Chapter 47
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, United States
From their perch atop a nearby rooftop, Gen and her dragon gazed down upon the bustling scene surrounding the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The striking, modernist structure complemented the urban landscape, its angular lines and gleaming facades a tribute to the city's embrace of contemporary architecture.
The exterior of the building was a patchwork of materials, with sleek metal panels interspersed with expansive glass walls that reflected the shimmering afternoon sunlight. It created a dazzling display that caught the eye of passersby.
In front of the museum, the iconic Urban Light installation commanded attention. It was a collection of restored antique streetlamps standing in perfect formation. They were like a group of glowing watchmen guarding the entrance.
Gen was immediately grateful that Liv and Sophia had given her an overview of the museum area and what she'd be seeing during this investigation. Studying the maps and getting the insights from the other two women helped give Gen references and assurances that she and Emperor could go on this rogue mission alone. She wasn't sure what they'd find, but a feeling deep at her core told her that something was askew.
The traffic on Wilshire Boulevard ebbed and flowed, a constant stream of vehicles. The cars' engines hummed and horns occasionally pierced the air, while pedestrians navigated the sidewalks, their chatter and laughter mingling with the sounds of the city.
Street vendors lined the edge of the building. Their colorful carts and savory and sweet wares tempting visitors with the scents of sizzling hot dogs, roasted nuts and fresh churros.
To the west, the Broad Contemporary Art Museum stood as a striking counterpoint to LACMA's main building. Gen didn't know what contemporary art was but Liv had described it as "trash put in a picture frame." Although Gen thought that was probably a bit of a harsh and oversimplified explanation, she sort of understood what Liv meant when she described modern art as "understated ridiculousness."
The Broad Museum, with its bold red exterior and undulating roofline, was like a visual exclamation point against the blue California sky. The Resnick Pavilion, with its elegant, glass-enclosed spaces, offered a glimpse into the museum's extensive collections. According to Sophia, who had more tolerance for different artwork, it was filled with treasures beckoning to those with a thirst for knowledge and culture.
As Gen and Emperor surveyed the scene below, they couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. Both shared the feeling that amidst the beauty and bustle of this cultural hub, a mystery awaited.
Gen and her dragon exchanged a knowing glance, their bond stronger than before—and growing with each day.
"Are you picking up on anything nefarious below?" she asked, looking at the purple dragon sitting by the edge of the rooftop, staring down, the same as her. However, she knew that Emperor saw the world differently than her. He felt the world through voices, hearing things people only thought to themselves. Not only that, but the ruler of dragons saw the future, but not with accuracy that could be fully trusted. It was more like shades of events that could happen, if everything went on the same path.
Emperor closed his glowing golden eyes, going within, taking a moment to sense the environment and people below. When he opened them, there was a new intensity to his gaze. "There are many outsiders below who know they don't belong. They aren't who they say they are."
"What are they doing?" Gen asked, noticing that the black, unmarked vans had all lined up at the back of the museum in a narrow alleyway, like they were hiding.
Her dragon shook his head, appearing a bit frustrated. "That I don't know. I see flashes of the future that could tell me, but sharing those visuals with you could only complicate things."
She sucked in a breath. "Seeing the future has to be very confusing."
"It really is, and especially so if I told you everything I saw about something like this," Emperor explained. "It's like me giving you a random puzzle piece but you don't have any of the other pieces to put together and then it could turn out to not even be a puzzle that involves you. It's better if you go and collect some intel. Then you can report it to me and I can see if it fits in with what I'm seeing."
Gen nodded, liking this idea of her doing a reconnaissance mission. She glanced down at her outfit. "Good thing that Sophia put this disguise on me."
Anticipating that Gen might have to go undercover, Sophia, who was apparently brilliant with disguise magic, put her in new clothes. Gen felt very strange wearing a modern linen black suit. She'd never worn such strange pants called slacks or a crisp white button-up shirt and dark blazer. Gen felt very futuristic in this outfit, but Sophia assured her that it was a plain dress that made her blend into the professional world.
"Okay, I'll go down there and investigate and then we can decide what to do next," Gen said, making her way for the edge of the building.
"Sounds good, but one piece of advice," Emperor offered, a cunning tone to his voice.
"What's that?" Gen said, peering down at the road below.
He nodded at the center of the rooftop where there was a stairwell and door. "Take the stairs. I sense you're about to scale the side of the building."
"What's wrong with that?" she challenged, her hands on her hips.
"Modern-day professionals take the elevator, not climb to work," he replied.
Gen sighed. "Fine. But can't you give me a lift?"
He shook his head. "Again, usually people arrive to work in cars or on foot and not on dragons."
"Just promise me that we'll never conform to these boring ways of the modern world, walking to work when flying and climbing are so much better."
The purple dragon grinned at her. "I promise."