“I love it!” Leo was now grinning from ear to ear. “That should get Roth in plenty of trouble with my dad.”
“Sure will,” Madison laughed and moved swiftly to the back of the Seeker. “But there’s more…” She knelt down by the net full of the provisions for the Ark.
“What’s that?” Leo craned his neck, his eyes never leaving Flynn. He could see that the Perry boy had gone very pale, even with the spotlight shining on him.
Flynn wanted to scream at Madison… She was going to tell Leo about the Ark? If only he could, he would have killed her right there on the spot… But Madison was now just too far for him to stop her.
“Just proof …,” Madison began to speak very slowly and clearly, “that Duncan was … involved with… all the Black Market profiteering going on behind the Government’s back.”
Flynn’s heart stopped in his mouth… Madison had not said a word about the Ark! And then as Madison’s words began to sink in, his heart soared like a bird… It took a second for him to realize what Madison had been doing from the very start. And doing it so brilliantly…She was playing the bastard! Giving Flynn a chance to get away… to save the Ark!
“Leo, come have a look at all this stuff,” Madison called out, still crouching by the net full of salvaged provisions. Now, she was trying to distract Leo Van Zandt, make him drop his guard.
But Leo didn’t move from the spot he was standing in. “It can wait,” he said and cocked his gun. “First, Perry boy has to go for a little swim…with the sharks.” Leo snickered and fired his gun.
Flynn felt the bullet whistle past his shoulder. He doubled over from the searing pain. Blood was gushing out of a small wound where the bullet had grazed his upper arm.
“What’re you doing, Leo!” cried Madison, her eyes wide with horror. “We said no shooting!”
“Just giving the great whites a head start,” Leo laughed. “If I wanted to shoot him properly, he’d be dead by now.” Leo motioned for Flynn to step forward and come to the edge of the raft. “Get in the water, scum boy!”
Flynn obeyed without protesting… This was where he wanted to be… In the water’s cold embrace… All his life, the ocean around the Archipelago had been his playground. He was in his full element here, surer of himself and more focused than when he was on dry land… For some reason, it made him feel invincible… And that was exactly how Flynn felt now, as he jumped off the raft and into the black water… Leo would be waiting for him to resurface and suspect nothing. He didn’t know of the air pocket inside the Power Plant, and that Flynn would be making his escape. He would head down and never come up for air. First stop would be the diving bell to catch his breath… then, another descent to the opening in the wall… This was what Madison wanted him to do… But Flynn wasn’t going to do that… He couldn’t leave her behind!
Luckily for Flynn, the light from Leo’s raft made it a lot easier to navigate as he swam back up toward the two vessels. His plan was to get underneath his own raft and to locate its hidden compartment. Inside, there was a tiny breathing space...and a much better weapon than the knife Flynn had lost… His harpoon!
He found the spot right under the starboard and squeezed in, glad that he could fill his screaming lungs with air again. With no source of light, Flynn had to feel his way around until his cold fingers unfastened the stash of the emergency gear. He had to stop the flow of blood from his arm immediately, or face the possibility of making Leo’s wish come true…There were sharks in these waters, so Flynn knew he was in real danger. A strip of duct tape served as a bandage, and Flynn quickly moved on to the next task at hand. He grabbed his harpoon… The weapon had served him well in the past. Flynn was a good shot and felt confident he would be able to take Leo out… Careful not to make any noise, he swam out to the back of the Seeker.
Seconds later, Flynn heard Madison’s voice above him and strained his ears to catch what she was saying.
“Leo, there’s no need to drop mines round the Power Plant… Trust me, there’s nothing here to worry about,” said Madison…. Flynn couldn’t make out what Leo’s response was, but Madison continued talking… “And I should know, right? Duncan was using the site to just stash away some of his Black Market booty… that’s all… Let’s go back home. It’s been such a long night.”
Flynn peeked over the side and saw Leo and Madison getting ready to leave. But he also saw half a dozen speed boats closing in! He knew he had precious little time to act. He aimed the harpoon at Leo, released the safety catch and watched the spear fly through the air… It struck Leo between the shoulder blades, knocking him down to the floor of the deck.
“Quick, Madison!” Flynn shouted. “Jump!”
But Madison remained where she was… A hand had gripped her arm in an iron hold… Leo was standing beside her again… He had been wearing his bulletproof vest under his jacket and the harpoon had merely taken the wind out of him. Now, holding Madison as a shield, Leo fired his gun at Flynn… and missed… The roar of the approaching motor boats had briefly taken his attention away from his target, but it had been enough for Flynn to disappear back underwater.
Within seconds, the shooting began again in earnest… and this time Leo wasn’t alone. Flynn knew there was nothing he could do anymore. He was outnumbered and with only a harpoon to defend himself and Madison… The security guards were emptying their rifles into the water, throwing nets around the perimeter… Flynn caught one final glimpse of Madison, filled his lungs with air and dived down.
He kicked his feet, going deeper fast… But someone had followed him. The beams of powerful flashlights told him that he was not alone. The entrance to the Power Plant was there, just feet away now, when ... Flynn felt a hand grasp his foot. He swung his body around and was face to face with Leo, who was holding Flynn’s ankle with one hand ... a knife in the other. He slashed with the knife and the sharp blade met with Flynn's calf, making a deep cut. Flynn winced in pain, but held his breath and managed to grab Leo's hand, twisting it away. For a moment, the two were lost in a cloud of blood, trashing around, fighting for their lives. The torchlight illuminated Leo’s face. There was madness in his eyes as he reached for Flynn's throat. But, there was also something else which Flynn recognized immediately… Leo was about to run out of air! He was still holding on to Flynn, but he was struggling now, getting weaker. There was movement around them as a few shadows swam past Flynn. He glanced back, and saw two of Leo's guards spreading a net, ready to throw it on top of him. With one swift move, Flynn swung Leo around and kicked him hard in the face, sending him straight into the net. It closed over Leo, trapping him inside. The guards scrambled, frantically trying to untangle the net and free their boss. The last thing Flynn saw before he swam away, were Leo's eyes. They were bulging for lack of air and full of sheer terror! It was the look of a drowning man… and Flynn knew that Leo would never make it to the top alive.
"It's only a surface wound! No major blood vessels damaged! You'll live!" Ann Baxter said when she finished bandaging Flynn's leg.
Flynn groaned. Not so much from the pain, but from the terrible sense of guilt! He had let everybody down…He had let Leo sneak up on them… didn’t raise the alarm in time… and he couldn’t save Madison … He had left her behind… Flynn knew everybody was staring at him, but didn't dare look up and meet their eyes. They all stood in a circle around him. Duncan, Mr. Kowalski, his father, Tony, Pharrell, and those who had stopped work and gathered to hear the bad news… Everybody, except Madison, Flynn thought bitterly and slammed his fist against the wall.
“Flynn, stop blaming yourself,” Duncan finally spoke. Up until that moment he had been silent, a deep crease in his forehead. “You were extremely brave and did your best.”
Now all eyes were on Duncan Roth and everybody nodded… but Flynn saw how worried they looked.
“Alright!” Duncan said. "This is where we are… I was hoping for an extra day or two, but that's out of question now!”
A ripple of nervous excitement went through
the group. As his words spread, shouts of eager anticipation echoed in the great chamber hall. Duncan raised his hand.
“Our location's been compromised,” he spoke with great urgency. “You all know what you’ve got to do and you’ve rehearsed the emergency procedure. So, let's get the Ark ready for launch.”
Everybody scattered in different directions, splitting into small groups. The worried faces were suddenly full of purpose and determination. They knew where they were going and they did so with great urgency and a lot of noise. Confused, Flynn stood in the middle of the storm, not sure what to do.
“Walter,” Duncan placed his hand on Mr. Kowalski's shoulder, “please check all hatches and windows… Make sure they're all well sealed. OK?”
Mr. Kowalski nodded and hurried away.
“Flynn!” Duncan's finger beckoned him. “You're coming with me to the helm.”
“Me?” Flynn glanced around, unsure if Duncan wasn't addressing someone else. But there wasn't anyone else left, except the two of them.
“I need you to know how to work the controls, Flynn!” Duncan said as he led him up a walkway. “I need someone I can trust, in case I'm ... not here to do it!”
“But, sir...err Duncan...” Flynn swallowed hard. “Surely there’re others here, who could do this... like Mr. Kowalski, or...”
“Walter’s a genius at pretty much everything else, except ... navigation!” said Duncan, leading Flynn toward the Ark. “As for the rest of our crew, most are lacking either one skill or another, or simply can't see well enough because of their age! You're my best navigator here and you're young! So, like it or not, you'll have to be my second in command, Flynn!”
Flynn stared in amazement at the control panel in front of him. He and Duncan were standing inside the Ark’s cramped cockpit. Constructed out of an old truck cab, it looked like a hump protruding from the rounded bow of the Ark. Thick glass panels were fused into the window holes, giving the cockpit its three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view over the chamber hall. From this vantage point, Flynn could clearly see the frantic activity going on around the vessel… In a mad rush against time, support beams were being erected, anchoring the Ark to all four walls and ceiling. They would hold it against the tremendous pressure when the outer wall was blown out, and the water rushed in. Duncan had told him they were there to keep the vessel from being crushed against the ceiling. Walls blown out… Ceiling collapsing… This was going to be one hell of a launch, Flynn thought with a terrible feeling of dread in his gut.
“Now, pay attention here!” Duncan pointed at a dial on the control panel. “One of the most important instruments to keep a constant eye on is the depth gauge!”
He had already explained to Flynn what would happen to the unpressurized hull if they went too deep. The Ark could not sink below sixty feet without the risk of imploding. It all sounded unreal to Flynn. He was still having trouble accepting the idea that this massive ship could sail underwater. It was hard to believe.
“This is your sonar here,” Duncan continued, pointing at another instrument. “Your radar’s next to it. Then there is the machine section panel with the fuel gauges, lights and engine throttle...”
Duncan kept going as Flynn stared at all the amazing instruments he had never seen before. Instruments, Duncan and Mr. Kowalski had salvaged and collected painstakingly over the years. Instruments that now stood restored and fully functional in front of him!
“And finally...,” Duncan said, “...your radio! Once we get closer to Dry Land, we'll try to pick up a signal. That’s if they’re still broadcasting any…"
He was interrupted by voices echoing inside the Ark’s belly. Shouting could be heard on deck and the banging of hatches being closed. Footsteps rattled the metal staircase leading up to the cockpit, and Mr. Kowalski's head popped round the door.
“I think we're ready, Duncan!” He wiped the beads of sweat from his blackened forehead.
“Everybody inside?” Duncan looked out of the windows of the cockpit.
“They’re all in and strapped to their seats!” Mr. Kowalski nodded as he squeezed himself inside next to Flynn. “It's a bit packed down there, but space is tight, you know.”
“OK, Walter, grab a seat …” Duncan glanced at his watch. “We detonate the cluster bombs in five minutes!”
“Come on, Flynn.” Mr. Kowalski plopped himself on the long car seat bolted to the floor and tapped the space next to him.
Flynn's heart was racing… It was happening now! For real! He felt dizzy as he ran the frayed seatbelt across his chest and buckled up. Duncan, still standing, checked his watch again and picked up a large remote control. Legs apart, firmly planted on the floor, he braced himself for the blast. Then he pressed the single red button on the remote!
Flynn shut his eyes and held his breath. He counted the seconds. One, two, three.... Nothing! Then... a loud bang near his head made him jump with a start. He opened his eyes. No, that wasn't an explosion! It was Duncan. He had just smashed his fist on the dashboard! Flynn saw the look of anger and despair in his eyes… The Ark wasn’t going anywhere…
TWENTY SEVEN
“Let me do it, Duncan!” Mr. Kowalski moved away from the window and looked back at Duncan. “I know exactly where the charge is! I was there when we rigged the place. Besides ... I'm too old to make this journey, really… I'm better off staying back here ...”
Duncan shook his head. “I can't let you go, Walter! You know the Ark inside out, all the systems ... everything! There's no one to replace you on board!"
“Duncan!”
“No!”
Flynn's eyes shifted between the two. He had followed their argument for the past minute or so, after the explosive charge hadn’t gone off as planned… It had malfunctioned, and now it had to be detonated by hand… Someone had to go out of the Ark and do it manually. But that someone, even if he survived the blast, would never be able to get back inside the ship… It was going to be a suicide mission! Flynn’s mind was racing as he considered what was at stake… He knew he had to do something… He had failed so many people that night. He couldn’t even get Madison down to safety… and that weighed heaviest on his heart. The guilt, the anger, and the thought that he would never see her again made Flynn suddenly jump to his feet… Madison had been so selfless in her actions, and now it would be his turn. “I'll go!” cried Flynn.
Both Duncan and Mr. Kowalski turned and stared at him for a long moment.
“Great! Another one who wants to be a hero, here!” Duncan finally spoke. “I don't need sacrifices ... I need people to sail the Ark away! I need people to find Dry Land!” He paused for a moment and looked them both in the eye. “You two are these people! Flynn... Sit yourself behind the steering column!”
“But…”
“Don't argue!” Duncan took his belt and harness off as he was speaking, “You are now the captain of this ship! All these people at the back are your responsibility! Your father, Tony, Ann and the rest are counting on you… Walter will help you with everything else!” Duncan took out the map of Dry Land from his bag and slapped it on the dashboard. “You know what to do! Stay in your seats and brace yourselves… The blast will come in no more than a minute!” he told them, stepping towards the door.
“But, Duncan...” Flynn cried, “it's your ship, you can't just...”
“It's yours now, Flynn!” Duncan smiled wryly. “Someone’s got to start building another one, don't you think?” He winked at Flynn, and before anyone could speak, the man was gone.
The blast came shortly after Duncan had left the cockpit… A number of tremendously loud detonations shook the whole structure, and then a wall of water rushed in and slammed into the Ark. The vessel shuddered violently as it began to free itself from the braces holding it to the walls and ceiling… For a moment, all Flynn could see was the swirl of white foam engulfing the cockpit… Then the lights in the cavernous hall went out, the water shorting the circuits.
“What happens now?” Flynn sho
uted over the roaring noise.
“We wait!” Mr. Kowalski's voice came from the darkness.
The Ark began to creak and moan from the rising water pressure. They heard a loud bang as something heavy crashed against the hull. It was followed by another crashing sound, and then another… They were being hit by hundreds of pieces of debris… Loose parts of broken rafts, barrels, scaffolding… everything that had not been cleared away in time was now whirling around and slamming violently against the ship. Flynn jumped in his seat as another thunderous jolt shook the ship… something else had broken away…The Ark trembled and began to list to one side.
“Ouch!” Mr. Kowalski grunted, but his face remained composed. “There goes the support pole!” he said to Flynn.
There were more cracking sounds as one by one the support beams snapped. Suddenly, the Ark was free and the water carried her up like a leaf. She began to spin around at dizzying speed… Any moment now, and they were going to get smashed against the ceiling! Flynn dug his nails into the seat, bracing for the impact. But instead of being crushed, the Ark slowed abruptly her spin, then bumped gently against the domed roof and began to slowly float back down.
“What happened? I thought...” Flynn whispered hoarsely in the darkness of the cockpit.
“We got lucky! The water hit the ceiling first, equalizing the pressure!” said Mr. Kowalski, his voice full of relief. “We made it through the blast stage, Flynn!”
Shouts came from the deck below them. There was a water leak. A small one, but they could not remain under water for too long. They had to hurry out!
"OK, OK, OK!" Mr. Kowalski was off his seat and working the controls with a manic look on his face, trying desperately to start the engines.
After a few failed attempts, they finally came to life with a sputter. “Go, go, go!” Mr. Kowalski screamed at the panel and crossed himself three times.
The sudden reassuring roar of the engines made the old man fall to his knees in silent prayer. Power was up. The headlights flickered and the beams shot through the murky water, illuminating hundreds of pieces of junk floating around them. “She's all yours now, Flynn!” Mr. Kowalski grinned and moved aside. “Go easy on the throttle!”
Archipelago N.Y.: Flynn Page 23