Mechteld and Marquita work in silence as they gather papers, fold clothing and pack the large rucksack. After a few minutes Marquita asks, “Why are we going to Las Vegas?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXH1w2PKQP
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1zOrzDeif
“Who are you helping?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvjg2XakVn
“Her name is Margreet and she’s one of my protégés. She’s discovered that one of her protégés has….” Mechteld pauses while she tries to find the correct word, “…..compromised herself.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnSd1lpEk9
“Compromised?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWRxE0D1Jr
Mechteld pauses again, unsure how to proceed. “Margreet believes that this person is trying to expose her immortality. It happens from time to time. When it does, they have to be captured and put on trial.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLahiAi7Lw
“Trial? Like for criminals?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejbtvCq8C5
Trying to sound casual Mechteld answers, “As I said Marquita, there are millions like us and we have a government and laws, just like the mortal world. For them, the worst crime someone like us can commit is exposing what we are.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCYs4NQEI4
Marquita raises her eyebrows and begins to open her mouth, but before her question can be asked Mechteld quickly interrupts with, “How are your legs feeling?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHhfRUE9O6
“Weak.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpPSRFfd8Q
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGj1mHv0NOJ
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdUEFjc0xM
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1V9Ivehgep
“Sometimes, but aftermaths are usually carefully controlled. But this incident happened on television. Luckily mortals don’t realize what they’ve witnessed.” Mechteld takes the paper from the top of the stack and gestures to the Las Vegas article.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wGuQbqlTu
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTRArN0Mza
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmY1gWWYymQ
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBidVLc06x
“You may not believe it now, but the mentor-protégé relationship is very significant. If she needs help, I feel compelled to help her the best I can.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCdSaZzyk2
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8p6g99UOOd
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSsT7svI8S
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡke6OM4qY3x
“No, we have to avoid transportation that involves over scrutiny of our identities. After all, you’ve been dead for a few days now.” Mechteld picks up her now bulging bag and turns it to access its pockets. “I don’t have a social security number, passport, or driver’s license other than the one’s I’ve stolen.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxZAQPnMLM
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8aNnhuUfw
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKzlKJvzxU
Mechteld pulls a small vinyl wallet out of side pocket of her rucksack bag and pulls out a license. “Come here, let’s see if this one works out.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw35NXKcP0F
Mechteld holds the ID up to Marquita’s face. Its former owner was a 19-year-old Edison, New Jersey woman named Jasmine Thomas. Her face was fuller than Marquita’s and eyes much darker. But their skin was the same smooth unblemished toffee.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2H1TCxtaX
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykvEMnaFIK
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSnhAog01N
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BstQmgeEn
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnuRvMMgL6
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKEuHB3ddi
Marquita pulls the scarf over her head and tries to wrap it, but each attempt results in limp fabric hanging loosely around her head. Mechteld takes the scarf away from Marquita and folds it before quickly draping it over her head, pinching the fabric beneath her chin and securing it behind her neck.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qt5tYnktu
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkQsspNPUq
“Yeah, but stolen IDs provide a layer of anonymity. Sometimes I don’t like people knowing who I am and where I’m going.” Mechteld points to Marquita’s new license. “It’s vital you memorize the information on that ID. You’ll get caught by not knowing who you’re supposed to be.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFXjmI3v3K
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6vLSit4O4
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjlVo48Snh
“How old are you?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3biLLfxiMb
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbY3qqwwwJ
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKU4swQaJlp
“Lesson one Marquita, memorize everything. IDs, maps, faces, languages, accents, phone numbers, geography, it’s all important. Believe me, not knowing what the capital of New Jersey is when holding a New Jersey driver’s license is suspicious.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDZqR50nf6
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDRAmqH9qd
Mechteld kneels over the bloody spot left from Marquita’s head and opens he bottle of antiseptic. “Lesson two: Never draw attention to yourself. Keep your head down and don’t talk to anyone.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTpkjjTAUF
She stares at the blood for a moment before emptying the bottle on the spot and quickly dabbing with the rag. Without looking at Marquita she cautions, “Lesson three: Don’t piss me off.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJOILm5SnP
Mechteld cleans the spot until it blends with the other faded brown spots on the floor. As Marquita watches Mechteld place all the bloody rags and tissues into a bag and set it aside.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hUEYarVnj
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7z759klbqt
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC8S3c3aq9
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwm2KC0xDBj
“It’ll take two and a half days.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzAklXJqLD
Silence falls between the two women as Marquita’s brow stiffens and she begins to feel a tightness in her chest. In a low voice she confesses, “I don’t like being in crowded places. The voices give me terrible headaches.” 630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpvmhuz2GL
Mechteld dumps her mountain of cigarette butts into the trashcan, causing a small billow of ash to erupt. Unconcerned with Marquita’s complaint Mechteld says, “It has to be the bus. It’ll be a good place to practice.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq3kedP57W
Before the cigarette ash settles, Mechteld turns and kneels beside the bed. She reaches underneath and feels around before pulling out an old and battered sword the size of her forearm.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPNFNUzjmU
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA34Qy6LdHp
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduVkJTsRIy
She then quickly wraps it in a worn t-shirt, adds it to the rucksack and closes it. Mechteld again reaches under the bed and begins to pull, this time removing a large black suitcase. She pushes it towards Marquita and says, “Here, you can carry this.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0KTZbew5b
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXM0QSzcpX
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.630Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8y0Goy38k
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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