The office door was barred from inside. Süke could hear something through the wood, not movement exactly, more the sound of someone trying not to make sound, breathing in an uneven rhythm, not the slow empty breathing of an unoccupied room.
Yasa came up behind him.
"Someone's in there," Süke said.
"I can hear it."
Yasa looked at the door for a moment. "What kind of man stays in an office when the whole town's burning?"
"A man who's got something he doesn't want to leave behind."
One of the other arban companions added that they'd probably find him hiding under the desk.
Yasa said that was almost certainly right. Süke had already decided the door opened inward and one good hit would handle it.
"You think it's more than one?"
"One man, trying very hard not to breathe."
Yasa gave a short laugh. "At least he's putting in the effort."
Süke kicked the door open.
