Portugal, 1705. In the dungeons of a Templar castle, a dying old man bequeaths an ancient, half-burnt book to his young inquisitor. Keeping one step ahead of those who would kill to wrench the book's secret from his hands, the inquisitor turns his back on his calling and sets off on an impossible journey to complete the old man's quest. Baghdad, 2003. A military unit makes a horrifying discovery: a hidden state-of-the-art lab, where dozens of men, women and children have died. The scientist they were hunting is believed to be working on a bio weapons programme. But the man known only as the hakeem - the doctor - has escaped, taking with him the startling truth about his work ...