It is the story of one young man's struggle for faith in a culture of corruption, his descent into despair and violence and his redemption within the tenets of a secret society that was created in the dungeons of "e;Castel St Angelo"e; (Rome, Italy) seven hundred years ago.It is the story of a serial killer, of a tortured psycho-killer and of a striver after truth who is inducted into an ancient order to become one of the legendary Mortal Archangels.A Catholic parish in present-day California is plagued by a serial killer who disguises himself as the Pope and slays pedophile priests. Is he a homicidal maniac or is he actually fulfilling the Ascension Protocols of an ancient organization of the faithful? The answer lies in Gill Stillwell's story, the San Simone parish file clerk who dons the Papal garb and rubber mask and rains vengeance down on the corrupt clergy.It is a story that is also told through the violent and parallel struggle of a young boy in 1400 Rome who began the ancient Order of Octavius to battle corruption. These two stories collide in present-day San Simone with the arrival of the mysterious Father Argus, an envoy from the Vatican. But is Father Argus trying to stop Gil or recruit him? The ultimate answer is only revealed in the aftermath of the Pope's final bloody telekinetic assault, a supernatural blood bath that leaves a trail of guilty bodies in its wake.
