IT`S BEEN MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS SINCE NEW YORK CITY MEDICAL EXAMINER JACK STAPLETON`S COLLEGE GRADUATION AND ALMOST AS LONG SINCE HE`S BEEN IN TOUCH WITH FORMER CLASSMATES SHAWN DOHERTY AND KEVIN MURRAY. ONCE A HIGHLY REGARDED OPHTHALMOLOGIST, JACK`S CAREER TOOK A DRAMATIC TURN AFTER A TRAGIC ACCIDENT THAT DESTROYED HIS FAMILY. BUT THAT, TOO, IS VERY MUCH IN THE PAST: JACK HAS REMARRIED—TO LONG-TIME COLLEAGUE AND FELLOW MEDICAL EXAMINER LAURIE MONTGOMERY— AND IS THE FATHER OF A YOUNG CHILD.
A POST-MORTEM ON A YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENT WHO HAD RECENTLY BEEN TREATED BY A CHIROPRACTOR, LEADS JACK TO INVESTIGATE ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. WHAT MAKES SOME PEOPLE STEP OUTSIDE THE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT TO SEEK CARE FROM PRACTITIONERS OF EASTERN PHILOSOPHIES AND EVEN FAITH HEALERS?
JACK`S CLASSMATE SHAWN DOHERTY IS NOW A RENOWNED ARCHAEOLOGIST AND BIBLICAL SCHOLAR AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF MODERN ART. HE HAS RECENTLY OBTAINED PERMISSION FOR A FINAL DIG BENEATH SAINT PETER`S IN ROME—DESPITE A LONG-STANDING GRUDGE AGAINST THE CATHOLIC CHURCH—AND HAS MADE A STARTLING DISCOVERY WITH HUGE ECCLESIASTICAL AND MEDICAL IMPLICATIONS.
WHEN KEVIN MURRAY, NOW BISHOP OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK, GETS WIND OF SHAWN’S FINDINGS, HE’S DESPERATE TO KEEP THEM FROM THE PUBLIC. KEVIN HAS STRONG POLITICAL AMBITIONS WITHIN THE CHURCH, BUT HIS ASSOCIATION WITH SHAWN THREATENS TO UNDERMINE THEM. KEVIN TURNS TO HIS OLD FRIEND JACK TO HELP PROTECT AN EXPLOSIVE SECRET—ONE WITH THE POWER TO CHANGE LIVE FOREVER.
व्हर्जिन मदर मेरीचे अवशेष ज्या ऑसुअरीत आहेत त्याचा ठावाठिकाणा सांगणारे पत्र एका चलाख पुरातत्त्वज्ञाच्या हाती पडते. त्या ठिकाणी पूर्वी पुरातत्त्व संशोधक म्हणून काम केले असल्याचा फायदा घेऊन त्याच्या रेणुजीवशास्त्रज्ञ असलेल्या तरुण बायकोच्या मदतीने ती ऑसुअरी त्या दुर्गम जागेतून बाहेर काढण्यात तो यशस्वी होतो. तेथून सुरक्षितपणे सुसज्ज अशा प्रयोगशाळेपर्यंत त्या ऑसुअरीचा प्रवास त्याच्या आर्चबिशप असलेल्या मित्राच्या नावाचा (पण त्याच्या नकळत) फायदा घेऊन करण्यात यशस्वी होतो. हे कथानक न्यूयॉर्क शहरातील फोरेन्सिक लॅबमध्ये काम करणाऱ्या जॅकच्या कहाणीपासून सुरू होतं, पण समांतररीत्या त्याच वेळेस इजिप्तमधील कैरो इथं त्याच कथानकाची अन्य कडी गुंफली जात असते शॉन या पुरातत्त्वज्ञाच्या कहाणी बरोबर. हे दोघंही कॉलेज काळातील जिगरी दोस्त आहेत. त्यांच्या या ग्रुपमधील तिसरा मित्र जेम्स हा आता आर्च बिशप असून त्याचाही यात समावेश होतो आणि ही कहाणी कोणते वळण घेते, ते मती गुंग करणारे आहे.