She stretched her smile even wider. "Oh, no," she said. "It won't be long. I'm sure a dignified gentleman such as yourself has places to be this morning."

Kioko took a few steps toward Fu, patting her short bob absently. "I'm Nurse Lani, and I serve the Dragon Flats district. It's just a small matter, really. I believe several of my patients live in some of your apartments. Now, I don't know much about the construction business, of course, but I do happen to be quite familiar with health issues. One of your buildings is full of lice."

Among other things, Kioko thought, but kept that to herself. One issue at a time.

She was still smiling, but her tone had turned quite frosty. "I have a young lady there who is pregnant and she really needs a clean environment. I know that you're a forward thinking individual and would never do anything to endanger a young mother and her unborn child, and I'm here to ask that you fumigate that building." Kioko gave the building's address; it had more problems than just head lice — there was only one bathroom for the entire multi-story building, had no running water or heat, and was infested with rodents.

"I'm sure you're also well aware that, untreated, head lice can spread into even the most pristine of dwellings." She gave the briefest of glances around his apartment and placed a hand on a nearby table. "And obviously, you also know that this could spread typhus and cause an epidemic. So, I'm sure in your wisdom you've already made arrangements for fumigation, but I wanted to be certain."

Kioko blinked her brilliant blue eyes at Fu as she continued to smile. She was under no illusions that he gave a flying fig about his tenants. Slumlords tended not to. But, she figured he was the kind of man who felt a sense of self-importance and that bruising his ego would be less than productive.