Crow's Nest [✓]

Chapter 10

"Alright," Thomas said, his voice still low. "I'll approach him first and see if I can get some answers. You hang back for a bit, yeah?"

Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'll keep an eye on things from here," he said, positioning himself at the bar so he could observe the situation without drawing attention to himself.

Thomas took a deep breath and stood up, squaring his shoulders and mentally preparing himself for the confrontational conversation. As he approached the gangster's table, the man's eyes flicked up, regarding him coolly.

The gangster watched Thomas approach, his expression guarded. He took a slow sip of his drink, waiting for Thomas to speak. As Thomas reached the table, he placed his hand on the table and casually leaned forward, trying to appear confident.
The gangster looked at him, a hint of irritation in his eyes. "Can I help you, pal?" he asked, his voice gruff and slightly menacing.

Thomas plastered a confident smile on his face, trying to hide his unease. "As a matter of fact, you can," he replied, keeping his voice steady. "I'm looking for some information."

The gangster narrowed his eyes, immediately wary. "Oh yeah? What kind of information you lookin' for?" he demanded, setting his glass down on the table.

Thomas decided to get straight to the point. "I'm looking for someone who deals in a specific type of drug," he said, his voice steady. "It's new in the area, hard to find, and pretty dangerous. Anything you might know about that?"

The gangster let out a bitter laugh, his gaze growing colder. "You serious, pal? You waltz in here, asking me to spill about some mystery drug?" He leaned back in his chair, his eyes boring into Thomas. "What makes you think I'd know anything about it?"

Thomas forced the same carefree smile onto his face, refusing to be intimidated. "I've heard things," he said vaguely. "Rumors, whispers. And considering your... reputation," he glanced around the bar, "I figured you might have your ear to the street, so to speak."

The gangster's eyes narrowed at the subtle insinuation, annoyance flashing across his features. He leaned forward, fixing Thomas with a hard stare. "You're treading on thin ice, pal," he warned, his voice dropping menacingly. "I don't like people coming into my place asking questions they shouldn't be asking. Understand?"

The gangster's threat hung in the air for a moment, the tension between them palpable. Thomas held his ground, but he couldn't hide the slight hitch in the breath he took. "Just trying to get some answers," he replied, trying to maintain his facade of confidence.

The gangster studied him for a few seconds more, his eyes cold and calculating. "Yeah, well, I ain't in the business of handing out information, pal," the gangster said gruffly. "Especially to some two-bit nosy detectives like you."

Thomas noted the derogatory term, realizing that the gangster was onto him and Harry's true identity. He gritted his teeth slightly but kept his voice calm. "You've got it all figured out, huh?" he said, still trying to maintain the nonchalant attitude.

The gangster chuckled dryly, his eyes filled with smug superiority. "Yeah, I know your type," he said, taking a sip of his drink. "Thinking you're all tough, trying to play detective. But let me tell you something. This ain't some damn movie, pal. You're in my territory now, and I don't appreciate you asking questions you have no right to be asking."

Thomas gritted his teeth, sensing that the gangster was growing agitated. He could see the frustration and anger in the man's eyes, but he needed answers. Taking a deep breath, he decided to press further, even though he knew it was risky. "Listen man," he said, lowering his voice, "I just need one lead. One name. That's all I'm asking for."

The gangster's eyes flashed with anger, his hands clenching into fists. "I told you, pal," he snapped, his voice rising slightly, "I ain't telling you anything. You're playing a dangerous game, and the more you poke your nose into my business, the more likely you're gonna get it bashed in!"

Thomas could see the gangster was close to snapping, his patience having run out. Reluctantly, he knew he had to back off for now, or risk making the situation even worse. "Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I get it, I'm wasting my time here. I'll back off."

The gangster sneered at him, a smug satisfaction in his eyes. "Good choice," he spat out, his tone mocking. "You're damn right you're wasting your time here. Now get lost, before I have my boys toss you out on your ass."

Thomas knew he had pushed his luck as far as he could, and now it was time to retreat. He slowly backed away from the table, the gangster's eyes tracking his every move. "Yeah, I'm going," he muttered, keeping his head down as he made his way back towards the bar.

As Thomas made his way back to the bar, he felt the gangster's gaze on him, the weight of his intimidation lingering in the air. He slid onto the stool next to Harry, letting out a heavy exhale.

"That didn't go too well," Thomas muttered to Harry under his breath, his tone weary. He glanced back at the gangter's table to see the man still eyeing them, obviously keeping a close watch.

Harry looked at him, noting the dejected expression on Thomas' face. "Let me guess," he said, his tone sympathetic. "He wasn't exactly cooperative, was he?"

Thomas shook his head, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. "Nope," he answered, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "He was about as helpful as a brick wall. I tried pressing a bit, but he wasn't having it. Made it pretty clear that he wasn't going to give us anything."

Harry nodded, seeing the defeated look in Thomas' eyes. "Sounds like a lost cause, for now at least," he said, a sense of resignation in his voice. "No point in banging our heads against that wall. Let's move on to the last location. Maybe we'll have better luck there."

"Yeah," Thomas agreed, pushing himself back away from the bar. "Let's get going. Maybe the last place will give us something useful." As they both stood up, Thomas shot a glance over his shoulder towards the gangster's table. The man was still watching them, his eyes cold and calculating.

As they left the bar, Thomas could still feel the gangster's gaze on their backs. He fought the urge to turn around, instead steeling himself and keeping a steady pace. Once outside, he let out a low breath, the sense of intimidation finally lifting as they put distance between themselves and the dangerous man.

"That guy is bad news," Thomas muttered, his mind still on the encounter they had just had. "He definitely knows more than he's letting on. And if he's involved in the drug trade, chances are he's connected to our mystery drug as well."
Harry nodded in agreement, his thoughts mirroring Thomas' own. "I got the same impression," he said. "He was way too defensive about the drug. Plus, you noticed he didn't just deny knowing anything, he outright threatened us. He was definitely hiding something."
"Yeah," Thomas concurred, his gaze focused on the path ahead. "And that's what worries me. If he's that protective of his drug business, it means it's worth protecting. We're onto something here, I can feel it."

Thomas read the name of their final destination aloud. "The Blue Dragon Lounge," he said, a hint of skepticism in his voice. "One of the victims was spotted here before they wound up in the hospital," he said, his voice thoughtful. "Looks like we might get some answers, finally."