Every phone.
Students gasped, pulling screens from pockets.
Teachers looked down.
Recruiters reached for devices.
My own phone vibrated in my hand.
A message had arrived from an unknown sender.
No subject.
No name.
Just a video.
I tapped it before I could think.
The screen showed security footage from the school hallway earlier that morning.
Lieutenant Carter stood near the gym entrance.
Beside him was a man in a dark civilian suit.
The man handed him the black case.
Carter looked around.
Then took it.
The video ended.
Slowly, every face in the gym turned toward him.
Carter’s lips parted.
“That’s not what it looks like.”
My mother’s voice was deadly quiet.
“What did you bring into this school?”
“I was told it was demonstration equipment.”
“By whom?”
He didn’t answer.
Titan barked again.
The sound cracked through the gym.
And then, from the speakers overhead, the school intercom clicked on.
A distorted voice filled the room.
“Commander Reed.”
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