Destination:Damascus,Syria.East of Iraq...

"Uh,Fu?"Jake inquired from his propped arms on top of the captain's seat head rest."When we fly into Iraq tommorrow,why do we have to go into cloak mode?"

The grey hound gave him a confounded look."You mean to tell me you don't listen to the news.Iraq is crawling with creeps who want to bomb every last thing in sight."

"Nothin' the Amdrag can't handle."

"If you could stay alive long enough to walk six feet."

"About that,Fu."he continued,unabated."My parents have the news on every night.How do you think I get my latest bio info on miss Shaniqua Chulavista?"

"Should I be worried?"Rose teased as she came up beside him,dressed normally.

Jake gave a little smirk and pointed down at her Jaren McAruther brand tennis shoes."You know,"he raised a brow."Someone could find those really implying."

"This coming from someone who wears Shanique Chulavista briefs."she countered.

Suddenly,a pair of hands thrusted between the two of them with a thin piece of plastic held by pressed thumbs.Both turned in unison to see Spud was present.

"Okay."he told them determinedly."Listen."

Concentrating,he pulled back on each ends and a tiny springing sound was heard.

Rose stared at him blankly."What does that have to do with anything?"

"And,"Jake took the piece of plastic."Isn't this what you pull off of gum packets?"

"Hey,I have a pack of speariment that went missing this morning..."Fu started to say.

"Um,guys,I've got some news.You know how were flyin' to Syria in the morning."

They all turned to see that Trixie standing in the doorway,lookng extremely uneasy.

"Trix,"Jake came near her concernedly."You don't look so good..."

"I'll be fine,"she assured him."I just gotta say,my dad's going to be stationed only just a few blocks away from where were spendin' the night.Mom just finished tellin' me."

"Were landing."Fu told them,all but ethusiatic.

Trixie sank low into a bolted swivel seat in the corner,fully aware of what had happened.

x.x.x.x.x

"You know what I've commanded you to do."Eve said on her cellphone."I expect to see in the least the taliman piece by this evening,Faysheng.Or expect a sliver stake."

As she hung up from the apartment she and the others were "renting",Gregory came into view from where he stood in the doorway.He stood with a chief hat and apron.

"What you little sleeze ball?What are you staring at?"

"I was just leaving,"he told her,closing the door."I asked if you wanted steak or fish."

"And you think I replied...?"

"Steak."Gregory smiled and shut it completely.

"Wait!"she called out,leaping off the bed."I'm allergic to steak!"

x.x.x.x.x

"How could you have known?"Rose asked her as she sat cross-legged on her bed while Trixie paced restlessly."You thought that this was just a safe place to stay at."

Before they had begun their quest for the Talisman pieces,Trixie had located a pamphlet at home that described Damascus,Syria as a modernized place away from most Iraqi destruction and then the time came she had suggested to the others staying ,never realising it was her dad's next base until it was far too late.

"I haven't seen him since Christmas,what's he gonna think when he see's me?"

"If he see's you."Rose pointed out and slipped under the tan covers."As long as we stick to concealing ourselves from others there's very little chance of him finding us."

"Hope your right,Rose."she sat on the edge of the other adjacent bed."G'night."

"Night."

Two light claps and the lights were instantly out.

A stream of moonshine cut through the light shadows and gave an object sitting on the old dresser a distinguished hump shape.Having not payed attention to it when she first arrived,Trixie went over to look and found it to be an old radio.

"Hmm,wonder what kind of stations they get."

Fiddling around with a squeaky knob,a low frequency of jumbled voices began to burble out.Trixie adjusted the knob accordingly to how clearer and coherent the voices got until there was one in particular that nearly made her heart stop.

"This is Carson.Yes,first thing before dawn were going to make our ascent into enemy territory in Iraq.I understand the risks we'll be taking,making this rescue mission and all but it's a risk I and my co-pilot are willing to take.So before dawn."

Trixie felt her umber eyes stinging as she began to change.I'm going to tell you the truth,Dad.I know you've done this before but I may not be able to tell you again if the Talisman pieces are assembled or if I lose you on this mission.

x.x.x.x.x

Shafts of dawn light caressed the earth and spread inside the large and mostly empty walls of the local gymnaism.Jake,dressed in a T-shirt,outdated gym shorts and tennis shoes circled a light blue tank-topped and jean shorts wearing Rose.

"You really want to train without your dragon powers?"she probed him seriously.

Jake nodded once,also serious."After what happened yesterday really made me see I need to up my game,"he paused for some effect."Because,well,I just need-"

"Ai-yah!"

Two seconds later,he found his back slammed against the ground and limbs very tightly pinned.Rose raised a brow at him starting to struggle and released a sigh.

"Jake,you'll only manage to harm yourself more by resisting like this."

His slight thrashing ceased."Okay,"he told her and then he let his eyes wander to the front entrance."But maybe you should get off before he gets the wrong idea."

The moment Rose turned to look at the Syrian Dragon and slightly loosened her hold,Jake grabbed her wrists,leapt over backwards to her other side and was so close to pinning her;when she gave a high kick and just narrowly missed his face.

"Sorry."she apologised,smiling.Watching as his hands flew up to his chest.

"Hey,no prob."Jake crossed his arms in aloof."I'm cool."

"American Dragon,Rose,you must listen to me."The scrawny teen of thirteen came rushing up to them."We are all needed to go at once and you are minus a person."

"Who?"Jake inquired the Muslim-dressed boy.

Before he could say another word,Spud's voice spoke up from behind them all.

"Trixie left a note,she's gone for the piece and to see her Dad in Iraq."

x.x.x.x.x

"Carson,"The co-pilot said from the backseat."We have an unvited guest aboard."

He turned a bit despite his heavy gear."What?You mean a stowaway!?"

The co-pilot sighed and awnsered sardonically."No,more like a deprived child."

From the rearview the image of his daugther came into view.Trixie swallowed her pride and gave her father a meek wave.His brows knotted and he shook his head.

"I don't even want to know how,"he said tersely."Just stay down low in the back where you are young lady and do not get up for any reason.This is serious work."

"Dad,please let me explain.The reason-"

"I don't care!"Her father exploded violently,chocolate eyes widened with fear and angered mingled."You should know better then this,Trixie.Now just lay down low."

She did as she was told and reached into her pocket to bring out the gold Talisman compass,it pointed in the exact direction they were flying in.Attempting to abate all of the indignation and foolishness she felt,she folded her arms and glowered quietly.

Curiousty eventually won her out and Trixie peered out the small oval of a window to see scarred land after weed infested land come into view.Trees were rotted and water probably was scarce to come by.Trixie felt a stab of self-resentfulness.What could she possibly do?She wasn't magical,she was her father,so why was she here?

"These lands were battlegrounds."he explained to her calmly as he manuvered down the plane to land near a building."Were just here to pick up distant refugees."

She rose up."Distant?"

"Yes,baby girl.They're from other towns or villages that were critically damanged."

Trixie sighed."Sorry for causin' y'all trouble."

"And me,"The remarkably young-sounding co-pilot insisted."Don't forget me."

"It's all right,"he gave a gentle chuckle."Just stay down so now one can see you."

"Dad,I need to tell you what else is up."

"And I need you to please stay put and quiet until this mission is over."

"How long will it take?"She said resignedly.

Her father smiled before leaving the cock-pit."A few minutes at the most."

x.x.x.x.x

Minutes turned into what felt like an hour and boredem that had set in had long ago faded as worry knotted inside of her.Trixie got up on her knees and finally looked over at the abandon warehouse.It was more quiet and deserted appearing then ever.

Working up the nerve to defy her dad once more,Trixie suited herself quickly into a spare piloting helmet and googles.Making sure the coast was clear,she climbed out of the cockpit into the late morning day and skirted across the field so as to look inside.

The dingy patched tin and wood warehouse looked even worse as she came closer upon it.Only when she reached the window and look in was her intution confirmed. Her father and the co-pilot were being held captive along with the terrified refugees.

And four vampires dressed in hooded-cloaks were their captors.

Two were searching among objects as the people remained suspended by long ropes tied tightly to the rafters above and except for her window,all others were boardered.

"The talisman piece is what their lookin' for,"she whispered to herself.

Trixie looked away to think for a moment and found chips of glass along with a big crate full of an assortment of different spray cans.She couldn't help but grin guilefully.

"And a talisman piece is what they're gonna get..."

x.x.x.x.x

"Are you sure Trixie didn't mention anything to you last night?Any hints?"Spud asked.

"I told you,"she looked him directly in the eye."She was just upset about this ordeal."

"There wasn't any plane anywhere around so she must've gotten on it."Jake mused.

"You know,kids.The less out loud guessing you do the faster I can fly in cloak mode."

Rose tucked a lock of golden hair behind her ear."I should have tried understanding."

"Don't sweat it,babe.Trixie's always been like this about her dad."Jake explained in a solacing voice."Nothing was going to stop her leaving if she thought she had no choice."

"I wonder when she left.If it had been night I would've woken up."

Spud tapped his chin."It was probably around dawn when she flew out,"he estimated.

"Speaking of flying,"Fu said nervously."Hit the deck!"

Right as he said this,a whirling dot came into sight.At first it looked to be an insect to them but as it came closer it was revealed to be a small airplane that was spinning out of control.Spud claimed the controls and managed to bring them up before there was a collison.The plane,however,straightened up finally and made a sharp turn to circle back.

x.x.x.x.x

Trixie held the steering wheel confidently,thankful for the many simulations she'd gotten to do over the years.Now as she had actually uprighted,she felt her plan was successful.

The four vampires that were covered with some sort of magical sun diluting lotion that one had commented before she got onto the plane was making it safe for them to chase.

As they neared Trixie held up the red chip and they eagerly eyed it with a lust that was not unlike any she'd ever seen before,it was as if they were trapped into getting the chip

A pang of sympathy for the brainwashed creatures surged.Trixie then poised one gloved finger over the eject button that would send her away safely,when she felt that the wheel had locked up.She gave the advancing creatures one last look and then impact occured.

x.x.x.x.x

Jake,Rose,Spud,Fu,Mr. Carson,the co-pilot and the refugees stared up into the sky just as the embers of the collsion began to dissolve away.There was absolute silence as none of them dared to move.They knew what had happened but no one willed to say anything.

Had she just...?Why did she...?Could she be...?

"Yo,guys!That's some crazy light show,isn't it?"

Their attention turned to see a loose hair and soot bespeckled Trixie in pilot gear nearing them.Jake,Rose,Spud and Fu rushed up to greet her as the others just stood still gawking.

"You made it!"Rose cried and gave her a quick embrace.

"Trix,that was something else you just did."Jake said with a breathless grin.

"You're tellin' me,"Spud added and made a plane simulation with his hand."She was all..."

"Trixie."

They paused when he said her name,plainingly and clearly.She knew immediately without having to look the expectancy in his eyes but turned imploring eyes to Jake though instead.

The dragon nodded it way okay and Trixie stepped forward to her father,explaining every last detail she could that seemed to take hours.All tension broke when he hugged her close.

x.x.x.x.x

"You did a good job,"The Iraqi Dragon told her as they both helped load the new plane.

"One thing I don't get Omid.Why were you posin' as a co-pilot?Why not just come to us?"

The silver-haired and well-toned young man looked at her knowingly."Not unlike you,kid.I wanted to have a moment of glory and do this on my own but it didn't work out I suppose."

"I suppose."Trixie rolled her eyes."Will I see you again?"

"If our two countries ever find peace,probably."

She tried to conceal her disappointment."Oh."

"Hey,"he gave her a quick lip-lock before morphing up and flying away."Stay pretty."

She watched after him as he flew off into the distance,though just as his image began to fade something glinted in the sun light and Trixie reached up to snatch a talisman piece that fell on.Her father came up to her,still looking a bit unsure about letting her stay with them.

"Becareful,Trixie.I want you to call home every other day at least."He told her worriedly.

"I'll be fine,Dad."she said reassuringly,smiling at the others over her shoulder."We'll be fine."

To be continued...