Tales of the Fallen Book I: Awakenings Read Online Free PDF Page A

Let’s be casual… Jerry.”
    White let loose a big smile, amused at Mal’s cockiness. “Please finish. Gre…? Greg…? Gregory? I know perfectly well it was Gregory who sent you to kill me, Mal.”
    Somehow, Mal wasn’t surprised White knew this. He was getting the distinct impression he was caught in the middle of some game. And this sudden revelation was starting to seriously piss him off.
    “Gregory likes to get inside people’s heads. We all do really. It’s a natural ability. It can be controlled though. Although I doubt Gregory is showing much restraint these days. Never has been able to control his power. Loose cannon as they say.”
    Mal went along. “Oh yeah. You and Greg ole buddies?”
    White crossed his arms over his chest, nodding at the same time. “You could say that.”
    “Let me guess. Old business partners? One stabbed the other in the back and now this has been years in the works. Old Greg finally getting the upper hand by sending me in to finish off the competition?”
    White shook his head. “Well, if you’d like to put it in such banal terms. Fine, yes, a bad deal. But it really is so much more than that, Mal.” White stood up and moved his arms dramatically as if pointing out pictures on the wall. “It’s a timeless tale. One of deceit and treachery. Of murder and jealousy. All the good stuff of classic drama. Shakespeare couldn’t have penned a better tale.”
    “Oh yeah. So who are you in this story? The treacherous villain soon to get what’s coming to him or the tragic hero?” Mal asked.
    White settled down, thinking about Mal’s question. “Hmmm. A little of both I suppose. Depends on who you speak to…” White hesitated. “…you think you could put your gun away, Mal?”
    “Probably not.”
    “It’s kind of rude at this point.”
    Mal smirked. “Not exactly Miss Manners here, Jerry.”
    White shrugged. “Well, I asked nicely…”
    Light exploded from around White’s body, reaching out toward Mal. Mal instinctively fired six quick rounds directly into White’s chest. And just as suddenly as the light shot forward it retreated, leaving nothing but silence and the smell of gunpowder hanging in the air.
    Mal blinked his eyes back into working and six dark holes dotting White’s chest. Yet White continued to stand there, taking in Mal with his now golden eyes.
    “Hmm. Neat trick.”
    “Need I ask again?”
    “Suppose not,” Mal lamented, lowering the gun and then quickly stowing it inside his jacket. And just as quickly pulling something else out. For the first time since being in White’s presence Mal sensed a change in the man’s demeanor. White’s cool confidence had disappeared, replaced instead with a definite uneasiness. His eyes locked onto the object in Mal’s hand.
    Mal was a little surprised by White’s reaction. But relieved just the same. For the first time since walking into this office, Mal finally felt slightly more in control. “What’s a’matter, Jer? Seen a ghost or something?”
    White’s eyes became slits as he tried to regain some composure. “You could say that.”
    “Little gift—”
    “From your master, no doubt?” White said through clenched teeth.
    “Yep. That Gregory… He’s a giver.”
    White gave a disgusted grunt. “He’s a fool.”
    “Careful, there, Jer… Wouldn’t want to go getting me all upset by calling Gregory names. He is my—”
    “Your what?” White interrupted. His eyes had changed, the whites disappearing, buried under an intense glow of gold.
    This startled Mal a little. “I’d go ahead and calm down a bit, Jerry. The eye thing…makes me twitchy. Bad things could happen if I get too twitchy. So save the theatrics and tricks for someone else.”
    White sighed. “Fine. Is this what you want?” White asked as his eyes returned to normal. He followed this with a shake of his head. “Ironic,” he said, amused.
    “What’s funny, Jerry? I like a good joke.”
    “This…” White motioned up