Everything Changes

Surprise

Holly stepped out the van and went straight into Ernesto's arms, happy to be reunited with him.

"How are you feeling, darling?" He asked her, running his fingers through her hair.

"Awful." She spoke with a hoarse voice.

"What a piece of junk." Serena said in disgust as she looked at Jefro's van which was meant to be taking them into the Zone.

"Hey! A man has feelings, alright. This is my baby."

"Holly, this is Jefro." Ernesto introduced.

"Pleasure, ma'am. Jazz hands will have you right in no time." He offered her warm smile. "Now, where's the Kylie's?"

"No chance. I'll be taking care of the money. Cash on delivery of this healer, not before." Sadiq didn't sound like he trusted this man, but he also didn't want him to know that they didn't have 500 Kylie's to pay. Their money bag was filled with marbles. "Take it or leave it."

"Ok, no problemo. Let's load her up!"

The tribe got into his van. They much preferred their own, Jefro's had hard seats and even the smallest bump in the road sent them all jolting.  Holly sat with a bucket in her lap, trying desperately to hold everything in.

"How's it going back there?" Jefro shouted back to them.

"We don't like being taken for a ride." Serena's unimpressed voice said back.

"I tell you what. I'll put some music on, help the journey pass easier. I am nothing if not customer focused."

He clicked on a wind up radio, and rock music filled the car. It didn't lift anyone's moods, though. They just wanted to get to the Zone and find a cure for Holly's mystery illness.

**********

The battered old van eventually got them to the Zone. They looked up at the red smoke coming out of the building - maybe Reese was right about coming here.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Zone. It's like a psychic bomb went off. BOOM!"

"Let's just get on with this, shall we?" Serena interrupted Jefro's speech, not in the mood for it. She just wanted to get straight to the point - finding the doctor for Holly.

"Fine. Just watch out for the psychic hotspots. They're red and they'll spin you around and we'll lose you forever." He warned. "Stay by me, now. Jefro will get you through."

Jefro led the way around the building, but the Sparticles stopped in their tracks. Just up ahead of them was Fizzy and Brian, the Queen's bounty hunters who were insistent on capturing them.

Fizzy had once been Emperor of England. Everyone thought he was terrible, well that was until the teen parents were transported to their dimension and Queen Kylie took power. She was much worse. Fizzy had been appointed the official Royal Bounty Hunter, and worked alongside his teen dad, Brian.

"What are they doing here?" Sadiq demanded an answer from their guide.

"No idea mate. Don't own the place, anyone can enter the Zone."

"Why are we paying for you then?"

"No time for questions! Follow me, go!" Jefro ushered the tribe away from their enemy, but it was too late.

"There's the Sparticles! Get them!" Fizzy shouted as they chased them.

Jefro led them through a maze of doors and buildings, eventually managing to lose the pair. He took them to a near bare room, with only a sofa in the middle and a statue of a dog. Ernesto guided Holly to the sofa, she was feeling a little woozy after all that running.

"Wait, where's Reese and Aris? They were right behind us!" Sadiq screamed in a panic.

"Listen, Reese and Ariel, whatever they're called, they'll turn up alright? The Zone will take care of them." Jefro said in a matter of fact sort of way.

Serena glared at him from across the room. "Yea, we will see. And by the way, how did those bounty hunters get here?"

"Hello? Everyone, did we forget why we're here? To get help for Holly." Kim reminded the group.

Serena approached Ernesto. The two were close. Whenever there was a mission which required the group to split, it was usually those two who went off together. They just clicked, but in a brother/sister sort of way. They would bicker like hell but always had each other's back.

"Why don't we divert off and act as decoys for the bounty hunters?" She suggested. "That'll give you time to find the healer." The last part was directed at Jefro.

"Ern?" Holly sounded heartbroken at the idea of being separated again, especially when she was so poorly. She wanted him by her side.

He wrapped his arms around her, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Kim will look after you. Me and Serena need to do this to keep you all safe." He threw the bag of money/marbles to Sadiq. "Don't deliver the cash until my Chi Chi is better."

Holly rested her head on Kim's shoulder as she watched them walk off. The longer she sat there, the more frustrated she grew. She couldn't just sit here wallowing in self pitty. She got up without saying a word, making her way to a phone on the wall.

"Where are you going?" Kim called to her.

"Well, if this place grants wishes, why not?"

She picked up the phone, dialling her mum's mobile number. Holly had never missed her mum massively, but right now she wanted nothing more to be with her. Her mum would know what's wrong.

Nothing but static. Just as she thought. As if she would be able to speak to her mum again.

Sadiq was getting frustrated with all the waiting around. "Do you even have a clue where we are? Or where this healer is!" He yelled at their guide.

Just then a boy dressed all in white entered the room. "Hello everyone, how can I help?"

"Oh, behold! The great magician of healing hands! It's jazz hands!" Jefro introduced the child to the group.

"Sorry about him, my healing suite is this way. Let's look at your friend."

"Ugh, this better be good." Sadiq grumbled, still not convinced by this whole thing.

They followed him to a separate room, with the middle boxed off with white sheets. Inside were bright lights, a medical examination table, and more medical supplies than they could count.

"Please, Holly, jump up on the table and lie down."

Holly obliged. She would go along with anything at this point if it meant her getting better.

"So, you've been feeling nauseous and tired for how long now?" He asked.

"About 4 weeks. It's been worse today, doctor."

He hovered his hand over her body, quickly snatching it back when it got to her stomach. It was as though he had been burnt.

"There's nothing I can do."

Holly looked at him in fear. What did he mean there's nothing he can do? He's a doctor, how wasn't he able to cure her?

"We've got a lot of money riding on this deal!" Jefro threatened him.

"I don't do deals. I make people better, but I can't make this lady better."

"What's wrong with me?" Holly asked desperately.

"There's nothing wrong with you. There's everything right with you!" This just confused her all the more. "Listen."

He held his palm up, closed his eyes, and soon the sound of a fast heartbeat filled the room.

"That's not a normal heartbeat..." Kim trailed off. Holly was still confused. Was something wrong with her heart?

"It is if you're a baby." The healer informed them.

"You're pregnant!" Kim cheered, a smile on her face.