Naomi set the contract on the front desk and turned to leave.
Watching her go, the receptionist pulled out her phone, snapped a photo, and hesitated over whether to forward it to Chloe.
Back at the school, Chloe was still holding her breath, watching Dr. Holloway examine the Newton's cradle.
After a long silence, he sat back, something newly thoughtful in his expression as he looked at Julian.
A kid under ten built this?
The metal spheres hung suspended with near-surgical precision, spaced along the line with impossible consistency. The materials had clearly been chosen to minimize friction and air resistance, and even the surface finish on the spheres looked professionally treated.
This isn't a school project. This is engineering.
"Did you build this on your own?" Dr. Holloway aske
