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?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4c3ihknmBV
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqGdbqvpX3
“Who are you helping?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7qZFILEav
“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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdKvZ4Fwta
“Compromised?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0eFK9LGns
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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAapMuCpkZ
“Trial? Like for criminals?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡal1uLv3Yti
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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0K6QkRFN6
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?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZk9dq40Y5r
“Weak.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59uOHkfFad
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QWi3hYBQO
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkLRzLBEhK
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmglB7IVjAL
“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.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaYlZE89Ja
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOCBzzlNOw
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9qf5ZG4O2
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUWR6ANjvw
“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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0w2nd0n31
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3F7H9miih5
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0u2mR5R8p
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57N6v0XVZs
“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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KTNeFu5hH
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTDo6uFIo6
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyDsoeMsJp
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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCtYS4TMMi
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.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1Dacqf1KY
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEFSBmdqM2
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRN3514frLo
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZS10HZcl1
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLARqyELee
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMH9UTPUbSU
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.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zkXnK6PgB
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuCXrhskXE
“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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgMlf5HVUv
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3a7OdvGWV
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4Y6q2PLgQ
“How old are you?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡal2vLrycu5
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAFu3oYAE1
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4u9yVJOxz
“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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tqV9fnul5
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiymoRsConw
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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9UHajTymV
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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDMYqbbwZy
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.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxspLaukbyp
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0uNAXN1cZ
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTRg8oyUN2
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3RRU4UjMH
“It’ll take two and a half days.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55Dzv2ashf
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.” 694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnuBqt3NaH
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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZKroj4N5g
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.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxumxQoizg
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiDQj8QUu2
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS323rcvT66
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.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzVbVcc6oS
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8gK7oLwbe
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsjDQ5vRHy
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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