The Caliphate

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

We drive for hours through bumpy back roads that jar my teeth and toss my head against the side-window. When the driver speaks, it's usually two-word phrases. Who better to hide our location than a man who rarely speaks? Our constant companion is the driver's ham radio. It scans all the frequencies, listening for Ghuraba signals and civilian conversations. With my blindfold on, I have nothing to do but listen. After a while, I begin to discern certain words carry warnings.

The driver slams on the breaks.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"There's a roadblock up ahead."

He turns the truck around and takes a different way. The road becomes bumpier.

"Shut your window," he says. "This will be unpleasant."

I grip the dashboard, white-knuckled, as the road becomes horrifically bumpier. Th