Read Online Demonicus (Overworld Underground Book 2) by John Corwin - Free Book Online
Authors: John Corwin
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noticed anything odd going on with OnTech?"
Kevin told him about the stymied sales.
"How's customer satisfaction?" I asked Jack. "Any complaints from current customers?"
He shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Janet sends out surveys to current customers, but they've all come back singing our praises."
"So none of our current customers would warn potential clients to stay away." Tyler leaned against the edge of the desk. "The same thing is happening to several other companies in my portfolio."
Cyrus Rock had given his three children several companies to manage so one could prove they deserved to inherit his riches. The original Tyler Hugo Rock—we called him Hugo—hadn't done so well managing his portfolio.
"Are they all software companies?" I asked.
"No. Vermillion Unicorn and OnTech deal with software, but I also own Alpha Construction, Ironclaw Security, Pulsar Communications, and Treat your Meat."
"Treat your Meat?" Kevin and Jack exchanged a puzzled look.
Tyler snorted. "It's a chain of massage parlors."
"They sound like brothels," I said.
"I have more companies, but I don't remember them all." Tyler's thousand-mile stare bored into the wall. "The massage parlors were doing well until a national news article claimed people had caught the Asian bird flu there. Business plummeted, even though the story was false. I'm trying to get a lawsuit off the ground, but that will take time. The other businesses are having similar issues to what Kevin said is happening to OnTech." He pushed off the desk and rounded on us. "The cyanide icing on the cake is brain drain."
"What's that?" I asked.
"Other companies are trying to lure away our top employees." He smacked a fist into his hand. "We're facing a systematic attempt to destroy the corporations I run."
Jack rubbed his neck. "Yeah, um, I was approached with a pretty sweet offer to go work for another firm just last week. I overheard Nick Reeds and Susan Daniels talking about offers they received."
"From whom?" Tyler asked.
Jack shrugged. "Some company called Trax Worldwide. I did some online research but couldn't find a lot about them. According to their website, they have their fingers in a lot of pies."
"I need to know more about them." Tyler went to the computer and gingerly pecked at the keys with two fingers.
I groaned. "You're hopeless with computers, do you know that?" I tugged him out of the chair. "Let me look them up."
Kevin and Jack pressed their lips together as if trying to suppress laughter.
The Trax Worldwide website was a minimalistic masterpiece with lots of white space and black text. They had a long list of clients, including several Fortune 500 companies. I navigated to their services page and found a laundry list of industries. They did everything from software development to construction.
I clicked on the "About" link and read aloud, "Trax was incorporated five years ago."
Jack peered at the screen "I find it very hard to believe they've grown so large in such a short period of time."
"Acquisitions and takeovers," Tyler said. "Someone with real money put together this company."
"Have the offers to employees at other companies come from Trax as well?" Kevin asked.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Tyler leaned a hand against the wall. "Maybe we could get someone on the inside."
"You mean bribe someone at the company to spy on them?" Kevin didn't seem to like the idea.
"Why bribe someone when they want to hire one of my own people?" A wolfish grin spread across Tyler's face.
Jack held up his hands in front of his chest. "Uh, I'd rather not be a double agent if that's okay with you."
Tyler deflated a bit. "Yeah, I suppose it is a little risky. I'll have to figure out some other way to keep this company from bankrupting us."
"Maybe you could talk to some of our potential clients and find out why they backed out on us," Kevin said. "They won't give us time of day, but maybe someone with your clout would have better
Kevin told him about the stymied sales.
"How's customer satisfaction?" I asked Jack. "Any complaints from current customers?"
He shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Janet sends out surveys to current customers, but they've all come back singing our praises."
"So none of our current customers would warn potential clients to stay away." Tyler leaned against the edge of the desk. "The same thing is happening to several other companies in my portfolio."
Cyrus Rock had given his three children several companies to manage so one could prove they deserved to inherit his riches. The original Tyler Hugo Rock—we called him Hugo—hadn't done so well managing his portfolio.
"Are they all software companies?" I asked.
"No. Vermillion Unicorn and OnTech deal with software, but I also own Alpha Construction, Ironclaw Security, Pulsar Communications, and Treat your Meat."
"Treat your Meat?" Kevin and Jack exchanged a puzzled look.
Tyler snorted. "It's a chain of massage parlors."
"They sound like brothels," I said.
"I have more companies, but I don't remember them all." Tyler's thousand-mile stare bored into the wall. "The massage parlors were doing well until a national news article claimed people had caught the Asian bird flu there. Business plummeted, even though the story was false. I'm trying to get a lawsuit off the ground, but that will take time. The other businesses are having similar issues to what Kevin said is happening to OnTech." He pushed off the desk and rounded on us. "The cyanide icing on the cake is brain drain."
"What's that?" I asked.
"Other companies are trying to lure away our top employees." He smacked a fist into his hand. "We're facing a systematic attempt to destroy the corporations I run."
Jack rubbed his neck. "Yeah, um, I was approached with a pretty sweet offer to go work for another firm just last week. I overheard Nick Reeds and Susan Daniels talking about offers they received."
"From whom?" Tyler asked.
Jack shrugged. "Some company called Trax Worldwide. I did some online research but couldn't find a lot about them. According to their website, they have their fingers in a lot of pies."
"I need to know more about them." Tyler went to the computer and gingerly pecked at the keys with two fingers.
I groaned. "You're hopeless with computers, do you know that?" I tugged him out of the chair. "Let me look them up."
Kevin and Jack pressed their lips together as if trying to suppress laughter.
The Trax Worldwide website was a minimalistic masterpiece with lots of white space and black text. They had a long list of clients, including several Fortune 500 companies. I navigated to their services page and found a laundry list of industries. They did everything from software development to construction.
I clicked on the "About" link and read aloud, "Trax was incorporated five years ago."
Jack peered at the screen "I find it very hard to believe they've grown so large in such a short period of time."
"Acquisitions and takeovers," Tyler said. "Someone with real money put together this company."
"Have the offers to employees at other companies come from Trax as well?" Kevin asked.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Tyler leaned a hand against the wall. "Maybe we could get someone on the inside."
"You mean bribe someone at the company to spy on them?" Kevin didn't seem to like the idea.
"Why bribe someone when they want to hire one of my own people?" A wolfish grin spread across Tyler's face.
Jack held up his hands in front of his chest. "Uh, I'd rather not be a double agent if that's okay with you."
Tyler deflated a bit. "Yeah, I suppose it is a little risky. I'll have to figure out some other way to keep this company from bankrupting us."
"Maybe you could talk to some of our potential clients and find out why they backed out on us," Kevin said. "They won't give us time of day, but maybe someone with your clout would have better
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