In 1798, the Barbary Pirates stole his freedom. Now, John Sullivan wants blood. John Sullivan made a promise to his kid sister Kaitlin on the deck of their father's merchant ship: He promised to protect her from all danger on the high seas. And on that day, the Barbary Pirates attacked. Far from jolly bandits trolling for treasure, these were the feared butchers of the Mediterranean Sea who deal in human flesh. Sullivan watched in horror as they stripped him and his family naked, clapped them in chains, and hauled them off into slavery on the desolate Barbary Coast. Five years later, John Sullivan finds himself alone and orphaned in America---the only member of his family lucky enough to escape. For five years, he has been freezing in the streets, begging for charity, and working for ruthless sell swords, all the while haunted by nightmares of his mother and sister living under the boot of the pirate lords. His heart burns with hatred for the raiders that stole his life. He's spent every day training in the sword, saving every dollar, and plotting his revenge. Now, he arrives in Philadelphia to join the biggest card game in the city, where the winner stands to make a fortune. To get a seat at the table, he will risk every penny he's ever earned. If he wins, he'll have the money to mount a rescue mission and bring his family home. If he loses, everyone he holds dear will be lost forever...