

THE BUSINESS
IAIN BANKS
PROLOGUE
'Hello?'
'Kate?'
'Yes.'
'Itsh Mike.'
'Mike?'
'Mike! Mike Danielsh! Chrisht, Kate, don't - '
'Mike, it's…it's four thirty-seven.'
'I know what time it ish!'
'Mike, I'd really like to get back to sleep.'
'I'm shorry, but it'sh fucking important!'
'You should get some sleep too, maybe whatever it is won't seem so important after you've slept. And sobered up.'
'I'm not drunk! Will you jusht lishten?'
'I am. I'm lishtening to a drunk man. Go to sleep, Mike. Hold on, aren't you due in Tokyo today?'
'Yesh!'
'Right. So get some sleep. I'm going to switch the phone off now, Mike. I didn't mean to leave it on in the first — '
'No! That'sh what I'm calling about! Tokyo!'
'What? What about Tokyo?'
'I can't go!'
'What do you mean? Why not? You have to go.'
'But I can't!'
'Calm down.'
'How can I be fucking calm? Shome fuckersh taken out half my teesh!'
'Say that again?'
'I shaid shome fuckersh taken out half my fucking teesh!'
'Is this some sort of joke? Who the hell is this?'
'It'sh me, for Chrisht'sh shake! It'sh Mike Danielsh!'
'It doesn't sound like the Mike Daniels I know.'
'Of courshe not! I've had half my teesh taken out! Fuck'sh shake, Kate, wake up!'
'I'm awake. Prove you're Mike Daniels. Tell me what you were going to Tokyo for.'
'Oh, Chrisht…'
'Ah, pull yourself together. Tell me.'
'Okay, okay! I wash going to Tokyo wish X. Parfitt-Sholomenideesh to shign the firsht part of the Pejantan Island deal with Kirita Shinizhagi, Shee-Ee-Oh of Shimani Aeroshpace Corporation. Shatishfied?'
