Disclaimer: I don't own Human Target and intend no copyright infringement.

"All in all it's sixteen, bro. Sixteen sightings of the dragon, all over the world and always on spectacular spots that are difficult to reach and bound to raise attention… the jet of Ilsa's friend was pretty much the least sensational." Guerrero took a deep bite from the apple he had scavenged from the fruit basket on Winston's desk.

"Maybe someone wants to reach you two very badly?", Winston ventured, eyeing the apple in Guerrero's hand. It looked suspiciously familiar.

They were sitting at the kitchen table. It was late afternoon and they had spent the day doing research on the dragon issue.

Chance shook his head. "The tattoo isn't simply a downloadable icon from the internet and it's not in any book I know of. To replicate it that exactly, someone must have seen it up close and studied it… a person that familiar with one of us would know other ways to get in contact."

"What astonishes me most is the enormous publicity of these acts… the perpetrator seems to be attracting it on purpose…", Ilsa mused. "Whoever does this apparently wants attention from the media… usually our clients prefer strict confidentiality and secrecy…"

"I really don't see why this is done…" Ames was just as puzzled as the rest of them. "I mean, seriously, the risk of getting caught is enormous… why do it? What's the gain?"

"Maybe…." Guerrero took another bite from the apple.

Winston suddenly realized where he had seen it before and harrumphed indignantly. Guerrero, however, ignored him.

"What if this has nothing to do with us? There is one other place where the painter could have seen the dragon, dude…" Guerrero let the sentence trail off and looked Chance in the eyes.

Shall we tell them? The question hung in the air unspoken.

Just then the alert system let them know that Ash was back from his not-date at the Presidio. The ding of the elevator, however, was followed by two sets of footsteps in the lobby… a moment later Philippa entered the kitchen, Ash in tow, but he hovered, just like he had in the morning, near the doorstep. Maybe it was because again the whole team was gathered in the kitchen and he feared another round of nosy questions, but he somehow made an agitated, on edge impression.

"I'd really like to take a shower", he mumbled and disappeared through the doorway again before anyone could ask anything.

"Judging from his look it'll be a pretty cold shower", Guerrero commented, slight grin on his face.

"Yeah, I've got the feeling they didn't just watch birds…", Philippa agreed, sighing.

"Maybe you should talk to him, bro…"

"I already had the birds-and-the-bees-talk with him – we even did the banana thing!", Chance protested immediately.

"Dude, I think your boy is about to progress from theory to practice…that requires a different kind of talk."

"He's only fifteen! It's way too early to get concerned yet."

"When was your first time?", Ames asked pointedly, already knowing the answer.

Chance hesitated, then: "…fifteen…"

"It is time to get concerned", Philippa decided.

… … …

Upstairs in Chance's bathroom, Ash indeed was letting the cold water run freely. His mind was reeling. It had started out as a simple first-date-mom-is-coming-in-ten-minutes- kiss... but when their lips had touched it had felt as if some sort of spark had ignited between them. Knowing full well that he wasn't supposed to do that on a first date, he had used his tongue… she had opened her mouth and let him in... jeez!

Ash reduced the hot water part of the shower even more. He had tongue kissed before, but that... And then, suddenly, Helen had pulled away. He had expected a resounding slap in the face, but instead… she had gently touched it, brushed her thumb against his cheekbones… and kissed him again…

He had barely managed to keep his hands to himself, not wanting to test his luck any further by breaking another first date rule. But now… he had never ever longed to touch a girl as much as he was longing to touch Helen right now. Oh heavens, what kind of a feeling was that?

… … …

When he finally came downstairs again, however, the raging storm of emotions inside of him was quickly replaced by the more imminent sensation of panic – they were all still sitting in the kitchen and apparently planning to eat together. Oh no… They would surely…

"So, why don't you tell us about your day? How was the falconry show?", just then his dad asked.

Ash cringed inwardly. There we go, he thought resignedly.

"Helen was chosen to feed one of the eagles. She was a bit upset… thought the falconer had only picked her because she's got a crutch… she hates special treatment because of her handicap." Ash paused and broke into a smile. "Told her he did it because she looked like the only one capable to stomach touching dead chicklets."

"She's pretty tough", Guerrero remarked, nodding appreciatively.

"Yeah, that accident that ruined her leg must have been bad… and her mother died early. I don't think her aunt likes her much. Better than foster care, though, I guess…"

Guerrero knew a little more about the "accident" that had permanently damaged Helen's leg, and he also knew some details regarding her mother's death… but this was something, he decided, that was for Helen to tell Ash, when she felt the time was right.

"Maybe she could stop by for dinner one day…" Philippa suggested innocently.

Ash couldn't have looked more shocked if she had told him she'd be a nice girl to marry.

"Awww, that would be nice! We could have a cookout and get to know her better!", Ames chimed in.

"You mean here? You want to invite her to dinner here?" Just when Ash had thought things couldn't get any worse.

"But this is forbidden territory, nobody is allowed here!"

"Well, Isamu is allowed here", Winston pointed out. "And she seems to be very special. Kept Christina in check during the whole ice-skating issue."

"An exception to the rule", Ilsa confirmed.

Ash opened his mouth and closed it again. He knew his folks – this was no random idea, they were serious about this. He needed to somehow ward this off, but how…?

His father's cell phone rang. Chance checked the number on the display, recognized it with one glance and immediately took the call while Ash heaved a sigh of relief. Saved by the bell, literally.

"Harry! What…? Calm down… Harry, I want you to calm down…" Chance frowned. "What? You did WHAT?"