why anyone would be exhausted by you. It seems to me your constant need to express your virility masks an underlying insecurity. Perhaps a struggle with latent homosexuality. I'd be happy to refer you to someone should you ever like to take professional advice."
Harper's eyes blazed, his nostrils flared, and he crouched down until he was at eye level with Santos.
"Listen to me you, you stuck up bitch..."
"Is there a problem here?"
Santos and Harper looked up to see Ben Skinner, hair ruffled and shirt crumpled, quickly getting to his feet. Skinner stepped toward Harper, who quickly stood up, emphasising the 6' height advantage he had on the 5'10 professor. Before Harper could reply, the attendant glided toward then and still smiling, always smiling, asked the seated Santos, "What can I do for you madam?"
"I'd like a coffee please." Santos pointedly ignored Harper, instead turning to the professor. "Ben - how about you?"
Harper glared at Santos and Skinner before his eyes caught Tanaka's Head of Security staring directly at him from his seat opposite Tanaka. It felt to Harper as if Itou was daring him to make a move. Harper didn't think twice. He definitely did not want to raise the ire of Tanaka's attack dog.
Harper turned back to Skinner, his tone conciliatory.
"My apologies Ben. Doctor Santos. I'm afraid I'm just a little tired - sorry if I gave you the wrong impression." With that, Harper silently turned and almost ran back to his seat. Skinner looked questioningly at Santos before replying, "Ehm. Ok...I'm not sure what that was all about! And yes - coffee does sounds good. Better make it strong though - I've got to stay awake through more Tanaka-talk when we land!"
Skinner flashed a boyish grin at Santos before turning, and heading up the plane to chat to Tanaka, who was engaged in conversation with Alex Hill.
Santos watched Skinner go. Beyond him she could see the CEO of WhiteStar continue his monologue, waving his hands theatrically in the air in emphasis. Santos could make out the back of Hill's head over the top of the fat leather armchair. She could see him nod frequently, imagined the man smiling and laughing when needed. In the past 18 months, Santos had travelled with Skinner, Harper and Hill on a dozen WhiteStar field trips, and one thing remained constant. Hill's eagerness to play the receptive audience for Tanaka. Santos rolled her eyes. She didn't know how he did it. She found Tanaka's endless enthusiasm exhausting.
Unlike the dashing professor sitting opposite.
#
Santos looked over at Skinner, who still had a look of concern on his face. She flicked her head in Tanaka's direction, her long hair sweeping over her cheek and smiled. "Man - that Tanaka can talk. Does he ever stop?"
Skinner's frown washed away, replaced with a knowing grin.
Santos then glanced behind her at Harper, who returned her look with a furious stare.
The plane thumped and juddered as another wave of turbulence hit.
Santos jumped up in her seat as the plane lurched. "Jesus, why do I do this? These rich guys are all assholes. lets get this last one over with, and then that's definitely it!"
She slumped back in the fat leather as her coffee arrived. At least in a couple of days, she'd never have to think about Kaito Tanaka, WhiteStar Corporation or Andy Harper ever again.
She couldn't wait.
#
6am Thursday, Sapporo Japan (Minus 9 Hours)
Three heavily tinted black limousines sat waiting in a row on the icy black tarmac of New Chitose Airport in Sapporo Japan. A driver dressed in thick overcoat and gloves stood impassively at each car, seemingly impervious to the thick snow and freezing cold winter wind.
Santos and Skinner were the last to disembark the Gulfstream jet. They'd watched from the cozy comfort of the plane while Tanaka and the ominous Mr Itou walked briskly through the blizzard and into the first limo. Harper and Hill followed quickly into the second, with
Harper's eyes blazed, his nostrils flared, and he crouched down until he was at eye level with Santos.
"Listen to me you, you stuck up bitch..."
"Is there a problem here?"
Santos and Harper looked up to see Ben Skinner, hair ruffled and shirt crumpled, quickly getting to his feet. Skinner stepped toward Harper, who quickly stood up, emphasising the 6' height advantage he had on the 5'10 professor. Before Harper could reply, the attendant glided toward then and still smiling, always smiling, asked the seated Santos, "What can I do for you madam?"
"I'd like a coffee please." Santos pointedly ignored Harper, instead turning to the professor. "Ben - how about you?"
Harper glared at Santos and Skinner before his eyes caught Tanaka's Head of Security staring directly at him from his seat opposite Tanaka. It felt to Harper as if Itou was daring him to make a move. Harper didn't think twice. He definitely did not want to raise the ire of Tanaka's attack dog.
Harper turned back to Skinner, his tone conciliatory.
"My apologies Ben. Doctor Santos. I'm afraid I'm just a little tired - sorry if I gave you the wrong impression." With that, Harper silently turned and almost ran back to his seat. Skinner looked questioningly at Santos before replying, "Ehm. Ok...I'm not sure what that was all about! And yes - coffee does sounds good. Better make it strong though - I've got to stay awake through more Tanaka-talk when we land!"
Skinner flashed a boyish grin at Santos before turning, and heading up the plane to chat to Tanaka, who was engaged in conversation with Alex Hill.
Santos watched Skinner go. Beyond him she could see the CEO of WhiteStar continue his monologue, waving his hands theatrically in the air in emphasis. Santos could make out the back of Hill's head over the top of the fat leather armchair. She could see him nod frequently, imagined the man smiling and laughing when needed. In the past 18 months, Santos had travelled with Skinner, Harper and Hill on a dozen WhiteStar field trips, and one thing remained constant. Hill's eagerness to play the receptive audience for Tanaka. Santos rolled her eyes. She didn't know how he did it. She found Tanaka's endless enthusiasm exhausting.
Unlike the dashing professor sitting opposite.
#
Santos looked over at Skinner, who still had a look of concern on his face. She flicked her head in Tanaka's direction, her long hair sweeping over her cheek and smiled. "Man - that Tanaka can talk. Does he ever stop?"
Skinner's frown washed away, replaced with a knowing grin.
Santos then glanced behind her at Harper, who returned her look with a furious stare.
The plane thumped and juddered as another wave of turbulence hit.
Santos jumped up in her seat as the plane lurched. "Jesus, why do I do this? These rich guys are all assholes. lets get this last one over with, and then that's definitely it!"
She slumped back in the fat leather as her coffee arrived. At least in a couple of days, she'd never have to think about Kaito Tanaka, WhiteStar Corporation or Andy Harper ever again.
She couldn't wait.
#
6am Thursday, Sapporo Japan (Minus 9 Hours)
Three heavily tinted black limousines sat waiting in a row on the icy black tarmac of New Chitose Airport in Sapporo Japan. A driver dressed in thick overcoat and gloves stood impassively at each car, seemingly impervious to the thick snow and freezing cold winter wind.
Santos and Skinner were the last to disembark the Gulfstream jet. They'd watched from the cozy comfort of the plane while Tanaka and the ominous Mr Itou walked briskly through the blizzard and into the first limo. Harper and Hill followed quickly into the second, with
Similar Books
