Chapter 2: Little Monster on Wheels.

*PIPIPIPIPI*

The sound of the cell phone woke Ryan from his deep sleep. Lifting his head from the pillow, still disoriented, he reached out, searching for the device on the nightstand next to his messy bed.

With his eyes half-closed, strained by the light from the display, he picked up the cell phone and read the name displayed on the caller ID. Seeing his friend Mike's name on the screen and casting a quick glance at the time in the upper corner, he realized it was already 8 a.m., and he had overslept.

Accepting the call still with a sleepy voice and scratching his head, he spoke, "Good morning, Mike." On the other side, the familiar voice of a man came through, full of good humor: "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty! I'm in front of the workshop, I need a favor. Are you going to sleep all day?" the man joked, clearly amused.

Ryan, now a bit more awake from the surprise, rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Give me a minute, I'm coming," he replied, already getting up from the bed and trying to shake off the sleepiness that still held him.

With sluggish steps, Ryan dropped the cell phone on the bed and made his way to the bathroom. The reflection in the mirror showed his black hair in complete disarray and the remnants of the previous day still marked on his face. After a quick wash, he felt Mike's urgency and hurried along.

Quickly dressing in jeans and a random t-shirt he found on a chair, Ryan grabbed his crutch and left the room, crossing the short distance between his house and the workshop. The freshness of the morning still permeated the air, a light breeze carrying with it the scent of dew mixed with the aroma of the waking city.

Upon opening the large metal door of the workshop, he was greeted by the morning sunlight, which seemed to scold his poorly slept night. Outside, Mike waited with an impatient, yet friendly expression, leaning against his car with his arms crossed.

"You look like a zombie," Mike commented, a playful smile on his lips upon seeing Ryan's state.

"I feel like one," Ryan replied with a tired smile, internally grateful for having a friend like Mike, who could bring a bit of lightness to his often overburdened routine.

"So, about that favor," Mike began, changing his stance, indicating that the reason for his visit was more than just waking Ryan up.

Ryan, now fully awake and curious, prepared to listen to what Mike had to say, knowing that with Mike, it was always something interesting or challenging.

Mike nodded towards the side of the workshop in the direction Ryan was looking at a tow truck and behind the tow truck a black vehicle that looked more like a mini tank than a car. "What the hell is that?!" Ryan exclaimed, surprised. Getting closer, Ryan asked incredulously, "Is that... Is that a Land Rover City Cab?"

Mike let out a laugh upon seeing Ryan's expression, clearly pleased with the impact his surprise had caused. "Well, technically, yes," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "But not the regular version. You see, this one was being modified to serve as a sort of military model, but it was getting too expensive."

"That's why it was abandoned and then auctioned off. Then, some rich guy bought it for fun." Mike chuckled cynically.

"And that rich guy would be you," Ryan replied sarcastically. Despite this, his face bore a smile.

Ryan and Mike have been friends for many years; they met during high school. Mike's family is very wealthy and owns several businesses, but he has always been a different kind of person, and the two became friends.

The two have always liked cars, the difference is that Mike had the funds to support his hobby of buying strange cars.

"For some reason, this guy isn't working, it must be some problem with the engine," Mike pointed out.

"You know I don't work with this type of vehicle, right? My workshop doesn't even have the equipment to deal with this," Ryan replied.

"Come on, my friend. I know what you're capable of, you can handle this," Mike laughed, slinging an arm over Ryan's shoulder.

Ryan sighed, giving in to his friend's request, more out of the trust Mike placed in his abilities than the certainty that he could fix the problem. "Alright, let's take a look, but no promises," he said, moving to inspect the peculiar black Land Rover City Cab.

As he approached, Ryan couldn't help but admire the vehicle's eccentricity. It indeed was a unique piece, with its robust design and details that made it seem like it came straight out of a futuristic action movie. Mike was right; it wasn't a car you saw every day, especially not in a workshop like Ryan's.

The rear structure had been significantly modified from the original version, it was extended giving more internal space. Allowing not only someone to drive the vehicle but also a lot of resources to be allocated inside.

Opening the hood, Ryan examined the engine with experienced eyes. Despite his specialty not including modified military vehicles, his curiosity and mechanical knowledge propelled him to understand and, possibly, fix the problem. "Hmm, interesting," he murmured, tracing his fingers over the lines and connections, looking for visual clues to the fault.

Mike watched anxiously, crossing his arms as he followed Ryan's work. "So, any guesses?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

Ryan stood up, wiping his hands on a rag. "I'll need more time to make a full diagnosis. But I believe it might be something related to the fuel injection system, or perhaps a fault in the electronic control modules. This kind of modification tends to introduce a series of complications," Ryan explained, already formulating an action plan in his mind.

"If anyone can make this monster roar again, it's you," Mike said, giving Ryan an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

"I'll do what I can," Ryan promised. "But first, help me get this guy inside the workshop, I'm not going to be able to solve this now, much less on the street."

Nodding, Mike signaled to the tow truck driver while helping Ryan clear space inside the workshop, moving some tools and equipment to the side. Together, they created a wide enough corridor to accommodate the unusual size of the vehicle. After that, they carefully guided the driver to maneuver the vehicle inside the workshop. The process was slow and meticulous, requiring special attention to avoid any damage to both the vehicle and the already quite occupied space of the workshop.

It almost took up the entire space of the workshop, showing again that it was much larger than the original version. The Land Rover, now parked under the fluorescent lights, seemed even more imposing, almost out of place among the more conventional cars and tools Ryan was used to working on.

With the vehicle now inside the workshop, Mike then slapped Ryan on the shoulder, a sign of camaraderie the two had shared since school days. "I have to go. Apparently, my dad wanted to have a very important meeting, he even called my brothers back. But he got all mysterious and wouldn't say what it was about," he laughed, rolling his eyes with ironic humor. Mike's tone betrayed his disdain for the formalities and obligations his social position imposed on him. "I'll leave you and the 'Project Phoenix' to get better acquainted."

Before saying goodbye, Mike cast one last look at the vehicle, as if mentally confirming his trust in Ryan's skills. "Take good care of it. And call me if you need anything, okay?"

Ryan nodded, offering a smile of gratitude mixed with the determination to face the challenge ahead. "Will do. And good luck with the meeting," he replied, already thinking about the first steps he would need to take to diagnose and repair the vehicle.

As soon as Mike left, silence filled the workshop again, with Ryan and the black Land Rover City Cab as the only occupants. Ryan walked around the car, his hands gliding over the bodywork, feeling every imperfection, every modification. "Well, let's see what you've got," he murmured to himself, feeling a mix of excitement and anticipation for what was to come.