statue?

It was a sunny Parisian spring afternoon, and Anna and her relatives were walking through the Louvre Museum. While they wandered from gallery to gallery, Anna's eyes widened as she viewed the vibrant artwork and intricate sculpture. Diffuse lighting caused the colors to pop, and a faint scent of paint and clay filled the air.

Anna, a blonde child with dark hair and indigo eyes, tugged on her mother's arm. "Mom, look at this one! The brush strokes are so realistic!"

Sasha, her mom, grinned with pleasure, pushing up her glasses. "It's a masterpiece, isn't it? The artist spent years perfecting this stroke. You have a good eye, Anna."

Kallen, her father, sat forward, his tall body towering over the painting. "And see how the light falls on the subject's face? She's alive. That's the mark of a master painter."

Anna smiled. "I want to paint like that someday."

Kallen brushed out her hair. "You will, kiddo. Don't forget to clean your brushes, though. The last time you used them, you had them so filled up, I thought we were going to have to throw them away."

Sasha giggled. "Oh, come on, Kallen. She's ten years old. Let her be messy. She's an artist. It comes with the territory."

Kallen shrugged an eyebrow. "Disorganized? I got blue stains all over the ceiling when she last painted. The ceiling, Sasha!"

Anna laughed. "That was an accident!"

Sasha winked at her. "A happy accident, then?"

As they strolled along the galleries, Anna overheard a guard discussing with a cluster of tourists. "The new statue is unveiled today at 2:00 PM. It's never seen anything like it."

Anna's curiosity was sparked. "Mom, Dad, can we see the statue? Please?"

Kallen looked at his watch. "Hmmm. I was going to work on some reports, but… I think we can make it fit in."

Sasha pushed him lightly. "Oh, come on, Kallen. Live a little. Reports can wait."

Kallen theatrically fell back. "Okay, okay. But because Anna asked so nicely."

At 2:00, the middle gallery was packed. Anna stood on her toes, trying to see over the crowd. The drapes were pushed open, and a shining metal statue of an archangel shimmered in the light. Its wings were spread wide, and its serene face appeared to glow.

Anna's eyes widened. "It's beautiful! But… it resembles me!"

Kallen grinned. "Does it? Well, art does have a way of reflecting what we see in ourselves."

Sasha knelt at Anna's side, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or perhaps something else. Perhaps it is a sign."

Kallen frowned. "A sign? Sasha, don't give her too much to think."

Sasha gave a wry smile. "A sign? You say it to me now when you spent three hours last week deciphering a coffee spill on your pages."

Kallen crossed his arms and huffed. "It was a map! I am telling you so, it was—"

"A coffee stain," Sasha interrupted with a smile. "Face it, Kallen. You're a genius, but you overthink sometimes."

Anna laughed. "Dad, you're so weird."

Kallen acted offended. "Weird? I'm 'eccentric.' There's a difference."

As he spoke, an old man with wild white hair and a tweed jacket was stumbling up. He carried a stack of books and was muttering to himself. "Fascinating… absolutely fascinating…"

Kallen arched an eyebrow. "David? Is that you?"

The man looked up, startled. "Oh! Yes, yes, I'm here. David. Hello! I was just—well, you see, I was studying the, uh, the… oh, never mind about that. Have you seen the statue? Wonderful, isn't it?"

Sasha smiled. "We were just looking at it. Anna here thinks it looks like her."

David peered at Anna over his thick lenses. "Does it now? Well, well, well… interesting. Very interesting. You see, they found this statue in the Mariana Trench. The Mariana Trench! Can you believe it? Deepest place in the ocean. And the material—completely unknown. Not metal, not stone, not… well, not anything we've ever seen."

Anna tilted her head. "What is it made of, then?"

David waved his arms wildly. "Ah, that's the question, is it? A gift of the gods, says one. Alien, says another. Me? I just think it's. well, I have no idea what it is. But it's old. Awfully old. And the stories—oh, the stories! The tears of these statues overflowed the ocean floor. Can you imagine? Tears! And this one—this one is special. This one has powers. Powers beyond our comprehension."

Anna's eyes widened. "Powers? Like what?"

David moved in close, speaking just above a whisper. "Some think it can grant wishes. Others think it can play with time. Me? I think it's a key. A key to something huge. But to what? That's the mystery, right?"

Kallen laughed. "David, you're rambling again."

David stood up, shoving his glasses back into place. "Am I? Well, perhaps. But isn't rambling half the fun? The world is a mystery, my dear. And this statue? It's one of the biggest."

Anna smiled.

David grinned. "And I like you, little lady. You've got a spark. A spark of curiosity. That's what the world needs more of."

Later that night

Kallen and Sasha had stayed late in the museum that evening. Kallen was sitting in his office, papers strewn all over the room. "This statue… it's not similar to any that we've ever seen. And the similarity to Anna… it's unbelievable."

Sasha entered, holding a letter. "We've received word from our people in southern Africa. They've found ruins that might be connected to the statues."

Kallen rose, his excitement palpable. "We have to leave. This is the break we've been waiting for."

Sasha nodded. "But Anna? We can't take her with us."

Kallen paused. "She'll be with her grandparents. Just for a couple of days."

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "A couple of days? Kallen, you know how these missions go. A 'couple of days' can turn into weeks."

Kallen waved his hand dismissively. "It's huge, Sasha. This can change the game."

Sasha crossed her arms. "And Anna's important too. She's already going to feel excluded. Did you see the way she glared at us during the unveiling?"

Kallen breathed deeply. "I know, I know. But this is business. She'll understand."

Sasha cocked an eyebrow. "Will she? Or will she just assume that her dad's more interested in his research than she is?"

Kallen frowned. "That's not fair."

Sasha relaxed. "I'm not saying it to hurt you. I'm saying it because I do know you love her. But sometimes you get so caught up in work that you tend to ignore things right under your nose."

Kallen pushed his hair back. "You're right. I'll talk to her."