Chapter 11: Ready, Aim, Fire Part 2: The Beginnings of a Fire
Reep waited quietly as he heard the groaning of slaves and soldiers pulling the catapult. Once it was clear, he made a dash for Smallville's market district as a cheetah. He hoped and prayed to God that he'd get there before Imperiex.
()()()()()
Kell checked around the area. His side looked clear, but he had to make sure, especially with Kara watching.
"Are my leaves on straight?" Dick said with a smile in the tree he was hiding in.
"Yeah, but you need more twigs." Imra replied as the two of them and Ayla giggled.
"Stop giggling!" Kell whispered angrily. "Trees don't giggle!" Seriously. Kids had to be told everything. "Any sign of the guards?"
"All clear." Dick responded.
"All clear, Kal." Kell responded.
Clark nodded and walked over to the Christians who'd arrived for the story.
"Many of you ask, 'How long must we keep telling the stories of Jesus in secret?'" Clark started. "Well, one thing is certain. They can't keep us quiet forever. Anymore than they could keep a blind beggar quiet when Jesus passed by.
"It was on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus and his disciples had to cross through the city of Jericho, and it was there that they met a blind man called Bartemaus.
"Upon hearing that Jesus had arrived, Bartemaus called out, 'Son of David! Jesus, help me!'
"Even though the people tried to shuttle the poor blind man away, Jesus stopped them and asked them to call Bartemaus over to him.
"When he arrived, Jesus asked, 'What is it you want from me?'
"Bartemaus replied, 'I want my sight back.'
"'Go home.' Jesus responded. 'Because you have trusted me, you have been made better.'
"And just like that, Bartemaus could see again."
Just then, a knock was heard. Kell approached it cautiously and opened it a bit to reveal a friend from Brainiac's palace, Reep Daggle.
"Reep!" Clark called out. "What's wrong?"
"Brainy sent me, but I think I may be too late." Reep said panting. "There's gonna be a fire."
"What?!" Lois called out.
"He's right!" Dick called out from the tree. "We're surrounded!"
Everyone began to talk excitedly when Clark calmed them down.
"Friends, please." Clark said as calm as the sea. "If we panic, it'll only make things worse."
"I don't think they can get much worse." Kell pointed out.
()()()()()
At the hilltop where the catapult was, a flaming boulder was released right at the heart of the district.
"Bull's eye!" Imperiex called out. "That'll teach Christians to defy Brainiac's law. RELOAD!"
()()()()()
Meanwhile, at the district, everyone was carrying water to clear a passageway to allow for an escape.
"Keep it coming!" Clark called out.
Ayla tried to help, but the bucket was too heavy for her.
"Ayla, you're spilling it everywhere!" Kell said angrily. Leave it to me!"
Ayla felt like she was about to cry as Kell took the bucket from her. Why was Kell being so mean today?
"Hey Ayla, I could use your help." Kara said kindly as she gave Ayla a smaller bucket she could handle as she held two of her own.
()()()()()
Brainy looked around cautiously when Imperiex touched his shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" Imperiex said angrily.
"Hail Imperiex." Brainy said quickly. "How's the fire?"
"So, you've come to share in my victory, have you?!" Imperiex asked angrily, just as Brainy wanted. "Well Brainiac put me in charge of this operation! And I don't need any help from you! Stay out of my way, and you won't get hurt."
As Imperiex left, Brainy saw Cobblepot barely pluck an apple from a tree, giving Brainy a fun little idea.
As they prepared to set another boulder ablaze, Brainy walked up and whistled at a horse, who came up and ate an apple Brainy held before quickly walking off, causing the catapult to be pulled forward enough, so that they missed their next target.
Instead, it hit an old bath house, putting the boulder out at once.
()()()()()
The gang breathed a sigh of relief after a good hour's work.
"We did it." Imra sighed.
"For now." Reep said. "But Brainy can't stall Imperiex forever."
"Reep is right." Clark said calmly. "We'll have to evacuate."
"How?" Reep asked. "We're completely surrounded."
"We all knew this day would come, and we're prepared for it." Clark continued as calm as before. "You kids know what to do."
Using the aqueduct system and camouflage, the kids were able to help everyone out of the market district of New Smallville.
()()()()()
Back at the catapult, Brainy subtly damaged the rope as it began to fray.
"Perfect." Brainy said with a smirk.
"PREPARE TO FIRE!" Imperiex called out.
The boulder just fell idly down the hill as the entire catapult fell over. Brainy could only smile at the look of horror and rage on Imperiex's face.
Hooray for teamwork and sabotage!