Forge of War (Jack of Harts) Read Online Free PDF Page A

spent four hours at a time outside in an environment you clearly detest, eating or playing with the dogs because you like dogs ?”
    “Well, yeah,” Jack answered.
    “You gave up study time for the classes because you like dogs ?”
    Jack raised an eyebrow at the speaker.  “Like the classes were really difficult enough to require studying ?” he retorted.  The speaker did an amazing imitation of grinding teeth and Jack winced.  He’d probably gone too far with that one.
    “You’re smart enough to pass the tests without studying and yet you are so blinded in other ways.  We truly do not know what to make of you.”
    “I guess that makes me special then?” Jack asked.
    “And so quick witted…sometimes,” the wry tone uttered.  “Fine.  Once more.  What makes you the kind of person who can never commit to a relationship, who wants nothing more than to kill every Shang you see, and yet at the same time be the kind of person who will not turn away a dog who wants your attention?”
    “You know what they say,” Jack continued with his sly smile.  “When a five year old hands a toy phone to even the biggest and baddest gangster, he picks it up and answers it.”
    A sigh came out of the speaker.  “I ask a serious question and you joke.  Goodbye---”
    “Wait,” Jack interrupted, realizing he had made a tactical error there.  He let out a long breath as the light under speaker five remained on, and shook his head.  “Look, it’s stupid.  Just…stories.  You know how things are, right?  Your parents teach you something and it just sticks.  It’s nothing big or important or anything, it’s just how things are .”
    “Our families are not exactly like yours,” the cyber answered, an interested tone back in her voice.  “But we have similar relationships.  I understand how the wishes of a parent can still influence a child even after you have parted ways.”
    Jack gave the speaker a hard glance.  He and his parents had not “parted ways.”  They had been murdered .  He took in a deep breath and released it, relaxing.
    “Now, what are these stupid stories that you talk of and how do they influence you?”
    “They are not stupid stories,” Jack growled.
    “But you said the reasons were stupid…and stories,” the cyber said, digging for more information.
    Jack shook his head.  “Don’t confuse me with the facts.”
    The cyber did not answer for several seconds.  “Was that another joke?” she finally asked, her tone noticeably cooler again.
    “A bad one,” Jack admitted.  “But…not entirely a joke either.  I don’t know.  Maybe they are stupid stories.  But my parents told them to me….”
    “Ah.  I understand,” the cyber said, a smile in her tone of voice.  “You are conflicted.  I wish I could give you time to work it out, but I cannot.  Our time is valuable and I must decide soon if we are to work together.  I must insist that you tell me now.  If you do not, I will leave and you will not see me again.”
    “Wait,” Jack nearly gasped out.
    Silence answered him for several seconds, but the light remained on.  “I will wait,” the cyber finally said.  “A very short time.  It is better to say something imperfect now rather than the perfect thing after I have gone.”
    Jack sighed in reluctant agreement.  He composed his thoughts, breathed in, breathed out, and began to speak, thinking this was all very stupid.  Surely, the cyber didn’t want to hear a story.  But she had asked.  She had demanded.  “Look, there’s a bunch of stories, but there’s one about this really rich old man that probably says it better than I can.  I’m talking he’s rich enough to buy planets if he wanted to.”  Jack looked at the speaker for a moment before continuing.  He didn’t want to lose his nerve part way through.  “This guy hadn’t let the fortune get to his head though, and he was a nice old man to everybody he met.  He even talked to God