Tom Carter, the celebrity life scientist, is back to battle with an aggressive religious cult. Carter while striving to complete his latest book on archaeo-astronomy, finds his research of these dead peoples and their ancient beliefs is suddenly made larger than life by the new religious order. Tom learns that Stevie Tasker, who helped him defeat the Brotherhood in 'Still Water', has been drawn right to the very centre of the cult. A disturbing childhood experience haunted Stevie for many years and this draws her to the Order hoping she can find some answers. Samuel Shepherd, their Patriarch, preaches a confusing cocktail of beliefs woven around the prophesies of the books of Daniel and Revelations and some ancient truths he has discovered. Marsha Davenport is a brilliant geneticist, a wunderkind who could have succeeded in whichever field she chose to pursue. She sits at Shepherd's right hand, mixing genetic cocktails to hasten his prophecies. Tom's challenge is to establish quite what is going on as the threats seem to emerge from all directions. From Bolivia through Carthage, Morocco, Thailand, France and Wyoming Guy pursues the Order to a denouement at the cradle of Mankind.