Vladimir Todorov - Archipelago N.Y. - Flynn

“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.”

“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 been 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.