CHAPTER 5: The Night the Car Woke Up

Emergency lights painted the engineering bay red.

The Vesper’s doors locked. Its motor began cycling through a launch sequence even though no one sat behind the wheel.

Daniel moved toward the control station.

Naomi grabbed his arm. “If Victor can control the car, he may be controlling the building too.”

Priya called security, but the internal network was down. The Vesper’s wheels spun against the floor restraints, filling the bay with the high metallic scream of an electric system under load.

Celeste backed away. “He said he only wanted the car stopped.”

Daniel opened a manual breaker panel and cut power to the test platform. The Vesper went dark.

A second later, smoke curled from the server room.

Someone had triggered an electrical fire.

They escaped through the loading door while sprinklers flooded the bay. Firefighters arrived within minutes, but the main design server was destroyed.

Outside, Celeste stared at the smoke rising from the roof. “This is my fault.”

Daniel faced her. “Victor is responsible for what Victor does. You’re responsible for giving him access.”

Naomi’s phone showed hundreds of new alerts.

A video had been posted online while they were trapped inside. It showed only the courtyard confrontation—Daniel accusing Celeste, Celeste appearing tearful, and Naomi holding up private documents. The caption claimed Hart Automotive had staged the scandal to hide a dangerous defect in the Vesper.

Another clip showed Daniel placing the key on the hood and taking it away before Celeste could touch it.

The edit made him look cruel and controlling.

Within an hour, the company’s stock began falling in after-hours trading. Sponsors suspended contracts. Commentators accused Naomi of cooperating with a billionaire to attack a woman who had tried to expose him.

“My editor is calling,” Naomi said.

Her network placed her on temporary leave pending an ethics review. The anonymous documents, her private meeting with Daniel, and the edited video made it appear she had abandoned journalistic independence.

Victor had attacked all three of them at once.

Celeste received a message from him.

YOU FAILED. NOW THEY WILL BLAME YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

Attached was a photograph of her mother leaving a grocery store.

Celeste’s knees weakened.

Daniel took the phone and handed it to Priya. “We move her family somewhere safe.”

Celeste looked at him in disbelief. “After what I did?”

“My father tried to save your brother. I won’t let Victor use another member of your family.”

Naomi watched Daniel speak to security, his anger transformed into action.

She had interviewed powerful men who performed kindness when cameras were near.

Daniel did not know her microphone was still recording.

That was how she knew the kindness was real.