This is my first story here and m first story in English at all, so since I'm not English or American, I can make mistakes. Please, be nice and give me a chance, guys!

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PROLOGUE

Piper McLean was sitting in the pirate tavern on Tortuga, drinking beer. Yes, pirate tavern. Piper had been a pirate for a very long time and she was proud of everything she had achieved so far. Piracy didn't seem like an easy career for women and it wasn't. But Piper was good at what she was doing. She managed to get a ship, a loyal crew and a bad reputation between pirates.

She started drumming her fingers on the table. She hated waiting. But she urgently had to get new supplies for her ship and the members of her crew were working on that. She was waiting for Leo, who was going to come and tell her when the ship would be ready to sail. Finally someone put a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, just to see that it wasn't Leo, but her old first officer - Percy Jackson.

"Percy" she greeted him.

"Piper" he replied, sitting on the chair, so he was now facing her.

There was a moment of silence, before Percy asked.

"You're leaving tonight?"

Piper simply nodded. Percy knew her really well although there was never anything romantic between them. Percy had a fiancée - Annabeth - and Piper didn't want to start a relationship, so they were just good friends.

"Could I come with you?" Percy asked again.

Piper's eyes lightened up. She really missed Percy during her last trips. He was a good pirate and a good first officer. She grinned.

"Welcome back on the deck, Percy."

Before he had a chance to say anything, they were interrupted by Leo.

"Captain, everything is ready. We can leave Tortuga in an hour." he said. "And by the way, hey, Percy. Long time not to see, huh?"

"Right. Nice to see you, Leo."

"How's Annabeth?" Leo kept asking, since he was a very talkative and curious person.

"She's doing great. You know, war with Spain is finally over, so she isn't afraid to let me sail. Of course, as long as I don't get myself killed."

Both Piper and Leo laughed at that.

"We should go to the harbour." Leo said, serious again. "The crew is waiting."

After paying the barman, they left the tavern and headed to harbour. Piper was tensed during the walk and didn't relax until they got to the ship.
The course was already set and it was The Haunted Island. In fact it wasn't haunted, the name was just made up to scare people other than pirates. And it worked - nearly anyone went there. But Piper had to visit her old friend. She went downstairs to her cabin and closed the door. She removed her clothes, put on a simple white shirt and a pair comfortable pants and then she got into her bed.

She fell asleep, feeling satisfied.