Implanted (The Ascension Series Book 2) (18 page)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

~ James 1:2-4(NIV)

Acknowledgments

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 

~ 1 Timothy 1:12 (NIV)

About the Author

Heather considers herself but a worker in the field with a desire to share truth through the art of a good story. In real life, she’s the proud mother of two grown sons and the wife to one super-husband. In addition to the Ascension Series, Heather enjoys sharing her writing through blogs and Christian magazines, as well as traveling the U.S. on a full-time basis with her fellow Gypsy Nerd.  Keep an eye out, you never know when she might roll into your hometown! If you’d like, you can follow their trail at
www.lettotravels.wordpress.com
.

Learn more about Heather at www.heatherletto.com.

Glossary of Terms

Agora
– Similar to a modern-day mall, this highly visited hub of Impervious is well stocked with food, entertainment, and shopping.

Avatars
– Video game characters operated remotely by professional gamers.

The Beast
– Death or the implication of death.

Behemoth
– Nissa’s gaming avatar.

Bots
– See “Nanobots”

Canvies
– Baggy, multi-pocketed trousers made of synthetic canvas-like material.

Council
– The ruling party inside of Impervious.

The Decline
– A disease within the city of Impervious which eats away at the mind and body of residents.

Detox
– Ridding the body of foreign materials.

East Wing
(Old East, OE) – The original residential wing of Impervious. Less affluent residents dwell in the East Wing.

Feeding Trolley
– A portable, mechanized, feeding device used to nourish post prime residents once they are unable to feed themselves. Machine components include a retractable feeding arm as well as an indwelling compartment for the food bucket storage.

Esteemed Forfeiture
– An act of willingly giving up one’s life in exchange for six months of fame and fortune as well as an antidote to avoid an untimely death.

Forfeiture
– A resident contracted to partake in Esteemed Forfeiture.

Gen
– A shortened form of
generation,
and is used to denote a specific time period post War of Annihilation.

Graphie
– A four-dimensional image (holograph) used in the city for advertising and security purposes.

ICS
– Acronym for Impervious Children’s Services, the city orphanage.

Iris scan
– Biometric means to ID residents in the city. 

Light Genie
– A flashlight which easily illuminates with the wave of a hand.

Light Ninja
-  A Light Genie (see above).

Mid-Lifer
– A resident who is no longer considered a child, yet is still free from disease. This era in a resident’s lifespan is typically between the ages of fifteen and twenty.

Morus Nigra
–
Black Mulberry Tree.

Nanobots
– Microscopic, organic robots designed to thrive in the environment of a human body.

Phytonutrients
– Compounds found in plants which deliver great antioxidant health benefits.

Post-Primer
– An Impervieite who has succumbed to the decline and is no longer considered a viable resident.

The Ranch
– The post prime care center similar to a nursing home.

Reader
– Handheld personal computer.

Rebel
– The name given to residents who are Unaccountable to the Council.

Surface
(floor) – The top floor of Impervious rests nearest to the earth’s surface and, therefore, called the Surface floor.

Superior
– Members of the Council are also called Superiors because they seem impervious to the decline.

Trackers
– Microscopic, inorganic matter that allows for location and identification of its host.

West Wing
– Second phase of homes built in the city. With a modern flare and upscale technology, this section of Impervious houses the wealthier residents.

Discussion Questions

• When Implanted begins, Fran wrestles with her dueling identities of Rebel versus daughter. Do you think she handles the transition back into her family well? Have you experienced a similar time when you had to relinquish newfound freedoms? Talk about your journey.
  

• As we move into the story of Implanted, we see that the outside world did not become inhabited by chance or because of a lucky break. Putting together the village was a well-laid plan that took
  many
  years to bring to fruition. Waiting for our plans to come together can prove to be excruciating!! How are you with the whole waiting game? Talk about some of your own experiences with patience and planning.
  

• Who is the hero in this story? Retter? Pete? Doc? Fran? Talk about why you chose them as the hero and what acts of bravery earned them that title in your mind.
  

• If you were Ret, would you have risked your “uninfected” status to help out the city? If you were Ema or Doc, how do you think you would have felt sending your son into Impervious? Have you experienced similar situations where you felt compelled to risk something very dear to your heart?
  

• It’s true: Ret drank the tainted water. Although the full story surrounding this action will be addressed in the final installment of The Ascension Series, discuss what you think might be some of the reasons for this (seemingly foolish) action.
  

Want to dig deeper into the allegorical nature of The Ascension Series? For a free downloadable curriculum guide, visit
http://www.heatherletto.com/#!books/cnec