He laid his new front door key on the black rubber mat.

The teenager picked it up and slid it into the metal clamp on the cutting machine.

“Carla emailed the final notice from Apex Logistics to my personal address this morning,” Michael said.

Derek watched the tiny brass shavings drop into the metal tray under the blade.

“You going to fight the firing?” Derek asked.

“I chose to put my job on the line the moment I walked out of that board presentation,” Michael said.

“I’d make the same choice again today without thinking twice.”