Angel and Lucy discuss how the water rights they’re after are in the copy of Cadillac Desert that Maria has with her. Lucy and Angel take the Cali’s SUV and trade it to Charlene. Afterward, Lucy and Angel travel to the construction area outside the Taiyang and wait for a dust storm to pass, looking for Toomie. While they wait in the car, Lucy and Angel talk about what humanity might look like in the future, or even if humanity will survive much longer into the future. Angel says that people will survive: “I’m not saying it’s going to be pretty. But someone…someone will adapt” (348).

Angel spies Toomie in the dust storm. Lucy and Angel approach Toomie to ask about Maria. Angel tells Toomie that there would be a reward for Toomie if he helped them, that he could put him in a Cypress development in Las Vegas. Toomie laughs in his face, unbelieving. When Angel doesn’t laugh, Toomie tells Angel that he can’t help him. Maria has left for Carver City to try to cross the Colorado River by herself.