Morning Rounds

Crayon Paintbrush Armadillo adjusted her light blue mask and stepped through the curved entrance of the Crayon Paintbrush Dome. The morning sun cast rainbows through the crystal walls, illuminating the art gallery's marble floors.

"Good morning, CPA!" called out Marcus, the gallery's security guard. He was arranging chairs near the main display area, his brown uniform crisp and clean.

"Morning, Marcus!" She waved her light blue gloves cheerfully. "Everything look good today?"

Marcus paused and scratched his gray beard. "Well, mostly. Though I swear the paintings seem... different somehow. Can't put my finger on it."

CPA tilted her armored head, her dark eyes scanning the walls. Dozens of colorful paintings hung in their golden frames, just as always. The "Sunset Over Canvas Desert" glowed warmly. The portrait of Mayor Rodriguez smiled down at them.

"They look fine to me," she said, but something felt odd.

Marcus shrugged. "Probably just my old eyes playing tricks."

Empty Frames

The next morning, CPA received an urgent call on her superhero phone. "Emergency at the gallery!" Marcus's voice crackled through the speaker.

She rushed across Canvas Desert Metropolis, her armored tail swishing behind her as she ran. When she burst through the dome's entrance, she gasped.

Empty frames hung on every wall. Golden rectangles outlined where paintings once lived, but the canvases had vanished completely.

"They're all gone!" Marcus paced frantically, his gray beard trembling. "Every single painting disappeared overnight!"

CPA studied the bare frames. No broken glass. No torn canvas pieces. No footprints on the marble floor.

"The security cameras?" she asked.

Marcus threw his hands up. "They show nothing! The paintings were there at midnight, gone by morning. No one entered or left the building."

A woman with short black hair rushed in, carrying a clipboard. "I'm Detective Sarah Chen from the art crimes unit," she announced breathlessly. "We've got reports of similar thefts across the city. Someone's stealing artwork, but leaving no evidence behind."

CPA's dark eyes narrowed. This wasn't just a simple robbery.