Blue Descent Read online

  Blue Descent

  A Dane Maddock Adventure

  David Wood

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Blue Descent (Dane Maddock Adventures, #0)

  From the Author

  Prologue

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  38

  39

  40

  41

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  From the USA Today Bestselling author of LOCH and SOLOMON KEY comes a brand new, action-packed Dane Maddock Adventure!

  A legend of the deep guards the secret to eternal life!

  Dane Maddock just wants to hunt for treasure and leave his past behind. After a series of tragedies, the former Navy SEAL and his crew travel to the Bahamas in search of the wreckake of Maelstrom, the flagship of notorious pirate Riddick Blackwood. But what they find sets them on a hunt for one of the greatest legends of the New World—The Fountain of Youth!

  But has their discovery unleashed something terrible upon the world? As the deaths mount, Maddock and his partner Bones Bonebrake must prevent a dangerous shadow organization from seizing the power that lies beneath the waters.

  Classic adventure for the modern reader! Fans of Indiana Jones, Dirk Pitt, and National Treasure will love the Dane Maddock Adventures!

  Praise for David Wood and The Dane Maddock Adventures!

  “An adrenaline-fueled thrill ride!” Alan Baxter, author of Hidden City

  "David Wood has done it again. Within seconds of opening the book, I was hooked. Intrigue, suspense,monsters, and treasure hunters. What more could you want? David's knocked it out of the park with this one!" Nick Thacker- author of The Enigma Strain

  “Dane and Bones.... Together they're unstoppable. Rip roaring action from start to finish. Wit and humor throughout. Just one question - how soon until the next one? Because I can't wait.”

  Graham Brown, author of Shadows of the Midnight Sun

  “What an adventure! A great read that provides lots of action, and thoughtful insight as well, into strange realms that are sometimes best left unexplored.” Paul Kemprecos, author of Cool Blue Tomb and the NUMA Files

  “A page-turning yarn blending high action, Biblical speculation, ancient secrets, and nasty creatures. Indiana Jones better watch his back!” Jeremy Robinson, author of SecondWorld

  “With the thoroughly enjoyable way Mr. Wood has mixed speculative history with our modern day pursuit of truth, he has created a story that thrills and makes one think beyond the boundaries of mere fiction and enter the world of 'why not'?” David Lynn Golemon, Author of the Event Group series

  “A twisty tale of adventure and intrigue that never lets up and never lets go!” Robert Masello, author of The Einstein Prophecy

  “Let there be no confusion: David Wood is the next Clive Cussler. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop until the last mystery plays out in the final line.” Edward G. Talbot, author of 2012: The Fifth World

  “I like my thrillers with lots of explosions, global locations and a mystery where I learn something new. Wood delivers! Recommended as a fast paced, kick ass read.” J.F. Penn, author of Desecration

  Blue Descent- ©2019 by David Wood

  The Dane Maddock Adventures™

  All rights reserved

  Published by Adrenaline Press

  www.adrenaline.press

  Adrenaline Press is an imprint of Gryphonwood Press

  www.gryphonwoodpress.com

  This is a work of fiction. All characters are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  From the Author

  More years ago than I care to remember, I published Dourado, the first Dane Maddock Adventure. I’d had the rough outline of the plot kicking around my head for years, but it wasn’t until I came up with Dane Maddock and his partner “Bones” Bonebrake that I felt ready to write it. I tried to take the things I loved about classic pulp adventure, Indiana Jones, early Dirk Pitt, and many other influences and combine them all into an adventure set in the modern world.

  Since then, the Dane Maddock universe has grown exponentially, with twelve volumes in the main series, ten in the Origins series, and many more in the ongoing Universe series. The Maddock books have also spawned three spinoff series, the Bones Bonebrake Adventures, the Jade Ihara Adventures, and the Myrmidon Files, along with three connected series, the Jake Crowley Adventures, the Sam Aston Investigations, and the Brock Stone Adventures. Many of the books are now available in non-English translations, and the audiobooks are narrated by Jeffrey Kafer, one of the best in the genre. Needless to say, I didn’t anticipate any of this back when Dourado was first released.

  The problem with having a series that’s been around for a very long time is that new readers usually want to start with book one. While I think Dourado is a fine book, and readers seem to enjoy it, in no way does it reflect the writer I am today.

  And so, I present to you Blue Descent, book “zero” of the Dane Maddock Adventures. This book takes place shortly before the events of Dourado, and serves as an introduction to the main characters and the universe. As always, I’ve made a few changes to actual locations, and played with the timeline of a few locations in order to make this the most fun and entertaining read possible. If you’re already a Maddock reader, I think you’ll enjoy the little Easter eggs I’ve sprinkled throughout the story. If you’re new to the Maddock universe, welcome and I hope you enjoy the adventure!

  Yonder sea, great and wide, therein are creeping things innumerable, living creatures, both small and great. There go the ships; there is leviathan, whom Thou hast formed to sport therein.

  Psalm 104:25-26

  Prologue

  1691- Off the Coast of New Providence

  Riddick Blackwood stood over his vanquished foe and breathed in the odor of gunpowder and fresh blood. It was a hot, sunny day on the Caribbean Sea, with no breeze to wash away the stink of battle. He didn’t mind. There was nothing like dancing with death to make a man truly feel alive. He wondered how his crew would feel if they knew that, for their captain, the loot came second to the fight. Always.

  “The fight is over, Captain.” Rax, his quartermaster, stood over a fallen enemy. Blood dripped from his sword.

  “That was fast,” Blackwood said, looking around in hopes of spotting some enemies still in the fight. He saw none. “I must confess I am sorely disappointed.”

  “Most sailors turn yellow when they see Maelstrom on the horizon. You do your job too well, Captain.” Rax knelt and began rummaging through the dead sailor’s pockets.

  He wasn’t wrong. Blackwood had developed such a notorious reputation that few captains were willing to stand and fight with him. It was always a chase, and far too often, an unconditional surrender.

  “I’m going to take a look around, see if anyone is still resisting.” Blackwood tried to sound bored, but his bloodlust was up and he was itching for another fight. Please, let someone do something foolish, he prayed.

  No such luck. The crew of the captured ship had surrendered. He looked t
hem over. A few appeared to be in good health. They could be sold in the slave markets. The rest were a sorry lot. No good to him.

  Stiles, his first mate, joined him.

  “What’s the report?” Blackwood asked.

  “We’ll be well-provisioned for a while, but no gold. Sorry it was all for so little, Captain.”

  “Nonsense. We needed a fight to keep the crew sharp.” He turned to the captives and raised his voice. “Any man who swears not to lift a hand against us will not be harmed.” Everyone hurried to swear the oath. “Excellent. You will obey my first mate, Mister Stiles as you would me.” Stiles made a mocking bow. “Mister Rax also should be obeyed. Not because he speaks with my voice, but because he’s a dirty bastard who will stab you if you make him angry.”

  A few of the captives managed a nervous laugh. Most merely stared at the deck.

  Blackwood turned to Stiles. “Have them transfer anything of value onto our ship. Once they’ve finished, lock the good ones in the brig and set the others free.”

  “Aye aye, captain.” Stiles grinned broadly. What their captives did not know is that, on Blackwood’s ship, “set free” meant “tossed overboard and told to swim to the nearest island.” None were in sight.

  Blackwood hadn’t lied. His crew would do no harm to these men. The future slaves would be confined and well fed. The others would only get a bit wet. What happened to them once they left Maelstrom was between them and the sharks.

  “Captain!” One of the captured crew, a skinny man with more eyes than teeth, called out to him.

  Rax stalked over to the man and kicked him in the ribs.

  “You don’t speak directly to the captain.”

  “I’m sorry,” the man grunted in pain. “There’s something he will want to know.”

  “What is it?” Rax said.

  The man looked around nervously. He was a twitchy sort, the kind that made Blackwood itch just by looking at him.

  “He wouldn’t want anyone else to know.”

  “Fine. Come with me.” Rax grabbed the fellow by the hair and dragged him across the deck to where Blackwood and Stiles waited. “You can stand now,” Rax said. “But if you try anything, you’ll get a knife in your back. And I know just where to stick it.”

  “That’s what you told that cabin boy in Port Royal,” Stiles said.

  Rax clenched his fists and rounded on Stiles, but Blackwood raised one finger, bringing the man up short. Rax froze, arms at his sides, but he still quivered with rage. On most pirate crews, the captain was first among equals, a man or woman who ruled by consent of the governed. A few, however, were absolute monarchs. Riddick Blackwood was one of them.

  “Tell him you’re joking, Stiles.”

  “I’m joking, Rax,” Stiles said immediately.

  Rax gave a curt nod.

  “The two of you see to the captives. I can handle this.”

  Stiles began barking orders and soon the two pirates had the captives hard at work.

  Blackwood turned to the skinny, toothless man, and smiled. “What is your name?”

  “It’s Garth, Captain.” The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

  “And what is it you need to tell me?”

  Garth looked around, then lowered his voice.

  “I want to be a part of your crew.”

  “And what do you have to offer?”

  Garth leaned in close and whispered two words.

  “Eternal life.”

  1

  Off the coast of Andros Island, Bahamas

  The sun beat down on the crystalline waters. A gentle sea breeze ruffled Dane Maddock’s short blond hair. The skies were clear and the seas calm. It was a perfect day for treasure hunting. But not everyone was happy.

  “For the last time, it’s not an imaginary ship.” Dane Maddock raised his hand to silence the complaints of his crew. The most vociferous of them was Bones Bonebrake, his best friend, business partner, and former colleague in the Navy SEALs. “It’s true that Riddick Blackwood and his ship, Maelstrom, were characters in a famous fantasy novel, but they were based on historical fact.” He’d told them all this before, but they still seemed more than a bit skeptical.

  “All right, fine. I’ll shut my hole.” Bones mimed pinching his lips closed. It didn’t last. “But when we’re finished up here, I think we should go after the lost treasure of Frodo Goblins, or whatever his name is.”

  “Leave the Tolkien references to people who know how to read,” Corey Dean snapped.

  Bones and Corey couldn’t have been more different. Bones was a six-and-a-half-foot-tall Cherokee, massively built, with long black hair he typically wore in a ponytail. Corey was a ginger with a ruddy complexion, average in just about every physical aspect, except for his mind. The only non-veteran among the bunch, Corey was a tech wiz and a valuable asset to the crew.

  “I knew how to read the note your mom slipped me last night,” Bones said.

  “Man, that’s disgusting,” Willis Sanders chimed in.

  Matt Barnaby, the final member of the crew, didn’t miss a beat. “I know what you mean. I’ve met Corey’s mom. She looks just like him, except she can actually grow a beard.”

  Like Bones and Corey, Willis and Matt were a mismatched pair. Willis was another former SEAL. He was almost of a size with Bones, with dark brown skin and a shaved head. Matt, by contrast, was a light-skinned, brown-haired Minnesotan, who’d served in the Army Rangers.

  “Screw you guys,” Corey said. “Now, do you want to hear about the hit we just got on sonar?”

  That shut everyone up. Maddock grinned. He already knew what Corey had found.

  “There’s definitely a ship down there,” Corey continued. “It’s wooden and is located very close to the spot Maddock predicted it would be.”

  Maddock flashed a knowing smile. He hadn’t by any stretch been confident in his guesswork. He’d found no primary sources on the sinking of Maelstrom, and instead relied on stories handed down. Hopefully he hadn’t missed his mark.

  “How does the wreck look?” Bones said.

  “We sent Uma down for a look,” Maddock said. Uma was the nickname Bones had given to their unmanned miniature submersible camera in honor of actress Uma Thurman. “The condition doesn’t appear to be great, but at least parts of it are intact. I think it’s worth checking out. Fingers crossed.”

  Over his crew’s demands that they play Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who made the first dive, Maddock announced that he and Bones would go first.

  “Sure, play favorites.” Matt winked.

  “More like, the dudes who are paying your salaries go first,” Bones said.

  Matt turned to Willis and frowned. “When was the last time you got paid?” he deadpanned.

  Willis scratched his smooth scalp, sweaty and gleaming in the Caribbean sun. “Man, I ain’t ever got paid. I’m afraid I’m going to have to start shopping at the Dollar General.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that store,” Maddock said as he strapped on his gear. “Bones buys all his clothes there.”

  “You ever been to a Dollar General in Detroit? It’s a war zone.”

  Maddock laughed. Willis had grown up in a poor section of Detroit, and had escaped poverty by joining the Navy, eventually becoming a SEAL and a longtime comrade of Maddock and Bones. He’d made his home in Key West since joining Maddock’s crew. The treasure hunting game was famine or feast. They didn’t starve, but Willis never missed a chance to “po mouth,” as he called it.

  Willis turned to Matt. “Did you have a Dollar General in Lake Wobegon?”

  Matt rolled his eyes and turned away. He cocked his head. “Anybody seen the binoculars? Looks like there’s a boat on the horizon.”

  “I’ve got them here,” Corey said. He raised them to his eyes but Maddock took them from Corey’s hands without a word. “That was polite.”

  Maddock ignored the jibe. He trained the binoculars on the distant object. A tiny sailboat came into focus, crew
ed by an attractive young couple.

  “Just people on vacation,” he said. “Nothing to worry about.” In the treasure hunting business, there was always a concern that other treasure hunters might try to horn in on your dive. Or pirates might snatch your loot. The latter wasn’t typically a problem in the Bahamas, but the former was a constant threat.

  “I don’t think we’ve got anything to worry about,” Bones said, reading Maddock’s thoughts. “Nobody else is looking for Captain Hook.”

  Maddock let the comment roll off of him. He was eager to dive on the wreck. “You ready, Bones?”

  “That’s what your old lady said last...” Bones fell silent, his complexion turning a deep shade of red. “Sorry, I didn’t actually mean...”

  Maddock swallowed a lump in his throat. His wife, Melissa, had died a little over a year earlier. It had been a sudden, shocking death, coming on the heels of the loss of his parents. Now, the only family he had left were the people on board this boat.

  “It’s cool. I know it’s just an insult.”

  “It’s an idiom, which is figurative language,” Corey said. “Which is, by definition, not to be taken literally.”

  “Don’t you have a diary entry to write?” Bones said.

  “It’s not a diary; it’s a journal, and it’s for professional records.” Corey scowled, then retreated into the cabin.

  Ten minutes later, Maddock and Bones were outfitted in their SCUBA gear and diving through cool, clear water. Shafts of sunlight lanced into the shadows as they dove deeper. A sand shark swam past. It was barely the size of Maddock’s arm, and neither party paid much attention to the other. Each had his own business to attend to.

  Down they went deep into watery twilight. Here, Maddock could forget the world above the surface. He had no choice but to sharpen his mind and focus on the task at hand. What they did was dangerous, and demanded full concentration. And he loved it. He was his own boss, unless you counted the IRS and his mortgage company. He went where he wanted and chose his own jobs. For the first time in years he was not a weapon in someone else’s hands. He was his own man.

  They clicked on their forehead-mounted dive lights, and soon the outline of the wreck appeared in the dim glow from above. To the untrained eye it would have been easy to miss, much of it covered in silt and aquatic growth. As they swam closer he scanned the seabed, looking for stray artifacts, but nothing leapt out at him. It was no matter. They’d begin with the wreck and then work their way outward later in the process.