Gene and Wanda Sgarlata, without whose friendship and assistance you wouldn't be reading these words; Irwyn Applebaum, for opening the door and giving me this opportunity; Nita Taublib, for dosing the deal and making my dream a reality; Kate Miciak, for your unending patience, guidance, and confidence; joel Gotler, for doing the impossible; Maria Faillace and everyone at Fox 2000, for creating the initial excitement.

In a small, heavily fortified room just north of the Sistine Chapel,a master thief is about to strike. All he needs is an instant--to steal the most important treasure in the Vatican museum:two antique keys--one gold, one silver--that protect the secret of salvation.

But a surprise awaits Michael St. Pierre deep inside the Vatican,an ancient secret so explosive, it sends him running for his life from the streets of Rome to a small stone church in Israel--with two stolen keys and a terrible realization: the consequences of his desperate, brazen act are far greater than he could ever have imagined.