Colonel Moran has three sixes burned on his shoulder with a red-hot iron, the apocalyptic number of the beast, and this is not without reason. A renowned hunter, adventurer and duelist, he swore an oath to avenge his humiliation on his former comrades in arms, and soon had his chance. In the African savannah, a strong and numerous British detachment ingloriously perishes under the onslaught of the Zulus, armed only with spears and shields. Sherlock Holmes and his faithful biographer Dr. Watson follow the bloody trail of the traitor. Moran, who managed to gather a gang of talented villains and even lead an international conspiracy, will have to deal with the brilliant analytical skills of the greatest detective in the world.