When the pontiff dies in 2025, a chilling prophecy ignites a global hunt. Dr. Elena Moretti, a Vatican cryptologist, uncovers the Malachy Codex—a 12th-century relic foretelling the final pope, Petrus Romanus, whose reign unleashes chaos. The codex's vellum burns with cryptic Latin and serpent sigils, pointing to Pope Peter II, Cardinal Rinaldi, whose tattooed wrist hides a deadly secret. With hacker Luca Mancini, Elena races from Rome's catacombs to Tokyo's neon underworld, Lagos's fiery slums, and Sydney's ancient tunnels, battling the Order of the Serpent—a cult wielding Rinaldi's blood to open apocalyptic gates. Each gate's ritual, tied to a lunar eclipse, amplifies the codex's curse, its visions shredding Elena's mind with gold-flecked serpent eyes. Allies betray, riots engulf cities, and a cardinal's onyx ring signals a traitor within the Vatican. As Elena seals the final gate, sparing Rinaldi to atone, the codex binds her to an eternal vigil, its whispers warning of new altars. The Malachy Codex is a heart-pounding thriller of supernatural suspense and global intrigue, perfect for fans of Dan Brown and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.