THE CAPE COLONY, 19TH CENTURY, SOUTHERN AFRICA. For over two decades under the oppression of the British Empire, the Xhosa clans have languished on overcrowded barren land with no meaningful future in sight. Their poverty and despair is apparent as they try to eke out an existence under the British colonial tyranny. The old chiefs come under pressure from their sons to call for war once again with the old foe the Mfengu Levies after they insult a Xhosa chieftain, but fighting the Mfengu means fighting the Imperial British Army.
Jamie Fyvie, Iain McColl, their families and friends come under attack from an unknown assailant. Jamie and Iain's immediate families, Lydia Fyvie and son Jamie (junior), Clara McColl and her daughter, Elizabeth, have to be vigilant at all times in case of assassins, but Clara is ambushed and taken prisoner, Jamie and Iain have to find out who has taken her and attempt a rescue before she is killed. The arrival of a British secret service agent signals the return of their old adversary, the ELOS. They want control of the diamond mines in Kimberley and revenge on Fyvie and McColl.
A brave Portuguese explorer falls foul of the ELOS and is forced to help them. He overhears there plans for the assassination of Jamie Fyvie and Iain McColl, he tries to send a message to warn them, which may in turn save his own skin.
No one knows who the elder in charge of all ELOS operations in Africa is, he is deep under cover and holds one of the highest positions in the cape government... he is a ruthless killer. He commands the new governor, also an ELOS elder, to issue warrants of arrest for Jamie, his son and Iain, or to be shot on sight and the execution of their wives and Iain's daughter.
Their businesses and homes in danger, Jamie and Iain once again take the fight to the enemy and try to stay ahead of the ELOS assassins across an explosive Eastern Cape frontier, and in the semi-desert of Namaqualand and Bushman's Land in the Northern Cape. They have to find out the identity of the senior elder hidden in a high government position and eliminate him. They will have to stop the ELOS at the root of their power in Freetown, Sierra Leone and in London.
On the ship sailing north Iain's daughter and Jamie's son, two cousins, find love in each other and comfort in each other's bed, which causes a family problem.
The ELOS intend to unleash a deadly disease on the Kimberley diamond miners, intent on taking over the mining companies. They have also infiltrated the Cape Colony government to the extent where they now have the power to control the British Army and the colonial militia forces and provoke the African tribes to fight.
A devious deception eventually lures the sons of the old chiefs into conflict. The ELOS are back to cause chaos once again giving the Imperial British Army the excuse to ride out along the frontier to inflict death and destruction in a final conflict.
