Archipelago N.Y.: Flynn

by Todorov, Vladimir

  But after her glimpse of paradise, Madison had also witnessed something horrific... She had seen a man’s lifeless body floating next to the platforms of the Van Zandt Pipeline, his scull caved in by a vicious blow. According to the guards, the man had tried to steal fresh water, and they had decided not to waste their bullets… It was a grim reminder of the harsh reality beneath the beauty of the Roof Gardens. This was what went on in the real world, Madison thought. Everything else was a cruel charade.

  She swallowed hard and looked sadly down at her basket. Leo had killed her little pigeon without any remorse, but had filled the empty basket full of fruit and vegetables…a gift she was taking to her parents… things they had never seen or tasted in their lives… It was supposed to be a token of Leo’s love for her. As far as she was concerned, it was just a warning shot of what lay ahead.

  “That’s it then, Miss Ray,” Leo said as he steered his boat through the entrance of her building and bumped the tires lining the docking platform. His guards stayed back, keeping their distance. Madison picked up her heavy basket and hopped on the platform.

  “And don’t forget,” said Leo, pointing a finger at her, “I’ll be watching you, beautiful!”

  Madison nodded and waved at him. She saw Leo turn his boat and exit, followed by the guards. She stood on the platform for a moment, her body trembling, relieved that Leo had finally let her go. She had done a good job in playing her game and done little to raise his suspicion... Madison had even allowed him to kiss her properly on the mouth… Trying to erase the memory of it, she turned and headed toward the stairs.

  “Having fun, Miss Ray?”

  A dark shadow detached itself from one of the support columns, and stepped slowly into the light.

  “Flynn!” cried Madison, dropping her basket and running toward him. “Thank God! I’m so glad to see you!” She reached out to hug him, but he stepped back, leaving her to stand there with outstretched hands.

  “I don’t think so, Miss Ray!” Flynn shook his head and stared icily at her.

  “Flynn…” Madison reached out to touch him again. “Listen to me… It’s not what you think…”

  “I saw enough today!” His voice sounded strangled, distant.

  “You saw nothing!” cried Madison. “And you know nothing!”

  “Really? You were all over Leo Van Zandt… couldn’t keep your hands off him.”

  “I’m buying us some time…I’m doing it for my parents…doing it for you, damn it! It’s not for real!”

  “How very generous of you!” Flynn sneered. His lip curled up in a sarcastic smile. “But I don’t need your sacrifice, beautiful.”

  “Stop it! I had no choice…”

  “And what exactly did you offer in return?”

  Madison looked away.

  “What was the deal, then?” Flynn shouted at her.

  “I promised to marry Leo, after…”

  “After what?”

  “After I help him catch you out… catch you breaking the rules!” Madison said, looking to meet his eyes."I don't know why, but he hates your guts, Flynn! He wants to destroy you… to send you off to the Waste Crews ... he wants you dead!”

  Flynn stared at her for a long moment, not saying a word.

  “What did you do to make Leo so mad?" Madison asked.

  “Nothing much… Saved his life once!”

  “And he hates you for that? Why?”

  “Never mind,” said Flynn, as he turned and walked over to his raft. “Good luck helping him out… I won't interfere…”

  “Flynn!” Madison shouted after him. “You know I’ll never do such thing! I made Leo believe that I would… so he’d let me go!”

  “Good-bye, Madison!” Flynn said without turning. He pushed his raft away from the boat slip and pedaled towards the exit.

  “Wait… please,” Madison called out, “I had no other choice!”

  But Flynn was gone! Madison stared ahead into the darkness, her chin trembling. Suddenly, the terrible ordeal of the past twenty-four hours was too much for her to bear… Her knees buckled, and she collapsed on the steps… Shivering and exhausted, Madison Ray finally allowed herself to cry, letting her tears fall freely down her face.

  EIGHTEEN

  Alan Perry sat hunched over his dining table. Motionless, frozen like a statue, his eyes fixed on the door flap. He had been staring at it for many hours now, hoping that it would fly open, and Flynn would walk in… It was late. Way too late… way past the water distribution hour, way past dinner and bedtime… Their tower had gone quiet a long time ago, with all its tired occupants having surrendered to a comatose kind of sleep. He could hear loud snoring coming from the unit next door. But Alan Perry was wide awake. He couldn't bring himself to lie down on the empty mattress. Couldn't imagine falling asleep without hearing Flynn's regular breathing next to him… His son had never done that! He had never failed to come back home. Ever!

  Alan Perry's eyes darted from the door flap to the rusty clock sitting on the shelf next to it. It was almost dawn. The sun would rise in an hour or so. Where was his boy? In his mind, he'd gone through all the possibilities… Flynn caught and arrested at the Black Market… injured in some kind of accident…lying dead at the bottom of the ocean… But deep down in his heart, Alan Perry knew it wasn't any of that… He knew Flynn was safe somewhere out there, spending a second night alone because he was angry… Because Alan Perry had failed to praise his son on the biggest day of his life… to show respect and acknowledge Flynn’s achievement. He sighed and lowered his gaze. Suddenly, his eyelids felt heavy. He let them close and before he knew it, he had dozed off.

  The sound of heavy footsteps outside on the tower’s walkway made Alan Perry jump in his seat. He turned his head back to the door, his eyes full of renewed hope. Was that Flynn? The steps stopped a few doors away. It was quiet for a moment. He strained his ears and listened. Someone was having a hushed conversation which ended abruptly and was followed by the slam of a door. A female voice cried out and then began to sob. He recognized it immediately. It was Mrs. Voinovich, their neighbor. He glanced at the clock again... it was the crack of dawn. This could only mean one thing, he thought as a cold shiver ran down his spine. The Departure List was out! It had begun, then!

  Alan Perry rose stiffly from his chair. The footsteps echoed closer now. Two heart-beats later, there was a knock on his door. Slowly, he walked over and threw open the plastic flap. Vince Jordan, the burly Chief of Security, flanked by two of his guards, filled the door frame.

  “For the Greater Good, gentlemen! How can I help you?” Alan Perry said softly.

  Jordan checked his hand-held device then stared blankly at him. “Are you Alan Perry?”

  “That's me.”

  Vince Jordan cleared his throat. “Mr. Perry, you've been selected for...”

  “I know why you're here,” Flynn’s father said quietly. “What do you want me to do?”

  Expecting trouble or some kind of resistance, the two guards tensed, their hands gripping their gun holsters. Jordan looked into the room past Alan Perry's shoulder. “You alone?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Very well!” Vince Jordan said, taking a deep breath before starting on his well-rehearsed speech. “You'll be escorted to the designated platform from where the Departure car will take you the Van Zandt Building. That’s where you’ll be spending the week before the Ceremony takes place. Don't bring anything, except small personal stuff you want to take with you on your journey. Everything else will be provided for you during your last days on the Archipelago. You'll be allowed one visit, if you have any close relatives. That's pretty much it, Mr. Perry!”

  “Thank you,” said Alan Perry. “Can I have a minute to myself, please?” He couldn’t believe how calm he was. How easily he had accepted his fate. Not only that, but he was thanking them for delivering his death sentence! He was prepared, of course. He knew he wasn't going to put up a fight, argue, or beg ... but Alan Perry was still surpris
ed at how peaceful his resignation had been.

  Vince Jordan seemed equally puzzled. “OK, Mr. Perry,” he shrugged, took a step back then stopped, suddenly feeling suspicious. “Err...” he hesitated and threw a quick glance around the room, as if expecting to find a back door or some kind of secret exit out of the apartment. “Please, don't make it difficult for us! We want you to go nice and easy, no drama!” Jordan had now adopted Van Zandt's turn of phrase and was happy to be using it as his own.

  “I won't give you any trouble!” said Alan Perry, also glancing round the room.

  “Your cooperation is appreciated.” Vince Jordan motioned to his guards, and they all stepped back.

  Alan Perry slowly closed the plastic door flap and returned to the table. He leaned on it and stood like that for a long moment… Then, taking a piece of old algae-pressed paper and a piece of charcoal out of his pocket, he scribbled something on it. He slid the note under one of the plates on the table and took a deep breath. There was a soft knock on the door.

  “Mr. Perry?” Jordan's voice sounded impatient.

  “I'm ready.”

  Alan Perry didn’t bother taking anything with him. There was no point, he thought and stepped through the door of his apartment for the very last time.

  Flynn woke up with a start, his body stiff and shivering. He wasn't sure if it was his father talking to him in his dream, or the early morning chill that had interrupted his sleep. It was still dark, but the edge of the eastern horizon was starting to glow pink with the rising sun. His hand grabbed under the seat for something to cover himself with. He picked up a tangled fishing net and spread it over his body, then curled up for a few more hours of sleep. The sun would be soon be overhead, and then the heat would wake him up. He was starting to drift off back to sleep again, when...splat! The foul smelling blob of a seagull’s droppings landed on his face.

  "Damn it!" Flynn cursed loudly and sat up. He used the fishing net to wipe himself quickly and shoved it back under the seat. What were the odds of that happening where he was? Far out to the west, with the Archipelago a good mile away in the distance, and nothing but water around him… He rubbed his eyes and stood up. Fully awake, all the dark thoughts from the night before came rushing back into his head… His father’s disappointment, Madison’s betrayal and Leo’s quest for revenge…They were all jostling for space… Flynn stretched and looked up at the sky. Although it was brighter and growing more cheerful in color, Flynn was in no mood to savor its beauty.

  He threw his diving harness on and buckled it, then picked up the jar with the seal blubber and started to cover his skin with the thick layer of its heat preserving grease. Flynn knew that nothing cleared his head better than an early morning dive… Taking deep breaths of air to fill his lungs, Flynn walked to the edge of his raft. He focused on the spot where he was going to enter the water, stood on the tip of his toes and dived in.

  The cable car screeched to a halt next to the rooftop platform. It was the usual converted school bus shell, except it had the word ‘Departure’ stenciled in black on its faded yellow paint. Alan Perry took one last look at the tower he had lived in for most of his life and stepped inside the cable car. He walked past the two guards standing by the door and found an empty seat. He had seen the Departure car in previous years, making its rounds and collecting its passengers on their final journey through the Lower Side. But then, Alan Perry had been looking from the outside, never paying much attention…it was just the way life went… Now it was different! He was inside, riding the car together with his own Departure group. He was a part of it and there was no going back!

  Alan Perry glanced over the rest of his fellow passengers, men and women, all roughly around his age. Most sat on their own. Some were red eyed, some were sobbing quietly. Most looked stunned and lost to the world. He knew some of them, like Mrs. Voinovich, his neighbor…They were the only two chosen from their building… As for the rest of the passengers in the car, he was going to get to know them during their Departure week. No one spoke much. There was the occasional ‘You, too?’ and ‘Sorry to see you here!’ whispered when they stopped to pick up more people on their way to the Van Zandt Building.

  Soon, all seats were taken. The cable car crept slowly over Broadway Canal, until it exited the Lower Side and began its slow journey above the vast expanse of water, heading straight toward the Upper Side. Alan Perry looked out of the window and down at what they called Midtown Bay. He tried to remember the last time he had taken that ride… It had been before Flynn was born… He was going there to be paired, as were a number of young bloods who had reached the age of maturity. Alan Perry shook his head, chasing away the memories. He could see the Van Zandt Pipeline below, snaking its way on the surface of the water and disappearing into the distance. They stopped briefly at a midway station to change drivers. With so many passengers on board, the cable car needed a fresh pair of legs to power it across to its final destination. Soon, the Departure car joined a dozen other cable cars. They had all arrived from different parts of the Lower Side and now formed a long line heading for the Van Zandt building.

  The Van Zandt building stood alone, towering above the rest. As they got closer, Alan Perry could see the many scaffolding platforms gripping its outer walls: docking bays for the cable cars, outside elevators running up and down on cables, walkways overhanging each other.

  The traffic was slowing down now. One by one, the cars were stopping at a large platform suspended some thirty stories above the water, offloading the Departure passengers and moving swiftly away. When Alan Perry’s car docked finally, everybody was ushered onto the platform. It was covered with a thread-bare carpet and cordoned off by fraying red ropes. Alan Perry and his group were immediately surrounded by armed guards. What were they afraid of? As if anyone would dare to escape… or storm the Van Zandt's headquarters… Or try to steal the ropes, thought Alan Perry and couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the insanity of it all… Luckily, no one heard him.

  They were greeted by a pompous looking Government official, standing at the entrance to the building. The man was dressed in a faded suit, a size too small for his great bulk. Everybody stared at him with a mixture of curiosity and dread. “Valued citizens of the Archipelago,” began the man with a big smile, “allow me, on behalf of the Government and Mr. Van Zandt, to welcome you to your Departure Suites! Please follow me inside.”

  The Government official turned and walked briskly through the entrance. Alan Perry waited for the rest of his group to make their way in, until it was his turn to step over the threshold of the Van Zandt building… Alan Perry knew they had just entered a very well-appointed prison, and this was his last glimpse of the Archipelago as a free man.

  Flynn couldn’t remember the last time he had gone on a solo dive, without the aid of a bell and a Crew Mate… It might have been in the early years, before he had become Ann Baxter’s student. Freediving was all about ease of movement, relaxation and the conserving of energy. It was both exhilarating and calming to be underwater without any support. And Flynn needed to be by himself… He wanted peace and quiet, and with every passing second, this solitary experience was working its magic on him. It helped clear his head, pushing all thoughts away, making him concentrate on the steps he needed to take in order to reach the ocean bed.

  The first step had been Flynn’s entry in the water… He had started by floating on the surface, slowing his heart rate to around fifty beats per minute, breathing deep and taking his time. With the last complete breath, he had jackknifed, letting his feet rise up so that their weight could thrust his streamlined body downward. And then, he had begun a series of low frequency, stiff-legged kicks, staying as relaxed as possible… The trick was not to exert yourself, or as Ann Baxter liked to say, ‘trying to sleep your way down to the bottom’. Twenty seconds into the dive, and gliding along nicely, Flynn had already reached a depth of fifty feet. Soon he would have to equalize the water pressure in his ears, gain more momentum in reaching
his final destination.

  He switched on his flashlight as he approached the submerged city streets beneath him. The place looked undisturbed, and Flynn was sure no one had scavenged it yet. He was swimming in uncharted territory, but inevitably, everything about the site had a familiar feel to it…The piles of mangled vehicles, the twisted poles and cables which had been covered in thick layers of barnacles, seaweed and silt… It was no different from what Flynn had encountered on previous dives. The fact that the ocean bed around the Archipelago was a grave-yard never bothered him much. It didn’t feel sinister or scary to Flynn… Most people would have hated it, but not him... Flynn had always loved this eerie underworld, because it was a direct link to a long forgotten past. Ironically, it had also become a source of sustenance for those who lived in the present.

  But now, as he coasted along the rooftops of a submerged row of houses, Flynn was struck by an overwhelming feeling of sadness… Suddenly, there was something strange and unpleasant about the dive. For the first time in his life, he felt like an intruder, disturbing the final resting place of so many lost souls. The place was full of ghosts, Flynn thought as he swam past the top floor of a brick building… And then, lodged between the narrow bars of one of its windows, Flynn saw the well-preserved remains of a child’s toy. He felt his heart stop. He used to have a toy like that. It was a little stuffed animal his father had given him when he was four years old… In a flash, the thought of Alan Perry made Flynn come to his senses. What was he doing down here? Running away from his problems wasn’t going to solve anything! Grabbing hold of one of the bars, Flynn managed to free the toy and tuck it safely in his diving harness. Flynn knew he had to go back and see his father… He had to apologize for what he had said and ask the man for his forgiveness. Kicking hard with his feet, Flynn shot up toward the surface.