Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 346

Chapter 346 The Team Whines They Want To Come Back

Finished

The next morning, Joanna and Jolie moved through their routines together – Jolie still moving carefully, favoring her wrapped wrist, but steadier than the day before. As they got ready, Joanna kept half her attention on the mind link, checking in with Dillon.

Morning, everyone, she sent. Jolie’s doing better. How’s the wall coming along?

Would be coming along faster if Glacier stopped narrating everything Fletcher does like a nature documentary an voice cut in immediately.

I do not narrate, Glacier said, offended. I provide color commentary. There’s a difference.

“And here we see the elusive Fletcher, mid-lift, grunting for absolutely no reason since he could probably carry the whole wall by himself,” Julian mimicked, badly.

I do not grunt, Fletcher said flatly.

You grunted like six times yesterday, Briggs chimed in. I counted.

You were supposed to be hauling beams, not counting my breathing.

Multitasking, Briggs said proudly.

This morning alone he already told two new recruits that Fletcher “communicates primarily through disappointed silence and the occasional single-word sentence,” Julian added.

That’s accurate, though, Glacier said.

There was a beat of silence, and then, dryly, Fletcher’s voice came through again. Glacier nearly froze his own boots to the ground because he was too busy narrating me instead of watching where he was standing.

That did NOT happen the way he’s making it sound-

It happened exactly the way I’m making it sound, Fletcher said. There was a very loud cracking noise. Several people turned around. He was stuck for a solid minute.

I’m fine, by the way, since nobody asked, Glacier grumbled, and Joanna could practically hear the eye-roll

behind it.

Joanna laughed under her breath, shaking her head as she pulled her boots on, Jolie smiling faintly beside her at the exchange.

Anyway, Allen’s voice broke in, more serious now, cutting through the banter. Boss, how much longer are you gonna be up there? Jolie doing okay?

She’s recovering, Joanna said. Should be back to normal in a day or two.

Good. A pause. I really want to come see her. Just make sure she’s actually okay. In person.

Joanna rolled her eyes, though there was no real irritation behind it – just the familiar ache of having her people split across two fronts at once. It never stopped feeling wrong, splitting focus between her own base and helping Glacier prepare Dillon against the Bloodfang attack that was still bearing down on them.

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Mon,

Chapter 346 The Team Whines They Want To Come Back

Finished

You’re all a bunch of babies, Glacier cut in, though something in his tone lacked its usual bite. Missing the poss

missing Jolie. Real professional.

Says the guy who asked me yesterday when Boss was coming back like four separate times, Julian shot back

That was reconnaissance, Glacier said stiffly. Purely operational curiosity.

Joanna smiled despite herself. “I’ll come back once the base here is secure,” she said aloud, mostly to Jolie’s benefit, then repeated it through the link. I’ll come back once things are stable here. I promise.

Boss, we feel the same way! RJ’s voice broke through, clearly done holding back. Let us come help you instead We’re just standing around a wall while you’re dealing with poison gas bushes and disappearing scouts!

Joanna sighed, long and heavy, dragging a hand down her face. “Fine,” she said out loud, then through the link. I’ll teleport there and pull whoever Fletcher and Glacier don’t need for the wall. That’s it.

Wait, Fletcher said immediately. Can’t we come too?

Seconding that, Glacier added, just as fast.

Joanna stared blankly at the wall of her room for a solid three seconds, utterly exasperated. “No,” she said flatly, both aloud and through the link, letting every ounce of her exhaustion bleed into the word. You two are staying exactly where you are, finishing that wall. Once it’s done – and the training program’s solid – then, if you want to visit, you can. Both of you. But not before.

A long pause followed.

…Worth a shot, Fletcher finally said.

Agreed, said Glacier.

Jolie, watching Joanna’s expression through the entire exchange, finally burst out laughing. “You look like you’re about to combust.”

“I like them,” Joanna said, rubbing her temple, “but I swear, helping two bases is going to be the actual death of me. Not the poison. Not the monsters. Them.”

With the plan settled, Joanna spoke through the link one last time. Figure out amongst yourselves who’s coming back with me and who’s staying to finish the wall. I’ll be there in an hour.

A chorus of acknowledgements came back, already dissolving into muttered arguing over who’d get to make the trip.

Joanna cut the link and turned to Jolie, who was pulling her boots on with careful, deliberate movements, favoring her wrist. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Jolie said, though she still looked a little pale around the edges.

They headed out together, Bubbles trailing lazily behind them, and made their way first to the meeting point where Levi, Raven, and Ryan were already gathered, breath fogging in the early morning cold, gear checked and ready to head out toward the ridge.

“Everyone clear on the plan?” Joanna asked, scanning the group.

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10:09 Mon, Oct 19

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