Pantalone leaned back in his luxurious office chair, the dim city skyline casting long shadows across his organized desk. Then, the door to his office swung open, and the Doctor walked in. "Lone, my dear! How is the world of numbers treating you today?"

Pantalone offered a slight smile. "Dottore, always a pleasure. How may I assist you?"

Dottore's eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief as he approached Pantalone's desk. "I have a proposition, one that may tickle your pragmatic sensibilities."