Seeds of God

In 1605, the Pope eradicated the Herb of Longevity, which was central to a plot by King Phillip, the Carthusian monks, and the Medici banking family to become immortal and rule the world forever by doling out immortality potion to the highest bidder. He was murdered for it.

Today, the Pope summons a brilliant young Vatican bishop, a descendant of the Medici banking family, due to resurfacing rumors of the herb. Three teams actively hunt down rumors of the herb. An American Televangelist, the CEO of a biotech firm, and one of the wealthiest men in the world who is dying of cancer.

With the help of his brother, the owner of the remaining Medici bank, and a Carthusian monk, the search for the seeds of the plant begins in earnest. They travel the globe, hunting down clues in antiquity and the present.
Their first clue that these new rumors have substance occurs in Jordan. The Bedouin tribe that was the source of the plant hundreds of years ago are all found murdered in the desert.

Their search takes them to Turkey, where the televangelist attempts to steal a document from a museum. The document points them toward The National Gallery of London, where they find a researcher eager to help. She finds a clue that takes them to Nineveh, where the pharma CEO attempts to kill them.

A narrow escape! Back to Turkey they go to investigate a new archaeological site. A crypt for a very wealthy man from around 600 BC. An inscription in the crypt tells he became incredibly wealthy by trading in the Seeds of God. Another clue lies in the crypt. A business card. Lawrence of Arabia beat them to the tomb. If he took anything, it would either be back at the National Gallery or Oxford. They try Oxford first. Unfortunately, their records show that the crypt was looted before Sir Lawrence arrived. However, they found documents suggesting the tomb was looted in 400 BC by a Judean merchant looking for “God’s Seed”. They head to Jerusalem, but strike out. The televangelist beats them there and admits he came up empty-handed.

They hear of a new discovery: a small, hand-carved box with the words “God’s Seed” carved into the top in Sumerian and a name: Noah.

They retrieve a second wooden box, with Noah’s wife’s name inscribed. The pharma CEO takes the box at gunpoint. Inside are a handful of dried red seeds. He takes them but leaves the group alive, believing he has won.

The televangelist steals the seeds from the pharma goons. The next day, during a live online broadcast of their revival meeting, the reverend and his disciples drink the elixir and die horrible deaths.

They return to the bishop’s brother’s home to regroup. The pharma CEO attacks the house with a small army. He was driven away a second time but not before killing the bishop’s brother. He is arrested for murder.

The Pope himself offers to conduct the funeral mass. After the mass, it appears that one of the cardinals poisoned the Pope (and himself accidentally). They are both dead.

The bishops and cardinals are lost. They all agree and beg him to be in charge of the transition. He manages the press, keeps the investigation into the Pope’s murder a secret, and is pressured into conducting the Pope’s funeral mass.

He handles everything with such aplomb that the College of Cardinals is eager to install him as Pope. They wait for him to leave the Vatican so he cannot refuse.

From there on lie spoilers.