Being An Idiot

In that moment, Jack also has to decide what to say. He could clearly see that this man in the black and white picture looks like Bob. But Jack cannot be sure. A lot of men back in the day kind of look the same. Whenever Jack sees a classic black and white movie from the 50s, he can never tell one actor from the other, because they all look alike to him.

Bob is always kind of old-fashioned... and Bob is kind of an odd ball. Maybe Bob just exudes so much old-fashioned calmness -- the kind of temperament that is more mature and almost kind of suave -- that Bob looks like a man from the past. If Jack has to think logically, then this man in the photo can't possibly be Bob. Or maybe that's Bob's grandfather or uncle or something.

Right now, Jack can decide to ask: "Is that you, Bob?" Which is a ridiculous question, because that means Bob has not aged at all and Bob is probably 60 years old now?

Jack can also ask: "Is this man in the photo related to you? Because he sure does look like you, man."

Or, Jack can act like a completely jackass and idiot.

Hmmm... which one should Jack decide.

"Don't you think this guy in this photo look like one of those BCI agents?"

"Huh? BCI agent? Which one?" Bob is caught off guard.

"Like, that cool BCI agent, Kasim Bashar."

What the hell is Jack talking about? Kasim Bashar is Middle Eastern. The man in the photo is clearly not Middle Eastern.

Holy damn. Jack is either a completely low I.Q. idiot with poor eyesight or Jack is playing dumb.

Bob decides Jack is playing dumb. Jack is not that stupid.

But since Jack is playing dumb, what should Bob's reaction be now.

"Well, Kasim Bashar is Middle Eastern." Bob decides it is going to be very hard for him to act like a complete moron like Jack right now. "This guy here is not. Even though it's a black and white photo, you can see this guy has light hair color."

"Hmm. Well, I am not really saying that the looks are the same. I guess I should say this person reminds me of Kasim Bashar. Very smart. Very good at being under cover. And Bashar always buys me dinner." Jack says all of this so naturally. Like he really is saying all this because he intends to say this. Not because he is acting.

"Interesting take. I don't know Bashar very well. But I can see your point. Sometimes, it's not about if someone looks exactly like someone. Sometimes it's just the feelings." Bob answers.

"We should meet him some day. Bob, you need more friends." Jack grins.

"Um, thank you. You need to get more friends, too. You're the one coming to my apartment so late at night because you probably don't have other friends."

"Well, Jie Ai is kind of a friend, too, but Nitte might have ruined it for me."

"Alright." Bob stops Jack when he hears him mentioning Nitte again. Bob has a feeling that Jack will talk about her again and again in the future. "So, what are you going to with the information that Amelia gives you?"

"I don't know. I will secretly look into it. I didn't promise Amelia anything. What do you think?" Jack asks Bob.

"I don't know either. Whoever this legend is, maybe he has a reason not wanting to be found. Maybe instead of tracking the legend down, try to find out why there are people looking for him. This guy is kind of history. Why would a secret agent look for him?"

Bob can see why Jack is acting like an idiot.

The ghosts in Bob's head once told Bob an ancient Chinese saying: "The wisest person is the fool." But Bob is 100 % sure that Jack doesn't know this ancient Chinese saying.

Indeed, Jack is playing dumb, because Jack wants to get Bob to talk. Although Jack doesn't know any ancient Chinese secret, Jack has been a detective long enough to know how to get people to talk during an interrogation. Well, at least, most of the time, Jack knows. Sometimes Jack fails, too.

Jack knows, if he confronts Bob and say to Bob: "Why do you look so much alike this man in a photo from the 50s or whatever year that is?" Bob is probably not going to tell him. If Bob wants to tell him, he would've already said something. And Jack doesn't want to force Bob.

So Jack chooses to be an idiot.

If only Nitte knows he can be an idiot on purpose.

*** ***

{ The next morning. Brooklyn, New York. One of Dominic's Town Houses--- }

Amelia is babysitting Dominic, but she has gone out to buy some food and then back. Dominic is tied up still, so Amelia isn't worried.

Amelia has reported the situation back to Estonia that some American also wanted to punish the hacker, Dominic. The Estonia secret service supervisor also agrees it is fine to let American take over Dominic, since they really just wanted to find him and stop him from attacking their country. If the Americans stop Dominic, then that is fine.

But the secret service supervisor wants Amelia to find the legend. Amelia is glad that Jack seems to agree to at least help take a look.

Amelia is now walking on the street with a bag of grocery. Milk, yogurt, and some apples. When she gets back, she sees the town house's door is ajar.

Her secret agent instincts kick in. Amelia quickly and quietly gets in. She sets the bag down lightly. She presses herself against the wall to make sure she won't be spotted but can still eye the living room. She hears a man talking on speaker phone:

"Well, I will board the plane later this afternoon." The man in the living room says.

"Are you going to take care of that problem?" Another man says on the phone, and that man has a strange accent.

"Of course. Oh hey. Good news, Nitte admitted making up the story. She shapeshifted into another person again."

"Gosh! That Nitte girl can sure pull a lot of stunts."

"I know. But I'll just find more people full of magics like her, then we will be all set. I know Dominic has no superpowers, but he can be useful to us. And, I might be onto something. There is a...,"

Suddenly the man in the living room has stopped talking. He turns around. And he clicks the phone.

"Hello, there, I've been waiting for you. Amelia, is it?" The man says.

Amelia comes out of the shadow. She has her gun strapped on her lower back inside her shirt. She decides she will pull out the gun if necessary.

"My name is Keith. And your work here is done."

"Oh, but—"

Bang.

Within a second, Keith already took out his gun and shot Amelia in her head. Kill shot. Just like every paper target he practices on. Just like the type of shot that Jack once saw.

"Sorry, but the less people wanting to find the legend, the better. I'm sorry you have met Jack. Your e-mail to him has been intercepted by me." Keith stands over Amelia, explaining to the dying woman.

Keith then goes to the bedroom and grabs the whimpering and wimpy Dominic.

"Gosh, you f*king stink. Go f*king shower and come back out. When you shower, I want you to think very carefully who you should help. I know some British sons of bitches have been paying you to attack our stations in the U.S. But who should you help now? those British assholes you've been helping or your fellow Americans? Use your skills to be a patriot, OK?"

Dominic nods.

Keith thinks to himself: Good. One new man recruited to join his effort. Now, Keith just wants to make sure Nitte doesn't recruit anyone. In fact, Keith needs to be the only team that has the strongest lineup. Because Keith has a big plan. Nay, lots of big plans.

He is glad Jack completed the first assignment to his satisfactory.

***

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