One to the 3rd Degree

For going on three years and during whirlwind journeys on three continents, Georgetown Professor Alexander Avalov has been entrapped by a series of terrorist plots menacing Western cities, institutions and populations. The first had threatened the West's major cities with chemical warfare; the second, aimed to assassinate the leader of the Free World. Now, he finds himself in the middle of yet another terrorist conspiracy that's aimed at assassinating the Pope, if not bringing an end to the world as we know it. In that journey, Alex is yet again faced with whether our Fate dooms us to repeat our past mistakes. Whether Free Will can lead us to a more enlightened state. Or, whether there is some other power at work to influence both.

In One to the 3rd Degree - The Shroud of Turin Conspiracy Alex finds himself up against the "A-Team" in ISIS-controlled Syria and Iraq. He soon discovers they are orchestrating a complex series of events that will lead him to harrowing urban battles in Rome and Turin, then, in the Middle East. Led by ISIS Caliph Amir al Rashid, terrorist cells in Europe have already launched deadly attacks on Christian Churches and artifacts involving John the Baptist, while the Islamic State has kidnapped, then, begun executing by beheading Western journalists for their modern day "crimes." Amir taunts the U.S.-led allies and their intelligence communities with prophecies and warnings of more attacks and executions to come. And, Alex is again asked to decipher their true meaning. Is the ISIS war on Baptist artifacts and Western journalists a mere ruse to cover a much deeper and more sinister plot?

By now, of course, Professor Avalov is a seasoned veteran of terrorist warfare. He has access to the best military, diplomatic and intelligence money can buy in trying to find the location of the ISIS "death camp." Even the Roman Pope and the earlier prophecies of a 'Lady in White' are in his corner. But, is it enough when confronting the darkest forces of evil known to mankind? Are the early clues based on the events and numerological significance contained in the Bible and Quran adequate guide posts? Will the controversial political theorist's knack for interpreting the historical numbers in the Scriptures and Ancient Texts ... and perhaps with guidance from that inner voice, a "family gift" ... again come to his aid? And, in the end, will the reluctant American hero who never asked for any of this, be able to endure the ultimate fear of being crucified a second time in the desert? Time is especially running out, when ISIS announced the kidnapping and planned execution of Joe Morgenthau, the New York Times columnist, who had earlier saved Alex's life in the Arabian desert.

As in his earlier exploits, Alex, Mr. Numerology," is again joined by his siblings in fighting the determined terrorists ... and now trying to return a favor by saving Joe. Enter Jonathan, the Secret Service Agent assigned by the White House to help its CIA operatives investigate events in the Middle East; Alyssia, the DOJ attaché to the U.S. Ambassador in Rome; and Jenavieve, the NSA's chief cryptologist and expert de-coder. Good friend and colleague Professor Maria Angelini is also on board to better understand the nature of the Baptist artifacts. As is the CIA's closest example of a 007 Robert "Scar" Scarsborough. A surprise helping hand would come from Alex's influential father and Big Law attorney Mike Avalov, whose representation of a kidnapped journalist's family would make possible a final show down in the desert between Amir's ISIS and Alex, along with his Marine-led assault team.