Page 488 of Black Reign

This is already better than television.

“Preston.”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you using my son?”

“I wasn't using him.”

Pierre leans toward the phone.

“He paid me.”

Xavier goes completely still.

I turn toward our child.

“He what?”

Preston says quickly, “It wasn't real money.”

Pierre looks personally wounded.

“You said equity.”

I cover my mouth.

Xavier stares at the phone.

“Equity in what?”

“Future venture.”

“What future venture?”

A pause.

“Still structuring that.”

I begin laughing.

Xavier shoots me a look.

I can't help it.

“You gave a five-year-old equity for hacking a girl's school records?”

“I asked for publicly available intelligence.”

Pierre says, “Student schedules aren't public.”

Another pause.

“Okay, that part may have evolved.”

Xavier's jaw tightens.

“Who is she?”