Ash Won't Speak To Me

I'm playing the game for the first time and kept seeing newspapers talking about Ash's crash and talked to Abrams about it then went to go talk to Ash but there's no prompt and he just spouts recycled dialogue. Theres also a big guy with a sword by the door who doesn't speak either. I looked online and apparently theres a quest where you're supposed to save him from hunters and I don't want to miss it if possible. I just got to Chinatown and am using the unofficial patch. If anyone can offer some insight I'd very much appreciate it.