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?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6JQwBGaC6
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fmapppyCL
“Who are you helping?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNv9Ry0Kqn
“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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wo129e5Rf
“Compromised?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQduuLgjRL
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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl07Nf3VO36
“Trial? Like for criminals?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZW5S6f5Qbp
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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyTt33Qhhp
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?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbrTU7GUCZ
“Weak.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLpfVERENq
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51fhvB2jmq
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHN9o9euktw
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfrW29VBpS
“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.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgA4i0mAxy
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QG86j7qo2
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UchDLfJ4Y
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13ywqgdACb
“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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKX3jYjUYgt
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpSiiBbaQR
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1GNA5muTT
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gKDHikZHU
“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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjR6gr9U33t
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPLXrQX5pL
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2HtSCSbP3
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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlLXFgAgRt
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.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipuYCdidYj
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU0AyyOMJJ
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8owYl7XxOp
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ817O5KolGJ
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHYr2GAcSi
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRPnGZM7hg
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.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BOB231I03
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT16ESmniI
“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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAIR0J3Ltq
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdKhtN2nQO
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2sjzeQmpG
“How old are you?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX039lDEiQE
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUg2OY1usm5
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhkq6vQK2c
“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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiq6M5fcPWm
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ53kSCFudn
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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxx5mZtYec
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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzG3CVLpWpn
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.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7y13qYjEA
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiJ5raeAxl
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1wbU4NjIJ
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadhjMTwhmV
“It’ll take two and a half days.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mdMphNlaq
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.” 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuGLyLY8le
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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonenTWOhKd
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.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYHexgO0Yu
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9YFdUnplc
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrU0PbUFbW
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.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BVDOF2cVN
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpMlLYQeKf
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aPQ7xRfyF
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
ns216.73.216.12da2
