Chapter 44: Setting the Bait

Here's a draft for **Chapter 44** of your novel. This chapter delves into the tense buildup as Sonu's team sets their trap, and the paranoia within the group escalates.

Chapter 44: Setting the Bait

The tension in the safehouse was suffocating as the hours crept by. Sonu sat at the head of the table, the false intel laid out before him like bait on a hook. The plan had been simple enough to conceive, but executing it was another matter entirely. He could feel the eyes of his team on him, each one wondering the same thing: *Could they trust each other?*

The list of potential suspects had narrowed, but suspicion was a venom that had seeped into the cracks of their group, making even the most mundane interactions feel loaded with hidden meaning. Vikram, Zafar, Meera—each of them had a shadow of doubt cast over them now. Sonu hated it, but it was necessary. This mole had played them long enough, and he wasn't about to let them slip through his fingers again.

"We're going with this," Sonu said, tapping the false intel with his finger. "It needs to look genuine, down to the last detail. If Raheem sees through it, we're back to square one."

The intel detailed a fictitious arms shipment—a high-value target that would be too tempting for Raheem to ignore. It was risky, but Sonu was banking on the mole's greed to deliver it into the wrong hands. The idea was to leak the information slowly, make it seem like a slip-up. By the time Raheem acted on it, they'd be waiting.

Zafar nodded, his eyes flicking over the documents. "It's convincing. The mole won't know it's a trap until it's too late."

Meera, however, didn't seem convinced. She crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "You're gambling everything on this, Sonu. If the mole doesn't bite or if they realize it's a setup…"

"We don't have a choice," Sonu interrupted, his voice firm. "We're running out of time, and Raheem's getting bolder. The longer the mole stays hidden, the more danger we're in. This is our best shot."

Vikram leaned back in his chair, his gaze hard. "And what happens when we catch the mole? What then?"

Sonu's jaw tightened. He hadn't allowed himself to think that far ahead yet. All he knew was that once the mole was exposed, there would be no mercy. "We deal with them. However we have to."

Meera's eyes softened slightly as she glanced at Sonu. "You think it's one of us, don't you?"

The room fell into silence. It was the question no one had dared to ask directly, but it had been hanging over them for days. Sonu felt the weight of it now, pressing down on him like a physical force. He had trusted these people with his life—how could he begin to suspect them?

But he had to. The mole was someone close, someone who had been part of their inner circle. And that fact alone tore at his insides.

Sonu took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I don't want to believe it's one of us. But we have to be prepared for the worst. Whoever the mole is, they've been playing us from the start. They've put us all in danger."

Vikram's eyes narrowed. "And if you're wrong?"

"I'm not," Sonu said, his voice colder than he intended. "We stick to the plan. No one breaks rank, no one makes a move without consulting me. Understood?"

Meera looked like she wanted to argue but held her tongue. Zafar simply nodded, and Vikram said nothing, though the tension between him and Sonu was palpable.

---

Later that evening, after hours of meticulous preparation, Sonu sat alone by the window, staring out into the night. The glow of distant city lights flickered on the horizon, but it did nothing to ease the turmoil in his mind.

He had been in tight spots before, moments where everything could fall apart in an instant. But this was different. This wasn't just an enemy out in the open—this was someone within his own team, someone he had trusted with his life. The thought gnawed at him, leaving a hollow feeling in his chest.

The safehouse was quiet, but Sonu could hear the soft murmur of voices from the other room. Meera and Zafar were still going over the logistics of the trap, while Vikram had gone to check their perimeter. Despite the calm on the surface, Sonu could sense the cracks forming within the team. The paranoia was infectious, spreading like wildfire.

A part of him wondered if they would ever be the same again, even after they found the mole.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking him from his thoughts. It was a message from Akram, their contact within Raheem's network. The message was short and cryptic, as always, but it confirmed what Sonu had been hoping for: Raheem had received the intel. The bait had been taken.

Sonu exhaled, relief washing over him. "It's happening," he whispered to himself.

But the relief was short-lived. Now that the trap was in motion, there was no turning back. Raheem would move soon, and when he did, the mole would reveal themselves.

He stood up, his mind racing. It was time to inform the team.

---

An hour later, they were all gathered around the table again, the tension even thicker than before. Sonu relayed the message from Akram, watching as the information sank in.

"So it worked," Zafar said, his voice edged with both excitement and caution. "Raheem's going to take the bait."

Sonu nodded. "We're in the final stretch. We monitor every move, every communication. The mole will have to pass this along to Raheem directly—there's no other way. And when they do, we'll catch them."

Meera looked uneasy. "We need to be ready for anything, Sonu. If the mole gets spooked, they could turn on us. They might even try to take us out before we get to Raheem."

Sonu had thought of that, too. The danger wasn't just from Raheem's men—it was from within. The moment the mole realized they were exposed, they would be desperate. And desperation made people dangerous.

"We're all on alert," Sonu said firmly. "No one goes anywhere alone. We stick together, and we watch each other's backs."

Vikram, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke. "How do we know you're not setting us up, Sonu?"

The question hit like a punch to the gut, but Sonu didn't flinch. He met Vikram's gaze, his expression unreadable. "You don't," he replied, his voice calm. "But you're going to have to trust me. Because if you don't, we all lose."

Vikram's eyes remained locked on Sonu's for a long moment, tension crackling between them like static. Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Fine. But this better work."

Sonu nodded, though the tension in the room didn't ease. He knew Vikram's suspicion was shared by everyone now. They were all questioning each other, wondering who would make the first move.

---

That night, Sonu found himself unable to sleep. He paced the small room, his mind racing with possibilities. The plan was in motion, and all they could do now was wait.

But as the hours dragged on, Sonu couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong. The mole wouldn't go down without a fight. And when the moment came, Sonu would have to be ready.

With dawn only a few hours away, Sonu finally stopped pacing. He stood by the window, staring out into the darkness, his mind steeling itself for the confrontation to come.

The trap was set. Now, it was only a matter of time before the mole made their move.

---

This chapter sets the stage for the confrontation with the mole while ratcheting up the paranoia and internal tension within the team. It shows the cracks beginning to form in their unity and the precarious nature of trust as they near the endgame. Let me know if you'd like any revisions or additions!