Toby was running through the streets, along with many civilians who hadn't been evacuated, when the U.S. began their counterattack.

It was utter chaos.

Black Hawks were dropping off troops everywhere they could as other helicopters rained bullets down in unrelenting streams across the pavement, and black-hooded soldiers were getting thicker in the streets.

They were trying to get back to the palace and nothing, it seemed, was going to stop them.

In mere hours, the battle field had switched from Colossus defending the palace to the US and British forces trying to keep them away from the palace.

Civilians and soldiers alike were being mowed down all around.

Local police were everywhere as well, shouting, "Civilians need to find shelter now! Get inside for your safety!"

Thankfully, most people had retreated into nearby buildings, but Toby was trying to get to the same place as the military and Colossus.

Nolan was already inside...he wasn't dead yet, which was surprising, but he didn't have much longer.

Toby spotted an opening in the crowd and veered off to the right. He jogged down the alleyway, trying to clear his mind that was ringing with gunshots and grenade blasts.

He'd been with Grace for about five minutes until a flood of U.S. soldiers poured into the street, ordering that everyone get back and stay out of the way. A few seconds later, Colossus came in from behind and the assault began.

People started running like cattle through a shoot instead of seeking shelter. Toby didn't stand a chance at finding Grace again, but at least his earpiece hadn't been ripped out by the crush of people.

"Grace, do you copy?"

"Way to stick together, Fairfax!"

Why was she so impossible? "I'm heading for the palace."

"Me too—I think I've got a clear shot. I think the U.S. just accidentally blew up the entrance."

He picked up his pace to a sprint until he spotted the palace. It was a firestorm over there. American troops were trying to hold their position, but Colossus was making a strong push against them.

He looped around, taking a little extra time, to the back entrance and began climbing the tall black fence inside.

"I got a map to the tunnels below the palace," Nolan said, his voice in a whisper.

"I'm still held up in town," Grace replied.

"Look at that, Grace, guess I'll be wearing the Queen's crown this time." Toby said, swinging his leg over the fence and dropping down just as a chopper flew overhead to provide backup for the British army. As he straightened, the sky silhouetting the palace was ablaze, like fire.

Explosions and gunfire lit it up like lightning streaks in the clouds. The noises were muffled from his position, but Toby could feel the vibrations beneath his feet. Nervousness twisted inside his stomach. He tried to suppress it.

In truth, none of this was what he'd ever expected. Ever since he killed that one man in Kavala, when they were rescuing Grace and her team, he'd been shaken up more than he realized.

He hadn't shot anyone since. Hadn't even pulled a gun.

He'd spent years dreaming about being a war hero, even fantasized about dying for a brother. It all seemed...exciting. But now—now it was a scar that would never go away, never heal.

Toby had never craved a quiet life...but a simple home with his fiancée, Katie, was all he thought about for the past weeks.

He shook off the cold feeling of dread as he raced across the lawn.

A concrete fountain provided him cover for the time being as he scanned the windows.

Two shadows were holding dangerously still up above.

There was a rustle of sound from the edge of the garden behind him and a line of soldiers emerged.

Realization turned Toby's insides into stone. He was surrounded. Nothing left to do but run.

He picked up his gun and bolted across the grass as bullets began puncturing the ground all around, like tiny mines going off at his feet.

He spotted a door.

Toby's senses zeroed in on the location as his legs pumped faster than he could've imagined.

A distinct shot rang out amidst the noise of all the others and pain shrieked through Toby's left arm. He almost tumbled to the ground, but caught himself with a curse.

He reached the door and twisted the handle as he plowed through the wood. He slid and tumbled across the floor, hitting his head on something sharp.

He was on his back, staring up at swirling blackness. Pain coursed through his body like a raging river.

Figures surrounded him, but Toby's mind couldn't conjure what they were at first.

He was hauled to his feet and dragged down a dim hallway, grasping for a sense of reality, but his mind went black.

~~~~~~

Nolan retrieved the AR15 from the hands of a man lying dead on the office floor. He steeled his jaw as he collected the extra ammo and put it in his pocket.

A straggler had found his way into Nolan's hiding spot, unfortunately for him.

Nolan strapped the gun to his back just in case he needed it later and crept out of the office.

Gunshots sounded close by, ringing out against the pounding of explosives and helicopters at the front of the palace.

"Toby, do you copy?"

Static filled the other end. Nolan tried making contact again, but still...nothing. He gritted his teeth and pushed the worries aside.

"Grace?"

"Here."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "What's your position?"

"I can't get in." Her voice came in a whisper. "There's a war going on in the front, and I think Colossus is forming a blockade here in the back...I don't how I can get through."

Nolan licked his lips, his eyes flickering around the room. He needed Toby and Grace to help him find the EMP and keep Colossus off his back.

They didn't seem to know they were here...yet.

"Alright," he said slowly. "Are you in a position to make it in if I clear you a path?"

"I think so. What're you—"

"Just wait a minute. Get your handgun out, make sure your DMR's secure."

Nolan glanced behind to make sure the coast was clear and trotted to the large window at the end of the hall. Using a little pickaxe he'd retrieved from the emergency cache, he chipped away pieces of the glass without making a sound.

Down below, the courtyard was lined with a string of armed men, each standing with their legs slightly apart, ready for action, about fifteen in all.

Nolan checked his back one more time before sliding the barrel of his gun across the glass.

Sixteen shots, fifteen men. At least he could miss once.

He swept his crosshairs across the heads of each target, plotting a map of the shots he would take.

"Get ready, Grace,"

He took in a slow breath and then released it.

He pulled the trigger, moved the scope, fired, moved it again, fired again.

Fourteen bodies dropped, leaving one man whirling around to see where the shots came from.

"Come on," Nolan spat, taking aim and firing.

Miss.

"No, no, no..." He cursed, watching helplessly as Grace ran across the lawn.

Just as she was about to pass the distracted solider, he turned, swinging his gun wide.

Grace slid across the grass and kicked the back of the soldier's knees. He collapsed and Grace slammed the butt of her gun into his temple, flipped it back around, and shot twice.

She looked up at Nolan and threw up her hands angrily before taking off into the palace.

Nolan grinned, but it was quickly wiped away when there was suddenly darkness in the hallway, replaced by red alarm lights, but no alarm.

"Nolan Clay," said a chuckling voice over the intercom system. "You beat your own military in here! Congratulations, my friend!"

Nolan pressed close to the yellow wallpaper, his heartbeat quickening as if Egor's vision reached beyond the rooms between them.

"We've already got one member of your crew under our thumb," he said.

Nolan gripped his gun tighter. No. Did he mean Toby? Grace? He swallowed hard and slid down the wall. Maybe he was lying.

"But if you're still up to it, we'd love to capture you as well."

The speaker shut off and the lights returned.

A voice in his ear made him jerk. "Nolan?"

His heart raced, at first thinking it was Toby.

"We know you're in there already,"

It was Howard.

"You wanna pull me out of this operation too? Sorry, but it's a little late."

"No." Howard sounded...defeated. Tired. Helpless. "We're getting slaughtered out there. You're the only hope we've got."

"I'm flattered."

"Listen, we're going to send in our last explosives to hit part of Buckingham to get the attention away from you."

Nolan licked his lips. "Either Toby or Grace is already captured," he blurted.

"Well, this is our last shot. Where are you?"

"The west wing."

"We'll hit east." Howard hesitated before saying, "This is all we've got, Nolan."

"I understand."

The receiver clicked, leaving Nolan in the eerie silence of the hallway. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to clear his blurry thoughts and still his breathing.

He pulled out the map, cursing his unusually shaky hands, and traced a finger through every corridor that lead down to the lowest floor underground, memorizing every twist and turn.

He folded the paper and tucked it in his pocket again, blowing steadily through his nostrils.

Nolan pulled himself up, readjusted his bulletproof vest, and took off down the hallway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's a little chapter for you! I'm trying to finish the story before NaNoWriMo this year, so I'll probably post another one either Sunday or Monday.

~What are your thoughts on the chapter?

~Do you think Toby is faring very well? =P

~How do you think the situation is turning out?

Thank you so much for reading! {Don't forget to comment, vote, and share!}