Chapter 62

The dragon king fought to control himself, his breathing heavy as the search party moved closer. Sophia could feel his rage building, the ancient instinct to fight rather than hide.

"Trust me," she whispered, gripping his hand tightly. Their markings glowed softly where they touched, a connection that ran deeper than skin.

Tharros looked at her, golden eyes meeting hers. Slowly, the heat in his skin subsided.

The searchers passed within twenty feet of their hiding place, sweeping flashlights across the forest floor. For heart-stopping moments, a beam lingered near their log, then moved on. Gradually, the voices and lights faded into the distance.

"They'll be back," Sophia said, rising cautiously. "With better equipment. We need to reach Hawk's Point before they establish a perimeter."

They ran now, no longer concerned with stealth. Speed mattered more than silence. Branches whipped their faces, roots threatened to trip them, but they pressed on.

When they finally reached the edge of Hawk's Point - a rocky outcropping overlooking the ocean - dawn was breaking over the horizon. The sky turned purple and pink, revealing a breathtaking view of the coastline.

And dozens of boats patrolling the waters.

"This is worse than I feared," Sophia said, scanning the scene below. Coast Guard vessels, fishing boats, even what looked like a naval ship farther out. "They've mobilized everything."

Tharros stood tall beside her, his eyes reflecting the rising sun. "Where is your friend Chen?"

"I don't know," Sophia admitted, fear crawling up her spine. "He should be here."

A twig snapped behind them. They whirled around to find themselves facing not Chen, but Agent Kramer, holding a high-powered rifle pointed directly at Tharros.

"Dr. Rodriguez," Kramer said calmly. "I've been looking for you."

Tharros growled, his human disguise beginning to slip as scales rippled across his skin.

"Please don't," Kramer said, adjusting his aim. "This weapon is designed specifically for creatures like him. The Institute has been studying dragons longer than you know."

Sophia stepped between them. "Kramer, listen to me. You don't understand what's happening."

"I understand perfectly," he replied. "You've betrayed your species for him." He nodded toward Tharros. "The question is why?"

Before she could answer, a blinding light flashed from the trees beyond Kramer. The agent stiffened, then crumpled to the ground, revealing Dr. Chen standing behind him with some kind of electrical device.

"Sorry I'm late," Chen said breathlessly. "Had to avoid your admirers." He gestured to the unconscious Kramer. "He won't stay down long. My car's this way. Hurry!"

As they raced after Chen, Sophia glanced back at the ocean. Beyond the boats and the search parties, she could see patches of darkness spreading beneath the surface - the corruption growing, reaching for the shore.

They had two days left to save both worlds, and now all of humanity was hunting them.

The World Watches

Sophia's phone buzzed in Chen's car as they sped along the coastal highway. She glanced at the screen and her stomach dropped.

"It's already trending," she whispered, showing the device to Tharros. "DragonSighting is number one worldwide."

Tharros leaned closer, his golden eyes narrowing at the small screen. "Your kind spreads information faster than fire."

In the driver's seat, Chen cursed and turned up the radio.

"Breaking news: Multiple witnesses report seeing a dragon off the northern coast last night. Military and scientific teams have been deployed to investigate what experts are calling a mass hallucination or elaborate hoax. We go live to our reporter at the scene..."

Chen switched it off. "The whole world is looking for you now."

Sophia watched Tharros's reflection in the window. His jaw was tight, scales rippling beneath his skin before fading again. The transformation was becoming harder for him to control.

"How much farther to the facility?" she asked.

"Twenty minutes," Chen replied, checking his mirrors. "But we've got company."

Two black SUVs had appeared behind them, closing fast.

"Government," Chen said grimly. "Probably from the Institute."

Tharros growled, the sound rumbling through the car. His eyes flashed, pupils narrowing to slits.

"Stay calm," Sophia said, placing her hand on his. Where their skin touched, their markings glowed faintly. "Remember why we're here."

The dragon king took a deep breath, but heat radiated from his skin. "I don't like being hunted."

Chen suddenly swerved onto a dirt road, hidden by trees. The car bounced and rattled as they raced down the narrow path.

"Shortcut," he explained. "Should lose them for a while."

Sophia's phone buzzed again with a news alert. She opened it and gasped.

"They have thermal images," she said, showing them the screen. The grainy picture clearly showed Tharros's dragon form gliding above the water. "They're calling it 'proof of the impossible.'"

Chen's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "This changes everything. The components we need are under military guard now."

"We can't fail," Tharros said, his voice like thunder. "Aquaria is dying."

Sophia remembered the darkness spreading beneath the ocean's surface. The corruption that threatened both worlds.

"We won't fail," she promised, though uncertainty gnawed at her.

The dirt road opened into a clearing where a helicopter waited, its rotors already spinning.

"I made some calls," Chen said, skidding to a stop. "This will take you directly to the facility."

As they climbed out of the car, Sophia noticed Tharros's hands trembling. Scales flickered across his skin like lightning.

"He can't hold human form much longer," she told Chen. "The stress is triggering the transformation."

Chen nodded grimly. "Then we'd better hurry."

The helicopter pilot kept his eyes forward as they boarded, clearly instructed not to look too closely at his passengers. Within minutes, they were airborne, racing along the coastline.

Below, Sophia could see more military vehicles converging on the beach where they'd been spotted. Coast Guard boats formed a perimeter in the water.

"They're treating this like a national security threat," she said.

Tharros stared out the window, his expression dark. "They should be more worried about what's coming from the deep."

The helicopter banked sharply, revealing the Oceanic Research Institute in the distance - a gleaming complex of buildings perched on the edge of a cliff.

Sophia's heart raced. This was where it had all started months ago, when they'd first captured Tharros. Now they were returning as allies with a desperate mission.

"Look," Chen pointed to the Institute's entrance, where news vans and military vehicles crowded the gates. "They're already there."

The pilot's voice crackled over their headsets: "I can't land at the main pad. Too many people. There's a secondary platform on the north side."

As they approached, Sophia saw figures in suits emerging from the Institute. Director Langley was among them, gesturing angrily at a military officer.

"They're demanding answers about you," Chen said to Tharros. "About what you are."

Sophia felt Tharros tense beside her. A wave of heat rolled off his skin, making the air shimmer.

"Tharros," she warned, gripping his arm. "Not here."

His golden eyes met hers, wild with the effort of containment. "It's getting harder," he growled through clenched teeth. "The dragon wants out."

The helicopter touched down on a small platform extending from the cliff. Chen jumped out first, helping Sophia, while Tharros moved with dangerous grace, his eyes constantly scanning for threats.

"This way," Chen said, leading them to a service door. "We can reach the lab without being seen."

They hurried through dimly lit corridors, the building strangely empty.

"Where is everyone?" Sophia asked.

"Emergency protocols," Chen explained. "After the dragon sighting, the facility went into lockdown. Most staff were evacuated."

They reached a security door where Chen swiped his ID and entered a code. The door slid open to reveal a state-of-the-art laboratory.

"This is where we'll build the device," he said, activating the systems.

Tharros paced the room like a caged animal, scales now permanently visible along his arms and neck. "Time is short," he growled. "The darkness spreads."

Chen pulled up schematics on a large screen. "The components we need are in the secure storage vault. Level 5 clearance."

"Can you get us in?" Sophia asked.

Chen's expression was grim. "Not anymore. My access was revoked when they realized I helped you escape. We'll have to find another way."

Suddenly, alarms blared throughout the facility. Red lights flashed, and security doors began to close automatically.

"They know we're here," Chen said, fingers flying over the keyboard. "They're tracking our heat signatures."

Tharros snarled, his patience finally snapping. His skin glowed with inner fire, the transformation no longer containable.

"No!" Sophia shouted, but it was too late.

Tharros's human form dissolved in a burst of golden light. The dragon filled the laboratory, his massive tail smashing equipment as his wings unfurled against the ceiling.

They hunt us like animals, his voice thundered in Sophia's mind. I will not hide anymore.

"Tharros, please," Sophia begged. "We need stealth, not strength right now."

But the dragon king's patience had run out. With a roar that shook the building, he turned toward the wall facing the ocean and unleashed a blast of fire so hot it melted steel and concrete.

Alarms screamed louder. Through the smoking hole, Sophia could see figures running across the compound, pointing upward.

"Too late for stealth," Chen said, gathering equipment hastily. "Plan B."

Tharros lowered his massive head to Sophia. Climb on. We take what we need by force.

Sophia hesitated, torn between their mission and the chaos they were causing. Everything was spiraling out of control.

Sophia, Tharros insisted. Our worlds are running out of time.

She made her decision, climbing onto his back. "Chen, can you meet us at the vault?"

Chen nodded, shoving components into a bag. "Take the east corridor. I'll create a diversion."

Tharros didn't wait for more instructions. He crashed through the laboratory wall, emerging into a wide corridor. Screams echoed as staff fled in terror.

Through the bond, Sophia felt Tharros's savage joy at no longer hiding. The dragon had been contained too long.

They rampaged through the facility, following Sophia's directions toward the secure storage. Alarms wailed and sprinklers rained water that turned to steam against Tharros's hot scales.

When they reached the vault, two armed guards stood their ground, weapons raised.

"Dr. Rodriguez!" one shouted in shock. "What are you doing?"

"Saving the world," she answered as Tharros growled.

Before the guards could fire, Chen appeared behind them, detonating a smoke bomb. In the confusion, Tharros swept his tail, knocking them unconscious without killing them.

Chen worked quickly, hacking the security panel. The vault door slid open, revealing racks of advanced technology.

"We need the quantum stabilizer and the energy converter," Sophia said, pointing.

As Chen gathered the components, a voice rang out from speakers overhead.

"Attention all personnel. This is Director Langley. The facility is surrounded. To the intruders: surrender immediately."

Tharros answered with a roar that shattered windows.

"We have what we need," Chen said, securing the last component. "But there's no way out except..." He glanced toward the ocean cliffs.

Sophia understood immediately. "Back to the sea."

They raced through the corridors, Tharros smashing through walls when necessary. Finally, they reached the observation deck overlooking the ocean, three hundred feet below.

Military helicopters appeared on the horizon. Spotlights swept the building.

"Go!" Chen urged, handing the bag of components to Sophia. "I'll create cover."

"Come with us," Sophia pleaded.

Chen shook his head. "Someone has to stay behind to tell your story. The world needs to know what's really happening."

Tharros lowered his head in respect. Your bravery will be remembered in Aquaria, human.

Sophia hugged Chen fiercely. "Thank you for everything."

With tears in her eyes, she climbed onto Tharros's back, securing the precious components.

"Now!" Chen shouted, triggering explosions at the far end of the facility.

Tharros spread his massive wings and leaped from the cliff. They plummeted toward the dark ocean below, wind screaming past Sophia's ears.

Just before they hit the water, news helicopters appeared above them, cameras capturing every detail of the dragon's dive.

As they disappeared beneath the waves, Sophia knew their secret was truly gone. The divide between worlds had collapsed completely.

And somewhere in the depths, the darkness waited.

Friends in Hidden Places