Outcast: A Corporation Novel (The Corporation) (39 page)

BOOK: Outcast: A Corporation Novel (The Corporation)
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Acknowledgements

 

This book was a long time coming. Three years to the month and one postponement later, I finally had a sequel to CASTE! A lot went into that delay (an amazing addition to our family, a very hectic life schedule, increased dance goals, and good old procrastination). Thank you, everyone, for sticking with me and keeping me going with your love and feedback.

There are always too many people to thank, but I need to at least try. As always, all my thanks goes to the Lord who gave me this talent and passion to write and to his Son for loving us all enough to die for each and every one of us.

To my husband and daughter for loving me, making me laugh (and giving me my beautiful crow’s feet), and making my life so much richer. And for my husband’s constant faith in me, encouraging me to keep going and reach for the stars.

To all my beta readers who were brave enough to read OUTCAST before everyone else and give me their honest opinions about what needed fixing and what was best left alone. It’s not easy to give your honest opinion sometimes, but these gals were awesome! Rose, Angela, Tiff, Diana, & Nicole. I wish I knew a word that expressed more than just a mere ‘thank you’. You helped make this book the best it could be. Diana, you especially, helped me to realize I’m, not as good with commas, as I gave, myself credit, for. But hey, GO DELTA! ;)

To the SMN gang: We totally are an amazing group of people. Nights of terrifying movies, good food, better desserts, and even better drinks are just what every girl needs. Diana, Kari, & Tiff…here’s to screaming like a girl and the constant reliability of The Google (who always supports me when I need to prove that a puma and a mountain lion are, in fact, the same exact animal).

Finally, to my bff Tiff. I love that you can make me laugh the way you do. We really are awesome. Did you see how many mentions you got in this? ;)

 

The who’s who and what’s what of The Corporation Series

(Fair warning, reading this before reading Outcast may or may not result in spoilers. Continue at your own risk)

 

 

Akin Hughes (Aa-kin) -
The President of the Corporation and Ethan Hughes’ father

Ajna Singh (Ah-jnah) -
A Candidate, little brother to Karis, newly acquired Sponsor for the Corporation

Ami (Amy) –
A member of Karis’ sewing circle at The Factory, the oldest person in Neech with stories of Before

Ansel (An-sul) –
An old curmudgeon at a farmstead in the Further with his wife, Mae; takes in cargo from the Untouchables and gets them suitable for delivery

Aral (Air-al) –
The oldest young person in Kari’s sewing circle, a bit naïve

Badri Yuddh (Buh-dree You-duh) –
The head of the Corporation’s Guards, lead strategist for war and training and anything military

Bak Amul (Bok A-mool) –
An Artist from the Inner City, sent into the Outer City by the Corporation to give faulty Marks to any citizen who asks for one, as a means of controlling any possible uprising

Bev –
Sister of Mae, helps out with the Cargo from time to time

Biodome –
A synthetic, Corporation made force field of sorts that controls the weather and temperature of the cities. It’s rundown with holes in some portions. It also acts as an invisibility shield from anything or anyone that is traveling by through the Further, gently pushing them away

Cain Malik (Cane Mal-ick) –
Dhevan’s father, works in the fields with his son

Candidates –
Children who are eight-years-old and who are getting ready to go through their Jatis

Captain Gideon –
A Guard in the Outer City, currently training a newbie, PFC Derrik

The Corporation –
An organization that stepped up to the plate Before when society and the economy was falling apart. They organized what was left of the world and made the world more efficient. Now they control everything to their advantage, lying to everyone else. The Corporation is run by President Akin Hughes

Déjà Cambrai (Cam-bray) –
Journey’s father, one of the head steelworkers, a part of the group that has been helping Untouchables

Dhan –
The more upper class of the two cities, filled with the higher castes and home to the Corporation. Also known as the Inner City

Dhevan Malik (Devon Mal-ick) –
Son of Cain, works as a farmer in the Outer City, Paired with Journey Cambrai, best friend of Karis Singh and Kavin Sharma, not the biggest fan of Ethan

D’mitri –
A distributor of sorts from the Inner City (although he isn’t limited to just Dhan). He spends his time acquiring things that could be of interest to others, namely information; his prices are high and unique

Derrik, P.F.C (Derrick) –
A new Guard, spending his time between Neech and Dhan, training under Captain Gideon. He’s a bit arrogant with the attitude that he has something to prove. He’s the Guard that stopped Ethan, Karis, and Rebeka in the Inner City at the end of CASTE

Dirk Aarnok (Ar-Nock) –
Husband to Sofi and father of Jules and Kei

Devna –
A member of Karis’ sewing circle, known as the biggest gossip in both of the cities

Ethan Hughes –
The son of Akin Hughes, being groomed to take over the Corporation one day.

Eta Pillai – (Et-ah Pill-Eye)
Medic in Neech, training Ethan as an apprentice, doesn’t have the best bedside manner and is a bit rough around the edges. She’s been studying Maute and the changes it brings to the body of those infected.

Ella Baker –
Medic from Dahn, embraces the heritage and culture of the old days. She’s escaped from Dahn and the Corporation, thinks of Ethan as her own son, is now in Neech, on the run from Akin

Further –
The desert wasteland that surrounds both cities. It is void of any significant life and roamed by Untouchables, cannibals, and wild animals

Inner City -
See Dhan, above

Jatis –
A coming of age ceremony every Candidate goes through, in both cities. It is where they get their Mark and are told what their calling in their life will be

Java –
The owner of a pub called The Tavern

Jeret Singh (Jear-it Sing) –
Father of Karis and Ajna, estranged husband to Rebeka, works at the Lumber Mill and is a part of the secret rebellion that is helping the Untouchables

Journey Cambrai –
One of the better seamstresses in the Outer City and works on the garments that go to Dhan. Best friend of Karis and Pair to Dhevan

Jules Aarnok (Jewels Ar-Knock) –
A Candidate, daughter to Sofi and Dirk, older sister to Kei)

Kala –
Part of Karis’ sewing circle, she’s known as a horrible cook

Kalaen Aboca –
A Candidate, son of Toby and Sera, contracted Maute and was on the up and up, but was taken by Guards and then died

Karis Singh (Care-iss Sing) –
Works as a seamstress in Neech. She is waiting for Akin to come and get her to work for him in Dhan, because of a deal she made to save her brother’s life, back in CASTE. She’s nursing the Untouchable back to health and when he wakes, they become very close. She was a Pair to Kavin Sharma before he was Released. She became close to Ethan and they talked of being Paired, but lately, they’ve been fighting and have broke up before he went out into the Further

Kavin Sharma (Kav-in Shar-Ma) –
Released with his family back in CAST for obtaining a faulty Mark and it started breaking down his body and mind. He has joined up with the Untouchables out in the Further and is a part of the group that picks up the Cargo

Kayde Hughes –
Akin Hughes’ real son. A member of the Untouchable group that deals in Cargo

Kei Aarnok –
Newborn son of Dirk and Sofi, little brother of Jules. Named after someone important to Eta

Kerick Cambrai (Care-Ick Cam-Bray) –
A Candidate, little brother of Journey, helping out with the tunnels under the city, best friends with Ajna

Mae (May) –
Married to Ansel and helps run the homestead out in the Further. Cares for the Cargo and fixes them up before they’re picked up again by the Untouchables

Maute –
A mysterious sickness that is sweeping through Neech and taking lives. It’s being spread systematically through the air filters by the Corporation as a controlled test. There is an antidote tightly controlled and distributed by the Corporation. If someone survives the disease on their own, their body is morphed into something new. It is unknown how and if a body changes when given the antidote

Nagar -
A village in the Further that Adami is from and it’s made up of Untouchables

Neech -
Also known as the Outer City, it surrounds Neech (the inner city) and is filled with the lower castes. They support both cities with their manual labor and food

Outer City –
See Neech, above

Paavan Dava (Pah-ven Dah-vuh) –
The head Medic and lead scientist in all the Corporation’s R & D

Pair –
The person you are genetically optimal to marry and reproduce with, proven through matching of DNA

Private Kelsick –
A Guard in the Outer City

Raj Verna –
A citizen from the Outer City whose wife and daughter were killed in front of him. No one had seen him until he showed up at a rebellion meeting one night. He tells Ethan and Dhevan that they have to go out into the Further with him or he will tell Karis the real reason Ethan found her and he will hurt Journey

Rebeka Dwivedi (Rebekah Dwi-veh-dee) –
Mother to Karis and Ajna and estranged wife to Jeret. She left the family when Ajna was just a baby and has been with the Corporation and Akin ever since

Sachi –
A baker in Neech

Sai Sharma –
Baby sister to Kavin, daughter to Jakob and Sari. When the Sharmas were Released, Eta kept her hidden to keep her alive. She spends her time between the Singhs, Cambrais, and Maliks

Sergeant Nan –
One of the highest Guards in the Corporation’s army. He seems to be loyal, but he helps Dhevan and Ethan escape the military training camp in the Further

Sharabi –
Neech’s town drunk. He’s found dead in the streets one night by Ethan and Eta. Eta takes him back home to dissect and study him, and it is with him that they discover what Maute does to the body

Sofi Aarnok –
Pregnant woman from Neech that almost died during childbirth. Married to Dirk and mother to Jules and Kei

Sponsors –
These are

Tucker, P.F.C. –
Lower level Guard in Neech

Untouchable/Gandā/Adami (Gun-duh/Aud-may) –
Stranger that came through the Further to Neech. He’s being hidden from the Corporation. He was being cared for by Karis and when he woke up, he and Karis became good friends

Wilkins –
A lower level Guard in the Outer City

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

RaeLynn has always loved reading and writing and decided to make her dream happen by writing her first book (about vampires, of course) many years ago, but never had enough courage to publish it. Her first published book was in The Corporation Series, CASTE and OUTCAST is her second published work and second book in that series. She has several other completed books waiting to be published and many others that are in various stages of completion.

 

RaeLynn lives in Idaho with her husband and daughter where she competes in Irish dance, hangs out in her hammock and drinks coffee, and otherwise just lives life. You can visit her on
Facebook
,
Instagram
,
twitter
, and her
blog
.

Other books by RaeLynn Fry

 

 

CASTE
(Book one in The Corporation Series)

OUTCAST
(Book two in The Corporation Series)

 

 

Coming soon…

 

 

WHITE ISLE (Book one in the Atlantis Series)

 

EDGE OF HEAVEN (Book one in the
Darkest Days series)

 

BOOK: Outcast: A Corporation Novel (The Corporation)
7.91Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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