Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

Chapter 2

"...seventy-two...seventy-one...seventy...sixty-nine..." Noctis muttered beneath his breath, breathing the numbers with each steady inhale and exhale from his lungs.

His kidnappers had blindfolded him once they reached the car, checking his pockets and relieving him of their contents before cuffing his hands behind his back. It felt like they had driven around forever before reaching the building they were now in, riding the elevator to one of the upper levels, though Noctis had no idea what number floor. They had then shuffled him through several more rooms before depositing him on what felt like an old mattress. The sound of retreating footsteps and the click of a lock being turned indicated they'd left him alone in the room, which suited Noctis just fine. He had no intention of moving until his breakfast stopped threatening to make an encore.

The prince was currently lying on his stomach, measuring his breaths as he counted backwards from one hundred to distract himself from the nausea still plaguing him. He'd lost count of how many times he'd done so already, patiently biding his time. The queasiness was gradually subsiding and he'd rather waste a bit more time lying around than botch his escape attempt by having to stop and retch in the middle of it. There was too much at stake to risk that.

His patience was rewarded after a few more cycles, the nausea all but gone as the drugs finally worked their way out of his system. Noctis carefully rolled onto his back, bracing his feet against the mattress as he slid the cuffs over his rear and then pulled his legs through, bringing his hands in front of him. He moved slowly, mindful of his stomach as he sat up. When no pressing complaints manifested from down below, he took off the blindfold and glanced around the room, blinking against the sudden light.

The room was bare, the dingy off-white paint covering the walls scuffed and peeling, with a bare bulb hanging in the center of the room. A small stool with a watch on it was the only other piece of furniture in the room, sitting at the foot of the mattress. The mattress itself was lying on the floor against the wall opposite the window, the dirt and dust visible on the glass even against the darkening twilight sky beyond.

Noctis crawled to the foot of the bed, picking up the watch and strapping it onto his wrist. He took a deep breath before pushing himself to his feet, swaying slightly as dizziness overcame him for a few seconds before fading. Once assured his stomach was content to stay where it was, he quietly walked over to the window. No sense in alerting his kidnappers he was up and about before he was ready to deal with them.

The lock on the window had been jammed into the place, keeping it from opening, and a few nails had been hammered into the frame for good measure. So much for a quiet get away. Noctis rubbed the sleeve of his jacket across the window, clearing away some of the dust and grime. He blinked at exactly how far away the ground was, reconsidering his plan. Although he'd learned how to warp almost a year ago, he'd only ever done so over a distance of twenty to twenty-five feet in the practice room- on level ground. Warping four or five stories straight down was not something he was willing to try just yet.

The window faced an alley and although he could probably warp to the brick building across the way, there weren't any convenient balconies for him to land on. There was, however, a fire escape some distance away down the alley to his right.

Noctis leaned closer to the window eyeing the old metal stairs leading down the side of the building. It was, unfortunately, much further away than he had ever tried warping before, but it did give him an idea. If there was a fire escape on that building, there was likely one on this building as well.

Pressing his cheek up against the glass, Noctis peered as far as he could along the side of the building. He wanted to locate the metal stairs before calling the kidnappers into the room by breaking the window. He could just make out the corner of the railing, a smile pulling at his lips when he realized how close it was. While his abductors still wouldn't have a prayer of reaching it without magic, the metal stairs were well within warping range.

Now that he had a plan of action Noctis summoned his sword, raising it to break the glass before hesitating. Depending on how close the men outside were to the door, there was a chance they could get in and subdue him before he could make it out the window. His gaze swept the room again, even though he knew there was nothing there he could use to brace the door. Perhaps sliding the mattress in front of it might buy him a few extra seconds- no, the hinges were on the opposite side, meaning the door opened out.

He rubbed his cuffed hands over his face, trying to think. There was no furniture to block anyone from entering the room and no rope to tie around the handle- or anything to tie it to, for that matter -to prevent the door from opening. The men had taken everything but the clothes on his back and while his innate magic granted him access to a storage space of sorts, he'd only just learned to use it when his father had given him the sword on his birthday a few months previous. That weapon was currently the only thing in it.

Perhaps his magic could help? He'd been training with it longer than he'd been warping and while he couldn't yet craft spells, he could convert his raw energy into one of the three base elements. While the main purpose of those exercises were to teach him how to control his magic, he hadn't seen the point of it beyond that- after all, a fireball was far less powerful than a crafted spell unless he stood there and continually fed his energy into it. Now, however, it just might be able to buy him the time he needed.

Fire and lightning both were out- he wanted to escape, not burn down the building. Ice on the other hand... He stepped carefully over to the door, keeping his footsteps light. The door and frame were both made of wood but weren't fitted together as tightly as the prince had hoped, a small gap visible between the two on all sides. Freezing the door to the frame obviously wouldn't work, but maybe the handle...

Noctis knelt down, looking over the worn brass knob with a critical eye. He had never seen the interior of a handle before and had no idea how it worked, but the fact that turning it opened the door had to mean there were moving parts inside. Freezing those could probably jam it long enough allow him to escape through the window.

Pushing himself back to his feet, Noctis cupped his hands around the handle as he focused on drawing out the power flowing through his veins. The energy swirled between his palms, shining a brilliant blue as the knob was quickly coated in frost. Noctis closed his eyes, directing the magic into the inner workings behind the handle and willing it all to freeze solid.

He stayed that way for two or three minutes, slowly feeding his energy into the door. Figuring that was probably enough to hold it for a few minutes at least, he opened his eyes to survey his work. He blinked at the thick layer of ice now covering the handle, keeping it solidly in place. Not quite what he had been going for, but it would work.

He moved back over to the window, shaking out his arms as best he could with the handcuffs. It was time to put his plan into action and even with the distraction he needed to be ready to run. He checked the location of the fire escape one last time before summoning his sword. Taking a deep breath- and hoping he wasn't playing right into their hands -he lifted the blade and smashed it through the window.

The reaction was immediate, raised voices and running feet pounding outside the door. A couple muffled curses could be heard as they discovered the handle wouldn't turn, several heavy thuds rattling the door in its frame as they kicked it.

Having finished clearing away most of the glass along the bottom of the frame, Noctis leaned outside and threw his sword to the fire escape. The angle and cuffed hands made the throw a bit more awkward than in practice but he managed, warping after it and landing hard on the stairs. Biting back he curse, he dismissed the sword and quickly regained his feet, taking the stairs two at a time as he headed toward the street. It wouldn't be long before they were through the door and he needed to get as far away as he could.

A shout made him glance up, seeing someone he didn't recognize staring at him from an open window. It seemed someone had thought to open the window in the other room to see what was going on when they'd been unable to get through the door. Noctis gritted his teeth, quickening his pace as he continued down. They'd all be headed to the ground floor to cut him off and he needed to reach it first.

The prince slammed into the rail, coming to stop as two women turned the corner of the alley at a run, heading right for him less than a minute later. There was no way they could have made it down here that fast- they must have been keeping watch on the lower level. Well, if he couldn't go down, then he'd have to go up.

It was much easier to keep his balance climbing up the stairs than it was going down, although it wasn't long before the muscles in his legs were burning. Heavy footsteps above him made him look up, able to make out one man climbing down the stairs and another coming through a window to cut off his escape. He'd forgotten the whole point of the fire escape was to provide an exit in case of an emergency. The kidnappers only had to find the window that opened onto it.

Noctis grit his teeth in frustration, caught between at least four people that he could see. Summoning his sword to hand, his eyes darted all around him as he weighed his options. He was still three or four stories up, so warping to the ground was out. There was a window to his left, but his kidnappers knew the layout better than he did and re-entering the building would still leave him trapped between them and any others that may still be inside.

He clutched his sword more tightly as the men above drew nearer, determined not to be caught a second time without a fight. His eyes landed once more on the fire escape of the other building, widening slightly as he realized he might have a way out after all. It was still farther than he wanted to try warping (especially three or four stories above the ground), but drastic times called for drastic measures.

Carefully gauging the distance (and doing his best to ignore the pounding feet descending the stairs right next to him), Noctis drew back his arms and let the sword fly. The magic surged through him as he disappeared, almost positive he'd felt one of the men's hands pass through him as he warped.

The thought was quickly forgotten as he reappeared, his stomach hitting the rail hard and stealing his breath away. He realized his feet were dangling freely- meaning he was on the wrong side of the rail -about the same time he felt himself starting to slide backward. Heart hammering in his chest, he desperately clutched at the bars as his shoes scrabbled for purchase, finding it and sending him head-first over the side and into a tumbled heap on the metal grate.

Noctis took a moment to catch his breath, willing the tremors that had overtaken his entire body to subside. A shrill voice echoing up from down below ("Since when can he do that!") reminded him that he wasn't out of the woods yet. He pushed himself back to his feet, forcing his wobbly legs to climb the stairs. They were still cutting off his access to the street, but he felt relatively sure they didn't have anyone in this building, given the woman's exclamation.

Both his lungs and legs were screaming at him by the time Noctis made it to the top, panting heavily as his eyes scanned the area. Though the last rays of sunlight had long since faded from the sky, the ambient light from the city reflecting off the crystalline Wall above them provided enough illumination for Noctis to make out the various pipes, skylights, ventilation ducts and other things littering the rooftop. Although he had a bit of a head start on his abductors, he didn't dare rest for more than a few seconds before crossing to the other side with quick steps.

The prince hesitated as he reached the opposite edge, eyeing the next roof over. Although it was a bit more difficult to make out the shapes in the darkness from a distance, it looked like there was a clear area for him to land...provided his warp didn't fall short again. He bit his lip, glancing back toward the fire escape. No one else had made it to the roof yet, giving him a little time to ponder his next course of action.

On the one hand, there was more than one fire escape- he could easily climb down the other one (provided it wasn't on the same side of the building as the first) and reach the street below. The downside was that he would be easily visible if his kidnappers decided to circle the building instead of follow him up. He wished he'd taken the time to check what they were doing when he'd reached the roof, but didn't dare go back and do so now.

The second possibility was the rooftop door that would let him inside the building. He could [hopefully] slip out a side or back entrance unnoticed. Another if-y option, as the people after him could be heading up to meet him right now or covering the exits and waiting for him to come to them. Assuming, of course, that the door was even unlocked in the first place.

Option number three: warp to the next rooftop and keep going. Even if they anticipated him warping from building to building, they simply couldn't reach the roof fast enough to intercept him. It obviously had the highest chance of him escaping successfully- provided he didn't kill himself in the attempt.

Noctis climbed up on the thick parapet designed to keep people from falling, summoning his sword and taking a deep breath before letting it out slowly. He was sure he could reach the other roof- especially when he didn't have the added pressure of someone about to grab him if he didn't warp right then. But, he was also at least ten stories up and had already messed up one warp today. As much as he hated to admit it, he was more than a little scared to try it again.

He shivered as a cold breeze swept across the rooftop, chilling the exposed skin of his fingers and cheeks. He was running out of time- regardless of whichever path his abductors had decided on, it wouldn't be long before Noctis was caught again if he didn't keep moving. Gripping the hilt with both hands- a little awkwardly, because of the handcuffs -he swung it like he would a greatsword, sending a quick prayer to the Six before letting it fly and warping after it.

A split-second later he reappeared on the opposite roof, stumbling slightly as he landed six or seven feet from the edge. Noctis banished the sword, his relief tempered by fatigue as he bent almost in half leaning on his knees and tried to catch his breath. Innate ability or not, warping really took a lot out of him. He certainly couldn't do it back-to-back, and hoped the time it took to cross the rooftop would be long enough to rest in between.

Although Noctis didn't recognize the part of the city he was in, his vantage point allowed him to see the Citadel in the distance, towering above everything around it. He started heading in that direction, only hesitating a little bit when he reached the edge of the roof before warping across. He cleared the distance with ease, although his landing was a bit less graceful as his legs abruptly gave out beneath him. Apparently he hadn't quite rested long enough before crossing the gap, though it was nice to know his magic wouldn't drop him mid-warp. He just needed to take his time walking from one edge of the roof to the other and he'd be fine.

Progress was slow as Noctis required frequent breaks, his stamina no where near up to the task he was asking of it. In addition the temperature was steadily dropping now that the sun was down, the biting wind mercilessly stealing what warmth it could as it blew across the rooftops. The prince shivered, shoulders hunched against the cold as he climbed over an exterior ventilation duct, rubbing his hands together vigorously as soon as they left the frigid metal. Of all the days to not wear gloves...

Although he hadn't traveled more than a few blocks from where he was being held initially, Noctis felt relatively sure he had lost his pursuers. He hadn't been traveling in a straight line, warping to nearby buildings with lower rooftops as he slowly made his way back to the ground. While he didn't know how many people were involved in his abduction, he figured they'd be spread pretty thin trying to locate him- especially in the dark.

Another cold gust of wind swept past him as he climbed up on the parapet, clasping his hands to his chest for extra warmth. The next rooftop over had a large billboard on the corner, the glare from the lights obscuring the area behind it.

Not wanting to chance landing on- and then falling through -a skylight or worse, Noctis carefully walked away from the main road and the bright advertisements lining it. He thought he could make out a clear area a little further down, carefully climbing over a set of three pipes- each about as wide as his hand was long -that went up over the parapet he was standing on, disappearing down the side of the building. He was startled by the sudden flapping of multiple sets of wings, instinctively covering his face as the group of birds he'd disturbed took flight. His foot caught on the pipe as he tried to step backward, sending him plummeting to the ground still so very far below.

Primal terror gripped him as he found himself in free-fall, limbs flailing uncontrollably. The walls weren't more than a blur as they sped past, just out of reach as the ground eagerly rushed up to meet him. In that instant, Noctis knew- with an absolute certainty he had only felt a few times in his life -that he was going to die.

"Focus, Noct- you're not even trying!"

Gladio's words- accompanied by the irritated expression the older teen often wore during their practice sessions -echoed through his mind, slicing through the panic with the same ease the Shield cut through the prince's defense in training. Noctis shook himself, trying to ignore the icy claws of fear still gripping his heart and focus instead of getting out his current predicament alive.

Theoretically, he knew it was possible to warp safely to the ground while falling. What he didn't know was whether he had to do something different to account for his momentum so it didn't send him rolling across the asphalt...or simply cause him to meet his demise as a prince-shaped pancake that much faster.

The alleyway below him (which he was approaching far too fast for his liking) was lit by a single light hanging over a backdoor. Two dumpsters were located directly across from the door, a sizable mound of partially broken down cardboard boxes sitting next to them. Noctis took this in at a glance, deciding to aim for the [hopefully empty] pile of boxes as he summoned his sword. While not ideal, the cardboard would likely serve as a better cushion than the dumpster, should it come to that.

Without another thought he let the sword fly, hoping he hadn't just made a grave error as he warped after it. He overshot his mark in his haste, reappearing just above the edge of the dumpster instead. He didn't have time to appreciate the fact that the magic, apparently, compensated for his momentum as gravity quickly reasserted itself.

Had he been leaned forward enough to rest the majority of his weight on his toes, he would have landed in a crouch atop the edge of the dumpster. As it was, his shoes slid off the lid as he tumbled backwards, landing flat on his back. Groaning in pain, he idly wondered how many new bruises he'd be sporting by this time tomorrow.

Not quite willing to move just yet, Noctis laid there for a moment or two; catching his breath as the adrenalin ebbed and the fact that he was still alive sunk in. Although not the worst near-death experience he'd had, it was definitely one of the top three. He could barely make out the edge of the roof against the subtle shimmer of the Wall above, another thrill of fear- or was it excitement? -running through him as he again saw how far away it was. While it was an impressive feat, he was grateful the alley was deserted and no one was around to witness his landing.

The sound of gravel crunching beneath hesitant boots drew another groan from Noctis- this one of irritation -as he awkwardly pushed himself to a sitting position. The chances of his abductors finding him weren't good, but he didn't want to be caught lying down if that turned out to be the case.

"Hey, are you al- Noct?" a familiar voice asked, footsteps coming to an abrupt stop. "Is that you?"

The prince quickly turned his head, eyes widening in surprise. Prompto was standing a few feet away- bundled up in a heavy coat, beanie and gloves -with a couple bags of groceries hanging from one hand. He looked just as surprised as the Noctis. "Prompto? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Uh, I was walking by when I saw a streak of blue light... And then I saw you fall off the dumpster..." he explained hesitantly, moving closer. "Are you okay?"

So much for no witnesses. "Nothing injured but my pride," Noctis replied, pushing himself to his feet with a grunt. "Mostly just sore."

Prompto nodded, his gaze wandering over to the dumpster Noctis had fallen off of. "So...dumpster diving?" he asked, raising as eyebrow as he looked back to his friend. "Not that I'm judging or anything, but I kinda thought with your job and, you know, who your dad is..."

Noctis stared at the blond for several long seconds before realizing just what he was implying. "What? No!" he denied, shaking his head. Even if Ignis or whoever didn't take care of his bills for him, he'd be moved back to the Citadel- willingly or not -long before he reached that point. "I just...kind of messed up my warp," he admitted.

"Warp?" Prompto asked, giving his friend an odd look. "Like 'a piece of wood will warp if you leave it outside,' warp?"

"Uh, no," Noctis said slowly, realizing he'd never discussed his abilities with the blond before. "Warp, as in disappear and reappear somewhere else."

Prompto stared at the prince like he'd spontaneously grown a second head before his eyes widened in realization. "Oh yeah, I forgot the king uses magic to create the Wall- I guess it makes sense that you'd be able to do other stuff with it too."

"Yeah..." Noctis hedged, looking away. It was no secret the royal family had magic, but only those who dealt closely with them knew the extent of their abilities. While he didn't mind the blond being included in that group, this wasn't really the time or place.

Prompto opened his mouth, several more questions ready on the tip of his tongue. That entire train of thought was derailed before he could voice it, however, when he noticed the handcuffs. "Uh, Noct?" he asked uncertainly. "Why are you-"

He was interrupted by a car squealing to a stop at the mouth of the alley, two women jumping out and drawing their guns. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask that you come with us, Prince Noctis," the shorter of the two said as she approached the teens, training her weapon on the raven-haired prince.

Noctis narrowed his eyes, recognizing the voice though he couldn't immediately place where he knew it from. He stared intently at her face as she stepped into the light, mouth dropping open slightly in disbelief. "Ashley?" he asked, incredulous. The fact that she was involved forced Noctis to reevaluate everything he knew about her. Depending on how long they'd been watching him, it was possible she'd gotten the job at the restaurant in preparation for this. And it explained how they knew when and where to grab him- asking him to cover her shift had lured him right into their trap. "I rescind my apology- you deserve everything I may have said to you this morning."

"That's a bit harsh, Highness," Ashley said, her tone neutral. If she felt any remorse for her actions, it certainly didn't show. The second woman hung back, keeping her gun out but not aiming it at anything in particular and seemingly content to merely observe.

"I disagree, given the circumstances," Noctis retorted, edging backward. "How did you find me?"

"The trail of your magic stands out rather well in the dark."

Noctis flinched. He knew warping left a glowing blue trail in it's wake, though it was not something he had seen himself as it always faded by the time he regained his feet. It would have stood out like a beacon, broadcasting his location to everyone who bothered to look up. "And my number? How did you get that?" he continued, stalling for time as he surreptitiously glanced around for an avenue of escape. That door might work if it was unlocked...

"I went through your locker," Ashley answered calmly. "You may want to consider a passcode on your phone." She stopped, her emotionless mask slipping slightly as Prompto placed himself between her and Noctis, holding his arms out to block her path. "Stand aside," she ordered.

While the conversation itself didn't make much sense to the blond, it was clear the two knew each other and were no longer on good terms. That wasn't really surprising, given 'Ashley's' involvement in what was obviously an attempt to kidnap the prince. However, Prompto wasn't about to let his best friend be taken if he could help it- even if that meant using himself as a distraction. His eyes were drawn to the gun as the woman pointed it at him, unable to look away from what may very possibly be the last thing he saw. It suddenly felt much more difficult to draw a deep breath as bands of fear tightened around his chest, but he held his ground.

Noctis stared at the back of the blond's head in surprise, almost having forgotten Prompto was there in light of his co-worker's betrayal. "What are you doing?" he hissed, stepping closer so he could see his friend's face. The younger teen had turned as white as a sheet, looking like he was about to be sick at any moment and was visibly shaking. Just looking at him made Noctis feel incredibly guilty. "Look, this has nothing to do with you, alright? You can leave - they won't stop you."

Prompto didn't seem to have heard him. "Get out of here, Noct," he whispered, his lips barely moving. "Don't worry about me- just go!"

"Step aside or I will shoot you," Ashley repeated, voice firm though her hand trembled slightly.

"Ashley," her partner interrupted, drawing everyone's attention. She was standing just outside the circle of light cast by the lamp above the door, expression indiscernible in the darkness although her tone was one of disapproval. "He's just a kid."

"You heard what the Marshal said!" Ashley snapped, not taking her eyes off the blond. "Last chance."

Prompto swallowed, nervously licking his lips before breathing out the word that would seal his fate. "...no."

A shot rang out, sounding overly loud in the relative quiet of the alley. Prompto screamed as he staggered back, dropping his bags and clutching his left shoulder. It felt like he had been punched with a hammer, the area throbbing with a sharp, stinging pain. Hands on his back let him know Noctis was still with him, which was both comforting and worrying at the same time. Why hadn't he run? What if the heir to the throne ended up being captured because he stayed to help some nobody like him?

Noctis' eyes were smoldering as he glared over Prompto's shoulder. They were after him- they had no right to attack civilians. The cardboard visible in the corner of his eye gave him an idea as fiery anger burned through him, almost overpowering in its intensity. He channeled it into something useful, drawing it out in the form of elemental energy cupped between his hands as he formulated the beginnings of a plan.

Ashley looked almost as shocked by the shot as Prompto, but Noctis had no sympathy for her. "You brought this on yourself," he stated coldly, raising his hands and throwing the fireball at her.

Ashley screamed in fright as the flames latched onto her clothing, jumping around in a panic as she tried to pat them out, the other woman hurrying over to help. Noctis paid them no mind, grabbing Prompto's arm and pulling him back before kicking the pile of boxes across the alley and summoning another fireball. The first had merely been a distraction, but this needed to burn long enough to allow them to escape.

Needing to work fast, Noctis dumped his energy into it, quickly feeding the flames to make sure it wouldn't go out quite as easily. Once that was done he turned to go, almost falling as fatigue slammed into him like a freight train. Prompto steadied him, keeping one hand on the prince's arm as they took off at a staggering run. Another alley intersected the one they were in and Prompto pulled Noctis toward it, wanting to get out of the line of fire before the would-be abductors gave chase.

The second woman watched them go from the corner of her eye as she forced Ashley to the ground, helping her roll back and forth to put out the rest of the flames.

Ashley gingerly sat up once she was sure her clothes were no longer on fire, eyes wide as she gasped for breath. She'd had no idea the prince was capable of that. She jerked her head to the side, glancing past the flames to the alley beyond, scowling when she couldn't see Noctis anywhere. "Come on," she said angrily, pushing herself to her feet. A firm hand on her shoulder kept her from stalking toward the fire and she turned to look at her partner, seething. "He's getting away!"

"That could have been you," the second woman said sternly, gesturing to the impromptu bonfire still blocking their path. "It's over."

"What do you mean?" Ashley demanded, eyes narrowing as her partner turned away and lifted a hand to her ear instead of answering.

"This is Melissa reporting in," she said, clearly talking to someone via a headset. "Target is in an alley, ground level, heading toward 49th Street between Loveless Avenue and Park Place. Be advised he is accompanied by a civilian, who has been 'shot.' Ashley has been incapacitated and we'll need a containment unit to put out a fire." There was silence for a few seconds as she listened to whoever was on the other end. "Understood. We'll head to the rendezvous."

Ashley watched, mouth hanging open slightly as Melissa turned back to her. "Don't tell me that you're..."

"Afraid so," Melissa said, leading the way back to the car.

Ashley followed behind, heart plummeting as she considered what that might mean. "I really messed up back there, didn't I?" she asked, sliding into the passenger's side.

Melissa didn't answer immediately, though her tight-lipped expression spoke volumes of her opinion on the matter. "That's for the Marshal to decide."

To Be Continued

New chapters are posted on Monday.