Vladimir Todorov - Archipelago N.Y. - Flynn

“The greenhouses… the rooftop gardens I’ve heard so much about.”

“Very well.” Leo pushed the throttle and the boat lurched forward.

“Not too fast, please!”

“OK, beautiful,” said Leo, turning his boat into Seventh Avenue Canal.

They were now moving slowly enough for Madison to really look at the Upper Side. Of course, the buildings were all weather beaten, with long vertical streaks of grime running down their sides. But they all had proper glass windows. Also, she could see their original facades. The buildings were free from any shack-like extensions so typical on the Lower Side. Yes, there was the occasional add-on structure, sticking out like a giant bird’s nest, and she did notice several outdoor pulley elevators and platforms… But here, the buildings had been left untouched, their silhouettes a lot more streamlined. There were no apartment towers rising from the rooftops… One thing that the Upper Side had in common with the Lower was the suspension bridges connecting the buildings and the cable cars crisscrossing the sky above.

The Fury exited the canal, and the vast space of Central Park Bay opened up before them. Leo took a leisurely left turn into Fifty Ninth Street Canal. On their right, the entire length of the waterway was fenced off, check-points at every block or so. The traffic here was heavy and there were armed guards everywhere.

“What’s that?” asked Madison, craning her neck to get a better view over the fence. She could see a number of giant water wheels turning slowly, pumping sea water into a web of pipe installations, mounted on large floating platforms. There was a flurry of activity going on around them. Huge rafts and barges, loaded with barrels, were moving back and forth between the floating docks.

“This…,” said Leo, “…is your life support! The one thing you can’t live without!”

“Which is what?” Madison turned back to look at the fenced area they had now left behind. There was a wry smile on her face. The one thing that Madison couldn’t live without was Flynn Perry… but she wasn’t going to tell Leo that…

“It’s the Van Zandt Desalination Plant, of course!” Leo announced proudly, not realizing that Madison had stopped listening.

Madison was completely spent… physically and emotionally drained. She sat slumped on her seat as Leo’s power boat entered the Lower Side, followed by his guards. He was taking her back home after they had spent hours at the Hanging Roof Gardens. It was dark now, the sun already gone… but the lush green colors of the gardens were still swimming in front of her eyes. The apple and orange trees, the grape vines, and the rows upon rows of planted tomatoes, cucumbers and salads… the terraced rooftops of several buildings at the corner of Central Park Bay were alive with all sorts of vegetation… Hanging Gardens they called them. True to their name, they really were hanging! Huge platforms connected by strings of bridges, a web of cables and pulleys, holding everything together… the gardens were a true marvel of engineering and water irrigation… and a luxury only afforded to the Upper Side Government.

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.

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!