Vladimir Todorov - Archipelago N.Y. - Flynn

The door opened just a crack and a guard’s head appeared. “May I, sir?”

“Come in, Hopper.”

The guard pushed the door open and stepped in, dragging a boy behind him.

Flynn Perry stumbled, then found his footing and straightened up. It took him a second to scan his surroundings. He was standing in a huge room, smelling of leather and coffee, with big glass windows and an oak desk… Behind the desk sat his new boss, the man everyone called the Rottweiler.

“Found ’im lurking round this floor, sir!” said the guard, wiping the sweat off his brow. “Says he wants to speak with you! I was gonna get ’im arrested, but he showed me the badge… and I figured he mus’ be one of yours, so ‘ere we are.”

“Well done, Hopper. You can step outside.” Duncan Roth waited for the guard to leave then turned his cold, gray eyes on Flynn. “How did you get up here unannounced, Perry?” he finally asked.

Flynn tried to hold the Rottweiler’s stare. “Climbed the outside scaffolds, and then scaled the elevator shaft…,” he said.

“You think you’re good at finding your way around places, don’t you?” Duncan Roth arched an eyebrow.

“I am, sir!”

Duncan Roth studied Flynn’s face. “This is the last time you’ll ever break protocol!” he finally said. “Try to be smart with me again, I’ll strip you of all your privileges and send you to the Waste Crews! Is that clear?”

Flynn nodded.

“Now, why are you here?”

“It’s about Tony Romero, sir, my partner… He’s on the Departure List.”

“I’m aware of that!” said Duncan Roth, his face blank. “And so is your father, I believe.”

“But, there must be some mistake, sir! Tony’s still young, my age… that’s never happened before! Usually…”

“We don’t make mistakes, Perry! You know that!”

“But…”

“Romero’s sick and therefore unable to contribute to the community,” the Rottweiler said, studying his nails. “He’s on the List for the greater good of our city! It’s the law of the land.”

“Sir, we just won the Trials together! Surely, you can do something…”

“The matter’s closed! Don’t make it worse for yourself!” Duncan Roth paused for a second, pointing his finger at Flynn. “There’s someone here in this building… someone very powerful… who’ll be glad to see you join your father and your friend! Is that what you want?”

Flynn stared at Duncan Roth and clenched his fists. He knew that this someone was Leo Van Zandt.

“I strongly suggest,” the man said slowly, “that you forget about your father and Romero and concentrate on your career, young man! You’ve got a bright future ahead of you. And I expect you to be ready for work assignments as of tomorrow…. I’ve already selected a Crew Mate to replace your friend.”

Flynn took a deep breath… He wanted to scream at Duncan Roth.

“You can go now, Perry. Our little discussion is over!”

Flynn hung his head. He felt like an idiot! What was he thinking, really? That winning first place in the Trials made him special? That it gave him the right to demand favors, or that they would make an exception and bend the rules for him? Did he expect someone like the Rottweiler to change his mind? His father was right about the man after all… he really was the biggest bastard in town! Flynn had no doubt about it now… Duncan Roth had no heart, and Flynn was a complete fool to think he would spare Tony, or anybody else for that matter… Slowly, Flynn turned and opened the door. The guard was waiting for him.

“Take the boy back downstairs, Hopper… And make sure he uses the front door this time.”

Flynn heard Duncan laugh as the guard’s hand grabbed him by the collar and threw him out of the room.

The Midtown Bay’s Scavenging Station shimmered in the distance ahead. Its cargo hold was made of a rusting railway transfer bridge, kept afloat by dozens of barrels and tires, encircled by large floating pontoon docks. This was where the “newbie” Free Scavengers were supposed to gather and get their first instructions and assignments from their boss, Duncan Roth. Flynn slowed down the Seeker and let it glide slowly toward the nearest dock.

Pharrell and Clay were already there, their raft moored to the Station’s docking platform. Flynn was immediately struck by how quiet the two boys were. Always full of laughs and loud chatter, they were now sitting in silence. Pharrell turned to look at Flynn. “You alone?” the boy asked, puzzled.

“They took Tony,” Flynn said as he tied his raft next to theirs. “And my father!”

Pharrell nodded. He then looked away, his red-rimmed eyes wandering absently over the horizon. Flynn studied him for a moment, frowning, trying to figure out what was wrong with Pharrell… And then it hit him… The boy had lost someone close, someone who had been on the List, just like Flynn’s father.

“Who did they take?” Flynn asked quietly.

“Both my parents,” replied Pharrell, his face full of pain and misery now. “I was kind’a ready for my old man, but my mom… that came out of nowhere…”

“Were you there… when they came for them?”

“Yeah, man. Dad held it together, but my mom… she took it pretty bad, cryin’ an’ all that!”

“I wasn’t there for my dad,” said Flynn.

“That must’ve been rough, bro…”

“Yeah, real rough,” Flynn said and turned to Pharrell’s buddy. “Your family OK, Clay?”

“Mine’s safe!” Clay mumbled. “For now…”

Flynn sank into his seat and closed his eyes. He felt bad for Pharrell. The fact that he wasn’t alone in his loss didn’t make it less painful, though… In the course of only two days, Flynn had gone from the highest to the lowest point in his life… Winning and losing! But Flynn wasn’t prepared to lose! Not like that, not without a fight!

“Where’s the girl?” Pharrell’s voice brought him back to the present. “Wasn’t she your back-up Crew Mate?”

“Not anymore… Don’t need her!”

“You kiddin’?” Pharrell raised an eyebrow. “Duncan won’t let ya work without a Crew Mate, ya know…”

“The hell with work,” Flynn snapped, “…and Duncan Roth!”

Pharrell cocked his head. “What’s on your mind, bro? Fed up with life on the Upper Side already?”

“No, but if I don’t do something soon, my life will mean nothing!” Flynn jumped from his seat and hopped onto Pharrell’s raft. There was a new urgency in his voice. “I can’t just let them kill Tony and my dad, can I? You can’t let your parents go away… We’ve got to do something, Pharrell.”

The boy just stared at Flynn, stunned by his words.

“C’mon, we can come up with something… get them out of there…”

“They’re gone, man, they’re gone!” said Pharrell, shaking his head. “Give it up!”

“Give it up?” Flynn cried angrily. “You’re going to sit and watch you folks die, just like that? I never took you for a coward Pharrell…” He was now stabbing his finger in Pharrell’s face.

“I’m no coward!” Pharrell sprang from his seat. “But I ain’t stupid, either! I know the rules here, and I plan to stay alive for as long as I can! Get it?”

“Yeah, I get it!” shouted Flynn, glaring at him. “I’m stupid ‘cause I don’t want to accept their rules… and to keep my mouth shut…”

“You’ve lost your mind Perry boy! Quit with this reckless bullshit talk before you get us all into trouble.”

“Yeah? And live like a coward for the rest of my life!”

“Watch it!” Pharrell growled, pushing Flynn hard in the chest.

Flynn stumbled back, found his footing quickly and saw that Pharrell was now pointing a diving knife, inches away from his face. As the blade slashed sideways through the air, Flynn caught Pharrell by the wrist and drew his own knife… But before Flynn could strike, Pharrell had grabbed his wrist, too. Now, with their hands locked and arm muscles bulging, the two began to move around in circles.