Ava attacked the cafeteria before Rexar's packs moved the final civilian into the central building. She crossed her former fire corridor with eight fighters, using the reciprocal passage mark to enter territory that no longer recognized her ownership.
The cafeteria walls still carried deep scorch lines from Ava's earlier open rescue route. Warden seals covered the food stores, while kneeling Gobdogs formed two unmoving rows between Ava and the captured civilians.
"They are not attacking because he wants us to watch," Leni said, keeping her spear behind the first flame line.
"Then make watching expensive," Ava replied.
She pushed fire across the old serving area without touching either row of captives. Heat gathered beneath the Warden seals, separating three pantry marks from the authority holding the territory together.
