It was 6 pm Wednesday evening, the humidity was unbearably high and the sun was still two hours away from setting.
Volta stood outside the small town hall and surveyed the area, it was time for the first Black Magic meeting to convene.
He had opted for a semi-formal outfit of black jeans and plain black tucked in tee. As opposed to his usual black shorts and black logo tee, with the occasional sports bum bag to top it off. No hat tonight, no way to hide himself from the world.
Apart from the whole disappearing thing, he could still do that.
People slowly trickled in from the carpark in the middle of Nambour's town square. They walked confidently, excitedly, towards the entrance in clumps of two and three. Talking amongst themselves, smiling widely as they greeted others.
Volta didn't know who would show up, what kinds of people would be interested in lending their support. Young families, old ladies and everyone in between had shown up. Almost exclusively white, in work uniforms and pajamas alike.
The building was old, weatherboards and stained glass windows. Tall ceiling with slow moving fans and fluorescent lights. Capacity was for 80, and they were going to reach close to that.
Bob and Volta patrolled the perimeter, keeping an eye out of any strange activity. The town square was home to a temporary homeless camp, they laid on their swags and watched people walk past with mild interest.
There was one entry, and one exit for the hall, all visible from where Volta stood. He was worried that the Nazis would show up again and hurt someone, he was worried that the old white guy from the cave would reappear and take him somewhere far away.
Volta didn't make a habit of going to events or being out in public for too long.
Tonight left him exposed, a risk he had to take to see her again.
Inside he could hear the chatter swelling while Joey did a mic test. The latecomers scampering in as if late to a performance.
"Volta!" came a small voice from the parking lot.
Little patters of footsteps came quickly towards him as Daisy, Boyd, and Desmond ran from their car.
"Hello," he smiled down at them.
They bobbed up and down in excitement, dressed in Indigenous protest shirts that read White Australia has a Black History; Always Was, Always Will be Aboriginal Land and; Treaty Now.
Karen rushed after them, slinging her handbag over her shoulder.
She was even prettier than he remembered.
Hair pulled back, glistening earrings catching the evening light.
She smelled like cinnamon and apples.
She seemed more at ease, radiant as she moved towards Volta.
She wore a deep blue dress with a belt around her small waist.
Volta gulped.
This was all too much for him.
"Volta," Karen smiled, "I'm so sorry about yesterday..."
Volta dismissed her apology with a wave of his hand.
"It's ok," he said.
"No, really, I was rude," she gathered her children about her, "I guess I was shaken up by seeing the protest and got scared."
She peeked through the open door of the town hall.
"Big turnout." she grinned, excited.
Volta nodded, looking away.
"Are you coming in?" she moved towards the entrance.
"I better not," Volta held his hands out by way of explanation.
Karen frowned.
"Aren't you going to give the Welcome to Country?"
Their eyes met.
"The what?" Volta said, perplexed.
"The Welcome to Country..." Karen looked at him, "where the custodians of the land we meet on welcome the guests and pay their respects to the elders?"
Volta blinked, rubbing the back of his head.
Karen gave him an odd look like she was offended.
She paused for a beat, then smiled again.
"All good, I'll do it for you. Next time you should definitely invite another Gubbi Gubbi to do it if you can't."
She walked off, children in tow before Volta could interject.
"But there aren't any other Gubbi," he said to himself.
He watched through the door as Karen walked up on stage, taking the microphone from Joey.
"Hello everyone, my name is Dr Karen Dean and before Sage and Joey start this meeting off I'd like to officially welcome you," she smiled as the crowd broke into scattered applause, "I'd like to acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi peoples as the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet tonight, and pay my respects to the elders; past, present and emerging."
Her eyes cut to Volta, he could feel waves of energy coming towards him as their eyes met.
So that's a Welcome to Country, he thought to himself.
Joey jumped up on stage and grabbed the microphone from Karen, eyes still puffy and bruised from Monday's altercation.
"Let's get this party started!" he shouted to the crowd.
Volta rolled his eyes.
The crowd cheered and whooped, they liked Joey.
Sage moved up onto the stage to give an overview of the meeting.
Volta shifted his attention to the carpark again, waiting for something to happen.
He was all too suspicious of why no one had turned up to make a fuss yet, things were quiet... too quiet.
Movement out the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Velvet and the strange Korean man walked from the other side of the town square, Velvet's loud voice bouncing off the buildings.
"Why is it that I'm always running into you around town?" she smiled up at the Korean.
"Because he's a fucking creep," Volta whispered to himself.
Velvet wore high waisted black denim shorts, legs like tree trunks shooting out from the bulging material. A dark green singlet tucked in showing off all her tattoos, a line down her chest where muscle formed a crevasse where cleavage would usually be.
She was smiling, goofy looking, but her eyes were darkened and twinged with anxiety.
Volta knew that feeling all too well.
He stepped back, making himself blend with the garden behind so that they wouldn't see him.
The Korean man, dressed in his usual business attire, walked with his hands behind his back, leaning down to better see Velvet's face as she spoke animatedly.
Velvet skipped ahead as they neared the entrance, waving for the Korean to hurry up and join her.
Volta rolled his eyes as she moved past him and into the building.
The Korean strolled past, smiling as he watched Velvet.
"Creep," Volta muttered.
The Korean paused in front of Volta, five meters separating them.
Volta froze.
Could the Korean... hear him?
The Korean turned his head and looked Volta directly in the eyes.
Volta stayed dead still, blinking at the Korean who had jet black eyes, jet black hair and a jet black vibe that cut through the dense air like a knife.
This guy could see him.
This Korean could fucking see him.
Volta opened his mouth to say something, to tell this guy where to shove it.
Volta was deeply threatened on many levels, but only one was clear to him right now: either his power was faulty or this guy had something going on.
This wasn't good.
The Korean straightened up, turning away from Volta and moved quickly up the stairs as the first lecture began.
Volta's skin prickled with anticipation, with nerves.
He was certain that guy could see him, and now that he thought about it, it wasn't the first time.
At Swampland as he watched Velvet run out of the parking lot before she tussled with that thug on the sidewalk, the Korean cake out of the building and looked right at him.
No one had been able to do that before.
When Volta was incognito he was as good as invisible.
Until now.
Volta stepped forward again, making himself visible to the world as he went back to surveillance.
"Oi Seamus," boomed a voice from the parking lot, "isn't he the one who did black magic on you the other day?"
Laughter broke out.
"They all look the same to me," came another voice.
Volta's nostrils flared, of course, that guy was here.
He turned to face the parking lot where three Prado's were angled, blocking the entry and exit.
Seamus and his crew stood with arms crossed, leaning up against their cars like the centrefold in a Modern Country Hick magazine.
Volta recognised some from the park, but there were more, and none of them looked happy.
He puffed up his chest and summoned his inner bad boy attitude, wishing he had his cap on so he could flip it around to the back... that always got him ready for action.
He stood with his hands at his side, head slightly tilted back as he watched the group with his best 'don't fuck with me' stance.
"Thought I dealt with you on Monday," he called out to Seamus, "but you back for more."
Seamus gave Volta a smug look as he walked towards him, flanked by his friends. He felt safe, secure, like he could win this.
That's what Volta wanted him to think.
Volta stood and waited for the group to completely surround him, Seamus stepping up until there was barely a meter between them.
"Let's do this," Seamus said, macho-man, "just you and me."
He took another step forward.
Volta smiled to himself, this was going to be fun.