Page 41 of Aim Assist

"Clearly." His eyes sparkle with mischief. "You're not wearing yours. We'll have to rectify that later."

I snort. "Right. I'll get right on that."

"See that you do." He winks, then gestures toward the conference room. "Shall we?"

I follow him in, taking in the transformed space. Two mini-studios face each other, complete with top-of-the-line gaming rigs and plush armchairs that look sinfully comfortable.

"Wow. When you guys commit, you really commit."

"Only the best for our star influencers." K grins, then points to the setup on the left. "That one's yours. We've got everything ready to go, but let me know if you need anything."

I nod, running a hand over the sleek desktop, already spinning in RGB. "This will be fine. Thank you. Isn't this a mobile game, though?"

"Our pleasure." He claps his hands together. "Yes, Eden's End: A New Dawn is a mobile game, but also playable on desktop. Coming soon to all the usual consoles, but for now we will have you play it on both platforms, to showcase its versatility."

"Ah." That makes sense. "How do I get started?"

K leads me over to one of the plush recliners. "We want to capture your authentic first experience with Eden's End. No prep, just dive right in on stream." He grins. "But first, a brief interview to introduce you to the audience. Sound good?"

I sink into the cushion, willing my nerves to settle. "Sure, let's do it."

The crown bobs as he nods. "Whenever you're ready." He gestures to someone behind the cameras.

A red light blinks on. Showtime.

"I'm here with AmYDeadYet, a rising star in our streaming world." K's voice shifts into announcer mode, smooth and polished. "Welcome, Amy. Tell us a bit about yourself."

I clear my throat. "Well, I'm a professional dog groomer by day, gamer by night. I love anything with a good story and memorable characters."

"What drew you to streaming?"

Memories of Paul flash through my mind. The hurt, the anger. I push them aside. He wasn't around when I first started streaming. He's nothing more than the most recent wound from it, almost ruining the experience.

"Honestly? It started as a way to blow off steam. Life got complicated, and gaming was my escape. Sharing that with others, building a community... it's been incredibly rewarding."

K leans forward, elbows on his knees. "You're known for your FPS and horror playthroughs. What is it about those genres that appeal to you?"

A genuine smile spreads across my face. "Horror games are intense, immersive. They get your heart pounding, adrenaline pumping. There's nothing quite like conquering your fears, even virtually." I shrug. "Plus, who doesn't love a good scare? FPS is more of the same. It's fun."

"Ain't that the truth." K chuckles. "Now, what caught your interest about Eden's End: A New Dawn?"

I sit up straighter. "The world-building sounds incredible. It's like all my favorite post-apocalyptic tropes rolled into one! I can't wait to explore every inch of it. I'm a little worried because it's not what I normally play, but I'm sure I'm going to love it. Besides, I've been told there are zombies. We all know I love zombies."

"Well, you won't have to wait long." K winks at the camera. "Stick around, folks. AmYDeadYet's first foray into Eden's End: A New Dawn, coming up next."

The red light blinks off. I exhale, shoulders dropping.

K grins. "See? Not so bad, is it?"

"I felt weird. It's not like streaming." I groan. "I felt like an idiot answering the questions. You should have prepped me on them beforehand."

He waves a hand flippantly. "We're all about the authentic reactions. Your partner should be here any second. The streams open in fifteen minutes. Since you have an online persona, we gave him one, too. I think it'll go over pretty well."

He chuckles, sounding way too amused. "He might kill me, though. Don't be scared. He's all bark, no bite."

While waiting, K positions me in front of a window, angling my body in the lighting as he pleases. The camera flashes, capturing my forced smile. I'm trying not to let my nerves show, but the anticipation is killing me.

I've been successfully streaming for a few years, but this is a new level.

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