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Information Is Power: Lucas (Bryan R. Dattilo) makes a bold move to secure his freedom.
Suspecting that the mastermind behind Salem’s drug ring is running the operation from inside Statesville, Harris decides to approach Lucas about being an informant for the cops. Kate brings Harris to visit her son at the prison, where he makes his pitch. “Lucas was put in that position before as an informant, and it didn’t work out for him,” recounts portrayer Bryan R. Datillo, referring to his character’s deal with the feds in exchange that got him a commuted sentence in 2008 — but also led to Lucas being badly beaten up when his cover was blown. “So he’s a little hesitant.”
Harris has to use his powers of persuasion when Lucas balks at the idea. “He doesn’t really trust law enforcement,” says Dattilo. “He doesn’t trust that they’ll be able to keep him safe, and he doesn’t want to risk getting his butt kicked. He tells Harris to find somebody else to do his dirty work. Lucas also figures he should just do the rest of his time and stay safe in jail, because when you’re an informant, you run the risk of being caught and exposed. If he just serves out his time, he won’t have to worry about that.”
Harris sweetens the pot, noting that he can arrange Lucas’s freedom if he works with the cops, which prompts Lucas to reconsider his reluctance. “Lucas is like, ‘You’re going to help me? You’re going to get me out of here if I do this for you?’ And Harris does promise that he can get Lucas out,” shares Dattilo, noting that it’s that promise and Lucas knowing that he’ll be “helping to get the drugs off the streets” that sways his character.
For Dattilo, the chance to play Lucas as the hero was appealing. “I like it,” he notes. “He’s put in this position, and he’s reluctantly a hero, which kind of makes it less admirable, but more realistic and more fun to play. There are different levels to that as opposed to just, ‘I’m the hero.’ ”
Just as Lucas starts to come around, Kate changes her mind and begs Lucas not to do it. “She realizes the danger,” explains Dattilo. “Lucas realized the danger first, but then realized he could get out [of prison]. They got to take turns worrying about the same thing.”
Kate’s pleas don’t sway Lucas. “It just makes him want to do this more,” contends Dattilo. “Anything Kate says, Lucas is pretty much going to go against just to prove his individuality and his maturity. He’s always trying to get away from [doing] what his mom’s telling him to do.”
Later, Lucas tells Harris he’s in. “It’s Harris reassuring him that he’ll be protected [that convinces him],” sums up Dattilo. “And Lucas has Harris on record saying if he gets the information [the cops need], he’ll get him out of prison. Lucas is also weighing the options of seeing his family again and bonding with his kids… He’s going to take this risk, because his freedom and the life he used to have is so valuable to him. And he’s kind of losing it in jail. He’s done a lot of time, and he’s reached his limit.”
