“It’s not that simple… First, you’ve got to complete the challenge task… Fail that, and you are out.”
“There’s no way you’re going to fail… You’re brilliant at scavenging.”
“Wait, there’s more to this,” Flynn said and put the straw back into Madison’s mouth. “Those who make it through the challenge have to race to the finish line. The first three teams to get there earn a Duncan’s Gold.”
“Duncan’s Gold? What’s that?”
“It’s the gold badge Duncan Roth gives to all the winners. It means they can then scav for the good stuff, like canned food, drinks, medicine… the things you’ve seen me bring up… They’re allowed to work in small groups, sometimes with just their own Crew Mate… And they get to live on the Upper Side! It’s a great privilege, you know… Life gets really good once you’re there.”
“And the others?”
“Those who end up at the bottom stay on the Lower Side and join the big Industrial Scavenging crews, lifting up the heavy stuff… Vehicles, parts of buildings… and that’s kind of boring, really,” replied Flynn and looked around. “Like these guys over there… C’mon, I’ll show you.” Flynn sat behind the pedals and steered his raft toward a platform, anchored a few hundred feet away.
The platform was huge and made of large pieces of salvaged pontoons, tied with ropes and held afloat by dozens of empty oil drums. All of its four sides were buffered with old tires. When the Seeker got closer, Madison noticed the big square hole that had been cut in the middle of the platform. Four rusty lamp posts were erected above the hole. Joined at the top, they formed the skeleton of a hoisting frame. A thick cable ran from the hole up, through hooks at the very top of the contraption, coiling around a massive wheel at one end of the platform. It served as a primitive pulley mechanism.
There was a flurry of activity going on the platform and all around its perimeter. Divers were getting out of the water and hopping onto the smaller rafts, which flanked the platform. Shouting at the top of their lungs, a large group of men had gathered around the hoist wheel. They all grabbed hold of its handles and working together, they began to turn it.
Madison could now see their muscles bulging under the weight of whatever was attached to the end of the cable. “What are they doing?” she asked.
“They’re pulling something heavy out of the water… My guess it’s a truck… or a bus,” Flynn replied. “The divers have found it, cleared the debris and attached it to the cables… These guys are bringing it up to the surface.”
The men were grunting now, their bodies covered in sweat. The wheel was turning slowly, the cable coiling around it. Suddenly, the nose of a van emerged from the hole. The crew hoisted the vehicle until its whole body, covered in barnacles and seaweed, was swinging from the frame above their heads. Water and silt were pouring out of its broken windows. Once the van was secured safely to the frame, two motor boats started tugging the platform towards the nearest harbor.
“That’s the kind of scavenging job I don’t want to end up doing!” Flynn said quietly, watching the whole procession disappear into the distance.
“I can see why,” Madison nodded in agreement.
“Here comes another one.”
Flynn pointed at a large raft approaching the Lower Side from the east. It carried a rusty section of a big airplane fuselage. He knew they were still exploiting one of the sunken airports, but this kind of cargo was a rare sight. Most planes had already been scavenged, their engines, seats, cockpits, miles of wires and cables pulled out and used for something else on the Archipelago. “Let’s go back now,” he said. “Get us some rest before the big day tomorrow.”
Flynn pressed on the pedals, turned the raft around… and froze in his tracks! His eyes had met the steely stare of none other than the man everyone called the Rottweiler. This was Duncan Roth, the high-ranking Government official who commanded the Scavenging operations on the Archipelago with an iron fist. But more importantly, he was the man in charge of the Scavenging Trials. Everybody knew that Duncan Roth had been the best free diver in town. His record for staying under water without oxygen was unbeaten to this day. And he had gone up through the ranks of the Free Scavenger Crews, rising quickly to his present lofty position. No one from the Lower Side had ever done this, gone that far and achieved so much. And for this very reason, Duncan Roth was hated and feared by many on the Lower Side… He wasn’t one of theirs anymore… According to Flynn’s father, Roth had betrayed them all by switching sides. “He’s a traitor,” Alan Perry would say… But Flynn didn’t think so… Duncan Roth represented something that Flynn wanted out of life… He wanted to follow in his footsteps… Just like Duncan Roth, Flynn was going to get to the top too… and he was going to make a name of himself.
Now, the man who ran the Scavenger Trials was standing in a speed boat, only a few feet away from Flynn’s raft. His muscled arms were folded over his chest, his weather-beaten face completely expressionless. Unblinking gray eyes were staring right back at Flynn. Looking at those eyes, Flynn was suddenly convinced that Duncan Roth knew everything about him… about all his illegal scavenging, his trips to the Black Market… and, worst of all, the Rottweiler knew about his two encounters with Leo Van Zandt. Of course, Leo had broken their deal and told Duncan Roth about finding the Seeker outside the permitted Zone, thought Flynn… How could he have been so stupid to think that someone like Leo would keep to his word? Tony had been right, warning him to be on the lookout for trouble… Was the Rottweiler about to accuse him of breaking the law? Was he going to banish Flynn from the Trials? Flynn would have to keep his mouth shut and not argue back… Being cocky with Leo was one thing… to disrespect this man would be another story… “For the Greater Good, sir,” Flynn said, swallowing hard and feeling his blood run cold.
Duncan Roth didn’t even acknowledge the greeting. He just kept staring at Flynn, saying nothing. Flynn slowly pressed on the pedals and started to move away. No sound came from behind, no movement in the water. Flynn increased his speed and threw a quick glance back. Duncan Roth was still there, looking at him… Flynn kept pedaling. After a while, when he was sure he wasn’t being followed, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“What was that about?” Madison finally asked.
“I don’t know,” said Flynn, trying hard to sound upbeat. “Guess the Rottweiler’s just keeping an eye on the teams, that’s all.” But deep down, he was sure there was more to this encounter… and that there would be trouble ahead.
Flynn dropped Madison off at the basement docks of her building and left without stopping to chat. She watched his raft exit through the gap in the wall, then turned and headed for the dimly lit stairs. Madison had only climbed a few steps, when a figure appeared out of the shadows. It was Leo Van Zandt, standing on the landing above, with a sinister smile on his face.
“Hello Madison!” Leo drawled as he came down toward her. “What’s wrong, beautiful? Aren’t you happy to see me?”
Madison took a step back. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Leo’s motor boat, full of his guards, entering the basement. When she turned round, Leo was standing right next to her.
“Now, Miss Ray,” he said, casually placing his hand around her shoulder, “will you be a good girl and follow me? I believe, I invited you to dinner… and tonight’s the big night.”
He took a step down, but Madison didn’t move. “Sorry!” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “The Trials are tomorrow… I’ve got to rest.”