Blood from Stone [AU]

[GamesMaster]

"Well, I can just... hold on."

So saying, he scurries to the back room, his pad and pencil in hand. A few moments later, he comes back, tearing out a page and handing it to her. "The ingredients used. No quantities, no instructions, but... please don't let anyone else see it?"

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline scans the list, something catching her attention. "This is everything that's in the things those customers bought?" Not that long a list really... "Wait, did they all buy the same thing?"

[GamesMaster]

"Ye-es?" he says, blinking. "The names you mentioned had one tonic in common. Should I be looking at others?"

[Tethras Clan]

"No, I just... wasn't expecting to be that lucky," she admits. A single tonic is vastly easier to track down and stop, plus there's the increased likelihood of finding and treating the afflicted. I had thought he just meant... damnit Aveline, you need to be better than that. Just because his common is rough and clunky, doesn't mean you should assume he's the one that's using the wrong word or misunderstanding. "Okay. This... this will help. A lot." She suddenly looks up, pinning him in place with a hard glare. "This tonic? Off sale. Not a drop of this is sold until I, personally, tell you that you can sell it again. Understood? I want all of it gathered up, then locked up." A pause. "How much do you have in stock?" If its small enough a quantity...

[GamesMaster]

"Every batch?" he asks, sounding aghast. "Surely this batch must have been misbrewed, no? So we can recall the three bottles left of it?"

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline pauses again, taking a deep breath. You're rushing. Slow down and think things through before you start forward. "Has this brewer- Mavis- made anything else you have in stock? And is there anything else that the other people I pointed out took that's either made by Mavis or with the same ingredients?"

[GamesMaster]

"Lots. There's only four brewers," he points out. "Basil only had the one tonic, so it has to have been that. I'm sure it was a pure accident. Misbrews happen."

[Tethras Clan]

"Not this time," Aveline says, voice absolute in conviction. "Did this brewer make at least one thing for each of the customers I pointed out?"

[GamesMaster]

"Yes," he says, "but that brewer has to have made at least a quarter of the tonics in this store."

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline nods slowly. "And there's no sign or hint that any of your other clients are going missing?" At his head shake, she asks, "is there anything in this brew that's not in anything else?"

[GamesMaster]

"I'd have to check, but I doubt it. This is one of our more popular tonics."

[Tethras Clan]

"What about this particular brew? Is there a chance that some of the ingredients in this were... different than normal? New supplier, new delivery company, new brewing equipment, anything?"

[GamesMaster]

"Once I ask who the brewer is, I suspect you'll have more luck asking them," he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

[Tethras Clan]

"When can you get me their name?" Aveline asks briskly.

[GamesMaster]

"I... I don't know. I'll shut the shop up and go find one of the brewers as soon as we're done here."