'Behold!' cried Liam. 'The messenger!'
'Hurrah,' offered Ulrik.
The group gazed at rusty panels, faded flowers and dribbling slogans. The streetlights splayed over filthy windows, rendering the driver invisible. The rotting muffler vomited detonations as the van shuddered past on the slippery rails, a scrap yard its only credible destination.
Liam stepped into the street to witness the van's departure. Sylvia spotted a phalanx of traffic and pulled him to the safety of the opposite footpath. The others followed. As the van disappeared, the spell dissolved and the street came back to life.
'Well?' prompted Neil.
'It has begun,' intoned Liam.
'What has?'
Liam's expression was deadpan. 'The Kombi-van Rail Cannon.'
'What is that?' asked Ulrik.
'I don't want to talk about it.'
Sonya punched Liam lightly in the chest. 'Oh yes you do. You're going to explain to my boyfriend, in simple terms, exactly what just happened.'
'I cannot.'
'Bullsh*t man,' said Yvonne. 'You got us into this space. What was the bloody sign?'
'There was no sign; I was mistaken.'
Neil approached Liam from behind and put him in a headlock. 'Are you sure there was no sign, cobber?'
Liam looked at the ring of expectant faces. 'Very well. Release me, oaf, and I will reveal all inside the beauteous Club Foramen.'

**********

They entered the dark, smoky space as the headline band came on. Pushing through bodies, Yvonne navigated closer to the stage, trailing the others behind her. The musicians tested their instruments, then launched into deafening orbit.
The lead guitarist was an elf-like creature, her legs clad in velvet. A mesh top sat over a pretty brassiere. Over this hung a large shirt tied at the waist. Her hair was fastened with camouflage netting that trailed to the stage. A hand-rolled cigarette rode her tiny mouth, twisting as she wrung the neck of her guitar.

To be continued...