Bully Lord

Part-117

"Don't worry," James said, offering words of comfort. "Maybe they're just busy. Give it a few more days."

Ryan and Sourov exchanged a hopeful glance. "Let's hope so," Ryan replied, a hint of desperation in his voice.

As James left the Judo club, he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. There was an undercurrent of tension in Sourov's demeanor that went beyond the mere loss of money. It was as if he was hiding something, a secret that was connected to this camera purchase.

The familiar scent of sweat and mat cleaner greeted James as he entered the Judo club. The events of the previous day – the unexpected drama involving Sourov and the camera – had left him with a sense of unease.

As he changed into his gi, his eyes scanned the room. Sourov caught his gaze, his face a mask of fury. The usual lighthearted banter between the two friends was absent, replaced by a tense silence.

"What's wrong with him?" James asked Ryan, gesturing towards Sourov.

Ryan sighed, his expression a mix of frustration and anger. "He's been like this all morning," he explained. "The guy who sold him the camera has disappeared."

James' eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"The guy blocked Sourov's number, deleted the ad, and vanished without a trace," Ryan explained. "Sourov's been trying to track him down, but it's like he's disappeared off the face of the earth."

James felt a surge of sympathy for Sourov. Losing money was bad enough, but being scammed was a whole different level of frustration. He remembered the feeling of being targeted by the bullies, and he couldn't imagine the helplessness Sourov must be feeling right now.

"I'm sorry to hear that," James said, offering words of comfort. "Maybe you could report it to the police?"

Ryan shook his head. "I tried," he replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "But they said there's not much they can do about it. It's a common scam, and they get a lot of reports like this."

James knew how frustrating it was to deal with bureaucracy.

"I'll see what I can do," James replied, a sense of responsibility settling over him. "My dad's a police officer. Maybe he can help track down this guy."

Ryan's eyes lit up with hope. "Really? That would be amazing. I don't know what to do anymore."

James nodded in understanding. "I'll talk to him tonight and see what he says."

As they continued their warm-up, James couldn't shake the feeling of unease. This wasn't just about a lost camera; it was about someone taking advantage of people's trust. He was determined to help Sourov, not just out of friendship but also out of a growing sense of justice.

That evening, after dinner, James dialed his father's number. The line rang a few times before his father's gruff voice answered, "James, what's up?"

"Dad, I need your help," James began, his voice filled with urgency. "Remember how I told you about the bullies at school?"