Strange had sensed that there was a change in many of the patients at Arkham Asylum. It seemed cloudy at first, but as the auras of others became stronger, it quickly drew into better clarity. Of course, the fact that he had begun cheeking his pills (Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, he never thought he'd be resorting to that!) helped him some. Then again, a lot of credit was due to Harry, the wizard he had met. Had it not been for that man, and seeing his amulet, Strange might have lived out the rest of his life in placid submission of consciousness.
By the powers invested in me by the Ancient One, I will never let myself become so deluded again! It had been a solemn vow he'd made to himself from the moment he left Harry to his own madness and returned to his room.
Then he began searching and plotting.
It had taken some time, but eventually, Strange came across the hiding place of many of the patient belongings. How could he have been so stupid? It was so obvious! The nurses had cluttered everything up in boxes in a broom closet right next to the med room. No lock! No guard! Everyone was just so whacked out of their minds that they didn't think to open the door. Needless to say, at the first opportunity (when the nurses were making rounds and most of the patients were gone from the common room,) Strange made a dash for his belongings.
Lo and behold! The Eye of Agamotto. The Cloak of Levitation. Even his Book of the Vishanti (which he cast a spell upon so that it might fit neatly into his pocket.)
He dashed back to his room, made a quick change into his traditional garb. Oh, it felt so good to be in black again. He had missed that color of the spectrum. Cloak was draped over his shoulders, the Eye, suspended by an invisible chain, carefully placed over his neck, and --
CRASH. BOOM. BANG. SKREEE--
Strange poked his head out into the hallway just in time to see a woman fly by on a gurney, quickly followed by another woman (this one more amazon in appearance) with a mattress on his head.
"I guess this is it."
The sign he'd been waiting for?
The Sorcerer Supreme hurried out into the hallway and ran after the woman with the mattress.