Chương 73: Bad Dogs

After driving for a couple of hours, Lucas arrived at his destination. Silver Ridge Town. It was just a little bigger than Beacon Hills. He now stood in front of an old bar. Lucas looked again at the address written on an old piece of paper, then back at the bar.

"They sure know how to pick a spot…" Lucas threw one last look at it, then entered the bar. The moment he stepped foot inside, an old smell of wood hit his nose. The bar was deserted, with only an old bartender wiping a glass with an old rag.

"This place is not for you, boy!" His rough voice sounded harsh, but his face showed no hostility. Lucas smiled, then slowly approached the old man.

"On the contrary… this place is home." His wiping stopped, then he glanced at Lucas's face with a scrutinizing expression.

"Clink!" His eyes instantly looked over. On the table, a coin was placed by Lucas. His eyes shrank at the sight of the emblem on it. His hand reached for it quickly, then brought the coin close to his eyes. He couldn't help but mutter the words written on it.

"Sanguine et Silentio." As he seemed to finally confirm that it was real, he pushed the coin back to him.

"Ashford…" His eyes were slightly complicated. He thought they were finally gone for good.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to be here?"

"Things changed around here." His interest was piqued by that last remark.

"What? Did the dogs forget their owners?" The old man grumbled while wiping his rough hands.

"You're definitely an Ashford!"

"Follow me!" The man didn't give him a second look, then started walking towards a door. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work! Lucas followed the old man right into a basement, which seemed in better condition than the bar upstairs. Right in front of them were two people standing guard. They only glanced at him once, then ignored him. The old man went to a specific spot, then with a click, the wall behind the two people opened.

Lucas gave one last look at the old man, then proceeded to enter the passage. He didn't walk much before a bright light hit his eyes. The scene in front of him surprised him. Inside was a spacious area, which seemed more like a high-class bar than anything else. The difference was like night and day compared to the old bar upstairs. Lucas saw all kinds of people, many with weapons visibly strapped to their bodies. Of course, his presence couldn't be hidden.

He was constantly analyzed by the people inside, his young age playing a big part. Lucas ignored those gazes, then went to the bar and ordered a drink.

"You don't seem to be from around here." The one serving him was a woman in her late twenties. Her tone was slightly inquisitive.

"You should be a detective." Lucas swirled the drink as he remarked without even looking at her. The woman's expression froze for a second, then she quickly started smiling again.

"I want information on shapeshifters." Lucas didn't want to waste time with her and revealed his purpose. This place was basically one of the biggest hubs for hunters and mercenaries in California. It would be more appropriate to call it a black market. You could find anything here, even information on shapeshifters if you paid enough. The woman looked at him in surprise, then bent over and gave him a small list. Lucas's eyes scrolled through the names, suddenly stopping on a particular species.

"Wendigo… does the informant have the location?" He trailed his finger over the name, then turned his attention to the woman.

"Yes, but it's only a speculation. He's not sure." Lucas remained silent for a moment, then decided to still ask for the location. It was priced at $10, 000, which made his heart jump, but in the end, he still bought it.

"Do you mind telling me your name?" Lucas glanced at her calmly. He didn't care if something happened.

"Lucas Ashford." The moment he uttered his name, her body froze, then she instinctively reached her hand towards a cabinet.

"If you value your life, I advise you against doing that!" Her hand froze, then she looked straight into his eyes. Those eyes were that of a killer. She was sure of it.

"Judging by your reaction, you are part of the people that took over the management."

"So who was it?" He didn't really care about this place, but even an unwanted toy is still your toy. If someone grabs it, you don't just smile and go on with your day. Her smile seemed a little stiff, but she still responded:"It's the Calavera Family…" Lucas put down his drink and stared straight at her. The name brought out some surprise.

"What are those bastards doing here, so far from the border?" Before the woman could respond, another voice sounded from behind Lucas.

"Hey, Mary, is this kid giving you trouble?" He was a skinny, tall man with a tattoo on his neck. When he got closer to Lucas, his hand went over his shoulder, squeezing slightly as he spoke. Lucas closed his eyes for a second, then glanced over his shoulder.