Raven

Raven, Chapter Fourteen

"Just give me the damn number!"

"Fine." Ivan held his phone out to me.

I punched in the numbers for payroll and got their general voicemail—just as Ivan said I would. He stood there, eyebrow arched.

"You can be a real dick sometimes," I said.

"Only when I'm right."

"So, now what?"

"Employee portal."

I could feel my jaw hanging open. "When did we get one of those? Where's it go?" No more jets or shitty rental cars. No more tired wings. Open a portal, and I'm in Barbados, baby.

Ivan's eyes bulged.

"Not a portal?"

"The intranet, Raven." His voice was shrill. I shrugged. "Christ, you really don't know anything about this company, do you?"

A week ago, I would have cussed him out for such a comment, but after the past few days, I'm coming to learn how little I do know. We set this company up, so I could take a break. So I wouldn't have to be hands-on anymore, but now, it's like it's not even mine.

He pulled out his phone and accessed an app with a vaguely familiar icon. I have faint recollections of Cheery Sausage-face, our HR lady, talking with unrestrained jubilance about this app. To be fair, whenever I have to see her, I ignore everything she says. Partly because she's the size of a rhino, and partly because she's so damned perky all the time. I just can't help but loathe the woman. Ivan says we can't fire her because she's a woman over 50 from multiple races, but I think he just keeps her around because he knows how much I hate her. Every single time I'm forced to attend some meeting with her in it, I tune out her sing-song voice and think of her choking on a cream cheese-coated bagel. Apparently, this employee portal thing was one of those times.

Once he'd logged in, Ivan began navigating through various menus. "Okay, it looks like Z Contracting has 572 Zs globally. Of those, 294 are in Europe, 232 in North America, and the rest are scattered in Asia and Central/South America."

"Calling Vincenzo now," I said.

I looked up at the clock in the lab. Even though it was midnight there, when Vincenzo answered, his voice was clear and alert. There are definitely some benefits to being supernatural.

"What's wrong, Raven?"

Vincenzo is my oldest employee and friend. Although he may lack Ivan's pizazz, he more than makes up for it in loyalty. I gave him the briefest rundown of our situation. Although he was clearly surprised about Lou's involvement so far, he kept silent until I'd finished.

"Well, I'm feeling okay, but I'll make some calls and put the word out."

"Is there any way that you could get everyone together in the offices into lockdown—just until we're sure."

The line was silent while he thought.

"It will take some time, but yes, I can manage it."

"If you suspect anything—"

"Don't worry, bella, I will take care of it."

"Oh, and Vincenzo—"

"Yes?"

"When's the last time you talked to Lou?"

"Maybe a month or so ago."

"Did he seem—himself?"

The line was silent for a few moments before he spoke, "I wouldn't know, Raven. I would say he hasn't been himself, since Alice died."

"Okay," I said softly, knowing he was right.

As we hung up, I noticed Ivan frowning at the television monitor. On it was the Atlanta cityscape painted with white polkadots.

"I don't know how we're going to find Lou in this mess."

"We start with his house. "

Ivan followed me out of the room. We stopped by Dr. Finkelstein's office and made arrangements for him and his team in case they were stuck at the office during the storm. I then called the other North American offices. None of their Zs had shown any signs of breakdown, but now that they were on alert, they'd start bringing everyone in for observation.

The next number I dialed was Lou's home. We'd tried calling several times before, including Lou's cell number, but we only got voicemail. After the third ring, I almost hung up, but then the phone clicked.

"Lou, it's Raven. Listen, I just want to help—"

"Aunt Raven," a tiny, frightened voice came through the line. I froze.

"Lorelei, sweetie, is your Daddy home?"

"No," she said, and it was soft and full, a single word that was wet with tears.

"Have you seen him at all today?"

"No," she said. "He's gone."

Terror filled my heart. "Are you by yourself?"

"Yes."

"We're coming to get you right now, honey. Just stay warm and keep the doors locked. Keep the phone by you. If anyone calls—even your Daddy—if anyone but Ivan or me calls, you hang up, okay?'

"Daddy won't call," she said, and a chill passed over me. "He's with her now."

"Who?"

"Mommy."