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.""Well, that kills most of my favorite drinks," Tinker said."I have some herbal tea you can drink, but I think you'll have to be careful.A strong allergic reaction can be quite deadly." Lain took out a bowl ofstrawberries."I've also found that elves are sensitive to certain types offats we put in commercial food products.They love natural peanut butter, butthe brands with trans-fat cause them trouble."Tinker named her favorite brand of peanut butter."Sorry, love." Lain sat the strawberries in front of Tinker."Luckily I makemy own whipped cream, or that would be out too.Depending on the brand ofinstant you're using, it might be why you couldn't stand the hot chocolate."Tinker considered her well-stocked kitchen at her loft."I don't have anyfood I can eat, then.""You'll have to rely on Tooloo more for fresh foods, then." Lain fetched thewhipped cream."Vegetables, meat, eggs, butter, and even the bread she bakesis most likely safer.Can I get you anything, Oilcan? Coffee? Tea?""I'll take coffee." Oilcan settled near to Tinker, fidgeting."How long willthe tests take?"Lain shot a glance toward Pony standing guard by the door."It's against thetreaty to do gene scans of elves.""I'm not an elf," Tinker growled, and dunked one of the strawberries."I know," Lain murmured."But we can't let your guard know what we're doing."Tinker controlled the urge to glance toward Pony."Ah.Yes." She nibbled atthe strawberry, considering."Well, he seems to do what I tell him to do."Oilcan also studiously avoided looking at Pony."If we station him at thefront door, then we can be in the lab unwatched."So Tinker finished her strawberries, moved Pony to the foyer, and went backto the lab to have her blood drawn."When we're done, I'm going to destroy the samples and the results." Laintied a tourniquet around Tinker's arm and swabbed down a patch of skin insideher elbow with alcohol."It's a whole little Pandora's box we're peeking into.You will not tell anyone not humans or elves about this.""We won't," Tinker promised.Oilcan echoed it, and then added, "It's just for us to know."Page 132ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlLain not only took a blood sample from Tinker, but also swabbed the inside ofTinker's mouth, plunked out a hair, and then asked for a stool sample."What?" Tinker cried."Why?""Please, Tinker, don't be squeamish." Lain motioned Oilcan to sit in thechair Tinker just vacated."The cells of the intestinal lining are excretedwith the stool and are a source of DNA.I want to see how invasive this changeis."Lain was just untying the tourniquet on Oilcan's arm when the doorbell rang."Oh, who can that be?" Lain grumbled.She put the vials containing the bloodout of sight, and stuck a bandage on Oilcan's arm."Pull your sleeve down,Tink."The woman on the front porch looked familiar.She brightened at the sight ofTinker and said to Oilcan, "Oh, wow, you found your cousin!""Yeah." Oilcan actually looked sheepish under Tinker's puzzled stare."Youremember Ryan.She's one of the astronomers?"Oh yes, the one she'd tried to warn off the night of the cookout."I came over to see if there was any news." Ryan waved toward theObservatory."I'm just getting done for the night, and I thought I'd check inbefore hitting." She stopped and cocked her head."You weren't always anelf, were you?""I've got work to do," Lain announced into the sudden silence."No, no! She she " Oilcan looked to Tinker for help."Don't look at me," Tinker snapped, then picked up on Lain's cue."I want togo to Tooloo's to stock up on some food I can actually eat.Do you wantanything, Lain?""Actually, yes.See what she has in the way of fish.A dozen eggs." Lainlisted her needs as she crutched to the kitchen and returned with her shoppingbasket and a glass milk bottle that she held out to Tinker."A pint ofwhipping cream.And some fresh bread would be nice."Tinker took the empty return and wicker basket."I'll be back in.twohours?"Lain nodded."That would be good."That left Ryan to be kept out from under Lain's feet [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]