Alex began their quest with late-night dives into online forums. They bartered with collectors on Reddit, only to be scammed by a “vintage audio enthusiast” selling photos of the CD. A visit to a dusty downtown record store yielded hope when the owner, a gray-bearded man named Walter, chuckled. “You’re chasing ghosts, kid,” he said, but then led them to a dim back room. There, he handed Alex a scratched copy for twice its worth. Excited, Alex rushed home to test it, only to find it unplayable.