The rocking of the boat was not to blame for Percy Jackson's turning stomach. Nor, was the booming, rambunctious laughter of pirates. Percy Jackson was afraid he was allergic to Rum, but he could not tell the pirates that as they eagerly awaited his reaction. He screwed his face up at the awful taste and coughed as the liquid burned his throat. The pirates laughed again.

The pirate closest to him, the one with horrible breath and grey hair so long it knotted into his beard clapped Percy on the shoulder. "What's the matter, boy? Ain't ye ever had Rum 'fore?"

Percy handed him the bottle and whipped his mouth with the back of his hand. "No. I'm twelve."

The pirate wheezed out another laugh. "Then you're behind, boy!" The pirate took three gulps of Rum and sat down in front of Percy again. "I'm Nereus. What's your name, boy?"

Percy was slow to answer, counting the number of times the boat swayed until he answered. "Perseus Jackson. I'm looking for my father, and I'm told you can help me."

Percy didn't miss the way Nereus eyed him as he chugged the Rum. Percy didn't tell many people his true name. His mother always said that names have power, and his, as powerful as it is and would come to be, was also just shy of a curse.

"Perseus, you say?" Nereus leaned forward on his knees. "Not a name an old pirate like meself hears very oft'."

Percy leaned forward and reached into his shirt. He pulled out the chain that hung around his neck and held it for Nereus to see. Percy showed Nereus the charm that dangled from the chain and did not hide his smirk as he saw Nereus gasp for words and reach hungrily for the charm. The charm had the exact effect on Nereus that Percy was hoping for.

"No. Not an average name, but I've been told you can help me find my father."

"Where did you get this?" Nereus whispered in astonishment. "Have ye any idea what this means, boy?" Nereus grabbed for the charm but Percy quickly hid it away underneath his shirt.

"It's a trident," Percy said. "The symbol of my father."

Nereus eyed the place on Percy's chest where the trident hang concealed. Percy did not understand the obsession pirates had with this chain of his, but his mother had kept it secret from him all twelve years of his life. Only until recently had Sally Jackson given the chain to Percy in secret and told him stories of pirates, adventures, and his father. Percy did not know what the chain meant, but he knew it was to be kept secret unless he found those with a burned trident on their arm. Then, and only then, would Percy know he was among his father's men.

"Have ye any sense what this trident means?" Nereus gruffed and chugged from the Rum bottle. "I haven't seen that trident in twelve years, and it's been just as long since I seen Captain Poseidon."

Percy leaned forward eagerly. "So you do know of him?"

Nereus scoffed. "Know of him? A part of his crew I was!" But then, Nereus got a faraway look in his eyes. "Part of the crew, part of the ship…" Nereus looked haunted and Percy wasn't sure this conversation was going to last much longer.

"Please," Percy implored. "Tell me more."

Nereus stood and shook his head. "No more tales, boy. Dead men tell no tales, ye best 'member that."

Percy hopelessly watched Nereus hobble up the wooden stairs to top deck, not understanding what he meant. Percy wished he never ventured on this journey. Percy wanted to be home with his mother, collecting sea shells on the shore and hearing her stories of adventure, not living in his failing one. He wanted to hear her sing again. If Percy concentrated hard enough, he could hear her singing his favorite song.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We're beggars and blighters and ne'er do-well cads, drink up me 'earties, yo ho! Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads, drink up me 'earties, yo ho!

Percy loved that song. Percy laid his hand over the trident necklace and sighed a deep sigh. He missed his mom.

Suddenly, with the sound of a loud cannon and the breaking of wood, the ship rocked hard- tossing all those onboard off their feet. Percy had been tossed off his seat on a barrell and was squished between two cannons, his shoulder aching.

The ship was in chaos. Percy watched as the bottom deck was now filled with light as the sun shone through the holes enemy cannons had blown into the ship. Percy didn't even realize it was daylight. Everyone was shouting orders and running to sharpen their swords and fill their guns with gun powder. Percy realized he didn't have a weapon of his own.

"Move, boy!"

Percy was thrown by two men hurriedly readying the cannons. Percy watched as they lit the cannon, but didn't expect it to make such an ear shattering sound. Percy clutched at his ears, doing his best to muffle the silence of the chaos. He hid behind the barrels he sat on earlier, not knowing what to do. His mother's stories never sounded as dangerous as this had become.

The ship rocked as it took another hit by enemy cannons. Percy filled with dread as he realized the ship was taking on water. The men seemed to notice as well. They were hurrying with the cannons, emptying out water the best they could, but Percy knew this would do nothing. The ship was going down.

Then he heard the words.

"Abandon ship!"

Someone had shouted from top deck.

"Abandon ship!"

"Abandon ship!"

"Abandon ship!"

The ship was hit by another cannon, and more water came rushing into the ship. People were diving out of the holes in the ship into water and Percy watched in horror as they plunged to their deaths. There was no way someone could stay alive shipwrecked in open sea.

Percy saw Nereus bounding down what was left of the wooden stairs. His hat was missing and so was his shirt. He looked crazed and wild, more so, he looked angry.

"Time to go, boy!" Nereus shouted, hauling Percy onto his feet.

"Where?" Percy shouted back, but saw Nereus was leading them to the hole in the ship that a dozen of the crew had already jumped from. "No!" Percy yanked his arm back. "You're mad!"

"Aye!" Nereus roared. "Now jump!"

Percy peered out of the hole. The jump wouldn't hurt, it was fifteen feet at most. Percy had done higher jumps at home with his mom.

Don't worry! Percy heard his mother say, The water won't hurt you. The water will make you stronger.

Percy turned to Nereus. "What happens after I jump?"

"You live!" Nereus pointed at Percy's chest. "Don't ye tell a soul 'bout the trident. Never! Stay aland long as ye can. When the song is sung, the trident will call, and ye best start running again when that happens. Ye got the key to the sea, boy. That's a treasure the whole world be wanting. Keep it safe."

Nereus spoke so cryptically Percy had no clue what he meant. "What about you?" Percy asked.

Nereus got the same faraway, haunted look in his eyes. "Part of the crew, part of the ship…" Nereus looked at Percy then, a wicked smile on his face. "Hold ye breath, boy!"

Then Percy was falling towards the water and everything went black.