Chapter 5: The Garage Where My Father Hid the Truth
The road to the old garage felt longer than it should have.
I sat behind Bear on his motorcycle, my hands gripping the back of his leather vest as the canyon disappeared behind us.
The wind hit my face.
The engine vibrated beneath us.
Normally, I would have been amazed.
A kid like me riding through the mountains on a motorcycle surrounded by thousands of bikers sounded like something from a movie.
But I couldn’t enjoy it.
Not with those words stuck in my head.
*Marcus was wrong to think his son would survive.*
Someone wanted me afraid.
Someone wanted me to know they were watching.
And the worst part?
It worked.
I looked down at the small metal key in my hand.
My father left this behind.
A piece of him.
A clue.
A warning.
I didn’t know which one scared me more.
“Eli.””
Bear’s voice came through the wind.
“What?””
“You’re holding that key too tightly.””
I looked down.
My fingers had turned white around the metal.
I loosened my grip.
“I’m fine.””
Bear gave a quiet laugh.
“You say that a lot.””
“So?””
“So people who are fine usually don’t have to convince everyone.””
I didn’t answer.
Because he was right.
And I hated that.
After several minutes, the convoy slowed.
The old garage appeared at the edge of the canyon.
It was smaller than I expected.
I imagined my father hiding something in a huge building.
Something important.
Something protected.
But this place looked abandoned.
A faded sign hung above the entrance.
*MARCUS MOTOR WORKS.*
My chest tightened.
I had never seen my father’s name written anywhere except paperwork.
Seeing it here felt strange.
Like meeting someone who had been dead for years.
The motorcycles stopped one by one.
Thousands of engines went silent.
The sudden quiet felt heavier than the noise.
Bear climbed off his bike.
I followed.
Daniel stood nearby, looking at the garage.
“You’ve been here before,” I said.
He didn’t deny it.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Before Marcus disappeared.””
I stared at him.
“You knew about this place?””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me?””
His face tightened.
“I didn’t know where you were.””
“That’s not an answer.””
Daniel looked down.
“You’re right.””
I was starting to hate how often people admitted that.
Because it made my anger harder to hold.
If they argued, I could fight.
If they apologized, I had nothing.
Bear walked toward the garage door.
The message was still there.
Painted in thick black letters.
*ELI.*
Underneath:
*MARCUS WAS WRONG TO THINK HIS SON WOULD SURVIVE.*
One of the riders stepped forward.
A tall man with a shaved head and a scar across his eyebrow.
“Bear.””
“I see it.””
“You want us to search the area?””
Bear nodded.
“Carefully.””
The man looked at me.
“Should the kid be here?””
Before Bear could answer, I spoke.
“I’m not a kid.””
Everyone looked at me.
I immediately regretted saying it.
But I meant it.
The man studied me.
Then nodded.
“You’re Marcus’s son.””
I looked away.
“That’s what they keep telling me.””
The man’s expression softened.
“Then you’re exactly like him.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“He hated being underestimated too.””
For some reason, that made me smile.
Just for a second.
Then it disappeared.
Bear unlocked the garage.
The door groaned open.
Dust filled the air.
The smell hit me immediately.
Oil.
Metal.
Old leather.
And something else.
Something familiar.
Home.
I stepped inside.
The garage was frozen in time.
Tools hung on the walls.
Old motorcycle parts covered shelves.
A workbench sat in the corner.
And on the wall above it was a photograph.
My father.
Bear.
Daniel.
And several other riders.
They were younger.
Happy.
I walked closer.
My fingers brushed the edge of the frame.
“Why didn’t anyone show me this?””
Nobody answered.
Because nobody had a good answer.
Bear walked beside me.
“Because we failed you.””
I looked at him.
He didn’t look away.
“We protected the secret.””
His voice lowered.
“But we forgot the person the secret was supposed to protect.””
That was the first thing anyone had said that felt completely honest.
I looked around the garage.
“What are we looking for?””
Bear reached into his pocket.
“The key.””
I held it up.
“Where does it go?””
Daniel stepped forward.
“There.””
He pointed toward the workbench.
A small metal box was hidden underneath.
I walked over.
The box had no lock.
Only a tiny keyhole.
My heart started racing.
Because it was exactly the size of the key.
Bear looked at me.
“You should open it.””
“Why me?””
“Because your father wanted you to.””
I didn’t move.
What if it was bad?
What if the truth was worse than the questions?
What if I opened it and found out everyone was lying?
I looked at the box.
Then inserted the key.
It turned easily.
Inside was a small hard drive.
A notebook.
And an old voice recorder.
I picked up the recorder first.
The moment I touched it, my hands started shaking.
Because this wasn’t just a clue.
It was his voice.
Bear noticed.
“You don’t have to listen now.””
I looked at him.
“Yes.””
“Eli—”
“No.””
I pressed the button.
Static filled the garage.
Then…
A voice.
A voice I had almost forgotten.
“Hey, buddy.””
Everything stopped.
My knees nearly gave out.
Because it was him.
My father.
Older memories rushed back.
A laugh.
A hand on my head.
A song he used to hum.
I covered my mouth.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
The recording continued.
“If you’re hearing this, then something happened.””
A pause.
“I wish I could be there when you find this.””
My eyes burned.
“I wish I could explain everything myself.””
The voice cracked slightly.
“I need you to know something, Eli.””
I held my breath.
“I didn’t leave because I stopped loving you.””
The tears came before I could stop them.
“I left because I loved you enough to disappear.””
I closed my eyes.
The words hurt.
But differently.
Not like a wound.
Like a door opening.
The recording continued.
“There are people who will tell you I made mistakes.””
A pause.
“They’re right.””
I looked at Bear.
He was staring at the floor.
“Your father wasn’t perfect.””
Another pause.
“But I made one promise.””
The voice became softer.
“To keep you safe.””
The recording clicked.
Static.
Then another voice appeared.
Not my father’s.
A different man.
A colder voice.
My eyes opened.
“Marcus.””
The voice said his name.
“Give us the information.””
Nobody in the garage moved.
My father’s voice answered.
“No.””
The other man laughed.
“You think hiding your son changes anything?””
My blood turned cold.
A chair scraped.
The recording continued.
“You should have thought about that before you involved him.””
My father sounded angry.
“Leave my son alone.””
The man laughed again.
“Then tell us where you hid it.””
Silence.
Then my father said:
“You’ll never find it.””
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
For several seconds, the only sound was my breathing.
Then Daniel whispered:
“He knew.””
I turned toward him.
“Knew what?””
Daniel looked terrified.
“The information wasn’t money.””
“What?””
“It wasn’t about the company.””
Bear looked at him.
“What are you saying?””
Daniel stared at me.
“The thing your father hid…”
His face went pale.
“It wasn’t something he wanted to protect.””
I frowned.
“Then what was it?””
Daniel looked toward the garage walls.
Toward all the memories.
Toward my father’s old life.
Then he said:
“He hid proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Proof that someone powerful wanted you erased.””
The garage suddenly felt unsafe.
The walls.
The windows.
Everything.
My father hadn’t just hidden a secret.
He had hidden a weapon.
And someone had spent twelve years trying to find it.
Before anyone could say anything else, a loud crash came from outside.
Everyone turned.
A motorcycle tire screeched.
One of the riders ran into the garage.
“Bear!””
Everyone looked at him.
His face was pale.
“What happened?””
The rider looked at me.
Then at the hard drive in my hand.
“They weren’t trying to scare us.””
Bear stepped forward.
“Who?””
The rider swallowed.
“They were searching for something else.””
A pause.
“They were searching for him.””
He pointed at me.
My stomach dropped.
“Someone followed us here?””
The rider shook his head.
“No.””
His voice became quieter.
“They were already here.””
Bear’s expression changed.
“Where?””
The rider looked toward the back of the garage.
And whispered:
“In Marcus’s old office.””
I froze.
Because my father’s office door was locked.
And it hadn’t been opened in twelve years.
May you like
Then, from inside the room…
A phone began ringing.
