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Trying to explain the human world to North would be a lot like that. Where was he even supposed to start?

The comic books seemed like the best place, but he’d have to explain what was real and what wasn’t. Did elves have fiction? They had religion. They had art. It made sense they’d have literature, so the jury was out on superheroes. It felt redundant. They lived forever, could wield magic and travel the planes. Maybe their superheroes would be mechanics or plumbers, the people who kept the world going. He wondered if that was why Argent was so taken with automobiles and Silver with fashion from the mortal world. Maybe their romance novels were all about finding love with mortals. Perhaps that was how North had come to be, though it was hard to imagine the Knight of Swords as a young girl, reading a romance novel and pining for a soldier the way he’d occasionally fantasized about a sword-wielding hero or dashing rogue.

Feeling nice and wired from the coffee, Adam headed home, choosing the side streets to avoid the traffic. The trees in the mortal world didn’t whisper, at least not to him, but they were still beautiful. Spring was hope, the chance for new things.

Back home, he was happily lost in his new book when a knock sounded at the closet door.

Heart pounding, Adam froze.

He eyed the nightstand and wondered if Vic’s gun was still in the drawer. He considered calling the sword, but couldn’t move.

Nothing would work.

“Adam?” Jack called from the other side of the door. “Are you in there? The school thinks you are.”

It still took another moment before he could answer, “Yeah.”

“Can I come in?”

“Sure. It’s, uh, open.”

Jack stepped into the room. He took it in as Adam rolled over and sat up.

Adam tried to see it as Jack would. Neat, or at least neater than Adam would have kept it on his own, and a bit more cluttered than Vic would have preferred. He was actually a little bit proud that they could compromise like that.

“Are you all right?” Jack asked.

“Yeah. Sorry. I was, uh, reading.”

Jack didn’t look like he bought it.

“We can do this later,” he said.

“No. I’m good. Is it time? You found the Archive?”

“We did.” Jack grinned. “We’re ready to go if you are.”

“Let me change.”

Speaking of superheroes, this was the part their movies didn’t always show. Heroes could snap their fingers or will their suits to appear. The sword had that kind of magic, but he didn’t, so it was another quick change into Argent’s gear before he was dressed and ready for action.

He gently dug the Binder family grimoire out from under the bed.

“Is that it?” Jack asked, curious.

“Yeah. The one and only.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“More than ever.” His conversation with Argent that morning had strengthened his resolve.

Adam followed Jack back through the closet door and found himself once more in the broom closet at RCC.

Jack had added a thin table and a desk lamp to accentuate his clandestine space.

Three old-fashioned wrist watches were laid out in a row. Jack passed him one.

“Put this on.”