Derek Sullivan crossed his arms.
“We have a $50,000 diagnostic computer system, state of the art, and this kid wants antique equipment?”
Raymond didn’t look at him.
“Your $50,000 computer has been wrong for 18 months. I’ll try something different.”
Preston waved dismissively at a junior technician.
“Find whatever old equipment we have in storage. Let the boy play with his toys.”
It took several minutes to locate the gauge.
Dusty.
Forgotten.
Buried beneath modern equipment that had failed to solve anything.
Raymond connected it to the fuel system with careful hands.
His movements were precise and confident.
The hands of someone who had done this countless times in a cluttered Oakland garage.
“Start the engine again, please.”
The V12 roared to life.
Raymond watched the analog needle.
It held steady.
Approximately 4.5 PSI.
Exactly within specification.
Minutes passed.
The audience grew restless.
Preston checked his watch with theatrical boredom.
Five minutes.
The needle held steady.
Ten minutes.
Still steady.
Derek Sullivan smirked.
“Looks like everything’s normal to me. What a surprise.”
Raymond raised one finger.
“Wait.”
Twelve minutes.
Fourteen.
Sixteen.
At minute 17, it happened.
The needle dipped.
Barely.
A movement so small most eyes missed it entirely.
Then it recovered.
Raymond pointed.
“There. Did you see that?”
Victoria Ashford leaned forward.
“I saw something. A tiny movement.”
“A pressure drop,” Raymond said. “Small, and only for a moment.”
Preston laughed.
“That’s nothing. Fuel systems fluctuate.”
Raymond turned to face him.
His voice remained calm.
Patient.
“In a modern electronically controlled engine, small variations can be compensated for automatically. The driver may never notice.”
He gestured toward the Ferrari.
“But this is an old carbureted system. It expects consistent fuel delivery. A brief pressure drop can create a lean condition. Not enough to trigger a modern warning. Not enough for digital diagnostics averaging readings over time to flag it. But enough for the engine to stumble.”
Victoria Ashford was writing furiously.
This was something no technician had identified in 18 months of trying.
“Interesting theory,” Derek said.
His voice had lost some of its mockery.
“But what’s causing the pressure drop? We’ve tested every fuel-system component. The pump is good. The filter is new. The lines were inspected.”
Raymond nodded.
“I know. I read the reports. Every component tests correctly on its own.”
He began pacing slowly.
Thinking aloud.
“Something works fine when it’s cold. Tests fine when examined separately. But fails when the whole system gets hot and stays hot.”
He stopped.