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?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRHWq7Mkc0
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50jbDNIe4T
“Who are you helping?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn6wP9RA89
“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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6TWvOIGQQ
“Compromised?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQn54KPjWX
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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1HmgCAFZD
“Trial? Like for criminals?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIboTEBldn
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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMmnPJhMVU
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?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkTrOnzRZy
“Weak.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WvvhsI289
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYFnlEikBN
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GAtVJXBfD
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtAirLxYLr
“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.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuMQvteueK
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrD2qsyvc4
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRS3eUfuoJ
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQk74qIphaR
“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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbTJQpC7xO
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEbj16r4q4
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapr4OoxAro
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvO77BRKMPo
“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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3SmvbFcTy
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UbIqc9DZB
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWJ88dmFlD
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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFknqvDkjtv
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.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsF27kuPAy
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMi94uLbv8
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmj2xTKT2vX
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzBlpVCOrz
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZvNPmNN2I
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkhO0t9f4B
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.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPBqle8AYB
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaASVfpcCQO
“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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQbRY6n9nx
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDiIVkxihA
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqS3FaRvEOr
“How old are you?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70ABRI7rmT
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7pRinTSWg
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQ96ikzct6
“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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc89j0fh4f9
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUGH95kNuX
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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvM7ViuVZa
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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLMJPPytAS
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.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpR0GadCRcB
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqQPeY1wZb
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJfypC1qGh
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2UxSX3Sfo
“It’ll take two and a half days.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIirpWc40go
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.” 652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubUfbnGAaE
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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZRgQGkxvd
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.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09LW5T1yNy
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRrDZWjfKX
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjDEbmksCv
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.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYTj4Qtfp1
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4INv03jFX
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8i7sqvkHlI
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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