Worlds Collide: A Cars Fan Fiction

Take a Break

"Somehow, Dr. Moteur...that's his name, right Lightning?"

"Yes," McQueen confirmed.

"Dr. Moteur learned about our dimension." Zhara continued. "Specifically, he learned about things that humans are capable of that cars can't do. Like how we can heal ourselves."

"Wait," Doc interrupted, amazed. "You can heal yourselves?"

"Yes and no," Zane explained. "If we get hurt, our bodies generate cells to replace the ones that were lost or damaged. It takes a while, though, and sometimes we need tools or medicines to help us heal correctly. Can you not do that?"

"No, unless a doctor fixes a wrecked car, it will stay a wreck. I had no idea that--"

"Zane, I'm sure you and Doc can talk medicine versus mechanics later," Nikki interrupted, "but right now we need to know what we're dealing with. Zhara, please continue." She hated to be rude, but they really needed to focus. 

"Okay. So, when he figured out that we can heal ourselves, he thought that, if he could find a way to make cars or other vehicles do that, then he'd be twice as rich as he already is. So he decided to build this machine to bring humans into this dimension. And he planned to...do some tests."

Zhara didn't say any more, but everyone got the message. They were silent for a moment before Nikki spoke again.

"Does the machine have any weakness? A frayed wire, a faulty actuator?"

"There wasn't anything in the encrypted writings, and I can't see anything in the design itself."

"Wait," Abbey said, snapping her fingers. "When I was...kept there, I overheard the guards talking about Stevens complaining about the heating and cooling. He said that they needed to keep the room at exactly seventy degrees. I don't know why, though."

"Wait," Nikki bent over the plans, scanning them closely. Maybe... 

"What's wrong?" McQueen asked.

"Shh!" Nikki silenced him. If she was right....She gazed at the plans for several minutes before she found it. "That's it!"

"What's up?" Elsie signed. 

"Their machine DOES have a weakness! The amount of energy it uses generates so much heat that it has to be kept at a precise temperature, or it risks overheating! THAT's how we beat it!"

"We can beat it! I knew it!" Hector cheered and high-fived Abbey.

"So, what next?" Zane asked. "Should we go back?"

"What, now?" Zhara asked. 

"No," Elsie signed. "Bad idea."

"Elsie's right." Nikki stated. "We just got back from there. Most likely, they're still mad. Let's make a plan and go first thing in the morning."

"Hold on, now." Doc interrupted. "Like you said, you just got back. Don't overwork yourselves."

"Yeah, you've barely seen Radiator Springs." McQueen added. "At least take the night off."

Nikki was about to protest, but Elsie got her attention. She scribbled in her notebook and handed it to her friend.

They're right. In the last two days we've been sucked into another dimension, hiked through the desert, and broke into/out of a fortified lab. We need a break.

She had to admit; Elsie had a point. She glanced out the window. There was still a lot of the town that she hadn't seen. Maybe they could afford a night off...

"Okay," she concluded. "But we'll get back to this first thing in the morning."

"In the meantime," Hector interrupted, wearing a mischievous grin, "have any of you gone tractor tipping yet?"

---

"That was a lot more fun than I thought!" Nikki laughed as she, Zhara, Abbey, Hector and Mater came back to town. The sun was starting to go down, turning the sky a relaxing shade of purple.

"I don't care who you are, tractor tippin's FUN!" Mater cackled. 

"I'm still surprised that Zane and Elsie didn't want to come," Zhara remarked. Nikki'd noticed that, ever since the lab, she'd been somewhat more relaxed about her sister's safety. She'd have been lying if she'd said she wasn't proud of her friend for loosening up. 

"Elsie told me that she wanted to read," Abbey replied as she tried to do a cartwheel. She landed on her butt before she got up and kept talking. "Personally, I don't see how she can read anything that isn't a comic book. That astronomy book she loves so much doesn't even have a plot!"

"What about Zane?" Nikki asked. For some reason, her stomach got butterflies when she asked about him. She'd felt weird, too, when he said that he'd wanted to stay in town instead of tractor tipping. Like she'd been disappointed.

"Oh, he has his reasons," Hector answered. His mischievous grin was back.

"Oh, no," Zhara said under her breath, a small smile on her face.

"Hey, Zane!" Mater called. He was wearing a grin that perfectly matched Hector's. Nikki and Zhara looked at each other, silently agreeing. The boys were up to something.

"Welcome back!" Zane stepped out from behind the florid dome that the green hippie van (Fillmore?) called home. He had taken off his black-and-white flannel shirt, wearing only his black t-shirt, faded jeans, and brown work boots. And he smelled like...something. Nikki couldn't identify the scent. 

He walked over to his friends, grinning from ear-to-ear. "How was tractor tipping?"

"Fun," Nikki replied nonchalantly, still trying to identify the smell. "What have you been up to?"

"And where's Elsie?" Zhara interrupted.

"She's fine. She's reading." Zane answered. "By the firelight."

Suddenly Nikki knew what the smell was. Wood smoke. Zane led them behind Fillmore's shop to see a gorgeous campfire, surrounded by a circle of empty crates. Elsie was sitting on one already, invested in A Wrinkle in Time. She smiled when she saw them all approaching.

"This is really nice," Abbey said as she plopped down onto a crate. "Just like camp!"

"Thanks for keeping my secret, Mater!" Zane thanked the tow truck. "Everyone else is at Flo's." 

"You're welcome, Zane! Have fun!" The excitable truck sped off towards the cafe.

Nikki sat on a crate and breathed deeply. This was nice. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine that they were all in her backyard, enjoying the summer evening. She could even hear the crinkle of plastic on a bag of marshmallows...wait. She opened her eyes to see Zane holding the treat and grinning like an idiot. 

"You've had those this whole time?!?" Hector accused, staring at the marshmallow bag as if it were a priceless ruby.

"I was saving them for the right moment. Besides, you can't have a campfire without marshmallows!" He held up several sticks, each one the perfect length for marshmallow roasting. Everyone grabbed a stick and dove for the marshmallow bag.