Chapter 5: The Name Hidden in the Engine
The garage had been abandoned for seventeen years.
At least that’s what everyone believed.
The old building sat behind a row of empty warehouses, covered in rust and dust. The faded sign above the entrance was barely readable.
Vale & Bear Customs.
My name was still there.
His name was still there.
Like time had forgotten to erase the evidence.
I stood outside the locked door, staring.
Eli stood beside me.
Tasha stayed a few steps behind.
“You sure this is the place?”” I asked.
She nodded.
“Maya told me.””
My hand touched the old metal handle.
A memory flashed.
Marcus laughing inside.
Tools scattered everywhere.
Music playing from a broken speaker.
Maya sitting on the workbench while I repaired engines.
A different life.
A life that felt like it belonged to someone else.
I pushed the door open.
The hinges screamed.
Dust floated through the sunlight.
Everything inside looked frozen.
Old motorcycle parts covered the shelves.
Rusty tools hung from the walls.
A calendar from seventeen years ago remained behind the counter.
I walked in slowly.
Eli followed.
“Your name is here.””
I looked at him.
He pointed at the wall.
A photograph.
The same one from the shop.
Me.
Marcus.
Maya.
Before everything broke.
I looked away.
“Yeah.””
“You had friends.””
The words surprised me.
I looked at him.
“What?””
“Before.””
He looked around.
“You weren’t always alone.””
I didn’t answer.
Because I didn’t know how to explain that sometimes losing people hurt more than never having them.
Tasha moved toward the old desk.
“Marcus kept records here.””
I turned.
“Records of what?””
“I don’t know.””
She opened drawers.
Most were empty.
Broken.
Forgotten.
Then she stopped.
“Bear.””
Something in her voice changed.
I walked over.
She held a small metal box.
My old shop logo was carved into the top.
I knew that box.
I had made it myself.
“What’s inside?””
Tasha handed it to me.
I opened it.
Inside was a collection of papers.
Medical records.
A hospital bracelet.
And one small envelope.
My heart stopped.
The bracelet had a name.
Eli.
The room became silent.
I picked it up.
My hands trembled.
Eli watched.
“Is that mine?””
I looked at him.
I couldn’t speak.
Because I knew.
Not everything.
Not yet.
But enough.
Enough to know someone had spent years hiding this child from me.
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter.
Not from Maya.
From Marcus.
Bear,
If you found this, then everything went wrong.
I read the words twice.
Then again.
Everything went wrong.
Not everything ended.
Went wrong.
I continued.
I should have told you the truth.
My jaw tightened.
The old anger returned.
You had the right to know about Eli.
My eyes moved to the boy.
He was staring at the floor.
I kept reading.
But Maya begged me not to tell you.
I froze.
Why?
The letter continued.
Because she believed someone was watching you.
Someone who wanted you angry.
Someone who wanted you alone.
I looked up.
Tasha’s face had changed.
“You knew?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
I read faster.
I thought I could protect both of you.
I was wrong.
My chest tightened.
The final lines were written differently.
Like Marcus had rushed.
Like he had been afraid.
Bear, if you are reading this, they already know.
Leave.
Take Eli.
Do not trust—
The sentence ended there.
Nothing after it.
No name.
No explanation.
Just a broken line.
I flipped the page.
Nothing.
The message was unfinished.
A sound came from outside.
A car door closing.
Everyone froze.
Tasha looked toward the window.
“Did you tell anyone we were coming?””
“No.””
I stared at the entrance.
Slow footsteps approached.
One.
Two.
Three.
Eli grabbed my arm.
The door handle moved.
Slowly.
Someone was opening it.
I stepped in front of Eli.
The door cracked open.
A shadow appeared.
Then a voice came from outside.
A voice I remembered.
A voice I never expected to hear again.
“Bear.””
May you like
My blood turned cold.
“Put the boy down.””
