Beyond the Mask Page #3

You're Mr. Franklin?

Well, now that depends.

Do I owe you money?

Have I offended a woman

of your acquaintance?

No.

Then, I am Benjamin Franklin.

- How may I be of service?

- Sir, I seek employment.

I'm retired.

Are you skilled as a printer?

I'm a fast learner.

Another! All of our fast learners

have been fast leaving.

Tell me, do you favor the King...

or alternatives yet to be explored?

On having only just arrived in this country,

I suppose I'm in favor of myself.

What others do is not my business.

Smart man!

But with no conviction.

Such a shame. But... anyone

can remake themselves here.

Even young men with no conviction.

So I've heard.

Every man must be tested

before he can be trusted.

Have you eaten?

No, sir.

The King and Crown pub.

You'll find no better meal

nor a better place to...

find out what convictions

you may or may not have.

Try the lamb. It is excellent.

Thank you, sir.

You're very kind, Mr. Franklin.

You're very welcome, Mister...

Flack. Jeremiah Flack.

I reckon he stays.

No, I give him five minutes.

Mark my time.

So I called him a rebel dog

and kicked him out of my shop.

Hear, hear. Long live the King.

Ale, please. Your place comes

recommended. Mr. Charles Kemp.

You're a disaster.

Franklin rejected you as well.

That nest... is ripe for kindling?

I've never seen you here before.

You with Harrison's men?

Harrison?

That thundering cur?

I wouldn't leave him my scraps.

He remains loyal to our King.

Hush, hush!

And to his lying father, the devil.

A grown child should have

independence from its mother.

And for that mother to hold its child,

against its conscience, against its will,

is that not tyranny?

Beware, sir.

This is a loyal pub!

- God save the King!

- God save the King!

For loyal pups.

Did you have the lamb?

Pity. What happened, my boy?

Well, it seems I spoke up

for liberty and...

was thrown out on my conviction.

You are a fast learner.

- But have I the makings of a printer?

- Probably not.

But I'm retired, Mr. Flack.

That is, until I return from my duties

with the Continental Congress.

If I should survive that.

Are you in danger, sir?

Why, Mr. Flack, I am always in danger.

He that would give up a little liberty

for security, deserves neither

and loses both.

Charlotte, my dear,

you're looking unhappy.

I am sorry.

But, my dear, this is

an important social occasion.

We're trying to establish ourselves

in the very best circles. So smile!

Yes. Yes, of course.

- You may depend on me.

- Good girl.

- Yes?

- Factory shop, it's burning.

Oh, no!

- Send all the men we can spare.

- Yes, sir.

My dear... my dear, I think...

perhaps it's time for you to withdraw

with the other ladies. Yes?

Yes.

This looks familiar.

Mr. Flack?

What have you found?

A Leyden charge jar.

- You know it?

- It stores an electrical pulse.

I believe the Europeans came up with it

as a sort of parlor trick.

To shock women.

Or to detonate a bomb.

How do you know about that?

I'm a fast learner.

I thought I was the only man in the colonies

capable of creating such a device.

Now, these jars

don't work by themselves.

One needs a generator to charge them.

I've built one myself.

Most impressive, sir.

Let me demonstrate for you.

Who created that bomb?

I don't know...

for certain.

Doctor!

My dear fellow, I want to congratulate you.

What a superb job you have done.

Pleasure to serve, sir. Pleasure, indeed.

Would you like to see the chamber?

- I...

- Mr. Harrison is here.

Mr. Harrison and gentlemen, welcome.

Welcome, indeed.

- Welcome.

- Thank you, sir.

- What goes on here?

- All in good time, sir.

Gentlemen...

my men and I

are loyal servants of the King.

We fear the consequences

that may come to these 13 colonies...

should these rascals succeed

in unifying their Continental Congress.

But, gentlemen, I have a plan.

When they speak

with their treacherous tongues,

we shall reply with loyal fists.

You will have to recruit

or to destroy those around you.

I look at you now and I ask,

are you willing?

- Yeah!

- Are you willing?

Yeah!

Go, sirs. Go all of you...

and create havoc.

That's quite a lot of work

for a mere cover.

This is not India.

And the cover is half the plan.

- Get this job done.

- Careful, that's a lot of rebel gunpowder.

- I'm trying.

- Just load it on the cart.

What was that?

Where are they?

Maybe loosen this cover.

Stop him!

If he is thwarting loyalists

and scoundrels,

this is the best news

in a very long time.

Well, then, what shall

we call him in our newspaper?

Masked man... mysterious vigilante?

Call him of what he his. The Highwayman.

You were right, sir. He did follow us.

In a mask, was he?

Now we can make of that what we will.

Astonishing.

The Highwayman runs rings around us.

Now how does he know our every move?

Are we compromised? Are your men loyal?

- Yes, sir, they are loyal.

- Get out of my sight.

I'm surrounded by fools.

I will not be made a fool of.

There's sort of...

strange events going on.

Is that not right? You have been talking

about this masked highwayman.

Please, Ms. Charlotte.

Some discussions are best held

after small ears have been put to bed.

Of course. I understand.

But we look forward to hearing

your perspective. This is the new...

Daniel. Daniel Johnson.

Let her go! Sweetheart.

Daniel Johnson is a treasonous

rabble rouser.

Let this be a lesson to him

and to all who would defy the King.

Bring out the tar, men.

No!

Come on, boys. Let's get this job done.

- This is your uncle's doing.

- It's the Night Watch. Scatter!

- Everyone, stop.

- Stand down.

- Stop or we'll shoot.

- I will not be taken. Give me the child.

No!

No!

- He's taking my child!

- Hold your fire!

Lieutenant, catch that horse.

Everyone else, with me.

Fire!

There!

Fire!

Excuse me, sir.

Have you already published the events

on the Johnson house?

No, ma'am. We haven't.

I was there if you care to hear

a first-hand account.

I've written out the details.

The Highwayman, as you call him,

saved our lives,

in spite of what you may have heard

from the watchmen who were...

obviously confused about the event.

There's quite a bit of that

going around, actually.

Jeremiah!

Mr. Flack, your hammer.

Did you say Jeremiah Flack?

Yes, ma'am. Actually, he's right...

Now, that's odd. He was just right there.

Would you like me to find him for you?

No. No.

It is curious, though, I had a servant

by that name in England.

You don't say.

I will leave this account with you.

The Highwayman is a true hero.

The man behind the mask

deserves our deepest admiration.

Indeed. Good day, ma'am.

Excuse me. I'm sorry.

What of the missing papers?

The papers.

I followed your instructions.

You were actually there?

- At the house of a well-known rebel?

- It was a friendly visit. You...

And you proclaimed

the Highwayman a hero?

- Yes. If you had been there...

- Have you any idea of the difficulties

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