The engine hum faded as I pulled into the garage, my hands shaking slightly as I unstrapped myself from the cockpit. Sweat dripped down my face, exhaustion, and relief washing over me. I slid out of the car, my legs trembling slightly as I hit the ground. Before I could process the moment, Luca Moretti was already approaching me.
"Good drive out there, Henry," Luca said with a grin, extending his hand. "You've got talent, no doubt about it."
"Thanks, Luca," I said, shaking his hand. "Coming from you, that means a lot."
As Luca walked off, Damon Steele and Matteo Ricci approached, their expressions less congratulatory but still civil.
"Not bad, Calder," Damon muttered, crossing his arms. "You've got some guts out there, I'll give you that."
Matteo smirked but nodded. "Guess we'll see if you can keep it up all season."
I met their gazes, refusing to back down. "I plan to."
After the testing session, the team principal, Camille, called us into the briefing room. She stood at the front of the room, her hands clasped behind her back, her expression unreadable.
"First off, I want to commend all of you for your efforts during this preseason. The level of competition has been impressive," she began, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room.
I sat quietly, my heart pounding.
"That being said," she continued, "we can only have one-second main driver this season. The results of the test race and overall preseason performance have been decisive."
The room was silent, the tension palpable.
"Henry Calder," she announced, turning to me with a rare smile, "you've earned the second main driver spot for ART this season."
My breath caught, and I felt a rush of adrenaline. Camille's words echoed in my head: You've earned it.
She continued, "Damon Steele and Matteo Ricci, you will serve as our reserve drivers. Your roles will be crucial in supporting the team's success."
Damon and Matteo's expressions hardened, but they nodded curtly. Sitting next to me, Luca leaned over and patted me on the back.
"Well deserved," he said quietly.
"Congratulations, Henry," Camille said, her tone warm. "This is only the beginning."
After the meeting, I stepped outside the facility and dialed my dad. The moment he picked up, I could hear the excitement in his voice.
"Henry! How'd it go?"
"I'm the second main driver, Dad," I said, unable to keep the pride out of my voice.
"That's my boy!" Dad exclaimed. I could hear my mom and sister cheering in the background.
"Mom and Emily are over the moon," Dad added. "But listen, that's not the only news. You've got your first sponsorship offer."
My eyebrows shot up. "Seriously? From who?"
"That's a surprise," Dad said with a chuckle. "I'll be flying out to France to meet you soon. We'll go negotiate the deal together."
"Can't wait to see you, Dad," I said, smiling.
The drive back in the Gallardo was a blur, my mind buzzing with everything that had happened. Marcus was already waiting in the home gym when I arrived at my house.
"Ready to get to work?" he asked, grinning.
"Always," I replied.
We dove into an intense workout session, focusing on strength and endurance. Marcus pushed me hard, but I relished the challenge.
"You're making real progress, Henry," Marcus said as I finished a set of weighted squats. "Keep this up, and you'll be a force on the track."
After the workout, I met with Olivia in the study. She was already seated with her tablet, her ever-efficient demeanor calming me down.
"So, I heard about the sponsor offer," she said, glancing up.
"Yeah," I said. "My dad's flying out soon, but we'll need to fit it into the schedule."
"I'll coordinate everything," Olivia said confidently. "Let me know the exact dates once your dad arrives."
"Thanks, Olivia," I said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd survive," she teased. "But not nearly as efficiently."
Later that evening, as I was relaxing on the couch, the system finally chimed in.
"Congratulations, Rookie. You've completed your task: Become the second main driver for ART."
I sat up, intrigued. "Why didn't you say anything during the meeting?"
The system's voice was smug. "I wanted you to focus. You humans can be so easily distracted by praise."
"Well, thanks, I guess?"
"As a reward, you've been granted 20 attribute points. Use them wisely."
The system paused before continuing. "Oh, and you've unlocked a new skill."
My heart raced. "What is it?"
The system's tone shifted as if relishing the reveal. "The Slipstream Surge skill. It allows you to maximize drafting on straights, giving you a temporary boost in speed and efficiency. Use it sparingly; it's a weapon, not a crutch."
A grin spread across my face. "Sounds perfect."
Before heading to bed, I scrolled through my phone, wondering if I'd ever see Taryn Carrell again. But as much as I wanted to dwell on that mystery, I had to focus on racing.
This was my moment. And I wasn't going to waste it.