El valle de los muertos

"El Valle de los Muertos" by Alan Star is a science fiction crime thriller set in a futuristic execution chamber at Sing-Sing Penitentiary. The story begins with the transfer of five condemned gangsters—led by the ruthless Pat Hummel—from their death-row cell to the holding facility ("la jaula") before their execution via the "cámara electrónica," an advanced method of capital punishment that stops the heart instantly. The narrative introduces Donald Callowan, chief of the Spacial International Police, who arrives with five agents to witness the execution. Callowan explains his personal philosophy and career through dialogue with the prison director: his officers, having risked their lives capturing Hummel's band, deserve to see justice served. The text describes Callowan's past and his belief that only murderers are beyond rehabilitation. The story establishes the futuristic setting with references to Mars, space travel, and international law enforcement spanning multiple planets.