Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24 Relax, Allen

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Rachel’s eyes sharpened. For a fraction of a second, an unreadable expression crossed her face -almost as if she were trying to read Joanna’s thoughts. Joanna held her gaze evenly, keeping her internal panic locked away. She hasn’t awakened her telepathy yet, Joanna reminded herself. Relax.

“You have a good eye,” Rachel said, her voice clipped and direct, mirroring the tone Joanna remembered from her dreams. “But I didn’t get this in Felton.”

“Really?” Joanna smiled, taking a half-step closer. “I’d love to know your source if you’re willing to share. I’m looking to buy in very large quantities. My name is Joanna, by the way.”

The handsome man cleared his throat loudly, clearly irritated by Joanna’s intrusion. “We’re in the middle of a private lunch, Joanna. If you’re looking for business partners, I suggest you look elsewhere.”

Rachel didn’t look at the man. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on Joanna, a faint, intrigued smile playing on her lips. “Ignore him. I’m Rachel. And it just so happens, I might know someone who can help you with bulk uncut stones. Sit down for a moment.”

Joanna internally cheered. Step one was complete.

The handsome man’s jaw tightened, and he shot a warning glare at Rachel. “Rachel, we don’t have time for this. We need to finish discussing the estate transition.”

Rachel dismissed him with a sharp wave of her hand. “Relax, Allen. It takes two minutes to be helpful.”

Allen.

The name hit Joanna like a physical blow. A cold dread pooled in her stomach as she stared at the brooding man. In her dream-timeline, Rachel had rarely spoken about her past, but everyone at the Blackcloud base knew her tragic origin. Rachel had a brother named Allen whom she had desperately tried to reach when the apocalypse struck. He had been trapped in a collapsing sector of the city, and by the time Rachel got to him, he was already dead. The guilt of failing to save him was the exact catalyst that had hardened Rachel into the cold, ruthless leader she eventually became.

Looking at Allen now-alive, breathing, and completely oblivious to his horrific future-Joanna felt a profound wave of sympathy. If I recruit Rachel now, Joanna thought, I can help her save him. That will seal her loyalty to me forever.

“Don’t worry, Allen,” Joanna said, using his name deliberately to build an immediate sense of familiarity. “I won’t take up much of your time. I know how important family business can be.”

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11:25 Sat, Oct 3

Chapter 24 Relax, Allen

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Finished

Allen blinked, caught off guard by her soft, understanding tone. His defensive posture softened slightly, though his dark eyes remained cautious. “Right. Well. Business is business.”

Rachel looked between Joanna and her brother, her intuitive gaze lingering on Joanna a second too long, as if sensing the sudden shift in the air. “As I was saying, Joanna… my family owns an import firm. We actually have a shipment of raw, uncut jade arriving at the docks in Felton this Friday. It hasn’t been auctioned off to the jewelry stores yet.”

Joanna’s heart leaped. A direct, bulk shipment of raw jade before the retail markup was exactly what she needed to fuel her spatial storage.

“That sounds perfect,” Joanna said, keeping her voice entirely professional. “I’m prepared to buy the entire lot if the quality matches your pendant.”

Rachel pulled a sleek business card from her purse and slid it across the table. “Call me tomorrow morning. If your funds are legitimate, I can bypass the middleman and grant you access to the warehouse in Felton. My brother and I will both be down there overseeing the arrival anyway.”

“I will definitely call,” Joanna said, taking the card. She looked at Allen one last time, offering a sincere smile. “It was nice to meet you, Allen. Take care of yourself.”

“You too, Joanna,” Allen murmured, looking slightly puzzled by the weight behind her words.

Joanna nodded politely and walked back to her table, where Jolie was staring at her with wide, stunned eyes.

“What on earth was that?” Jolie whispered fiercely as Joanna sat down. “You just walked up to total strangers and managed to secure a business meeting?”

Joanna let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, looking down at Rachel’s business card. “Not just a meeting, Jolie. I think I just changed the future.”

Joanna watched Allen and Rachel leave the restaurant shortly after their brief interaction, offering a polite nod as they walked out the door. As soon as they were gone, she turned back to Jolie and explained the situation, outlining the plan to secure the bulk raw jade in Felton through Rachel. She deliberately kept the details about her apocalyptic dreams to herself. It was better to let her relationship with Rachel develop naturally for now.

After finishing their lunch, Jolie drove Joanna back to the apartment. Joanna was thoroughly exhausted; pulling that massive shipping container into her spatial storage carlier had drained her energy reserves to a dangerous low. She desperately needed to rest and soak in the rejuvenating spring inside her space.

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