Cold Northern Waters

Chapter 11: I Want It All

Chapter theme: I Want It All by Queen

(DEATH WARNING - This chapter will contain scenes of death and mild gore. Read at your own risk)

As they approached the intimidating building, Junjie caught sight of something shiny that Perry was fiddling with.

"Why do you have that?" he asked.

"While you were oh so fascinated by the graveyard otherwise known as Dead Man's Dardanelles," she said, "Lenny told me she wouldn't feel good knowing we were heading into this hellhole if I didn't have this with me."

She held up a pot that Junjie recognised as the Boon Doc salve which had healed his hands.

"And considering what happened the last couple of times we tried a thing like this," she continued, "I get the feeling we might need it."

The building seemed to grow even more looming and eerie as they approached, and Junjie could have sworn he heard a not-too-distant groaning.

"I have a feeling they won't want us walking in through the front door," he mentioned.

"Not to worry, JJ," said Perry. "It's a factory. There'll be plenty of entrances and exits for emergencies and maintenance. The trick is finding one that opens without letting the whole of Slugterra know where we are, because with how old this place is, I'm betting it'll squeak."

Junjie looked up at the monstrosity as they drew closer. He could see a thin, flimsy-looking set of steps zigzagging up one side, chimneys that towered above like massive snuffed-out cigarettes, surprisingly lush green vines reaching up the concrete and steel walls and the few visible windows were long since shattered and opaque with caked-on dirt.

"We'll check round the sides," said Perry. "There's bound to be a way in somewhere along here."

The building groaned again, unsettling in its volume, as the pair crept along the rusting steel walls. Despite its obvious disrepair, Junjie somehow got the feeling that this place wasn't going to collapse anytime soon. It seemed like it had definitely been built to last, as opposed to the theatre and the power station, which would have had round-the-clock repairs and maintenance during their heyday. And there were certainly some parts that were obviously newer than others, so despite Perry and Lenny's explanation of its liquidation, it was clear that someone had meant for the place to stay in business.

Perhaps, then, they really should have reconsidered their hiring practices and not made 12 years old the maximum age.

"Over there!" Perry suddenly whispered.

She grabbed his wrist and pulled him over rough rocks and sharp saplings to where a door labelled "Emergency Exit" stood out from the steel wall.

"This will be troublesome," he pointed out. "Doors like these are designed to open outward, so breaking it inward may be a challenge."

"Not to worry," said Perry, and she pulled up one of her canisters. "Fury will be able to handle it, won't you?"

The reddish Infurnus nodded confidently, and she slotted him into her blaster, took aim-

-and the door opened.

Both slingers stared in befuddlement at the teen who now stood there, staring at them both.

"You came," they said, their voice a mixture of resignation and relief.

Fury hopped out, taking a place on Perry's shoulder, and she holstered her blaster.