Page 35 of (Mostly) Human Resources
“Entity offers plenty of benefits to their employees and strives to do their absolute best to care for everyone under their employ. However, the time and research that goes into Entity’s clients is just as important and should not be taken advantage of. Employees are expected to respect the rules, follow the guidelines, and understand the boundaries when they themselves might be both an employee and a client.”
Entity Employee Handbook: HR Edition
Nic had never been one to shy away from conversation when it benefited him. Despite being a very scholarly child, his mother complained endlessly about his lack of fear in approaching strangers. Not because it was dangerous, but because he was embarrassingly blunt and lacking tact. It was a trait that improved somewhat with age but still persisted today. Which was why Nic had no qualms in walking up to complete strangers and asking if they were heading in the direction of Mercyhill.
Once Nic ascertained that Alexys had not only ditched him, but somehow managed to seriouslydupehim by stealing his rental car, he didn’t waste a minute trying to hitch a ride. He figured she had a solid hour on him, maybe less, so he needed to act fast.
The statistics for hitchhiking were far from ideal, but Nic liked to think he was smarter than the average traveler. So, when a very large man in overalls with the most impressively long white beard informed him that he was headed up that way, Nic didn’t hesitate in accepting his offer for a ride.
The man didn’tlooklike a serial killer, but Nic had never met any before, so who could be sure? At minimum, he could outrun the man should the situation call for it. At worst, he died in the pursuit of knowledge which was, honestly, how he’d want to go. Just preferablyafterhe found the Hollow Walker.
And Keane.
Ride arranged, Nic did the only other sensible thing apart from sit back and relax: he called Zach.
“Nic, my love, my light, how I’ve missed you!”
“Hornsby,” he greeted dryly. “Do I need to put you through workplace harassment training?”
Zach laughed. “Excuse me, where do you think I learned all my best lines?”
“You would be an HR nightmare if I didn’t have so much patience for you.”
“Oh, please, they love me up there. Speaking of, how’d Keane take your impromptu arrival?” Nic felt a flicker of irritation, but he swallowed it down.
“Let’s just say she was less than enthused.” Nic tried to modulate his voice.
“She ditched you, didn’t she?”
There was a moment of silence as they both considered this. Zach tried his hardest not to laugh.
“What happened?”
“Keane is a slippery fish, yes,” Nic said, as if that should explain everything. “I’m hot on her heels, in any case. It’s not like she’s going any place other than Mercyhill.”
Zach gasped. “You let her go out there on her own?”
“No, no, didn’tlet! And to be clear, I can’t control Alexys Keane any more than a Warden can control a Black Dog.”
“So it wentthatbadly yesterday, huh?”
Nic took a deep breath. “I’m sure my sleeping in her hotel room didn’t fill her with delight.”
“Yousleptin her hotel room?”
“There was a second bed, crucially, but yes.”
“Did you notice anything? Did she have any—” Zach cut himself off.
“What were you about to say?” Nic asked, bracing himself as the driver took a sharp corner at speed.
“I didn’t mean, er, never mind!”
“Spit it out, Hornsby. What are you hiding?”
“Ugh. I promised her I wouldn’t tell anyone,” Zach protested weakly. “Especially you. I’ve done so good, boss. Don’t make me break my promise.”
Nic closed his eyes and shook his head. He’d always thought Hornsby might have a little crush on Keane, not that she’d roped him into something confidential. And whatever it was, it was big, Nic could tell by Zach’s voice. “Are you breaking company policy by not telling me?”
