The pope is dying, and Cardinal Giuseppe Mercati is promoted to the coveted position of Prefect of the Secret Archives. While searching for an ancient manuscript amidst clerics' scandals, he uncovers a horrific conspiracy, a secret so vile that if it ever got out, it would unlease a chain of events that would rock the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church.Frank Santino, a Las Vegas illusionist extraordinaire, is warned he must create an entirely new spectacular act. If he cannot do so, he will not only lose his job, but also his lavish lifestyle. A reliable source tells him that a certain rare book, the same one Cardinal Mercati is searching for, contains information that will enable him to perform unheard of feats. Frank sets out in search of the manuscript. He soon finds that the powers enabling him to perform those feats could very well hurl his mind to the brink of insanity.
