The front of the patron intake building was on the opposite side of the four-building complex from the fire-so-far, a map of the layout burning, so to speak, in Miles's mind's eye.  So the arson had occurred as far as possible from the intake building, and the people now in it.  This stank of diversion.

"Should we go to Vorlynkin?" asked Roic, jittering like a horse at the start of a race.

"No.  To Leiber.  Anything interesting will turn up at Leiber."

Roic's eyes widened as he took in the implications; Miles didn't have to spell them out.  "Ah."

"Suze, we'll go warn them in the intake building," Miles added.

Madame Suze, already short of breath and with her hand pressed to her heart, nodded and said, "I know Vristi Tanaka is on the second floor.  I think she just started a cryoprep."

"We'll get the word to her, as well as to our people."

She waved thanks and tottered out, Xia going with her in support and asking shrewd questions about where else all the sleeping residents were to be found at this hour.  Tenbury sprinted ahead of them.  Miles and Roic followed, turning in the opposite direction for the nearest stairs.

Through the office doors, Miles glimpsed Mark and Kareen braking Fuwa, one at each elbow providing a combined resistance that plainly surprised the big man, as he was yanked backward almost off his feet.

"Fuwa-san," Mark began in his most urbane voice, "let's talk fire sale."

#

Jin staggered up the last flight of stairs, puffing, lugging Nefertiti.  For no discernable reason, she'd shied and bolted back past him in the alley below the exchanger building as Vorlynkin had disappeared around the corner, and Jin had caught her on a lucky tackle.  Well, it had seemed lucky at the time.  The sphinx seemed to have at least doubled in weight since then.  She growled continuously, and shed fur and feathers on his shirt, but didn't try to scratch him.

"Get the door," Jin wheezed, and Mina nodded and swung it wide.  It was labeled, on this side, Fire Door: Do Not Block.  So did that mean it would stop a fire?  Jin hoped they weren't about to find out.

Nefertiti wriggled some more, and finally lunged from Jin's sweaty, failing grip just as they made it down the corridor to the recovery room, so Jin was at least able to spill her into this more confined area.  Leiber-sensei, who was slumped in a battered folding chair staring anxiously into space, jerked upright at their entry.

"I thought you went to get rid of that thing!" he said, eyeing the sphinx with disfavor.

His mother sat up in her bed.  "Jin?  Mina?  What's going on?"

"It was ninjas, mommy!" Mina declared breathlessly.  "We saw them!  They set fire to Jin's hideout!"

"What?"

"It was not either ninjas," said Jin impatiently.  "It was just some stupid guys dressed in black stuff."