"The power to question is the basis of all human progress." – Indira Gandhi
I was shaken abruptly by Waldo, posing with a surprised face. His lips started moving, mouthing words, yet nothing was clear because my mind was still foggy. I rubbed my eyes and stood straight up then I noticed that Waldo's face was alight with excitement, I rubbed my chin, a slow smile spreading across my face then realized, "Amazing right?"
"Amazing? Edward, you are a genius! How could I have not thought that the real treasure was sealed inside the emerald? My, it almost puts me to shame how simple…. How simple the problem was."
"There is a difference between something being simple and being easy, it was a simple track, but it was hard for us to conclude to such thinking"
"I see, Edward, what is… all these notes?"
"Ah right! After unlocking the emerald I took out the manuscript it held and attempted to read it; however, it was not English or any language that I can recognize, but more like Hieroglyphs, now I do not want to bore you with all the little detail, but I learned that it is Aztec Hieroglyphs and more importantly we need a certain device, well tablet, that can translate it which is located in The Temple of Treasury Museum"
"It all makes sense now… COME ONE! WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO LOSE! LET'S GATHER AS MUCH INFO THAT WE CAN AND ACQUIRE THIS DEVICE!"
"ALRIGHT!, when are you going to head there?"
"Right now? No…. quick change of plans, YOU should head there! You are the one who cracked the code, so for this heist, you are the one calling the shots, understand?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Call the shots?"
"Yes, my friend... You will have control over the decisions that shape our heist. You and only you will be able to dictate the outcome of this situation."
Smirking, "Then you chose the right man for the job Waldo…"
I headed to the museum and strolled through the crowd, a pleasant smile on my face as I admired the art and artifacts on display. Dressed in a tailored suit, hair neatly combed, and a demeanor that of a wealthy art aficionado. As if I belong to this place and create an air of a wealthy man. Moving through the museum with purpose, my attention was divided between locating the cipher piece and the security. I noted the position, the routines of the guards, and the layout of the building. I was determined to leave no stone unturned. Finally, I made my way to the archive room, where the valuable information was kept. I lingered by the door, waiting for a guard to walk by, and then slipped inside when the coast was clear. The room was filled with rows of shelves, each one stacked with folders and binders, and boxes of documents. Approaching the nearest shelf, I began to scan the labels until I found what he was looking for. I pulled out the folder and opened it, my eyes devouring the contents. I studied the security systems, the guards' schedules, and finally a blueprint of the entire building. I of course cannot jot this down, because whenever you leave the museum they do a security check on you, meaning I had to memorize every little detail. However, I had to swiftly put back the folder as I heard footsteps approaching. I ducked under the desk and waited for the footsteps to pass which after I finally slipped away. An uncontrollable smile was planted on my face, and my mind was racing with ideas and information knowing this will be my biggest job yet, but all my thoughts poofed away when my eyes set on a familiar face, Cogoro.
"Edward? What are you doing here? It is nice to see!"
"Hoho! I could say the same! Today nothing was occurring at my residence so I decided why not visit the museum. Well, what about you?"
"I see! I actually have quite a similar reason as you! Today was a day off, so I am trying to utilize it to the fullest."
"Really? I wouldn't expect you to say such things"
"How come? After all, I am only human. This Arshan Yuured business has been driving me quite mad"
"Why is that the case?"
Before Cogoro continues he takes a deep sigh,
"Expectations…."
Cogoro's shoulders dropped and the flare in his eyes slowly faded away, a saddened smile was pasted upon his face as he tried to hold his head and look at me
"The weight is starting to toll on me, I have a reputation to uphold, the public sees me as the harbinger of truth and justice, so all eyes are on me right now waiting for my next move to make; alas, I do not think I am up to it. The stakes are too high and to be fair, I have never in my life tackled something similar to a Gentleman Burglar… What if I can not solve it? I will not only fail the masses, and my coworkers, but also my son. Forgot the last part… slip of the tongue"
As if almost sharing the burden of Cogoro I stood in silence, but then I placed my hand on his shoulder
"Look, you are the best of the best, which is why the public looks up to you, which is why you are chasing the greatest thief alive! This is a battle of two kings, no second best can uphold this task! Besides, who else tackled a Gentleman Burglar before? So, do not beat yourself up too much. We all face moments of doubt and insecurity, where the expectations placed upon us seem too much to bear. Having someone who believes in you, who can offer a kind word of encouragement or a helping hand, can make all the difference. So if you are ever feeling overwhelmed by the expectations placed upon you, remember that you are not alone. Seek out those who support and believe in you, and lean on them for strength and inspiration… I support you Cogoro, I believe you are humanity's best shot at tackling the Gentleman Burglar Arshan Yuured."
He lets out a little chuckle
"Well, that speech was a little trite"
I felt a little embarrassed by his remark…
"But I must thank you, Edward. You are right, I should not meet the expectations the public created…. Because there are no expectations to meet, it was only my cognition that thought that. However, I will create my own expectations to meet."
"Go for it"
"Yes, well enough of the serious talk. Are you free to play a few rounds of billiards?"