**Chapter 1: Disorientation**

As I slowly opened my eyes, the darkness that surrounded me was suffocating, making it hard to breathe. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me to lie back down. My head was spinning, and my mouth felt dry. I tried to remember how I got there, but my memories seemed to be shrouded in a thick fog. Panic started to set in as I scrambled to recall anything, but my mind was a complete blank. I was still wearing the same clothes I had worn to work - a simple white blouse and dark gray trousers. I worked for the CIA, or at least I thought I did. I was a detective, or so I believed. But now, as I looked around, I realized that I was in a room I had never seen before. The walls were a dull gray, and the air was stale. I tried to stand up again, this time more slowly, and took a few tentative steps forward. The floor creaked beneath my feet, and I froze, listening for any other sounds. The silence was oppressive, and I strained my ears to hear something, anything. But there was nothing. No noise, no movement, just an unsettling stillness. As I took another step forward, my hand brushed against the wall, and I followed it to a small switch on the wall. I flipped it, and a faint light flickered to life, illuminating a small, dingy room with peeling paint and a single, barred window high up on the wall. I approached the window, my heart racing, and peered out. But all I saw was darkness, and I couldn't make out anything beyond the window. I turned away from the window and examined the rest of the room. There was a small, metal table in the center of the room, with a single, flickering fluorescent light overhead. The air was musty, and I could smell the faint scent of mildew. I walked over to the table and ran my hand over its surface, feeling for any clues, but it was empty except for a small, metal chair tucked under it. I spun around, my eyes scanning the room again, and that's when I saw it - a small, door on the far side of the room. I rushed over to it and tried the handle, and to my surprise, it swung open easily. Beyond the door was a narrow corridor, stretching out into darkness. I hesitated for a moment, wondering which way to go, and then I took a deep breath and started down the corridor. As I walked, the silence began to unnerve me, and I found myself smiling weakly to myself, a habit I had when I was nervous. My brown hair, usually styled neatly, was now disheveled, and my bangs fell across my forehead in a messy swoop. My large, brown eyes, normally bright and expressive, felt dull and tired. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to smooth it out, and continued down the corridor. The walls were adorned with old, flickering fluorescent lights, casting eerie shadows on the ground. I walked for what felt like hours, my feet aching, and my stomach growling with hunger. I had no idea where I was or how I got there. All I knew was that I had to keep moving. Finally, I saw a glimmer of light up ahead and picked up my pace. As I turned a corner, I saw a large, metal door with a sign that read "Exit". I pushed the door open, and a warm, golden light spilled out, making me squint. As I emerged on the other side, I was struck by the unfamiliar sights and sounds around me. I was in a bustling city, with towering skyscrapers and neon lights flashing everywhere. I blinked, trying to take it all in. Cars honked, people shouted, and sirens wailed in the distance. I stumbled backward, overwhelmed, and that's when I heard it - a voice on a news broadcast, shouting about something happening in Gotham. Gotham? As in, the Gotham from the comics? The one with Batman and Superman? I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that this wasn't my world anymore. I had no idea how I got here or how to get back home. But for now, I had to keep moving, and find out where I was, and what was happening to me. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, and started to walk, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar streets, trying to make sense of this strange new world. My tanned skin felt pale and clammy, and my slim frame felt fragile in the midst of all this chaos. I smiled weakly to myself, trying to reassure myself that I would be okay, and continued on, into the unknown.