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?”660Please respect copyright.PENANAbqPQ1x2S9K
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.660Please respect copyright.PENANASGavTjkXBY
“Who are you helping?”660Please respect copyright.PENANArLSwrmzAPd
“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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAM2dMAK9LG2
“Compromised?”660Please respect copyright.PENANANCLuTmrb1u
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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAuXVSkMB1yg
“Trial? Like for criminals?”660Please respect copyright.PENANA1OLINIwQaW
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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAYJ6kGlvnfT
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?”660Please respect copyright.PENANAqIFA36PkLF
“Weak.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAR9iyZALuH5
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”660Please respect copyright.PENANAxmI0Esk31M
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.660Please respect copyright.PENANAGUqTQ2yY1y
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”660Please respect copyright.PENANAUGIzaBPdVg
“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.660Please respect copyright.PENANARVg7nTW1L4
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”660Please respect copyright.PENANAO1cG52Gk6i
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAVAOHafxHhQ
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.660Please respect copyright.PENANA7h62gbAiaG
“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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANA9zXKxbk668
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”660Please respect copyright.PENANA597ESKIlrj
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.660Please respect copyright.PENANAPSSwnq0Rl7
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”660Please respect copyright.PENANAMW12Iy41bf
“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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANA02d2WnORmk
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.660Please respect copyright.PENANABv4YLMs7dS
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 660Please respect copyright.PENANAfKe4sdISgk
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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANA3CIjqPNcxq
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.660Please respect copyright.PENANAkJevlBcH9Z
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAsXsBVBhInY
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAaEL7II2cEq
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAmcBdaLkxgz
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.660Please respect copyright.PENANA08cxDAyzbV
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAG4vXOBjIaZ
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.660Please respect copyright.PENANAUYnSJeUO4g
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.660Please respect copyright.PENANAqzP1Hqw58i
“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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAY8N8Q49RjV
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”660Please respect copyright.PENANA2vyRMUJr6z
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAI8HmlL9Vne
“How old are you?”660Please respect copyright.PENANAqptzpJdF3t
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.660Please respect copyright.PENANAxOukZSlD9c
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.660Please respect copyright.PENANA7JWF61fhT2
“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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAM6nJxjtAoQ
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.660Please respect copyright.PENANAULFTgegq6x
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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAsE1f9nARmN
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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANA88FMANVDvd
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.660Please respect copyright.PENANA10hiuy4Mlx
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.660Please respect copyright.PENANAEOVQIT591r
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAjKIAeuufM3
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAxl5N0WmV6s
“It’ll take two and a half days.”660Please respect copyright.PENANAzOHZdGyxLe
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.” 660Please respect copyright.PENANApWdOPPLJ6p
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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANASdVjz2zGAR
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.660Please respect copyright.PENANAuwju9lM9EX
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”660Please respect copyright.PENANAgDl56jWu4S
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.660Please respect copyright.PENANAAHPLWjUZ2q
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.”660Please respect copyright.PENANANw8tGjuizs
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”660Please respect copyright.PENANABKbim66Sb5
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.660Please respect copyright.PENANANaWcjkpiKA
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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