They were huge, hulking masses of rusted metal and bricks, dilapidated and falling apart, silent and ominous, and their windows reflected some of the light from the bus when the doors opened, making them look like square beasts with huge eyes, watching and waiting. Spongebob looked out the window and saw that they were on a completely darkened street, surrounded by huge factories. The bus slowed down gradually and then coasted to a stop. One of these days, you’ll run the place, like I do.” He patted his fry cook on the back. You’ll watch tonight, and supervise, like you will someday. But you’ll get to see how it’s made, all right, the whole process. “No, you don’t, and I don’t think you’d want to. “Can I help make the secret ingredient?” He sat up in his seat, excited at the idea. “Do I get to help make some?” Spongebob asked as the thought struck him. Krabs said, putting his claws behind his head and leaning back, “you’ll see. “I thought you were showing me where the…” he leaned in closer, “the thing… is made? Don’t you have your own factory?” “Yeah, that’s the place.” There was silence for a moment. “Near all those factories? The abandoned ones?” “Just drop us off at the edge of the shoppin’ district,” Mr.
“Where are you boys heading?” the driver shouted from the front.
The bus rumbled back to life and started back down the road. “Pacific Boulevard,” the driver called out, and the fish in the front shuffled out, the door opening before him and closing behind him. You need to make a batch one day every three months or so-they’re called processin’ days- and today’s one of ‘em.” Takes a long time to prepare, that stuff. But you need to order it at least two weeks in advance, before you need it. You make Krabby Patties, you know how quickly the stuff goes. “You do it every three months or so, because that’s how often I order it. Krabs said, facing the window to avoid the risk of having his lips read. “Now, what was I gonna say? Oh, yeah.You already know about how the secret ingredient gets delivered,” Mr.
“Okay,” Spongebob said, instantly perking up again. But now you do, so I must trust ye, right? Now quit cryin’.” “Nobody but me has known there even is a second secret ingredient until today. Don’t you-don’t you trust me? I thought I was your best employee, why wouldn’t you tell me…” Tears started to build in his eyes.
“I thought the secret ingredient was a pinch of King Neptune’s Poseidon Powder. Krabs,” Spongebob said in his quietest voice possible. This was secret business they could not risk the driver and the other passenger hearing. They sat in the very back, on the left, talking in low whispers. One fish sat in the front of the bus, wearing a coat and tie, leaning up against his window, staring at the moving landscape, eyes blank. Not many people needed to go anywhere after nine o’ clock.