38
LIFE BOILS DOWN TO A FEW MOMENTS
Northern Pakistan.
The truck struggled to pull the 85,000 pounds pressing against the curvature of its flatbed. As Khalid downshifted, both he and Jarrah’s torsos rocked forward, then back again. An odor reminiscent of an old gym locker permeated the cab, as stagnant breezes ebbed into the open windows.
After they left the flat coastline and pushed north into the hills, the two men in the truck had gone silent. From time to time, Khalid looked at his leader, hoping to read a sign in his expression, something, anything. Witnessing Jarrah’s near meltdown while they crossed the Karachi Bridge had caused Khalid to wonder if Jarrah’s mind had cracked.
Over the past several months of training together, preparing in complete secrecy for every eventuality o
