- Sir, Joe Dew and Kin Katare here.

Joe Dew was the chief-in-arms (director) of the Squeam Lawyer Team. Kin Katagary, however, was a bit of a special guy. He wasn’t on Squeams’ employee list, and the departments under his management weren’t as well. As Sussana announced they presence, Shabe quit going through the documents and logs in his hands and had them enter his office.

- Have them come in.

Soon, a man in a loose suit and one with a perfect military pose were in front of Shabe.

Joe was the “it’s all cool” kind of guy, with a relaxed attitude and atmosphere. His eyes, however, hid the same cool, amorph and charismatic aura of an apparently amiable, but terribly poisonous, snake.

He was the kind of man who would make you trust him unconditionally time and time again, no mater how many times he stabbed you in the back and even flaunted about it in front of you.

As for Kin Katagary… his military pose and stark-black eyes seemed stiff and rigid, but the chinese face seemed to hide much more than simple military power.

- For the two of you to come together like this… what happened?

- Dòlccy made his move. The U.N. is starting to vote the C1 resolution, and we cannot stop them for long.

Dòlccy was a torn on Squeams’ feet.

Previously a man under Katagary, he was now the Special Envoy of Squeam to the U.N... One that no one wanted in such position, as he had been a traitor for a long time already.

- How are our chances?

Shabe needed info. The C1 resolution could not come into being, no matter what!

- Slim, sir. We cannot win the way things are right now. The Palestine influence has decreased, and the Middle East Conflict has taken a turn to the worst. They seem to be overtaken since Chinese influence spread through the area. This has changed the E.U. and the U.S.’s politics from strongly backing them to retreating and focusing on internal affairs. Pressure is increasing on all sides, since Latin America has begun its Third Dictatorial Wave. We cannot hold applying pressure for too long - as things have been changing at a faster rate than we can adapt and influence.

Squeam had a lot of political influence. Not only due to its economic background and power, but also due to generous donations to political parties.

However, they lacked the basis of pollical power - orphanages.

Only recently had Squeam began its orphan-adoption-and-talent-nurturing project. They lacked people raised and educated by themselves, people who would then become leaders and forever be loyal to them - loyalty through lifelong gratitude indebtment.

These things the local governments around the world, humanitarian institutions and older corporations had in a much wider scale.

One may find a talented and earning individual by building free hospitals, universities and colleges. By providing education, health and jobs to people.

But one will not find true loyalty on such grounds - as people would be first loyal to their families, and the old families would rather be loyal to their country and benefactors, and not Squeam.

Only by becoming a foster family to hundreds of thousands could a corporation have truly unshakeable foundations.

And that, Squeam lacked.

- Sussana, bring me Carlos.

Shabe pressed the button on his desk, a deep frown on his face.

Carlos was the Squeam PR Department Manager.

A common and low-profile occupation.

Except that, as most things in Squeam, such occupation was much more than the eyes could see.