A bodyguard grabbed Ethan’s shoulder. In the struggle, Ethan forced the hose into place and twisted the tiny clamp with his fingernail until it tightened. Pain shot through his thumb as his nail split.
“It’s done!” Ethan shouted as he was shoved back onto the gravel.
Dust rose around him.
“Try it,” he said, breathing hard. “Turn the key.”
Bennett scoffed. “You think that’ll help?”
“If it doesn’t start, we’ll leave,” Ethan said, standing. “But if it does… you keep your word.”
Bennett hesitated, then slid into the driver’s seat. He inserted the key.
The starter turned once… twice…
For a split second, nothing.
Bennett opened his mouth to mock him—
Vrooooom.
The V12 engine roared to life smoothly, settling into a flawless idle. No warning lights. No shaking. Just power.
The bodyguards’ smiles vanished.
Ethan stood quietly, covered in grease and dust, watching.
Bennett shut off the engine and stepped out slowly. He peered under the hood, spotting a small smudge on a black hose—barely noticeable.
“It was the vacuum line to the MAP sensor,” Ethan explained. “Loose clamp. Extra air made the mixture too lean, so the computer cut ignition.”
The explanation was precise.