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?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡis41jib6Et
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmpKQmd1pp
“Who are you helping?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvMrV1J7Ny
“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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyRHXy2c3A
“Compromised?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6P2BQfHrmR
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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKO11tPdSs
“Trial? Like for criminals?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZNCZ7Mn7e
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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyqhE1NjRz
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?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cYHfP6Os0
“Weak.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UomwAnQiY
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtL156Rlgk
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0yKHTiVLR
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBZSLEAwxa
“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.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwgpW8uAJz
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18FNCSnock
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KsRp70SXg
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDw0t1qMudK
“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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9CTBmSGcX
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5leYa0vbS
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrT61dgHvV
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JMtztJK5n
“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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfPtHhOs85
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6mUJZ7bEu
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XQamgKFHF
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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPe4Mj9y20
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.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFimquWuP6W
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqAfOw5bOF
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8Ko2zIwqK
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBUf7Is7dL
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOtipAwaOc
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jzwdE0L7G
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.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatS6cti3Yf
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynqwDajYbu
“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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzUSbeMMAA
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRyRfwiYnO
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhY6REywh9q
“How old are you?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5Ug8v8UQY
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaURI1LEOZ0
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuS3vp6FEe
“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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamwoQA6AeK
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAV3UJP1gq
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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yZvRC2J9S
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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jJw0HVahl
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.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MQKrFNARG
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYNzEQI6wO
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF3m41KLF3
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHBGbx6dbo
“It’ll take two and a half days.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz7xXA43KG
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.” 695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUrSUrh6WJ
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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGNfrS9fZx
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.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7rQUPxd6O
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEVhAsHsY5
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA676Qp1e9d
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.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vRkVd4jxp
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpGCEgPxSa
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.695Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbgzTeSqgQ
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
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