Civilization on the verge of destruction... Three narratives weave together the story behind the fall of one of the world's greatest empires, and its influence the last days of the Roman Empire, a spy mission during the Italian Renaissance, and uncovering and sharing the story with the contemporary world. Each man faces the challenges of his own world as he sets off on a journey that defines his own life. Tiberius Augustus Saturnius, a Sixth Century refugee, in a world falling into chaos, fleeing from Greece to Ireland using a refugee network, encountering political and economic fugitives from the Empire. Gian Dianti, of Florence, Italy, 1502, is persuaded to carry out a spy mission under the direction of Niccolo Machiavelli, against the forces of Cesare Borgia, assigned to find out if Leonardo de Vinci is designing weapons for Florence's enemies. John Ness, a professor of ancient languages, sets out to research his family history and ends up solving an age old mystery."