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?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI11MFhlGBB
“Someone I know needs help.” Mechteld flatly answers as she sorts trash out of the pile.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPovE2ERZrH
“Who are you helping?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKu8hypKFP
“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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTVTfkt7kR
“Compromised?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkOxo2GTjt
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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rSvEjnHrb
“Trial? Like for criminals?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOtoyn64ht
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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyDnmOkIgj
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?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqA3K5jv99s
“Weak.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVhEp3kArX
Mechteld gestures around the room. “Walking will help. Do a few paces, I don’t want to take the chair. ”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuWt8vogXY
Slowly Marquita balances her weight and begins to take small strides with outstretch arms.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zfbqGDE8r
“Does it happen often? Immortals exposing themselves?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Z9t9ZtL6H
“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.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFllXIiDqwZ
Marquita brings the paper closer, “Then it’s not too big of a problem?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDyJ6sbcB5
“No, it’s definitely a big problem and I have to help prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXN7g0vfdj
“Why you?”Marquita asks as she returns the paper to the pile.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5KJtQ8XOO
“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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37Y2zR1iXs
“Have you done this to a lot of people?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXmrRAVaBo
“You’re certainly not the first.” Mechteld’s answers while taking another cigarette out of its pack.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioK1GeDemd
“How are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we flying?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9eFaAkQnR
“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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5cTYn4Wfv
“You steal people’s identities?” Marquita asks, taken aback.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0dNvdcvHX
Mechteld shrugs her shoulders. “It didn’t used to be like that, but now it’s necessary.” 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzJINIbA34
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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL61SXzZi21
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.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lojA3bilG
“It’s the best I could do on short notice. I hope you’ll pass for nineteen.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7KCHlhO3w
Marquita takes the license and examines the picture. “She doesn’t really look like me.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZxeFOOirr
“Yeah I know. I’ll get you a better one when we return. In the meantime, you need to wear these.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcQCU3lGPO
Mechteld hands Marquita the hijab and sunglasses from the hospital. Marquita holds them out and raises a scrutinizing eyebrow.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMENC2PWYk
Mechteld points to Marquita’s scar. “Little girls with head wounds attract attention.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqGzrhS1ZS
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.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47ylpF4aVd
“Doesn’t this “government” of yours have IDs?” Marquita asks as she feels her new accessory.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SwSLhpy4P
“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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zgJUFZ1LY
Mechteld quickly takes the ID from Marquita fingers and asks, “What’s your name?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFexcsRx33
Marquita searches her memory and confidently answers, “Jasmine Thomas.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlDaTJfVP1
“How old are you?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hG0jBGtaG
Marquita pauses as she tries to remember.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2ulcAIVjQ
“Study.” Mechteld says as she pushes the license back while reaching for the bottle of antiseptic and bloody rag.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqDkkd3BxN
“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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuPABIXU1q
“It’s Trenton, right?” Marquita says, as she looks closer at the license.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDUhk4tlKt
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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnf2YYeLE2
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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASNNcXj22o
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.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphgbzxkoMJ
“So how are we getting to Las Vegas? Are we driving? Do you have a car?” Marquita asks.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCFFQBmryc
“No, we’re taking the bus. We’ll go to the Port Authority as soon as we finish packing.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6mBcuKV41
Marquita feels a flutter begin in her stomach. Nervously she asks, “A bus to Las Vegas? That’ll take days.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Xat9B2rHS
“It’ll take two and a half days.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXsYOkf7g7
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.” 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWAMGOHfXE
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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQP3Q7C3aQt
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.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTuai8wdwg
Marquita eyes the sword with a raised eyebrow. “Family heirloom?”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaljVqWE84
“Holy relic.” Mechteld answers as she examines the sword from handle to tip.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hu2j6YO6i
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.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNj6pKWVN2
Marquita stands the large suitcase upright and tests its weight. She lifts it easily off the ground several times before saying, “It’s empty.”611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUqggleYFn
Mechteld hoists her heavy bag on her back and then lifts her hood over her hair.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0F6BpP1xmg
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
ns3.145.40.61da2
然後按「加至主畫面」