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?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdiGjXojG9
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsug6EFwCv
“Who are you helping?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFHFeeVHhS
“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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBgeSBWPyX
“Compromised?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcnCA8K8g8
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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAn4MXMJReI
“Trial? Like for criminals?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPU4fRHchq
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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBZWBJa8i8
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?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZATv6u8msy
“Weak.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSiqvU1rKn
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9bCaNkuxA
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡea1BPhN7mk
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeWSmeTEOo
“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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrs6zHhC41
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtuQUe0v9o
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IwbjncLxQ
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNux65nbdtF
“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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspazCRymSx
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnNytSlTRJ
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVw2Jv1PKlz
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3rDrRWpTK
“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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqV6PMIkXVZ
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcPSHymmHK
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLS8ysTb0Xk
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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0uBL3XZwd
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fe3OQDmOG
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWTr1PETt2
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ei0pJ6yCW
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLwW6TTBTc
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UKQ9EGO72
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJCoq3jZO7
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbZFltTX7V
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9pvLBaQ4x
“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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTX2Rrcn0cE
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SOstBzej6
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKazYIo0pY
“How old are you?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9HULb1B2P
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOg7lsN9KyN
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdm50U1UkOg
“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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OH8t1q9j3
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74toc8vAH9
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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYY8VdsBcW2
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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpvKY1uGYN
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHo1Fy5WfR
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCFqvcCNs8
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6LRDGmEMy
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZOeSddYWq
“It’ll take two and a half days.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWIIDohVrO
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.” 588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWLmcsLvuv
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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0K3sTM0goR
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7QmWYGA0Z
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZnseiuNkX
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDozKlYsU1B
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.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGMzxM6Vdw
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sn1P29vEZ
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRePfHiQYXJ
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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