Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 58

Chapter 58 Rachel trusted her with their lives

59

Finished

Joanna didn’t blink. “I knew the collapse was coming,” she said, her voice a calm, unwavering anchor. “And I’m glad you made it here.”

“Wait, back up,” Allen snapped, marching into the living room with a dish towel slung over his shoulder and a half-peeled potato in hand. He glared at Joanna, his sarcastic guard masking genuine, exhausted frustration. “A car packed with bats, clothes, and MRES? That wasn’t a hunch. You knew. And you let us sit in Felton while the government prepared a zombie buffet?”

Jolie followed him out of the kitchen, her nervous energy completely vanishing. She gently took the potato and knife from his tense hands. “Don’t pretend you would have believed us if we mentioned zombies, Allen,” she said softly, her eyes holding his with a rare, grounded warmth. “But you’re safe now. Let’s get some food in you.”

Allen’s grouchy posture melted slightly under her touch. He let out a defeated sigh, muttering, “Fine. But if the chicken is dry, I’m joining the other side.”

“But the man who approached me,” Rachel whispered, her hands trembling as she glanced toward the window. “What if they followed us?”

“They probably don’t have time for that,” Joanna said decisively, drawing Rachel’s attention back. “Still, we’re going to dump your car in a lake three towns over tonight just to be safe. You’re staying here with us.”

Rachel let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for days, collapsing back into the

cushions.

Joanna stood up, placing a reassuring hand on Rachel’s shoulder before looking back at Allen and Jolie in the kitchen. “Eat. Warm up. Once you’ve rested, we’ll show you exactly what we’ve been building.”

While eating Joanna quietly told Rachel and Allen the truth. Her dream, Allen dying and Rachel rising as one of the top fighters in the apocalypse. Joanna also shared their meetings in her dream. Rachel’s kindness which made Joanna approach her in the first place. Jolie filled them in on their operations and getting new team mates Jake and Raven.

Jolie cleared her throat, her usual lively energy returning to help break the heavy tension. She leaned forward, looking at Rachel and Allen. “And that’s where the rest of us come in. Once Joanna clued me in, we went into overdrive. We’ve spent weeks setting up high-security, underground bunkers. We’ve got six fully stocked steel fortresses buried across the region.”

“Six?” Allen echoed, his logical brain struggling to process the scale. “How do you even transport

“Joanna’s pocket dimension,” Jolie explained with a proud grin. “She literally carries them

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Chapter 58 Rachel trusted her with their lives

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Finned

around like pocket change. But we couldn’t do it alone. We recruited Jake-he’s upstairs right now keeping watch, he’s basically a human brick wall and our tactical specialist-and his little sister, Raven. They’re family now. And so are you two.”

Rachel looked from Joanna to Jolie, the sheer weight of their preparation sinking in. The terror of being hunted by the government suddenly felt manageable. “So… we actually have a chance?”

“We don’t just have a chance,” Joanna said, her eyes burning with a fierce, protective resolve. “We have a plan. Now eat. We have a lot of work to do.”

Twenty minutes later, Jolie took Jake and Raven to get rid of the car a few towns over. Joanna showed Rachel and Allen the 2 apartments they were using. “This afternoon I can show you our warehouses. How much money do you have?”

Twenty minutes later, Jolie, Jake, and Raven slipped out to get rid of the sedan a few towns over, leaving the apartment quiet. Joanna took the opportunity to show Rachel and Allen around, walking them through the two secure, heavily modified apartments they were currently using as their base of operations.

“This afternoon, I can show you our warehouses,” Joanna said, leaning against the kitchen counter. Her eyes scanned their tired faces, getting straight to the logistics. “But first, we need to talk resources. How much money do you have?”

Rachel and Allen exchanged a quick, loaded look. Allen pulled out his phone, tapping the screen with a frustrated sigh.

“We went to the bank right before we left Felton and closed out our checking and savings accounts,” Allen said, his usual sarcastic bite softened by fatigue. “We didn’t want the government freezing our assets the second they realized we took those files.”

“It’s not a lot compared to what a real government-grade shelter must cost,” Rachel added, looking up at Joanna with absolute, unwavering trust. “But we have a million dollars. It’s everything we could grab last minute.”

Without a second thought, Rachel tapped her phone screen, transferring the entire balance directly to Joanna’s account.

Joanna stared at the notification on her phone as it buzzed. In a world where money would soon be worthless paper, the gesture was still profound. It was a million dollars-their entire life’s safety net-handed over without a single contract, receipt, or guarantee. Rachel trusted her with their lives. A rare, deep warmth bloomed in Joanna’s chest, touching her in a way she hadn’t expected.

“Thank you,” Joanna said, her voice softer than usual. “I promise you, every cent of this will keep you alive.”

Allen rubbed the back of his neck, looking around the room. “Great. Now we’re broke and

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Chapter 58 Rachel trusted her with their lives

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