Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27 I came here in good faith to buy jade

Finished

What Jolie didn’t know was that Joanna wasn’t planning on winning anything. When Thanksgiving weekend arrived and the world fell into chaotic panic, while everyone else barricaded themselves inside waiting for a government rescue that would never come, Joanna planned to break into these very malls and take everything they needed.

They climbed back into the rented van. Joanna pulled out the jewelry clerk’s business card and handed it to Jolie.

“I need you to call the number on the back of that later,” Joanna said, starting the engine. “We need to fish for information.”

Jolie frowned, flipping the card over. “Who is this?”

“The necklace I was looking at was commissioned for a woman named Megan Foster,” Joanna explained, navigating the van out of the crowded parking lot. “In my… dreams, I knew her. She was supposed to be a major player later on. But the jeweler says she died in a hiking accident. It doesn’t add up.”

Jolie stared at her, listening intently.

“Call the husband,” Joanna instructed. “Use the excuse that you want to buy that specific emerald necklace off him since he abandoned it at the shop. See what you can find out about Megan and if she’s really dead. Just make sure you don’t use our real names.”

Jolie nodded, her fingers tracing the handwritten number as they drove through the towering shadows of the city, counting down the time until their meeting with Rachel.

The van pulled up to the isolated warehouse, the engine cutting out into a heavy silence. Through the windshield, Joanna saw Rachel. She was exactly as Joanna remembered from her dreams: towering, solidly built, with striking, sharp features and light brown hair tied back strictly. She wasn’t classically beautiful; she was formidable. In the dream timeline, Joanna had always felt small and awkward around her. This time, Joanna smoothed down her jacket, wore a confident smile, and stepped out. This time, they were going to be equals.

Rachel was on her phone, but she signed off with a curt nod and waved them over.

“Hello, Joanna,” Rachel said, her business-like tone clipping the air. Her dark brown eyes immediately scanned past Joanna to Jolie. “Did you bring the cash?”

“Every cent,” Joanna replied.

They walked into the warehouse. The space was cavernous and mostly empty, save for a black transport van parked in the center. Two men stood beside it. Joanna recognized Allen immediately and offered him a casual wave. The other man was older, his posture rigid and his

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Chapter 271 came here in good faith to buy jade

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eyes tracking their movements with a cold, calculated stillness. A bodyguard, Joanna noted. And a disciplined one.

Stopping a few paces short of the men, Joanna nodded to her companion. “This is Jolie. And as promised, I have the five million in cash.” She reached over and smoothly unzipped the small travel bag Jolie was carrying, revealing tight, stacked bricks of high-denomination bills. “As long as the quality matches what we discussed, I’ll take as much as this can buy.”

Rachel didn’t look at the money. Instead, her intense gaze locked onto Joanna’s face, studying her features for a long, quiet interval.

“I usually go with my gut instincts when it comes to people, Joanna,” Rachel said softly, her voice carrying a dangerous edge. “And honestly? I’m surprised you actually brought the cash.”

Joanna didn’t let her smile fade, though her posture tensed. “Why is that?”

“Because when you first approached me, it didn’t feel like you actually cared about uncut jade,” Rachel said, stepping closer. Her eyes narrowed, dissecting every micro-expression on Joanna’s face. “It felt like an excuse. I only agreed to this meeting today to figure out what your real game is.”

Joanna maintained an easy, relaxed stance, though her heart quickened. “Hmm. Do you consider yourself a psychic, Rachel?”

Rachel didn’t blink. The silence stretched between them for a grueling ten seconds. “I consider myself blunt, and I am rarely wrong. I don’t sense any ill intent from you, which is the only reason you’re still standing here. But I need an explanation before we proceed. Are you actually here for the stone, or is this a front?”

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