Dark Tide Rising

By David M. Salkin

Underwater horror rises to the surface in this science fiction thriller from the author “who knows the details of deep-sea exploration firsthand” (Ben Bova, Hugo Award-wining author).

A Japanese fishing trawler becomes a ghost ship.

A pleasure yacht is under attack by unknown sea creatures.

A Coast Guard crew is massacred by something not of this world.

Ted Bell had only one personal goal—to reach Mars. He believed that harnessing the power of the deep-sea bacteria that allows creatures to live in super-heated, poisonous water might get humans to deep space. But when Ted intentionally infected a member of the crew for his own agenda, it didn’t go as planned. A new life form was created–completely out of control. Ted’s failed experiment doomed the crew of the USS Challenger.

After living through the terrifying disaster that killed half the crew, three survivors think they have escaped the nightmare. Instead, the creatures have risen from the depths—and the three discover that the horrifying experience on the Challenger was only the beginning.

Praise for Deep Black Sea

“Spine-tingling terror . . . An exciting read!” —Ben Bova, Hugo Award-winning author

“Crichton at his best is the main author who comes to mind as a comparable influence when reading Deep Black Sea . . . The informative and fascinating science that fills each page really elevates this book to a higher grade.” —Horror Novel Reviews

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781618683823

Book preview

It took two hours for the DSRV to ascend to the surface. The pilots of the DSRV in the front of the sub exercised great caution in making sure the crewmen in the chamber behind them wouldn’t suffer any decompression sickness. The design of the Challenger meant that nitrogen levels on the research vessel were almost the same as on the surface, but even so, they surfaced very slowly from the six hundred foot depth where they had rescued the crew. It gave the weary Challenger survivors time to calm themselves and discuss what they had just endured.

Ethan, the only crewman of the DSRV to have survived the rescue, finally broke the silence. What happened down there? What were those things?

Tony exchanged glances with Jessica and Theresa and shook his head, I have no idea.

The sailor looked at Theresa and Jessica. They both shook their heads. Finally, Jessica spoke. You saw it. What do you think it was?

He stared in disbelief.

Exactly, she replied, her head dropping back against the hull of the DSRV.

How did it get inside the ship? he asked.

Jessica took a long, deep breath and sat up straight. One of the experiments brought bacteria inside the ship. My best guess is the bacteria changed its host into whatever you saw down there.

Ethan’s contorted face showed his disgust. "Changed its host? You mean that thing I saw was human? That was one of your crew?"

Jessica nodded. There’s a bacteria that lives in the deep sea which enables animals to live in the superheated water of the thermal vents. It keeps the animals from boiling. Whatever that bacteria does to protect the host animal, it also changes the host into something else. It was like an infection that turned people into whatever you saw down there.

Ethan shook his head. But there were little ones, too. The walls and floor were covered with them. What was all that?

Jessica shrugged. I don’t know exactly. I think it’s like a form of regeneration. You cut off a starfish arm, and it can regrow a body. I think it was something like that.

We were told we were rescuing seven of you. Four of your crew turned into that thing I saw?

No, said Jessica quietly.

One crewman got infected. He turned into something else that killed two and infected a second one, said Tony. He shook his head. I dunno. I think that’s what happened. He looked around at Theresa and Jessica. Hell. Maybe I have no idea what happened. He rubbed his shaved head, now with a few days of black stubble growing back in.

Ethan looked up at nothing, a thousand mile stare. I saw what it did to our two guys. They never had a chance. He paused and looked at the three of them. How did you survive down there?

Tony shook his head. A little luck and some rubbing alcohol.

Yeah, said Theresa angrily. "We disinfected the shit out of those things." She forced a smile, but her eyes were filled with tears. She kept thinking about Mike, the shipmate with whom she shared a mutual crush.

Alcohol kills them? Really? That’s it?

That’s it. Simple enough, said Tony.

So what happened to the one that was still on the ship? asked Ethan.

Tony looked at Theresa and Jessica and made a sour face. Davy Jones’ locker. Let’s just hope that’s where it stays.

Chapter Two

CG 65 – Guided Missile Cruiser USS Chosin

While the Chosin wasn’t designed for rescue operations, it was the closest ship when the call came in, and was dispatched immediately to link up with the DSRV. The DSRV was brought alongside the missile cruiser USS Chosin and secured. The hatches were opened, and four very exhausted sailors climbed out of the sub, and then up ladders to the ship. From the forward hatch, the two pilots of the DSRV emerged and climbed up to the deck of the Chosin, then jogged back to see their crew and question Ethan in greater detail about their two lost submariners.

Captain Miles, pilot of the DSRV, was the first to reach Ethan and he grabbed him by the arm. What the hell happened down there? Why did we leave without our sailors?

The executive officer of the Chosin, Commander Kiley, stood with his Command Master Chief to greet the survivors as they emerged from the DSRV. Several sailors from medical stood nearby with blankets and thermoses of hot coffee. When Captain Miles saw the XO, he let go of Ethan and snapped a salute.

There was a problem during the rescue, commander. We lost two of our crew, he said stoically.

The XO’s face fell. Let’s get these people to sick bay and debrief with the skipper in the ward room. The commander brushed the hair off of his eyebrows. As usual, his long brown hair was over regulation length. On more than one occasion, the captain had told Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome to see the ship’s barber, but generally left him alone because he was a fine officer.

The medical crew descended upon the three rescued sailors and wrapped them in blankets, offered them hot coffee, and escorted them off the deck to sick bay. Ethan followed Commander Kiley, the co-pilot and the XO to the captain’s ward room.

By the time the four of them arrived at the ward room, the skipper, Captain Jeff Krekeler, was right behind them.

Attention on deck! snapped the XO as the skipper entered the room.

Be seated, replied the captain quietly. You lost two crew? he asked the group.

The XO looked at the DSRV’s captain, Captain Miles, who looked at Ethan.

After an impatient silence, Ethan cleared his throat and tried to find the right words. "Sir, we linked up with the Challenger and executed the sub entry. The crew inside were in a state of total panic, and were screaming at us to disengage. There were only three of them, not seven as expected from our briefing. I assisted the three of them up into the DSRV. One of their crew, Tony, who seemed to be the one in charge, ordered us to leave their hatch open, disengage, and surface."

Leave their hatch open—as in scuttle their sub? asked Captain Miles.

Yes, sir. Captain Lawes insisted on going down into their sub after the three of them came up. He was attacked by something on the sub, and then Petty Officer Whitney went to try and help, and he was also attacked. I tried to help him back up into the DSRV, but he was, uh…

The commander stared hard at the sailor.

Sir, he was torn apart right in front of me. Ethan extended his own hand, staring at it, as he pictured holding the man’s hand, no longer attached to his body, when he tried to pull him up the ladder.

Torn apart? By what? asked the skeptical commander.

"Sir, it wasn’t human. I mean, the crew down there were doing some kind of experiments. Some of them got infected. But it wasn’t like anything you’ve ever seen before. It wasn’t human. It tore our guys to pieces. I saw it."

The commander sat back and folded his arms. Continue.

Ethan looked around at the officers in the room. Look, I know it sounds crazy. But I know what I saw. They were being attacked and were screaming to get off that sub. Captain Lawes wasn’t going to sink a billion dollar sub, so he went to down to check it out…

"Six billion, sailor. You’re damn right you don’t sink it."

He didn’t last a minute, sir.

And you saw Captain Lawes attacked by something on the sub?

"Not him, no. But then Whit went down to get him, and I was hanging down the ladder, I saw it get Whit. I saw it…"

"Saw what?" asked the commander of the missile cruiser.

It was a monster, sir. I know I sound crazy, but it was a sea monster. Sir.

And so you saw something, panicked, and intentionally sank a six billion dollar research submarine? asked Captain Miles.

Ethan screamed and fell back in his chair, grabbing his ankle. The other sailors hopped up out of their chairs and moved around the table to try and help their screaming comrade.

What is it? What’s wrong? asked the commander of the cruiser.

Cramping up? asked Captain Miles, worrying about decompression sickness.

Ethan pulled up the ankle of his pants and saw what looked like a thick slug stuck to his skin. There was a little blood running down his ankle. It’s biting me! Get it off!

The skipper saw the thing on his skin, maybe three inches long at the most and got annoyed. "Come on, sailor! Relax, it’s just a…a…what the hell is that?" He stared at it. His brain was recognizing the shape as a human finger with a mouth at one end, but it wasn’t computing in his head.

"It’s one of those things from the sub! Get it off of me!" screamed Ethan. He was rocking back and forth on the floor holding his leg.

Captain Miles grabbed one end of it and pulled, but the thing flattened itself against the skin of the ankle and sucked against the flesh even harder. Digestive enzymes leaked from the mouthparts and burned Ethan’s skin, which blistered up around the wound. Shit. Whatever it is, it doesn’t want to come off. Let’s get you to sickbay and let the doc get it off.

Ethan was helped to his feet. Get Tony! he said with a groan. He knows how to kill these things. He said they used alcohol!

Alcohol? asked the commander of the Chosin. Hang on. He walked to a cabinet in the ward room and grabbed a bottle of hundred proof rum. This should do the trick. He unscrewed the bottle, and one of the men helped hold up Ethan’s leg. The commander poured a little bit on the slug-looking creature, and waited.

Ethan began screaming and shaking his head in pain. Get it off! Get it off! The creature shrank in size as Ethan screamed, and then dropped off onto the carpet.

Get that thing! snapped the commander. Wait—put it in a bag or something. Don’t touch it! The men began opening drawers and cabinets, looking for something to put the small creature in securely. One of them found a small cigar box and placed it on the ground sideways, then used his shoe to kick it into the box. Got it!

Ethan was holding his lower leg and rocking back and forth in pain.

"Seriously? It hurts that much?" asked Captain Miles.

"Yes! screamed Ethan. He looked at his ankle. It was already changing to a dark blue color and swelling, as if he had been bitten by a rattlesnake. Look! Something’s wrong!" he shouted, sounding scared.

All right! Let’s get you to sickbay. Just relax! said the XO, getting Ethan’s arm up over his shoulder and helping him out of the room.

The commander of the cruiser looked very alarmed. Somebody call the folks you took off that sub! I want to know what we’re dealing with!

Chapter Three

11º 25’ north latitude 142º 18’ east longitude

21,358 feet deep

In the near-frozen water of the deep black sea, a giant whale carcass lay silently near the broken ruins of a six billion dollar research submarine. In the silence of this inhospitable world, creatures of various shapes and sizes slithered, crawled or swam along the giant food source. Hag fish, photo-luminescent viper eels, giant isopods, angler fish and other strange creatures foraged at the seemingly endless supply of nourishment provided by the dead animal. The whale had, in fact, created its own eco-system in the dark world at the bottom of the ocean.

Inside the flooded vessel that had been The Challenger, small unnamed creatures began seeking each other out and assembling themselves into something else. Like individual polyps of a coral, they were actually colony creatures, much stronger and apt to survive when acting like a single, larger entity. The creatures crawled or scuttled along the walls and floors of the sub in various shapes and sizes. Some appeared to be human fingers. Other were larger—arm or leg shaped and sized, but with feathery protuberances from the ends. The strange pieces found each other, perhaps by scent or electro-impulse, and as they met, they entwined and connected, sending small blood vessels into each other to share nutrition, and perhaps some sort of intelligence. With each additional tiny piece, the strange looking thing grew larger and stronger.

On what had been the bridge of the giant submarine, a thing that had at one time been the scientist Ian MacMullen walked, somewhat crab-like, along the wall of the submarine. Smaller creatures found him and hitched rides along what had been his torso, making his body shape less human. He was cold and hungry, and scaled the ladder out of the top of the dead ship. In the sunless water outside the submarine, the current carried a slight temperature change, and what had been MacMullen’s face almost smiled, with a giant black tongue hanging past his chin. He opened his arms and extended his fingers, which were now impossibly long and tentacle-like, covered in hooked suction cups, and began swimming into the current to find the source of heat.

The black smoker was less than a hundred yards away, and its seven hundred degree water spewed out into the thirty-four degree ocean like lava reaching the sea. Marine animals could actually hear the hiss made by the superheated water. Ian swam awkwardly, like a seal with legs, until he made it to the tubeworms that covered the sides of the thermal vent. The giant tubeworms were teeming with other forms of life, as shrimps and white fuzzy crabs skittered along the long hard tubes.

Ian pulled himself into the mass of worm-casings, and let his body heat up. As the water warmed his body, he could sense the hundreds of smaller creatures like himself, all around him. Many of them sought him out, and attached themselves to him. Whatever nutrition they had in their small bodies was shared with him, and he felt himself growing stronger. He was in a peaceful state, anchored in the tubes, his body swaying in the current, when he first felt a change in his demeanor. He no longer had any human self-awareness or emotion like the old Ian MacMullen. He was, in fact, a new, intelligent form of life. And he sensed something akin to a flight or fight response.

Ian looked in the darkness towards whatever it was he was sensing. His large black eyes no longer saw the way he had as Ian. Like the other deep sea creatures, he had adapted to life in a sunless world, and saw images based on heat and electromagnetic impulses in the dark. Had there been light, the rods and cones in his eyes were still intact, but with his new vision, he was as good as any human wearing night vision goggles. The heat from the black smoker itself created a background image of color different than the black cold ocean, but that was diffused compared to what he could see now. And what he saw tickled his brain, such that it was now. A memory from human days was screaming a warning at him. And then he heard the words in his head. Commander Jim Lewis.

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