Titan climbed halfway up the steps and froze beside a folded sweatshirt.
Master Sergeant Vale called out, “Marker one found.”
Another handler called, “Marker two found.”
Then, “Marker three found.”
I gave the recall signal.
All dogs returned to formation.
The entire sequence had taken less than ninety seconds.
When the last dog sat, the gym erupted again.
But this time, the applause did not feel like noise.
It felt like reversal.
Like every laugh from earlier had been pulled back, crushed, and replaced with something heavier.
My mother leaned close.
“Well done.”
Two words.
That was all I needed.
Principal Wallace approached, sweating visibly.
“Commander Reed, perhaps we should move this discussion to my office.”
My mother looked at him.
“Now you want privacy?”
His face reddened.
“I simply mean—”
“You had privacy when my son was being humiliated. You chose silence.”
The principal looked away.
Several teachers did too.
Lieutenant Carter removed the microphone from his collar and set it on a nearby table.
For the first time since the assembly began, he looked small.
He approached us slowly.
“Mason,” he said.
Titan’s head turned.
Carter stopped immediately.
My mother gave no command.
She only watched.
The lieutenant swallowed.
“I owe you an apology.”
My throat tightened.
Two hundred students stared.
read more in next page
