Louncing in the dome chair he'd bought, Artemus looked at the screen of his laptop thoughtfully. The account number box stood awaiting the right number and information before it would display how much he still had left to his name. Part of him really didn't want to see what was there, the other part needed to. With a deep breath he stroked in the numbers and closed his eyes before pressing enter.
Not daring to breath, he carefully opened his eyes to look at the transaction list and bolted upright. "Kattriana...you're fuckin beautiful!" Eyes dance seeing where his accound manager switched everything to a quarterly return with a 5% interest rate. He'd only had ten grand in the account to start with, this was disgusting to look at. Up in the corner he saw a blinking red 25, noting he had 25 unread messages. "Guess she'll need to know I'm still above the sod."
The next hour was spent sending back and forth several messages to update the account information and whether or not he wished to cash out his 10yr CD which was up in less than a week. Clicking his tongue, Artemus considered this and responded back to set the CD for another five years and keep Dakota Sanchez as a beneficiary. "Not made of money, but nest eggs are nice."
About this time his cell began to go off, snatching it up, he blinked at the unknown number. "Hello? Oh..Hi Katt! Didn't recognize the number. What's up?" paushing to scroll back to the account status he looked at the numbers there. "What do I want to do with some of it? Well Dakota is looking to sell her label..why don't you find me one to invest in? Something new..up and coming...and I want to start my own media publication, so set aside..lets say 20%. Everything else remains untouched...you need a name for the publication? How about Big Game Media, that's right. Big Game Media. List it as an internet source, that's where we'll start. Kay, bye." Snapping the phone shut, he took a deep breath. "Dakota! We need to talk!" calling out at the top of his lungs.
With everything that had been going on lately, from the tropical storm that had slammed into the state over the weekend, and finally moved on it's merry way. Seeing Theo here and there when he worked late, and didn't want to bother driving all the way over to the rodere house, he'd come back and crash in his room. And Kota doing what she usually did, keeping the house clean, the fridge stocked, and now, working on school work. Ace was in the process of finding a buyer for the lable and studio, and so far it was slow going. The label itself she could sell to Ace as he was half owner anyway, he could buy her out. But the building itself was in her name, and the money from the sale could be put away for the future should they need it. Or it could be put to use in setting up her own preschool, should that end up being what she wants to do.
Currently though, she was settled at the kitchen table, her books and things spread out around her. A bowl of popcorn at her elbow, and she scowled at the algebra problems infront of her. Sitting back, she ran fingers through lose raven curls, and sighed, rubbing at her scalp before finally picking up the pencil again and trying to once more do the problem. At least she had the solution manual, so once she finally gave up, she could look and see what she was doing wrong. but she wanted to try and do it herself first. She wouldn't learn otherwise.
Halfway through the problem, she heard her name bellowed from the next room, and wincing, she looked up and through the doorway. "mi gato, i'm right here!! you don't have to shout...." Glad for the break, she slid from her chair, pencil dropping onto her notebook, and moved through the kitchen and into the living room where he sat. Dropping to the floor at his feet, she rested her head against his thigh, she closed her eyes.
"Algebra is evil and I have no idea why i need to learn it." It was said with eye's still closed and a scowl on her lips. And it was true. She didn't understand why she needed to learn it, and it annoyed her that she didn't understand it. "What's up?"
"I just checked my old account...and..." Just turns the laptop around to show her the ending balance. "Told the account manager to set aside twenty percent to start up my own web-based publication. Do stories I want to do. Then told her to take another bit and look for a record label to invest in, new and unheard of."
Combing fingers through her hair, he looked between her and the computer screen thoughtfully. "What do you think?" While it was his money to do with as he pleased, knowing her thoughts felt like a good idea in general since she might know of some labels. Plus since she was going back to school he'd need something to fill his time with. Starting a news and media source meant long hours again, but it would be worth it. Had even read about an art gallery holding an exhibition comparing nude models to certain fruits, that'd get some decent photos to post about.
Kota blinked as he turned the laptop around to show her the balance, and eye's widened considerably. Looking up at him with mouth slightly open, she blinked once more and tilted her head. "How.... What all were you doing the last 8 years??" If he had that much in the account, she couldn't help but wonder.
Listening as he told her about what he wanted to do with the money, what he'd told his account manager to do, what he was planning, she nodded her head, thinking it all through, her pretty face serious, giving her an almost pouting look without really meaning to.Fingers sliding through her hair made her purr quietly, and those golden eye's slide half closed.
As if from far away, she heard what he asked. what she thought. Lifting her head, she rested her chin on his leg, and watched him. "I think it's a good idea. With your own publication, you can do the stories that YOU want to do, and not have to answer to anyone about it. Nobody can tell you not to do something because you'll be the boss. Bueno...muy bueno, mi gato..."
Looking thoughtful again, she contemplated what she knew of the music buisness in New Orleans. "There are alot of them to be honest. I know Theo and Alex went to someone to use their studio at least. Lemme...." She trailed off, pulling phone from her pocket, and sending off a text to Theo. "I have a couple idea's for lables you can invest in. But Theo and Alex might know of something too. "
"In Detroit I did a lot of work to keep the lycan community out of the media spotlight. But we're not all friends here. If anything but a leopard gets into hot water and it draws negative attention, I have zero incentive to put a different spin on it, no reason to dig through personal records of the lynch mob for buried skeletons." This was a serious thing for Artemus and it was a skillset he'd worked hard to develope. Find someone's secrets and use it as a shield, hold up a mirror and show the person what others are seeing.
"If I do,the way matters sit as of right now, the first thing tha'll crop up is 'who asked you to?' or 'our business, we'll handle it our way'. Ain't been in this town long, Dakota, but I can all ready see there isn't a unifying element to the groups, least none I've come across yet. And if I run my own publication, I'm going to focus on the lycan community and supernaturals in the media, both local and abroad." Falling silent, Artemus turned his eyes to the partially oepened window as the webwork started to form in his mind, following it down all of the different pathways.
"The way the world is turning, the lycan community needs to constantly be on even ground and equal footing. However, the unifying factor will never be an individual, it has to be something..elemental...to bring them together and create more cooperation. A strong or dominant personality won't be enough, even someone powerful will need more than their own strength. Again, I know I haven't met many of the other shifters around town...but from what I've seen..there isn't a single one of them that could get a majority to rally behind them. Because of that it limits the good I could utilize the media to do for the local community. The news and web are powerful tools, and with it I could get the Pard into a position of strength, controlling a piece of the local media could be a good thing..." The ideas and possibilities continued to spin through his leaps of logic while his hand stroked through Dakota's hair. Fingers playing with the lobe of her ear at the end of every movement before looking back at her. "It's a good idea, but it'll be long hours again..."
