Disclaimer – I own no rights to any of the characters or trademarks herein, and I'm not planning on stealing them.

Fumio Machii had amassed a squad of personal bodyguards from all around the world. But among them, only one was almost as feared by the others as Machii himself.

Tonight, he was dressed identically to the rest of Machii's staff on hand for the exposition, from waiters to body guards to bartenders. A white necktie and suspenders over a black dress shirt and slacks, the only exception being Machii's right-hand man, the pale American. He was dressed in his ice cream colored suit and wide-brimmed hat, as usual.

This other man was Japanese, like a majority of the people in the room, though he had a more striking aura than anyone else around him. His ebony hair, tied back into a long pony tail, glistened with every step under the auditorium's lights.

He was a few inches short of six feet, but he carried himself like an even taller man. Yet, his movements were so subtle and graceful, he seemed to be gliding rather than walking. The others sensed a presence constantly behind him, the shadow of death. His face was a mask of solemnity, no expression crossing his lips. But his eyes made the others tremble, for rather than looking at their appearance, he seemed to be staring straight into their souls.

"The American gentleman you see before you we shall refer to only as 'John Smith'," Fumio Machii announced before the hushed crowd in black tie attire. He gestured towards a muscular figure on the dais beside him. "Imprisoned for a series of assault charges in his younger days. A model prisoner, he had his sentence shortened by many years for good behavior. But not before a prison yard rival attempted to cut his right arm off with a shiv made of bed springs and a tin cup."

The man called John Smith lifted his right arm. It was bare, covered in scars up to the elbow. Beyond that point, the flesh had a strange gleam. The more the spotlight played off it, the more it became apparent that it wasn't actually flesh, but something that had the appearance of human skin. Small lights flashed down the side of his hand, and tiny wires ran from the wrist and disappeared behind the man's back.

"This is only a taste of what Machii Robotics hopes to accomplish in the field of cybernetic prosthetics."

Machii waved an arm, and John Smith silently moved to a table. He lifted a rock, about the size of a grapefruit, and wrapped his fingers tightly around it. The rock turned to tiny pieces of gravel which dropped through the fingers to the floor.

"And yet delicate enough to perform the simple functions we take for granted each day."

The crowd gasped as the man with the cybernetic hand opened a cage on the table and allowed a small rabbit to emerge. The man wrapped his fingers around the rabbit.

When he opened his fingers, palm up, and revealed the rabbit rubbing gently against them, the entire crowd let its collective breath out.

And then there was a roaring applause.

The two security guards standing on the stoop in front of the back entrance didn't see the men dressed in black catsuits emerge from the darkness. They blended in so well with the night, the guards were unaware of their presence until the two men were standing on either side of the railing. Then the guards were each pulled over opposite rails and knocked unconscious.

Lupin and Jigen leaped over the railing, staying close enough to the wall to avoid the nearest security camera's line of sight, and entered the Machii Robotics building.

Fumio Machii was making his way through the crowd, answering investors' questions, when he spotted security talking to a disheveled young woman. She was dressed casually, in dirty, clingy clothes, her makeup wet and smudged.

"What's going on here?" Machii asked when he approached the guard and the young woman.

"She doesn't have an invitation," the guard replied.

The girl stumbled into Machii, then seemed to struggle to find a grip on him she could use to regain her balance.

"Please help me," she said. "I didn't mean to crash your party. I'm just a tourist visiting the city. I knew I shouldn't have been walking outside alone at night, but everything was just so beautiful . . . and then it started raining and now I'm stranded here, without an umbrella, miles away from my hotel. My cell phone's all out of batteries. If you could just let me use your phone to call for a ride . . ."

Machii steadied her, then stepped back to straighten his outfit.

"Very well," he said calmly. He turned to the security guard. "Escort the lady to the security room. She can use the phone and wait for her car in there."

"Yes, sir," the security guard acknowledged.

Machii dismissed himself and turned back to his guests.

Fujiko smiled as the guard led her to the security room.

The head of security was a middle aged man, already mostly bald, and definitely out of shape.

An easy target, Fujiko thought. He turned away from the security monitors when the other guard repeated Fujiko's story to him.

That's when Fujiko seemed to trip over her own feet and fall into him.

"I'm sorry," she said, again appearing to find a spot to place her hands on the man she had fallen into that would help her regain her balance. "I'm just so clumsy tonight."

The other guard left. It was just Fujiko and the head of security in a tiny room filled with surveillance monitors and control panels.

The head of security gestured towards the phone. Fujiko dialed a random series of numbers, waited a couple of rings, and then began talking into the receiver as it was still ringing.

"Hello? I'm so glad I got a hold of you. It's me. I was out walking and it started raining . . ."

Someone had picked up on the other end and was repeatedly trying to tell her she had the wrong number. Fujiko hoped the security guard wasn't paying too much attention to the display on the phone indicating she had someone on the other line. She wouldn't be able to keep this stranger talking to her much longer.

"Yes? Uh-huh . . ."

She casually slipped a hand over the security desk, through the small slot in a glass panel designed for exchanging credentials, and laid the sets of keys she had found on Machii and the head of security on the small ledge outside it.

A hand reached up and snatched both sets of keys.

Lupin and Jigen, dressed in their skintight catsuits from chin to toe, Jigen still wearing the fedora low over his eyes, turned a corner of the taupe corridors and then pulled their thermal goggles down over their eyes.

They were standing an inch from a field of lasers, crisscrossing each other from all angles like a child scribbling with a red crayon, some even moving, tracing various arcs across the beige carpet.

They stood still and waited.

"I'm soaking wet," Fujiko complained.

Her shapely fingers worried at the top buttons of her dirty shirt.

"Do you have something dry I could change into?" she asked sweetly.

The security guard couldn't keep his eyes away from her now exposed cleavage. He tore himself away and rooted through a nearby closet, coming back with a spare security uniform.

She undid the next button.

The head of security blushed and turned around, giving her a moment of privacy.

"Thank you so much," Fujiko said.

Then she turned to the panel and flipped every switch as quickly as she could. She saw the laser field disappear just before the next flip blacked out that monitor.

Lupin and Jigen watched the lasers flicker and fade, then waited a moment to make sure they didn't flash back on.

"All right. Let's go."

It was a difficult task, trying to move her body to hide what one hand was doing while putting on the oversized security uniform with the other. The head of security might have seemed like he was being the perfect gentleman, but she couldn't count on him not looking around and staring at her, or even just sneaking a peak at her in her underwear, while her back was turned.

After he'd given her more than enough time to put the uniform on, Fujiko turned back around and tried to smooth it out. It was hard to look appealing in the drab gray uniform of the Machii Robotics building, especially one several sizes too large for her. She left it mostly unbuttoned, tying it off tightly above her belly button.

When the security guard turned back around, she posed seductively on top of the control panel, flipping the final switch while the guard's eyes were glued to her abdomen.

But then the guard looked up, and too quickly realized that the security monitors were all dark.

"Did I hit a button or something?" Fujiko asked, trying to feign cherubic innocence. "I told you, I'm so clumsy tonight."

The guard hastily pushed her legs down from the panel and begin flipping the switches back again. Fujiko just watched and bit her lip.

Lupin's foot was in midair when the red laser field flickered back on, one laser right beneath his lifted leg, another directly under Jigen's nose.

"This is why we leave the goggles on," Lupin said.

Jigen tilted back and shimmied under the laser, his hat brim just barely making it underneath. Meanwhile, Lupin extended his leg as straight as he could and fell forward on it, managing to make it over the laser beneath him and just beneath the laser above his head.

Jigen ducked just as a moving laser shifted towards him. The laser nearly caught Lupin off guard. He managed to throw himself to the ground to avoid it, catching himself on the palms of his hands and tips of his toes just above a set of criss-crossing lasers.

Arching his back, he gradually stretched back to a semi-standing position, just as another shifting laser moved towards Jigen.

Jigen threw himself backwards, catching himself on the palms of his hands before his back could touch another laser tripwire. As Lupin ducked under the laser, he lost his balance, landing across the table formed by Jigen's torso.

The two men stared awkwardly at each other.

"You know, Jigen," Lupin said, after clearing his throat, "you're really flexible."

"Thanks," Jigen responded nervously. "I've been seeing a contortionist."

"Lucky."

"I see someone," the security guard said, pointing anxiously to one of the monitors.

"Where?" Fujiko said, standing on her tiptoes to cover the monitor with her back.

"There!" the security guard said, pointing to another monitor that showed Lupin and Jigen crawling around a corner, trying to move their hands and feet around lasers while tangled in each other like they were playing a game of Twister.

Fujiko moved her back, and then pointed to another random monitor.

"You're right," she said. "I think I just saw someone."

"Where?" the guard asked, carefully eying the monitor.

"I mean there," Fujiko said, picking out another monitor.

The guard looked again, as Fujiko nervously peeked at the monitor she was trying to conceal. Lupin and Jigen had made very little progress.

"I'd better call for back-up," the head of security said, grabbing his walkie-talkie.

"I guess I can't blame you for being too frightened to check on this yourself."

The guard paused.

"What?"

"You're frightened of the intruder skulking through the halls of your building. I don't blame you. I wouldn't want to leave the safety of this room to face him either." She sighed. "I'm just disappointed, is all. Here, I thought you were really brave . . ."

"I am," the head of security said, straightening up and returning the walkie-talkie to his belt.

"So you're going to take care of that intruder yourself? You're not afraid at all?"

The guard shook his head.

"It's going to take more than one intruder to frighten me. I'm going to go investigate this personally."

"Great," Fujiko said, all smiles. "I'll stay here and keep an eye on everything for you."

The head of security nodded, almost as if he'd forgotten she didn't really belong in the security uniform.

The moment he was out of the room, Fujiko found the switch labeled "Lasers" and flipped it back off.

The lasers flicked and faded away, and Lupin and Jigen dropped to the ground and rolled away from each other, breathing sighs of relief.

They stood up and sprinted the rest of the way down the corridor, finally arriving at the elevator.

Jigen was elated. But Lupin looked less than excited.

"What's a matter, Boss?"

"I'm just worried about Fujiko," Lupin said. "So inexperienced. Such an innocent little lamb. And I gave her the hardest role in the whole operation."

Jigen frowned.

"If you really feel that way," he grumbled, "next time she can climb through the lasers, and I'll do the strip-tease for the guards."

Lupin removed his goggles and looked at Jigen's catsuit appraisingly.

"Well, you do have the body for it."

Jigen swatted Lupin.

"Shut up!"

He removed the goggles himself and then each man found the keyhole on either side of the elevator.

"Okay. On three . . . one . . . two . . ."

They each turned their key, then went to work prying the panel doors open.

"I don't get it," Lupin said. "I never took you for a misogynist."

"Do I need to remind you that the first time we met her she gave each of us a sob story and then stole our wallets?"

"She gave them back, though."

"And it's never occurred to you that she might just be planning on screwing you?"

Lupin's eyes glazed over and he began to drool.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Jigen suddenly lowered his voice. "Wait! Do you hear that?"

Lupin stopped to listen. He heard the gentle thud of footsteps coming down the next corridor.

"Well, here's your chance to give the security guard that lap dance."

Jigen shook his head and unzipped the catsuit. He was wearing a sharp tuxedo underneath, complete with a carnation in the lapel. He took a large swig from a flask in his pocket, and then stumbled around the corner.

"You there! What are you doing?" Lupin could hear the security guard asking.

"Hey, pal," Jigen slurred. "I'm just looking for the men's room. Had a little too much of that champagne, know what I mean?"

"You shouldn't be here! Go back to the reception hall immediately!"

"Can't you help me out? Just show me where the bathroom is."

"You filthy drunk . . ."

"I've been looking for a while now. I'm just guessing here, but I don't think your boss is going to be real happy if I make a mess on his carpet."

"All right. Follow me . . ."

The voices and footsteps grew softer, and once they'd faded completely Lupin allowed himself one of his weaselly little laughs.

Knew I brought Jigen along for a reason.

He pushed through the security panel in the elevator's ceiling and, once he was on top of the carriage, fired a grappling hook up the shaft.

Meanwhile, another of Fumio Machii's security guards was leading him into a small room off of the auditorium. The detective was sitting there, waiting for him, dressed in a rumpled trench coat and wide-brimmed hat.

When Machii entered, he immediately leaped to his feet and removed his hat. He was hunched at first, but almost immediately corrected his posture, then flashed his badge.

"Inspector Koichi Zenigata, ICPO."

"This better be important, Inspector," Machii growled.

Zenigata tried to make himself taller.

"I'm here with an arrest warrant for a dangerous criminal," Zenigata insisted. "Arsene Lupin III. I have it on good authority that he's here at your demonstration tonight."

Machii stroked his goatee.

"Of course, it's important that this Lupin be apprehended," he said. "But I'd sooner take my chances with him than have my guests panic. I hope you understand that this exposition is very important to my company. I can't have it disrupted."

Zenigata removed the trench coat. He was wearing a tuxedo underneath. Shabby. Second-hand. Working class. But technically, following the same dress code as everyone in the next room.

"I'll certainly try my best not to be disruptive," he said, not without a hint of contempt in his voice.

A simple gesture from Machii, and Zenigata made his way out of the room and into the crowd.

Machii's ever-present right-hand man, all in white, was now at his shoulder.

"You sure it's a good idea to have some cop sniffing around?"

"He can't hurt us," Machii said. "If he can catch Lupin, he might even be useful to us. And if he turns out to be a problem . . . that shouldn't be difficult for you to take care of."

"Yes, sir."

Lupin held his breath.

Have to do this exactly right.

Holding a key in each hand, his arms stretched to either side of Fumio Machii's office, Lupin twisted each wrist at the exact same second and unlocked the heavy door.

When it was open, he got a running start and then leaped across the threshhold, catching the back of one of the chairs in front of Machii's desk, keeping his feet off the ground.

He continued his parkour around the office, running across Machii's wall, somersaulting off his desk, stepping nimbly from chair to chair . . .

Fujiko watched Lupin's acrobatics from the monitor in the security booth.

"Impressive, Lupin," she admitted under her breath.

Then she watched as Lupin missed a trick and fell face first onto the floor.

"But completely unnecessary, since I've disabled the pressure sensors in the office."

"Ouch."

Lupin painfully pried himself off the office floor, then tried to stretch to work out the resulting kinks in his back.

He then turned his attention to the painting behind Machii's desk.

He eased the painting from the wall as gently as he could, but as soon as he placed it on the floor next to the hidden safe, the frame collapsed. He struggled clumsily with restoring the frame for a few seconds, then just let the canvas collapse to the floor in a heap with the broken frame.

Plugging headphones to his phone, he pulled up an app to magnify sound and then placed it next to the safe's dial. Then he slowly worked the dial, listening carefully for the clicks.

At last, the catch released and the safe door swung open. The sound of the alarm, enhanced through the smart phone app and the headphones, nearly deafened Lupin. He clawed away the earbuds and reached into the safe, grabbing the flash drive clearly labeled "ASIMOV."

In a flash, he'd bounded through the room, repelled down the elevator shaft on his grapple line, and managed to duck around a corner right as a horde of security guards stampeded past.

He abandoned his cat suit, stripping down to an immaculate dinner jacket that put Jigen's to shame, and strolled casually into the reception hall, blending right into the crème de la crème of Machii's guests.

Meanwhile, the head of security returned to the security booth just as Fujiko was trying to leave. He drew a gun and pointed it at her.

Fujiko flushed for a second, then dared herself to slink up to him, so close she knew he could feel her warm breath on his face.

She batted her long lashes and whispered, in her sultriest purr, "You don't really want to shoot me, do you?"

"No," the head of security gulped.

"Good," Fujiko responded, and brought her knee up sharply into the man's groin.

As he writhed in pain on the floor, she untied her shirt, buttoned it properly, and tucked it neatly into the rest of the uniform. Then she grabbed a spare security hat, tucked her long hair into it, and lowered her gaze, blending in with a mob of identically dressed security guards as they thundered past.

In the reception hall, various translators were assuring Machii's guests there was no need to panic, even as the most intimidating men among those dressed in white neckties and suspenders huddled more closely around Machii.

Lupin quickly found Jigen, who seemed distracted by a face in the crowd.

"Jigen? You look like you just saw a ghost, buddy."

He was staring at the man wearing a cream colored version of his outfit.

"Vitti," he said, more to himself than Lupin.

Then Lupin scanned the crowd and spotted a familiar face himself.

"Oh, mommy! Oh, crap!"

Jigen snapped to attention.

"What is it?"

"It's Zenigata."

"Who?"

"Inspector Zenigata. Of Interpol."

As if responding to his own name, Zenigata's eyes lit up, even from across the room, at the top of a crowded staircase filled with investors drinking champagne and eating hors d'oeuvres.

"Lupin!" he cried. "Out of my way! That's Lupin!"

Nobody nearby seemed to hear him. He pushed his way through the obstinate crowd as Lupin and Jigen pushed through their own crowd to the exit.

"Lupin! It's Lupin, I tell you!" Zenigata insisted, fighting his way down the stairs as Lupin and Jigen disappeared from the room.

But by the time he made it to the foot of the stairs, Lupin and Jigen were already running through the garden outside.

A/N - To be continued . . .