In front of Studio 25, an African-American 14-year-old with and hip-hop apparel was walking up to the studio. "This must be Studio 25," he suggested.
As he got into the lobby, he saw Zarina and Big G going over notes for the weekend trip in Miami. They were doing this because everyone thought it was a good idea to promote LADUWS, except for Big G - he thought it was a waste of money and was still not over the con he fell for.
*I know how you feel about getting over something*, Zanell thought to herself.
"Excuse me," interrupted the boy. "I'm here for a job opening for a DJ. Hear you guys are having cutbacks and pay 15 an hour for a DJ."
Big G refused to let him in because he was too young to be a DJ. As he was about to kick him out, Cristian came in and stopped them. "Don't kick him out," Cristian said. "This is Jalen Jerome."
"Who?" asked Big G.
"My nephew," Cristian explained. "I called him about the cutbacks and DJ opening and wanting to join our LADUWS crew."
"Thanks, Uncle Cristian," greeted Jalen. "I'm commonly known as DJ Jalen in North Orlando. My mom also thought it was great for me to do it on TV."
Big G was annoyed but still wanted to cut back on money. Just then, the Backstreet Boys were arriving from their cycles.
"Sorry we're late," said Kevin. "We had to handle a little lawsuit, don't ask."
Cristian and Zarina were okay with this because lawsuits were always personal. With one look, Jalen quickly recognized the boys. "The Backstreet Boys!" he exclaimed. "You didn't tell me that the Backstreet Boys were at LADUWS!"
"They're the judges of the show," explained Cristian, "and are going to supervise the contestants and backup dancers."
XxoxX
Later on the road, the Backstreet Boys took their motorcycles to Miami, while everyone else took the bus. Everyone was excited about the weekend because they get to film different locations for the show. Lewis, on the other hand, was more interested in shopping in the most expensive couture clothes and overshadowing the Backstreet Boys.
"The Backstreet Boys will never beat you, Lewis," snarled Ryker. "They're the greatest boy band ever."
"Backstreet, Backstreet, Backstreet," Lewis growled in jealousy. "What they got that I don't?"
"Gold records, millions of fans, international fan clubs, and natural charm," answered Jessie as Ginger covered her mouth.
The more they talked about the Backstreet Boys, the more jealous Lewis got. Zanell knew that his rudeness would ruin the trip, so she put him to sleep.
XxoxX
Later at The Coconut Apartments, Zeb and Hiram were both reading "Quake Blush Monthly" with the Backstreet Boys on the cover. They saw the LADUWS cast coming in. By the door, the Backstreet Boys were coming in with all of their luggage.
"Be careful of the luggage, roadies!" shouted Zeb. "We just cleaned the carpets!"
"Who are you calling roadies?" asked A.J. rudely as he popped out his face.
"And, ugh, guys," reminded Vincenzo, "be careful with my luggage - it's got a bubble machine for the show."
"Oh, my goodness!" exclaimed Zeb as he straightened his shirt and used the deodorant spray in public. "It's the Backstreet Boys! They're staying here!"
A.J. was thrilled because the managers were fans of theirs. "Now let me guess," he asked A.J. "You have all our CDs?"
"Not really," answered Hiram.
A.J. was offended, but it was cool that Jessie had all his CDs.
On the looks of their faces, Dorothy could tell what was up with them. "I know this gambit," she recalled. "Those two really have Celebrity Worship Syndrome. I've been reading articles in 'Tween Bleep Magazine' on how to avoid it."
Suddenly, a middle-aged man with an $800 dollar maroon suit barged in. He was none other than Lewis Hightower II. Zeb and Hiram were nervous because he was the most unimpressive man in Florida and owned most of the TV stations in Orlando. "Mr. Hightower," Zeb replied. "Back from that TV deal with Future Notes?"
"I am," answered Mr. Hightower sternly. "And they're going to be on Music Pow! this weekend."
"Future Notes," asked Nick. "Never heard of them."
"They're the newest discovery at Palmtree Records," explained Mr. Hightower. "Simone Oyama was going to the local Italian trattoria, Naples' Nova, when she saw them performing a rock version of the Futurellis' theme song. I told her that I can get them on Music Pow! and pay her 2 million dollars."
"Yo, Lew!" shouted an Italian girl. "Did you make deals for Miami15 yet?"
Three Italian-American girls barged in. One girl was on guitar and had sun symbols on her clothes, one had a bass and had moon symbols on her clothes, and one had drumsticks and had star symbols on her clothes.
"These are Elisabeth Nespoli, Amiya Laconi, Giovanna Angioli," explained Mr. Hightower, "Otherwise known as, Sunmona, Moonlena, and Starsanna."
"Sunmona, Moonlena, and Starsanna," recalled Ginger, "Those were the names of the girl group trip in the Futurellis' movie in the 1980s."
Lewis was coming up to the desk about not getting the penthouse when he spotted his father. "Dad!" he exclaimed. "I thought you were at Miami15."
"I haven't booked their gig yet, Lewis," growled Mr. Hightower.
After Lewis told his father that he just talked to the Backstreet Boys, Mr. Hightower told them that he was aware who the Backstreet Boys were, because all of his coworkers talked about them all the time.
XxoxX
After they unpacked, Jessie told them that they needed to meet with Cristian before dinner. A.J., on the other hand, just wanted to go to the buffet that The Coconut Apartments.
"You think eating is more important than getting our assignments for tomorrow's filming?" growled Jessie. "That's mutiny. Plus you're being too much of a fashion plate."
"At least I don't wear my underwear on the outside," growled A.J.
"They're called tights," growled Jessie.
"Whatever," growled A.J. "All you ever do is your little hard work. Why can't you party for a change?"
"Listen here!" shouted Jessie. "All you do is break the rules and act too bad! No wonder you're the bad boy of the Backstreet Boys!"
"You know," shouted A.J., "I don't need Cristian and Zanell's little meeting, and I don't need you!" He got so mad, he decided to go get some fresh air. Although, he was aware of the two Zallegrean fanboys were spying on him at the corner.
"So, Zekk-Veg," asked one fanboy, "which Backstreet Boy did she say to kidnap again?"
"I couldn't tell, Zehl-Phoy," answered Zekk-Veg. "She had rotten wedding cake in her mouth. Let's just grab one and go."
As soon as A.J. reached the corner, the two fanboys knocked him out with their Unconscious Camera and dragged him to the alleyway. At a dead-end, they got out their Robot-Shifter, which can transform into anyone their creator chooses. The robot scanned an unconscious A.J. and turned into him. "Remember the plan," Zekk-Veg whispered, "Keep posing as A.J. until you get the Amulets of Zallegro, then will give it to Emperor Zator for his birthday."
"Affirmative," answered Robo-A.J.
XxoxX
Back at the apartment, Jessie was still mad at A.J. for forsaking the meeting. Besides that, everyone was excited to do educational clips for the show.
"Here's the dealy-o for Miami filming," Cristian announced. "Dorothy and Nick will handle a Beatles memorabilia store on Ocean Drive, Ginger and Howie D will take Little Havana, Nadine and Kevin will go to a world-famous concert hall where OBRR Passion, B-Rok and Faith can take Zoo Miami, and Jessie and A.J. will-" But as he was about to give Jessie and A.J. their project, he saw that something was wrong. "Jessie," he asked, "Where's A.J.?"
"We got into an argument about superheroes," exaggerated Jessie, "Let's just say it's a little wardrobe crisis."
Cristian rolled his eyes and then said, "Why don't you join Ginger and Howie D on their trip to Little Havana, then check out the malt shop, The National Smile. That's where they filmed that hit 1980s movie' Create Parade'."
"Okay," groaned Jessie.
After the meeting, they found the A.J. robot double reading a magazine upside down, believing he was the real A.J. "Dude," Howie D asked, "where have you been? We've been trying to call you."
"Then you must've called the wrong number, Kevin," said Robo-A.J.
"I'm Howie," corrected Howie D as he pointed to Kevin. "He's Kevin."
"Are you sure?" asked Robo-A.J.
"He is sure," B-Rok replied in worried. "You seem rather strange."
"I'm fine, Nick!" shouted Robo-A.J.
"Dude." growled B-Rok. "I'm B-Rok."
"Right," replied Robo-A.J. "I've been thinking about this Zenza deal. We better stay away from her. She's the greatest clown ever. Her tunes are slammin'."
The others were confused because they'd never seen A.J. act like this before. As Ginger looked down, she could see that his tattoos were on the wrong arms. She placed some tracking dust on the Robo-A.J. before he left the apartment building.
XxoxX
At an abandoned night club/music shop known as Club Supernova was carrying the unconscious A.J. and his head was covered in a bag. In the basement, Zenza was wearing a multicolored wedding dress while Dr. Zora wore a futuristic dress. "I'm already for this wondrous occasion," she said. "Plus with Zekk-Veg being the justice of the peace, you'll sure be legally married to Nick Carter in no time."
"With blinding science upon her," Zenza said, "you are my maid-of-honor."
Zekk-Veg and Zhel-Phoy came downstairs with the unconscious A.J. Zenza and Dr. Zora believed that they kidnapped Nick Carter, so they made a few more minor adjustments to the ceremony. "Now with all my pride," Zenza shouted romantically, "I'm ready to be a blushing bride!"
After they removed the bag from A.J.'s head, Zenza became upset. "Oh, no, now that's just mean," Zenza said disappointingly. "I told you to kidnap Nick Carter, not A.J. McLean."
Zekk-Veg and Zhel-Phoy started to become scared of Zenza's bashing bride behavior. "I remember seeing people being left at the alter, and boy, are they angry," whispered Zhel-Phoy.
A.J. started becoming conscious again and saw the bashing bride get a temper tantrum. "Are you trying to marry Nick?" asked A.J. "Sounds like you got Backstreet Worship Syndrome."
"From the tenant of ruby chrome," Zenza replied, "I do have Backstreet Worship Syndrome. My plan is after Nick and I get married, I plan to expose where your secrets are buried. I know you have the Amulets of Zallegro, and I'm giving you guys an overthrow. Since the fanboy hunters caught the wrong guy, I'm going to send my Zeno Doves to fly."
This was awful. Zeno Doves were going to look around for Nick and are going to make him Zenza's groom. "To make sure I have my gorgeous groom," Zenza smiled evilly, "you'll be the bait to his doom."
XxoxX
On the other side of town was a fancy restaurant known as Jeremias', both Mr. and Lewis Hightower were there to have dinner and to discuss their little boy-band issue.
"Now, Lewis," Mr. Hightower said to his son, "Getting Future Notes to perform at my TV stations will bring in the dough and eliminate the boy-band name."
"Father" replied Lewis, "you were always being rejected by boy band auditions all the time when you were a kid. Humiliating boy bands and overshadowing them with other acts will ruin their name. Plus, you have that other plan."
"Listen here Lewis the Third," Mr. Hightower said to his son. "No one outside the two of us can know we plagiarized LADUWS from that old-timer Jayson Quick, creator of that dumb show I had to produce, "Wild Boogie Garden'. I told that gullible geezer not to watch 'Let's All Dance Until We're Sick' so he can have some personal time to himself."
"Nice work, Father," commented Lewis. "It's time for the new age of TV. The minute we kick out that old bag Big G out of the picture and those Backstreet bums, we'll get the studio back completely. I mean, A.J.'s is turning the fashion department into a haunted house, Howie D is TOO NICE, Brian's is a sweaty basketball rag, Kevin is always nagging us to death with his little lectures, and Nick's gold locks is making the girls grab attention, especially that British buffoon Dorothy."
As they both grinned evilly, they did a toast to the end of boy bands.
To Be Continued
Note: This is loosely based on the Static Shock episode "Duped" were A. J McLean guest-starred as himself.