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?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSQsmpoKu9
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uWMi7T1Xg
“Who are you helping?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1L4nErN4RZ
“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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6R9zcUqVI
“Compromised?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AojQbsVeF
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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIsBOBpeCC
“Trial? Like for criminals?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpLE1BuKEV
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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpMQLDfS0M
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?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5msi9t2y8C
“Weak.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVI4KHQD9ho
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Jdq8IM2Ra
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzsgjAT6T5
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoPSLAK3bS
“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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgyzxWf108
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0rgYzRvPM
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbJTDErH9i
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZG9v0g2Kfs
“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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6TrGuCSWY
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34ojj8bedu
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ298qZFp6sX
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjL5pKD4pto
“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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaOCvkaBrZ
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQ90ehfa99
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02W2i8ZD12
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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1TqaVswmr
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOvWdrxZVr
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lRoslhcDc
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm19X41LCqV
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60dq963ezC
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPeycTKqKm
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9c9auBIpNF
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpGhJAX5ng
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1du0FNzh0
“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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgBA0alqNV
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWh3ywEG6z
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dNmdfVxlH
“How old are you?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQeGR8Qlfh
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT70HnejUhv
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDhhTSATRy
“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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmC4OX4dHg
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwwPs2ypKj
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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrbnKYcpgL
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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTlWySiEI1
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyMZXlHdtt
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjAR0tayHC
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7t5ORkJmcf
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt33q1vXw8X
“It’ll take two and a half days.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDbRN0Sccy
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.” 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwuBmhzTJa
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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGJrZs9zjD
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIr48smm7qi
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yorH0TWOf
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGO6JyzVjr
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.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VSNX9jyrz
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tTPwSvbVR
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQf9Y0MbY3
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
ns 172.70.35.66da2
and then Add to home screen.