Read Online The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu - Free Book Online Page A

chair, knocking his chair over and looking wide-eyed around the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at him. “Peter, did you say something just now about what I’m doing?” Roen asked, stark panic in his voice.
    Peter frowned. “Did I what?”
    “I don’t know. You tell me.”
    “I don’t know either. You lost me, man,” Peter shook his head and gave Roen his Dalai Lama look. “You all right?”
    Tell them no and that you are quitting.  
    “That! Did you just say that?”
    Peter’s look became one of concern. “You look sick, Roen. Maybe you should get some fresh air.”
    “I... I...”
    ...quit. I am walking out of here and never coming back.  
    “...be right back. I have to step outside for a moment.”
    Roen practically tripped over himself as he fled and bolted for the restroom. He ran into one of the stalls and locked it. Sitting on the toilet, he took deep breaths and tried to clear his thoughts. The voice was happening again. Was it him saying these things, or was something saying these things to him... from him? What was going on?
    “Oh no, not again. I must have done something last night, like I did that other night when it happened. What did I do the same? That’s it! I had pizza both nights, and this is some sort of crazy allergic reaction.”
    Really, Roen Tan? Do you actually think pizza makes you hear voices? Because technically, you had pizza six times in the past two weeks, and I did not talk to you any of those other times. So calm down, and let me explain.  
    Roen froze. That last bit was definitely not him, or was it? He just didn’t know anymore. “I’m going crazy. That, or I have a conscience that has somehow detached itself from my conscious mind, like an active conscious subconscious. That’s not good, I think. Well, crazy people don’t think they’re crazy. So if that’s true, and I think I’m crazy, then I must not be going crazy. But if I decide that I’m not crazy, that only enforces the theory that crazy people don’t think they’re crazy, and I’m actually crazy. So should I think I’m crazy or not?”
    Your circular logic is quite dizzying.  
    Roen stood up and stamped his feet. “What the hell is going on?”
    Sit back down. Better yet, leave. I would rather not discuss this in a urinal.  
    “Who are you? Was that you that other night? Are you that bald guy I saw in my head?” Roen hissed out loud.
    No need to speak out loud. I can hear your thoughts just fine.  
    “OK, who are you?” Roen felt weird thinking to himself like this.
    This is a bit complicated. But first, let me assure you that insanity is the least of your concerns. And yes, it was me that night helping with the mugger. That bald man was Oenomaus, a great gladiator that once defeated me. It is complicated. Care to go for a stroll?  
    “Why?”
    Because sitting in a park talking this over is much more pleasant than conversing over a toilet. Besides, I have not seen Millennium Park yet. I hear it is quite lovely.  
    “But I have to go back to my meeting.”
    We need to talk about that too. Why are you working at a job you hate?  
    “I have rent and...”
    Yes, yes, and a cat. Listen, Roen Tan, you might be hallucinating and possibly insane. I think right now that meeting is the least of your concerns.  
    “Didn’t you just say I wasn’t insane?”
    Just putting a little perspective on your priorities.  
    The voice had a point. Roen opened the stall door a crack and peeked out. He tiptoed out of the restroom, looking both ways as he crept down the hall like he was Jack Maclean robbing the Smithsonian.
    That is not necessary. Act natural.  
    Roen stood up as straight as he could and waddled like a robot toward the elevator.
    I said natural.  
    “I’m trying! Besides, my natural reaction is to run screaming and hide under my desk.”
    You would not fit under it.  
    “Hey!”
    My apologies. That was not appropriate.  
    Roen pushed the down button and waited,