Chapter 11: Ready, Aim, Fire Part 2: The Beginnings of a Fire

Davis 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 fast as his Kryptonian DNA allowed. He hoped and prayed to God that he'd get there before Brainiac.

Oliver checked around the area. His side looked clear, but he had to make sure, especially with Virgil watching.
"Are my leaves on straight?" Bruce said with a smile in the tree he was hiding in.
"Yeah, but you need more twigs." Lois replied as the two of them and Conner giggled.
"Stop giggling!" Oliver whispered angrily. "Trees don't giggle!" Seriously. Kids had to be told everything. "Any sign of the guards?"
"All clear." Bruce responded.
"All clear, Jonathan." Oliver responded.
Jonathan 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?'" Jonathan 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. Oliver approached it cautiously and opened it a bit to reveal a friend from Lionel's palace, Davis Bloome.
"Davis!" Jonathan called out. "What's wrong?"
"Lex sent me, but I think I may be too late." Davis said panting. "There's gonna be a fire."
"What?!" Laurel called out.
"He's right!" Bruce called out from the tree. "We're surrounded!"
Everyone began to talk excitedly when Jonathan calmed them down.
"Friends, please." Jonathan said as calm as the sea. "If we panic, it'll only make things worse."
"I don't think they can get much worse." Oliver pointed out.

At the hilltop where the catapult was, a flaming boulder was released right at the heart of the district.
"Bull's eye!" Brainiac called out. "That'll teach Christians to defy Lionel Luthor's law. RELOAD!"

Meanwhile, at the district, everyone was carrying water to clear a passageway to allow for an escape.
"Keep it coming!" Jonathan called out.
Conner tried to help, but the bucket was too heavy for her.
"Conner, you're spilling it everywhere!" Oliver said angrily. Leave it to me!"
Conner felt like he was about to cry as Oliver took the bucket from him. Why was Oliver being so mean today?
"Hey Conner, I could use your help." Virgil said kindly as he gave Conner a smaller bucket he could handle as he held two of his own.

Lex looked around cautiously when Brainiac touched his shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" Brainiac said angrily.
"Hail Brainiac." Lex said quickly. "How's the fire?"
"So, you've come to share in my victory, have you?!" Brainiac asked angrily, just as Lex wanted. "Well Luthor 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 Brainiac left, Lex saw Cobblepot barely pluck an apple from a tree, giving Lex a fun little idea.
As they prepared to set another boulder ablaze, Lex walked up and whistled at a horse, who came up and ate an apple Lex 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." Lois sighed.
"For now." Davis said. "But Lex can't stall Brainiac forever."
"Davis is right." Jonathan said calmly. "We'll have to evacuate."
"How?" Davis asked. "We're completely surrounded."
"We all knew this day would come, and we're prepared for it." Jonathan 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 Smallville.

Back at the catapult, Lex subtly damaged the rope as it began to fray.
"Perfect." Lex said with a smirk.
"PREPARE TO FIRE!" Brainiac called out.
The boulder just fell idly down the hill as the entire catapult fell over. Lex could only smile at the look of horror and rage on Brainiac's face.

Hooray for teamwork and sabotage!