Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 103: Jennifer Sees a Ghost

This was the northwest entrance, right next to two businesses: Imperial Crest Plaza and Greenfield Organic Farm.

Harvey must have stationed these two here, planted inside those companies to work on his behalf.

Both Jennifer and Fiona had accounting credentials. Financial record-keeping, inventory tracking—exactly the kind of work they'd be useful for.

The two women had just gotten off the day shift and had run straight into Mariella.

Fiona had stopped the scooter and glanced back, confused by Jennifer's reaction. "It's just someone you know. Why are you acting like you saw a ghost?"

Jennifer jumped off the back seat and pointed at Mariella with her good hand. "You—you—you—aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Hm. And who told you I was dead?" Mariella looked at her with a half-smile. "He says something and you just believe it? Do you not have eyes? Do you not have a brain?"

Jennifer choked on the comeback. She glanced at the young man standing beside Mariella and seemed to put something together.

She scrambled back onto the scooter. "Go! Now!"

Fiona had no idea what was happening, but she waved at Mariella, then drove off.

...

Mariella couldn't be bothered with small fry like Jennifer. She didn't care whether Harvey found out she was alive.

He knew? So what? Come and try me. She dared him.

Back at the townhouse, Lucky was the first to charge.

Mariella scooped him up and kissed him, then pulled a steaming chicken leg from her backpack and handed it over.

Serena came running in her little dress like a butterfly and threw herself into Mariella's arms. "Mariella, are you okay?"

"I'm great." Mariella rubbed her head, then, under the cover of reaching into her pack, slipped a heavy bag to Matthew.

Matthew opened it, and his face lit up. "Fresh blueberries? Where did you get these?"

"I remember Serena loves blueberries. Picked them while we were scavenging up in the hills. Over 30 pounds. Share them with everyone."

Matthew's smile faded, replaced by worry. "I heard the hills are extremely dangerous right now. Landslides, mudflows..."

"I picked a safe spot. Don't worry about me." Mariella said, then turned to the rest of the team.

They crowded around, asking if she and Chandler had stayed safe.

Chandler unslung his own bulging pack. Inside: a fresh, full-sized pumpkin and a thick bunch of vibrant wood-ear lettuce.

Those were rare finds.

The team had learned to grow hydroponic vegetables and sprout beans, but without sunlight, everything came out pale and yellowed. It had been ages since they'd seen greens this lush.

Mariella took a cup of tea from Number Ten, sipped it, and asked for a debrief on everything that had happened while she was gone.

Number One gave his report. "...That's the summary. The chainsaws are devastating. We're leading the neighborhood in croc kills. Number Six comes from a family of tanners. He can process crocodile hides, which we've been trading for supplies."

Cash was devaluing by the hour. Banks were locking withdrawals. Digital payments had collapsed.

Barter was the new standard.

"We also installed the chain-link perimeter for croc defense. But..." Number One paused, his voice dropping. "The fence won't stop the convicts."

Mariella raised a brow. "What's the situation? Give me the full details."

...

Jennifer got back to No. 6, and the first thing she did was report to Harvey.

"I saw Mariella. She's alive."

The news hit like a bomb. Harvey, already drowning in problems, nearly lost his mind.

The gut feeling he'd been trying to suppress was confirmed. His eye twitched violently. "You're sure?"

"I saw her with my own eyes. Fiona saw her, too."

Harvey collapsed into the couch, rubbing his temples over and over.

What the hell is going on?

Ever since Mariella had turned on him, everything about her had become strange.

Harvey was starting to feel like she was a completely different person.

And the inexplicable events kept piling up.

He'd sent a world-class assassin after her. The assassin never came back. Kingston went after her. Kingston never came back as well. Flash floods couldn't drown her. And now a yacht had vanished into thin air, with every person on board dumped into the water, and not one of them could explain what had happened.

He was becoming certain that all of it traced back to Mariella.

"There was also a young, good-looking man with her," Jennifer added. "I think she's moved on."

If Harvey found out Mariella had replaced him, he definitely wouldn't let her off the hook.