Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
He hadn’t needed to slouch, strictly speaking, but he always found that his illusions flowed better when he allowed himself to fully submerge into his assumed identity. After that barrage, most people in Maria’s place would have either stormed out defiantly or braced themselves, as if expecting to be punched. Storming out wouldn’t have achieved his goals.
Diana watched him with genuine fascination. He’d seen that reaction so many times that he should’ve been used to it by now, but coming from her it felt refreshing.
“A moment?”
Diana nodded.
He pulled his cell phone out of his Zegna suit and selected his second-in-command from the contact list.
Zachary answered instantly. “Here.”
“Dump FINERGY.”
“Understood.”
He ended the call, tossed one long leg over the other, and smiled.
“I believe I will dump FINERGY as well,” Diana said.
“Professionally, no comment. Personally, off the record, I highly recommend it. They are engaged in cybersecurity fraud. The latest crop of drones they brought to the market and sold to multiple law enforcement agencies has severe software issues. Allegedly.”
“How severe?”
“A child with a LeapFrog tablet could hack one. They just fired the specialist who brought the problem to their attention two months ago.”
“You assumed her identity?”
He nodded. The scale of the fraud was massive enough that the real Maria’s safety was a concern. He’d spent the last week dutifully going to the office in her place. Normally, he would’ve sent one of his subordinates, but his House’s investment in FINERGY was considerable, and he had wanted to assess the state of things for himself.
Diana tapped her phone.
Tomorrow one of the biggest law firms in Houston would file the qui tam lawsuit against FINERGY, alleging violations of the False Claims Act, and Maria would become one of the most famous whistleblowers on record. If the government chose to join the suit, she would be entitled to about twenty percent of recovered damages. Considering the extent of FINERGY’s transgressions, she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a new job for some time.
Diana finished and put her phone down. “Now I’m in your debt, Prime Montgomery.”
“Not at all. We never spoke of this.” He slid his glasses a little higher on his nose. “Please, call me Augustine. Now then, what can Montogomery International Investigations do for House Harrison?”
Diana hesitated. It was very brief, but he’d been trained to observe people carefully, noting minute changes in expression.
“I want to hire you.”
“Me specifically or MII in general?”
“Both.”
Intriguing. “In what capacity?”
Another slight hesitation. There was something deceptively delicate about Diana. She was a small woman, short and petite. The contours of her face were soft, her features classically attractive: large, beautiful eyes, a small, slightly upturned nose, a full mouth with a bare hint of pink lipstick. She looked as if she were teetering on the edge, torn between wanting to keep her secret and asking for help. She could’ve played a princess in a medieval drama, the kind who had suffered an injustice and needed a strong ally. The kind who would inspire the audience to root for her.
It was a front. Augustine was absolutely sure of it. If he became an enemy, Diana Harrison would attempt to kill him without a moment’s hesitation. She was trying to entice him to help her and make her request a priority, and she was very subtle about it.
Common wisdom held that animal mages didn’t understand human emotions. They formed bonds with animals through the power of their magic, and that process fundamentally altered their thinking, stunting their emotional development and making their interactions with other people difficult. Interacting with Cornelius, Diana’s brother, had convinced Augustine that there were exceptions to that rule. Apparently, Diana was cut from the same cloth.
He knew a great deal about her, and at the same time very little. They’d met on three occasions prior to today, and his longest interaction with Diana had happened when they signed the pact of friendship between their two Houses. The alliance was initiated by Cornelius, who had become convinced that having powerful connections was the best way to keep his daughter safe. As the head of her House, Diana was the only one with the authority to sign off on it, so they had met to negotiate.
Entering a pact of friendship was a no-brainer. While most Houses viewed animal mages as having limited power with few practical applications, to an illusion House there was no greater threat. He’d been delighted to neutralize it. His people had done a deep dive into House Harrison and found nothing of concern. On all three occasions he’d interacted with Diana, her demeanor was neutral, pleasant, and opaque. She had negotiated in good faith. This manipulation was delightfully new.
“Whether or not we come to an agreement, anything and everything you tell me is confidential,” he said.
“Something has been stolen from us,” she said.
“And you need me to find the culprit and recover it?”