Unraveling the Dark Secrets of Zaragoza’s Sewers
A Desperate Search for a Missing Friend
Three friends, Gabriel, Lucy, and Matthew, find themselves entangled in a dark and dangerous adventure. They are searching for their friend, Alex Urbina, who vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a cryptic farewell letter. Alex’s disappearance seems linked to a strange online game he stumbled upon.
As the investigation unfolds, Inspector Garcés discovers a disturbing pattern: other young people, all avid video game players, have also disappeared in recent years. Mysterious murders have plagued the city as well. Driven by their determination to find Alex, the three friends venture blindly into the depths of Zaragoza’s sewers, a labyrinthine world far more perilous than any of their video games.
Their search for Alex will test the limits of their courage and their friendship. The novel masterfully builds suspense, culminating in a shocking twist. It is revealed that Rachel, Alex’s supposed girlfriend, is an accomplice in a sinister organization. This group profits from the suffering of individuals trapped in the city’s underground passageways, a network of ancient Roman sewers beneath Zaragoza’s old town.
These unfortunate souls, lured into a twisted “real-life game,” face unimaginable horrors: vicious attack dogs, hordes of ravenous rats, and a bloodthirsty madman wielding an ax. Wealthy individuals pay astronomical sums to witness the live, real-time agony of these victims, most of whom meet a brutal end.
A Glimmer of Hope
Thanks to the unwavering determination of his friends and the crucial assistance of Inspector Garcés, Alex is rescued from certain death in the gloomy depths of the ancient Roman sewers.
Characters
- Gabriel: The intellectual of the group. He comes from a poor background and helps his family by working in their bar.
- Lucy: A computer whiz with fiery red hair. She is highly skilled with technology and possesses a sharp intuition.
- Matthew: The affluent one. He lives in a luxurious villa with his wealthy parents and is an avid sportsman.
- Rachel: Alex’s “girlfriend.” She is ultimately revealed to be the one who lured Alex into the deadly game, acting as bait for the organization.
- Inspector Garcés: Initially skeptical of the teenagers’ claims, he is assigned to the case. As he investigates a series of recent murders, he uncovers a potential connection to Alex’s disappearance. He eventually collaborates with the friends, delving deep into the investigation. He discovers that the victims were all connected to the ancient sewers of Zaragoza:
- Antonio Valls: An expert archaeologist and professor specializing in old Roman ruins, found beheaded.
- Ramon Alonso: A retired architect, found dead after being thrown from a three-story building. It appears he was forced to drink a large quantity of whiskey to make it seem like a drunken accident.
- John Balmes: An elderly, retired digger with extensive knowledge of Zaragoza’s underground network, found poisoned by pills.
- Alex Urbina: The missing friend. The last known information about him is that he had mistakenly accessed a website for a dangerous online game.