Mission 3: In Deep

  For Mum and Dad

  Text copyright © Jonny Zucker, 2008

  Illustrations copyright © Ned Woodman, 2008

  “Mission 3: In Deep” was originally published in English in 2008. This edition is published by an arrangement with STRIPES PUBLISHING, an imprint of Magi Publications.

  Copyright © 2013 by Darby Creek

  All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

  Darby Creek

  A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

  241 First Avenue North

  Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.

  Website address: www.lernerbooks.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Zucker, Jonny.

  In deep / by Jonny Zucker ; illustrated by Ned Woodman.

  pages cm. — (Max Flash ; mission 3)

  Originally published in the United Kingdom by Stripes Publishing, 2008.

  Summary: “Max is told that an island in the Indian Ocean has been flooded by a freak surge of water. The DFEA suspects sinister underwater forces are at work, and Max can’t wait to dive into his third mission.”— Provided by publisher.

  ISBN 978–1–4677–1209–5 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)

  ISBN 978–1–4677–2053–3 (eBook)

  [1. Underwater exploration—Fiction. 2. Adventure and adventurers—Fiction.]

  I. Woodman, Ned, 1978– illustrator. II. Title.

  PZ7.Z77925In 2013

  [Fic]—dc23 2012049021

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  1 – BP – 7/15/13

  eISBN: 978-1-4677-2053-3 (pdf)

  eISBN: 978-1-4677-3310-6 (ePub)

  eISBN: 978-1-4677-3309-0 (mobi)

  Max Flash vaulted over a high concrete wall. He thudded down on the other side. He could hear the crunch of Alton’s footsteps close behind. He sprinted down a twisting track. He spotted a rope up ahead, hanging from a wooden beam. Max grabbed it and started climbing upward. Seconds later he swung onto the beam and glanced back. Alton was gaining on him.

  Max darted across the top, willing himself to keep his balance on the narrow surface. He reached the end and looked down. The drop was pretty steep. But there was no turning back. H e launched himself through the air and crashed down onto a bed of leaves. He bent his knees to cushion his fall.

  I’ve got to move faster!

  Max sped off up the path. Alton’s feet hit the turf and came straight after him. Max quickened his pace. Up ahead were two giant oak trees with a very narrow gap between them.

  I have to make it through first!

  Max thundered on. He suddenly felt a vicious stab of pain in the heel of his left foot. Alton had kicked out and struck him. Max gritted his teeth. The gap in the trees was approaching fast. Suddenly he heard a whoosh of air as Alton sprung forward, aiming a kung fu kick at Max’s head. In a split second, Max darted to his left. He dove toward the gap. As he sailed through, he heard a cry as Alton’s body smashed against one of the trees.

  Max skidded on his front over the ground and came to a stop. Slowly he got to his feet and looked around. Alton was climbing through the gap in the trees, panting, limping, and looking completely humiliated.

  “Good work, Max,” Alton puffed. “I’ve been a DFEA agent for ten years. Plus, I designed this assault course. And you STILL beat me. You’ve upped your game.”

  Max was about to reply when a robotic voice boomed, “Max Flash, report to Room 17 immediately.” A green arrow flashed on the wall.

  “Better not keep Zavonne waiting,” said Max.

  Alton nodded. “Not a good idea! But watch out, Max. I’ll get you next time.”

  Max followed the arrow to the end of the wall and rounded the corner. In front of him was a low, gray building. A black shutter lifted quickly. Max stepped inside.

  He found himself in a long, windowless corridor with a row of numbered doors on the left side. Max was just about to knock on the one marked Room 17 when it silently swung open. Inside was a rectangular, sterile room with a metal table and two chairs.

  Zavonne was seated at the table. Her hair was pulled tightly back off her face. Her cold, clear eyes followed Max as he walked over and sat down facing her.

  He had met Zavonne before, but only as a figure on the computer screen. It was weird to see she was a human after all.

  Zavonne worked for an organization called the DFEA—the Department for Extraordinary Activity. They dealt with “unusual” cases that were too weird for the normal forces of law and order. Max’s parents were stage magicians by day. They had carried out two missions for the Department several years ago. Max had been recruited by Zavonne a while back. He’d already completed two death-defying missions. One was in the Virtual world and another in the furthest reaches of outer space. Max had incredible contortionist and escapology skills honed through years of taking part in his parents’ stage show. These abilities made him the perfect candidate for both of those missions.

  Zavonne had instructed Max to spend all day at the secret DFEA training center, testing his physical strength to the limit. His race with Alton on the assault course had been his toughest challenge and a close contest.

  “Alton is one of our fittest operatives,” said Zavonne coolly. “And yet you made it to the end without getting caught.”

  Max nodded. He allowed himself a small smile. He guessed he was being trained for his third mission. But what would it be?

  “Something’s come up,” said Zavonne swiftly. “Way out in the Pacific Ocean is a very remote island called Decca. It served as a Ministry of Defense base for half a century. Two years ago, the Ministry made a strategic decision to close it down. All that remains on the island is an old army barracks and a memorial statue. There’s also a lighthouse to warn ships about the treacherous rocks surrounding the island. The Ministry is still responsible for the upkeep of the lighthouse. They visit the island twice a year.”

  Max’s eyes were locked on Zavonne’s as he took in every word.

  “Last week,” Zavonne continued, “two Ministry technicians visited Decca Island for one of these lighthouse checks. A violent storm struck as they were preparing to leave. Ferocious waves smashed onto the island and completely flooded it. The two technicians nearly drowned as they attempted to take refuge in the lighthouse.”

  Max looked at Zavonne blankly. So?

  “The Ministry concluded it was a freak storm. But the DFEA doesn’t share that analysis.”

  “Why is the DFEA interested in some island in the middle of nowhere?” asked Max.

  “The area around Decca Island is rich in sailors’ tales about mermaids and sea monsters,” Zavonne said. “We at the DFEA know many of these stories are just legends. Still, we’ve always kept an eye on the island and the waters surrounding it.”

  Max blinked in surprise. Is Zavonne sending me on a mermaid hunt?

  “So we sent a specialist marine team to investigate.”

  “What did they discover?” asked Max.

  “Absolutely nothing,” replied Zavonne. “So we instructed them to dive and investigate below the waterline.”

  “Did they find anything?”

  Zavonne’s gaze hardened. “They were less than a mile down when they were attacked.”

  “Attacked? By who?”

  “By sharks,” Zavonne said. “At least, that’s what they initially thought. It all happened so fast, and they were obviously focused on getting out of the water as
fast as possible. The creatures coming at our men looked like sharks. But they didn’t move like sharks. This was a dangerous situation. Understandably, the crew did not investigate further.”

  “Were they hurt?”

  “No one was seriously injured apart from a few cuts and bruises. But this attack on our divers and the storm on the island have set off alarm bells. Both incidents were hostile toward humans. This has led us to suspect some kind of USCs are living down there.”

  “USCs?” asked Max.

  “Unidentified Sea Creatures,” explained Zavonne. “We believe that these attacks are linked. We don’t know who these creatures are or where they come from. We don’t know what they’re planning. We don’t know how powerful they are. We need to find answers to these questions as quickly as possible. Any delay could spell disaster.”

  So what’s my role going to be in all of this?

  “The DFEA has spent the last few years developing a new material called Stealth Film,” said Zavonne.

  “What’s that got to do with sea creatures and the island?” asked Max.

  “When Stealth Film covers the human body, the wearer can breathe normally underwater without an oxygen tank,” replied Zavonne. A diver covered in Stealth Film can dive much deeper than anyone using even the most up-to-date diving gear. You can swim when you’re wearing this Film. It also has a special technology. This lets the wearer walk on solid surfaces underwater, like rock formations and the seabed.”

  Cool!

  “We have created the world’s first Second Skin Suit using Stealth Film. It covers one’s clothing and cannot be detected at all.”

  A concealed metal drawer at the side of the table suddenly opened. Inside was a garment made of super thin, see-through material.

  Max stared at it. “Wow! You’ve made all of those DFEA divers Second Skin Suits so they can go back down and investigate these scary USCs?”

  “Stealth Film is an incredibly complex material to make,” Zavonne continued. “It’s also very, very expensive. As a result, we only had enough material for one Suit. Pick it up.”

  Max leaned over and pulled the Suit toward him. It unfurled and rested against his body. It was his exact size. He looked from the Suit to Zavonne and back again.

  “You … you want me to go down there?” he asked.

  “One Suit. Your size,” said Zavonne pointedly.

  “Why don’t you just wait a bit longer? You could make some more Stealth Film and build some bigger Suits?” asked Max.

  Zavonne shook her head. “First, there is no time. Second, there is another aspect of the Suit that fits your profile. We have conducted a battery of underwater tests on the Suit. But it is still only a prototype. The Suit has never been used in real mission conditions. We cannot be a hundred percent certain of its reliability.”

  Oh great!

  “I’ve studied the water-based escape acts you perform in your parents’ show, Max. You have a strong ability to hold your breath under water for long periods. You will be able to get up to the surface more safely than any other DFEA operative if the Second Skin Suit does malfunction.”

  A deep sea mission is a bit more dangerous than escaping from a water tank in Mom and Dad’s stage show.

  Max eyed Zavonne. “I can hold my breath for three minutes,” he mused. “But what happens if the Suit breaks and it’s more than a three-minute journey to the surface?”

  “I am assuming that scenario won’t happen,” Zavonne replied. “And after today, I’m satisfied with your fitness and stamina levels … But make no mistake, this could be a very dangerous mission.”

  Max looked expectantly at Zavonne. “Er, any chance of some gadgets?” he asked.

  “I haven’t forgotten,” Zavonne replied. She reached down and picked up a black metallic case from the floor. She laid it on the table and flicked open the catches. Reaching inside, she picked up a green-and-black marble with a tiny red button on its surface and handed it to Max.

  “There are specially concealed pockets in the Suit for your gadgets,” she explained.

  “This is a Power Shoot. Pressing the red button will cause a giant explosion of compressed air to shoot from the holder a hundred meters upward. It works underwater or on land.”

  Excellent!

  Max took the marble and placed it in a pocket of the Second Skin Suit. Zavonne then held up a small bottle of bubbles like the ones he’d had as a kid. She unscrewed the lid and pulled out the bubble ring. “This is a Bubble Exploder. Blow into this bubble ring, and millions of bubbles are instantly released. They will momentarily blind and disorient anyone within a thirty-meter radius.”

  She replaced the ring in the bottle and passed it over.

  “And this is a Crash Divider,” said Zavonne. She held up what looked like a standard football trading card.

  Max turned it over in his hands.

  “Slip this between a door and its frame or between any sort of sliding panels. It will force a narrow opening for exactly five seconds, allowing you time to get through.”

  Max tucked it away safely and eyed Zavonne. “So when am I going?” he asked.

  “You leave tonight.”

  Max gulped. Thanks for the warning!

  “Oh, and one last thing,” noted Zavonne.

  She does have feelings after all! She’s going to wish me good luck.

  “Bring back the Second Skin Suit in one piece,” she said curtly.

  Snub flicked a switch The boat glided to a halt.

  Snub was a tall man with a large chin, narrow eyes, and a thick covering of stubble. He cut an imposing figure. He also was the DFEA operative charged with getting Max to the start of his mission. Max had hoped Snub might offer him some advice, but he was clearly a man of few words. They’d been on the boat for two hours, following a very speedy flight on a DFEA jet. Snub had barely said anything at all.

  Max touched the collar of the Second Skin Suit that he wore over his wetsuit. He still couldn’t believe that this flimsy film was going to work. It covered his entire body, yet he couldn’t feel it at all. It was just like having a second skin.

  “OK,” said Snub. “We’ll reach your dive entry point very soon. This is the place where our divers were attacked. They reported that the sharks came at them from directly below. So you need to head straight down. I want you in the water quickly so I can get the boat away without attracting attention. I will remain just outside the mission zone as directed. Pull that blue cord on your suit when you need me. I’ll be with you in about ten minutes. Any questions?”

  Max shivered nervously and shook his head. Snub gave him an encouraging nod and started the engine. Five minutes later, he cut the motor again. He gave Max the thumbs-up.

  This is it! No going back!

  Max pulled the hood of the Second Skin Suit over his head and closed the seal. He stepped over to the edge and peered down into the watery depths. He felt a sudden stab of fear.

  It’s great that I’ve got a nice, easy mission for my first ever underwater adventure!

  He took a deep breath and dived.

  It took Max several minutes to get used to the sensation of swimming with the Second Skin Suit on. He was surrounded by water, but it felt like he wasn’t in the sea. He could breathe normally. The water made no impact on his body. But the amazing sights he passed reminded him exactly where he was. Here was a huge row of glowing orange anemones. There was a gigantic silver-and-pink fish. The sights were magnificent, but he remembered what had happened to the DFEA divers. What if a group of those weird sharks is hiding behind that rock? What if some piranhas pounce and make me their afternoon snack?

  The water changed as he dived deeper. At times it was crystal clear. And then it would turn muddy and restrict his vision. Deeper and deeper he went. He passed a huge school of long, bright-blue fish. He almost collided with a line of swordfish. One swam right up to his face for closer inspection. He swam right through a colossal formation of yellow and black rocks and traveled beside a grou
p of turquoise stingrays. Max gave a wide berth to a tight pack of spiky green fish with sharp-looking teeth.

  He had been swimming for about half an hour without any sign of murky goings-on when Max started to feel frustrated. Could Zavonne have been mistaken? Maybe he wouldn’t find anything, no matter long and deep he dived.

  A few minutes later, he spotted something in the distance. It looked like a pale and distant light.

  Perhaps it’s an electric eel … or a whole bunch of them!

  Intrigued, Max swam on. The light became a bit brighter and a whole lot bigger with each stroke. He opened his mouth in complete amazement as he swam toward it.

  It wasn’t one light. It was a series of lights. He saw a high fence that stretched for miles.

  Max stared in disbelief. It was some kind of underwater city on the seafloor. Max was sure of it. He could see buildings and carefully planted sea plants that looked like trees. But was anyone inside the settlement? Were they the ones who attacked the other divers? Or was it completely deserted and not connected to the USCs in any way?

  Max swam slowly towards the settlement and tried to take it all in. It was huge.

  Time to check out my ability to walk in water wearing the Second Skin Suit!

  Max straightened up and lowered his feet to the ground. He touched down and stayed put. He took a couple of steps. And then a few more. It was incredible! He was walking on the bottom of the seafloor. And it felt like he was walking down his local main street. The water didn’t hold him back at all.

  He broke into a run. I’m going to be the world’s first underwater 100-meter sprinter!

  Max forced himself to focus on his mission. He skidded to a stop. He looked up at the fence that stretched into the distance. He could easily swim over the top. But there were lots of powerful spotlights shining upward. What if someone saw him? It would be best to stay hidden until he could find out where he was.