Worlds Collide: A Cars Fan Fiction

The Machine Room

"Uh, Nikki?" After a bit of chaotic searching, and one or two run-ins with security cars (requiring Luigi and Guido to remove a lot of tires), they'd finally found the machine room again. Zane, who'd never seen it before, was both awestruck and worried. "I know you're great at tech and everything," he said to his best friend, "but do you know what you're doing?"

"I'm positive," Nikki responded, using the tone of voice that she spoke in when she was trying to calm Hector. "Once Zhara translated them, I studied the plans backwards and forwards--"

"How about sideways?" Abbey joked. Hector and Red giggled. Nikki gave them one of her looks, and they stopped.

"What I mean is, I know how to work this thing." 

"Alright, then," he said. He gave her a smile. "Do your stuff." She smiled back, showing him her flawless teeth, and got to work. 

While working, she explained the plan again for everyone who'd been too busy panicking a few hours before: Sheriff and Doc would work the machine while the humans went home. Then, as soon as they were all through, to destroy the device by turning up the heat (using the thermostat). The controls to said thermostat were behind a padlocked panel, but Abbey (who claimed to have superior lock-picking skills) would take care of it. To prevent their being interrupted by guards, Sarge, Red, Fillmore, Ramone, Luigi, Guido, and Flo would watch the door. Hector would cause a distraction with his smoke bombs (which he still had over three dozen of).

Zane, not having much to do rather than moral support, offered to assist Abbey with the lock-picking. "Sure, you can help," she answered, leading him to the panel. "Like most important things in life, I learned this from a comic book."

"Shocker," he replied with a grin.

"Now," she began, focusing on the lock, "I need to focus. This takes just the right tool and laser precision." She then proceeded to pull a rock from her pocket and smash the lock with it. It fell to pieces on the floor, and left the panel ajar.

Zane stared at her in disbelief but not much shock. She dusted herself off and turned to look at him. "What?"

"What comic book taught you that?"

She was about to respond when the machine crackled to life. Everyone dropped what they were doing to watch it. Nikki stood back from the controls to gaze at the device. It had so many moving parts that, once it began working at full speed, they were only blurs. Blue and purple bolts of electricity jumped and burst from the machine. But nothing else happened. Nikki had specifically said that Doc and Sheriff couldn't fully activate the machine until McQueen, Sally, Mater, Elsie, and Zhara got back. 

Zane began to cross the room when a tire tapped the back of his leg. He turned to see Ramone. 

"You haven't told her yet, have you?"

"I-I wanted to," Zane admitted, keeping his voice low while shooting a glance at Nikki. "I have thought about what you said, but..." He sighed. "It just never seemed like the right time."

"It's okay to be nervous, man," Ramone told him, "but no matter what she says, you'll feel better after. Trust me."

Zane took a deep breath, and looked to where Nikki was standing, admiring the machine. He looked back to Ramone. The car (who, sometime since the last time they'd talked, had painted himself green), gave him a reassuring nod. His heart hammering in his chest, he went over to Nikki. 

"Admiring your handiwork?" He quipped as he came to stand next to her. 

"I wish I'd built this thing. I know that Moteur didn't want to use it for anything good, but you have to admit, building a portal between dimensions is a pretty amazing feat."

"Beats my science fair project from last year."

She laughed. "I warned you, everyone has seen a baking soda volcano!"

They smiled in silence for a moment. Nikki gave a contented sigh. "Hard to believe that we're going home soon. It might be a little hard to get back to normal after all of this."

"Yeah," he agreed, messing with the buttons on his shirt, "it feels like everything's changed, and nothing's changed." He took a breath. 

"Nix," he said, using her childhood nickname, "there's something I want to tell you."

She turned to him, curious. He looked into her gorgeous brown eyes. "Nikki, I--"

"McQueen!" Sarge called. Everyone looked to see the red race car enter the room, followed by Zhara, Sally, Mater, and Elsie. He was practically mobbed by his friends. Nikki ran over to see him, grinning. Zane was left alone, disappointed and annoyed. They couldn't have waited thirty seconds?

He then saw Nikki laughing at something Mater had said, and he felt his disappointment melting away. A small smile appeared on his face.

Next time, he told himself. Then he jogged over to see McQueen.

"Then I used kar-a-tay skills to knock out them guards! But Elsie was purty smart and got 'em to come into the hallway in da furs place!" Elsie blushed at Mater's description of events, but was beaming all the same. 

"I'm glad you're safe, rookie," Doc said, "but we have more important matters to attend to."

"The portal!" Zhara exclaimed, pulling Elsie close. "We should hurry, I doubt we'll be alone in here for long!"

"Don't worry," Nikki reassured her, "everything is going according to plan."

"Yeah," Abbey exclaimed, "I got into the thermostat controls using my master lock-picking skills!"

"She hit it with a rock," Zane corrected. 

"Why are we just standing here, talking?" Hector shouted. He'd never been very patient. "Let's move!"

"Yes," Elsie signed. "Let's go."

"Sheriff, how're we looking?" Nikki asked. 

"I'll have the portal open in a few moments!" The officer positioned his tire over the activation switch. "Ready when you are!"

Zane, along with the other four humans, turned to Nikki. She took a deep breath. He knew that she was nervous. But, like the leader she was, she never showed it. Instead, she gave them all a grin of utmost confidence. She put her right hand in Zane's, and her left in Hector's. Hector took Abbey's hand. Zane took Zhara's left hand, and she took Elsie's. 

"Ready?" Nikki whispered to Zane.

"Not at all," he responded.

"Same." She looked at the Sheriff. "Let's do it!"

Just as the police car was about to pull the switch, a shot rang out. Sheriff cried out in pain, and a whistling noise revealed that something had popped his tire. He backed away, with Doc instantly at his side.

Everyone turned to the door. Caught up in the excitement of activating the portal, no one on guard duty had been keeping watch. Which is how Moteur, Stevens, a dozen security guards, and a forklift with a gun had managed to sneak up on them.