U.S.S.A Alice

Chapter 4 An iron fist in a velvet glove

It didn't feel safe here, I was starting to not feel safe in my own apartment. All the ingredients for the salad were still on the counter. The cutting board was still splattered with blood from my hand mixed with tomato juice, the sweet metallic smell was enough to make me feel kind of queasy.  I hastily yet carefully prepared my dinner, cleaned up then got myself ready to go out for a hopefully fun and sane night. Anything so I don't have to focus on being haunted or losing my mind. There were a few outfit variations I tried on but I settled on a short black leather jacket, a blue tank top, and dark Paige jeans. It wasn't particularly fancy but it'll have to do. I didn't have a lot of time left to get ready, then I quickly did my hair and make-up. I grabbed my purse and opened the door. Before I left, I still had that itching feeling in the back of my head that I was being watched, I shook it off and went on my way. 

I waved my hand and the car door opened; I sat nervously in the driver's seat for a few minutes, maybe some music would calm my nerves. "Car show me my metal playlist."  A list popped up on the screen, most of it being stuff that was popular at the time, I could go for something a bit different... a bit older. I selected a practically ancient but really heavy song from way back when. "Car, take me to the Violet club."  The car beeped and then reversed; as I looked in the rearview mirror, I saw that hulking figure standing behind the car. I immediately turned my head around and saw it was gone. I quickly shut the music off. I felt, as I was slowly turning my head back that it would appear right in front of me like in a horror movie, I'm glad my feeling was wrong. "Okay, I should just listen to something that's relaxing."  All I listened to was the sound of my shallow breathing as If I was trying not to make a sound, my heart was throbbing as I felt like something was stalking me from somewhere I couldn't see, I was feeling a level of anxiety I seldom ever felt. The loud blaring of a car horn snapped me back to reality, was I being honked at? I wasn't even driving.

I turned my attention to the bright digital neon cityscape, the colorful variety of signs bathed me in their neon light, making the shiny silver paint of my car turn various hues of blue, purple, and red. Before I knew it I had reached my destination. It was 8:26 PM, so I wasn't late at least. The car door opened and I got up and saw Lisa walking toward my car, She was wearing an iridescent red dress, it was fancier than what I was wearing for sure. "Alice, you made it. I almost thought you weren't going to come, you okay? You look pale."  I was probably pale from having almost cut my thumb off and also possibly seeing a ghost, I could also just be going crazy too.- "Yeah I just had a bit of a kitchen accident is all, cut my hand while making dinner."  I said laughing nervously.-"Which hand did you cut?"  I showed her my left hand, she held it up to inspect it. - "It's good as new now, I just got it fixed up at the hospital."  She held onto my hand for longer than I expected her to, I raised an eyebrow at her.- "Oops sorry, you just have such soft hands. Let's go inside huh?"  I laughed a bit at that.- "Sounds good."  

After we paid to get in, I forgot how cheap it was, though that's probably because we're two decent-looking women. At least I hope I'm decent-looking, Lisa certainly looked great in her red form-fitting dress. I could feel the thumping beat of the music as we entered the club. Lisa did pick a great place for us to go, the urge to dance was hitting me pretty hard. It wasn't overly crowded but there were a lot of people here. We sat down on the cushioned stools by the bar. The scent in the air had a subtle sweet fruity aroma, the air was also more humid inside so they might be using scented vaporizers to make the place not smell sweaty. Lisa got the attention of a dark-haired bartender, her hair was streaked with purple.- "Hello ladies, what can I get you two?"  Lisa ordered a margarita while I ordered a lemon-lime vodka soda. "Do you want to pay now or open a tab?"  Before I could say anything Lisa said she'd open a tab.- "Don't worry, I can hold my alcohol. You, on the other hand...not so much."  

I looked around the club to see what was going on while we waited for our drinks. A girl was sitting and drinking by herself, she was until a guy walked up to her and looked to be bothering her. I remember not too long ago when Damien and I went to a bar together for the first time for a date. Damien had to go to the washroom; some guy had noticed and walked up to me when he saw I was alone. I'm not good at telling people to go away, I kept telling him my boyfriend would be back soon but he wouldn't quit. The look on his face when I think he felt Damien's angry gaze staring into him was priceless, I'd never seen the blood drain from someone's face so fast before.- "Hey you daydreaming again?" I heard Lisa speak up.- "No I'm just reminiscing I guess." I said with my head in my arms on the bar counter. As the bartender came back with our drinks, Lisa started chatting her up. I looked around again as I was taking a sip from my drink. 

Someone in the bar had caught my eye, his skin was tanned like a bronze statue. He had thick black hair from the looks of it, he was dressed quite stylishly in a well-fitted red leather jacket and a dark blue shirt underneath. He noticed I was looking at him. I slowly looked back as if I wasn't just staring at him; when I did look back I saw that the bartender was gone, Lisa had just finished her drink as did I. There was a question I wanted to ask her - "So Lisa, were you thinking of signing up to serve on the Umbra?"  She looked as if to think about it.- "Kinda, but I like it here too much. Space is a bit too creepy for me personally, also I've heard the ship is haunted or something."  What, haunted? No way that's possible; ghosts don't exist, holy or otherwise.- "That's ridiculous, where'd you hear about it?"- "Lilith told me actually, though haunted or not. I just really don't like being in space at all."  That made sense, Lilith has for as long as I've known her, always been competitive.- "That sounds typical of her, doesn't it? Removing the competition?"  Lisa had a look of realization.- "You know what that does make sense. I've overheard her talking people out of signing up, that's some evil genius shit right there."  I knew Lilith was aggressive in her work, but I didn't think she'd be so ruthless as to manipulate her coworkers. I didn't know she was such an iron fist in a velvet glove. 

We ordered some more drinks. I got several cosmos this time while Lisa had some tequila shots. After I finished my drink, I swear I felt someone's presence behind me.- "Excuse me, would you two care for a drink?"  I heard a velvety smooth, south American voice say. I turned around to face that man I saw earlier.- "How long have you been standing there?"  I asked wondering. He cleared his throat.- "Thirty seconds I think, I just wanted to let you two finish your drinks. Anyway, would you care for one?"  Oh great now I have a guy offering to buy me and my friend a drink, though judging by the way he's looking at me with those dark green eyes. I think he's more interested in getting to know me.- "Uh thank you, that would be pretty nice of you." I said kind of awkwardly.  "I'll have an old-fashioned."- "Hey now there's a woman who likes the classics, now how about you?"  Lisa gave him a wicked smile.- "I'll have one of those vodka fruit punches"- "Oh my, you like a drink that has punch?"  He said with a thicker accent.- "Hey so you haven't even introduced yourself yet." 

Our new friend called for a bartender.- "Oh, lo siento senorita. I've had a few drinks, sometimes I seem to forget my own name at times. My name is Fidel Ortiz."  That bartender that Lisa seems interested in came around again.- "Hello, what'll you have?"  Fidel ordered our drinks.- "Oh and I'll have a stinger, gracias."  The bartender gave him a wink and walked away.- "Well my name's Lisa and..."  Lisa gestured to me.- "Oh, my name's Alice."  I held my hand out to shake his, then Lisa shook his hand. - "Pleased to meet you two, so what do you two do?"  Lisa and I gave each other a look as to whether or not we should tell him.-"We work in anthropology and archaeology."  Fidel looked surprised. Before he could say anything, our drinks arrived.-"Ah here we are, anyway that makes sense. I too also have an interest in history, is there a specific period you study? I'm not exactly familiar with that line of work."  I took a big sip from my drink, its coolness felt great as I felt like I was heating up.-"Well currently we're working on historical objects from the 23rd century and earlier, what period are you most interested in?"  He took a moment to think.-"Mostly early 21st century; the rest of it, on the other hand, let's just say I found it to be terribly tragic." Maybe there was more to this guy than I initially thought, oh god I hope I wasn't becoming attracted to him. We all talked for a while and one thing led to another, then we were dancing. The night started to blur a lot after that, I didn't really care though. I was having fun.