Chapter 137: The Club That Doesn’t Exist
Chapter 137: The Club That Doesn’t Exist
Lucas smiled faintly before reaching forward and firmly shaking the young man’s hand.
"My name’s Lucas."
"Nice to meet you."
Drake grinned broadly.
"From today onward..."
"We’re friends."
Lucas simply smiled without saying anything.
His eyes, however, briefly drifted toward the mysterious club behind them.
Everything was unfolding exactly as he had hoped.
Without wasting another second, Drake casually threw an arm around Lucas’s shoulder as though they had known each other for years.
"Come on."
"I’ll buy you that drink."
The two of them slowly walked toward the entrance together.
Lucas remained calm on the surface.
But inwardly...
Every nerve in his body had become tense.
The closer they got...
The more alert he became.
Standing before the entrance were the same two bodyguards dressed in black suits.
Their expressions remained cold and emotionless.
The moment Drake stepped forward, one of the guards nodded respectfully.
"Young Master Drake."
Drake casually waved his hand before taking out the black membership card from his pocket.
The guard accepted it with both hands before placing it against a small scanner.
Beep.
A green light flashed.
Normally...
That should have been enough.
Yet this time...
Neither guard moved.
Instead, both of them slowly lifted their eyes toward Lucas.
One of them narrowed his gaze.
"Your guest?"
Drake nodded casually.
"Yeah."
"He’s with me."
The guard didn’t reply.
Instead, he silently observed Lucas from head to toe.
Then...
He looked back at the membership card.
A few more buttons were pressed on the scanner.
Seconds passed.
Five...
Ten...
Fifteen...
Lucas’s heartbeat gradually accelerated.
During the half hour he had spent watching this place earlier, he had carefully observed every single guest who entered.
Not once...
Not a single time...
Had security delayed anyone this long.
Everyone had simply scanned their card and walked straight inside.
This...
Was the first exception.
Lucas’s mind immediately became alert.
Did they notice something?
Did they suspect him?
Despite the thoughts racing through his head, his face remained completely calm.
His breathing never changed.
His expression remained as relaxed as ever, as though he genuinely belonged beside Drake.
Several more tense seconds passed.
Finally...
The scanner emitted another soft beep.
The guard returned the membership card to Drake before stepping aside.
"Enjoy your evening, Young Master."
Only then did Lucas quietly let out a breath inside.
Passed.
The heavy black doors slowly opened before the two of them.
Without hesitation, Drake led Lucas inside.
Neither of them noticed...
Parked across the street...
Chloe had witnessed everything through the live feed from one of her bodyguards.
Even someone as calm as Chloe couldn’t hide the surprise in her eyes.
"He actually got in..."
She had expected Lucas to fail.
Or, at the very least, be stopped at the entrance.
Instead...
Within less than an hour...
He had somehow turned a complete stranger into his ticket inside one of the most secretive clubs in the city.
A faint look of admiration flashed across her beautiful face.
"He really is..."
"...far smarter than I gave him credit for."
Her fingers instinctively tightened around her phone.
She almost ordered her men to follow Lucas immediately.
But...
She stopped herself.
The police.
They were still on the way.
She immediately dialed the emergency commander again.
The call connected almost instantly.
"Where are your people?"
Her voice was noticeably colder than before.
The officer on the other end sounded apologetic.
"I’m sorry, Miss Everhart."
"We’re still trying to locate your exact position."
"The GPS signal keeps jumping."
"The area you’re in isn’t properly mapped."
"It may take a little longer."
The moment Chloe heard those words...
Her expression completely changed.
The calm confidence she had maintained since the beginning of the operation disappeared for the first time.
She slowly lowered the phone.
Her eyes remained fixed on the club’s entrance.
Lucas had already gone inside.
Debbie was still somewhere in Victor’s hands.
And now...
The police were delayed.
Every additional minute wasted...
Increased the danger.
Not only for Lucas...
But especially for her client.
Even Chloe began to feel that things were slowly slipping beyond her control.
The moment Lucas stepped through the doors...
He stopped in his tracks.
The interior was nothing like the filthy streets outside.
Warm golden lights bathed the enormous lounge in a luxurious glow.
Polished marble floors reflected the elegant crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, while expensive paintings and sculptures decorated every corner of the room.
Everything screamed wealth.
Soft jazz music drifted gently through the air, creating a calm and sophisticated atmosphere.
It looked less like a nightclub...
And more like an exclusive gathering place reserved for the country’s elite.
Lucas slowly scanned his surroundings.
Well-dressed businessmen sat in private booths discussing deals over expensive wine.
Several old heirs laughed among themselves while smoking imported cigars.
The waitresses gracefully moved from table to table, carrying silver trays filled with bottles worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Each of them was exceptionally beautiful.
Their uniforms were elegant yet intentionally eye-catching, designed to attract attention without crossing into vulgarity.
Every movement they made seemed carefully practiced, their smiles professional and effortless as they served the guests.
Lucas couldn’t help noticing how much money had been invested into every little detail of the place.
This wasn’t an ordinary club.
Not even close.
Beside him, Drake stretched lazily before grinning.
"Wait here."
"I’m going to grab us something to drink."
Without waiting for a reply, he stood up from the luxurious leather sofa and headed toward the enormous circular bar in the center of the lounge.
Lucas simply nodded.
The moment Drake disappeared into the crowd...
His expression gradually became serious.
He slowly stood up.
Although everything around him appeared perfectly normal...
Something kept bothering him.
Victor had risked everything to bring Debbie here.
There was no way...
This luxurious lounge was his final destination.
Lucas casually slipped both hands into his pockets and began wandering around the club.
To anyone watching, it looked as though he was simply admiring the beautiful interior while enjoying the soothing jazz music.
Occasionally he nodded to the rhythm.
Sometimes he paused to admire a painting.
Other times he casually glanced toward different booths.
In reality...
His sharp eyes were constantly scanning every inch of the building.
Every hallway.
Every security camera.
Every guard.
Every possible exit.
Nothing escaped his observation.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Still...
Nothing looked suspicious.
No hidden meetings.
No secret exchanges.
No sign of Victor.
Lucas frowned slightly.
"...Impossible."
His instincts told him something was hidden here.
Then...
As he slowly turned another corner...
His eyes caught something unusual.
At the very back of the club...
Half concealed behind a decorative wine display...
Was another corridor.
Unlike the brightly lit lounge, this passageway was noticeably darker.
The lights were dim.
The atmosphere felt completely different.
Almost as though it belonged to another building altogether.
Lucas’s gaze instantly sharpened.
Just as he was about to move closer and observe what was happening there—
"Lucas!"
Drake’s voice suddenly echoed across the lounge.
"I’ve been looking everywhere for you!"
Lucas paused.
He slowly turned around, a faint smile appearing on his face as though nothing had happened.
But inside...
His curiosity had already been completely captured by that dark corridor.