Zac stepped out of the car and into the cold night air. He shivered and pulled his jacket around him.
"Remind me again why we're taking the plane and not teleportation amplifiers?"
"Because the human fans that follow us might get just a little bit suspicious when we don't go anywhere near an airport."
"Damn the human fans."
"They do make up the bulk of our fan base," Isaac went on, pulling out his suitcase. "Deal."
"Meh," Zac grumbled, extracting his own.
Taylor
"That's right," Taylor agreed, rubbing his hands together as he walked around to them to get his.
"And the human fans are the majority of fans then, obviously, who put food on our table and thus support our glorious lifestyle."
The last words dripped with sarcasm targetted at their current situation.
Isaac and Zac
"Why can't YIRAAS have the amps near the airports? That would solve all our problems," Zac complained.
Isaac walked backwards towards the doors to continue talking.
"Too much human security?" he suggested, then turned around to see where he was going.
Zac snorted.
"If these people knew just how often their customs and immigration got bypassed..."
Taylor
"That, and the fact the fans often check flight numbers..." Taylor trailed off reluctantly, hefting out his guitar to add to his luggage pile.
Isaac and Zac
Zac helped Taylor with the unloading.
"Darn snooping fans," he muttered.
Isaac returned with a luggage trolley.
"Ta da!" he said.
"See now," Zac went on. "We wouldn't have to use these things if you could just use your telekinetic powers."
"What makes you think I won't?" Isaac replied. "Do you have any idea how heavy some of our stuff is?"
Taylor
"I'm sure we have a pretty good idea," Taylor grunted as he heaved an amp onto the trolley and let out a breath as he went back for his stuff.
"We don't get to use our powers to lift it around all day at home."
Isaac and Zac
"Oh, yeah," Isaac mused, helping with the loading. "Are we going to need another trolley?"
"Probably," Zac said, eyeing his brother. "Hmm, that explains so much."
"Explains what?"
"Why you're so weeny compared to me and Tay. We're been lifting heavy stuff, and you cheat. No wonder you have no muscles."
"You're an idiot."
Taylor
Taylor chuckled.
"But he speaks the truth," he grinned.
His smile faded at the sight of some girls dressed as obvious fans were about to make their way into the airport before one of them spotted the brothers and began pointing to her friends.
"We've been spotted," he said under his breath, glancing at Zac before going back for more gear.
Isaac and Zac
"See? If we went via the amps," Zac said, "we wouldn't have this mobbing problem at airports."
"Grab another trolley," Isaac instructed him. "I'll help Tay get the rest of our stuff out."
"Sir, yes, sir," Zac said with a mock salute.
"Good attitude, keep it up."
Zac nipped inside to grab another two trolleys while Isaac discreetly used his telekinesis to aid in the removal of their things.
Taylor
"I love the whole 'send him in as bait' thing. Very sharp," Taylor chuckled under his breath.
He stood back while at the same time pretending help lift something particularly heavy.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac grinned.
"I figure he'll be able to muscle his way out," he joked. "There, last one."
And he closed the car boot with a satisfying thud just as Zac returned with the two extra trolleys.
"Oh, yeah we want to get going," Zac said. "The sooner we get in line, the easier we can avoid the girls. Unless they're on our flight."
Taylor
"Don't even joke about it," Taylor cast a nervous backward glance, "you'll make it happen."
He started loading a trolley.
Isaac and Zac
"Good point," Zac said.
Between the three of them, the trolleys were soon loaded and they made a beeline for the queue. Happily a couple of familes joined the line right after they did and thus a barrier between them and potentially rabid fans was formed.
Unfortunately, the fans could still get to them on the other side of the rope.
"Don't make eye contact," Isaac advised.
Taylor
"Easier said than done," Taylor muttered under his breath.
"For example. Ike fans, 3 o'clock and headed this way. So called out by the 97 Hanson shirts with Zac and my face's blacked out... Have fun bro."
He turned to pretend to converse with Zac.
Isaac and Zac
Zac chuckled, especially at the look on Isaac's face and joined Taylor in their mock conversation.
"Ohmigod! Ike! I love you!"
"Will you marry me? I'm serious!"
"No marry me!"
"Forget marriage, just f-"
"Will you gals make do with autographs?" Isaac asked hopefully, praying that security would rescue him.
Taylor
Taylor grinned while still talking mindlessly to Zac, mentally deciding whether or not he should convince someone - or himself - to rescue his brother. ...He decided he'd leave it a little longer.
"So how's the weather in Mexico?" he asked Zac with a tilt of his head.
Isaac and Zac
"Very Mexican-like I'd say," Zac replied.
"Sure," said one of the girls. "Right here."
And she started taking off her shirt.
"Ah ha," Isaac said nervously, "I really don't have anything to write with that would stay on... skin."
"That's okay. Your hand'll do."
Zac smirked.
Taylor
"This gets better and better," Taylor grinned, throwing a glance over his shoulder.
He turned as the people in front of them moved to check in.
"So do you think the weather in Brazil would be Brazil-like this time of year?" he went on.
Isaac and Zac
"Oh yes," Zac agreed. "I also think that it's going to be chilly in Chile."
"Y'know, I'm kinda seeing someone at the moment. I don't think she'd approve," Isaac said.
They were getting looks now.
"That's okay, we won't tell," said another one of the girls.
Taylor
"Oh thank God," Taylor rolled his eyes as they were called up.
He turned to Ike.
"We gotta go," he indicated over his shoulder before turning to push his trolley over.
Isaac and Zac
"Sorry, err, ladies, have to go," Isaac said with much relief before following his brothers. "Thanks for the intervention, guys."
"No problem," Zac replied as they stepped up to the counter and started the whole familiar process.
Taylor
"I odn't know if you're aware, Ike, but weather is a very serious issue," Taylor insisted with a comical glance at Zac.
Isaac and Zac
"Exactly. Don't you realise that the chilliness in Chile could affect the chili?" Zac said.
"Do they even grow chili in Chile?" Isaac asked.
"That's my point. Too chilly."
Taylor
"And what, I ask, is a world without chili?" Taylor put a hand to his heart.
"I don't know about you, but I don't think it'd be worth living in."
Isaac and Zac
"Exactly," Zac agreed.
Isaac looked at both of them in disgust before accepting their boarding passes from the clerk.
"Gate 23," he told them.
Zac swung his carry-on luggage over his shoulder.
"By the way, I think they're following us," he said slyly.
Isaac whirled around, and groaned.
Taylor
Taylor chuckled to himself as he kept his head down, not needing to turn to see them.
"Hey Zac, bet you fifty bucks they're on the same flight."
Isaac and Zac
Zac cracked up laughing, and laughed even harder when he saw the look of sheer horror on Isaac's face.
"If they end up following us around on tour..."
Zac pushed his stomach over the bar of the trolley as his hands were too busy to clutch it for him, he was laughing that hard. Tears started forming in his eyes.
Taylor
"Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll only make it to say... fifteen of the shows," Taylor couldn't hide his glorified smirk.
Of course, taking even just a glance at Zac didn't help any.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac sat down in one of the chairs near their gate, one up against a wall and stratigically placed his trolley in front of him.
"Hey Tay," Zac said, still chortling, "He's making himself a barricade."
Taylor
Taylor looked over his shoulder, then turned back to Zac. He cupped a hand around his ear dramatically.
"Huh? What's that? Someone saying it's time to check the bags in?"
Isaac and Zac
"I just sat down," Isaac complained.
"We should check in our stuff, Ike," Zac said. "Of course, if we had been able to use the amps, we'd already be there by now."
"Get over it Zac."
Taylor
"Seriously Zac, would you have given this up for the amps?" Taylor mused, indicating his elder sibling with a nod.
Isaac and Zac
Zac paused.
"It is very entertaining, isn't it?"
Isaac threw him a dark look.
"Except when it's happening to you!"
Taylor
"Well, that's kinda the point," Taylor mused.
"And it's only funny if it's you, because Zac doesn't mind it and well... I can't laugh at me, so yeah."
Isaac and Zac
"Yeah," Zac agreed. "Admit it, Ik, if ti were happening to Tay, you'd be entertained."
"No I wouldn't," Isaac objected.
Zac snorted and nudged Taylor.
"Clearly, he's in denial. And he's conviently forgotten all those times it has happened to you and he did find it entertaining."
Taylor
"Maybe he was just jealous and now he's getting what he wished for. You know how they say 'be careful what you wish for'?" Taylor grinned.
Isaac and Zac
"This is true," Zac nodded.
"You're both..." Isaac sighed as they checked in their luggage. "Nevermind. Oh, crud."
Zac looked over to where Isaac was staring and chuckled as Isaac made a beeline for the men's toilets.
"I wonder if that'll stop them?" he mused to Taylor.
Taylor
Taylor watched after them and shrugged.
"Well... if sleeping under oil leaking cars all night doesn't stop them..." he began idly.
Isaac and Zac
Zac chuckled.
"First call for flight A7352, boarding at Gate 23."
"Whoops," Zac said. "Guess we'd better get back. C'mon Ike! Oh, there he is."
Isaac rejoined them.
"Let's get there before they decide to follow us."
"Ike, if they're on the same flight, of course they're going to follow us - without even trying."
Taylor
"Hey Zac?" Taylor lovered his voice as he leant in to his brother.
"Twenty bucks says at least one is seated next to him."
Zac and Isaac
Zac snickered softly.
"You're on," he said.
Isaac tapped his foot impatiently as they waited for the call that would let the ordinary people on. You know, after the disabled, families with children and first class passengers came on.
"We should have taken Ella and your kids with us Zac, then we could have gotten on faster," Isaac said.
"Nah, they get to go by amplifier while we get stuck going by plane. Y'know for all those, PR, huamn fan reasons you two were harping on about before," Zac replied smugly.
Isaac poked his tongue out at him.
Taylor
Taylor smirked, his face proudly admitting he was the only one winning in this situation.
No amps, AND Ike fangirls. He held back an evil laugh.
Isaac and Zac
The call came for them to board.
"Finally!" Isaac said, practically bolting for the door.
"Hey!" Zac objected. "Wait for us."
Taylor
"You left your bags!" Taylor called after him, then rolled his eyes and picked them up himself.
"Let the fun begin, huh?" he glanced at Zac, before boarding the plane himself.
Isaac and Zac
Zac snickered, grabbed his own bag and followed his brother inside. Isaac was already a fair way down in the queue and Zac slipped in beside him.
"Going somewhere?" Zac asked.
"London," Isaac replied with a faint grin.