CHAPTER FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN – JASMINE LAYS DOWN THE LAW

The next day dawned bright and clear. Jasmine arrived at the construction site early, her stomach churning with nerves. She'd asked Hank to gather all the workers in the large tent they used for meetings and lunch breaks. As she approached, she could hear the low murmur of voices. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside. The chatter died down as she entered. Rows of folding chairs faced a small podium, every seat filled. Jasmine could feel the tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife. She made her way to the front, acutely aware of every eye upon her. As she turned to face the crowd, she caught sight of Joey and Mike, sitting on opposite sides of the room, pointedly not looking at each other. "Good morning, everyone," Jasmine began, her voice steady despite her nerves. "Thank you for coming in early. I know you're all eager to get to work, so I'll keep this brief." She paused, looking out over the sea of faces – some curious, some wary, some openly hostile. "I've cal