A Flicker of Redemption

Chapter 3

She'd been walking down the long stretch of highway for hours. The sun was shining down on her as she approached what looked like a pretty decent sized town. As she neared the city limits, she could hear the rumble of several motorcycles coming up behind her. She kept walking as they drove by her. Despite being eighteen and out in the sun all day, she didn't really dress provocatively. Jeans, tanks, and sneakers were what she usually wore. She had some flops with her but the sneakers were more comfortable for hours upon hours of walking. Besides, if she needed to run away from something or someone, it was easier to do in sneakers than flops.

As she walked on, she realized several of the bikers had stopped on the side of the road. She had enough money on her at that point she could get a bite to eat and a motel room for the night and have some left over. As she approached the small group, she felt an uneasy feeling creep over her. She stepped around them to walk on when one reached out and grabbed her arm. Stilling immediately, he walked around to face her. He eyed her up and down as he licked his lips. She told him to let her go and to leave her be. He went to grab her breast so she balled her fist and punched him in the face. With him holding his bleeding nose, she started to walk on.

He didn't want to take no for an answer. One of his buddies grabbed her around the waist. She was sure she was about to be sexually assaulted on the side of the highway. His buddy held her tightly as he roughed her up. She kicked him square in the crotch which only pissed him off more. The more she fought, the angrier he became. It wasn't until a car stopped behind them did the bikers back off. She immediately took off to let the good Samaritan deal with the bikers. Hitting the town, she found a cheap motel, rented herself a room, and hopped into the shower. Her face was swelling and bruised. She'd be sporting a black eye for a few days, her lip was split, her nose had bled and was slightly swollen. Sighing as she scrubbed every inch of her body she thanked whatever god was out there for the good Samaritan.

She shuddered as the memory hit her making Gemma look at her curiously. It was too hot to be cold. She asked what was wrong making her new employee mumble "nothing". Gemma knew it wasn't nothing but just kept watch over the girl as she worked. Angelika kept to herself while she worked. Although she was curious about the bikers and their clubhouse, she decided she was better off not knowing. Knowing things were never good. Just like the secret she was keeping about her mother. She never knew if her father ever confessed or was even convicted of the murder of her mother.

At the end of the day, Gemma told her what a good job she'd done. Angelika thanked her. She asked where the nearest motel was earning an odd look from her temporary employer. Gemma told her earning a thanks in response. Angelika took her bag and began walking toward town where this motel was at. Just as Gemma had told her, the motel was where she'd told it to be. She quickly checked in and made her way to her room. It had been an unusual day and she hadn't eaten at all that day. It was nothing new. Some days she only got one meal, some days she didn't get to eat at all. She stripped down and took a quick shower before crawling into bed for the night.

She wouldn't be able to keep staying at the motel for very long since she wanted to stretch her money as far as she could. She needed to be at the shop at nine am the next day. Angelika nearly over slept and she scrambled around to get dressed for the day. She packed her bag, checked out of the motel, and began her trek back to the auto shop. Gemma noted she had her bag with her and wondered why. Angelika got straight to work with no greeting or anything making Gemma more curious about her. Tig walked in and immediately began eyeing up the new girl in the office. Gemma shooed him out as she asked what he needed. There was some keys he needed to work on the next car.

Angelika worked up until lunch. A mohawked man entered the office asking what they wanted for lunch. Angelika declined saying she didn't have the funds to pay. Gemma shook her head at the girl stating it was already paid for. The younger woman wanted to argue but Gemma put her foot down.

"Your stomach has been making noises all morning. Give him your lunch order." Gemma demanded making Angelika sigh.

She gave him what she wanted before Gemma put in her order. Angelika huffed not liking being told what to do. Being on her own for the last four years had given her a taste of freedom and she had liked it. A lot. Before she knew it, the mohawked man was handing them their food. Not wanting to be around Gemma, she took her food to the picnic table right outside the office to eat. Across the parking lot, several of the bikers were looking at her wondering who she was. She'd shown up the previous day with Gemma and the Queen hadn't told anyone about her. It made them all curious. Gemma didn't normally take in strays like she had done.

At the end of the day, instead of heading back to the motel Angelika headed back to the structure she'd slept in her fist night in Charming. Gemma asked Juice to see if he could find out anything about the young woman. All she had was her name but Juice promised he'd found out everything he could about her. The IO spent his evening working instead of playing video games like he'd planned. When the Queen wanted something, you'd better deliver! What he was finding was her brushes with the law. All for either squatting in abandon buildings or for panhandling. Clearly the woman was homeless. He couldn't find a driver's license for her, school records, or even where she'd come from.

As soon as Gemma made it to the shop the next morning, Juice was there giving her the little information he'd found. It made Gemma frown. Squatting wasn't a good thing. She decided to get to the bottom of things with her new employee as soon as the girl arrived that morning. She arrived shortly before nine and was about to get to work when Gemma told her to have a seat. Angelika threw her bag onto the couch and sat down next to it. She watched as Gemma came around her desk and sat on the edge.

"Where do you come from?" Gemma asked.

"Why does it matter?" Angelika shot back.

"Just tell me." Gemma huffed already disliking the attitude.

"Texas." Was all she got in reply.

"Ok. Where are you going?" Gemma inquired.

"Somewhere else." Angelika stated, "Just staying here long enough to get up enough money to last me a while then I'm up the road."

"Where are you staying?" Gemma asked.

"Not your concern." Angelika narrowed her eyes at her boss.

"It is if it can get you arrested." Gemma stated.

"What does that mean?" Angelika tilted her head as she stared at the woman before her.

"You have a record for squatting and panhandling." Gemma told her.

"So? I told you already that I was a vagrant." Angelika never broke eye contact with her employer.

"What are you running from?" Gemma suddenly asked.

"Nothing." Angelika quickly stated.

Too quick for Gemma's liking.

"You're lying to me." Gemma called her out.

"I'm of age, on my own, and just here temporarily. I'm not here to cause problems or get in anyone's way. That's all you need to know. Just leave me alone to do my work." Angelika huffed.

"There's more to you than that. I want to know what it is." Gemma commanded.

"Tough. Either let me get to work or fire me." Angelika stated before Chibs walked in.

"Aye, Gemma. Need the paperwork on that black Nissan." He looked between the two women.

"Angelika, get the man his paperwork." Gemma said.

She quickly got up to fetch the paperwork andhanded it over without saying a word. He took it and headed out to said car. Angelika got to work on the papers she couldn't get to the previous day. Chibs walked to the car he was supposed to be taking a look at and wondered what had been happening in the office when he'd arrived. It was tense in the room. Gemma moved to sit behind her desk once more and went through the paper work as someone needing car repair entered the office. Gemma took all the information down, took the keys, then handed the paperwork over to Angelika to file.

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