The Investigation

Tokyo, Japan. December 26, 1897.

The morning after the attack, the Imperial Palace was under tight lockdown. Soldiers patrolled the gates, their hands gripping the hilts of their katanas and the stocks of their rifles, their gazes sharp and wary. Smoke from torches curled into the cold air, adding to the somber weight that hung over the city.

Inside the palace walls, tension simmered. What was meant to be a historic celebration had been marred by violence, and now, Japan stood at a precarious crossroads.

Matthew Hesh stood in the grand hall where the banquet had taken place, the remnants of shattered glass and overturned tables still visible. His security detail remained close, their eyes scanning every movement, every shadow.