Chapter 9: Door Locks and a Pizza Box
A large square metal object under the snow was being illuminated by the TraceTracker 100 in Prinsessrock's hand. "Wow what is it?" Tweak gasped as she waddled over.
"Hmm, it looks like a large slab of metal under the snow." I mused as my puffle PIXAR stared at the green square.
"Well of course it does because that's what it is!" Lenny exclaimed.
"The paw-prints lead to it, and it looks like the square is covered with traces of the evidence we found at the Parlor." Prinsessrock stated.
"Yes but what is it?" Lenny asked.
"Maybe it's a door that leads to Herbert's lair?" Tweak pondered.
PIXAR and Prinsessrock's puffle Poppy looked at each other and shook their heads as our conversation continued, then they both bounced on to the snow covered square and started bouncing up and down.
"What are you two puffles doing? It could be a trap!" I worried aloud.
Suddenly the ground beneath PIXAR and Poppy lowered slightly, we all turned our heads as bursting bubbles began to appear in the sea just off the shore ahead of us. We gasped as a huge jagged rock rose from sea; splashing sea water over us as it did.
"Whoa!" I gasped staring at the rock, a large locked metal door stood before us embedded in the jagged rock; a metal platform flipped down from the door on to the snow.
"It looks like a door." Tweak stated.
"What? No way!" Lenny retorted.
"Hey!" Tweak frowned.
"Guys it is a door, and I think Tweak was right about this floor panel leading the way to Herbert's lair. Look the paw-prints go towards the door!" I pointed at the door.
"Well done Poppy and PIXAR." Prinsessrock smiled patting her puffle, then she handed me the Trace-Tracker and I placed it in my suitcase.
"Yes and now, how to get inside?" I rubbed my beak thoughtfully.
"What about our new spy phones?" Lenny suggested, "Gary updated them so we should be able to unlock the door with them."
"Good idea Lenny." I smiled, "If you could hold my EPF suitcase I'll see if my spy phone can unlock the door." I handed him the case, to which he grumbled about why he had to hold it.
Ignoring his mumbles I waddled towards the locked door holding my spy phone up to it; PIXAR followed behind me. I nearly dropped my spy phone as it suddenly vibrated and the screen changed to read 'Entry Gainer 3000'. The title soon faded and a row of 5 3D diamond shapes appeared vertically on screen, the diamond shapes were rotating, then I noticed that each of the 3D diamonds had a piece missing from them, I knew what to do. By tapping the screen I lined the 3D shapes up, one at a time, and each time I lined one up one of the 5 red lights on the door turned green. Eventually all the lights were green and the metal door opened.
"Too easy..." I laughed as my friends smiled.
"Herbert needs to work on his door locks." Tweak giggled.
As we peered down the now open doorway, we could see steps leading down which were dimly illuminated by light green lights on the sides of the tunnel.
"Ok everyone let's Waddle On!" I smiled leading the way down the steps.
...
The staircase seemed to go on and on, until, "Quiet, what's that noise?" I whispered. The sound of a welder's torch, running water and a familiar clicking sound could be heard just around the corner ahead of us. We quickly and quietly waddled down the last few steps to find ourselves on a rocky ledge overlooking a large cave.
I gasped as I looked around, a large draining device stood beside a small water fall which made a small pool around the draining device. Prinsessrock gasped and pointed to an object just beyond the water fall, it was the Pizza Parlor's giant Hot Sauce bottle! The bottle's fiery contents were being poured into a large dish connected to a large pipe leading to a device, that looked like the solar laser from Operation: Blackout, and beside the device was Herbert himself, he had his back turned to us and was welding away whilst Klutzy watched.
I quickly took a photo with my camera before ducking behind some pizza boxes with my friends. Lenny began helping himself to a slice of pepperoni pizza from the top box, I gave him a look,
"What? I'm hungry." He whispered and smiled.
There were pizza boxes everywhere and Klutzy seemed to be glancing longingly at them. Prinsessrock's puffle was shaking with fright; her owner had to stroke her to calm her down, my puffle on the other hand was growling softly, he was obviously unhappy with Herbert, as were the rest of us.
"We need to stop Herbert." Tweak whispered,
"Yeah, no doubt he's using the Hot Sauce to make a machine for him evil plans, we must stop him now." Prinsessrock agreed.
"Yeah." Lenny said with a mouth full of pizza.
"Eww..." Prinsessrock and Tweak said at the same time.
"Shh guys, no I think we should wait and try to find out Herbert's plan before we make our move." I hushed.
Suddenly Herbert's voice made us jump as he rubbed his paws together and growled, "Setting up here was a STROKE OF GENIUS. Spacious. Quiet. And that pump is perfect to keep this place dry. Those Elite Penguin FOOLS will never find me! MWAHAHAHAHA! Masterful idea to salvage the solar laser for my plan too." He chuckled and added, "Isn't it Klutzy... Klutzy pay attention!"
The crab jumped, startled by his master's growl. "Klutzy stop day-dreaming and keep watch!" Herbert then picked up his welding torch went back to his welding.
A soft splat echoed around the cave, a pizza slice had fallen to the floor below us, we all turned towards Lenny, "It slipped out of my flippers." He quietly told us.
Prinsessrock frowned but then her eyes went wide as she whispered "Shh Klutzy's coming."
The small red crab was clicking his pincers with glee as he scuttled over to the pizza below us and began picking away at it, gobbling it down as quickly as he could. Once he finished the pizza slice, he then noticed another slice dangling out of the pizza box at the top of the stack we were partially hiding behind. Herbert turned around as Klutzy jumped frantically up and down on a rock trying to reach for the slice of pizza.
"KLUTZY! No pizza! We'll eat once I'm finished." Herbert bellowed, and then chuckled, "Popcorn Time Bomb? Cream Soda Sticky Bomb? Those were TRINKETS compared to what I'm working on now." He maliciously rubbed his paws together, "Those penguins will rue the day they ever met Herbert P. Bear, for I'll show those party-obsessed penguins who's REALLY in charge of this island."
Klutzy clicked his pincers at Herbert, who in reply laughed, "The EPF? Pffft! Just a bunch of gadget-juggling jokers!"
Me and my friends frowned as PIXAR growled at the polar bear's remark.
Herbert continued, "Why not even the EPF will be able to stop me. I WILL have my tropical paradise..." he was interrupted by Klutzy clicking again, "What?! Of course you can come Klutzy! I'll need you to fan me." He laughed before turning back to the solar laser to continue welding.