“This gargantuan structure you see behind you,” Morgan continued, “in a matter of months, will be the most resplendent mode of transportation ever designed! She is the largest, the strongest, the fastest, and the most luxurious in the history of the world, and on the very oceans upon which she shall sail! Why, even the foghorn is the loudest of all time! And I say again that she is quite unsinkable, I assure you!”
Cooper was impressed with the show, but his knowledge of history made him whisper to Jamal, “Sounds like Morgan is the loudest foghorn of all time if you ask me. Pride definitely goeth before his unsinkable fall.”
The announcement having been made, it was now time for the official press conference. Reporters gathered around Morgan and began firing the usual questions, about Titanic’s size, weight, cost, speed, and so on.
“This is our chance,” Cooper stressed encouragingly to the others, “We just need to make sure to ask about the design flaws. We’ll save over fifteen hundred lives!” The others nodded their heads in agreement—this had to be done.
But so much for their plans…despite his athletic build and buoyant personality, Cooper just wasn’t big enough for his raised hand to be seen in the growing crowd. So the rest of the Trackers began making their way through and around the crowd, hoping to get to the front. All the while, questions continued being asked by the press and answered by Mr. Morgan.
Simon got to the front first and gingerly held up his hand. Chelsea was next, and though she was nervous, too, she also raised her hand. Finally, Cooper emerged through the crowd. His hand was high in the air, and it was flailing while the rest of his body was jumping up and down.
“Ooh! Ooh!” he yelled, “Call on me! Me, Mr. Morgan!”
Morgan noticed finally and said, “Perhaps we’ll have a question from one of our younger sailors after the bigger folks have had their say, shall we?” Morgan also had something of a contemptible smile on his face, and Cooper felt a bit insulted at this. But he reminded himself that there was a more important reason he was here, so he continued flailing his hands about and muttering, “Fifteen hundred people” over and over.
His chance finally arrived when Morgan said, “Well, that seems to be all of the questions from the press, so let’s turn our attention to one of our young seafarers and see what they would like to know.” Then he pointed straight at Cooper. “You, young man!”
“Mr. Morgan, sir,” Cooper began, “I just wanted to ask you about the ship’s—”
But that was as far as he got, for the foghorn sounded at that very moment. It was as tremendous as Morgan had promised. Cooper and company had never heard anything like it, and they had to cover their ears, standing as close to it as they were.
It went on for a solid minute (which felt more like an hour), and when it finally finished, Morgan was already saying “…and so my friends, with that little audio demonstration, our time here has concluded! Thank you so much for attending, and remember, the future is now!” Then he turned and walked up the gangplank from which he had emerged.
The crowd moved off, and the Trackers were left standing with only each other. Seconds later, Belfast began to disappear around them. And once again they were gone.
