America's Astonishment

Inside the Pentagon, a secret operational room buzzed with activity.

"Remember your non-disclosure agreements, gentlemen. If any of this leaks, I'll see you in military court!"

The Secretary of Defense sat at the head of the table, his hands gripping the edges with a grave countenance. His gaze swept the room, instilling a palpable sense of intimidation. Yet, those sharp enough to notice would see that his composure was but a facade, a twitch at the corner of his eye and sweat beading on his forehead betrayed his inner disquiet and doubt about the world.

"Yes, sir!" came the unanimous response from the room's occupants, who, like the secretary, looked bewildered, though some of the younger faces betrayed a hint of excitement.

Before them, a giant screen displayed live feeds. Modern warfare soldiers, especially those on special assignments, were equipped with personal cameras to transmit their environments in real-time to their command centers. The Secretary of Defense had been summoned urgently by a panicked subordinate to watch the live footage from the Amazon.

Shaking hands brought the tablet back into view, replaying the shocking events. As he watched the dragon effortlessly annihilate an elite squad and three Apache helicopters, he mumbled, "This isn't some movie shoot, is it? Or some kind of reality TV prank?"

"Sir, all of this is real. It's not a movie, not a show, and certainly not a dream," a subordinate assured gently.

This was the Pentagon, after all. Who would dare play pranks here?

"Then who's going to explain to me what this creature is? Why can it breathe fire and shoot those strange beams? Eh? Can someone please confirm that this is still planet Earth?!!"

With hands clutched to his head, the Secretary of Defense's exasperation echoed through the room.

"Sir, that... that is a dragon..."

A young aide spoke cautiously.

"I know it's a dragon!! But why on Earth is there a dragon? Those are things of myths and legends, for God's sake! Am I not privy to certain secrets, not being high ranking enough, even as the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America? Are there angels too?!!"

His roar rang out, demanding an answer, but this time, no one dared respond.

Sighing deeply, the secretary regained his composure and barked orders, "Get our operatives in Brazil to the dragon's last known location. I want to scour every inch of that land for anything unusual before foreign nations catch wind. Divert satellites to locate that dragon, wherever it may be hiding!"

Everyone sprang into action. Pentagon elites, having shaken off their initial shock, were now the embodiment of efficiency and determination.

"Archive this footage as top-secret! And make a copy for me; it's going straight to the President," he commanded, pressing a button on his desk to alert the White House. "I need to see the President now, immediately, on an urgent basis! Regardless of his current engagements, he must see this."

Grabbing his jacket, the secretary strode out, his car ready in the Pentagon parking lot for swift departure.

...

The efficiency of the Defense Department was evident. Soon after, the Secretary of Defense arrived at the White House and hurried into the Oval Office.

Upon entering, he nodded to the Secretary of State present and quickly approached the President's desk.

"Hey, my Secretary of Defense, what's the urgent news? I was just wrangling with those senators over the 'Great Wall' proposal at the Mexican border."

"You know they don't understand the necessity of that wall," the septuagenarian President complained. Despite his jesting tone, his vigor was evident. However, upon seeing the dead-serious expression of his secretary, the President's smile faded, his mood turning somber.

The President waved everyone else out, leaving only the Secretary of State.

"Alright, Mr. Secretary, what's going on?" he inquired, massaging his temples.

"Mr. President, before I begin, may I ask if there are any laws or clauses that restrict certain secrets to the President alone, even from the Secretary of Defense?"

The President paused, pondering. "No, there aren't. When it comes to classified information, the President and the Secretary of Defense are on equal footing."

Relieved, the secretary handed over a tablet. "Then please watch this footage recently captured in the Amazon. I must preface this by saying that what you're about to see is not special effects, nor is it from a film."

Curiously, the President played the video, with the Secretary of State peering over his shoulder. Initially relaxed, both began to tense up as shock and disbelief filled their eyes.

Silence fell upon the Oval Office as the video concluded.

Then, the Secretary of Defense reached out to stop the President's hand, which hovered over a phone.

"Ah, sorry, sorry... um, may I send out a tweet about this?"

The President asked sheepishly.

"No!" both the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State exclaimed in unison.

"Alright, alright, I get it. No need to shout..."

The President rubbed his hand, which had been firmly pressed down by the secretary.

After a pause, he cautiously raised his hand again, "So, do you think it's too late for me to learn magic?"

The Secretary of Defense rubbed his temples in exasperation. Though the President was keen in business, he could be exceedingly whimsical.

"I'm afraid not, Mr. President. You might be a bit too old to start practicing magic."

"Well, that's a pity," the President muttered.

Suddenly, rapid knocks sounded at the office door. "Come in!" barked the President.

A Pentagon staff member rushed in, dispensing with formalities.

"Sir, there's been a leak! The footage is on YouTube!"

The Secretary of Defense froze, but before he could react, the President stood up, energized.

"Well, if it's already on YouTube, does that mean I can tweet now?"