John Walters gently stroked the bodywork of the racing car and he smiled. Today his team won the race. Again. Of course, the driver played an important role, his expertise was needed to get the most out of the car. But the real miracle laid elsewhere.
He walked to the working bench where a bottle Champaign rested in an ice bucket. He was saving it for this occasion. The arrival of his collaborator was due in any moment. He poured Champaign into two glasses and watched the bubbles rising to the top and bursting.
He pulled a chair closer to the bench and sat down, stretching his legs. The silence of the night was strange after the busy day, when mechanics were running around, engines were roaring, commands were shouted, and people were working for one purpose only: to win the race. To win this race like the three previous ones. Four first place in a row, that's something. It was an excellent idea to invest in Formula 1, especially with the help of the mysterious stranger.
The big, bright lights were off, only some small lamps illuminated the workshop with dim light. The digital clock on the wall read two thirty a.m.
First he noticed the mild breeze, and then he saw the blue light in the empty space next to the car. It became brighter and brighter, then after a flash it disappeared. There was the stranger in his funny overall that reminded Walters of clowns. He stood to greet the man.
"I don't have much time" the man said, looking around nervously.
"Care for a drink?" asked Walters.
"I need the device first."
The man went to the racing car, took a small flashlight out of his pocket, and bent down doing something below the driver's dashboard. After a few moments he pulled out a black box, the size of the half of his palm, and carried it to the bench. He took a memory card out of the box, and handed it to Walters.
"The race data" he said, and then he put the box into his pocket.
"I'll send the amount to the usual bank account" said Walters and held out a glass of Champaign for him. "To the victory."
The man drank it in one shot, nodded, and then went to the empty space. In a flashing blue light he was gone.
Walters walked to a cabinet, and took out a black box, that looked exactly like the one his visitor has taken. He put the memory card in, then went to the car, and inserted the box into its place behind the dashboard. When in the morning the mechanics will check the car, they will find the usual diagnostic equipment.
Sometimes Walters wondered what did the stranger's mysterious device do exactly to give the car the extra boost. Maybe one day he will have a chance to ask the man. He also was curious why the man never asked how the races went. Though, he most probably new it by the time he came for the box. He only had to look it up in the news in the future.
