Bully Lord

Part-152

The next day, the trio arrived at the address they had obtained from the shopkeeper. It was a rundown slum, a labyrinth of narrow alleys and dilapidated buildings. The atmosphere was oppressive, and a sense of unease hung in the air.

"This place is shady," James muttered, his voice barely audible. "No wonder he wanted to hide here."

Sourov nodded in agreement. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this," he said, his voice filled with apprehension. "Do you think we're walking into a trap?"

Ryan tried to calm his friend. "Don't be so dramatic," he said. "We're just here to ask a few questions."

James smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Besides, we're three tough guys. What could possibly go wrong?"

With renewed determination, they began their search for Arad. They asked the locals if they knew anyone who matched the description provided by the shopkeeper. After what felt like hours of questioning, they finally got a lead.

"I think I know who you're looking for," a middle-aged woman said. "He lives a few blocks down the street. But be careful, he's not a nice guy."

The trio exchanged excited glances. They were finally getting closer to their target.

They followed the woman's directions, their hearts pounding with anticipation. As they approached the address, they saw a small, dilapidated building. A young man, who fit the description of Arad, was sitting on a rickety chair in front of the building.

"That must be him," James said, his voice barely a whisper.

They approached the young man cautiously. He looked up, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice gruff.

James took a deep breath. "We're looking for Arad," he said. "Do you know him?"

The young man's eyes narrowed even further. "What about him?" he asked, his voice laced with menace.

Before Ryan or Sourov could intervene, James stepped forward. "We just need to ask him a few questions," he said, his voice calm but firm.

The young man's expression softened slightly. "About what?" he asked.

James hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal. Finally, he decided to take a risk. "About the online scams," he said.

The young man's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know about that?" he asked, his voice rising.

Before he could answer, the young man lunged forward, his fists raised. James, anticipating the attack, dodged to the side, avoiding the punch. Ryan and Sourov moved in to help, but the young man was too quick. He managed to land a blow on Ryan, sending him stumbling backward.

The fight was on.

Sourov, his anger boiling over, shouted, "You bastard! You were planning to be the villain from the start!"

Arad chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I've been waiting for you all," he said, his voice dripping with contempt.

James frowned, his mind racing. He had been so focused on catching the scammers that he had failed to see the bigger picture. He had walked right into a trap.