39. SAHARA ADVENTURE SERIES — THE GORAS BLOODBATH
Teuns Stegmann, a tall, blond Afrikaner, and his comrades in the Foreign Legion find their routine desert patrol interrupted by a strange discovery. Vultures circle above a lone, fleeing figure. This figure turns out to be an Arab shepherd, dying from a gunshot wound. His final murmured word is “Goras.” This single word sends Teuns and his men on a perilous journey to a remote oasis. The path leads them to a scene of horrific slaughter and inexplicable secrets. The oasis, Goras, lies in total ruin. Only vultures and the ravaged remains of an obliterated community are visible. A young survivor, Kemal, claims that Arabs are responsible for the massacre, but the evidence speaks of a more sinister plot.
The mystery deepens when they stumble upon a fresh grave, where they discover the body of a white man clad in Arab attire. Teuns Stegmann, now aware of the escalating danger, decides to return immediately to Fort Tetain, but their retreat is intercepted by a skirmish with a group of horsemen. Their commander, Igor Berthold, leads a secret military commando and reveals that he is responsible for the massacre at Goras. However, Teuns and his men are not easy prey. With skill and courage, they succeed in capturing Berthold and entrenching themselves in a sand depression, surrounded by a superior enemy force.
As they attempt to escape their predicament, Teuns realizes that Berthold has a plan that will expose Fort Tetain to grave danger. With their backs against the wall, Teuns must execute several dangerous plans and strategies to thwart Berthold’s ruthless schemes. Will Teuns Stegmann succeed in saving his comrades and protecting Fort Tetain, or does an even darker truth lie hidden, a secret stretching beyond the sands of the Sahara itself?
