Delirium | Titans

Chapter 1

San Francisco is rather predictable as big city's go. That night didn't start out as much different. A police siren was blaring in the distance and the sound of people yelling and occasional drunk laughter echoed around the streets. Big city's are never silent. Neon signs and the occasional street light lit up the dark streets, giving every sidewalk square a different color.

Dick Grayson walked down one of the streets of the city. The cool, night air was calming. The tower was home but it brought back so many memories. Sometimes he just had to get out. He was alert to his surroundings, keeping tabs on everything around him. Trained to stay sharp and catalog every detail he saw, his mind wouldn't rest. He kept his hands deep in his jacket pockets as he walked, his expression impassive.

A young woman bumped into him, seemingly accidentally. He immediately pulled his hands out of his pockets to steady his own balance and looked over at the woman.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking down at the small woman. She couldn't be older than 19 and her dark hair shadowed her face. Her olive skin was tinted faintly blue by the nearby neon sign.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just clumsy." She said and nodded with a dim smile, beginning to move around him to continue on her way.

Dick nodded, accepting the explanation. He had no reason to question it, so he didn't. He stepped to the side, out of her way and she continued down the dimly lit sidewalk. He resumed his steady path in the other direction.

The moment he put his hands back in his pockets though, he realized something was wrong. His wallet was gone. He spun around and started walking in the same direction as the girl. He knew she would just bolt if he brought attention to himself. She glanced back for a split second and spotted him following her. She bolted, pushing past other pedestrians on the sidewalk.

"Shit," he muttered and broke into a sprint after her.

She made a sharp turn into an alleyway and Dick found himself face to face with a chain link fence. Without even slowing down he sprinted at the fence and used an old box to kick off of and propel himself over it. He moved with the grace and precision of a practiced gymnast. He landed quietly and continued running.

The girl disappeared into an abandoned building and he slowed to a jog and then a walk as he approached the building. He ducked through a jagged hole in the wall that seemed to serve as a doorway. The place was eerily silent compared to the outside city. The occasional sound from the city penetrated the shell of the building. He stepped over a few rotting boards as he made his way deeper into the building.

Nearing the back of the building he spotted a shadowy shape on the floor. Approaching it, he realized it was just an unrolled sleeping bag pushed up against the back wall. A nearly empty box of granola bars sat next to it, along with a black backpack. Someone had been living there, and he had an idea of who it was.

Moving away from that area he looked around, searching for the girl that had snatched his wallet. She was good at what she did, he had to give her that much. That still didn't make it okay.

"Hello? I know you're in here. I won't hurt you, I just want my wallet back." Dick said. His voice echoed around the empty building.

"You need to leave." A distinctly female voice said. It originated from up in the rafters of the building and Dicks gaze shot upwards. How had she managed to get up there so quickly?

"You stole my wallet." He stated firmly, "I'm not leaving until I get it back."

"It's not stealing, think of it as...creative relocation of resources." The voice replied easily. Dick rolled his eyes.

Suddenly an explosion rocked the building, sending dust raining down from the rafters. Along with the dust something else fell from the rafters. Dicks gaze shot towards the sound of the explosion and saw flames beginning to consume the building.

A pair of eyes burned through the flames, almost as red as the fire that surrounded them, but before Dick could get a better look a part of the roof came crashing down. The fire was only fed by the new fuel and grew even higher. He spun around and spotted the small form of the young woman, unconscious on the floor. The explosion must have shaken her out of the rafters and the fall seemed to have knocked her out.

Without even thinking, Dick scooped up the young woman and sprinted out of the building. As are the instincts of a hero. The rest of the roof crashed down just as he was escaping the building. The crash sent fire and ash flying up into the air. The smoke stung his eyes and seeped into his lungs, even when he was far from the fire. Dick left the scene and made his way back to Titans Tower, still carrying the young woman.

———

The young woman bolted awake. She was disoriented for a moment and jumped out of the bed, looking around. The room seemed to be a hospital room, but this was definitely not a hospital.

She quietly moved towards the door and tested the handle. It opened easily and she padded into the hallway, silent as a cat. Her green eyes darted from side to side, checking the hallway for any signs of people. It was dimly lit and thankfully empty as she searched for the exit.

She found a set of elevator doors and scanned the wall for a button to open them. Footsteps behind her caused her to turn around, her heart racing in her chest. Five people stood in the doorway into the next room. The man she had snatched the wallet from stood at the front of the group. Around him was a strange assortment of teenagers. Two girls and two boys. A purple haired girl stood next to a green haired boy on one side, on the other side stood a boy with black hair and a girl with silvery white hair. The silver haired girl didn't seem like she really wanted to be there. The other three just seemed curious.

She glanced back at the elevator and then back at the group. She mentally cursed herself for not jumping out the window of the hospital room when she had the chance. But judging by the level of security they had on their elevator, their windows probably would have been exceptionally hard to break.

"We need to talk." The man stated.