by David Wood
“I won’t leave you.” She shook her head, long dark hair spilling over her face. “This isn’t over yet.”
Tyson cried out again in a sound a touch too inhuman to be a laugh. Maddock and the others covered their ears as the shrill sound pierced their eardrums. Behind them, a chunk of ceiling broke off and crashed to the ground.
The light now covered Tyson’s body. His clothing had burned away, and he stood there cloaked in flashing gold. The light began to pulse, slowly at first, and then faster, and with each flash, an image began to form.
Maddock squinted to make it out, but it quickly resolved into the outline of tall, muscular man with mahogany skin, long, white hair, a twisted beard the color of seaweed, and flashing golden eyes. Faster and faster the image flickered like an old projector skipping frames. Tyson, then the image, and then Tyson again. Back and forth it went.
The glowing form seemed to grow firmer, more tangible by the second. Inside it, Tyson began to struggle. He twisted and jerked, teeth gritted, spittle dripping from his lips.
“What…is…happening?”
“It’s trying to take control of him!” Dima shouted.
As if the figure carried real weight, Tyson’s shoulders hunched, his waist bent, and then his knees buckled and he dropped to his knees. All around the cavern, the golden lights burned with searing intensity, and the dripping water turned to steam, filling the air with hot mist.
Snarling, Tyson regained his feet, and for a moment, he seemed to be winning the battle against the force that fought to overcome him. His eyes turned toward Maddock and the others, standing frozen at the foot of the steps.
“That’s it. A sacrifice!” he cried. “Poseidon demands a blood tribute.” He leveled the trident at Dima.
“No!” Bones threw himself in front of Dima as triple bolts of fine, golden lightning crackled from the points of the trident and shot toward him.
Maddock was already in motion as the surge of electricity blew his best friend off his feet. In one fluid motion, he drew his knife and hurled it at Tyson as he ran.
Tyson never saw it coming. He screamed as the blade took him in the eye. He thrashed about, lightning still bursting forth from the trident. All around them, the walls began to crack and water once again poured through.
Maddock was up the steps in a flash. As Tyson turned, half-mad with pain, to face him, Maddock leaped and struck the man full in the chest with a double side-kick that sent Tyson crashing into the wall. The trident slipped from his grasp and clattered across the floor, coming to rest against the back wall, which cracked and split as the still pulsing weapon struck it. A section of wall fell away to reveal a previously hidden passageway.
The golden sparks still spun around Tyson, who struggled to rise. Maddock lashed out with another kick, connecting with his temple, then followed with a vicious knee to Tyson’s forehead. Tyson slumped to the ground, unconscious. The golden nimbus flickered and died, but golden sparks still danced in his skin.
“Maddock! Help me!” Down on the floor, Dima was performing CPR on Bones.
Maddock’s knees nearly buckled at the sight of his friend, his brother in all the ways that mattered, lying still on the floor. He hurtled down the stairs, dropped to the ground beside Bones, and pressed an ear to his friend’s chest.
He heard nothing.
Maddock quickly took over the resuscitation efforts. First two rescue breaths, and then a series of chest compressions.
“Come on, Bones,” he urged.
All around them, the chamber was coming apart. Water gushed in from holes burned in the stone by the golden sparks. It was a deluge that Maddock knew wouldn’t be stopped this time. If Bones didn’t come back to them soon…
And then Bones coughed, and his chest began to rise and fall on its own. He hacked, coughed again and sat halfway up, resting on his elbows.
“Come on, buddy, let’s get you on your feet.” Maddock tried to slip an arm around his friend, but Bones shoved him away.
“No time for hugging. Let’s get out of here.” Bones lurched to his feet, wobbled, and took a look around.
“Nice waterfalls. Are we screwed, or what?”
“Maybe not,” Maddock said. “I think there’s a way out behind Noah. Come on.”
They hurried up the stairs, shielding their heads from the falling rock. At the top, they rounded the bier and headed for the passageway the trident had blasted open.
The trident!
Maddock searched for it, but it was gone, washed away by the pouring water or crushed beneath falling rock. Either way, it was probably better off buried here.
“Maddock!” Bones grabbed Maddock by the belt and yanked him back into the shelter of the passageway as a huge section of ceiling collapsed, burying Noah, perhaps for all eternity.
“Thanks.”
“No sweat. Just answer one question for me.” Bones stared intently at Maddock.
“What’s that?”
“Did you do the rescue breathing, or was it Dima?”
Maddock threw back his head and laughed.
“I’m serious, Maddock,” Bones protested. “I need to know.”
“We’ll talk about it later. For now, let’s see where this passageway leads.”
Chapter 50
It was well past midnight when they emerged from the warren of underground passageways that twisted and turned beneath the slopes of Ol Doinyo Lengai. It had been a long, difficult climb, with only their cell phones for light, but they’d kept at it, taking every passageway with even the slightest uphill slant, hoping to find a way to the surface. All the while, the sounds of destruction had chased them along as the chambers that had lain hidden for thousands of years were washed clean by the deluge and buried beneath a mountain of stone. It was a shame, Maddock thought, but fitting in a way that a flood should be the agent of its demise. Again and again the ground shook beneath their feet, but the tunnels through which they traveled held fast.
They lay on the rocky mountain slope, battered and bloodied, but alive. The chill night air sliced through their sodden clothing. Dima pressed her body against Bones for warmth, but Maddock kept his distance. After the CPR incident, he knew Bones would have no interest in sharing body heat. He didn’t care; he was happy to be alive.
The moon hung high in the velvet sky, casting the land beneath in silver light. It amazed him that the world could lie at peace, blissfully ignorant of the destruction wrought far beneath the mountain. After witnessing the terrible power that had been unleashed, it somehow seemed wrong to bask in the serenity of the African night.
Maddock gave their group a half-hour to rest before he insisted they begin working their way down the mountain. Climbing after dark wasn’t exactly safe, but hypothermia was a real threat considering the temperature and their thin, wet clothing and weakened conditions. At least they were down on the lower slopes and the moon provided more than enough light for them to find their way. It should be a safe descent.
“I don’t suppose there’s any chance of recovering the trident?” Dima clung tightly to Bones’ arm as if she feared he might get away if she were to let go.
Maddock had a feeling his friend would have no easy time shaking that girl.
“I doubt it. My gut tells me the whole place caved in. You heard the sounds.”
“And felt them, too,” Bones added.
“It’s not that I want it, or anything,” Dima said. “But if it can be recovered, I would hate to see it to fall into the wrong hands.”
“Amen to that, sister.” Bones gave her a squeeze.
“Don’t call me ‘sister.’ It’s creepy.”
“True. Besides, Maddock is the one who’s into sisters.”
Maddock stopped in his tracks. “Wait a minute. She’s not my sister. As a matter of fact, someone in this group did date my sister, and it wasn’t Dima and it sure as hell wasn’t me.”
“Is that a fact?” Dima quirked an eyebrow at Bones. “Funny, I don’t recall you mentioning that
.”
“Well, I’ve dated a lot of chicks. It’s hard to keep track.” Bones paused. “That didn’t make it any better, did it?”
“Not even a little bit.”
Buoyed by the joy that only comes from narrowly averting death, they kept up the light banter as they continued down the slope and into the valley.
“Where’s our car?” Dima asked when they’d finally come down off the slopes.
“A few miles that way,” Maddock said. “Still a bit of a hike, but we can handle it.”
“You know what I just realized?” Bones rose up on his toes and looked around. “This valley is full of predators and we lost the stone that lets us make friends.”
Maddock shook his head. “It’s all right. After what we’ve been through, I’ll take my chances.”
Epilogue
It was a balmy day in Key West. A stiff breeze blew in from the Gulf, filling the air with a pleasant hint of the sea. Maddock and Angel sat on the deck of Maddock’s condo, soaking in the sun and suds. Maddock tried to lie back and relax, but Angel’s skimpy bikini, a star-spangled, red, white, and blue number, kept him pleasantly distracted. From inside, the sounds of boisterous conversation drifted out, along with strains of The Police playing on the stereo. Bones and Dima were regaling Willis, Matt, and Corey with the story of their search for the ark. As usual, Bones was doing most of the talking and all of the embellishing.
“Dude, I’m serious. Big, freaking, stone giants!”
“Aw, c’mon man,” Willis said. “Dima, is he messing with us?”
“If Bones says he saw them, I’ll take him at his word,” Dima said mildly.
Bones sputtered a protest over the raucous laughter.
Maddock smiled and closed his eyes. Things were just as they should be.
“Maddock, we need to talk.” Angel rolled over onto her side, tipped her sunglasses up, and fixed him with her doe-eyed gaze that he always found difficult to resist.
“What about?” he said with a touch of trepidation.
“First of all, we need better music. You know, something from this century.”
Maddock chuckled. “Talk to Corey. He’s spinning the discs.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. Nobody says ‘spinning discs.’”
“What can I say? I’m an old soul.” He took a swig of Dos Equis and gave her a wink.
“We also need to talk about redecorating this place. It’s all boats and ocean crap.”
“I like boats and ocean crap.”
Angel smiled, reached out, and caressed his arm. “But it’s not going to be your bachelor pad much longer. It needs a bit of a woman’s touch. And we’ll also have to get the baby room ready.”
Maddock’s beer slipped from his limp fingers and clattered to the deck, spilling its frothy contents. He sat bolt upright. “Baby? What?”
Angel fell back onto her deck chair, laughing. It took her several seconds to catch her breath. “It’s too easy with you,” she said, wiping tears of mirth from the corners of her eyes. “I swear, I wish I had that on video.”
Maddock took several deep, slow breaths before he trusted himself to speak. “You are a wicked woman.”
“And that is why you love me.” She sat up, leaned over, and kissed him deeply. “But on a serious note, we do need to talk about setting a date.”
“Sorry to interrupt.” Avery stepped out onto the deck. “I heard you made it back safely from another of your shenanigans.”
“Great to see you, sis.” Maddock stood and made to give her a hug, but she pushed him away.
“I don’t need your sweat on me,” she said, grimacing at the sight of his dripping body.
“I’ll take a hug. I don’t mind a little sweat.” Tam Broderick poked her head out the door, smiling. She was clad in short shorts and a form-fitting tank top. “I even dressed for the occasion.”
“You don’t look right in anything but a power suit,” Maddock joked as he leaned in to hug her.
“Thanks, I guess. I was hoping we could talk.”
“Sure.” He turned to Angel and Avery. “Will you two excuse us?”
Angel nodded, then mouthed, “This isn’t over.”
Maddock had to laugh. That was one talk he wasn’t going to be able to weasel his way out of. He slipped on a shirt and he and Tam found an empty room where they could speak privately.
“Thanks again for the help you gave us,” he said. “Stone was a lifesaver.”
“I’ve found him useful. Speaking of Stone, he wants to put the Book of Noah back where you all found it. He thinks he can do it without raising any alarms this time. He seems to have taken it as a personal challenge.”
“Are you going to let him do it?”
“Hell, no. The Vatican already knows it’s gone, so the damage is done. I’m going to put it somewhere safe. Who knows when we might want or need it again.”
“So Dima did give it to you?” Maddock had feared she might renege on the deal.
Tam nodded. “She couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Now, tell me everything.”
Maddock took his time recounting events since the assault on Bones’ grandfather. He left nothing out. Though Tam always had a hidden agenda, she had demonstrated herself to be his ally, and a useful one at that. When he finished, she nodded thoughtfully, mulling things over.
“Do you think the stones were Atlantean?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Tyson used the phrase, ‘Long before the destruction of Atlantis.’ I don’t know how literally we should take that, though.”
“So the Trident’s goal is to reclaim the powers of the ancient world, and I assume they are talking really ancient. Even a few years ago I would have thought the whole thing was crazy. I’ll say this much—my life has been very different since I met you.”
“Join the club. I’m the one who keeps running afoul of these nuts. If the Trident has a naughty list, I assume I’m now on it.”
“Lord Jesus, I thought the Dominion was a headache.” She pressed her fingers to her temples and turned to gaze out the window at the street below. “I’ll bring this story to the powers-that-be. Since our big discovery I’ve got a bit more credibility when it comes to this mystical stuff, but I still don’t think many people believe me, and dealing with it is above my pay grade.”
“Don’t present it to them as mystical. Tell them it’s extremely advanced technology.”
“You think I don’t already do that?” She turned, tilted her head, and gave him a sly smile. “If you’re on the Trident’s list, the safest place for you is working for me. You know you’ve got a standing job offer.”
“Right. Then it’ll be my job to put myself in danger every day instead of just every once in a while. I’ll stick to my treasure hunting.”
“If you say so.” Tam turned around to face him. “How’s that going, by the way?”
“Are you trying to tell me you don’t already know?”
Tam held up her hands. “All right, I admit I keep tabs on you, but I haven’t seen any of your financials since you left the squad.”
“You’re a piece of work, you know that? Do I have any privacy where you’re concerned?”
“I promise there are no cameras in your toilet.”
Maddock wished he could stop himself from laughing. He resented the way Tam intruded on people’s lives and sometimes wielded private information like a club. At least she didn’t seem to be doing that in this instance.
“For your information, after Bones and I left for Turkey, the crew went back to the Templar wreck site and made a nice haul. It should bring a hefty price and keep us afloat for some time.”
“Good for you.” Her smile seemed genuine, but you never knew with Tam. “Speaking of treasure hunting, I’ve got something I’d like for you to look into that’s right up your alley. I’ll pay you, plus anything you salvage will be yours, but it can’t be known you’re working for me.”
“Tam, I just said I don’t want to work for you.”
>
“You’ll be an independent contractor. Come on. A paycheck, treasure, and the chance to erase the red from your page in my ledger.”
“Somehow I think I’ll always be in your debt.” He sighed. “All right. Tell me about this job.”
The End
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Works by David Wood
The Dane Maddock Adventures
Dourado
Cibola
Quest
Icefall
Buccaneer
Atlantis
Ark
Dane and Bones Origins
Freedom
Hell Ship
Splashdown
Dead Ice
Liberty
Electra
Amber
Justice (forthcoming)
Stand-Alone Novels
Into the Woods
Arena of Souls
The Zombie-Driven Life
You Suck
Callsign: Queen (with Jeremy Robinson)
Oracle (with Sean Ellis)
Destiny (with Sean Ellis)
Dark Rite (with Alan Baxter)
David Wood writing as David Debord
The Absent Gods Trilogy
The Silver Serpent
Keeper of the Mists
The Gates of Iron
The Impostor Prince (with Ryan A. Span)
About the Author
David Wood is the author of the Dane Maddock Adventures and several other titles. Under his David Debord pen name he is the author of The Absent Gods fantasy series. When not writing, he co-hosts the Authorcast podcast. He and his family live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Visit him online at www.daviddebord.com.
Table of Contents
Ark- A Dane Maddock Adventure
Newsletter
Prologue1362
Chapter 1