Archipelago N.Y.: Flynn

by Todorov, Vladimir

  “What is it, Flynn?” Tony Romero had managed to squeeze himself through the wall of bodies.

  “You tell me!” Flynn shifted sideways to make some space for his friend.

  “Oh, wow!” Tony cried. “Looks like... a whale, amigo!”

  “Welcome to the Ark!” Duncan Roth's voice cut above the noise, and everyone was instantly silenced. They all turned. He stood a few feet away, leaning against the railing, studying their faces. “That’s your future home!” the man smiled, pointing at the vessel. “As you can see, she's not finished yet. But now… with your additional help, I think we’ll be ready to sail in a couple of weeks!”

  All eyes were glued on Duncan Roth, and for a long, silent moment nobody dared to react to what he had just said.

  “Sail… to where?” someone asked finally.

  Flynn turned. It was his father who had spoken up again.

  “Dry Land.”

  Duncan Roth's words echoed around their heads.

  Flynn couldn’t believe he had just heard those two forbidden words… But he wasn’t the only one who was shocked to hear them… Madison, Tony, Clay and Pharrell were just as stunned as he was… This was something nobody ever talked about… Dry Land was something that didn't exist!

  “Look, I’m fully aware of what you all think of me ... and how hard it must be for you to trust me!” said Duncan and then paused. “First, I owe you all a big apology, then ... an explanation! It's a long story!” He started down the walkway. “But before you hear all the details, I’d like you to meet the others… They’ve been expecting you.”

  TWENTY FOUR

  “Others? What others?” Flynn asked Tony and Madison as they followed the mysterious Duncan Roth. Of course, none of them had an answer to the question. They were just as puzzled as Flynn.

  Duncan Roth led them down through a web of walkways and onto the big floating platform moored under the Ark. They were all gathered together now in the shadow of the vessel’s massive hull, eyes wide with wonder. Who could have built such a thing? They didn't have to wait long to find out. Duncan blow-whistled and a moment later a hatch in the hull opened. A face, smeared in grease, peered out of the hatch. It belonged to a very old man.

  “Greetings everyone!” cried the man, swinging his legs stiffly over the opening.

  Duncan Roth rushed to help him down on the platform. A toothless grin appeared on the man’s blackened face. Flynn thought the voice sounded familiar… and then he saw the three screwdrivers sticking out of the man’s pocket…

  “My God! It’s Walter… Walter Kowalski!” Alan Perry cried first and rushed forward to embrace his old friend.

  “Hello, Alan!” Mr. Kowalski patted Flynn's father three times on the shoulder. “Glad to see you made it safely down!”

  “But ... what are you doing here, Walter?”

  “Ah, this and that…” Mr. Kowalski shrugged. “Helping out Duncan… with his project here.”

  “Walter's being modest as usual,” said Duncan Roth, facing the group again. “I'm sure most of you know who Walter Kowalski is… We've been working on the Ark for ... how many years now, Walter?”

  “Too many! I’ve lost count.”

  “Sixteen, to be precise!” Duncan’s face was beaming now. “Walter’s been with the Ark project from the very first day… In fact, we conceived the idea together, and he’s played a key part in getting us to where we’re today… From the initial designs and blueprints… to what you see now before your eyes… I couldn't have done it without him!”

  Duncan paused to give the group a moment to digest the information. Alan Perry's eyes blinked in confusion, shifting between Duncan and Mr. Kowalski.

  “I’d never have guessed, Walter,” Flynn’s father said quietly, “that you and him were so close...” There was a hint of reproach in his voice.

  “It had to be that way, Alan,” Mr. Kowalski said with a sheepish grin. “You understand how serious ... how dangerous this is? If anyone knew about us, especially about Duncan's involvement... we had to keep everything top secret.”

  “No one knows about this project, Mr. Perry,” said Duncan earnestly. “No one, but a few trusted friends on the outside, and they'll be coming with us when we're ready! I hope you can forgive me for all the secrecy… But in order for our endeavor to succeed, I had to act the way I did.”

  Flynn tensed, unsure what reaction to expect from his father. The corner of Alan Perry's mouth twitched as he studied Duncan’s grave face.

  “Well, you certainly managed to deceive us all!” Alan Perry said. “And doing all this right under Van Zandt's nose ... I think it’s brilliant… You'll easily be forgiven, Mr. Roth!”

  Somebody began to clap, then one by one, the rest of the group joined in the applause. Duncan Roth waved his hand hastily for them to stop. “Thank you, but ... it's too early to celebrate! Let's hope that soon we’ll have a reason to do so!” He glanced over his shoulder at the open hatch then turned to Mr. Kowalski. “Where are the others, Walter?”

  “Err...inside, waiting!” Mr. Kowalski nodded at the Ark. “We thought we'd do it in small portions, you know! Didn't want anyone here to have a heart-attack… after everything they've been through today!”

  “I think they'll be fine now,” said Duncan.

  There was another exchange of puzzled looks among the group, as the man leaned over and knocked on the hull of the ship.

  At first, nothing happened. Then, a tall, dark-skinned woman jumped out from the hatch and landed on the platform… Flynn felt his blood drain from his face, his legs suddenly unsteady. He took an involuntary step back, bumping into Madison.

  “You're not going to faint on me now, are you?” The woman walked purposefully over to Flynn.

  “Ann Baxter!” Flynn struggled to find his words. “I thought… you’re dead...”

  “No! I'm not dead… and I’m not a ghost… See for yourself!” Ann Baxter gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. “Now, take a deep breath and introduce me to the young lady here… I guess she must be your girlfriend!”

  “She’s not my girlfriend,” Flynn’s voice took on a steely edge, and he felt his face grow hot.

  “My name’s Madison Ray… Nice to meet you.” Madison stepped in front of Flynn and extended her hand. “I’m just his Crew Mate.”

  “I'm Ann.” The woman squeezed Madison's hand in an iron handshake. “I used to babysit this young man when he was a kid!”

  “He’s always spoken of you with great admiration.” Madison grinned, having taken an instant liking to Ann Baxter.

  “Think I taught him everything there’s to know about free diving… Isn’t that right, Flynn?"

  But Flynn wasn’t paying any attention… After the initial shock of seeing Ann Baxter, his thoughts had turned back to Madison. His girlfriend! That’s what Ann Baxter had called her… He remembered Madison’s determined face and the fury with which she had thrown herself at Duncan up on the boat… She had been willing to kill a man twice her size, to risk her own life for Flynn… He was about to say something to Madison, but the gasps from the group made him turn around.

  “Look! They’re alive!”

  Flynn turned and saw that people were coming out of the hatch, joining those on the platform. He recognized some of the faces. More ghosts … people whose names had also been on Departure Lists over the years… who were supposed to be long dead …coming back to life before his eyes… There were tears of joy flowing freely down their cheeks, hugs and kisses ... They all seemed to be moving in slow motion now… Flynn had never been more bewildered in his entire life…

  “Come!” Ann Baxter grabbed his hand. “Let's sit down and I'll explain everything!”

  “It's all true, then? What they've been saying about you?” asked Flynn. He and Madison were now sitting on an upturned barrel at the edge of the platform, away from the cheerful crowd.

  “Yes and no,” said Ann Baxter as she moved an empty box in front of them and sat down. “Me and Duncan have bee
n together since we were… I guess your age. Best Scavenging team in town, they used to call us. There were no Trials back then… Duncan came up with this competition when he got into Government.”

  Flynn studied Ann as she leaned back against a heap of fishing nets and folded her bare, muscular arms over her chest. She hadn't changed that much, he thought. Her hair was still cropped short, but it was no longer even in color. The black had turned grey around her temples and over the crown of her head. There were wrinkles in the corner of her eyes… But she was still a very beautiful woman and just as full of energy as he remembered her to be.

  “Anyway,” Ann continued, “we were still together, when we discovered this Power Plant on one of our scavenging dives.”

  She and Duncan had found air pockets before, but nothing like this one. Sealed by six foot thick walls, it was like a concrete coffin. Some water had managed to get in through the smokestacks with the initial high Flood wave, but not enough to completely drown the solid structure. And the smokestacks served as a fresh air supply, making the submerged building perfectly livable.

  “We told them we’d seen the stain of a toxic leak down there, and the Government rushed to fence the area off… put up the warning signs… The place was made off limits for diving… No one would go near it! So it became our hiding place… And the perfect place to build the Ark!”

  “To build it?” Flynn's eyebrows rose up. “You mean you had the idea even back then?”

  “Duncan did.” Ann smiled. “He was obsessed, you see ... had this dream of Dry Land from very early on. He collected pictures, photographs ... anything he could lay his hands on. He believed it was out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered, and ...you have no idea how much he hated life on the Archipelago!” She paused for a moment before saying, “That's why he joined the Government, Flynn!”

  “He got all the way to the top, so he could ... escape?”

  “Yes, that was one of the reasons!” She leaned forward and looked Flynn straight in the eyes. “As much as he despised the Van Zandts and the system, Duncan thought it was the best way to gain access to all their resources, and the power it’d give him to get things done...” Ann took a deep breath and shook her head sadly. “It wasn't easy for him, believe me! He had to do some terrible things to keep his cover, to make his allegiance to the Government look convincing! There was a price to pay...”

  “You two had to separate…” Madison said quietly.

  Ann Baxter nodded gravely. “He went his way, I went mine… I didn't see much of him over the years, no! Not until we faked my accident and I joined him down here…”

  She looked away and fell silent. Flynn followed her gaze and saw Duncan, holding court in the middle of the crowd. Smiling, shaking hands, people slapping him on the shoulder and thanking him. Excited chatter was echoing around the hall.

  “You said,” said Flynn, turning back, “he had another reason to join the Government?”

  Ann Baxter tore her gaze away from Duncan and looked at Flynn. “Yes, he did!” she whispered, her face full of pride. “He did it, so he could save all these people you see here!”

  Flynn opened his mouth, then closed it and lowered his eyes. What could he say? He had felt such hatred for the Rottweiler… he had dreamt of killing the man…The Duncan Roth, the one Flynn thought he knew, seemed like a distant memory now… Fading fast… A world apart from the Duncan he had just met… Flynn had been left puzzled, and then astonished by him … but Flynn was feeling something different now… he had to admit he felt pure admiration for the man! Madison's hand found his and squeezed gently. She was thinking the same. Flynn looked up. Duncan Roth was walking toward them.

  “Enjoying your little reunion?” asked Duncan, placing his hand on Ann Baxter's shoulder. “You know... I've been keeping an eye on you, Flynn… Ever since Ann told me you were one of her best students!” He paused for a moment then added, “She was right, of course! And as much as I hate to break your little party here… I need my top crew members back now… We’ve got a job to do!”

  Flynn was up on his feet. Being praised by Duncan Roth made him suddenly feel extremely flustered. “Sir ... I mean… Duncan!” He couldn’t stop stammering. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Go on.”

  “What is the Ark?”

  Duncan rubbed his chin for a moment.

  “It’s a submarine,” he answered then glanced at Ann, cocking his eyebrow. “A kind of… rescue vessel.”

  “It is, indeed!” the woman said. “And it’s our only hope in getting away from the Archipelago.”

  TWENTY FIVE

  “Did you have any trouble with the final leg of our Departure Ceremony?” Marcus Van Zandt flicked the ashes of his cigar on the floor. It was ages since he had smoked his last real one. But these Algae replacements were not bad either, he thought.

  “None whatsoever,” Duncan Roth replied and sipped his coffee across the table from Van Zandt. “It all went as planned."

  “Took you longer this time! You were gone for most of the night.”

  “There was a strong current… Had to go farther out… or risk having dead bodies float back to our shores.”

  Van Zandt nodded approvingly. “Yes, that would’ve been rather unfortunate.”

  Duncan was his usual expressionless self. But there were dark circles under his eyes.

  “You look tired, my friend! Perhaps you need to rest for a day or two?"

  “I'm fine, Marcus.” Duncan put his cup down and smiled ruefully. “You know me ... I’ve got no time for rest!”

  “I know, I know...” Van Zandt got up and walked over to his favorite spot by the big window. “I'm so lucky to have you by my side! Can't think of anyone who could do what you do for us here.”

  He looked at the bay surrounding his building then at the workers, who were taking down the Departure stage, banners and decorations… Life was returning back to normal, even after all the excessive drinking. Marcus Van Zandt knew that many people were not sober and were still walking around in a daze. In a state of oblivion… And that was how he wanted them… “It was a great ceremony, don't you think?”

  “Yes, it was!” Duncan nodded.

  “We'll make it even better next year! Bigger and grander!” Van Zandt swung on his heels and looked at Duncan. “You and I, my friend!”

  “Of course, Marcus!”

  “Perhaps we can let Leo run it… Give him a chance to shine, prove himself… I think I’ve been a bit too harsh on him … The boy's been acting strangely of late…gone into hiding in the past couple of days… What do you think?”

  “I think it's a great idea.” Duncan's eyebrow twitched a little. “Leo’s a very capable young man.”

  “Yes, he is.” Van Zandt eased back into his chair. “But I'm keeping you, when I should let you go do your work.”

  “Duty calls, Marcus,” said Duncan, standing up briskly.

  “For the Greater Good, my friend!”

  Duncan Roth gave Marcus Van Zandt a nod and rushed out of the room.

  “What did your parents say?” Flynn shifted in his seat to make space for Madison.

  “They’re coming!” She crashed next to him, out of breath, having hurried all the way from her house to the docks. “It took a while to convince them to join us, you know. They thought I was making it all up, said I’d lost my mind ... almost locked me in one of the Pigeon Towers.”

  “Don't blame them.” Flynn grinned. “I still find it hard to believe…that this is happening.”

  “Me too! It hasn't sunk in yet.”

  “Well, we better get on with it.” He stepped on the pedals. “Let’s go fetch Duncan his supply of Algae.”

  “OK…” Madison said, frowning. “But can you wipe that smile off your face, please!” Madison glanced at the other rafts passing them in the canal. “You look way too happy for someone who’s just lost his dad and his best friend!”

  “Oops!” Flynn grimaced, and the expression on his face changed. T
he mask of sadness that he had been wearing all morning was back again. People were watching, he knew that… And he was expected to look a certain way…subdued, solemn, grieving… Duncan had repeated those instructions over and over, after they had left the Power Plant. The Ark wasn't finished! Duncan was hoping that with all the extra pair of hands, the vessel would be ready to sail in a week… But before that, he and his Scavenger crew had to all go back to the Archipelago and act like nothing had happened.

  Under the cover of their official Scavenger duties, they were in for an intense few days of preparation, supplying the Ark with all the provisions necessary for the long journey ahead. Secrecy was of the uttermost importance, Duncan had warned them. Easy to say, Flynn thought… He found it extremely hard to hide the excitement bubbling inside his chest. How could he pretend to be anything, but happy…

  “Flynn!”

  “What?” Madison's voice made him jump.

  “You're smiling again!” she hissed in his ear.

  “Sorry!” Flynn clenched his jaw and focused on the task of steering his raft along their usual route to the Algae Farms.

  They pedaled in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts. With Tony and his father now safe, Flynn found himself thinking about Madison, his trust in her restored…. She was back in his heart… In fact, she had stormed back, lodged herself there and would not leave… Flynn wondered if Madison felt the same way about him... He wasn’t going to let Leo cloud his thoughts…he was going to stop being so foolish and jealous. Nothing had happened between Madison and Leo, and Flynn had decided to take her word for it.

  Flynn looked at Madison with the corner of his eye and tried to steady his breathing. The night before, at the Power Plant, he had been ready to tell her how he felt about her…but never got the chance… Now, he was just going to come out and say it. He would tell her that he loved her… that she meant the world to him. Flynn took a deep breath, but Madison spoke first. …