An hour later, Lana was already near the address found by Vicky on the net. She had to use the metro and a bus since the destination was almost on the other side of the city in a fashionable area full of skyscrapers and bright office buildings. With every step, this idea seemed to Lana more and more stupid. She felt ridiculous in these glassy-metal jungles, an ancestral dwelling of white-collar workers. The building pointed to by the address seemed even more threatening than the others. Directly above the elegant entrance has proudly displayed the logo and the name of the corporation. Each shiny letter probably cost more than the whole of their shabby building. But she could not back down, on this depended the future of her children.
Lana blinked and decided to try the trick that her mama taught her as a child. "When you are nervous or afraid of something, my dear," - she was saying in a gentle voice, - "just imagine how you make a real slaughter around, tear people's heads off, digging out their guts, how they run in panic and beg you to stop. Believe me, it will immediately become easier! "
After such visualization, it really did somehow get better, and Lana became more confident in the foyer.
Either way, she expected to be chased away at the guard stand in the first place. Of course, who let someone at once to the CEO office? But the pretty employee after several minutes of negotiations on private line kindly explained to Lana how to get to the office on the top floor. When Lana realized that she would have to ride the elevator, and up to the 58th floor... Even the image of the foyer, wholly splashed with blood, did not help to drive away the tremor in the knees. Wolves don't like closed spaces, they hate it with all their wild animal soul and even more so the heights. And if you shove the shifter into the elevator and force it to slowly climb to the top floor, then on arrival, the vision that Lana imagined may become quite real. Luckily there was an ordinary staircase in the building. The physical exercises somewhat calmed the wolf raging inside, and when she finally reached the right floor, Lana was so zen, but was sweaty, crumpled and looked like a bum.
The abundance of reflecting surfaces in the waiting room did not allow Lana to thrive in ignorance of what a scarecrow she looked like. Directly across from her was a wide table, most likely a secretary, and the girl behind it nearly glowed with perfection. Lifting her head, this magnificent creature looked at Lana critically from head to toe.
"Hello?" - She drawled hesitantly.
" Hello." - Lana echoed in suddenly hoarse voice. She seemed to feel with every pore of her body, how out of place and ridiculous she looks. Disheveled hair, ordinary black trousers and a white blouse bought at a nearby store and plain-looking boots from a sale.
" How can I help?" - The girl asked in a cold tone, slightly curling her perfect right eyebrow. In this one movement, there was so much taunt and disrespect that Lana should have inflamed this instant from the realization of her own insignificance. But the mama's advice came to the rescue again. Keeping in mind the picture of how this young lady in tears and snot tries to beg for mercy, Lana smiled broadly. The secretary immediately stiffened.
" I need to meet with the CEO on a crucial matter." - Lana announced coming closer. The girl straightened up and looked at Lana again.
"Do you have an appointment?" - Finally, she squeezed, in a firm tone.
"No, I don't. But I'm sure your CEO will want to see me." - Lana answered, with a sense of importance in her voice. In fact, she was not at all sure whether the director would like to see her. But it was too late to turn back.
" Just a moment." - the girl sang in a learned way and dialed someone by internal line, gesturing to Lana on the chairs near the opposite wall.
Once Lana set in one of them, the secretary in a usual tone, in which only the beast could hear the note of dislike, announced.
" The CEO is in the meeting, you should wait."
Why not?! Lana could wait. The chair was very comfortable and next to it lay a stack of colorful magazines. Lana began to flip through the first one. Among the articles on business and finance flashed photos of successful businessmen, their brilliant enterprises and projects and of course their women, as perfectly groomed as the girl throwing disapproving glances at Lana from time to time. Slipping through most of it, Lana was almost ready to close this magazine and look for something more interesting, as the gaze caught on a familiar face. There were three men in front of the chic sports car. The first one in racing overalls, the second older man, but the third Lana knew very well. A wave of shivers ran through her body, and her temples started to hurt when she read the title of the article.
"Another successful project VGARM corp. CEO Gregory Wells personally visited the race to evaluate the performance of the new car. "
Lana looked from the article to the photo and back several times until finally, the meaning did not sink in. G. Wells - that's whose name was on the documents. She immediately saw red. Now she no longer had to imagine a bloodbath to calm down. She was ready to make it with joy.