Hidden in the vastness of the Saudi Arabian desert, a camel caravan of fugitives moves slowly toward its goal. Deep in the sand and out of sight are the men they seek, leaders of al-Qaeda, regrouping to strike again. One man in the caravan stands out for his strength and self-discipline. His identity is masked, his past blanketed from memory. His obsession is to be briefed on his next target. Searching for him in the limitless sands are American and British counterterrorism experts with their sophisticated electronics. If they fail to find and kill him, if he receives his orders, he will disappear again to re-emerge in a teeming Western city with a suitcase bomb that will create the ultimate devastation.