“An unplanned overseas tasking coming down from regional command,” Holt said.

“Every officer in our readiness tier is ordered to report to the base armory for a mandatory tactical briefing and equipment staging.”

“What’s the report time?”

“Zero eight hundred tomorrow morning,” Holt said.

“No exceptions, and no deferrals.”

All at once the autumn air in the stairwell felt sharp against my collar.

“Zero eight hundred tomorrow is the very time Ethan’s guardianship hearing is set for at the county courthouse on Main Street,” I said.

“If you’re not standing in the readiness room at zero eight hundred, Commander, you’re officially absent without leave,” Holt said.