AFTER  hanging up the phone with Paul, Anthony slightly slouched against the wall for a moment as he thought about what Paul had told him.

"I want you to find the ones responsible.  Search the entire area.  Don't let them get past you.

"If that's what you want boss.  Then that's what you get."  Anthony said in a firm voice before he relayed the message to the others.

"Is everyone ready?"  Anthony asked as started to creep to the door again so that he could start his search.

"Let's do this already."  Alyse said in an impatient tone.

"Go!"  Anthony said right as he opened up the door.

All four of them opened up the door at the same time and closed the doors around behind themselves.  Then they started to skirt along the edge of the wall as they each searched the open area leading out to the edges of the roof.  Each of them moved smoothly and silently in as they scanned the area.  The winds blowing across the roof made it seem like they were invisible to everyone by the wall itself.

Then Anthony was the first one to spot someone else on the roof besides himself.  He just happen to hear the guy quickly talking in his walkie talkie as he tried to hide behind one of the rooftop A/C that helped to control the upper levels of the citadel.  He crept low and smoothly over to the where the person so that he was downwind away from him and on his back.  The guy didn't seem to notice as he nervously talked to whoever was on the other side of the conversation.

"But he locked the door.  How the fuck am I suppose to get down?  Blonde didn't exactly give us parachutes."  He said in panicked voice.

"Break the door or a window.  I don't really care how you do it, but get off of the roof."  Anthony happen to catch a gruffy voice say right as he stepped up behind the guy.

Anthony then put his pistol to the guys back.  

"Or you can walk down in handcuffs with me."  Anthony said in the guys ear.

The guy froze as he felt the barrow against his back.  

"Now tell your friends that you found a way to leave the roof."  Anthony said as he pressed the gun harder against the guys back.

The gangster gulped as he slowly did as Anthony told him.  "Hey, I found a way down."

"Good.  Now hurry up and meet us with us."  A smooth voice said over the walkie talkie.

"Ask him where that is."  Anthony pressed.

"But they'll know..."

Anthony put his gun to the guys head.  "Now!"

"Alright, alright!"  The gangster almost shouted before he put the walkie talkie back to mouth.  "Hey.  Where is that again?"

"Did you have cotton in your ear or something when we talked about this?"  The smooth voice asked again.

Anthony pushed harder with his gun. "I... I just wanted to check man."

"The throne room dumbass!"  One of the other gangsters replied in a frustrated tone.

"Shut up!"  The smooth voice shouted.  "Something doesn't seem right.  What's going on Sid?"

The gangster tried to turn his head back to Anthony as he started to shake.  But Anthony pushed him down to the floor and pressed his gun to the side of his head.

"NOTHING!  I SWEAR!"  Sid shouted as he started to shake in fear for his life.

"Fine.  Not get down here!"  The smooth voice said in a firm tone.  "You don't want to anywhere near the roof when they come."

"Yeah. Yeah.  I'm on my way."  He said as he stared as Anthony with a pleading look right before Anthony took the walkie talkie from his hand.

"Who are they talking about?"  Anthony asked and he clicked the walkie talkie to his belt.

But before Sid had a chance to answer, he suddenly looked petrified as he looked over Anthony's shoulder.  Anthony then kneeled on Sid's back as he looked back over his shoulder.  And his jaw dropped as he saw the bottom of a Niflheim ship drop down right above the citadel.  The back ramp opened up and several magitek soldiers started to drop down.

"Fuck me."  Anthony said in almost whisper as he slightly stood up.

Sid quickly tried to take advantage of Anthony moving just enough off of him to get out from under him.  But before he got a step away, Anthony grabbed the guy's arm and whipped him around to face him.

"Is that who you meant?!"  Anthony shouted at him.  "You really want to see everyone slattered?!"

Sid gasped as he saw the fury in Anthony face.  "I....I didn't know....I swear!"

Anthony was about to say something else to him, but suddenly the ground shook below their feet as the first humanoid hit the roof top.  They both turned and saw the magitek troops drop down in a solid line.  Then they slowly looked up at the two of them standing.  Suddenly it wasn't just about the snipers anymore.

"Move!"  Anthony shouted as he pushed the Sid towards the door.

"Shit! Is that...?"  He heard Elyse start to say over through his headset.

"No time for questions!  Get in the building.  Now!"  Anthony shouted right as they reached the door and flew inside right as the troops started to shoot the ground right behind them.

Once they got inside, Sid tried to run from Anthony.  But he grabbed him again and whipped him around so fast that he lost his footing and fell to the ground.  Sid tumbled to the ground and hit the wall hard.  Sid grabbed his head from hitting the wall.

"What the hell...?!"  Sid started to shout before Anthony dove to the ground himself right beside him.

And right as he cleared the windows, they suddenly shattered as bullets flew right through them and the ones across from them as the magitek soldiers opened fire.  Anthony and Sid both covered their heads from the glass as it fell around them.  The sound was deafening from the bullets shooting right where they had been moments ago.  Neither of them moved for a moment as the bullets flew over their heads.

It wasn't until they stopped that Anthony finally lowered his hands and quickly got to his feet and grabbed Sid's arm and started to drag him down the hallway.  "Move!"

Right after they started running down the hallway, the wall that they had just been hiding behind exploded as one of the troops fired a rocket from it's arm.  The rocks from the wall went flying everywhere as they raced down the hallway and towards the elevator.  But they didn't dare go down the elevators with the magitek troops on their heels, so they headed straight for the stairs.  Anthony knew that that was the only chance that they had to get out of there alive.

Then right as they reached the stairs Anthony heard the tall tell signs of the citadel's security helicopters approaching.  Anthony and Sid paused and glanced out the window and saw the copters stop a short way from the roof.  Anthony and Sid were both relieved when they saw the flighting assault machines in the air.  But then the reality of what was about to happen hit Anthony hard.

"Get off the roof!  Now!"  He shouted through his headset right before the copters opened fire on the magitek troops that were starting to walk around on the roof tops.

Anthony and Sid quickly ducked and the opened the stairwell door before they started to race down the stairs.  Neither of them said anything as the ceiling shook from the impact of the gun fire going on right above them.  All they could do was run down the stairs with their hands over their heads to protect themselves from the bits of stone and dust that fell from the stairs as they tried to get as far from the firefight as possible.  Once they had gone down far enough to barely hear the sounds, they paused to catch their breathe.

Sid fell to the floor gasping and trembled as he tried to catch his breathe.  Anthony leaned up against the wall as he closed his eyes for a moment.  Little did they know that the fight over their heads wasn't going quite as good as they were hoping.  For one of the helicopters was taken out by one of the troops as it fired a rocket right at it and took out it's tail and back stabilizer.

The pilot lost control as the helicopter started to spin wildly around and around fell out of the sky and crashed right in the center of all the towers.  The noise and impact slightly shook the stairwell.  Which made both of them quickly look at each other before they started to run down the stairs again. Then right as they reached the throne room floor, they quickly ducked into the building again.

But right as they did, Anthony came face to face with the rest of the gangsters as they stood in the center of the waiting room right outside of the throne room itself.  Anthony stopped short as a tall burly brunette aimed a gun right at him.  Sid on the other hand seemed to be very relieved.  He quickly bent over and gasped for breathe with a warily smile on his face.

"Oh thank the gods."  Sid gasped as he looked back at the burly guy with a half smile.  "I thought that you guys were going to leave me."

"Now I wish that we had."  The brunette replied as he turned his gun to Sid before he pulled the trigger.

Anthony jumped of to the side and behind one of the pillars right as the back of Sid's head exploded as the bullet went right through his head.  Anthony took short breathes as he leaned up against the  tall stone pillar.  He hadn't expected that to happen.  And as when he glanced over at Sid's lifeless body, he knew that Sid certainly hadn't either.

"This is the end of the line for you."  A gruff voice said loud enough to echo around the stone covered room.

"I think that's my line."  Anthony said as he gripped his gun front of himself before he quickly leaned around the pillar and fired a couple shots right at the rest of the gang as they stood in the middle.

"Ahhh!"  One of them shouted as one of the bullets took out his leg and made him drop to the ground while the rest of them scattered to hide behind the closest pillar.

Suddenly the door opened again, and there stood the rest of Anthony's team.  Anthony saw them and quickly leaned out and fired a couple more shots to give his team a chance to hide themselves.  Which they quickly did as they darted behind the pillars near the door.  Steve and Alyse darted to the right and Erica darted towards Anthony.

"Hey gorgeous.  Fancy meeting you here."  Anthony said in a teasing manner as she pulled out her gun as she slid beside him.

"Really Tony?"  She asked as she gave him a side glance.

"I knew you liked me.  Why else would you jump this way?"  Anthony said with a slight smile.

"I'll show you how much I like you once we get the hell out of here."  She replied before a few bullets started to fly past them.

"IN the mean time I suggest you put your gun to work."  She said as she cocked the trigger back on her pistol.  "And I don't mean the one in your pants."

"Oh.  I think we're starting to rub off on you."  Anthony smirked as Steve and Erica returned a couple shots.

'Keep in it your pants, will you."  She replied flatly.

"Yes ma'am."  Anthony said before they both leaned out and started firing back at the gangsters.

AS Paul and Tracy headed into the stairwell ahead of the group, Tracy watched him pull out a small ear piece and put it in his right.  Tracy slightly frowned as he did.  She had had a feeling that he might have one on him.  Not that she blamed him since his team was on watch.  But she couldn't hide her disappointment in him not leaving work for once.  But she was relieved at the same time that he had it.

"Tony, talk to me.  Give me an update."  Paul said as he rounded the first platform and continued down the stairs.

"Well hey boss.  It's nice of you to join us."  Anthony said in a chipper voice as the sound of gun fire could be heard through the ear piece.

"Tony."  Paul said firmly as they pasted the first exit door and continued down the stairs.

"Well, we had finally caught one of the bastards who had taken out our snipers."  Anthony began to explain after he fired a couple rounds before leaned away to reload.

"And?  Who the hell are these guys?"  Paul asked as they rounded the next flight of stairs.

"I would have loved to ask him."  Anthony said as he quickly slid in a new clip to his pistol.  "But his boss just took him out."

Fuck!  Paul thought as clinched his teeth.

"But they are the least of our worries boss."  Anthony said as he glanced at Erica with a worried look.

"What do you mean?"  Paul asked as he slowly down slightly as he approached the door to the car garage.

"I don't know if you felt it or not, but their are magitek troops on the roof right now."  Anthony said in a flat tone.

Paul froze as he held his hand on the door handle.  Tracy stopped beside him and gave him a confused look.

"Paul, what is it?"  Tracy asked as she searched his face.

Paul gave her a stony look.  "We have to get everyone out of here."

"Why?  What's happening?"  Tracy said as she started to scared to see the fear in his eyes.

But Paul didn't answer her as he gestured to everyone to be quiet.  Then he slowly opened the door and peeked outside.  He scanned the area looking for anything that looked out of the ordinary.  Then after seeing nothing, he made his way through the door and waved everyone to follow.  Next he pulled out his phone as he led everyone over to the far side of the parking garage.

Tracy watched him nervously look around as he quickly dialed a number before he put it to his ear.  She wasn't sure what was going on.  But as she watched Paul, she could tell that it was serious.  She hadn't seen him that nervous before.  Which wasn't putting her at ease.

"Cor!   I need you to make sure that everyone evacuates the citadel."  Paul said as he lead the way to the far wall and over to a weird looking fire station that on the wall.

"Of course."  Cor answered with the sound of distant gun fire in the background.  "Where you are at?"

"I'm with the guests now.  We're going to take everyone out in the transport trucks."

"Understood.  I have already dispatched the glaives as you suggested.  Is his majesty safe?"  Cor asked as  Paul looked over at King Regis as he quickly walked over to the fire station and pushed on a slightly discolored stone.

"Yes.  He's with us now."  Paul said right as the stone moved off to the side and revealed a hidden keyboard.

"Good.  We'll meet up at the planetarium."  Cor replied as King Regis quickly typed in a code on the keyboard, which released a heavy lock that echo through the quiet parking lot.

"Be safe."  Paul said in low tone as the wall moved off to the side and reviled a hidden room.

"You too."  Cor replied before he hung up.

"Everyone inside, quickly."  King Regis said as he moved through the door before it opened up completely.

No one hesitated as they filed through the door.  Paul stood just outside and he made sure that everyone made it in.  And that was when he saw you and Ignis come running up to him.  He could already the panic in your eyes and knew that you knew what was  going on.

"It's them, isn't it?"  You quickly said as the last few guests rushed through the door.

But you didn't really need to hear it from him as you saw the truth in his eyes as he stared at you.  "I want you to go with Ignis and head to the planetarium."

"The planetarium?  But why?"  You asked as you started to get scared.

"You'll be safe there.  And I know that Ignis knows how to get there."  Your dad answered as he slowly searched your face as if he was seeing it the last time.

"But what about you and the others?"  You asked as you felt your voice start to shake.

"Don't worry we'll be right behind you."  He said in a sad tone.

"Dad.  No. I'm going with you."  You tried to argue back.

"No.  Ignis' car is bullet proof and fast."  Your dad said as tried to keep a steady tone.  "I have to get the others out of here."

"You're not doing this to me again!"  You shouted at him.  "Not again dad!"

"We don't have time to argue."  Your dad said firmly as he turned and led the three of you into the room.

"Dad!"  You shouted at him again.  "I almost lost you the last few times you ran off!  I don't do it again!"

"Look!"  Your dad shouted back at you as he searched your face with pain in his eyes. "We have to leave or we'll all be dead!  Now go!"

"But..."  You started to say as he walked away from you again.

But you couldn't seem to move as you helplessly watched him walk away and grab the last set of keys from King Regis before heading to the loaded trucks.  That was then saw Noctis climbing into his car and King Regis headed to the Regalia.  Ignis gently put his arm around your waist and started to lead you to his car.

"We have to go."  He said in a gentle tone before the room was filled with the sound of rumbling engines started to fill the silence.

Numbly you walked to Ignis' car and climbed into the front seat.  You wanted to go with your dad.  But you knew he was right about Ignis' car and that he knew how to get to the planetarium.   Which should have made you feel better.  But as you watched him climb into the driver's seat of the last truck, you couldn't help but to be terrified that that would be the last time that you saw him alive.

You closed your eyes deeply as Ignis started up his car.  Please six help us.

The garage started to rumble again as the rest of the stone wall slid off to the side.  You slowly opened your eyes as the door moved out from in front of Ignis' car.  And that was when you caught the first glimpses of the magitek troops as you watched they blast the door to the stairwell off of it hinges.  You felt your heart stop as they started filing out the door. 

"Dear gods."  You heard barely heard Ignis say as you sat there in shook.

But then you saw movement beside Ignis' car as your dad's truck suddenly lurched forward and started to head straight for the troops so that he could clear the way for everyone else.  You sat there is shook as you watched your dad plow right through the humanoids as if they nothing more then tin cans.  And right behind him the other trucks followed closely behind as they all headed for the exit.  Then as the last truck pasted, you saw the Regalia pass you with Noctis right behind his dad.  Then finally Ignis pulled out behind them.

"Keep right on my bumper."  Paul said as he grabbed the CB radio handle in the truck.  "I don't want to loose any one."

"I hadn't planned on doing anything less."  Paul heard Tracy say over the radio which made him slightly smile.

Paul then put down the hand set and concentrated on his driving as he started take the round ramp up and out of the garage.  He knew that the back gate should be locked.  But he had a sinking feeling that the guards that had been there, weren't anymore.  And as he came out of the tunnel and looked at the broke gate and scattered bodies, he felt his heart lurch.

Then he saw the troops started to come around the corner as they tried to enter through the entrance.  And all of his hatred for the empire suddenly took control as he tightly gripped the wheel and pushed the gas pedal down more as he drive straight for the gate.  The troops didn't stop.  Instead they turned towards him.  But they were stopped there as Paul plowed right through them before slamming into the gate.  The truck slightly jerked back as the truck's grill hit the gate threw it off to the side from the momentum as Paul turned the truck sharply as he turned down the road and start to quickly head away from the citadel and for the highway.

Ignis followed closely behind Noctis and King Regis as they followed the long line of trucks as they plowed their way out of the garage and out towards the main road.  But as you started to come to back gate you started to get nervous.  Was he really going to ram the back gate?  Which as you pulled out enough to see what should have been a back gate, you had your answer as you saw it laying off to the side of the road as Ignis turned the corner as he followed the caravan.

Shortly after leaving the citadel, the caravan got onto the freeway. Ignis then spend up as King Regis and Noctis pulled out from behind the trucks and started to pass them so that they could lead the way. Normally you would have been thrilled to feel the speed from the car as it hit the open road. But as you turned your head and looked back at the citadel, you were anything other than thrilled as you saw smoke coming from the towers and just the faintest glimpse of the the fighting that was taking place in the air around the trop of the citadel.

You weren't sure how long that you had been in the car, since you neither of you had said since you had left the citadel.  You had each been lost in thought as you followed closely behind Noctis and King Regis.  You had barely noticed that the scenery had changed around you, even as the street lights were replaced with trees as as you neared the top of the mountain that overlooked the entire city.  All you noticed was the lights from the trucks that were following you since you knew that your dad was right behind you.

Finally you reach the top of the mountain and you could just barely see the top of the planetarium come into view.  But instead of being excited to see everyone there again, you dropped your head as you started to wonder if everyone had gotten out in time.  The last thing that you wanted to attend was another funeral for someone close to you.  Not after what had happened to your mom the last time that you had seen the empire.

Finally Ignis pulled the car around the last corner before he pulled into the back parking lot of the planetarium.  Then he slowly pulled the car into a parking spot right beside Noctis who parked right beside King Regis.  But you barely noticed, even when he turned the car off and turned to you.  It wasn't until he placed his hand on yours that you finally you seemed to wake up from your unconscious trance.

You slowly looked over at him and saw that he was slowly searched your face. Then he reached out and cupped your cheek and gave you a gently smile.  You gave him a slight smile in return.  At least this time he was there with you.

You then heard your dad pull up beside the car and park his truck.  He was followed shortly by the rest of the trucks as they all all parked side by side before the driver's turned them off.  Then it seemed to be a flurry of people as everyone climbed out of the trucks and slowly started to make their way into the back doors.  You watched at the planetarium staff greeted everyone as they ushered them inside.

"Shall we?"  You heard Ignis asked as he slightly squeezed your hand.

You looked back at Ignis and gave him a gentle smile.  "Yeah."

Then you heard the door open beside you and turned your head.  And with great relief you watched your dad climb down from the truck right as Tracy walked up to him with Nathaniel in his car seat.  Your dad wrapped his arms around Tracy and gave her a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek.  You could see the relief in both of them as they simply stood still for a few moments in a tight embrace before they released each other and turned to face you.

Your dad then slightly nodded towards the building.  Then took Nathaniel from Tracy and started to head inside.  Which made you smile.  But before you could open the door to join them, Ignis pulled open your door.  Then he grabbed your hand and gave you gentle kiss on top of you hand before he looked down at you.

"Let's go, love."  He said in his usual voice as he smiled at you.

Then you climbed out of the car and the two of you headed inside with everyone else.  You weren't sure what was going to happen next.  But you knew that for now, you and your family and friends were safe.  And that was all that mattered to you.

And as you walked inside and saw the huge crowd standing around talking, you saw the same thing in each and everyone of them.  Everyone was giving each other hugs as they tried to keep each other calm.  There was some some bitter tears though as a few of them knew a couple people who might still be in there, or might not have made it out at all.  But everyone was still grateful for the people around them.

"Well it looks like you saved us again Paul."  Paul heard Gwen's parents say as Paul and Tracy started making their way through the crowd.

"You can thank my team for that."  Paul said in a low tone.

"Oh, are they here?"  Gwen's mom asked.  "I would like to thank them personally."

But Paul couldn't answer as looked away from them.  He honestly couldn't answer that question since he had lost contact with them once he left the citadel.  All he could hope for was that Cor had been able to get to them in time.  Which he prayed to the gods is exactly what happened.

Tracy saw the pain in Paul's face as he turned away from them and started for the far corner of the room.  

"Perhaps later."  She replied as she placed a hand on Paul's arm as he walked away.

Then she turned and followed him.  Once he was back against the back wall, he placed a hand on the wall to steady himself.  He had been trying to not worry about his team as he drove.  But now that he was there without them, he couldn't help the dread that started to fill him again.

Tracy watched Paul's shoulders start to shake as his emotions were finally wining.  She placed a sleeping Nathaniel down by their feet before she reached around his back and gave him an embrace.  Then she felt him start to shake uncontrollably as he wept for his team and for everyone who he had knew wouldn't be joining them anytime soon.  But she didn't didn't let go.  

In fact she held him tighter as supported a lot of his weight.  She knew how much he cared about everyone that worked in the security department.  Especially since he had gotten to know a lot of them personally through his time of the force.  Let alone that he had trained most of the younger guards and agents.  And to lose them like that, she knew that he would have a hard time letting them go.

Once everyone was inside, the planetarium staff showed everyone the make shift sleeping areas that they  set up for everyone with the semi small tents that they had set up that could hold about four cots each.  Then they started passing out water and food to anyone who asked for it.  Which at that pint wasn't very many.  Most of them were still to stunned to speak.  Except a few who were talking on their cell phones as their family frantically called them to make sure that they were okay.

The area that got the most attention though was the small tv that the staff had been watching.  The new station was showing live coverage of the citadel and the efforts that the glaives were making to drive out the magitek troops and destroy   They were making short work of them to make sure that they couldn't cause anymore damage or hurt anyone else.  Which had a lot of them glued to the screen as they watched in a stunned silence and praying that it was nothing but a really bad nightmare.

  **********Author Notes**********

I know, I know, the citadel can't be attacked!  But if you think about it, with the main pillars were destroyed by Ifrit like they were, whose to say how strong the shield actually was after that?  Besides, who doesn't like a bit a action every once in a while.  :)

But will this be enough to destroy the very foundation for the citadel's security that Korn and Paul have worked so hard to build?  Or will it make it stronger?  And who the hell was the blonde?

I guess that you'll just have to wait and find out.  Until then..

Thanks for reading.  :)

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