Cotton Malone, retired from the high-risk world of elite operatives for the U.S. State Department, is thrust into a new adventure when his son is kidnapped and his bookstore burned down. It becomes clear that those responsible will stop at nothing to get what they want -- the lost Library of Alexandria. Now a cartel of wealthy international moguls is desperate to breach the library's hallowed halls -- and Malone possesses the information they need to succeed. Pursued by a lethal mercenary, Malone crosses the globe in search of answers, the discovery of which could have worldwide repurcussions.