Gabriel Jackson is a black South African. Powerful, ruthless and well-connected he pledges his life to the spiritual education of a uniquely gifted Zimbabwean boy. Fuelled by the delusions of a paranoid despot, Jackson and the boy are pursued by dedicated killers all the way to Scotland. It is when these killers are confronted by Gabriel Jackson that they realise the lengths he will go to in defence of the boy's life. His resolve is total, his actions lethal. All along he is aided by Rachel, a South African Airways flight attendant who is in awe of him. Later, Jackson's appearance in the role of Father Gabriel, taking control of an ancient Ionian monastery, suggest a strong reason for his dedication to the boy. It is the building of a new church on Iona that signifies Gabriel Jackson's true intent. His hold over the boy becomes stronger and a group of warrior monks consolidate his position. Jackson exerts his influence in high places and closes Iona, creating a fortress island within which he can complete the boy's education uninterrupted. However, Jackson does not reckon on Rachel's duplicity and the determination of the boy's father as he plots to rescue him.