Between Generations

Chapter 4

Lise studied the book as long as she could late into the night. She moved her fingers softly over the faded drawings of the magical outfits of Ladybug, Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, Carapace, Queen B...

    She sighed, leaning back in her chair. She combed through her blonde locks with her fingers. This is bigger than I thought. Why am I so drawn to this? I can't do anything about it.

    She stared around her room. Her parents let her be creative as much as she wanted with her surroundings. Much of her walls were full of Post Its or photos she had taken with her newest camera. Several of her photos were of the Eiffel Tower, but never from the same angle. Her favorite was of the Eiffel tower upside down. She often liked to draw the Eiffel tower in her designs, but altering them in different ways to make it her own. Maybe she could be an architect for a second, unique Tower.

    Lise took out her computer to look up the old videos of Paris' legendary superheroes on YouTube. The sight of bold, confident Ladybug in her bright red suit with black spots swinging across buildings lifted Lise's heart.

    I wish I was just like her.

    Lise clicked on a video regarding the arrest of Hawk Moth from the year 2019. The famous Gabriel Agreste was being led out of his extravagant mansion in handcuffs. His son, the famous teen model Adrien Agreste watched from the doorway, fear and shame and worry all apparent on his young face. It was the same boy from the picture in Lise's parents' living room. Lise could understand why the young model felt like that. His father was being shamed for life. The screen flipped to reveal images of Hawk Moth's lair, now being ravaged by police for evidence.

    Something in the dark butterfly room caught Lise's eye.

    She picked up her phone.

    "Remy! I think I have a lead!"

    -----

    Lise found Remy and Nathan waiting at the entrance of the abandoned Agreste mansion. Yellow caution signs still remained at the black metal gates, warning anyone not to enter. Not that anyone would be stupid enough.

    The boys were both in hoods, and yawning. "You're gonna have to pay me back after all of this," whined Remy. "I wasn't able to eat a fabulous dinner at your house last night, and now I'm going to lose sleep--"

    "Look." Lise held up her phone screen to her friends. A video was paused at the right moment when it revealed Hawk Moth's lair. "What do you see?"

    "Hawk Moth's lair. Duh. Everyone on the Internet has seen it," Remy moaned. "Everyone with access to a pencil has." He zipped up his jacket tighter, and yawned again.

    "Look closely," Lise insisted, bringing her phone screen closer to the boys' faces. Remy's blond curls fell over his eyes as the bright light illuminated his pale face. He squinted tiredly.

    "Oh. The book?"

    "Yes!" Lise exclaimed, exasperated.

    "And...?" Nathan yawned, zipping up his jacket. "We found it. And apparently, you called dibs."

    "That's the same book we saw in the bakery!" Lise's voice was almost a shout. "I think that's the Miraculous book!"

    "Of course Hawk Moth had it. That's how he nearly defeated all of the Miraculous Holders."

    "But why isn't the book in his lair? Why was it hidden in the bakery? Who put it there?" Impatience rose in Lise's voice.

    "What you guys looking at?"