ILLUSION || Jason Todd

SIX

❝HERE IN THE MOMENT ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE SCREEN❞

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER, DISCONNECTED

Having an on-field experience was something Lorelei will always thank Hank for giving her. It was not much, barely anything, with them sitting in Hank's vehicle while watching people load a truck with - as Hank put it - dangerous weapons and taking pictures for case files. Stakeouts weren't fun, they were slow, long and boring but it was the most Lorelei had been able to do that actually helped and for that, she kinda owed Hank.

So, she figured 'Why not?' and took a glance into the brains of whatever men were surrounding the trucks. The information she got was nothing special, just boring details Hank and Dawn had already gathered but Hank still appreciated her warnings that the operation was far larger than the former Titan had imagined, followed by a scoff at recruiting Dick for the takedown.

The hostility was not directed to Lorelei, she knew that, but still, it irked her with Hank earning a rolling eye. That, then, sparked the conversation of why. Why work for the Bat? Why stick with Dick when she's getting nothing from it? Why trust Dick?

Her answers, in return, were simple. Without calling on her Archmage for magic outside her elemental, Lorelei could stay in Gotham and use her artificial magic for good - rewrite the pain they were designed to endorse - for as long as she possibly could while running from her past. Sticking with Dick was an easier answer - Rachel. A cult was after her, claiming she could destroy the world, that would not be possible for a simple human girl, no, Rachel did have something more sinister within her and Lorelei wanted to help her newfound friend. Trusting Dick, however, brought a hesitant answer of 'I just do.' because truly, there was no reason other than Bruce trusted him and that he was formerly Robin - that counted for Lorelei.

Even when Hank began to argue, claiming Dick was someone with no true commitment to someone other than himself and that he would abandon Lorelei and Rachel sooner than later, Lorelei just shook her head. There would be no abandonment, Lorelei wasn't staying with Dick - if anything, she was using Dick. That was her argument, followed by silence as they returned back to apartment 304.

Walking back into the apartment, Lorelei and Hank were met with Dawn and Dick sitting at the table, looking rather comfortable, familiar with one another and before anyone could process what was happening, Hank immediately went for the jugular with his harsh words of Dick taking what he pleases, coming and going, and more specifically, just like the 'old days'.

Then, one thing leads to another, and unsurprisingly, boys begin to get physical. The surprising part came in the form of Rachel Roth shouting at the boys to stop, followed by her eyes turning black and her face morphing into something that was not Rachel, whilst whatever glass was in the room shattered, causing everyone to halt their actions and attempts to stop the boys from fighting.

It was the first time Lorelei had the pleasure of witnessing Rachel and the darkness she claimed to have possessed her and now, having witnessed it, the ice blonde girl could understand why Rachel feared whatever magic she possessed. That darkness killed the Satanic ritualist guy, she had no control over it whatsoever as she muttered out a small, perhaps even embarrassed 'I'm sorry.' before walking back to the spare room she was graciously given - to share with Lorelei - during her stay in apartment 304.

The four within the kitchen looked at each other, their gazes flickering between each pair of eyes that weren't their own. Nobody knew how to react, especially Dawn and Hank who had no idea just how serious Rachel's situation was and, until Lorelei saw Rachel's moment just there with lack of control, she was perhaps just as clueless. Dick, too, was stunned, even after having witnessed more of Satanic ritualist guys' deaths than Lorelei.