"Come on, Adem, let's blow this joint." Ozzy and Adem continued walked towards the crowd, leaving the rest of the team behind.

Lykopis lowered her skirt. She turned to Gaunt and Drake. "I feel much lighter now." She looked at Penny, who was still trying to get the tag off Icarus' neck. Icarus, realizing that hitting a girl would probably result in someone publcially beating him to a pulp, had resigned. "Perhaps we should help..."

Drake was about to reply when he realized two of his team members were missing. "Where are they?"

*** *** ***

"Now, Adem, let me get you better aquainted with the Earth wonder known as alcohol."

Ozzy and Adem had found their way to one of the beer tents. Ozzy didn't speak German, but luckily, it seemed all the sellers could speak decent English. And they all understood the universal language of money. "I am familar with the substance. I had eggnog at the Christmas party in La Perdita."

Ozzy guzzled down his pint of some local brew. "Yeah. Like eggnog really counts. Here, try this. It's even better than a Bud."

"A bud? I thought I was your bud."

"Shut up and drink, you lanky ET." Ozzy gave that barmaid another Euro and took a mug of some dark foamy substance.

"It's not like I haven't had alcohol before. There's this planet where a lot of students go during their academic breaks."

"Sort of like Florida?"

"Yes, but without all the scary old people that drive too slow. Anyways, on that planet Hsekjhs --"

Ozzy stopped drinking. "That planet what?"

"Hsekjhs."

Ozzy tried to pronouce the word. "Hiskjer...hip...what the royal fuck just came out of your mouth."

"The planet is called Hsekjhs." He grinned and took another sip of the drink. "You need two tongues to pronounce it correctly."

"Well that's kinky."

Adem nodded. "You have no idea. Anyways, they make this amazing liquid that as soon as you take two sips all your problems just seem to vanish. You start seeing things, doing this, and everything's just so much fun." Adem stopped grining. "Of course, then you have nightmares about your toes missing or being knawed on by your pet jorjery. That part's not as fun..."

"Sounds like a nice trip..." Ozzy finished his drink and ordered another.

"Pardon me?" said a prissy voice with a German accent. Ozzy and Adem turned around. A young lady was standing next to them. Ozzy looked at her from head to toe. She had blonde hair and blue eyes and pale skin.

And clevage from Munich to Paris.

"Um..." said Ozzy. His voice cracked. "Can I...help you?"

"I am so sorry, but you look like ze men in ze newspaper. The Vanguard team?"

"Oh. Yeah, we're them. This is Adem, I'm Ozzy." Adem seemed just as captivated.

"Vonderful. I am Fraulein Mitzi Fuckenfrugen of the Munich Daily. I was zent here to cover ze Ocktoberfest." She sat down next to Ozzy. "But it iz so dull to cover the festival all alone. My sister Brunhild can't come until this evening, so I am all by me."

"You mean, 'all by myself'?"

Mitzi nodded. "That too."

Adem spoke next. "Well, it might not be safe for you to do your reporting alone. There might be pickpockets. Perhaps you should stick with us."

"Oh!" She kissed both men on the check. "Vonderful! Oh, and then Brunhild can come with us. You'll like her. She's 'the sezy one'. Shall we have some sausage?"