Richard woke up .He sat up slowly and stretched. He got to his feet and lazily rubbed at his eyes. He stopped mid action when he noticed Jason on the couch. He turned to look at the curtains. A plan already forming despite his half aware state. Richard easily made his way to the windows and opened the curtains with enthusiasm.
He cringed at the sudden brightness but it didn't deter him, he persevered and waited for the pillow or complaint he was sure would come. When no response occurred he looked over his shoulder. Jason glared at him through half-opened eyes before rolling over and burying his face into the side of the couch to get away from the sunlight which woke him. Richard laughed and closed the curtains and went to the kitchen. To make breakfast that hopefully wouldn't give its consumers a sudden case of nausea.
He glared at his empty fridge and made note he needed to go proper groceries shopping .He opened a cupboard and grabbed around for cereal. Finally he found a box, except it was disappointingly empty .He muttered "great", when he couldn't find a box that wasn't empty. He checked the wall clock. He still had at least an hour and a half before any of his younger siblings awoke.
Richard showered quickly .On his way out he grabbed his bike keys, wallet and cellphone. He paused at the door .Richard back tracked to the kitchen where he found some colorful sticky notes. He grabbed a pen and quickly jotted down a message. Once satisfied with his note he put it on the fridge. He hesitated at the door and went back and made copies of the same note and taped them all over the kitchen." Just in case "he muttered.
This time on his way down the hall way he paused at the coat rack .He grabbed his large superman hoodie .Richard looked at the hallway mirror to straighten it out. Richard locked the door behind him.
Jason sat bolt upright when he heard screams. Once he was fully aware he realized it was just Tim and Damien. His curiosity got the better of him and he was soon standing in the bedroom doorway. Jason leaned against the open door frame, he was grinning. Tim was dazed on the floor .Damian was sitting on the bed. Damian folded his arms and huffed .Tim quickly got up and shoved past Jason to go get ready. Before Jason could comment he had to doge an alarm clock, letter opener and a hat. Jason of course dodged these but his only warning of Richards bear hug was Damian's smug look.
"Morning Jay" Shouted Richard as he grabbed his unsuspecting brother. Jason scowled and shoved him. Jason replied "Good morning and what's with the hugging so early?"
Richard shrugged then smiled at Damian when he realized Damian was awake. Richard did a small wave while he greeted " Good morning little D ".Richard then noticed the broken alarm clock on the floor. Richards gaze traveled to the letter opener embedded in the door frame. Richard sighed.
Tim walked out the bathroom fully dressed and shouted "Bathrooms free". Tim walked up to a wall mirror a little further down the passage to make sure none of his clothing was out-of-place.
Damian hopped off of the bed and sprinted to the bathroom .Richard and Jason parted to let him pass. They then stood in silence that was slowly becoming tense .Richard wanting to avoid a fight but also wanting to tell Jason, said "You can use my other bathroom if you want it's the second door on the left of this passage". He pointed at it from the door way
Jason nodded and replied "Thanks" .Jason went to get ready .Seeing as Richard had nothing else to do he went to the kitchen turning on the lights as he went. Richard began setting bowls and spoons out onto the counter. Suddenly he realized the curtains where still drawn. "That's weird he thought ".He first went and dimmed the lights then walked to the curtains and frowned at them .A sudden feeling that something was wrong surfaced.
Richard looked around. His grip on the curtains tightened. Nothing seemed out of place in the lounge. His eyes slowly drifted to the kitchen, He immediately noticed the lack of his pink sticky notes. he swore they were there a second ago .This lead him to notice other things like the takeout boxes logos were the wrong colour, also there was less than there should have been .His gaze slowly locked on to the clock which was also the wrong colour yet the right make.
He had to force himself to look at the hallway entrance where instead of their bags a single pink bag sat with blue letters spelling 'Tina'.
"Definitely weird ", thought Richard.
Tim walked in, he waved in greeting before sitting on a bar stool .Shortly after him walked in Damian followed by Jason .Jason frowned at the floor and voiced his confusion "Is it just me or are the floors the wrong color?". He looked up to see his brothers frowning at the floor. Tim was the first to speak "that's not possible it was definitely not oak ...Richard?" .Richard didn't answer he simply turned around. He stared at the curtains that were too dull in tone and flung them apart.
The shocked silence that fell didn't quite match the mixed feelings that flooded them .Tim stood up as if the chair was deadly .Tim unconsciously stepped closer to Richard and folded his arms .Jason swore loudly and tried to come up with a logical reason for what was happening .He didn't drink last night and he was pretty sure the muffins Alfred made for them weren't "magic Muffins". The sound of voices at the door made them snap back to reality.
The sound of keys jingling set them on edge but luckily their training kicked in and they managed to stay calm .Richard who had noticed more than just the floor ran into the hallway. His brothers hot on his heels. They all skidded to a halt in front of the front door .Richard quickly pulled out his key and shoved it into the key hole praying it would both fit and buy them time .The key fit causing a short-lived relief .
They ran back to the lounge that was both comforting by how familiar it was yet terrifying because they knew it wasn't what they mind kept telling them it was.
"What do we do? "Tim asked in a rather loud panicked voice. Damian opened his mouth to speak but Jason clamped a hand over Damian's mouth when he noticed the lack of jingling keys .Damian having not noticed the lack of sound bit Jason in retaliation to the not so subtle 'shut up'.
Tim quickly muffled Jason's surprised scream .They stood like that for a moment, breathing heavily out of panic and in hopes that they hadn't been found out. Richard couldn't help the maniacal laugh that escaped him .The whole situation was just so absurd .Damian being too short couldn't do anything to stop his brothers laughter and had to settle for glaring along with the others who couldn't do anything in time to stop Richard .
The sound of a door being kicked in made the situation suddenly more real than a moment ago. Richard ran. The others immediately followed his lead, footsteps as light as possible. One after the other they entered the bedroom. The bedroom to anyone who wouldn't notice the details would easily mistake it for Richard's actual room. Richard pointed to the now perfectly made bed .It was a silent command for them to get under it .The others obeyed.
This surprised Richard .Richard swiftly crouched by the bedside and gave his instructions "Stay here till I have drawn whoever is out there away, then meet at Swirl".
He swiftly rose to his feet and grabbed the blankets which he dragged to hide the front of the bed where his brother's faces would otherwise be obvious. He heard the two voices in the lounge, now. They sounded female .He glanced around the room to find something useful .He grabbed a cap and su He shoved the hat under the bed.
Richard then ran down the hall putting on the shades as he went .He purposely let his usual grace leave him to draw the attention of the other occupants of the lounge .He did pause to look at them so he could describe them to his brothers later. He moved quickly not having time to study them further .He ran towards the door past the girl checking behind the couch and the girl in the kitchen near the cupboards. Glasses off of the side table.
Richard sped up when he heard their following footsteps, He ignored the elevator and went straight for the stair case which he hoped would deter his followers. Much to his annoyance it only stopped one of the girls.
The girl who followed Richard was keeping up, he wasn't sure where the other one was .The stamina of the girl who was following him both annoyed and amazed him. He waved cheerful at the Guard who looked up from his newspaper at the sound of his approach .The guard waved back at him then resumed his reading.
The man realizing he was not a tenant stood up just as mystery girl flung the staircase door open and shouted "Help! Stop him! "A mere second later the elevator opened from which the other girl stepped out. The Guard not understanding what was going on but hearing the cry for help did what any good guard in his position would do, He attempted to catch the man.
Richard saw the guard charging out the corner of his eye and dove forward. He slid across the floor easily thanks to his jacket. Once clear of the guard he quickly got up and ran out. He didn't bother to check if the guard who had leapt at him had joined in the chase .He knew the man wouldn't, after all he wasn't that good of a guard.
He frantically looked around till he realized he was panicking and calmed himself .Once calm he began running again despite the stitch in his side and the lack of oxygen from his extreme run.
He had to slow down but was glad when he did. Because he was now able to hear his followers, who he wouldn't have noticed if he had not slowed .They were a little to quite for his liking .Richard tried many ways to lose his tails. None of his usual tricks where working .He was now standing outside the Haven mall .He couldn't help but stare at the massive words starting "Haven Mall" which are all in the wrong color. Feeling very vulnerable and exposed suddenly he pulled on his hood, and shoved his hands in his pockets.
He looked behind him .He noticed that the girls weren't looking for him but talking to a pedestrian who's back faced him .Without hesitation he dashed into the mall.
Once inside he thanked his lucky stars that the Mall opened two hours earlier in the morning than most malls.
He also thanked them for the massive clock on the wall which displayed a different time to his watch, which he realized had stopped. This also helped clear up why the room clock matched his wrist watch but not the mall one. His thoughts where "it also must have stopped, but why?"
With many questions in his head he made his way to Swirl.
