Agent Gray, Red with Love

ACME 101: All Bad Guys Wear Boots

"Jean Paul Dubois," Zari read aloud from the analysis they were sent on the glove. "An ex-Olympic climber, he won multiple gold medals. However, for still mysterious reasons, he disappeared a little over a year ago, and was never seen again."

  "Well, that's not shady at all," Graham grumbled taking a sip of tea. 

  The group was about to touch down at the airport after a long flight. Graham figured he'd pour himself a cupper before another equally long day.

  Devineaux stretched, "What're we doing today, Agent Zari?"

  "Tracking Carmen San Diego," she replied.

  "That doesn't narrow it down at all," Devineaux pouted.

    Zari rolled her eyes with a little smirk.  

  "It's another museum," she said.

  "I'm taking Devineaux's side on this one. That is a terrible explanation," Graham complained.

  Zari relented. "We're specifically visiting the MINT Museum of Toys to survey and secure a new collection, the original barbies," she explained.

  Graham looked at her, "We're going to the where to survey the what?"

  "We are ACME agents!" Devineaux protested, "Not toddlers playing imaginary doll games!"

  "That may be so," Zari replied, "But I'm not sure if you heard me right. A collection of original barbies. The last one sold at an auction for 27,450 USD, and it was only worth 8,000. And there's 11 of them sitting in one place."

  Graham wasn't so sure about this Barbie baby sitting business. He voiced his concerns. "With all do respect Zari... why would these guys go from stealing giant golden hats, to Barbie dolls?"

  "Because of the symbolism, Hawkins," she replied.

  "It's Graham."

  "Whatever. The point is, these dolls define and still do define generations upon generations of people. Face it, Barbie has been apart of peoples' childhoods for years, and will be for years to come. If they're stolen, that's V.I.L.E's way of showing that they still have the world, its past, and its future in their hands. It'd be a message saying that they could toy and play with us whenever, and wherever they wanted."

  That sounded a little far fetched to Graham, but it wasn't his job to question it. It was only his job to make sure the eleven dolls weren't stolen. 

  "And we're sure Carmen will try to steal these dolls?" Graham asked.

  "We know V.I.L.E will, so San Diego is sure to follow," Zari said.

  "And you still think she's our adversary, when she targets specifically the things V.I.L.E does?" Devineaux asked skeptically, trying to make a point.

  Zari glared, "Yes."

  And that was that.

...

  Like always, nothing happened during the day. Graham had gotten so used to the boringness of it all, that he'd started to just be a tourist and walk around the museum during his watch. The name of the museum was pretty straight forward, the "MINT Museum of Toys." And that's exactly what it was.

   Tons of vintage toys were on display. Cars, dolls, a few legos, stuffed animals...  Honestly, although he knew the Barbies were important for their own reasons, verses some of the stuff, he didn't see what was so special about them.