<i>(Editor's note: View staff writer Amanda Llewellyn accompanied Matt O'Brien through storm drains in Las Vegas. Venturing into the storm drains is extremely dangerous and should not be attempted. Only properly identified city of Las Vegas personnel are permitted to access the storm drains legally).</i>

When former City Life managing editor Matt O'Brien descended into the obscure and sinister darkness of the tunnels that run beneath the glittering lights of Las Vegas in the summer of 2002, it wasn't necessarily to write a book about his findings. But after five years of investigating the polluted catacombs with nothing but a flashlight, tape recorder and a baton for protection, the career journalist decided that it was a story that needed to be told.