At 72 hours from closing a multimillion-dollar deal, a cyberattack paralyzes a major Spanish tech company. A vibrant thriller of betrayal, revenge, and justice on the board of the digital world.
ITECO, one of Spain’s major tech powerhouses, is about to close the biggest deal in its history: the sale of Assetive, a revolutionary AI-based banking software, to the U.S. multinational WILDCORP. But just when everything seems to be heading for success, the company suffers a brutal cyberattack. A ransomware freezes all its systems without asking for ransom. Instead of money, the attackers launch a challenge: “Break the encryption in 72 hours, or you’ll fall piece by piece.” The countdown begins.
Andrés, the company’s CEO, activates a crisis committee with his inner circle. Luis, head of cybersecurity, leads the technical investigation while they try to contain both internal chaos and the public threat. But all signs indicate the attack is no coincidence: someone knows ITECO’s core all too well. Tension rises with each new blow. First, payment terminals used by banks and retailers collapse. Then, a hidden signature appears in the malicious code. And every 24 hours, a new offensive.
Elisa, a UX design expert with a past as a hacker, decides to return to the digital battlefield. Together with Diego, an external lawyer in the midst of an existential crisis, and Juan, an IT technician, she forms an improvised team that begins to connect the dots. They uncover tampered reports, erased recordings, hidden microphones… and a sabotage network that reaches the very top. Everything suggests the enemy is not only inside, but has been infiltrated for a long time.
Suspicions point to Víctor, a young IT prodigy who turns out to be the son of a former ITECO employee. Assetive, the crown jewel, was in fact created by Víctor’s father, who was stripped of recognition. What seemed like a technological attack reveals itself as a carefully orchestrated personal vendetta. But Víctor has not acted alone. Elisa discovers that Alba, an old colleague and rival, has manipulated everyone from the shadows with a clear goal: to destroy both her and the company.
With the fourth and most devastating attack on the way —the leak of confidential medical data—, Andrés and Elisa devise a desperate plan: to simulate the payment of a multimillion-dollar ransom and buy time. Elisa records the key conversation and unmasks Alba. The attack is stopped at the last minute.
Weeks later, the company survives, Andrés announces his retirement, and Elisa returns to cybersecurity, now alongside Diego. Alba, convinced she has won, is arrested by the police. From a nearby table, Elisa watches her, triumphant, and sends her one last message: “The queen wins the game again. Did you doubt it?”
RELEVANT DATA: Carmen García-Gancedo is a writer and lawyer. Jaque al Rey is her debut novel, a fast-paced, action-packed techno-thriller that blends suspense, tension, and personal conflict. The plot unfolds to the rhythm of a countdown, with constant twists and an atmosphere of growing paranoia. It stands out for its technical solidity —well-documented in terms of cybersecurity— and for its realistic portrayal of the corporate environment and internal power dynamics.
The story has high adaptation potential thanks to its countdown structure, its ensemble narrative, and its crossover between corporate thriller, cybercrime, and human drama.
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Feature Film, TV Film.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish.
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