Free Tinker by Wen Spencer

it?"
    "We're citizens," Oilcan said. "But we need our papers back. Your men never gave them back."
    "We didn't do anything wrong until your men attacked us," Tinker said.
    Maynard looked at her, eyes narrowing. "Was this before or after you destroyed the checkpoint?"
    "We were waiting for Startup about a mile from the checkpoint when they forced their way into the trailer," Tinker said. "They were going to kill Windwolf. I had Windwolf's gun, so I pulled it on them. I made them get out. Then we rammed the gate."
    Maynard studied her, all expression going from his face until he was unreadable. "What made you think they would kill Windwolf?"
    "The one who got into the trailer called Windwolf 'sitting duck' or something like that."
    " 'Easy prey.' " Oilcan mimicked their thick rough voices. "He said 'He is here—easy prey.' Then the other said, 'Do them all. Quietly.' They were going to kill all of us."
    "Yeah, no witnesses," Tinker said.
    "What makes you think they were EIA men?"
    "They had on the border guard uniforms and asked to see our papers."
    "It is important for you to understand this." Maynard dropped to one knee so he was level with them. "The EIA did not try to kill Lord Windwolf."  
    "They were too big to be wearing stolen uniforms," Tinker said. "They were taller than you, with lots more muscle."
    "Whether they were truly EIA or not is yet to be seen. I doubt very much that they were my men. If they were, they were not acting under my orders. It is very important that no rumors to the contrary start. Me sanctioning a murder of Lord Windwolf would mean war. Perhaps war isn't a strong enough word. It would be genocide. The elves would rid Elfhome of humans."
    Had he ordered it? Tinker considered what she knew of the man. Everyone had something different to say about Maynard—some of it insulting. No one called him stupid, though, and sending men in uniform would be the height of stupidity.
    "Okay," Tinker said. "You had nothing to do with it. So, I guess this means we won't get our papers back."
    "I will see you are issued replacements," Maynard said.
    "We had reports that Windwolf and his guard had been attacked by wargs just before Shutdown. His guard had been killed, and he disappeared. We had no idea if he was in the city or still on Elfhome. We were hoping he made Elfhome. Apparently he didn't. How did he end up with you?"
    "The wargs chased him into our scrap yard at midnight last night. I was there alone. They were temporary constructs, so I was able to disrupt them with our electromagnet. They reverted to dogs, and Windwolf shot them."
    "And you've been sitting on him the last twenty-four hours?"
    Tinker explained about Jonnie refusing to treat Windwolf and about taking the elf noble to the Observatory.
    Maynard cursed softly. "None of them thought to call the EIA?"
    "No," Tinker admitted. "What could you have done?"
    "The hospitals don't treat the elves because the elves are worried we'll take blood samples in order to study their genetics and use it to tailor spells and germ warfare. You took a member of the royal family to a conclave of scientists while he was helpless. Do you have any idea what this might mean to our peace treaty?"
    "We told him the choices. He agreed to it," Tinker said. "Besides, we gave him our word of honor. No one took samples."
    "You know that for certain? You were with him every second?"
    "When I wasn't with him, Oilcan or Lain was with him. We didn't leave him alone."
    "Who is Lain?"
    "Doctor Lain Skanske; she's a xenobiologist. She did the first aid on Windwolf. He asked her first if she understood the treaty and would swear to abide by it."
    Oilcan nodded. "Tinker vouched that Lain could be trusted, and Windwolf said that was good enough for him."
    Maynard looked at her in surprise. "He trusted you to vouch for someone?"
    Tinker shrugged. "I suppose. I saved his life. He saved mine. He defended my honor. I helped stitch him together. I got into bed with him. It was one hell of