“Pin’s secured,” Kenneth said, tapping his brass wrench on the side of his forty-two-dollar resoled boot.

“The primary fuse is inert.”

I pulled off my right work glove and reached into my pocket for my phone.

The screen showed a text from an unlisted Navy number, sent at nine forty-three.

I tapped it open.

“Master Chief Merrick.

To keep today’s school panel running smoothly, you may attend in standard working utilities without full medal citations.

If you arrive quietly by 11:30 a.m., we will skip formal credential verification on stage.