Genet watched from the balcony. He was out of tears and prayers. Only bitter outrage remained.
The pilgrims sought escape back through the Ring. Turiq and his men fired on them. Alien machines rolled and flew through the streets.
Then he heard the distant sound. He identified it simply because it was unheard of in this place: a jet. He could see it far above moving across the sky.
He could not see the bomb. It was too small and fell too fast. He saw the light of its explosion: the last thing he saw before being consumed by fire.