"SOME YEARS EARLIER" "Dimas..." "Go down to La Dehesa for help." "Run." "Go to the village... and get help." "I'm hungry." "My tummy's aching." "Hurry." "Your mother's dying." "There's nothing left to eat." "Dimas, Dimas..." "Rug yourself up." "Mama!" "Mama!" "Mama!" "Camila, I've got some partridges for a stew!" "Camila!" "Camila?" "OMNIVORES" "Hello." "My name's Paola Bardуn, I'm an independent editor and I have an interesting offer for you." "Please call me when you hear this message." "Hello, this is Paola Bardуn." "I didn't get your call." "The matter I called about is an assignment I'd like you to do for our publishing house." "Please, call me." "Well, Dimas." "I must congratulate you again." "You've outdone yourself." "Thanks, Gloria, you know this wouldn't be the same without you." "Whenever you organize a dinner." "we'll be there." "Thanks a lot." "Now if you'll excuse me, I've a matter to attend to." "Have fun." "Thanks." "Very good." "Prepare it in four pieces." "Marcos Vela?" "Paola Bardуn." "A fascinating place." "Come with me." "I thought the famous food critic Marcos Vela wouldn't even listen to my offer." "I'd stopped leaving you messages." "I was on trip." "I was told you work freelance." "I want you to investigate and write about clandestine restaurants." "I'd like to publish an article, perhaps even a book." "I'm listening." "The kind of restaurant was all the rage in New York, then the fever hit London and now here, it seems." "The odd thing is that they all run under the same rules:" "anyone attending these gatherings must do so alone." "It's not for couples or groups of people who know each other." "Legally, one can't charge, so everyone takes their own drinks." "That guarantees that there's no commercial exchange, it's just a gathering of friends." "I thought these restaurants, if you can call them that, were the idea of individuals with certain culinary gifts who want to make some extra cash." "I don't know what interest an article or book on them would arouse." "You'd be surprise at the things that interest people." "What do you say?" "Can I count on you?" "I met someone who organizes this kind of dinner at her home." "Her name's Monique." "She's a wonderful cook." "This is an invitation to the next dinner." "I anticipated that you and I would reach a deal." "I told her you'd attend in my place." "Does that seem like a good place to start?" "Perfect." "Come in." "Come in." "Good evening." "I'm sorry, I'm a little late." "A neighbor didn't see you?" "No, I don't think so." "Did you bring the wine?" "Yes, of course." "The donation." "I'm sorry, I forgot." "It was...?" "800." "Give me your jacket." "No, thanks, I'm fine." "Accompany me to the living room." "Mon coeur!" "Marcos Vela!" "It's an honor to have you here." "I'm Monique." "I shall be your host this evening." "It's a pleasure, Monique." "My friends." "I'd like to present our final guest for this evening, Marcos Vela." "While I was organize this dinner someone said to me," ""Marcos Vela must try your dishes"." "Et voilа!" "Marcos is my favorite critic." "He always knows the right word to use." "His words are as smooth as silk, as sweet as honey." "You'll make me blush in front of your guests." "Sometimes his words are painful and sharp, like red-hot needles." "With them he can fill or shut down a restaurant." "I'm not just a critic, I'm also a writer." "Really?" "How interesting!" "Well, if you fancy writing about my dishes one day, you may speak of the sin, but... never, never, never the sinner." ""Warm Matsutake mushroom salad with Almas caviar"." "Matsutake, due to its strong aroma and flavor, is the most prized of all edible wild mushrooms." "At the start of the season in Japan its price can reach 1500 Euros a kilo." "Almas, "diamond" in Russian, is a smooth, aromatic caviar." "It comes from the albino beluga sturgeon of the Caspian Sea, and is extremely rare." "It is sold in cans made of 24-carat gold." "It cost around 25,000 Euros a kilo." "Amazing." "Lola is a walking gastronomic encyclopedia." "It looks very nice." "Really?" "If you think it looks nice, just wait until you try it." "So, what are you writing at the moment, Marcos?" "Nothing in particular." "Really?" "Nothing interesting on the horizon?" "The truth is, I'd like to write about something totally different." "Seriously?" "For example?" "Clandestine restaurants, what people eat at them." "That can be a mystery." "What do you mean?" "Who knows?" "The food might not always be what it seems." "In such unusual restaurants, anything can happen." "Or one could end up eating anything." "Yes, but that's the perverse interest, right, Marcos?" "And what is a gastronomic specialist like you doing in a clandestine restaurant like this?" "I'm sure you know far better places to eat than this," "and more affordable." "Darling, that comment was regrettable and quite rude." "Besides, we don't just pay for what we eat here." "No?" "What do you pay for then?" "You could go to some eatery, it's bound to be cheaper." "I was familiar with these kinds of restaurants in London and New York." "I didn't know they were here." "You only have to know how to get around if you want to find out where they're hiding." "If you like, I can be your guide." "Here comes the star dish!" ""Kobe swathed in truffles"" "Kobe: the ox raised in rural areas of Japan." "These cattle get daily massages, are bathed in rice wine and their diet includes beer." "All this makes for extraordinary exquisite meat." "Cheers." "Are you going to write about clandestine restaurants?" "Yes." "How was your first experience?" "Expensive." "I mean the food." "That is what you're going to write about, isn't it?" "Of course, the food." "The salad surprised me." "Perhaps a tad too much caviar." "I agree." "The Kobe was superb." "I didn't think it'd blend so well with the truffle coating." "How would you rate the chef?" "Top class." "It's hard to balance the flavors in that kind of dish." "Monique was fantastic." "If you like, I could help you with your article." "Do you know where any other dinners are held?" "Well..." "You could say I hear a thing or two." "What's wrong with you?" "Are you deaf or what?" "Eva." "A new gathering is being set up." "I hope it's more exciting than the last ones." "I guarantee it." "What's the theme?" "Are you sitting down?" "Yes." "Japanese food." "That's not original at all." "What's going to be eaten is." "Fugu." "I was wondering what a journalist of your standing was doing in clandestine restaurants." "I was wondering the same about you." "I'm writing an article." "I thought I was the journalist." "So we're coinciding on an investigation." "I'm way ahead of you." "I want to eat Fugu but I don't want to die." "Anyway, I don't think we're investigating the same thing." "Oh, no?" "What are you investigating?" "You'd be surprised." "I am the greatest Fugu chef." "Do you like meat?" "Some more than others." "Did you clean off all the blood?" "Certainly, Bando." "I scrupulously cleaned off all traces of blood." "Have you cleaned the liver?" "Even the liver, the most exquisite part, is clean of all poison." "Try it." "And if the meat isn't what you expect?" "I'm always open to new flavors." "Exquisite!" "Delicious!" "Unparalleled!" "I shall eat nothing else but this ambrosia of the gods!" "What's wrong, Bando?" "Your gums are going numb!" "You're losing feeling in your hands!" "Your body's becoming paralyzed!" "You feel like you're suffocating and you're aware of your own death!" "Farewell, Bando." "What an appalling death!" "The blowfish has fulfilled its destiny... and yours!" "Are you going to tell me?" "By the way, it's been some time since you and I..." ""talked"." "Welcome." "I'm passionate about Fugu." "also known as the blowfish." "You've just witnessed a staging of classical Japanese theater on the death of the Kabuki actor Bando, who died in 1975, after ingesting 16 grams of Fugu liver." "I've brought various specimens directly from Japan." "The one you are to sample is the tiger blowfish, the most poisonous in existence." "The fish contains a neurotoxin called "tetrodotoxin", for which no antidote exist." "A miniscule amount can kill within a few hours." "There have been many deaths due to Fugu." "In fact, only a few chefs in Japan are authorized to prepare it." "After this, I'd understand if some of you wish to leave." "Fugu soup!" "Fugu sashimi!" "And grilled Fugu!" "You may choose the order in which you wish to eat." "You're about to taste the most exquisite dishes ever created." "I hope you survive." "Well, let's go." "Excellent." "Have you tried it before?" "In Tokyo." "And this is every inch as good." "Thank you for the compliment." "I see you're familiar with Japanese gastronomy." "I'm a great lover of your cuisine." "Would I be able to get one of your samples?" "I'm afraid they're all spoken for." "What a shame." "But I travel to Japan frequently." "It'd be no trouble to bring you one next time." "I'm sure we can reach an agreement." "In that case, I ask you to bring me one." "Kanpai!" "Kanpai!" "Are you alright, Eva?" "Shall I go in with you?" "No, not tonight." "It must've been the sake." "I think I drank too much." "As you wish." "Thank you, but I want to get some rest tonight, okay?" "What do you want from me?" "What do you want?" "I just want you to let me go!" "My father's got a lot of money!" "Lots of money!" "Please, ask for what you want." "Just let me go!" "Please, let me leave!" "Eat." "No, you eat it!" "You son of a bitch!" "You eat it!" "Good evening." "Let's go, come on." "I see you're keeping up your fine habits." "Why are you going to clandestine restaurants?" "Why are you going?" "And don't tell me it's just work." "You know I like to try new things." "Come on, Carla..." "What's a society journalist doing in places like that?" "Do you really like to try new things?" "Would you like to try... a new kind of meat." "Human flesh." "You're not serious?" "Would you like to try it?" "I'm following a lead on a clandestine restaurant that may be practicing cannibalism." "It's just intuition, but..." "That's not intuition, it's a fantasy." "If that's what you think, ask Eva." "Eva?" "I tried to speak to her but her lips are sealed." "What does Eva have to do with this?" "You still haven't answered me." "Would you like to try it?" "Would you like to try human flesh?" "On the night of the Fugu I spoke to Carla." "We ran into her at Monique's restaurant." "I know who she is." "She told me about a new restaurant, a different on, where one can eat... human flesh." "And you believed her?" "I..." "That's horrible." "It's ridiculous, I shouldn't have told you." "It's the stupidest reason she could think of to get close to you." "That woman will do you no good." "What do you mean?" "She likes to play with fire, to get too close to where she shouldn't." "What else did she say about this restaurant?" "She told me to ask you." "And now you're asking me, right?" "Eva..." "How could you think for a moment that I...?" "Eva." "I'm sorry." "Okay?" "I'm sorry." "Anyway, there are no secrets between us, are there?" "The restaurant exist, doesn't it?" "Finding a clandestine restaurant where cannibalism takes place would change the course of my investigation." "Everything I wrote about it would be a sensation." "It's not what you think." "Please, no!" "Please don't do anything to me!" "Carla." "Carla." "Carla." "Have you been to this restaurant?" "I know everything there is to know about it." "Have you eaten human flesh?" "I've been to that restaurant." "Stop driving yourself crazy." "There are no victims or murderers there." "The people are already dead." "No!" "Please, no!" "No!" "I told you I'd help you, didn't I?" "It's the invitation you wanted." "Just follow the instructions." "Thank you." "I have the invitation." "What is your name?" "Marcos Vela." "Mr. Vela, after this conversation" "I'll send a message to this phone with the amount and the number of the account into which you deposit the money." "The transfer must be made within three days." "We shall contact you after that." "Do you understand what I've told you?" "Yes, yes." "I understand." "Until then, Mr. Vela." "No, wait!" "Wait!" "No!" "I'd heard something, but I thought it was a rumor, and urban legend." "The amount and the account number for the deposit." "10,000." "I'll make the transfer today." "How did you manage to find out that it existed?" "There are names I won't reveal." "things I'll keep to myself." "I'll go there, see what's going on, then leave." "I'll finish the investigation and write the article, but I will not participate in any cannibal menu." "We're going to make a lot of money out of this." "Mr. Vela..." "We have the transfer as agreed." "Now listen to my instructions." "Tomorrow at 10 a.m." "you'll go to the address I'll text to this phone." "Don't forget to take a bag with your personal items and appropriate attire." "It will be a formal dinner." "Yo'll wait at the place indicated until someone asks for you." "How long will I have to wait?" "Mr. Vela, just be there at the time indicated." "Alright, agreed." "Mr. Marcos Vela?" "Get in back." "When they ask for you, do exactly as they say." "The bag." "The other one." "Alright." "Do you have any doubts about what I've explained?" "I have a lot of doubts." "What will happen then?" "For now you know all you need to know." "Goodbye, Mr. Vela." "Nice car." "You must take a lot of people, you know, to the restaurant." "Is it far to go?" "Answer me!" "Are you deaf?" "I asked you a question." "Answer me!" "No, I'm not deaf." "What about you?" "So... are you going to keep asking questions?" "Take it easy." "Wait here." "No!" "No!" "No!" "Stop, please stop!" "Please, you have to help me!" "Please, help me!" "Do you want to go on?" "Do you want to go on or turn back?" "Come on, it's simple question." "I want to go on." "Are you sure?" "If you wish to continue, there's no going back." "It's my duty to warn you." "Don't take off the blindfold." "Don't make things hard for me." "David." "David, speak to me." "David, what have they done to you?" "David." "David!" "David!" "Why are you doing this?" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Answer me, you fuck!" "Follow me." "Mr. Vela." "It's a pleasure to welcome you to this exclusive and select celebration." "My name is Yasmin and I'm here to receive you." "Come with me, please." "This will be your room during your stay with us." "There you have the bathroom." "I hope, Mr. Vela, that everything is to your liking." "I remind you that semi-formal attire is required for dinner." "I came prepared." "Perfect." "Should you need anything, just pick up the phone and dial '8'." "I'll attend to you myself at once." "And when I say 'anything'," "I mean anything." "Our greatest desire is that you feel at home." "The host will be here shortly to welcome you in person." "Make yourself comfortable." "Mr. Vela!" "You come highly recommended." "My name is Dimas." "I'm in charge of this gathering of friends." "If anything goes wrong, it's my fault." "I suppose you have many questions." "Everyone does, the first time." "Now is the time to ask." "I imagine your first question is:" ""Why?"." "The answer is: "Why not?"." "Because perhaps there are still people with morals." "What brings you here, Mr. Vela?" "I left behind my moral conflicts in a hunter's cabin as a boy." "But I see you carry them with you." "What are you doing here?" "I'm... curious." "One doesn't come here to observe, one comes to participate." "Do you kill people?" "Would that change matters?" "It would make you murderers." "Come with me." "I believe you should see something." "That's enough." "Did you really need to find out the truth?" "How did you...?" "Someone had to do the shopping, and as you see, I take care of it." "Dead people." "The fresher the cut, the more they pay." "I choose the "goods" carefully." "The people who come here want to know what they're about to savor looks like." "And if I refuse to eat the flesh?" "That's no longer an option." "No one leaves without trying the meat." "Of course, that makes me an accomplice." "That way we're all as guilty as we are innocent." "You're all completely mad." "I suppose there's no need to continue with this secrecy." "In a few minutes I'll take you to participate in the ceremony." "And I advise you, my love, that you change your attitude when you're among the others." "It's perfect, so tender..." "It's a bit hard at first, but you get used to it." "It's like going to the butcher's." "Sorry, my name's Ricky." "It's actually Ricardo, but everyone calls me Ricky." "It's more sociable, you know." "Look, that part is the sirloin." "They take all the fat off, because on this kind of meat it doesn't taste good." "I'm in the restaurant game." "I know how all this goes." "Some say it tastes like pork, but it's not the same." "This meat is much nicer." "Well, it looks like it's time to bid for the sirloin." "Let's see if I'm in luck this time." "Today four privileged people will be lucky enough to savor these delicacies." "Shall we begin with... 6,000?" "This is getting interesting." "How about 12,000?" "The thigh's just as good." "There's no need to go so high." "I'm afraid there are four cuts for five Motus." "20,000." "Please, this is the juiciest flesh." "Gloria..." "It appears the price of meat has skyrocketed." "Oh well, it's better to pay a little more than to go on a vegetarian diet." "Well done!" "A round of applause for Gloria." "Incredible." "Yes." "It's never looked so nice." "Yes." "I'm with those two." "A little wine." "How are you doing?" "The first time, you feel like hot-footing it out of here, right?" "It's alright." "After the first mouthful you'll see it's no big deal." "Buck up, go on." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Enjoy your meal." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Doesn't it look nice!" "Yes, it does." "I think the price was worth it." "Ladies and gentlemen!" "Please..." "I'd like to welcome a new member of our small but... close group." "Welcome, Mr. Marcos Vela." "Human flesh is the fountain of life... and youth." "It has a surprisingly curative and regenerative effect." "For a long time it has been known that a warrior who ate the flesh of... his vanquished enemy... acquired his courage," "his strength... and his vitality." "Today we celebrate this custom... in this communion." "Go ahead, please." "It's a pleasure to speak to you again, Mr. Vela." "You have received your deposit." "You know how this work." "Tomorrow at 10 you will go to the usual address." "Remember the bag with the clothes." "I'm so glad to have you with us once again, Mr. Vela." "Delighted to see you again, Mr. Vela." "You may begin the preparations." "Relax, it's fine." "Please help me." "Don't let them kill me." "Let's go." "We have much to do." "A glass of wine?" "Yes." "Excuse me, I forgot my bag." "Cheers." "The wine is excellent." "Excellent wine." "Dimas!" "Dimas, please!" "Dimas!" "Please, Dimas!" "No, please, Dimas!" "Excuse me, I forgot my bag." "Cheers." "FUGU"