Read Online The Sapporo Outbreak by Brian Craighead - Free Book Online

Santos looked up and beamed at Skinner's arrival, Hill said something quickly to Santos, strode toward Skinner and grabbed his hand in an enthusiastic handshake.

    "Ben, I'm so pleased you agreed to come along. I know it's all a bit of a rush, but if you're ready I suggest we quickly board and then we can chat further during the journey."

    Skinner observed the confident young lawyer. In his early thirties, Hill wore the close-cropped hair and Armani uniform of so many corporate lawyers. When Skinner had first met Hill some 18 months back, he'd read him to be another ambitious ivy-league lawyer. He seemed very... 2-dimensional. However, as Skinner spent more time with the lawyer, visiting WhiteStar's far flung compounds with him, he'd seen another side to Hill. He saw a man increasingly uneasy with the things he did. A man growing uncomfortable with the choices he'd made. A man no longer sure if making rich men richer was how he wanted to spend his life. Skinner saw the doubt growing in Hill, but also knew how much the freshly minted partner enjoyed his work's material rewards. He lived an expansive, expensive life. Skinner doubted if Hill would ever be strong enough to turn his back on power and wealth.  

    "Sure Alex, if Eva is good to go, then let's get this thing over with." As the men walked toward Santos, a thought suddenly occurred to Skinner. Grabbing Hill by the elbow, Skinner stopped a few steps away from Santos.

    "Alex. Did you fly here from San Francisco?"

    "Yeah. Travelling in Tanaka's private jet - no better way to fly!"

    Skinner stared at the lawyer. "Alex - if you called me from the plane, you were already on your way to pick me up. You must've been pretty damn confident I'd say yes."

    Suddenly uncomfortable, Hill adjusted the collar on the fitted silk shirt from his favourite tailor on Geary Street. Looking out at Tanaka's Rolls Royce twin-engined Gulfstream G550, wrapped in a massive WhiteStar logo, Hill replied in a quiet, almost apologetic voice. "Yeah Ben. It's like I said. The investors are very keen for you to take a last look before the new game goes live."

    Skinner frowned. "Investors? I thought you said Tanaka was the man driving this."

    Hill replied a little too quickly. "Yes, of course Ben. Tanaka too. Everyone's keen to hear what you and Dr Santos have to say."

    Skinner nodded hi to Santos as she appeared at the lawyer's side. Skinner leaned forward, staring directly into the flitting eyes of the young man. "Alex. Is there something you need to tell us?"

    Sensing the awkward mood between the men, Santos shot a curious glance at Skinner, who returned a raised eyebrow. Hill's eyes darted between Skinner, Santos and Tanaka's gleaming jet on the frosty tarmac outside.  

      "There's nothing wrong Ben. It's just that there's a lot of money invested in this game. An awful lot. And the people who've put that money in want to be sure Tanaka's got everything ready to go. You know how it is with these online games. If they stumble out of the gates, it can be a disaster, and this is the biggest, most lucrative game series ever created."

    Skinner could see Hill was warming to the conversation. Growing more confident. More vehement.  

    "Hell Ben, they're predicting one in three people on the planet - two and half billion people - will subscribe. That's two and a half billion subscribers to a game that never ends, a game that gets better with every new player. If it works like Tanaka says it will, iSight 3 will be the single most profitable business of all time - and all that profit will be retained by a few, very powerful investors. They don't want anything to get in the way Ben, which is why they want you and Doctor Santos..." Hill nodded to Santos as if acknowledging her in the conversation for the first time, "to take one last look."

    Santos shook her head while Skinner stared at Hill. "Look at what? We've travelled to lots of different test centres,we've seen how different cultures play with