“What?” Conner asked in shock. “No, we’re just friends—well, at least I think. We haven’t had a chance to figure it out.”
“Sir, I’m asking if you’re traveling together,” the officer said, and scowled even harder. “The airline is not concerned with your relationship status.”
Conner blushed so hard, he was afraid his cheeks would melt off his face. Obviously, his anxiety was getting the best of him. If Bree hadn’t been equally anxious she would have burst out laughing.
“Yes, we’re traveling together,” she said.
The TSA officer looked them up and down one last time and initialed their tickets.
“Go ahead,” he said. “Next!”
Conner and Bree walked past the officer and joined a smaller line for the metal detector. They took their time putting their shoes and belts into bins so they could keep an eye on their friends. After a few moments, Jack was next in line and handed his ticket and identification to the TSA officer.
“Good morning,” Jack said cheerfully. “I’m going to New York.”
The TSA officer read Jack’s documents before looking at him. As the officer’s gaze moved upward, Jack repeated Conner’s suggested line before the officer could notice that the ID wasn’t legitimate.
“Hair plugs,” Jack announced.
“Excuse me?” the officer asked.
“Hair plugs,” Jack repeated. “I’m sure you’re wondering how I got my hair back. I see you’re follicle-challenged yourself, so I’m happy to pass along my doctor’s information if you’re interested in getting plugs. Technically he’s not a real doctor—and he works out of a kitchen in Chinatown—but as you can see, his work is wonderful!”
The TSA officer was so offended, his mouth fell open. He shook his head as he initialed Jack’s ticket and handed the documents back to Jack without giving the ID a second glance.
“I’m not interested in hair plugs,” the officer growled. “Get out of here.”
“Suit yourself,” Jack said.
Conner and Bree were relieved when Jack joined them in the line for the metal detector, but their mission was far from over. Before they knew it, Goldilocks and Hero were stepping up to the TSA officer’s stand. The officer looked back and forth between Goldilocks and Charlotte’s ID and meticulously studied both faces.
“Ma’am, have you recently lost weight?” he asked.
“Obviously,” Goldilocks said, and nodded to Hero.
The TSA officer wasn’t convinced. He knew something was different, he just couldn’t put his finger on it.
“Did you also change your facial structure?” he pressed further.
Goldilocks glared at him with a scowl that rivaled his own.
“You’d be amazed how much a body can change after giving birth. Shall I give you the details?”
The TSA officer looked like he was going to be sick. He quickly initialed the ticket before she had the chance to elaborate.
“Have a nice flight,” he said without looking Goldilocks in the eye.
With Conner, Bree, Jack, and Goldilocks successfully past the officer, the only one left was Red. They tried to stay close in case they needed to intervene, but they were herded toward the metal detector by other TSA officers. Soon they were out of earshot and prayed Red could handle it herself.
Red sauntered up to the TSA officer and presented her ticket and Amanda Campbell’s ID with a large smile. The officer scanned her documents, initialed her ticket, and handed them back without a problem. Conner was shocked it had gone so smoothly, but then the officer said something that absolutely infuriated Red. She stomped her foot and pointed dramatically at him.
“HOW DARE YOU, SIR!” she yelled loudly enough for the whole airport to hear. “THAT IS THE BIGGEST INSULT I’VE EVER RECEIVED IN MY LIFE!”
The officer’s scowl shifted to a look of terror. Red stormed past him and joined her friends at the metal detector.
“What the heck just happened?” Conner asked. “What did he say to you?”
Red held up the ID of Amanda Campbell. “He said this was a good picture of me!” she grumbled.
The metal detector was a very foreign concept to Conner’s friends, so it required a great deal of supervision and reassurance. Conner had to promise Jack he would get his boots back after they were scanned, Bree had to stop Goldilocks from putting Hero into one of the bins, and Red had to be scanned by hand because she refused to part with her jewelry—but once they were through the detector and had gathered their things, they had officially snuck through airport security.
“I can’t believe we just pulled that off,” Conner said. “I don’t think I’ve breathed since we joined the security line.”
“I wasn’t worried for a second,” Jack said. “But then again, I have a lot more faith in you.”
They turned a corner, and Jack, Goldilocks, and Red froze. The sight of all the stores, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants throughout the terminal was almost too much to bear.
“Oh my, it’s like a little kingdom!” Red said.
“What’s that heavenly aroma?” Goldilocks asked.
“That’s called coffee,” Bree said. “It’s a really big deal in the Otherworld.”
“What’s that place with all the moving pictures of men on grassy fields?” Jack asked.
“That’s called a sports bar,” Conner informed. “It’s where people go to watch other people play games.”
“What about that shiny room with all the small bottles and portraits of beautiful but bored women?” Red asked.
“That’s a perfume store,” Bree said.
Red was amazed such a place existed. “They let commoners wear perfume in this world? Oh, this I’ve got to see!”
The young queen dashed for the perfume store before Bree could grab her. Since they had some time to kill before their flight boarded, Conner thought it was perfectly fine to let his friends explore the Otherworld amenities in the airport. He took Goldilocks to the coffee shop and ordered her a vanilla latte. While Goldilocks enjoyed her latte, Conner took Jack to the sports bar. He did his best to describe the rules of the football and baseball games being broadcast, but Jack was convinced he was making it up as he went along. Bree had the exhausting task of supervising Red as she bounced from shop to shop. It was like watching a hyper toddler in a toy store.
At six-thirty, fifteen minutes before boarding, the gang regrouped at Gate 26 and took seats. Red proudly showed off all the purchases inside her enormous shopping bags.
“I must say, what this world lacks in color, it makes up for in merchandise! I found this exquisite leather bag made from an animal called a faux. I got this delicious bottle of perfume called Febreze. I bought this handy hand mirror with little electric torches around the frame. And lastly, I couldn’t walk away from this colorful pamphlet called Glamorous Magazine. Look, it has an article inside titled ‘How to Steal Your Man Back from His Ex.’ I hope it mentions something about magic mirrors.”
“How did you pay for all this?” Conner asked.