Terrick (James Faulkner (actor)), a British South Africa Police officer in rural Rhodesia, looks forward towards the end of his police service and early retirement to his farm with his fiancée, Sally (Sybil Danning). Terrick's hopes for a peaceful life with Sally are shattered, however, when black nationalist guerrillas attack the farm. Sally is raped and murdered by the guerrilla leader, an albino known only by the moniker ''"Whispering Death"'' (Horst Frank). Consumed by grief, Terrick and his farmworkers, led by Katchemu (Sam Williams (actor)) set out to avenge Sally on their own. They subsequently learn that the guerrillas have summoned the local villagers to a meeting to politicize them and lay an ambush for "Whispering Death" there. However Terrick's party opens fire prematurely, killing and injuring some of the civilians present. The Rhodesian government demands that Terrick's police superior, Bill (Christopher Lee) hold him accountable for his recklessness and bring him to justice. From its perspective he has endangered the war effort by inflaming the relationship between the security forces and the locals through his irresponsible actions. Bill obligingly orders a manhunt for Terrick, but most of the policemen sympathize with their onetime colleague and are demoralized by the fact they are being ordered to pursue him instead of the guerrillas. They abandon the manhunt and return to their homes. Due to the apparent unwillingness of the police to apprehend Terrick, a crack army unit is called in to assist with the manhunt.