Chapter 8
Part 9 — The Hidden Truth
The silence inside the room seemed to suffocate everyone present.
The word "Co-founder" continued to glow on the old monitor.
Ethan looked alternately at his father and at Richard Vale.
Neither of them looked away.
It was Richard who broke the silence.
Do you really think you built all this by yourself, Daniel?
Daniel remained motionless.
I never said that.
Richard took another step forward.
Then tell him the truth.
Ethan frowned.
— What truth?
Richard smiled.
Before any prototype existed... there was just the two of us.
He pointed at Daniel.
We met at university.
We dreamed of building an energy source capable of changing the world.
Daniel did not answer.
Richard continued.
— We worked side by side for years. I found investors. Your father developed the technology.
The manager slowly closed his eyes.
Now he understood why the system had recognized Richard as a co-founder.
He had actually been part of the project.
But Daniel finally spoke.
Tell me everything.
Not just the part that suits you.
Richard took a deep breath.
— Everything started to change when we realized how valuable that technology was.
She looked at Ethan.
Investors were willing to pay billions.
— And then what?
Your father refused.
Daniel answered immediately.
Because they wanted to hide the technology.
They wanted to control her.
It's exactly the same thing.
Richard smiled.
- No.
There's a huge difference between controlling... and preventing.
Ethan remained silent.
For the first time, I didn't know who to believe.
They both seemed to be telling the truth.
But only half of it.
Daniel walked slowly to the old computer.
He placed his hand on the monitor.
Ethan...
Do you know why I built the biometric system?
— To protect the car.
Daniel shook his head.
— To protect people.
He opened a small drawer hidden underneath the computer.
He removed a yellowish paste.
He handed it to his son.
The cover read:
Project Aurora
Ethan carefully opened the folder.
Inside, there were dozens of documents.
Photographs.
Diagrams.
Medical reports.
Until he found a sheet of paper marked with red ink.
He only read the title.
Military applications.
The boy immediately looked up.
- Father...
Daniel nodded.
— To be continued.
The following pages described how the energy cell could power autonomous drones, military vehicles, and experimental weapons for months without needing to be refueled.
Ethan's face lost its color.
Richard approached.
— Do you understand now?
Daniel closed the folder.
I destroyed those projects.
Richard laughed.
- No.
You hid them.
There is a difference.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded from the main system.
The hypercar lit up.
A new message appeared on the panel.
External access detected.
The manager approached quickly.
Someone got into the network.
Daniel looked at Richard immediately.
Wasn't it you?
Richard seemed genuinely surprised.
- No.
The workshop monitors started switching on one by one.
None of them were being controlled by Ethan.
Not even by Daniel.
Not even by Richard.
A new window appeared automatically.
Encrypted connection established.
Then an image appeared.
A woman.
Dark hair.
Firm expression.
Maya Carter.
Ethan took a step forward.
- Mother!
She looked directly at her son.
You still have time.
Daniel moved closer to the screen.
Maya... where are you?
She didn't answer.
He simply stared at Richard.
Did you really think you were the most dangerous man in this story?
Richard stopped smiling.
Who is with you?
Maya took a deep breath.
The person you've been searching for for ten years.
The image shifted slightly to the side.
A figure emerged from the shadows.
An elderly man.
Completely white hair.
He was wearing a simple grey coat.
As soon as Daniel saw him...
He remained motionless.
- No...
The manager let out a murmur.
It's impossible...
Richard took two steps back.
For the first time since he had appeared, he seemed genuinely frightened.
He died...
The old man smiled calmly.
That's what I led you to believe.
Ethan looked at his father.
Who is he?
Daniel took a few seconds to respond.
Then he said slowly:
— Professor Alexander Hoffmann.
The man who taught me everything.
The true creator of the energy cell.
Silence fell over the workshop.
But the professor shook his head.
No, Daniel.
You went much further than I did.
Richard clenched his fists.
This changes nothing.
The professor looked directly at him.
— It changes everything.
Because there's a truth you've never discovered.
The transmission started to fail.
Before disappearing completely, the professor uttered only one sentence:
— Ethan... Project Aurora was never the goal.
It was just... a distraction.
The call dropped.
They all remained motionless.
No one understood the meaning of those words.
Then the old computer emitted a high-pitched sound.
A new message slowly appeared on the screen.
ORIGINAL PROTOCOL UNLOCKED.
Another line appeared just below.
LOCATION OF THE TRUE AVAILABLE LEGACY.
Daniel turned pale.
Because he knew exactly what that meant.
May you like
And he never imagined that anyone other than him could activate that protocol.
Continued in Part 10...
