15. SAHARA ADVENTURE SERIES — BLOODY SUNRISE
Lieutenant Andre du Bois, commander of Fort Laval, is roused from his slumber by Boelganof, the infamous leader of a ruthless band purporting to aid the Arabs in their struggle for freedom against France. Boelganof announces that he has seized control of Fort Laval, without firing a single shot, thanks to four traitors within the fort’s walls. Du Bois is stunned and bewildered, especially upon realising that Boelganof speaks the truth and the fort is indeed under his control. Captain D’Arlan and his small reinforcement column, including Teuns Stegmann, arrive shortly thereafter, completely unaware of the takeover, and are led into an ambush.
Teuns Stegmann plays a pivotal role in the subsequent events. He attempts to divert Boelganof’s attention by claiming knowledge of the whereabouts of the legendary Sabre of Doetra and the rubies of Makesser. Teuns’s cunning plan to bribe a guard fails tragically when Nagi, the guard, is executed. Tension escalates as Boelganof reveals his intentions to annihilate the fort, and everyone within it, using a long-range rocket. The growing desperation and the looming threat of obliteration weigh heavily upon the prisoners.
Teuns’s attempts to manipulate Boelganof culminate when Sheikh Ebrahim makes an unexpected appearance. Teuns tries to broker a deal with him, but it proves unsuccessful. Ultimately, Boelganof’s own treachery leads to unforeseen consequences. Boelganof himself is now on the verge of destruction. Events unfold rapidly, and the tension reaches a breaking point with mere seconds remaining. Will the legionnaires survive the rocket launch, and what role will Teuns play in the final denouement? The true test may lie not in the explosion itself, but in the revelation of an exceptionally clever scheme.
