Dance Moms - Claudia (2) Sand and Wave

Chapter 5 : Investigation

Inside the security room, guards and police were reviewing the camera footages, the section from storage to the lounge was disrupted. Someone has switched the paintings within that path.

JoJo stood looking at the monitors, she didn't say a word since the press conference. Her team remained quiet, standing in a distance, everyone knew better to stay away when the girl was in rage, only one person stood by her side.

"Where do you think the switch took place?" the old General asked.

"I personally checked it in the storage room, no more than thirty minutes before the conference." JoJo answered.

"Extraction points?"

"Three. The freight elevator, guest elevator and a fire exit."

"And?"

"Elevators all have cameras, that leave the fire exit."

Listening behind the two, Chloe admired JoJo for having such a father. In normal circumstances, the father would blame his child for losing the precious art piece, and the child would cry apologizing, but not JoJo and Mikhail Siwanov, the father and daughter already moved on, and using this opportunity like another teaching tool.

"How will you carry it? The paintings are large enough to draw attention."

"I'll roll it, put it in tubes."

"Still, the largest painting is nearly two meters in height."

JoJo fell silence.

"Who says long tubes draw attention?" a girl stepped out. "I saw renovation when I came in. They could hide it in water pipes."

"And who are you?"

The father turned to a light skin girl, her dark hair curly and greasy, wearing a windbreaker two-size too large over a pair of pink legging, not at all fitted among the girls.

"I'm Emira. I'm the new team member." the girl cocked her head smartly.

"No Em, you just kind of tagging along." Masha corrected.

The new girl let out a long line of Arabic, knowing only Chloe could understand.

"What did she say?" Masha turned to Chloe.

"She said your mind is as strong as your muscles." Chloe lied.

Being the only one in the Recovery who speaks Arabic, the Turkish girl clinging to Chloe like a shadow.

"From storage to revealing the piece took about forty-five minutes, enough to get it out of the building. I would take the maintenance van, drive into the woods and switch vehicle as soon as possible, because people will be after the van in minutes."

The General considered, then nodded to the Chief of Security, who spoke to his radio to launch a search.

"What do your parents do, Emira?" the General asked.

"Before they died they ran exports around Eastern Europe and Middle East."

"Don't you mean smuggling?" Masha said.

"Show me a Kazakh that doesn't smuggle." Emira glared at the giant, then returned to the General. "You should also look into any transactions within that amount. I'll say forty million?"

"That's forty million per piece!" JoJo felt offended.

"That's a joke. These are no Rembrandt." said Emira unimpressed.

"This is national treasure!"

"By historical value, yes. Top-ten most wanted? No." the Turkish girl shook her head. "No one is going to randomly select a piece and steal it. Like you said, they have been hanging at your house for years, they could have stole it all these time. Why now?"

"Because someone wants to make a point." Chloe stepped out from the team. "To shame the owner, or the gallery."

"Claudia." the father arched his thick eyebrows, always impressed by the girl.

"General." Chloe addressed. "May I ask how these paintings came by?"

Siwanov placed his hands to his back, stood formally like he was about to give a speech.

"During the fall of the Russian Empire, the Red Army raided all the royal properties, many treasures were lost."

"The year when Anastasia..." Chloe remembered the tragic tail.

"Dark times of Russia." Siwanov frowned. "They were scattered all over Europe, some found, some hidden. During the Second World War, Hitler ordered a division to collect every art piece around Europe, ready to be displayed in his Führermuseum."

"Which never got built."

"Yes. They were hidden during the war, in caves and fortresses. The Seven Voyages was discovered in Prague twenty years ago by looters, they sold it to the black market."

"And you bought them." Emira said.

"Not exactly." Siwanov said. "The house we're living in used to belong to the former party, it has lived many high ranking officers. We were the last occupant before the fall of the Soviet Union, they were desperate for money to reform the country, I saw an opportunity and bought the house, along with everything in it."

"Do we know who the paintings belong to, before it was stolen?"

"We only know it was displayed in the Palace. The Empire kept records, but history was written by the winners, Claudia. Anything recorded during that period maybe altered."

"What does that mean?"

"Meaning I stole from you and present it to the king, claiming it's my own." Emira said.

"Are you sure your parents aren't smugglers?" Masha narrowed her eyes. "I'm starting to think I didn't just misplace my MP3 player."

"And my charger!" said Tilly crossing her bionic arms.

"Emira is right. These are not famous paintings, just historical. No offense." Chloe apologized. "Whoever wanted these paintings, they are not ordinary collectors. We find the origin, we may find the paintings."

"Very well." Siwanov turned to his daughter. "How are you going to proceed?"

Like a leader, JoJo stood straight like her father, turning to her team.

"Claudia and Tilly, we'll arrange a supervisor to guide you through the archives, you two will be looking for the origin of the paintings. Masha and Camryn, you two on traffic duty, stay with the security chief and check all possible routes. You'll have all access."

"What about me?" asked the Turkish girl.

"You." JoJo eyed the new girl. "Are going to meet my father's associate for a talk."