Haruto showed up with a black eye and swollen jaw. His clothes were bloodied and dirty. Albert studied him with a concerned expression.

The actor reached for a stool and sat. Harris offered him a cup of water. He took a gulp and sighed, “They were waiting for me after the performance. An enthusiastic admirer brought bottles and we celebrated. I came out of the theater feeling a little tipsy. I realized later; it was a setup. Four men with clubs jumped me from an alley as I walked down the street. They got in some good hits. Thought I was a goner until a beggar came around the corner and yelled. It distracted them long enough for me to climb up a series of columns like a monkey and reach the roof. I ran across the tiles praying the moon stayed behind the clouds.

“The men shouted and tried to follow from the street. When their angry voices faded behind me, I decided to stay at a friend’s house until morning.”

“I believe that was to keep you from riding in the emperor’s celebration,” Albert commented.

Harris added, “I’ve heard, they plan to sabotage Albert’s dragon and embarrass the emperor. Cause him to lose face. A group wants to go back to the old ways.”

“I must warn my uncle.”

“Uncle. I should have seen that coming,” Harris grinned.

“Yes, he married my mother’s sister.”

“Meiji knows already. That’s why we are closely guarded in daytime and night. I’ve set up traps, also.” Albert paced the room. He walked over to the dragon and ran a hand over its metal skin. The action calmed his troubled thoughts.

“You report to your uncle?” Harris asked in a soft voice.

“Yes, he requested I watch. But not to worry. I don’t tell him about your nightly expeditions into the city.”

“He probably was told about that already.”

Albert listened to their conversation. “Is there anything he does not know?”

“Not really. He said the flying machine and throwing ribbons from it would make a great climax.”

“I suppose Izumi told him.”

“No, she is not part of his inner circle. One of the workers eavesdropped.”

“What about Emissary Tamako?”

“He understands how your government functions, so was necessary to use him. But Tamako is not included in the most sensitive decisions.”

“Could he be part of--?”

Haruto broke in before Albert could finish, “Maybe, not something to say out loud.”

“You’ve had enough practice, Haruto, now is the time to plan. I think that tonight we will be attacked. Albert, I’m sure you have some tricks to help us defend ourselves. We can set up traps, give us an advantage. You will need something stronger than a sword stick.” Harris leaned against the wall and studied the room.

“Flash and smoke bombs would slow them down but also work against us. However, I have several boxes of mechanical bees that might do the trick. And there are metal poles left over from building the dragon, they could be used.” Albert hunted through an open crate.

“Metal bees?” Harris sounded skeptical.

“Sure, aggravating little things. All I have to do is hit them with the pulser, and they are energized. Must be careful to keep the lid on until ready.”

“Have you tried them before, or is it just a theory?”

“My cat disappeared after the test run, came back a week later.”

While they were talking, Haruto checked out the brass rods. Picking one up, he brought his foot down in a wide stance, swirled it in front of him and charged forward. They watched as he did flips, rolls, and finished with the pole pounded upright on the floor.

“Good balance. Albert, I will find one for you. Harris, you probably already have a weapon.”

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“I can set ropes with bags tied on the ends. Somehow swing them.” Harris studied the ceiling.

“Good idea. I have just the device, a steam powered wheel. Fastened to a hanging pulley, I can pull a cord, start a spark, and turn it on. This should be fun.”

Haruto waved to a servant hidden in a corner of the room. He whispered in his ear, and the man left.

“Where did he come from?” Albert asked with a shocked expression. The man had listened to all their plans.

“While you were digging through the crate, I loosened the wall and let him in. He will return with food.”

“Also, report to your uncle? I’ve seen him talk with you in the streets.” Harris did not seem surprised at the man’s presence.

“That, also. We don’t know how many men will attack. Your tricks may not be enough to stop them.”

A while later he returned carrying small baskets stacked on top of each other. He bowed, walked to the table, and separated them. Haruto gave him a questioning glance. The man whispered to him and then left through the wall.

“Not good. The emperor’s guards disappeared. The attack is soon.

He opened a box and removed what appeared to be a huge bee. “Made these when my foot was healing. Had to sit all day with it propped up. Helped with the boredom.” Albert shot the pulser energy in, then quickly put the lid on to keep the buzzing mechanical insects inside. A loud rumble came from his stomach.

“Can we eat first, this smells delicious,” Harris asked and lifted the lid off a basket.

While they ate and between bites, Albert raised a box’s top only a crack and quickly shot the pulser energy in again. The mechanical insects started buzzing and bouncing off the box’s sides. As he methodically activated them in each box, Haruto studied Albert’s device.

Seeing how fascinated the man was, Harris pulled back his sleeve and pulled the cord. He pointed the pulser, and a blue spark shot out.

“It was you, last night. I saw the same blue light coming from the beggar. A man yelled and dropped his club.”

Instead of answering, he unfastened the weapon from his wrist and handed it to him. “Want one?”

“How does it work?”

Albert looked up and commented, “You pull the string. How strong the pulse is depends on how many times you pull it. Harris took down a man with a shot to the jaw. Directed to a hand, it becomes numb and drops the weapon. I have another one. Harris you will have to dig through everything to find it.”

A fist pounded on the door.

“What happens if I shoot at the lights?” Haruto pointed the weapon upward.

“Edison incandescents could catch fire.”

“I am good with a sling shot.” Harris pulled one from his pocket and grabbed a handful of small metal pieces. He shot out the lights around them, leaving only the ones by the door.

“Is there no weapon you’re not proficient with?” asked Albert.

“None that I know of.”

The door crashed open. Izumi stomped in. Behind her were a dozen men, armed with clubs and sticks. She squinted at his dark silhouette. “Albert, I have tried many times to protect you from this moment, but Harris is intent on getting you killed. Tamako said to give you one more chance. Just step aside and let us smash the dragon, you can walk away.”

“What about my friends?”

“They will be a casualty.”

“Alright.”

“Good. Step aside.”

“You misunderstood. That was my signal.” While they were talking, he was building up the energy in the pulser and sent out a stream of blue light.

Steam burst out from the wheel overhead. Harris and Haruto, hidden on the opposite sides of the room pulled the rope back and forth. The whirling bags swung through the men standing at the door. They fell over like sticks.

“I assumed you had more tricks so planned for them.”

The wall, only fastened in a few places, fell. More men surged in. Haruto caught in the corner picked up his pipe and started swinging. Harris rushed toward him to help. Albert started throwing boxes of buzzing insects.

Yells and screams echoed in the room as the boxes landed on top of the attackers.

Harris jerked as a stray one stung him but continued to fight. The men formed circles around them. Metal pipes clashed with wood clubs. Harris took a hit to his side but returned it with his pipe. The man went down. Another took his place. Haruto, more skilled, was soon free and able to help him.

Albert decided to join, picked up the pole Haruto picked for him, and charged to Harris’s right. Just as it appeared they were winning the fight; a gun was discharged. Blood spread down Harris’s arm.

“Enough of this foolishness. The next one goes in his spine!” Izumi yelled.

Everyone stopped. Only the mechanical bees kept buzzing and attacking.

“Harris had a collection of guns in his luggage. I decided this was a good one to use. A shot to the spine will paralyze him. He will beg to die. Albert, make a decision. Come to my side and he will have a quick death or watch him die in a slow agonizing one.”

Dressed in a Japanese kimono, hair coiled tight on her head, with white makeup and red lips, she presented the traditional image. The gun in her hand created a strange contrast.

Albert moved over to stand between her and his friend. “You can shoot me first.”

“If you insist.”

The weapon clicked. When the gun went off, he straightened up and closed his eyes not wanting to see death coming at him. In the silence that followed, Albert waited for the pain but felt nothing. He opened his eyes and discovered Izumi on the floor, blood oozing from her chest.

“Harris, I must congratulate you on this weapon. It shoots true.” Emperor Meiji stood inside the door with a gun in his hand.

Royal guards rushed in through the open wall and door. The attackers dropped their clubs and surrendered.

Albert spun around to check on Harris. He already had a rag wrapped around his arm.

“Don’t worry about me, you have more important issues to discuss.”

The emperor strode into the room, his guards keeping pace around him. Dressed in pants, shirt, and jacket, rather than the traditional robes, to Albert’s mind he looked more dangerous. He felt like the man’s dark eyes drilled into his brain.

“Dr. Timmons, the dragon was not damaged? It is hard to see, I assume Harris shot out the lights. Workers will be in to replace them and clean up the room.”

“The dragon was untouched.”

“Excellent, my celebration will go on as planned.” He turned and walked out.