The Kyzyl Kum desert stretches endlessly under the rising sun. A dusty GAZelle van hurtles across...

The Kyzyl Kum desert stretches endlessly under the rising sun. A dusty GAZelle van hurtles across the dunes, tilting dangerously with each bump. Inside, Vali Vohidov grips the wheel, tense and sweating. Jasur Polvonov clutches the dashboard, eyes wide. Trays of steaming baraks wobble, some sliding perilously. Dust clouds rise as the van jumps over a small dune. Vali’s jaw tightens. “If this fails… everything will be lost,” he thinks. The desert wind howls, carrying the scent of sand and tension.