Kirika ran through the halls, carrying the plan that Antonio had asked her to help with. Twenty yards behind her lay a piece of wood, already blackened by the furiously burning flames. What was to become of her once the fire spread as Antonio had described it? He had said that it would rage with Mireille's fury toward Livia, devouring everything in its path. Yet would she be able to escape from a strange house on her own? Most likely not. Tonight she would be able to atone for her sins.
Suddenly, she raised her head to see Antonio running toward her. "Come with me," he shouted above the roar of the fire, and his voice was more mature, more reassuring. "We have to leave before the fire devours us." She looked at him for a moment, dumbfounded and confused, her deep brown eyes innocent as those of a newborn child.
"Where are Mireille and Jean?" she asked, worried for her friend.
"Dans une chambre a la bas," Antonio replied, and took her hand, dragging her behind him as she attempted to keep up with his long stride. "We have to leave here now, though, so that we can get back to the lounge in time."
Kirika decided that it would be best simply to follow the plan that he had told her before and go along with the amendments he had made. After all, Antonio was the only one of the four who had entered who actually knew their way around this tortuous house. With one last look at those raging flames she freed herself from Antonio's grip and ran on her own, ran like a frightened animal. Behind her she could hear the sound of Antonio's even breath as he shouted directions to her over the approaching roar of the flames. Suddenly, they burst back into the room where Mireille and Livia were still fighting. Kirika panted, almost gasping for breath as she looked up to see the two fighting furiously, each movement graceful as neither was able to aim with their weapons. Finally, she located Jean, who was crouched underneath a squat table, his head bowed so that he could fit under it. With a smile aimed at both Kirika and Antonio, he leaped all of a sudden, and grasped Livia's wrist.
Startled at the fact that someone had managed to catch her off guard, Livia whipped around and her eyes turned harsh when they fell on Jean. "Jean Mieuret?" she said, surprised and offended at the same time.
"But of course, mademoiselle," Jean said, "I only wished to come back and finish what has caused me this deep pain. If the spider's web becomes too intricate, then it is possible that it will get caught. Admit it, Livia, admit your imminent defeat." Livia's dagger fell and Jean dodged, unflinching. Antonio motioned to him and he shook his head, dashing over to attend to Mireille. Her hair was darkened in spots where blood had gotten on her, and he could see where the dagger had fallen on her, almost cutting deep enough into her neck to become fatal, but she could be saved. Antonio and Kirika were occupying Livia, trying to let him escape with Mireille.
Understanding what Antonio wished of him, Jean picked up Mireille and went as fast as he could towards the exit, where he knew the car still waited. Turning down one of the long hallways, he stopped in shock as he saw a violent fire blazing toward them, feeding on the thick, rich carpets. The heat made the hairs on his neck stand on end, and he felt sweat drizzling down his forehead. How much longer would he have to stand this in order to at least save Mireille? With the cuts that had been made on her body, she was exposed enough that her blood might become too hot, and start to evaporate. With a heavy sigh, he dashed out toward the door as fast as he could, cursing the fact that she could not run on her own in this condition. It would have soothed his nerves to know that she was well enough to stand on her own.
Before he could turn the next corner, he saw two men appear from behind, only to be engulfed by the flames. "Hold on Mireille," he said softly, but could not spare a moment to look down at her, to distract himself from the task at hand. His hand flew to where his gun was secreted underneath his jacket. With a couple well-aimed shots, he took down the two guards who came from the front. His breathing became heavier as he went on, knowing that the door had to be somewhere close, it just had to be. Finally, he came to it, and had to put Mireille down to undo the four locks that were there. Three of them opened easily, but the fourth he had to pick. Taking out a thin metal wire, he worked at it for what seemed like hours, until he heard the lock click and the door opened.
They weren't safe yet, though. The oxygen coming in through the door would surely increase the rapidity with which the fire was spreading. Heaving Mireille back into his arms, he walked out the door, too tired to run. Once outside, he went around the back to their private beach and set her down in the soft sand, collapsing in on himself. His mind would have drifted off to sleep but for troubled thoughts about Antonio. Had he chosen to share his sister's fate? And where was the Yuumura girl?