SPECIAL OPERATIVE DEPLOYMENT DIVISION

A nun is brutally murdered, sisters and elderly priests beaten savagely beaten. Catholic churches burglarized. Homes invaded and families terrorized. A soon to be federal judge, his grandson, and the most influential black Baptist minister in St. Louis shot, as is a detective from the Robbery Squad. Other coppers are shot at. The barbarism of the gangs is connected to the four primary black heroin dealers in the St. Louis area and is due to the pursuit of five priceless gold coins minted at the direction of the King of France in the 1700s. The coins are invaluable as they are reputed to each contain the tiniest sliver of the Holy Cross on which Christ was crucified.

The pressure to end the reign of terror is mounted by every imaginable element of St. Louis's population. The Mafia gets involved-both on the side of the community as well as against it. The police chief places the Special Operative Deployment Division, also known as Special Ops or SODD, commanded by Lt. J.E. Donovan, under the command of the Chief Of Detectives who is known for his ruthless pursuit of criminals in order to protect the citizenry. Deaths follow in the wake of the pursuit of the Barbarians responsible for the reign of terror. And only three members of SODD wonder if the Mafia and a corrupt cop within their Division are involved.