Chapter 170: Panic (2), Caught Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Toulouse – Airbus HQThe Airbus executive board sat in the top-floor war room, blinds drawn and their phones muted. On the main screen, the black A380 lifting out of LAX glowed like a phantom.

A hush fell over everyone in that room, as they all knew the truth: the aircraft wasn’t a retrofit or a scavenged hull. It was a one-off, hand-built under a bespoke contract and an NDA that’s incredibly complex, confusing, and difficult to understand or navigate, much like a maze.

It was a project they have no idea about but their records says otherwise. Not only did they build it, they and their subcontractors got paid in full for it. Their bank records and accounts balance also confirms this.

It was a very bizarre situation they found themselves in. But they can’t do anything about it. NDAs, this NDA especially isn’t something they dare to break.

But their problems wasn’t over. In fact, it was just beginning.

"Washington has already called," said the head of government relations, with a low voice. "London, Riyadh, and Beijing are pinging us as well. Everyone’s demanding to know who owns it, who paid for it, and why we built it. They’re hinting at subpoenas."

The CEO leaned back, steepling his fingers. "We say what the NDA allows: nothing. We confirm only that Airbus complies with all export controls, all certifications, and that the aircraft is fully airworthy. Ownership is confidential. Period."

Legal counsel, pale but steady, nodded. "The NDA binds us as tightly as it binds him. Breach it and we’re open to ruinous penalties. Even governments can’t pry without a court order. We’ll stall, and if compelled, we’ll give only sanitized documentation."

Someone else muttered, "They’re going to think we’re hiding a state project. This is going to look like a black-budget program."

The CEO gave a small smile. "Let them think. We delivered a product to a client under contract. We did nothing illegal. The panic is not our problem."

Communications glanced nervously at the CEO. "And if the press keeps calling?"

"We give the same line: Airbus has no official private A380 program. We cannot comment on confidential customer projects. That’s all. Not one word more."

The CEO’s gaze swept the room. "Everyone understand? We built it. We delivered it. Now we let the world tear itself apart guessing."

Nods all around, as phones stayed muted.

***

Stuttgart – Daimler AG Headquarters (Mercedes-Maybach Division)

The boardroom was silent, save for the muted video looping on the big screen: shaky cellphone footage of an onyx-black Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet Imperium gliding through Los Angeles traffic.

The head of Maybach Design broke the silence, as he spoke with a low voice, "...That’s it. That’s the Imperium."

A marketing director pinched the bridge of her nose. "We’re dead. Every journalist in Europe and America has been calling since dawn. They’re demanding to know how a concept car — one we swore was never road-legal — is driving down Wilshire Boulevard."

Legal counsel spoke evenly. "We remind everyone: the Vision 6 was always presented as a design concept. Any appearance of a road-worthy version is outside our public program. Ownership and contractual obligations are covered under confidentiality agreements. That is our line. Nothing more."

The head of Special Projects shifted uncomfortably, as he spoke helplessly. "But you all know the truth. On paper, our team built the one-off under Project Imperium, delivered on schedule. The NDA’s airtight, but now..."

The Daimler CEO’s expression hardened. "Well, we did what we were contracted to do. Nothing illegal. No breach of export law. This is a bespoke commission, like the one-off cars Bugatti or Rolls build for their best clients. Only difference is scale... and visibility."

"Visibility is the problem," muttered PR. "They’re saying it’s military. They’re saying it’s Applē. Elon Musk. Christ, someone on CNBC called it ’alien technology.’ If they dig too deep—"

"—they’ll hit the NDA wall," Legal interrupted sharply. "Let them. We cannot confirm. We cannot deny. We simply... don’t comment. Any breach costs billions. No one here will say a word."

The CEO’s gaze swept the table. "Good. Then we hold our line. If pressed, remind them: Vision 6 was a concept. Concepts do not go into production. End of discussion."

PR hesitated. "...And if Washington calls?"

The CEO gave a thin smile. "Then we remind them Mercedes-Benz is a German company. They’ll have to go through Berlin first."

The room fell silent again. The world wanted answers but Mercedes-Maybach would give none.

***

Woking, UK — McLaren Technology Centre

The curved glass walls of the boardroom reflected the muted glow of several screens. On them, two videos looped side by side:

— The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet Imperium gliding through Los Angeles traffic like a UFO on wheels.

— The black Airbus A380 "Flying Palace" lifting off from LAX in slow motion.

For a long moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the faint whir of the HVAC and the occasional clink of coffee cups.

Finally, the Director of Special Projects spoke first, his voice measured but tight: "That’s the same client."

Across the table, McLaren’s marketing head nodded grimly. "It has to be. The same boy who commissioned the P1 LM-X. Now he’s got a one-off Maybach and a private A380."

Another executive, a younger engineer from MSO (McLaren Special Operations), swiveled his laptop to show a graph. "Well, the good news is that we now have people to share our misery with. And the bad news?.searches for ’McLaren P1 LM-X’ have spiked 400% in the last two hours. We are probably going to be under the spotlight again. And it will be intense this time.’"

The PR director exhaled sharply and nodded in agreement. "It was already fading. We had almost buried the chatter about the LM-X after the Beverly Hills sighting. Now this circus with the Maybach and the A380 has dragged it back into the headlines. Every journalist who missed it the first time will start digging again."

The Special Projects head rubbed his forehead. "To be clear: the LM-X was delivered under NDA. We fulfilled our end. He paid, the car was legal and we made no public statements."

"They’re speculating that McLaren built him a hypercar we’ve never even teased," said the marketing head. "Some are calling it ’the successor to the Speedtail.’ Others think it’s a secret military collab. It’s absurd — but it’s going viral again."

The PR director glanced at the footage of the A380, jaw tightening. "This kid isn’t just collecting toys. He’s creating a myth. Everything he touches goes viral. That LM-X was supposed to be a ghost project — now people think it’s a prototype we’re hiding from the market."

"What’s our line?" asked the younger engineer quietly.

Legal counsel spoke without hesitation. "Same as Mercedes and Airbus; we stonewall. We don’t confirm and we don’t deny. We say nothing. LM-X was an MSO commission under confidentiality. If asked, we remind the press the P1 LM series ended years ago, and that anything on the road today is a private modification."

Marketing chewed his lip. "That’ll work for now. But mark my words — as long as he’s out there parading impossible machines, the LM-X will resurface again and again. And every time, we’ll have to push it back under."

The Special Projects head stared at the looping footage — the Maybach gleaming, the A380 rising like a black titan — and said quietly, "We may not be able to push it back under forever."

Silence fell again. They have no idea why and how something like this was possible, but unfortunately, they can’t do anything about it.

If Airbus, Mercedes-Maybach or McLaren dares to deny, saying that they have no idea how the cars or the aircraft came to be, and about the and the truth came out — which of course it will, as their records proves that they built them and the videos going viral are concrete evidences, they will face multi-billion lawsuits from Liam for breach of NDA.

They have be hit by massive fines from regulators for false disclosure and compliance breaches. They will experience collapse in shareholder trust and stock price will crash. And there’s the risk of executives being fired or even prosecuted for corporate deception.

In short, the three of them are trapped — unable to deny, unable to explain and the moment they slip, Liam will have all the justification — and the legal firepower — to obliterate them.