Sinema

The front doors of the club were deserted except for two large figures Manning them.

Ava's doubts were lessened, the club did have a distinct feel than the few she'd been to just as Eliana said.

When she saw the club listed in the file, she'd refused to go to the interview, entertaining loud music and drunk-ass people was not her scene, and she was not that desperate to sacrifice her peace of mind and sanity for a wage.

She'd gone through two-thirds of the listings on Elaina's list all to no avail.

The past two weeks had her taking Ubers from one company to another, restaurants, cafes, firms, and any establishment looking to hire.

She'd been kept on hold, rescheduled, and just made to wait for hours still no hope.  Who knew job hunting without any previous experience would be so life draining.

The trip to the club was scheduled for next week but her Uber Driver's impatience as she flipped through the file had caused her to blurt out the address to him.

And now she stood in front of the infamous club Sinema, the highest rating in this part of Chicago. Where the moneyed come to Relax, party, and unwind, usually with drugs and strippers or so she thought.

Her first step through the double doors of the two-story tall building was halted by the enormous mass of bodies manning the doors in the form of security.

"Your ID, ma'am? " The one on the left demanded. His face contorted in a frown.

The guard stood tall and chubby, his considerable girth fills out his tight-fitting black security t-shirt. His arms were thick and muscular, with tattoos peeking out from under the short sleeves. His head was shaved bald, with a well-groomed beard framing his round face.

His counterpart was slimmer but still very bulky with a birthmark just above his eyebrow, he stood just an inch taller than his partner, sporting a low cut and a face tattoo. He had a small smile on his face making him more approachable than his colleague.

Ava reached into the mini bag she carried and retrieved her ID, stretching it out to the nicer-looking guard.

Both men exchanged a look and her ID was returned.

"What's your business here? " The taller of the two demanded rudely, his whole demeanor changing.

"I'm here for an interview, scheduled for 7:15 pm" Ava responded quickly.

The shift in behavior caught her off guard.

The large Neon sign that was mounted on two long iron bars, flickered on just as she spoke, casting a purple hue on the walkway.

Without saying a word to her, the chubby guard turned and walked into the club.

Emerging only minutes later, Ava was finally let into the building.

Those guards were damn serious about their jobs but she couldn't blame them.

As she walked into the room, her eyes caught the stage positioned at the center of the room.

A live band dressed in formal suits and dresses played soft tones on the stage, the sound of smooth jazz contributed to the aura of coolness and sophistication the club was exuding.

On the far left of the room, a minibar sat, stocked with high-quality wine and spirits with two sharply dressed workers stationed.

The low lighting set the mood for a relaxing and ambient feel and experience.

Small round tables are being placed around the room with plush chairs to accompany them.

Workers bustled around the room, they were still not opened.

"If you're here for the interview, proceed to the backroom" A lady dressed in a black gown barked out. Passing a suggestive glance at Ava who stood at the entrance slightly disoriented and in awe of the bar's vibes.

Ava quickly moved to what she assumed was the back room.

She arrived to find about thirty other ladies already waiting.

They sat down in the wooden chairs lined up against the wall.

As she walked to the only available seat,  she felt her skin crawl, her eyes met those of another lady sitting across the room with blue hair just like her braids, the girl met her gaze and smiled at Ava easing her nerves.

Just as the ladies observed and scrutinize her, Ava did the same to them, they were all dressed in gowns or a black skirt paired with a button-down shirt.

There seemed to be a dress code that Eliana's informant forgot to mention.

Ava looked out of place in her high-waisted Jeans and black tee with gibberish scribbled on the back.

She cursed herself for being impulsive and not coming tomorrow as she planned.

Minutes after she'd arrived, another lady emerged from the room, she was pale with striking red lips, and she was sporting a bleached buzz cut with large hoop earrings.

Ava was immediately drawn to her, she exuded power and confidence, Ava could tell she was in charge of the operation.

"You'd all proceed into the room in the other you came, I believe we're all aware of what it took to work at Sinema, this establishment is not a joke, you'd be scrutinized and we'll only accept the best of the best" The lady instructed, her eyes bouncing off every young lady in the room.

Ava felt out of place as the lady's judgemental gaze rested on her, giving her a once-over before heading back into the room.

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Ava knocked before entering the room, she'd been sitting for hours and she was uncertain of the time, her phone had run out of battery hours ago.

"Hello ma, I - "

"Stand on that scale and don't speak" The lady rudely dismissed her.

Ava hesitantly stood on the scale.

The lady pinched and probed her while making degrading comments about her.

But Ava sucked it all up and allowed her to continue, the gossiping women outside had talked about the pay and Ava only needed to work here for at least five months to solve all her pressing problems.

She had her doubts, no waiting job paid that much and she was wondering what club Sinema was all about for them to offer such money.

"Vous êtes engagé, you can start tomorrow, the lady out front will fill you in on what to do" She spoke with finality and a deep French accent, it made her more expensive and intimidating, and it commanded respect.

Ava swallowed all her questions and hoped the lady she was supposed to meet was more approachable.

She quickly exited the room and walked tentatively outside, she was the last to leave.

Ava emerged from the back rooms and stood by its entrance, the club was now full of life.

Patrons occupied the once-empty chairs, the band was in full swing and women maneuvered in between tables, balancing trays containing drinks in their hands.

The place was busy yet quiet at the same time.

She noticed the guards from earlier, now standing in front of the stairs leading upstairs.

Instinctively, her eyes moved upwards but she could not see anything, it was barricaded with tinted glass walls, with LED lights stringed on the outside.

"Are you one of the new recruits? " A young girl who looks no older than nineteen asked Ava.

Ava nodded in response as she stared at her in awe.

Her tanned skin contrasted nicely with the olive-colored dress she adorned, her hair was twisted into Bantu knots.

She had accessorized with plastic green pieces of jewelry, her make-up was kept at a minimal with just a lip gloss and shaped brows and that sold the youthful appearance she seemed to be going for.

"Hmm, I just got the job and I'm supposed to meet someone here" Ava addressed her, eyes fleeting to the couple that just entered the club.

They were oddly different from the other patrons of the club.

She watched as they approached the guards and flashed their ID cards and they were allowed to proceed upstairs.

"What's up there? " The question toppled out of Ava's lips before she could stop herself.

"Oh, umm that's the VIP section" The beautiful girl/lady replied.

Ava's eyes grew twice its size and the girl noticed as she giggled.

"The people down here are not VIPs? " She questioned, amazed by the arrangements.

The gracefully dressed people with an air of wealth around them were not VIPs, she could only imagine the kind of people considered VIPs in this building.

"Enough about that, let's talk work, come with me and I'll give you a run down of everything and what you're expected to do" The girl waved off, going towards the direction of the back room again but they took a different turn.

The room they arrived in was a dressing room with stalls assigned to each person.

The lady chatted away and Ava paid rapt attention, jotting down important notes on her phone, like when she'd arrive to work, and how to serve the clients.

"We offer different services for our clients, if you're well-behaved you might get a promotion" She continued her address as she acknowledged some ladies changing, she seemed unfazed by their nudity but Ava felt too uncomfortable to even glance at them.

The meaning behind those words did not go over Ava's head.

Did she just unknowingly walk into a prostitution den, what else was she expecting from a place that catered to the richest of the rich in Chicago?

Ava was not one to judge as long as she wasn't requested to do anything against her will she didn't give two fucks what the club was all about.

"The people that served the VIP section get paid more than you guys who cater for the regulars but all jobs are equal and require your best attitude" The lady whose name turned out to be Olive, how ironic that she was wearing an olive-colored dress, concluded as they stopped in front of Ava's dress station.

"The waitresses have a dress code and your uniform is a property of club Sinema, Under no circumstances must you take them home, you'll get changed here along with all the other workers, females only" She quickly added the last part sensing Ava's unease.

"Okay noted and thanks Olive" Ava truly appreciated her kindness, she was the nicest of all the people she'd met at Club Sinema.

"Go home and get some rest, tomorrow's a busy day, I'll always be available if you have any more questions" She spoke up as they exited the room, walking out with Ava until she was out of the club.

As Ava stood by the sidewalk waiting for a taxi, she felt the hair at the back of her neck tingle, a chill running down her back, her eyes scanned the area frantically.

She tried to shake off the ominous feeling of someone watching her, a shadow hiding in the dark alley of the building staring at her.

She chalked the sinking feeling in her stomach to hunger and fatigue from her search today.

Even as she hopped into a taxi heading for home, her feet felt cold.

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"I found one and I think she's perfect, she'll make a perfect distraction and an even better scapegoat" She could not keep her smile under wraps at the thought of our much easier her job just became.

The person on the receiving end of the phone call could sense her excitement as he sighed.

"Don't get too excited yet, we need to pull this off and you're in charge of getting her on board, willingly or not" Came the order.