files. Lines of code appeared and disappeared rapidly, while golden lights swept across the body in a perfect sequence, as if the vehicle had finally awakened after years of slumber.
The young mechanic stood motionless by the driver's side door.
The billionaire was no longer laughing.
The booth manager approached the screen, his face pale and his eyes fixed on the progress bar.
"What's happening?" he asked, almost in a whisper.
The young man did not respond immediately.
He simply observed the panel.
When the bar reached the end, the message disappeared.
In its place, only one name emerged.
ETHAN CARTER.
There was an immediate murmur among the customers.
Some people looked at the young man.
Others repeated the name in a low voice, trying to figure out where they knew it from.
The billionaire crossed his arms, struggling to regain his arrogance.
Who is Ethan Carter?
None of the experts responded.
The five men stood before the car, confused and embarrassed. They had spent three days dismantling systems, replacing components, and repeating tests, but none of them had found that hidden area.
It was the manager who reacted first.
He took two steps back.
— Ethan Carter... — he repeated.
The young man slowly looked away from the screen and stared at him.
The manager seemed to be searching for an old memory.
— Many years ago, before this stand opened, I heard that name at a meeting.
The billionaire turned to him immediately.
What meeting?
— A private meeting with the project's former investors.
Why didn't you ever tell me about this?
The manager hesitated.
Because I thought it was just a story.
The young man closed his hand over the orange glove he was still holding.
The manager continued:
— They said that the first system of this prototype hadn't been created by the official engineers. They spoke of a young prodigy, someone capable of understanding the engine better than any adult on the team.
One of the experts let out a small, nervous laugh.
That's impossible. This boy is fifteen years old.
The manager looked at the name on the screen again.
The project started almost ten years ago.
The billionaire pointed at Ethan.
So he would be five years old.
— Exactly — replied the manager.
Several people started laughing, but the laughter quickly faded when they realized that Ethan showed no surprise.
He approached the screen and touched a small golden symbol that shone in the lower corner.
The interface changed immediately.
Dozens of technical portfolios emerged.
Three-dimensional drawings.
Aerodynamic calculations.
Energy maps.
Engine simulations.
Test records.
The same digital signature appeared on each document:
Ethan Carter.
One of the experts moved quickly.
Let me see that.
Ethan pulled his hand away.
The man scanned the files with his eyes, growing increasingly disturbed.
These schemes are authentic.
Another expert approached.
It can't be.
The structure of the fuel cells is exactly the same as the system installed in the car.
The third expert opened one of the drawings.
Even manufacturing defects are noted here.
The billionaire frowned.
What mistakes?
The expert pointed to a series of notes.
— Minor changes made during construction. Changes that only someone involved from the beginning would know about.
The billionaire approached Ethan.
Where did you get those files?
I couldn't find them anywhere.
So how did they get into the system?
Ethan looked at him serenely.
— I was the one who put them here.
The owner let out a short laugh.
— When were you five years old?
— When I was six.
The answer plunged the room into silence once more.
A stylishly dressed woman shook her head.
A six-year-old child cannot draw an engine.
Ethan looked at her.
I didn't design the entire engine when I was six years old.
The billionaire smiled, believing he had found the contradiction.
— You finally admit it.
— I designed the first system when I was five. The motor came later.
Nobody laughed.
The manager approached slowly.
Who taught you?
For the first time, Ethan's expression changed.
His gaze became more distant.
My father.
The car's lights dimmed slightly, as if the system were reacting to the sound of that word.
The manager held his breath.
— Was your father Daniel Carter?
Ethan remained silent.
But the answer was in his face.
The manager closed his eyes for a moment.
- My God.
The billionaire lost his temper.
Who was Daniel Carter?
The manager turned to him.
The true founder of the project.
The murmur of the crowd grew louder.
The billionaire stood motionless.
That's not true. The project was created by the company I bought.
"The company presented the prototype," the manager corrected. "But Daniel Carter developed the original concept."
I've never seen that name in any document.
Because it was deleted.
The billionaire gave him a hard look.
Be careful what you say.
The manager did not back down.
— When I joined the team, some engineers were still talking about him. They said that Daniel had created an engine unlike anything that existed before. A system that learned from the driver and only accepted commands from authorized personnel.
One of the experts looked at the panel.
— An adaptive biometric system.
Ethan nodded.
It doesn't just recognize a fingerprint. It analyzes movement patterns, heart rate, hand pressure, and neurological responses.
The expert was impressed.
This technology would still be difficult to develop today.
"That's why they never managed to start the car," Ethan said. "They replaced parts that were working. They tried to bypass a system they didn't understand."
The billionaire clenched his fists.
— And why does the car recognize you?
Ethan moved his hand closer to the steering wheel.
The golden lights intensified.
Because I was the first person registered in the system.
— Before your father?
My father didn't create the car for himself.
The manager looked at Ethan.
He created it for you.
The young man did not respond.
But a new window opened in the panel.
An old video appeared on the screen.
The image was blurry at first.
Then it became clear.
A small, dimly lit workshop could be seen. In the center was an incomplete structure of the hypercar, still without its gold coating.
Next to the vehicle stood a tall man with dark hair and a tired expression.
Daniel Carter.
Next to him was a six-year-old boy, sitting on a toolbox, with a pencil in his hand and a sheet full of drawings on his lap.
It was Ethan.
The recording had no sound for the first few seconds.
Then the man's voice was heard.
— Test number twenty-seven. Ethan found a flaw in the thermal control.
The boy pointed to the drawing.
Daniel moved the camera closer.
Show it again.
Little Ethan pointed to a line on the paper.
The energy is flowing back the wrong way.
Daniel smiled.
So what do we do?
We changed course.
Are you sure?
- Yes.
The video played forward.
New recordings have surfaced.
Ethan is setting up a small circuit.
Ethan sitting inside the car's structure.
Ethan watched the engine while Daniel explained each part to him.
The entire room watched in silence.
Even the billionaire seemed unable to look away.
In one of the videos, Daniel placed his hand on his son's shoulder.
One day, this car will be yours.
Little Ethan smiled.
Even when I grow up?
Especially when you grow up.
The recording has finished.
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
The billionaire was the first to break the silence.
A video does not prove ownership.
Ethan slowly turned his face towards him.
I never said I could prove it.
Then why are you here?
Because I received a message.
- From who?
— From the car itself.
Some people exchanged glances, thinking they must have misheard.
The billionaire laughed again.
— So you're saying the car sent you a message?
Two weeks ago, the system tried to connect to an old server.
The manager frowned.
— The original project server?
- Yes.
I thought it had been destroyed.
Someone kept an active part of it.
The young man opened another folder on the screen.
A record of communications emerged.
A recent date appeared at the top.
Below, just one sentence:
The return protocol has been activated.
The manager put his hand to his mouth.
Was this protocol real?
Ethan nodded.
The billionaire looked from one to the other.
Can someone explain to me what this means?
The manager took a deep breath.
Daniel Carter believed the project would be stolen.
Stolen by whom?
— By the investors.
That's absurd.
"That's why he created a secret system," the manager continued. "If the prototype were transferred without authorization, it would remain locked until it recognized Ethan."
The billionaire looked at the car.
Are you saying this vehicle was parked on purpose?
"Not just the vehicle," Ethan replied. "The main files were also locked."
An expert pointed to the screen.
So all the information we've seen...
It's only a small part.
Where is the rest?
Ethan placed his hand on the golden symbol.
Behind the main panel.
The billionaire stepped forward immediately.
Open it.
Ethan didn't move.
- No.
This car is inside my showroom.
But it never belonged to him.
The crowd reacted with a loud murmur.
The billionaire's face hardened.
Do you have any idea who you're talking to?
Ethan kept his voice calm.
— With the man who bought a building, some brands, and a prototype he didn't understand.
I bought everything legally.
— He bought what they showed him.
The manager lowered his eyes.
The billionaire noticed the gesture.
Did you know?
"I didn't know everything," the manager replied.
But you knew something.
The manager took a deep breath.
I knew there were missing documents when the company was sold. I thought they might have been lost.
Ethan looked at him.
They didn't get lost.
Where are they?
Inside the car.
Ethan touched the panel again.
A deep click was heard.
A section of the center console slowly opened.
Inside there was a small black metal box, protected by a transparent lid.
The manager recognized her immediately.
Daniel's box.
The billionaire extended his hand.
Ethan closed the compartment before he could touch it.
— You are not authorized.
I am the owner of this stand!
That doesn't give you access.
Security guards!
Two men stepped forward.
But the manager raised his hand.
— Nobody touches the boy.
The billionaire turned to him.
You're fired.
"Perhaps," the manager replied. "But before that, I want to know the truth."
Ethan watched the security guards.
None of them made progress.
Then he placed the palm of his hand on the reader.
A light ran through her fingers.
The black box has been freed.
He carefully removed it and placed it on the car seat.
There was a small inscription on the lid:
For Ethan. Only when you're ready.
The young man's hands trembled for the first time.
The manager fixed it.
— You never opened that box?
Ethan shook his head.
I didn't know it existed.
So how did you know where I was?
The system showed me the way.
The billionaire moved a little closer, now less arrogant and more restless.
Open it.
Ethan stood motionless.
For years he had wondered what had happened to his father.
Daniel Carter disappeared when Ethan was only seven years old. The police never found any evidence of an accident, escape, or death. The company said he abandoned the project and took investors' money.
Ethan had never believed that version of events.
The mother refused to talk about the matter.
A short time later, they moved to a different city and began living far away from anything related to the car.
But Ethan never forgot.
Not even the engine.
Not even the drawings.
Not even the promise.
He placed his hand on the box again.
The lid opened with a small metallic sound.
Inside there were three objects.
A golden key.
A small memory device.
And a photograph.
Ethan grabbed the photograph first.
There, Daniel stood before the completed prototype.
Next to him was the stand manager, who was much younger.
And there was also a third person.
A man in a dark suit, with one hand resting on the gold hood.
Ethan looked at the photograph.
Then he looked at the billionaire.
It was him.
Younger, but unmistakable.
The entire room noticed at the same time.
The billionaire turned pale.
Ethan held up the photograph.
— She said she had never heard of my father.
The man did not answer.
But I was with him.
The manager closed his eyes, as if that image confirmed an old fear.
I knew I had seen him before.
The billionaire tried to regain control.
— I participated in dozens of meetings. That doesn't mean anything.
Ethan turned the photograph around.
On the back there was a handwritten phrase.
If anything happens to me, don't trust the man with the silver watch.
Everyone looked at the billionaire's wrist.
He was wearing a luxury silver watch.
The man instinctively hid his wrist close to his body.
The gesture was enough.
The crowd retreated.
Ethan placed the photograph on the bench and picked up the memory device.
"What's there?" asked the manager.
There's only one way to find out.
He connected the device to the panel.
The system took a few seconds to recognize it.
Then a new message appeared:
Daniel Carter's final file.
The billionaire moved forward.
Turn that off.
Ethan didn't move.
Turn it off immediately!
The manager positioned himself between the two.
- He arrives.
The billionaire looked around.
Customers no longer looked at him with admiration.
The employees kept their distance.
The experts avoided looking at him.
For the first time, the owner seemed alone in his own stand.
Ethan opened the file.
Daniel's voice filled the hall.
Ethan, if you're hearing this, it means the prototype recognized you and you're old enough to seek the truth.
The young man held his breath.
The recording continued:
— They said I abandoned the project. They said I stole from the company. It's all a lie.
The billionaire approached the panel.
This can be manipulated.
No one answered him.
"The engine was created by you and me," Daniel continued. "But someone wanted to sell it before it was ready. I refused. That's when the threats started."
Ethan closed his eyes for a moment.
The father's voice had grown softer.
"I don't know how much time I have left. That's why I hid the ownership documents inside the prototype. The car belongs to you, Ethan. But there's something more important than the car."
The recording stopped.
There was an audio glitch.
Then Daniel's image appeared on the screen.
He was inside the old workshop, looking directly at the camera.
The man who tried to steal the project believes I've disappeared forever.
The billionaire's face turned completely colorless.
Daniel approached the camera.
But I left proof of everything.
The file failed again.
Ethan tried to restore the sound.
The image froze for two seconds.
When he returned, Daniel uttered one last sentence:
— And if the current owner of the stand is next to you when you hear this, ask him what happened that night.
The recording has finished.
Nobody moved.
Ethan slowly removed his hand from the dashboard.
Then he turned to the billionaire.
The man's arrogance had completely vanished.
"What night?" Ethan asked.
The billionaire opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
The manager approached him.
Answer the boy.
I have nothing to say.
Ethan held up the photograph.
My father trusted you.
You don't know what you're talking about.
Then tell me where he is.
The man took a step back.
Daniel disappeared.
That's not what I asked.
The billionaire looked towards the doors of the booth.
The security guards remained in the same place.
Nobody was going to help him.
It was then that the hypercar's system emitted a new signal.
A final area of the screen lit up.
Ethan turned around.
There was a file that hadn't appeared before.
The name was simple:
DANIEL CARTER'S LOCATION.
Ethan's heart raced.
The manager approached the panel.
This means he might be alive.
Ethan touched the file.
The system requested the golden key.
He took it out of the box and inserted it into a small slot.
The screen went black.
Then a map appeared.
A red dot began flashing in an isolated region, hundreds of kilometers away.
A date appeared below the map.
The broadcast had been updated that same morning.
Ethan stopped breathing.
The signal is recent.
The manager looked at the billionaire.
Did you know this?
The man did not answer.
Ethan closed the black box and put the photograph away.
Then he got into the hypercar.
The billionaire moved forward.
You can't take that car.
Ethan placed his hands on the steering wheel.
The engine responded with a deep vibration.
— You said the stand would be mine if I got it up and running.
The lights came on all around the vehicle.
The owner remained motionless.
Ethan looked at him one last time.
But I don't want your stand.
So what do you want?
The young man looked away at the red dot on the map.
I want to find my father.
The engine sprang to life with a powerful roar.
The glass doors began to open automatically.
But before Ethan could move forward, the system displayed one last message.
DANGER: THE SIGNAL COULD BE A TRAP.
The young man gripped the steering wheel tightly.
An image captured a few hours earlier appeared on the screen.
Daniel Carter was alive.
Older.
Tired.
And sitting in a dark room.
Behind him was the same golden symbol engraved on the car.
But there was someone by her side.
May you like
Someone Ethan recognized immediately.
It was his own mother.
