Outcast: A Corporation Novel (The Corporation)

by RaeLynn Fry

  “I can handle them.”

  “Don't be too sure. Something's gotten into them and they're extra rowdy tonight.”

  I leave Ethan and Déjà behind and walk towards Kerick and the others. They haven't noticed I've been assigned as their task master.

  “C'mon, Kerick! You gotta tell us!” one of the boys is saying.

  “I can't tell ya. It's top secret and very important. My dad would kill me if he ever found out I told any of ya.”

  “Just a hint,” another one says.

  Kerick seems to consider this. “No, not even a hint. I've been trusted with the secrets of a man, I have a job and they're countin' on me to come through, if I don't, then the whole thing falls through.” His chest is puffed and his features are dripping with pride.

  My interest is piqued. “What plan will fall through, Kerick?”

  His shoulders go rigid. He turns around. “Nothin'.”

  I eye him, and nod my head slowly, making a mental note to follow up. “Uh-huh. Well, I've been tasked with making sure you guys are doing whatever it is that Dhevan and Journey have designated you to do. And so far, I don't think that task is standing around talking.” The boys kind of kick at the ground and shuffle their feet. “So, what are you supposed to be doing?”

  “Pullin' weeds,” one of the boys says.

  I curl my lip a little and look around the broken asphalt. There are a lot of weeds. I'm wondering if this is more of a task to keep them busy and out of the way than actually being useful. Which means that, as the one assigned to watch over them, I have fallen into that category as well. I haven’t decided yet if I’m offended or grateful.

  “Well, I see some right over there. You'd better get started. At the rate you're all going, it will take you all of this day and the next to clear this area.”

  Kerick groans loudly and tilts his head back. “But this is stupid! There are a million little weeds. We won’t ever get them all pulled in time. My sister is being ridiculous. She’s been out of control all week, but this is the worst.”

  “Well, this is her big day, Kerick. Don't you think she deserves it?”

  “I guess,” he says, but in a way that makes me think he really doesn't.

  “Why don't you all start where the path is that she'll take up to the front. That way, she won't notice everything else that you've missed; she'll be so focused on what a clear and clean path is that she's walking down.”

  “Good idea!” another boy says. They each take their bags and start picking weeds.

  “How about you guys spread out so you can actually make a difference in the weed elimination?” I laugh a little to myself as they scatter. Ajna would be having fun right now. Not for the first time, I find myself thinking about what he might be doing in the Inner City. Certainly not picking weeds for a Pairing Ceremony. I can only hope that Ethan is right about Ajna being safe.

  I turn around and watch him as he unfolds chairs and sets them up. He looks at his map, then up at the chairs, makes some adjustments, and then looks again back at the paper in his hands. When he's satisfied, he moves on to the next section. I let myself smile.

  The chairs Ethan set up are far from pristine. They don't match, are uneven, and look as old as the cities themselves. But, the ends of the chairs, forming the aisle Journey will walk down, are tied with paper and cloth flowers. I wish I could have brought her some back from the Inner City. A circle is cleared in the center of where everyone with gather. Journey and Dhevan’s stage is outlined in candles. In front of everyone that is dear to them and who love them, Seik with join together two of my best friends, for the rest of their lives. Ami says this is very similar to how unions were done in the old days.

  When the weeds have been pulled, I weave through the crowd and find my place next to Ethan and Papa. As the ceremony starts, Ethan reaches down and laces his fingers through mine. I give it a quick squeeze before I pull it away, bringing it up to my lips to blow hot air across my fingers, keeping them warm against the drop in temperature. I look over at Ethan and smile. He smiles back, but sees through my ruse just as I see through his.

  Dhevan passes us and stops to say, “No turning back.” He looks so handsome in his traditional clothing. A white jacket that goes to his knees is embroidered in gold, showing the same symbols as Journey’s dress. He has a gold scarf lying over his right shoulder and he plays with the edges. The white of his pants and shirt are as blinding as his smile.

  “Today is the day,” I agree. I give him a brief hug. “Nervous?”

  “Dhevan, nervous?” Ethan says. “I don't think he knows the definition of the word.”

  Dhevan pauses before he breaks out into a grin. “Journey and I were made for each other. There's no reason to be nervous.”

  “True enough,” I say. “Need anything before this all goes down?”

  “There is one thing, now that you mention it. Have you seen Journey?”

  “When I first got here.”

  “How did she look? I want every detail.”

  This is somewhat amusing, coming from Dhevan. “Beautiful. And that's all I'm going to say. You'll see for yourself not long from now.”

  “You're a good friend, Karis. You deserve the best.” There's that look again towards Ethan. And Ethan catches it, too.

  “What? You're saying I'm not the best model available? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hurt.”

  “Yeah, you will be hurting if you hurt Karis.”

  “No intention of doing any such thing.”

  “I'm right here, guys. And thanks for the concern, Dhevan, but Ethan wouldn't hurt me.”

  “Not intentionally,” Dhevan says. He breaks up the tension that's suddenly descended with a grin and a quick and playful punch to Ethan's arm.

  “What was that all about?” I ask when Dhevan's left us alone, hoping Ethan hasn’t said anything to him about us breaking up.

  He shrugs a little and plays it off as if it were nothing. “You know, the whole 'older brother' thing. He cares a lot about you and wants to make sure that I care as much as he does. I told him I cared more.”

  “Well, I would think that would be a good enough answer for him.”

  “I don't think any answer would be a good enough answer for him when it comes to you. He cares a lot about you. You're a lucky gal.”

  “Yeah, pretty lucky.” I look up at him. “Did you get enough sleep last night?” I ask, looking at the hollows under his eyes.

  “It's nothing,” he waves me away. “Honest. It's just a couple of nights where I haven't been sleeping too soundly. Lots going through my mind. Eta's giving me a tea that should help.”

  I don't know why, but his answer doesn't sit well with me. “If it were more, you'd tell me, right?”

  He doesn't answer right away. “I'd tell you as much as you'd tell me.”

  My cheeks burn with guilt. He'd tell me as much as I'd tell him.

  We take our seats next to my father and Journey's family. Déjà looks about as proud as any papa could be of his only daughter getting Paired to a man as good as Dhevan.

  I think what I like most about Pairing Celebrations is their simplicity and purity. There isn't the flair or flamboyance that Dahn probably has. All we have in Neech is all we can afford, the easiness of love and family, and I think those two things make for the best Ceremony possible.

  A stillness seeps through the crowd. Almost like a sixth sense, everyone knows it's time and we all turn. Journey stands at the back of the crowd, looking radiant and happy, and we all start to sing the traditional Pairing song. She starts her slow walk up the aisle that is created as she moves. She makes eye contact with no one as she keeps her gaze trained on Dhevan.

  Ethan

  I'm carrying out a mundane, brainless task—taking chairs from one pile, carrying them to the spots Journey designated, unfolding them, and doing it all over again. It gives me time to think about everything I still need to do. Make a life for myself here, get things right with Karis, get Ajna back, surviv
e the Further, stop the Corporation. But I don't have an order for any of those things.

  Here in the Outer City, life isn't lived linearly like it is in the Dahn. Life is lived in fragments, scattered in the pitted and uneven, dirty streets. They're picked up as you get a chance, and dropped back to be trampled over when the Corporation gets in the way.

  It's tiresome, and I have no idea how I'll ever get anything accomplished. How I'll ever be able to take my father down, so that the people I've come to care about can live a life they deserve. I've been so preoccupied with everything that my relationship with Karis is suffering. Between trying to lay low, helping Eta, and the resistance I'm trying to stir up, I don't have a lot of time for her. And then there are the dreams.

  “Ethan.” Dhevan's voice is a bit sharp, like this isn't the first time he's said my name.

  I look up at the hulking farmer. His brows are pinched together and his meaty arms are folded over his barrel chest. He cleans up nice enough, as nice as one can for living in Neech. He's changed out of his farm clothes and put on the traditional white suit and scarf.

  “What's up?” I say casually. He’s eyeing me as if I’m an unruly calf that refuses to be haltered. Karis says I'm imagining things with him, but I'm pretty good at reading people.

  He flicks his head in a quick nod towards the chairs I've been lining up. Apparently, my task wasn't as brainless as I had believed. They're on the lines Journey had marked out, but they aren't facing the same direction. Some are forward, some backward, some in between.

  “Oh,” I say as I scratch my head. “Sorry, my brain was elsewhere.” I stoop over and start to right them.

  “No worries,” he says, moving to help me.

  I stop him before he can touch a chair. “Don't want Journey to blame me for your clothes not being pristine.”

  He gives a half smile. “You know her pretty well.”

  “I know a lot of girls like that. They all want their Pairing Ceremony to be perfect. And I am not going to be to be the one to make it anything but.”

  “Wise man.” He moves to leave. “I have an answer for you.”

  “You do?”

  “I won't risk the safety of my family by leaving them alone to go out into the Further. After today, I have to think of more than just myself. I have to think of Journey and any children we might have together. I can't risk their safety or make an enemy of the Corporation and be on their radar. I can protect her better here than I can from out there.”

  I hang my head and don't bother arguing. His mind is made up. I'm on my own. And Dhevan has more than likely sealed the fate of himself and his Pair.

  Karis

  Journey is standing up at the front of the crowd, staring into Dhevan’s eyes, ready to recite her vows when someone speaks up.

  “Stop the Ceremony, immediately!” The command comes from a strong voice at the back of the gathering. Everyone turns to look and see what's going on. There are a handful of Guards standing at the back, making their way up the aisle.

  My head snaps up towards Journey and Dhevan, and I see fear in their eyes. My friend clings to her Pair’s arm. The Guards are half way to the front. Nobody says anything. No one asks why they're here or what this is about. Men grab their Pairs and mothers clutch their children.

  “This Pairing Ceremony has been suspended until further notice,” the Guard at the front of the pack says.

  “You can't do that!” Journey erupts.

  Dhevan guides her behind his wide frame. “This is our designated Pairing date. It's been scheduled for the majority of our lives. It has been sanctioned and recorded from the first day.”

  “Careful, farmer. You’re starting to sound dangerously close to insubordination.” He waits. “The process has been changed. The proper paperwork has not been filed by the parties to be Paired. As such, the Ceremony is in suspension.”

  We’re all sitting on the point of a needle at his words. Everyone is frozen, waiting to hear what's coming next. Dhevan takes a massive breath. This is a very precarious position he's in. Saying the wrong thing could send the situation in a drastically bad direction. “Do you have the papers with you? I’ll fill them out now.”

  “Request for the papers have to be Comm'd in. Form XP10 needs to be filled out and submitted requesting the proper Pairing Ceremony application, through your local leader. Then, there is a waiting period of twelve weeks for processing—depending on demand. Of course, there's the processing fee of five credits.”

  I can see the red creeping up Dhevan's neck. Why is the Corporation doing this? What reason would they have for stopping Pairings in such an obvious way? And why start with Journey and Dhevan? My heart sinks with a thought. Because of Ethan and me.

  “This is ludicrous, a process to keep us chasing—”

  “We'll do it,” Journey says, pulling herself out from behind her Pair. “We will gather the new forms and submit them. Thank you.”

  The Guards turn to leave. “Since this is no longer a sanctified gathering, this large of a group would be considered an unruly gathering according to new ordinance QB245. Unless you all want citations and possible detainment and fines, everyone needs to return home, immediately.”

  This can't be happening. I look to my best friends. Journey looks heartbroken, but Dhevan looks livid. He leans down and says something into her ear. She looks surprised then angry. She shakes her head, her hair flying about her head. He puts his big hands on her shoulders, encasing her small frame. He says something else and she bows her head. I see her shoulders rise and fall with a heavy breath. She looks up at him and kisses him on the lips.

  Dhevan looks over to Ethan and nods.

  Ethan

  The Guards walk away and the crowd stays silent. We're all too afraid to say anything. Slowly, families turn into the aisle and make their way home. Dhevan looks to me and nods. He gives Journey a kiss on the side of the head and hands her over to Karis.

  I think he’s headed my way, but he weaves through the crowd, pulling Jeret, Déjà, and a couple of other men aside. He talks to them animatedly, his cheeks red and his hands flying. They nod their agreement to whatever it is he’s saying to them, but offer rebuttals; which only make Dhevan more upset. He must argue a strong case, because they eventually nod, shake hands, and go in different directions, grabbing and talking to other people on their way out.

  Dhevan turns and walks towards me. There's a look on his face that I haven't seen before. He's more than just mad. I'm trying to decide what it is, but I can't quite put it into words. But I know that look. I've had it on my own face several times. He leans in close, his voice low and dangerous. “I've changed my mind. My answer is yes. When do we leave?”

  I don't waste time thinking about what he's just said. “Tonight. After dinner at the Singh’s.”

  Dhevan turns away and takes Journey by the waist, pulling her with him. He says something into her ear as they walk away and I see her nod.

  “This is horrible! Why would the Corporation do this? What do they gain by delaying an already approved and scheduled Pairing?” Karis says, coming up next to me.

  “Besides getting to us?” I say, rubbing at the back of my neck.

  “Poor Journey.”

  “She seems to be handling it all in stride. I think she'll be okay.”

  There's a loud sigh. “That's not the point, Ethan.”

  “No, I know it's not.” I'm only half paying attention to our conversation. “Eta and I will be over in about an hour. We have a few things we need to take care of.”

  “I can’t believe they still want to have their Pairing dinner,” she says. “Okay, we'll see you then.”

  ७

  The last place I want to be at this moment is here. I feel like I'm deep in enemy territory and at any moment, I will be found out and annihilated.

  Karis is sitting to my left, Journey across from me. Eta is on her right and Dhevan to her left. Jeret and Déjà sit at each end of the table. She stares at me every few bite
s of food, making it entirely obvious, in my opinion, that I have something to hide that needs to be poked, prodded, and investigated.

  Nothing really has any flavor to begin with, but tonight it tastes especially dry and dull. The air is thick with potential explosives, keeping everyone angry and quiet. It sits on all of our shoulders, weighing us down.

  Besides Eta and me, no one is making eye contact. Dhevan and Journey are holding hands under the table, their sadness and anger permeating the room. My anxiousness has me bouncing a leg on the ball of my foot. We were all at the Ceremony, but we would rather pretend nothing happened.

  “How'd the meeting go last night?” Jeret asks Karis, I think in an attempt to ease the discomfort without bringing up an explosive topic, even though I see it as unavoidable. “I was in bed when you got back.”

  She pushes her food around her plate with her fork. The shriveled potatoes are getting a work out. “It was, uh,” she sets her fork down with a small tink. “Actually, I didn't get a chance to make it to the meeting. Not the entire thing, anyway.” She sounds a bit embarrassed.

  “Why not?” Jeret looks tired, rather than angry. I'm guessing he's already anticipating the battle that will come from this question.

  “I was headed to the meeting when I got sidetracked. I came across something important that needed my attention.” She takes a drink of her tea. She doesn't say anything else, and Jeret doesn't push it.

  “Guess that leaves you to fill us in, Ethan.” Déjà says.

  I wipe the corners of my mouth with my napkin, resisting all urges to pat at the sweat starting at my hairline.

  “Anything interesting come up?” Eta says.

  I've decided that being a Medic is her side job. Her main form of employment is meddling. “Interesting you should ask that specific question, Eta,” I try to keep the sarcasm from my voice. It's not her fault I'm in this current situation. “Actually, something interesting did happen.”