<div class="floatright">(https://drscdn.500px.org/photo/233996993/m%3D900/v2?user_id=15258111&amp;webp=true&amp;sig=b90ebac02e9dda10b2f9bec799e0a04e2130f8be0e462e8165ad848d1cc01eb2)<br/><div align="center"><strong><em><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: times new roman;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Mateo Lucas</span></span></em></strong></div></div><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">Was it too much for the duo? Mateo was known as a straight shooter, and usually Wilson or Richard would diffuse any bombs he drop during a confrontation ... or business meetings as they officially call them. The ladies however did not lose their smiles, nor their nerves. Whether he made a lasting impression or not remains to be seen. But from the blonde's request to her partner, it seems the undulations of his offer reached deep enough to give him hope of success. They barely scratched the surface of their deal though, yet she wanted to present him with a standard blue print of their contracts and NDA. His face melted into a grimace at first. This wasn't going as well as he anticipated.<br/><br/>A basic contract, or a blue print, was something you'd handout to anyone, regardless of what you discussed or any potential agreement that may follow. He narrowed his eyes as Anissa put the papers on the table and pushed them in his direction, unaware of any signal she flashed her partner. Mateo was already lost in his own calculating thoughts as he tried to recall where did he lose their interest. Did he overestimate his own offer, or did he put too much faith in them? He knew there wasn't much to look into these papers. This was a gesture ... a gesture he didn't like one bit.<br/><br/>Even the blonde's words weren't assuring. At that moment they felt like hollow obligatory words meant to punctuate the end of a meeting. However, the brunette's voice broke him out of his trance with what she said. Changing his mind? So there was more to this partnership then? His eyes snapped up to Rebecca, and some might easily mistake that look for an aggressive one, but Mateo was simply so interested to know that this wasn't the end. The two ladies weren't pulling off a cheap 'Thanks-but-no-thanks' after all. He grinned at Becky, Oblivious to Anissa's smiles and stifled laughs. He put the pads of his fingers on the papers and dragged them closer to him.<br/><br/>Anissa's words about her partner made his smile grow wider till the whites of his teeth bared themselves before his hostesses, "I think it is best if you pour that energy into the concept of your favorite character and locale, in Empty Abyss." The words were directed at Becky, but then he turned his attention to Nissa as he picked up the papers and tapped on them with his other hand, "I'll keep myself busy with these, till I hear from you." He will, no doubt about that. But he had to keep his hands busy because he knew by now he wanted to swat their rears so hard they'd jiggle for days. Somehow he knew these ladies had so much control, and there could be a power struggle between them. And somehow ... that just made those urges surface into his mind.<br/><br/>"Its been a delight, Miss LePage, Miss Warren." He started to make his way out of the room, when he stopped short of reaching the door's handle and turned to face them with a playful smile, "Why don't we make our next encounter less ... informal? When you're ready to discuss more, let me invite you out to dinner? Without too much visuals, I think we can delve easier into the finer details. Think about it." He smiled and reached for the door and pulled his presence out of the room, leaving the two to digest everything he offered, while giving himself the chance to analyze everything that transpired so far.</div><br/><div align="center">~~~*~~*~~~</div><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">"Wilson, I want everyone ready in fifteen." Mateo called from his cellphone while he drove towards Abyss HQ, his tie already loosened. "Abyss Assembles?!" Wilson's voice came out giddy and excited, perhaps knowing too well that Mateo would roll his eyes at the comment, which he did and followed it with a sigh, "Sure ... Get them ready." He clicked the call off and sped towards his company, the papers the blonde game him resting on the passenger's seat, and quickly snagged once he parked his car and made his way towards the main elevator which lead him to the third floor, where their biggest conference room was located at the very back of that storey.<br/><br/>As soon as Mateo walked into the room, every department head along with their next in command was present. The room was swallowed in dark marbled floors with bright streaking blue lights along the rim of the floor, and the table itself casting a gentle light hue, while the main source of light were the hidden LED lights in the ceiling, designed to cast their aura without causing any glare unto the table. Wilson was already standing when Mateo walked in, and Mateo gave him the papers, which went nimbly into a black leather folder to keep them tucked in for later reviews.<br/><br/>"Just got back from Naughty Otter ..." He started off as he began to roll his jacket off his shoulders, while standing in front of his chair. "We've a change of plans everyone ..." He continued, dropping his discarded jacket on the table, then his hands reached for his cufflinks, undoing them while he grinned at his the suggestion he's about to give them, "Till further notice, you'll play every game Naughty Otter was involved in. Not just play them, soak them in, and build enough concept characters and locales for Empty Abyss based on your experience." With his cuffs undone, he rolled his sleeves up and then threw his weight back on the chair, discarding any professional presence he had. He was among family here. There was no pretenses between them, only the common purpose of work and creativity.<br/><br/>"So are we signed up with Otter?" Richard's voice came from the left side of the table. The head of their engineering and programming asked, while reclining in his own chair. "Not yet. But it'll happen. And I want you ready when it happens." Mateo answered, rubbing his forehead before he leaned forward and braced himself on his elbows on the table. "We've all knew we needed change since our teaser reveal back in E3. We might work from the ground up on some of our characters and storylines, so be ready."<br/><br/>"Not that I'm not happy about this but, what the hell happened?" Sarah from community management asked as she perched herself arms on the table, his face no doubt full of questions at the one eighty Mateo pulled after one visit, considering how he used to say that Abyss was going to be a purely Abyssal project no matter what happened. And Mateo's answer wasn't too loaded as he gazed at her, then veered his eyes at the rest of his employees, "We might share creative authority with Naughty Otter, so we need to be prepared." And whispers spread through the room until Wilson, with a confident smile lured their attention to him, "I've played all their games. I liked ..." His words were cut when Mateo interrupted with enough enthusiasm as to not disappoint his assistant, "There you go. Wilson will appoint which game is best for each of you. Play, play again, and immerse yourselves. Now go ... </div>