John noticed the smirk on Leonard's face and uttered, "Wow! he's even smirking, is it the thought of thugs that is giving you joy?".
"Yeah, somehow". Leonard responded.
"How do you plan on using thugs to make her fall for you? Explain". John inquired.
"She wants an action man, a man that is ready to defend a woman at any given time. Now, I don't have any fighting skills, I'm not a weakling, but I'm sure I won't be able to handle two strong men at the same time. So I plan to bribe some thugs with money so that they'll try to harm Eva or steal her stuff, it will all be acting though...they wouldn't harm her. Then what would I do? I'll be the hero, I'll save her, I'll beat those thugs up. With that, I've proven to her that I'm an action man, and she'll fall for me,
But we all know that everything is just for show, they'll all be fake. The beating, they trying to harm or rob her, they'll all be fake. The huge amount of money I'll give to them would make them do it. This has been my plan all along, but we all know the reason why I couldn't implement it...no money. And I have to implement this as fast as possible, there's no time, it's remaining just three days before my quest expires".
John rubbed his jaw with his fingers, then he said to Leonard, "That plan of yours is good, there's a high possibility that it would work out. But, Leonard, what if it doesn't?".
A type of frightened expression appeared on Leonard's face the moment John asked that question, yeah, what if the idea doesn't work out? Leonard scratched his head a little and uttered to John,
"If it doesn't work out, then I'll have to die, nothing else. But I hope it works out, it's a valid idea. I don't want to die, John, I swear, I don't want to die...not on my first quest".
"You won't die, we'll do our best, I'll assist you. So coming to the thugs' aspect, do you need my help on that?".
"Yeah, that's what I mainly need your assistance on. You transmigrated into this earth before me, definitely, you are aware of more things than me. I don't know where to find a group of thugs that would be willing to cooperate and help me. It would have been easier for me if it were for Earth 1, finding thugs that would be willing to help me would have been easier if I was in Earth 1. You'll most likely be able to help me with that, right?".
John glanced down at first like he wouldn't be able to do anything to help Leonard, but he glanced back at Leonard with a smile on his face, then he uttered,
"I'll be able to help you with that".
Leonard inquired with a joyous facial expression and an excited tone of voice, "Seriously?".
"Yeah, I know some thugs around this boulevard of mine, I'll say they are friends. Have you heard of decent thugs? Yeah, let's call them that. I'm sure they'll be willing to help you if you offer them a huge amount of money. They can help in accomplishing your quest, at least, you've got money now".
"So, can we go meet them now? Do you know where they stay?".
"I don't really know where they reside, but I know the spot where they always meet and discuss. Who knows, we could meet them at that spot". John said.
"OK then, let's head over there right now, there's no time". Leonard uttered.
"OK then, let's go".
With that, the both of them stood up from the couches they were sitting on and departed from John's apartment. Getting outside, John began sauntering, and Leonard followed suit...they walked side by side, and they discussed. They kept on strolling until John stopped, and Leonard did the same. The spot where the both of them were standing at that moment seemed to be deserted...it was silent.
Leonard could sight a bungalow in front of him that seemed to be deserted, no...it was deserted, the evidence was enough. And the bungalow was fenced round, the fence was old, the paints had started fading away. Everything he was seeing just indicated one thing, no one was living in the house...it was deserted.
John glanced at Leonard and said to him, "This is where they do meet to discuss".
"In this deserted house?". Leonard inquired with a bit of confused facial expression.
"No, on this fence. They don't go anywhere around the main house or the compound, they'll just sit on this fence and chat amongst themselves".
Leonard nodded his head in understanding and uttered, "Ohh, but they aren't here now".
"Yeah, that's the thing, you wouldn't meet them here every time? They've got their own lives".
"Holy shit! now, that's bad, there's no time, I've got only three days left to accomplish my quest, and they aren't here? Why don't we try looking for where they reside, even if we can find the residence of only one of them, he'll direct us to the rest since money is involved".
John fell into thoughts for some seconds, then he voiced out, "OK, let's do that. But how do we go about it? I don't know a single one of their names".
"Then we'll have to find even if one of their abodes by asking people. Since they do meet and sit on this fence to discuss, then people around this boulevard would be aware of them...just like you. Someone can just give us a proper direction to find them". Leonard stated.
"Hmm, but you know what? You'll be the one to ask people for help, not me. Is that a problem?". John asked Leonard.
"No, it isn't, you've helped me enough by bringing me here".
After making that statement, Leonard began scanning around to find the person he'll ask for direction...that comes first. He sighted the person he thought was suitable to ask for direction and approached him, it was a man in his 'Thirties. He arrived at the spot where the man was standing and uttered to him,
"Umm..sorry for disturbing your peace. But I just wanna ask you something".
"Go on, I'm listening". The man uttered. He said that a bit rudely, the man that seemed to be suitable wasn't that suitable.
"Umm, you see that fence over there?", Leonard voiced out pointing to the fence, "There are some guys that do sit there to discuss, let me call them thugs. Are you aware of that?".
"Yeah". The man retorted rolling his eyes a little.
"That's good. I just wanna ask if you know where they do reside, even if it's just one of their abodes".
"Why are you asking me that? I don't have any business with them, I just do see them there. Am ain't their father?".
Before Leonard could speak, John spoke, "You could have just said yes or no, no need to reply in that manner".
"Whatever, I don't know any of their abodes".
John and Leonard walked away from the man's presence, they both had the feeling that he would reply to them in that manner. John said Leonard would do the asking, but he wanted to help Leonard now, he's changed his mind. John found someone he judged as calm and asked the person for help, it was a female, and she was truly calm. But the thing was that she didn't know any of the thugs' dwellings.
After asking people around for minutes and not finding what they wanted, John said to Leonard,
"Now, this is hard, like, no one knows their dwellings. I think we'll have to come back tomorrow, this search would be in vain. Let's come back tomorrow, and we'll most likely meet them on that fence".
"But I don't have time, John. So, today would just go like that without me accomplishing anything? My death is drawing near". Leonard let out.
"Do you have any other option? Let's check if we'll meet them tomorrow, and if we don't, I'll be the one to come up with an immediate plan".
Fright was evident on Leonard's face, seems like he was truly gonna die on his first quest...his pay would just be to waste? John noticed the fright on Leonard's face and said to him while patting his left shoulder.
"Don't lose hope, bro, you can still accomplish your quest, I have the feeling that you wouldn't die...tomorrow would be a lucky day for you. Let's go to our homes".
John's words were able to soothe Leonard a little. The both of them began strolling back to their homes.