[Johnny's P.O.V]
That was supposed to be my day of glory. For ten years I had brilliantly performed my role as the second driver. But now my team's First Driver was going to retire, and according to my contract, I was supposed to replace him.
My time to shine had finally come, my dreams were about to become reality.
I had grown up watching my father become one of the greatest winners in the history of the Ultimate Mecha Championship. Dreaming of following in his footsteps was only natural.
Many would say I'd already had a successful career. As LuxCorp's second driver, I had led my team to win the Galactic Cup seven times in the last ten years. Among UMC experts, everyone said I was the best second driver of all time.
My father had died last year, proud of what I had already accomplished. But for me, it wasn't enough. Winning the Galactic Cup required a team effort. The second driver had a crucial role in the victory. But in the end, it was still an individual championship; all the glory still ended up in the hands of a single driver.
Only the first driver stood on the podium, popped the champagne, received the laurel wreath, and lifted the Galactic Cup. UMC was the most popular sport in all the galaxy, the podium image would pop in all the greatest social media pages.
Everyone knew who the First Drivers of the main teams were. But the second driver was a technical role. Only the nerds in the category knew who we were. While the first drivers were famous among celebrities and top models, we, the second drivers, were famous among old and weird men.
While the first Driver was going out every night with famous models, I was stuck giving interviews to tech magazines that almost no one read.
Now it would finally be my turn to experience all of that fame, or at least that's what I still believed until that moment.
"A moment of your attention, please."
My heart raced when Alexander, the team manager, called for the big toast of the night.
"This is a day of conflicting feelings. The pride we feel for having been part of Adam's victorious career is mixed with the frustration of knowing he will no longer be our first driver next year."
As Alexander continued his speech full of praise, Adam kept the same arrogant face as always. He had a career spanning over twenty years, and had even competed in a few championships against my father. But he had never won anything before I became his second driver.
In the UMC world, everyone knew the truth: the seven championships he won were thanks to my efforts. Even so, the bastard still looked at me with the same smug face.
"But this is not a farewell."
When the manager said that sentence, I can swear Adam looked at me with a malicious smile. Of course, he knew what was coming next.
"Adam has agreed to take on a crucial role in this new phase for LuxCorp Team."
That didn't sound good at all. I hated that bastard and he hated me too. Any role he would have on the team, with me as the First Driver, he would only get in the way.
"Starting next season, Adam will become our new Team Principal."
What? That son of a bitch is going to be my boss. There's not a chance in hell this will work.
"But this isn't our only big announcement of the day."
Who cares about that jerk? As soon as Alexander announces me as the first driver, I'll be in charge of the team.
"We are also proud to announce our new first driver..."
Yes, my great moment had finally arrived.
"Adam Shuman Jr."
That was not my name, did I hear it right? Adam Shuman Jr, that talentless nepo-baby? From the confused faces of the entire team, I wasn't the only one caught by surprise.
There had to be something wrong. It made no sense to put that kid as the first driver. His performance in the junior categories had been pitiful, to say the least. His performance as our simulator driver was even worse.
We had only kept him around because his father was the first driver. And now he was going to get the main seat just like that. After a decade of carrying LuxCorp, they were handing my seat to a kid who couldn't even podium in the junior leagues?
An awkward silence filled the hall after that announcement. Everyone was looking at me, trying to understand what was happening, but I didn't understand either.
Adam seemed satisfied with the scene, though his son was visibly fuming, annoyed that everyone was paying more attention to my disgrace than to his moment of glory.
I couldn't stay there any longer.
I turned so quickly to leave the room that all the lights became a blur. I can imagine how my colleagues reacted to my abrupt exit, but at that moment I couldn't look them in the eye. Anger was starting to take over my senses, and when that happened I tended to do a lot of stupid things.
I didn't understand how he had managed to find a way to bypass my contract, but Alexander was an old fox. If he did it, it was probably because my contract had some loophole that allowed him to.
"Johnny, wait!"
Celine, my agent, tried to stop me as I hurried out of the hall.
"You know what to do, Celine," was all I could say at that moment. I needed to get out of there as fast as possible.
"Of course. Leave it to me. Go to the hotel, cool your head, I'll talk to Alexander," she replied.
I just nodded to Celine and got out of there as fast as I could. I needed to get away, before my anger led me to do something irresponsible.
[Later that day, Alexander's office]
[Celine's POV]
"I can find out by reading the contract, but wouldn't you rather do me the courtesy of explaining?"
I needed to stay calm to defend Johnny's interests. But deep down, it was hard to contain my anger.
I had never liked LuxCorp, I never understood why Johnny ended up signing with them, but at the time I wasn't his agent, or I would have never allowed him to sign with these people.
At that moment, Alexander's posture surprised me. His shoulders were slumped, his expression was one of sadness. He was nervously tapping his lighter on the table, a tic that easily revealed something was not pleasing him.
"I'm sorry, Celine, I swear it was never my intention to deceive Johnny."
I could see on Alexander's face that he wasn't happy with the situation either.
"Either you explain the loophole now, or I tear that contract apart myself. Your choice."
I wasn't in a patient mood. Alexander's feelings were irrelevant to me now.
"His contract states that he becomes our first driver as soon as Adam retires. Technically, Adam isn't retiring. We can argue in court that he's being promoted by becoming Team Principal."
Of course, how had I not thought of that before. Bastards, that was brilliantly simple. We didn't stand a chance of challenging it.
"How did you let this happen? You know that brat is just going to sink your team."
We were screwed, so knowing all the details didn't make much difference, but I still wanted to understand why this was happening.
"Adam bought our debt. He becomes our Silent Partner. The board of directors is all in his hands."
Of course, I should have figured something like this was going on.
"Bastard. You didn't let it leak, but I know damn well that debt was his fault."
Alexander seemed willing to spill all the details, so I was going to take the opportunity to squeeze every bit of information I could out of him.
"I think that was his intention all along. What he lacks in talent as a Mecha Driver, he has shown he has in spades as a businessman."
It seemed Alexander was using this conversation to vent.
"The debt was in the billions. Where did he get the money from?" I kept trying to get as much information out of Alexander as possible.
"Old Center Bank is behind his investment. They will become our main sponsor next year. The team will be renamed Old Center Team."
It was weird, he was revealing too much. It was almost like he was begging me to help him find a way out of this situation, with all that information.
"Let me get this straight. Adam causes a breach of contract with Sung Jung Bank that leaves you with billions in debt. And then buys that same debt with the help of that bank's competitors?"
He was clearly embarrassed to have to answer that question. The rhythm of the tap, tap, tap that his lighter made on the table only increased.
"I know what you're trying to imply. But you know how dangerous it can be to question these big corporations without concrete evidence."
So fear was the source of all that anxiety. I don't think I would have gotten anywhere if I kept pushing the conversation in that direction. But that information was already a good starting point for planning our next steps.
"What will Johnny's future be on the team, reserve driver, test driver?"
Johnny probably wouldn't agree to stay here, but I needed to understand what they expected from him.
"Adam is going to try to force him to resign. As long as his contract is still valid, Adam can't retire."
My anger just grew as I found out everything they had planned.
"He's going to make Johnny a simulator driver."
I slammed my fist on the table reflexively when I heard that. The most talented Driver of this generation, reduced to a glorified video game baby-sitter?
"You don't have to go that far. You can prepare a contract termination agreement. I'm sure that will be Johnny's decision."
I had to control myself at that moment not to slap that idiot's face.
"Are you sure? If you can convince Johnny to hold off for a while, maybe we can find another way out" He tried to argue.
"Johnny would never agree to continue on the team, with that kid taking his place" I would never try to convince him otherwise either.
"The league has rules against paying drivers. If you can keep Johnny under control, we can use that to argue with the board."
He kept trying to argue. The idea wasn't bad, but I could never keep Johnny under control.
"They're going to give the kid at least five years to try to adapt. By then Johnny will be 32. Now is his time to become a champion. He can't wait." As much as I didn't like it, that was reality.
"You know that ending our contract practically means the end of his career, don't you? He won't be able to sign with any of the other Main League teams."
The sadness in Alexander's voice was genuine. But that didn't make me feel any empathy for him. That bastard was still one of those responsible for all of this.
"We'll figure something out."
I tried to say with confidence, but honestly, I don't know if we really have any way out.