Outcast: A Corporation Novel (The Corporation) Read Online Free PDF Page A

though I know what it looks like. “No, I haven’t.”
    “It looks different.”
    The older Guard stoops down and examines it for the briefest of seconds. “Just the light. It looks fine.”
    I'm frozen. I don't know what I'm going to do. My Mark won't pull up any information, the Gate proved that. They'll know something isn't right. I've just jeopardized everything.
    The younger Guard watches over me with a fine scrutiny, as to not miss a thing, and digs his fingertips deeper into my skin.
    The scanner passes over my Mark, not picking anything up. The Guard passes it over again before thinking anything is amiss. The third time the red line scans my ink, it stutters and lets out an awkward chirp. I hope the young Guard doesn't see my eyes widen in surprise. What will the scanner say? I watch the Guard's face as he brings the device up for a better look.
    His forehead wrinkles as he peers down at the tiny screen. He brings it up and bangs it against his open palm. He turns to the young Guard saying, “One thing you'll get used to,” banging the devise against his thigh, “is that the Corporation doesn't replace anything until it isn't working anymore—which it looks like is happening with this thing.”
    “What's happening?” the young Guard drops my arm and leans over to look at the scanner.
    “It's not reading her Mark.” He brings it back up to try and scan my arm again. The red light beeps and the older Guard shakes his head.
    “Maybe it's her ,” the younger one says, glaring at me. “She looks familiar. There was a rash of Black Market Marks not too long ago.”
    The older one lets out a low chuckle. “Your youth is obvious, thinking there's something to everything. Sometimes, like now, things just don't work. Besides, the Gate was powering down when we walked up, so obviously it worked for her to walk through.”
    “I didn't see her walking, did you? I just saw her standing there, staring at it.”
    The older Guard chuckles again, but I can hear the thin patience it sits on. He must be constantly reigning the new Guard in.
    “We can take her over to the scanner in the Square, that one's serviced on a regular basis,” he says.
    “Mmm. Good idea.” The older Guard puts the scanner back inside his jacket. “Come with us.”
    He takes no more than two steps when a crackle of static comes through on the radio receiver sitting on his shoulder. He clicks the button and speaks into it. “Captain Gideon, go ahead.”
    “Sir, this is Wilkins, we need you over in Section Eighteen.”
    “What is it? Derrik and I are busy at the moment.”
    There's a second of silence before, “We have another one and the extraction is proving difficult.”
    The Guard sighs as he lets go of the receiver, getting a snap from the speaker.
    “What are we waiting for?” Derrik asks. “We should go, quickly, it sounds like they need us.” The look of excitement that sweeps across his face betrays his age.
    “And what about this one?” Captain Gideon looks like he could care less either way.
    I'm spared a brief glance as Derrik says, “We'll let her off with a warning.”
    Could I be so lucky?
    “It's important that we finish out our job.”
    “Oh, come on, please? It's been three days of training in Neech and we haven't come across anything more interesting than a broken scanner.”
    “You'll address me with the proper title and respect.”
    Derrik snaps his heels together and straightens his back, eager to do whatever it takes to get his way. “You're right, sir. I apologize.”
    The captain waits a moment before finally saying, “Fine.” He talks into his radio next. “On our way.” He addresses me. “Don't let us find you like this again.”
    Like what, I don't ask; glad to be given this bout of luck. I hurry out of their presence before they can change their minds, just me and the familiar feeling of being watched. 
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
    Ethan
     
    I bolt upright, dressed in a cold sweat.
    I drag my