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?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSHwsnVNEe
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MNYLsq1QK
“Who are you helping?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuKJveAVZd
“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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cjzqb62li
“Compromised?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7R5WBHOCM
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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwRSdYrjUX
“Trial? Like for criminals?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCjRE9q30V
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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6riZZhuVl
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?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtMBCYhUX8
“Weak.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEV1y5pwhF2
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGc53xdcGoZ
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfRKPJOscG
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Yqt8U0Ljo
“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.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgQ1cSj4Wk
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XgqhmArJj
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWbflODLhJ
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfKppT4VNP
“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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhotwSfmEss
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCOwOkm9FB
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgIpBjmjX1
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfEahigkgW
“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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPZC3r7AEJ
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3QjTsOoVJ
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ixF6HeaRX
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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxG9U94HGD
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.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFUDxuoTwc
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPqv6rNzay
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROwA97VA8z
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF96EblHOuQ
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCU3se8DrM
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tfNM0LlZe
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.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6bXIOcXRh
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6VMGD7ofc
“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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7O8JLLRNxJ
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwobN2V7aO
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk1fxRWkki
“How old are you?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgwbLBRO57
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1jviR20qh
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0XKpc7Kto
“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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK5Gam972b
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCh0kbzfCJ
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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKpFtyCnz0
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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z6I7rkkwP
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.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfxvIcJfcv
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEt3LjObooP
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6Hl0v7fol
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWFffXdEBS
“It’ll take two and a half days.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNagoogs2kf
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.” 605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL86X9WPZlf
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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVXsDv05Ai
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.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAY5ByCLJ18
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSLf5QG0yi
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNtHxyUKTV
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.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yayXjxF7p
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHzAAGs6L1
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.605Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5SXUo8F0a
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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