When I received a phone call one fall morning, one of the last people I expected it to be from was Nathan Drake. Well, that's not entirely true. We were friends after all and had been for a quite a few years now. Granted we didn't see each other that often since he retired from treasure hunting but him, Elena, and I were still very close. Nevertheless I was still shocked when he informed me of the purpose of his call.

"We're what now?" I asked.

"We're going to Italy." He answered.

"That's very forward of you, Nate, but I thought you were married."

"Haha," he replied, dryly. I knew he was married. And he knew that I knew. I was at the wedding for God's sake, "I'm afraid this is business, not pleasure. There's going to be an auction soon that's holding an artifact we need."

"You keep saying we," he had piqued my interest now, "You know I'm always up for adventure, but if I'm not mistaken you've retired from treasure hunting, correct?"

"Well, yes," he started nervously, "but we includes someone else now. Someone important to me is in a lot of trouble and he needs our help."

"How much trouble is a lot?"

"His life is riding on us finding a treasure."

Shit. That was a lot. This guy must be really important to Nate to make him leave his normal life for him.

"Aw, jeez, Nate," I began, "when you put it like that..."

"So you'll help me out on this one? I could really use an extra hand." I could practically hear the desperation in his voice now.

"Of course. What are life and death adventure friends for, right?"

"Thanks, Leigh Ann," his tone immediately perked up, "I knew I could count on you."

"Yeah, yeah. So what about this auction?"

"Right, nothing we're not used to. Black market. Valuable artifacts. Rich con-men secretly plotting to kill each other. That sort of thing," Nate explained.

"A typical day at the office, right?"

"Pretty much. It's being held at the Rossi Estate in three days."

"The Rossi Estate..," I questioned, more to myself, "This is really high dollar then."

"Exactly, so we'll need to look the part, too."

Crap. There was the catch. It wasn't that I minded dressing up. I was actually pretty good at it. I just didn't do it very often, so I wasn't ever really prepared for occasions like this.

"Thanks for telling me on such short notice," I half-joked, "I don't think I own a single evening gown."

"Ah, I'm sure you'll throw something together in time," he replied. I could almost see him smiling at my frustration, the cocky idiot, "Besides, it's not all bad. You'll get to see us in tuxes."

"Don't get a big head, Mr. Drake. You don't clean up that nicely," I lied. I couldn't help it. He was annoying me and I wanted to take him down a few pegs. It didn't work however.

"That's a lie and you know it, Leigh Ann. I know for a fact if you could see me in a suit every day you would." He was enjoying making me angry with his banter now. I only wish I could've stayed angry at him.

I chuckled as I said, "Okay, you got me on that one. I must have something lying around. Don't you worry, I'll be ready. But I have one more question."

"What's that?"

"What artifact are we going after?"

"It's a wooden cross. A depiction of St. Dismas. I'm sure you're familiar with him?"

Of course I was familiar. I had grown up Christian. I knew Nate was raised Catholic and I was a Baptist so there were some obvious differences in our beliefs, but neither of us were very religious so it didn't come up much.

"Yeah, I know who he was. Why do we need the cross?"

"It holds a clue to finding a 300 year old pirate treasure. One of the largest in the world."

"Which pirate was it?" I wasn't a huge authority on pirates, but I knew the bigger names well enough. I was no historian either, but I prided myself on what knowledge I had accumulated over the years adventuring with Nate, Elena, and Sully, whether it be learnt from Nate's extensive knowledge or through my own studies. But the name I heard through the phone shocked me.

"Henry Avery."