Its position so close to the Equator gave it a constant temperature near ninety degrees, a sweltering heat that made it impossible to keep a shirt dry. Jake had been to Singapore a number of times, mostly just passing through on his way to another mission, and he found that the only change in the city was with the skyline. In fact, to Jake the place could have been anywhere in the world. It was just another big city with a diverse population of Chinese, Malaysians, Indians and European and American ex-pats. He knew that Singapore was one of the most important centers of business in the world. Most international companies had a Singapore office. Jake had gotten off his flight from Hong Kong and took a taxi to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino. This hotel was one of the most unique places Jake had ever seen—three fifty-five story buildings topped off by what looked like a cross between an airplane fuselage and a snake. As the taxi pulled up to this monstrous structure, the sun had already set and the building was lit up like a Vegas strip hotel.
