Gabriel's Armada

Chapter 8: Enter Gabriella

Los Angeles, Earth.

Gabriella took a look at herself in the cracked mirror in her room and pouted angrily at her reflection. No one would believe she was only twenty-five years old. The lines at the corners of her eyes and her mouth said otherwise.

She regarded her too-tight and sorely washed waitress' uniform and her anger intensified.

After working her ass off at Barney's for five years, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant patronized only by truck drivers and slackers, her boss, Barney had not mentioned anything about a raise or at least a new uniform. She vowed she'd talk to Barney before she started her shift.

Gabriella knew she should quit, but she couldn't. Grimacing at her reflection one last time, she pulled on a ratty faux-mink coat and left her sparsely furnished flat.

* * *

When Gabriella got to Barney's, she was glad to note that there wasn't a crowd, and that Barney was around. He was sitting at his normal 'proprietor's table' trying and failing to solve the Sudoku puzzle in a daily.

The restaurant was small and decorated in an outlandish manner, with posters of rock bands and soul-searching monasteries lying side by side on its grimy walls.

Gabriella said a little prayer and walked over to where Barney sat.

“Good evening, Barney.” Gabriella greeted politely.

Barney grunted his response, not moving his chubby frame in the slightest to acknowledge her presence.

“I want to tell you something,” Gabriella said, losing her confidence.

“Say what you want to say and go take over from Sasha, doll.” Barney replied impatiently.

Gabriella inhaled deeply. Here goes nothing, she thought.

“Barney, I've been working for you for five years now—”

“Four years and nine months, I was the one who employed you, doll.” Barney interrupted.

Gabriella was spitting mad. First of all, my name is Gabriella, not doll. And secondly, don't interrupt me, but instead she amended, “I've been working for you for almost five years, but I haven't even received a raise or a new uniform. Girls newer than I all have raises. Why?”

Barney laughed, showing off yellowed and disarrayed dentition, “That's because you're not raking in as much tips as the other girls, doll.”

Barney's had a policy of collecting tips given to their waitresses and giving them only a little percentage.

Gabriella sighed inwardly and rolled her eyes.

“Don't do that,” Barney said, “Gabriella, I've told you a lot of times, you're too uptight. Loosen up a bit, and you'll get more tips. Get more tips, and you'll get a raise and a new uniform. Simple Geometric progression.”

Gabriella stared at Barney, trying to understand what he'd said.

“So let me get this straight,” Gabriella said incredulously, “You expect me to let the men who come here paw my t**s and ass in exchange for a few dollars?”

“It's not like they're doing anything invasive.” Barney shrugged, biting on the pencil he was using to solve the Sudoku.

Gabriella couldn't believe her ears and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind, “That's just stupid and unfair.”

Barney dropped the pencil and paper, glaring at her intently, “I don't care what you think. If you don't like the rules, you quit. We both know it'll be super difficult for you to get employment what with your prison record.”

Gabriella silently seethed with anger, knowing Barney was right. Gabriella had been caught driving the getaway car for her friends who robbed a grocery store and had done time.

Her record was Barney's hold over her and they both knew it.

“Now get to work if you want to be paid your full wages, doll.” Barney said dismissively, waving her away.

Gabriella gritted her teeth but did as she was told, going to take people's orders.

* * *

Two hours later

Gabriella cracked her knuckles, deriving satisfaction from the loud pop it produced. She was tired but her shift's end was nowhere in sight.

“Where's the food I ordered?” A bearded man with diastema asked.

“Coming right up,” Gabriella answered, infusing cheer she didn't feel into her voice.

“What about my order? I ain't got all day.” A woman with heavy makeup asked, tapping what looked like a fake Rolex on her wrist.

“I'm so sorry, I'll pop into the kitchen and get it.” Gabriella apologized, making a dash into the kitchen.

From there, she overheard snippets of some patrons' conversation.

“I honestly hate it when she's on shift.”

“Yup, she's slow and prickly. Just a little touch and she starts with the threats.”

“I thought Latinas were supposed to be more agreeable.”

That statement was followed by immense racuous laughter and a few coughs.

Gabriella grabbed the trays handed to her and stormed out of the kitchen. She dropped them impatiently in front of those who had ordered them and marched over to who had made the racist comment about her.

It was Roger, her nemesis. Roger was a reed thin man with hair dyed a brilliant red. He reminded Gabriella of a monkey with his wife ears and flared nostrils. She didn't know what he did for a living, but he was a regular customer at Barney's who did his best to make Gabriella's life impossible because she had rebuffed his advances.

“Roger!” Gabriella sneered when she got to where the loser was sitting with his loser friends.

“Yes, Gabriella. Do you want to go on a date with me?” Roger grinned, showing off a few gold teeth, “I already have a date, but there's enough Roger to go around.”

Gabriella pinched her nose as though she had perceived a foul odor, “Roger, I hope that date is with your dentist, because your breath stinks.”

Roger's friends laughed and he turned red.

“Shut up,” he ordered them and they fell silent, although a few snickers surfaced

To Gabriella, Roger said, “Now look here, you b***h! You're not even that pretty. You should be happy a real man like me is asking you out.”

Gabriella laughed mirthlessly, “If you're a real man, I wonder what a fake man would be like.”

“What are you trying to say?” Roger asked, standing up.

“A real man would not pester a woman who isn't interested in him, or try to touch a woman without her permission. You, Roger, are not worthy of being called a real man. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do.” Gabriella said and turned on her heel, not giving Roger a chance to retort.

When her shift finally ended, Gabriella almost wept with joy. Without wasting time, she pulled her coat over her uniform and called out her goodbyes to her colleagues.

After that she hurried out, using her phone's flashlight to illuminate the dark alley.

Holding on to her purse tightly, she walked on. Gabriella knew she should take the bus or call a cab, but things were too hard. She figured she'd save a little extra cash by walking. Moreover, it was considered a good form of exercise. So all in all, it was a win-win situation, she reasoned as she took a detour through an alley.

Gabriella was pondering on where she would get employment if she decided to quit Barney's when someone appeared in front of her.

She flashed her light at the person and saw it was Roger. Immediately, her heart began to palpitate wildly. Roger in a restaurant full of witnesses was harmless, but Roger in the streets at night must be a different ballgame, Gabriella reasoned. Still, she decided not to show her trepidation. If she bluffed hard enough, she could scare him away.

“Roger, what do you want?” She asked sternly.

“To teach you a lesson for embarrassing me in front of my friends.” Roger said, flexing his skinny biceps.

Gabriella didn't want to antagonize him, but she couldn't help blurting out, “Excuse me? You're the one who embarrassed yourself before your friends.”

Roger snarled like a dog and began to advance towards Gabriella, “You aren't even remorseful, are you, b***h?”

Gabriella saw the feral glint in Roger's eyes and knew at that moment, he was capable of anything. She turned and ran, screaming.

Roger with his lanky frame, wasted no time in catching up with her.

Gabriella felt a cold hand clamp around her arm and tried to remove it, but Roger's grip was too tight.

Suddenly, Gabriella was jerked around with so much force that her phone fell to the ground. Through its light, she made out the knife in Roger's hand. Before she could scream or fight, Roger stabbed her in the stomach twice with quick succession.

She clutched her stomach and fell to her knees, the pain blinding her from seeing the sadistic smile on Roger's face.

“Bye, bitch.” He crooned as he watched Gabriella's face contort with pain.

“You could have just gone out with me.” Roger shrugged and watched as Gabriella fell to the ground, bleeding out.

After a while, he left.

The figure chuckled gently as he materialized from where he had hidden himself and walked over to where Gabriella lay, in the throes of death.

He caressed her cheek and whispered to the convulsing body, "I've got great plans for you."