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?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpek7S0hYB8
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I5kLJ4He2
“Who are you helping?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvJajnvBCt
“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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNlqTESth5
“Compromised?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOuNcpgyRQ
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjpAcg20GD
“Trial? Like for criminals?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKZjfSUuq9
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUQJdha6iL
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?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fT5QzTKPU
“Weak.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugcQfZELUa
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4HQZmzkSp
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9BaymzwBk
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PHFHiiLh7
“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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5w7KwCaEqu
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrAQINkpOb
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwCl7knZta
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9dmxTvtny
“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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tN0oFUtTv
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeo9KDmNYS4
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmxBZXdqIV
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiAuIXbHgr
“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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkfxBXBXMb
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dtClHyz50
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacH3fb4wSO
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RgXaKFDXn
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqik2MjCEH
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wuM26w7lm
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pnwGMZRmN
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgoHltdo3T
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzqg47yQQD
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8qgHJHpnt
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdHCjYKe3w
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq7Y0p8zgK
“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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoS7eXzpPC
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvJG41CmhH
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVecvx4ugFN
“How old are you?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYCCdicIOR
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmLZ94Esz9
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT6e2eXSWw
“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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7guN76fgq
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuv1x4lPitf
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyVwA7GijW
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelnR2qB2Mt
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70hKS0U8u9
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWdHGqabiw
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGpn7a6vx8
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxZHDYgb0Q
“It’ll take two and a half days.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVq6Y3O8gZ
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.” 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFIBUftaDg
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qfN4ljUDv
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJW61xYJHX
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3uMc06m24
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16x3007mo0
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNr71l01hY
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJm0Wnudugg
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuI7tjMyIKc
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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