Archipelago N.Y.: Flynn

  “Do you think it’s for real?” she asked, bringing her face close to his.

  “Huh?” Flynn was startled by her question, not sure of what to say… Had she just read his mind?

  “The map Duncan showed us last night? Do you think there’s really such a place?”

  “Oh… the map!” said Flynn, tying to hide his disappointment. “After everything we've been through ... I can't see why he'd lie about it!”

  Duncan had shown them “proof of Dry Land”, as he called it. A tattered map with the exact coordinates of the nearest Dry Land to the West of the Archipelago. It appeared to be a long way out, but it was there! The map was hand-drawn on parchment paper and extremely detailed. And the story behind it was even more astonishing…

  During the initial years after the Flood, Duncan had said, small groups of survivors on rafts and boats had drifted in, seeking refuge on the Archipelago. All had come from smaller flooded cities in the surrounding area. And all had been infected, carrying the deadly Flood Virus. They had been fought off and either killed, or scared away by the Archipelago survivors who were protecting their turf. Both the Upper and the Lower Side had been placed under quarantine. Over time, less and less drifters kept coming, until they had completely stopped… For years no one had shown up, until one night, two Watchmen had spotted a group of sail boats approaching the Archipelago’s shores. It had quickly become clear that these people were not "savages" or "pirates" like all the others before them… And they were healthy, without a trace of the Virus. They claimed to be “emissaries”, coming from Dry Land, seeking survivors in the drowned cities to the east. They had carried maps and logs to prove that what they claimed was true. Marcus Van Zandt and Duncan were the only two people who heard their story and saw what they had brought. But after interrogating them for days, Marcus Van Zandt had sensed trouble. The idea of Dry Land had been dismissed after years of scouting the nearby mountain ridges left above water. Many of the scouts had never returned. Those who had made it back were infected with the Virus. The search for Dry Land was abandoned, all hope lost and the idea of an existing healthy Dry Land had become a myth and mostly forgotten. Any proof of its existence would now mean that the people of the Archipelago could leave. And such freedom would spell the end to the Van Zandt dynasty. They couldn’t simply chase these “emissaries” away like the drifters before them! They had to make the “emissaries” disappear, without the chance of them ever coming back. The same applied to all the evidence of Dry Land. It had to be destroyed! Duncan had been entrusted with the grim task of disposing of these “subversive elements” and covering up any traces of their existence. He had carried out his orders without a hint of opposition…but he made sure the emissaries’ deaths were merciful and swift. And instead of destroying their maps, he had secretly stashed them away.

  “I wonder why Duncan wants to keep all of this a secret,” Madison said. “Why not reveal the truth… Everybody will follow him out of here…”

  “Because there’ll be terrible bloodshed! Van Zandt and his people won't give up all they’ve got without a fight.” Flynn paused, remembering something else. “And ... like Duncan said, we can't risk the lives of so many, until we're absolutely sure Dry Land exists! We’ve got to find it first then come back and let everybody know...”

  Flynn slowed down the raft as they approached the Algae Farm platforms on the West side of Midtown Bay. He went past the three huge Floating Towers, flanking the Ethanol processing plant. Pharrell and Clay were to collect a bunch of barrels full of algae fuel and take them back to the Ark. He and Madison had to get the raw algae. They were by the Harvesting docking area now, and the place was buzzing with life. At mid morning, all the farm workers from the Lower Side were there. They were busy harvesting the raw algae crop from the huge floating fields, loading it on barges to be carried away and processed.

  “Which dock did Duncan say it was?” Flynn squinted, dazzled by the swathes of sparkling bright green algae.

  “Seven ... It’s right over there!” Madison pointed at the number stenciled on a pontoon, a few yards to the left from where their raft had stopped.

  Flynn glanced around. Nobody was paying any attention to them. He pulled his goggles down over his eyes and slipped into the water. The two big nets, packed full with algae, were swaying under Platform #7, hidden and waiting for him, just like Duncan had said… Flynn unfastened the nets and swam back to his raft, hauling them underneath its platform. He secured the cargo with ropes to a row of hooks and cleats, making sure they remained out of view. It took less than a couple of minutes to complete the task.

  “There!” Flynn said as he hopped back on the seat, dripping water all over it. “Let's go!”

  “I still don't understand,” Madison said as they took off, “the Algae fuel is for The Ark’s engine, I get that ... But what’s all this raw algae for?”

  “We’ll find out soon enough, I guess,” said Flynn, trying hard not to smile again.

  “Gotcha!” Leo Van Zandt lowered his binoculars, rubbed his bloodshot eyes and glued them back to the powerful viewfinder. He had spotted the Perry boy and Madison doing something around the Power Plant again. And the other two boys, Pharrell and Clay, kept coming and going… Something was obviously being ferried out there, that much Leo could see. But what was it? And where did it go? Flynn Perry had been busy in the water around his raft, and now Leo watched him disappear altogether. He was on one of his dives, and with him gone, Leo’s attention turned to Madison… She stood alone at the edge of the raft then slowly turned her face and stared in his direction, as if she knew he was watching her. Leo burst out laughing and shook his head… But of course she knew he was watching… He told her he would be!

  “Let's see your face, beautiful.” Leo adjusted his lens and zoomed in on Madison. Yes, she was looking at him. Not a friendly look! A glare! And now she was looking away at something else. Leo quickly refocused his vision and caught sight of Perry back on the raft. He watched as Madison gave the boy a hug. Leo was so angry that he fumbled with his viewfinder and completely lost focus on the two. What the hell was she playing at? It suddenly occurred to him that Madison was simply doing her job… Doing what she had promised him from the start… She would string the Perry boy along, so that Leo could catch him out and finally get his revenge on the cocky bastard.

  When Leo found them again in his viewfinder, Madison was in the water with Perry. He watched them disappear beneath the surface. He waited a few minutes, focusing his lenses on the spot where he had last seen them. But they never resurfaced…These two had not gone for a casual swim. This was a proper deep dive! Again, Leo wondered what all this action round the Power Plant was all about… He grunted in frustration and spat in the water. He was done waiting, lurking in the distance! He had seen enough, and it was time for Madison to stop playing her role. The time to act was now!

  “I need a raft!” he yelled as he threw his binoculars on the seat of his boat. “I need to get closer, without them hearing me.” He glared at his posse of friends who sat behind him, then at the guards in the boat next to his. With their engines turned off and a safe distance away from the smokestacks, they had all been waiting quietly for him to finish his little reconnaissance mission.

  “Get me a good raft, Simmons!” Leo turned to one of his guards. “A fast and quiet one, alright! As soon as possible!”

  “Err ... you want us to build you one, sir,” said the guard, “...or to confiscate a raft from the Lower Side?”

  “I don't care, you moron!” Leo yelled and smashed his fist on the dashboard. “Just get me the bloody thing!”

  He turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared. Leo pushed on the throttle. His posse cheered as the powerboat jumped forward and sped off in the direction of the Upper Side.

  “Come! Let me show you, amigos.”

  Tony Romero led Flynn and Madison down the narrow walkways surrounding the Ark. There was a flurry of activity all over the vessel. The newly arr
ived group had joined forces with the existing crew, working around the clock to finish the Ark and get her ready to sail as soon as possible. Like ants, they crawled up and down the scaffolding, laying down panels of salvaged metal over the hull and welding them together. Mr. Kowalski ran around from one group to the next, supervising the progress, making adjustments, testing the electrical systems and fitting all mechanical parts.

  “There!” Tony pointed at the Ark.

  The entire length of her starboard was covered in a thick layer of raw algae. The mixture had quickly dried up, turning from bright green to brownish gray, fusing the grooves and gaps between the panels like cement. Flynn's father was with a group of people who were hanging from harnesses and working their way across the other side of the hull. Their job was to apply more of the fresh algae to the remaining bare parts of the hull.

  “So, that's what it's for, then!” Flynn exclaimed. “All that algae we'd been lugging here!”

  “Yes,” said Tony, “it's like natural glue! Duncan calls it green mortar, whatever that is ... it’ll seal the Ark, make her waterproof for when she goes under.”

  “We'll be sailing underwater?” Madison's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What kind of ship is this?”

  “Mr. Kowalski calls it a submarine! Says it can go both above and below the surface of the water. Beats me if you ask!” Tony shrugged.

  “I’ve seen submarines from the Olden Days!” Flynn stared at the Ark with renewed interest. “Only in pictures, though. Never for real…And those big fans at the back ... what are they for?”

  “Propellers! Old industrial fans Mr. Kowalski had modified and connected to the engine,” Tony explained. “Honestly Flynn, you should see the engine room and all the stuff inside! It's amazing, amigo!”

  “So, we'll be powered, then! No more pedaling, eh!”

  “Only for as long as the algae ethanol lasts!” Tony said. “No one really knows how far we’ll have to go!” He went on to describe the intricate system of ropes, pulleys and gears Mr. Kowalski and Duncan had designed as an alternative, man-powered mechanism for when they ran out of fuel. A simple switch shifted the propeller gears from the engine to the three rows of pedal benches that could seat up to fifty people at a time.

  “So, sooner or later we'll all have to pedal, I'm afraid.” Tony smiled.

  “Knew it was too good to be true,” Flynn grinned back at his friend then glanced around the solid dome above their heads. “This is all great, but...how’re we going the get out of here when she’s all ready to sail?”

  “Duncan hasn’t told anyone yet,” Tony replied. “I guess we’ll just have to trust him… trust that he knows what he’s doing.”

  TWENTY SIX

  “What is it?” Madison whispered in alarm. Flynn had stopped pedaling, and was now straining his eyes at the darkness behind them, his body tense. Flickering in the distance, the Archipelago lights were their only source of light.

  “Thought I heard something!” Flynn said, looking back, trying to see in the darkness. “Sounded like a splash...”

  “Probably a seal, or a dolphin,” Madison said. “What else could be out here at this hour?”

  “I don't know. It sounded more like...” Flynn stopped talking and waited a moment. It was dead quiet, not a single sound could be heard, except for the water lapping against the sides of the Seeker. “You're right! It's nothing.” He slid back on his seat and started pedaling again. “Maybe I'm just tired!”

  Flynn wasn’t just tired! He was exhausted! He could barely keep his eyes open. He and Madison had hardly gotten any sleep for over a week now… A few hours here and there, stolen in between jobs. That was all. Flynn had never before performed so many dives in such a small period of time…. He felt drained! But all this work had to be done, no question about it. It was down to him and Madison, together with Pharrell and Clay to gather and supply the Ark with all the essentials for the trip. Duncan had given them a list with what was needed, and they had gone out searching. They had scavenged for vacuum packed medication, bottled water and canned food, tools of any kind, big and small, light bulbs, rechargeable batteries ... the list went on and on! They had to dive for all that, and ferry it to the Ark’s cargo hold. Flynn had lost count of how many trips they had made back and forth between the Archipelago and the Power Plant. It didn't matter. The Ark depended on him! And he wasn't alone. Everyone involved had been working around the clock to finish the ship. A few more days, Flynn thought, and they'd be ready to sail. He could see the black shadows of the smokestacks now and steered the raft toward the chain-link fence.

  “I don't think I’ve got the strength to go down tonight!” Madison said as they glided toward the fence. She was half lying on the seat next to Flynn.

  “Me too… I'm spent!” He yawned. “Let's dump the cargo and go get some sleep.” Flynn got up, dragged his feet to the back of the raft and crouched down to untie the net holding his “catch of the day”. It consisted of a large load of canned food, a collection of tools and copper wires, which had been scavenged from three different locations. He was fighting with the knot, when he heard something and froze… The splashing sound again! Loud and clear this time, very rhythmical and coming closer… No, that wasn't a seal, or a dolphin, or any other sea creature. Flynn knew what that sound was. A pedal-propelled raft! And they weren’t expecting any company, because Duncan and the rest of the gang were down below, working on the Ark.

  Suddenly, the beam of powerful floodlights was upon them! Blinded, Flynn shielded his eyes and staggered back. Madison was up on her feet and by his side in an instant. Their raft was now a brightly lit stage, with the four smokestacks as its sinister backdrop. Instinctively, Flynn's hand reached for his diving knife.

  “Stay where you are, Perry boy!” Leo Van Zandt's voice rang out from behind the strong light. “Or I'll shoot you right there on the spot!”

  Flynn let his hand fall and squinted. He could just about make out where Leo was standing and saw a pistol flash in his hand. The Van Zandt raft was now only a few feet away from them. Flynn did his best to scan the deck. It appeared empty, and that Leo had come alone. They still had a chance, he thought.

  “Throw your knife in the water Perry boy,” Leo ordered. “Now!”

  “You can't touch us,” Flynn said, trying to keep his voice steady. “We’re Free Scavengers. Duncan Roth is our boss, and we only answer to him and your father.”

  “Hah! You're nothing, Perry!” Leo sneered. “You’re a criminal, that's what you are! Do you honestly believe you’re so valuable to us? That I’ll get in trouble with my dad for killing lowlife scum like you?” He paused for a moment and pointed the gun at Flynn. “No, I won't hesitate to shoot you! Your boss isn’t here to help you, now is he?”

  Flynn and Madison stood frozen in the middle of their raft, staring back at Leo.

  “But before I get rid of you Perry boy...” Leo drawled, “you'll tell me exactly what’s so special about these waters here.” He waited for an answer, but none came. “I’ve watched you come and go all week long… So there’s got to be something down there.”

  “There’s nothing… just random scavenging stuff,” Flynn lied.

  “Really? ... In that case, you won’t mind if my men drop some mines round here, would you?” Leo asked, pointing to the lights that had suddenly appeared in the distance. Motor boats! They were moving fast, heading towards the Power Plant.

  Flynn clenched his fists and tried not to blink or say anything that might give away the terror he felt. It wasn’t just his and Madison’s lives that were in danger now. If Leo was going to mine the waters all around the Power Plant, then the Ark would never be able to sail away.

  “Start talking,” Leo exploded, “or I'm going to count to three and put a bullet through your brain.”

  Leo’s raft had now drifted almost against the Seeker, and the two vessels were only inches apart. What were his chances if he were to jump the bastard, Flynn wondered.

  “One…” L
eo had begun his countdown.

  Flynn tensed his muscles. His mind was racing. He had to do something and the best he could think of was for Madison and him to try and dive into the water before getting shot. Madison squeezed his hand hard, as if she had read his mind.

  “We’ve got to warn everybody,” Flynn whispered and she held on to his arm even tighter. “They’ve got to launch the Ark before it’s too late.”

  “I know!” she whispered back. “But my parents… I can't leave them behind, Flynn!” She turned to face him, and he saw the tears running down her cheeks. She quickly wiped her eyes dry and stepped away from him.

  “Two!” Leo drawled.

  Madison took a deep breath and shouted, “Leo, wait! I’ve got a better idea.”

  Leo Van Zandt lowered his gun a fraction.

  “There’s no need to shoot him,” Madison said as she moved farther away from Flynn. “We leave him here in the water, take his raft back, and he’ll be dead by tomorrow… Drowned or eaten by sharks.”

  A sly smile spread over Leo’s face. He saw how Madison’s words had taken the Perry boy completely by surprise… “Great idea, beautiful! A slow and horrible death,” Leo said and aimed his gun back on Flynn. “Shooting him would be way too easy.”

  Flynn felt as if someone had punched him straight in the face. He glared at Madison and couldn’t believe what he was hearing… In fact, he had stopped listening altogether. What was she doing?

  “When they ask, I’ll say it was a diving accident,” Madison spoke quickly. “… And if you want, I can also blame Duncan Roth for Flynn’s death… I’ll tell your father how Duncan didn’t give us any proper instructions… How he sent us on all these dangerous late-night dives, in toxic waters with faulty equipment… that I nearly died too…”