My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper) (11 page)

My internship starts today and I’m looking forward to it. Elena choses a navy skirt and jacket with a neon yellow shirt for a pop of color. I hope it’s not too much for my first day.

“What if they’re all in jeans and t-shirts?”

“Then they’ll be envious.”

I open the garage and see that my V.W Beetle is gone. In its place, is a bright red Porsche of some kind?
“Elena what did you do with my car?” My gaze carries over the glossy metallic paint as if it were lick-able. Elena folds her arms over her chest, her lips hold back a smile.

“It’s parked outside, but I’m told you have to impress people today.”

“What difference does it make what kind of car I drive?”

“It doesn’t matter to me, but to your kind, it all matters, the car, the clothes, the house. Everything you people pretend to own while you’re here, when in the end, you can’t take any of it with you.” She runs her hand along the fender as she speaks.

“My grandmother bought me that car.”

“That’s why it’s still here, you can drive it around your hometown. But since we’ll be staying in Richmond for the most part this summer, we will use this time to infiltrate.

“You make this sound like some covert operation.”

“Oh but it is, this position was not given to you so you could serve coffee to the Governor’s secretary. You’re going in to change things.”

“But I don’t have my powers.”

“You won’t need them.”

“Ugh, don’t make me nervous it’s my first day.” I open the door to the…Oh my, heaven and above this car is nice. Like really nice. The interior drips with beige leather and gleaming mahogany wood. I’ve never even driven a sports car, much less a luxury sports car.

“It’s a hybrid.” The angels are big into hybrids. They said that will be one change I implement when I’m president. All vehicles will be required to be hybrids, only by then, they are supposed to be highly efficient. That’ll tick some people off. “It goes zero to sixty in five seconds.”

“Then I bet it goes from car to ball-of-twisted-metal, in even less time.”

“Probably, but that’s why you have us,” Inara says climbing in the back seat.

“Yes, two for the price of one.” I retort sliding into the plush leather seat.

“I booked you at the Marriott right down the street from the office.” Inara says ignoring my comment. Elena takes the passenger’s seat clearly defining her role as the boss. I leisurely stroll out of my neighborhood, and once on the long open stretch of road leading out of town, I floor it. Wow. Gravity pins me to the seat as the trees turn into a solid wall of green. It’s a two hour drive but this car begs to be driven above and beyond
the legal limit.

“Having fun.”

“Yep.”

She sighs, “Uh, yes, quite, most definitely.” She corrects again.

“Elena that is gonna get old real quick. Or should I say, over time, your constant need to correct me will unduly cause me to secretly despise you.”

“It’s part of my job.”

“What did I get on my verbal?”

“Seven forty.”

“I know how to speak well when I need to. So trust that I won’t disappoint when the time comes.”

“I apologize, I guess I haven’t really heard you speak to an audience yet,” Elena admits.

“Elijah bragged about you all the time though, he said you could move a crowd to tears or laughter and anywhere in between,” Inara adds.

"Maybe Elijah was
exaggerating just a tad." I mean he was in love with me. "Anyway, so what exactly am I supposed to change?"

Elena and Inara share a look that to me reads, how much are we supposed to tell her?

"By the time you’re done the Governor's office will be a simple machine. What does a simple machine do? It does the work without any excessive waste. While you're away at Harvard, the state of Virginia will influence other states so that by the time you reach office they will all be ran this way."

"I'm going to change the way a state runs, said no eighteen year old, ever."

"First of all, you're no ordinary teen. Second, if you fail, people will die in the future. Lastly, you're way over thinking things. It's easy, you'll see, everything is in place. Think of it like a track of dominoes all lined up. You just have to push the first one down and the rest will fall into place."

"If you say so Elena."

The office is chaotic with people coming and going. If there was a glowing white platform, I'd think we were over in Amorous. A woman with a serious Nanny McPhee look going on, has all of us interns gather in a boardroom awaiting our liaison. I quickly size up the competition and realize there is none. Suddenly I don't feel like I was awarded some prestigious award. I feel like I'm at barista camp.

There are ten of us, mostly college freshman like me, some older.  Many noticed when I pulled up in the parking garage in a Porsche and have already begin to stick me on some pedestal. Elena told me to go around and introduce myself and to appear cut-throat. I picture my hands around her neck and that makes it a little easier. I'm the first to do this and then everyone else starts to do the same.

A picturesque brunette comes in and takes a seat at the head of the table. We all quiet down and find a seat.

"Good morning, I hope all of you have gotten settled in and are ready to get to work. Governor White and our team are so happy to have you here. I will begin by introducing myself. My name is Veronica Palomerez and I will be assigning you to your office of interest after a short interview."

Great, I may be stuck here for hours and be half asleep by the time she gets to me. That's assuming she's alphabetizing us.

"Brennen Hale?" Or not, thank you divine powers that be.

"Yes, Ms. Palomerez, it's nice to meet you." I smile inside watching the others slump ever so slightly in defeat. She shows me into a small office that I assume is her own. A small photo on her desk has a picture of her, a husband, and a little girl.

"It's nice to meet you too, Brennen. First, let me begin by asking what do you hope to learn from your time here?"

Typical interview questions. I hope to learn to be a team player, how to lead others and most of all who's ass to kiss to reach the top. Blah.

"Ms. Palomerez, I have many goals I wish to achieve with this internship. First, I want to study how day to day operations are handled. I have an interest in policies as well, I'm most impressed by the number of legislative acts this Governor has passed. Out of one hundred and six proposals, ninety-five made it into legislation.  I hope to find out about the strategies that help him to be so successful.

"I must say Brennen, you are very confident. Most of our interns are a little more nervous during their interview."

"I hope that's not a bad thing."

"Quite the contrary." She follows up with some more questions. I try and dial back the confidence level. I don't want to appear cocky either.

"Brennen, I don't know if you're interested, but I have something else in mind for you, it's much more work, but I think you're up for the challenge."

"By all means, challenge me. I thrive in heavy workloads." Drown me in work I want to say, maybe it will take my mind off the searing pain of missing Sam.

"Perfect, we had a Fellowship spot open up. It's forty to fifty hours a week but you'll gain the kind of in-depth knowledge you’re looking for."

"Thank you, I'm thrilled to have the opportunity."

"Great, you'll be working with the Chief of Staff, Harold Burkes." She notices when my eyes grow large. "I thought that would please you." She smiles and leads me to his office pausing at his secretary's desk. "Linda, can you introduce Brennen Hale, to Mr. Burkes when he has a minute. I have to get back to the kiddie pool."

"You got it, Veronica." Linda motions for me to sit while she buzzes her boss. I didn't think I was all that impressive, not enough to win the mother of all government official jackpots.

"Ms. Hale, he's ready to see you now."

She leads me into the plush office. Walnut walls and bookshelves offer immediate warmth. A large cherry desk sits in front of an expansive picture window. Harold Burks, is mostly bald but he looks like he could have been a handsome man twenty years back. 

"Mr. Burks this is Brennen Hale, your Fellows program intern."

"Hale, good to meet you. You don't look old enough to be a college senior." That must be the prerequisite for this program, that's great.

"Sir it's a pleasure to meet you as well. I'll start my freshman year at Harvard in the fall." Nothing like a little name dropping to get the ball rolling. He ticks his head back as if he's thinking, is that so? I glance around for his diploma on the wall, subtly noticing he went to Notre Dame, thank God it wasn't Yale.

"Well, normally the Fellows program is for seniors and those who are attending an in state college. But Veronica must have seen something special in you." Or perhaps she may have been bribed by a couple of grinning Keepers.

"If you are leery, you can assign me a task and if I deliver results anything less than spectacular, you can fire me. If an intern can be fired."

He laughs out loud. "Oh Ms. Hale I'm only giving you a hard time. I requested you personally, back in the spring when your teacher sent us the video of your speech."

"Oh," was the only response I could muster for the moment.

"Sorry about the run around to get here, but we saved that opening for you in hopes that you would take it. But I like your idea with the project, and I do have something in mind. We'll discuss it over lunch, for now, my secretary will show you around and get you started on your normal daily tasks. Come back around noon. I take all of my interns to lunch on their first day. Oh but do you have a car? Mine is in for repair today, I just remembered I took a cab here."

"Yes I have a car." I say putting all of the pieces together now.

He shows me to the door and Linda takes her cue, keeping a hurried pace as she gives me a short tour of our section of the office.  Linda is tall and rail thin. She wears her auburn hair in a twist with a small gold barrette in the back. I’m guessing she’s in her fifties. She may even have a child my age. She exudes motherly qualities, the tough love kind.

Most of the interns and the Fellows are in one room of cubicle heaven. A glowing halo of fluorescent lighting above them rains down its harsh unflattering light. I will be set up at a small desk in the same room and Linda just outside of Burkes’ door. Our office has traditional decor instantly making the space feel a
modicum more relaxing.

"You can start by proof reading this bill for errors," Linda says sending me the thousand page document via email. Is she for real, or is this one of those freak out the new kid with an impossible task? I won’t know for sure unless I ask
, and she knows I won’t ask.

“Linda, when do you need this by?” I say half listening because I’ve already spotted several mistakes.

“It goes out in three days.”

Who needs to sleep? I take stock of where the local Starbucks are located, I will need to be heavily caffeinated for the next seventy two hours.

"Linda, where's Brennen? It's twelve fifteen," I hear as I look up from the screen four hours later.

"She's got her nose buried in your bill, you ninny." Linda retorts giving me a wink. He pokes his head out of his door and smiles over at me.

I save my work and grab my purse. "Sorry, time slipped away from me." Governor White rounds the corner and Linda smiles up at him. "Afternoon Linda. Burkes, we ready to roll?" he asks. I'm a little confused, and decide I'll just stand there with my keys dangling in my fingers until I get some sense.

"Yes, yes, first let me introduce you to my young protégé."

"Oh, this is the one you couldn't wait to get your hands on right?"
That could be taken really wrong.

"Now, Tom don't go giving her a big head; she's liable to demand a salary." I join the two men and shake the Governor's hand.

"Governor White, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Brennen Hale."

"Brennen, good to have you here. You can call me Tom. I hope everyone has been welcoming."

"Alright let’s get a move on, we have reservations that are waiting," Burks says gruffly.

I lead the men to my car wondering the whole walk why we aren't being driven in the Governor's motorcade or town car. A man is following us, and I assume by the way they ignore him, he is part of Mr. White’s security detail. When I hit the unlock button they both share a look that lets me know one of them wants to drive. Geeze. Considering the whole reason behind this car was to impress them, I offer it.

"I'm new to Richmond it may be faster if one of you drove." 

"Burkes, it looks like we won't be late for that reservation after all." Tom says, waggling his brows like a thirteen year old with his first glimpse of a centerfold. Tom looks like he's in his early forties, but in reality, he's probably much older.  His dusty brown hair is tidy and neat. His face looks as though it’s been freshly shaved clean making him appear softer and trustworthy. A red tie turns his hazel eyes to a bluish green which light up in response to my proposal.