23. SAHARA ADVENTURE SERIES - THE FALLEN WALLS
Captain D’Arlan of the French Foreign Legion intensely studies the plans for the reconstruction of Fort Laval, a strategically vital outpost in the Sahara. The fort was recently treacherously destroyed by Arabs, aided by Algerian rebels. The small garrison, including the South African Teuns Stegmann, miraculously escaped. D’Arlan is charged with the urgent task of rebuilding the fort, despite the growing unrest among the Arab population. His concern is exacerbated by the mysterious deaths of several Arab workers, apparently by poisoning, which stokes tension between the Legion and the local populace.
Teuns Stegmann plays a pivotal role in unravelling the mystery behind the deaths. He discovers that a member of the penal platoon, Rossi, poisoned the Arabs in an attempt to escape the Legion. This discovery leads to Rossi’s execution, a decision D’Arlan takes with sombre reluctance. Tensions escalate as an enormous Arab army converges on the fort, spurred by rumours of the fort’s destruction and fueled by a desire to finally expel the Legion. The betrayal of the penal platoon, led by the villainous Draga, and the sabotage of the radio, leave D’Arlan and his small garrison isolated and outnumbered.
Teuns’s ingenuity comes to the fore when he devises a plan to send a messenger, Fonck, on a perilous mission to Dini Salam for urgent aid. Amidst the chaos and bloodshed of the Arab attacks, Teuns remains a beacon of calm and determination. He and the remaining loyal soldiers fight with unwavering courage, but their situation quickly becomes desperate. The stench of decomposing bodies and the exhaustion of battle take their toll. Will help arrive in time, or is the heroic struggle of Teuns and his comrades in vain? A shocking secret, hidden within the desert itself, may determine the fate of Fort Laval and its defenders.
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