005

— the doctor of light —

HAZEL FINGERS TAPPED AGAINST THE ARMREST OF THE SPINNING CHAIR. Dick leaned between her Gar, pulling up a dozen files and lighting up the computer screens before stepping back. "Dr Light will need to refuel if he's planning another attack," Dick explained, his arms crossed over his chest. "He'll need a large electric power cell and a light source where he can absorb the energy."

"So, monitor the power grids and keep an eye out for any unusual disturbances," Gar nodded, rolling closer to the desk.

"We find where he's pulling the power from, we find him," Dick confirmed. He knocked his foot against Hazel's chair and she looked up. "Hazel I need you to let us know if your light senses spark."

"Okay, got it," Hazel nodded, pulling her legs onto the chair.

Dick turned to leave but stopped and spun back to the pair. "Oh, hey, uh, everything okay with Rachel?" Dick questioned, and the two looked up at him. "She looked a little strange in training."

Gar glanced at Hazel and her eyes shot down to look at her hands. Gar took a deep breath and looked back up at Dick. "Yeah, yeah. That was just her... training face," Gar lied, playing with the cuffs on his jumper.

"Training face?" Dick repeated.

"She just wants to be ready in case any of the old Titans want to spar," Gar nodded.

"After they settle in," Hazel added and Gar smiled at her.

"They're not gonna settle in," Dick said quickly. Hazel eyebrows furrowed and she glanced at Gar. "Hank and Dawn, and Donna... they're not staying."

"Did something happen between you guys?" Gar asked.

"Keep looking," Dick brushed off, walking away. Hazel looked at Gar and he shrugged.

Hazel sighed and held her hands out, a small orb of gold light floating between her palms. The rays swirled between her fingers, the light pulsing towards the overhead light as she spun the chair around. "You pretty damn good at that," Gar said, glancing between her and the map. "When did that happen? Last I heard you burnt half the kitchen and Dick wouldn't stop lecturing you." Gar laughed softly and Hazel shrugged softly.

"About a month ago. Probably one of the days you were pining for Jason's attention," Hazel mumbled, spinning it around her hand.

"What's that meant to mean?" Gar asked, looking at Hazel from the corner of his eye, a flicker of suspicion crossing his features.

"I, uh," Hazel cleared her throat, her mind racing for an explanation. "Nothing," she dismissed with an uneasy smile. Smooth, Hazel. Real smooth. She stood quickly and started to pace around the room, hoping her fidgeting could disguise the thoughts racing in her mind.

Gar sighed softly and scrolled across the map. "Have you seen anything yet?" Hazel asked, moving to stand behind Gar.

"Nope," Gar said, leaning back in the chair. "Do you feel anything yet?" Gar asked looking up at Hazel.

"Nope," Hazel sighed. Hazel's light flicked and started to brighten and Hazel quickly shook it away. "Neverminded, I got something."

Gar's eyes frantically scanned over the map, stammering as he did. "Where? I - I don't see anything," Gar stuttered, moving aside for Hazel.

"Try private lines," Hazel instructed, her eyes glowing gold. She lifted her hand again, the rays of light moving around her hand faster and faster. "It's definitely there. It's small but definitely not natural." Gar switched to the private lines. The electric lines were connected to a single switching station. Haze's eyes frantically scanned over the screen when a small electrical pulse ran through the power lines. "There."

"Are you sure? It's not a whole lot of power," Gar said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Positive, go get Dick," Hazel nodded. Gar nodded and ran for the kitchen. Hazel pressed a few buttons zooming in on the building the electrical lines were leading to.

A few moments later, Gar walked back in with Dick. "Gar said you found something," Dick said, stepping beside Hazel.

"We couldn't find anything on the main grid, so we started searching private lines, and then this," Hazel explained, nodding to the picture on screen. "I know it doesn't look like enough for Dr Light, but it's not a coincidence to have it all centred around that location."

"It's a switching station," Dick explained. "Kind of like a back door into the grid."

A power-down sound echoed through the tower and the power switched off. The halls darkened, the entire tower enveloped in darkness in seconds. "Main power interrupted. Auxiliary power engaged," An automatic voice relayed. Hazel held her hand out and another orb appeared, the gold lights spreading across the room.

Hazel walked from the control room, and they walked to the large glass windows. Quickly the power outage spread across the city, the lights shutting off and sending the city into darkness.

"The city's blacking out," Gar observed, watching the different building's power disappear.

"It's Dr Light. He's redirecting the energy, looking for a light delivery system to refuel," Dick explained.

Hazel lit her eyes up and her gaze wandered over the city. She took a few steps to the right, Gar and Dick following. She quickly stopped as she spotted a large stadium, her light wanting to attach itself to its structure. "Would a stadium work?" Hazel questioned.

"What stadium-?" The stadium lit up as soon as the words left Gar's mouth.

Hazel looked up at Dick. "I'm coming with you," Hazel ordered. Dick shook his head but Hazel was already arguing, "You know damn well I'm good enough with my light to face him."

"Take her," Gar insisted.

Dick wiped his hand down his face before sighing, "I'll go get the others, you have five minutes." Hazel nodded, running to her room to grab her jacket.

Dick stopped by each of the older Titans' rooms, leading them out to the living room. "Lit up five minutes ago," Dick relayed. "He's gonna use the stadium to recharge."

"He's a grandiose motherfucker, isn't he?" Hank laughed.

"It's a challenge," Dawn explained.

"Or a trap," Donna shrugged.

"What he doesn't know is that we're all here," Dick countered. "He's asking for a party of one."

"Well, let's give him a party of four," Hank hummed.

"Five," Hazel corrected. She pushed herself off the couch, walking to Dick's side.

"No way, she's just a kid," Hank said, shaking his head.

"Dr Light's expecting one guy who can throw a punch, not a superpowered kid that can match his power, probably overpower it," Hazel argued, pulling Jason's jacket on, which she had still had yet to give back, and was still stained with her blood. Hank looked down at her and shook his head again. "I've fought worse."

"What, we're on the move?" Jason shouted, coming from the hall as well, decked out in his full Robin suit.

"Yeah, to Omaha," Hank teased. "We'll drop you off at the bus station."

Jason scoffed, shaking his head. Dick turned to face Jason and sighed softly. "This doesn't have anything to do with you," Dick explained. "We'll handle it."

"Look, I didn't come here to empty the dishwasher," Jason snapped. "At least let me run interference or something."

"Not this time," Dick said softly and the others walked to the elevator.

"So what? You wanna take Venom but not Robin?" Jason questioned, slapping Hazel's arm. "I can help. I'll do whatever you say, but don't leave me behind, man," Jason pleaded.

"You'll get your time. Not tonight," Dick assured. Jason sighed and reluctantly nodded. Hazel squeezed his hand before following Dick to the elevator.

❁

THE ECHO OF THEIR FOOTSTEPS FILED THEIR EARS AS THEY WALKED THROUGH THE EMPTY STADIUM. Hazel held her hand out, a spinning gold orb lighting the way as she followed beside Dick. The large staduim lights flickered to life, and the rays of bright lights started to race toward Dr Light'd body. He stood in the centre of the field, the lights swarming around and illuminating the night.

"Headed towards the field. Section 9," Donna informed, her voice echoing over the comms.

"Section 24," Dawn said.

"Section 16," Hank echoed.

"Moving into position in Section 2," Dick confirmed. "Hazel cut the light." Hazel moved the orb to dance between both her palms before slamming her hands together, a whistle cutting through the night and the lights shut off quickly, shrouding the stadium in darkness.

Dr Light stumbled, the last of the light absorbing in his hands. He cracked his neck to the side and Dick stepped into the field. Hazel ducked behind the bleachers, waiting for Dick's call. "I'm glad you could make it!" Dr Light yelled, turning to face Dick. "All of you. Even the kid."

"So much for the party of five surprise," Hank laughed. Hazel stood slowly, stepping out from the darkness, but careful to keep her distance. A burst of light shot from Dr Light's chest and Hazel threw her hands out, the light exploding into tiny rays and swerving around Dick's body and towards Hazel's hands.

Dick looked back at Hazel and she nodded softly. They turned their attention back to Dr light, but he had vanished, using the light explosion as cover. "Anybody?" Dick questioned, clicking the com on the side of his ear.

"I've got a visual. He's heading toward the southern concourse exit," Donna said quickly. Dick and Hazel rushed across the field, running through the underside of the stadium to reach the side car park, Donna catching up a moment later.

Dr Light lept from behind a car and charged a shot at Dick.

"Dick, get down!" Donna shouted. The charge raced out and Dick flipped himself off the car, dodging the shot. It landed by Hazel, but she managed to absorb the majority of the blast. He shot out another blast at Donna but she shielded herself with a car door.

Hazel shot the light back at the doctor and he stumbled, unable to absorb the light fast enough. She tried to rush forward but Dick grabbed her hand and pulled her down. "You're back up, okay? You're not chasing him!" Dick snapped and Hazel nodded reluctantly.

Dr Light stood on shaky legs and turned to run. "I got this!" Hank yelled. "Cut him off on the other side." Dr Light turned and sent out another shot. Hank dodged to the side, the light exploding on the floor, the rays of light shooting out and burning the bottom of his leg.

"He's headed to Buchanan," Dawn informed through the coms.

Hazel slapped Dick's shoulder and he nodded. "Just stop him," Dick ordered. Hazel jumped out from behind the car, using one hand to swipe away a light shot, the other conducting vines to burst from the ground. The cracking concrete made Dr LIght stumble but he quickly used his light to burn the vines.

"Shit," Hazel cursed. If I could get closer..!

"Got him!" Donna yelled as she raced past Hazel and down the small street. Donna stopped by the end of the road and pulled her lasso out. She swung it around a motorbike and flung it at Dr Light, slamming him into the ground.

Dick walked up and stood in front of Dr Light. Hazel jogged out of the parking lot. Blaring light made her head snap up and she stared at the oncoming yellow bus. "Dick!" Donna shouted. The bus's brakes hissed as it came to a sudden stop. Dr Light threw his hand down and a light explosion blinded Dick and Donna. Once the lights disappeared, Dick looked down at the bike and Dr Light was gone.

Hazel took an uneasy breath, her eyes scanning the parking lot. "Venom!" Dawn shouted. Hazel jogged back to the parking lot, kneeling next to her and Hank, who held his leg in pain.

"Stay still," Hazel ordered, moving Hank's hand away. She carefully peeled back Hank's torn jean leg and he cursed under his breath. "Oh! You're fine, you big baby." Hazel huffed, a teasing smile graced her lips as she carefully hovered her hand over the burn, the welts and blood disappearing quickly.

"I just got burnt dammit," Hank scoffed, a chuckle taking over as he huffed.

"Yeah, and now you're fine," Hazel said, pushing herself to stand. 

— pain —