It was the one thing he coveted the most...

 It was the one thing he coveted the most. And of course, he only had one chance to get it. James had planned it all: it would take him exactly 4 minutes and 23 seconds. If he spent any more time, the alarm would go off. In and out, that's how he would do it. 

"So, just to be clear, we are doing all of this for a necklace?" Ray's voice sounded in James' ear through the earpiece.

"That necklace could solve all of our problems, Ray. You want the money or not?" James answered.

"Right", he heard him say. "Well, you know the plan. When you reach the door, I disconnect the alarm. And then it's all you in there."

James looked up from where he was hiding. It was a new Moon night, so there wasn't much light in the street. The museum looked quiet, all his guards probably celebrating the success of the event that had been held that same afternoon. The exhibition had gathered hundreds of celebrities and important people, even the royal family had attended the occasion. However, the true protagonist of the night had been the necklace James was after that night. A unique billion-dollar piece found amongst some Incan ruins. There were lots of tales and legends about it. James had been after the gem for as long as he could remember. His mother had been an archaeologist, just like he was now, and had dedicated her whole life trying to find the ruins where the necklace had disappeared. He remembered how she wouldn't be home for months when he was a kid because she had many "important expeditions to make".  Then, one day, she didn't come back. Apparently, she and her team had taken a dangerous path, and the ruins fell on top of them. James had worked very hard to get that necklace ever since. Of course, he had never imagined he would get it by stealing it. 

James got to the service door through which workers would enter their shifts. 

"Alarm's off", he heard in his ear.

With the false ID card Ray had given him, he opened the door and started the route he had memorized. As he had imagined, nobody was waiting for him. He knew that he wouldn't find the necklace in the room where the exhibition had been held, but rather in a special security vault from two floors down. He got there without encountering any obstacles, which was lucky, because he didn't exactly have much spare time. The room was small and quiet, nobody around. However, something felt off. It had been too easy - too fast. As he walked towards the vault, his skin started to prickle. It couldn't be true. The vault door was opened! The necklace wasn't there anymore.

"Ray. The necklace is gone", he talked through his earpiece. "Ray? Ray, can you hear me?" He had no signal.

His mind began to rush. Who could've stolen it? It didn't make any sense. In that moment, he realized he had to get out of there. If the person that had gotten there before him reconnected the alarm, he would be  stuck inside the museum, in the crime scene. Before he got time to move, he heard someone walk into the room. "Shit", he thought to himself, if the police had gotten there already, there was no way out.

"James", the voice of a woman filled the empty room. How did she know his name? James turned on his heels, and he instantly wished it had been the police standing at that door.

"Mum", he said with a voice that didn't sound entirely like his own.