Emerge: The Volunteer: An Emerge Short Story

by Melissa A. Craven

  Table of Contents

  Emerge: The Volunteer

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Emerge: The Awakening Preview

  Emerge Family Tree

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  EMERGE

  The Volunteer

  An Emerge Short Story

  Melissa A. Craven

  Midnight Hour Studio

  Atlanta

  EMERGE: The Volunteer

  © August, 2016

  By: Melissa A. Craven

  Midnight Hour Studio INC

  Atlanta, Georgia

  All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  For more information contact: Hello@Melissaacraven.com or visit the author’s website at www.melissaacraven.com

  First Midnight Hour Studio Print Edition: August, 2016

  PRAISE FOR THE EMERGE SERIES

  2016 RONE Award Winner – Best Book Cover

  2015 Dante Rossetti YA Awards Finalist

  2015 International Book Awards Finalist

  2015 USA Best Book Awards Finalist

  An unhurried but engrossing start for a potentially riveting paranormal series. ~ Kirkus Reviews ~

  Melissa A. Craven is fantastic at world building and creating strong origin stories for her characters. This is one Indie book that should be on every YA shelf. ~ YA Books Central ~

  This story has a good message for young readers, especially young girls. Craven did a nice job of packaging that message into a fun, paranormal action story that readers can get excited about, with a romance that will get them talking, too. ~ Readers' Favorite ~

  The Awakening grabbed my attention within the first few pages and refused to let go until the very end. ~ Readers’ Favorite ~

  Young Adult Fantasy has been pumped out like never before, but Craven has skillfully developed an Urban Fantasy set in a real life, believable context. I can almost believe this ancient race of Immortals actually lives among us. ~ Hub Pages Reviewer ~

  Never once did I stop and think, this kind of reminds me of (whichever book insert here). Get this book. It’s amazing. Warning though... you might get obsessed. ~ The Book Goddess ~

  Allie was a breath of fresh air when it came to heroines. She was totally badass. ~ Literary-ly Obsessed ~

  Emerge: The Awakening is a story that begins as a single snowflake and ends in an avalanche. Melissa A. Craven has put together a story that unfolds and unfolds and unfolds again, revealing characters of unusual depth. ~ Amazon Reviewer ~

  From the first page to the last, Melissa A. Craven has a talent for keeping her reader’s attention as she reveals Allie’s story, layer by interesting layer. And when you get to the last page, you are left wanting more! ~ Amazon Reviewer ~

  The immortal characters in "Emerge" all have a special gift, but so does the author. Craven’s is a superpower that we can all benefit from: storytelling. ~ Amazon Reviewer ~

  ALSO BY MELISSA A. CRAVEN

  Emerge Series:

  Emerge: The Awakening (Book 1)

  Emerge: The Edge (Book 1.5)

  Emerge: The Scholar (Series Companion)

  Emerge: The Judgment (Book 2)

  Emerge: The Captive (Book 3) Releasing July 27, 2017

  Emerge: The Volunteer is a short story set within the Immortal world of the Emerge series. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing some familiar characters, as well as a closer look at what’s coming in Emerge: The Captive (releasing July 2017). New readers will enjoy The Volunteer as an introduction to the series. For the benefit of new readers, this short story also includes a preview of Emerge: The Awakening, (Book 1).

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Why do I even bother?” Santi tossed her portfolio on the backseat of her ancient beige Volvo––a hand-me-down from her truly ancient abuela.

  Another patronizing interview with a mortal who couldn’t see past her youth and inexperience to notice she had fire and drive with a thirst to prove herself. All he saw was a desperate young Latina girl carrying a mountain of student loan debt. He couldn’t see the young Immortal woman who had to figure out how to finance the rest of her eternal life.

  A little over a thousand years ago, Santi’s family lived like kings in Belize. Then the Maya civilization mysteriously collapsed and her parents and grandparents were some of the only surviving Immortals to escape the empire. Of course, they recovered long before she was born, but more recently, they found themselves dealing with a whole new struggle––technology.

  Santi sighed as she leaned against her car, arms folded across her chest, waiting for the Immortal following her to make her appearance. They always seemed to find her at her lowest points. It started just after she received her undergrad in journalism, before she decided to pursue her master’s degree in social and political sciences.

  “Santi.” The Immortal woman nodded as she approached. This one was younger than the others. She couldn’t be more than a few centuries old. She was striking, and formidable, dressed in expensive black clothes with her long, dark hair pulled into a sleek ponytail.

  “Livia.” Santi read the name from the business card the woman offered. Her eyes widened when she realized Livia was the CEO of Soma––the questionable Immortal corporation she’d heard horror stories about in recent years. The corporation that desperately wanted to recruit Santi.

  “We will have coffee,” Livia said. It wasn’t a question. “I only need a few moments of your time.” She gestured toward the coffee truck at the corner of the busy intersection.

  Santi nodded and followed. She’d found it was easier to listen to what they had to say, tell them she’d think about it and then lose their business cards.

  She grew anxious, wondering how such a young woman could head a huge company like Soma. Not that Santi––or anyone outside of Soma––really knew what they did. There were rumors, of course. Frightening rumors, but it was still impressive to see a young woman in such a prominent position in the Immortal world.

  “How many interviews have you had since you graduated?” Livia sipped her strong, dark coffee.

  “More than I anticipated,” Santi admitted.

  “Soma could be good to you, Santi. We are not the despicable corporation most of our kind believe us to be. We need young, educated agents like yourself. I don’t expect you to come to us blindly. But you have my card and if you are interested in learning more, call my assistant to schedule an appointment. I’ll be happy to tell you about Soma. Off the record, of course.”

  With that, Livia turned and walked away, leaving Santi alone in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the busy Atlanta afternoon.

  As she retreated back to her car, she slipped Livia’s card into her pocket ... just in case.

  ~~~

  “Do not worry about us, Lucero,” Santi’s mother said as she fussed with the flowerbeds around the porch of their home.

  Her family always called her Lucero, little bright star, because that’s what she was to them. She was their future. The youngest of her ancient family.

  To think of all the Maya riches her abuela
used to tell her about, when they were practically penniless now. All they had was their home and their love for each other as they all held their breath from paycheck to paycheck.

  “I’m not a child anymore, mami,” Santi argued. “I know when you’re stressing. Let me help you.”

  “Lucero, you are barely twenty-five. You may understand technology in a way I never will, but you are not ready for the burdens of this world yet. You have many years left to be a child. I want you to enjoy them, mija.”

  “The modern world is my domain. Please, mami, tell me what’s troubling you.”

  “We are behind with the mortgage. It is nothing.” She shrugged indifferently. “We will catch up, just like we always do.”

  “How late are we?”

  “Just a few months.” Her mother continued to sift through the flowerbeds, searching for anything resembling a weed.

  “How many notices have you received?”

  “Three, maybe four. Abuelo will have the money in a month or two.”

  Santi hated how hard her grandfather worked. At fifteen-hundred years of age, he shouldn’t still have to work a full-time job as a high school history teacher during the school year and for a landscape crew during the summers just to make ends meet. Her abuelo deserved a comfortable retirement with a little breathing room financially.

  Santi had struggled all of her life, living among such ancient Immortals. For them, time moved slowly—until the most recent centuries. The Industrial Revolution took them by surprise and they’d let the modern world sneak up on them. Santi’s family struggled to keep up with a world they no longer understood.

  When I’m that old, I will never let myself become a burden to my children. The thought shamed her. She loved her family, but they were willfully stubborn when it came to things like interest, bank loans and foreclosures. She feared they would lose the house this time. Santi knew where she could get the money they needed—if she was brave enough.

  “I may have a promising interview later this week, mami.” She felt for the card in her pocket, wondering if she would have the nerve to call the number.

  After Santi graduated from Georgia Tech, she was eager for the next chapter of her life. But in the months since, her life had stalled as she constantly looked for work before her student loans came due.

  “And where is this interview?” Her mother continued sifting through her prized flowerbeds, heedless of the turmoil her daughter struggled with.

  “A company in Midtown,” Santi hedged. She knew her mother wouldn’t approve, but if she could get the money they needed to save the house, Santi was willing to give Soma a shot. She still wasn’t sure what they did; she only knew she’d been warned about the suspicious group, active throughout major cities across the world. Some whispered rumors claimed Soma was a more progressive division of the Senate—the ruling body of the Immortal world––and Soma wanted to take over. Others claimed the corporation was simply corrupt and money hungry.

  For months, Santi ignored the persistent recruiting, unwilling to take the risk. But now she found herself wondering what the paycheck looked like. Livia’s offer to tell her more about Soma was tempting.

  Santi wandered into her grandfather’s study. Scattered papers and unopened mail covered the desk. She picked up the envelop with “Final Notice” stamped across the exterior.

  “Thirty-two thousand dollars. How the hell are we behind that much?” Her mother was right; it had been four months since their last payment. But before that, they’d missed three months. And before that it was four. A few partial payments had kept them afloat, but they were so far behind, they would never catch up without a miracle.

  Santi reached for Livia’s card. She was curious about Soma, and she just might be brave enough this time.

  Quickly dialing, Santi didn’t give herself time to back out. Within moments, she’d spoken with Livia’s assistant and scheduled an interview. It couldn’t hurt to find out more about the job. It didn’t mean she had to accept it.

  ~~~

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Livia, it’s nice to see you again.” Santi extended her hand to the severe but undeniably beautiful woman behind the pristine glass desk.

  “Have a seat. I’m pleased you decided to meet with me. I must say I was surprised to hear from you so quickly after our last meeting. You’ve been a difficult woman for my agents to recruit.”

  “May I ask why you’ve pursued me with such determination?” Santi had often wondered how they even knew about her, and what had piqued their interest enough for the CEO to come looking for her.

  “We are always eager for young, powerfully gifted Immortals to join us. Your gifts are certainly attractive to Soma, as well as your level of education. And your connection with the last remaining ancient Mayans doesn’t hurt either.”

  “How so?” Santi grew wary. She didn’t want to involve her family in this.

  “The ancient families are a valuable resource.” Livia shrugged, as if to say she had nothing to hide. “You’ve been trained in the old ways. You understand where we have been, but more importantly, you thrive in the modern world. You understand where we are going.” Livia leaned forward, eyeing her intently. “‘Soma’ was an ancient drink that was said to cause enlightenment and Immortality to those brave enough to consume it. Those brave enough to embrace a long life fraught with change. We as Immortals must embrace the future, Santi. The youngest generations we’ve recruited don’t have the kind of training you’ve had. I would like to groom you for a senior role within the agency.”

  “And what exactly does a Soma agent do?” This was the answer that would sway her decision ... if she could bring herself to do what they would require.

  “I’m sure you’ve heard all the rumors, but we are completely above board. We train our agents to work independently of the Senate. We keep abreast with current events within the Immortal world. We are not focused on the past like so many of our parents and grandparents are. We are focused on the future. And we help where we can in ways the Senate chooses not to.”

  “Such as?” Santi asked.

  “In a natural disaster situation, the Senate will send a team to manage the aftermath, focusing on helping the mortal population recover. We seek to help the Immortal families affected by such disasters. It takes a fortune to live forever and it is too easy for that fortune to slip away.”

  Livia’s words struck a raw nerve with Santi. That was exactly what had happened to her family. In the years after the collapse of the Maya civilization, her family struggled to survive. They eventually found their footing again, but it had been a long and arduous journey. A struggle that still held them within its grip. That struggle was the reason she sat opposite Livia now.

  “While that is admirable, I imagine that is not all you do,” Santi said.

  “No, ” Livia continued. “One of our biggest priorities is to train our young recruits whose abilities are more ... contemporary.”

  “The techies?” Santi nodded. One of her minor gifts completely confounded her parents. With just a touch, Santi could determine what kind of information was stored on a hard drive or a digital storage device. She was pretty sure if Livia knew about that, she’d be even more interested in recruiting Santi, but she’d always kept that gift a secret. Growing up, her parents didn’t really know how to help her learn what her gift could do, so Santi trained herself. It would have been nice to have a place like Soma to help her.

  “We work with the brightest of your generation. You will begin working with some of our youngest recruits, training with them one-on-one.”

  “You say that like I’ve already accepted,” Santi said.

  “I’m aware of your family’s current financial situation,” Livia replied. “I know you want what’s best for them. You need only sign with us and they will be taken care of.”

  Santi took a deep breath. She felt like she was at a crossroads and she wasn’t sure which way to go.

  “You will receive a signing bo
nus of sixty thousand dollars as soon as the contract is signed. Your yearly salary will be an equivalent for the first year and will increase based on your performance.”

  Sixty thousand would solve all their immediate problems. She could survive anything for that. A few years with Soma, then she could quit and look for something within the Senate.

  “Let’s do it,” Santi said.

  “Wonderful. I’m delighted to have you aboard. You will move into your quarters over the weekend and begin on Monday.”

  “Move in?”

  “Yes, I require my most promising agents to live on the premises—rent-free, of course.”

  An apartment of her own wasn’t something Santi had anticipated having any time soon.

  “Ryan, please join us.” Livia paged her assistant over the sleek wireless speaker on her desk.

  A polished young man entered on cue, wielding Santi’s contract and a wooden box.

  “You may review your contract now before you sign.” Livia placed the thick stack of paperwork in front of her, and set a pen beside her.

  This was happening so quickly, Santi felt overwhelmed. She’d assumed she’d have the weekend to decide, but Livia stared at her expectantly. Santi scanned the documents quickly, looking for anything that stood out as unusual. It seemed pretty straightforward. She would work for the agency under complete confidentiality, and as long as she completed her training and followed the rules, she could expect to go far. It really was an ideal prospect for a young college graduate, but she still had to force herself to sign on the dotted line.

  “Very good. Welcome, Santi.” Livia smiled. “I look forward to working with you myself.” She chatted on about all the perks that came with working for Soma, but Santi eyed her assistant, Ryan. He sat beside her removing several items from the wooden box. As he assembled the pieces, it looked strangely like a branding iron.