The mysterious Emmie is arrested late one night in the ruins of an old house. Brigadier Rosa Scheffers suspects that something unusual is afoot, and uses the opportunity to re-establish a special unit: Sergeant Beatrice Mack and Colonel Bas Koorts call themselves the "Spreeus". Soon, it appears that Rosa's suspicions were correct.

Beatrice befriends Rasheeda, a Bo-Kaap widow who is about to be evicted by developers. When she tries to help, the Spreeus discover that Rasheeda has a visitor from the distant past - and that she will not let herself be shunted around so easily.