Help Needed
Chapter 3

Lex Luthor was not a happy man. One of his top secret research projects had just been raided. It wasn't just worrying because the Project had been set back. It was a problem if someone decided it would a good idea to dig. If the wrong person dug too deep they could find the Final Project. It was a risk, a big one. But sometimes that was the only way to make a big profit

Looking across at the professor he stood up and came around the table. 'So lets get this straight. They came in, destroyed the lab and most of the research you had made into the heat resistant alloy. I only have one question; Did anyone know the real reason I had put several million dollars into your research budget?'

'None of the survivors sir. Only one Autobot escaped and he had no idea we were going to offer it back to them as armour plating.' He answered without hesitation.

'Good. Wayne-Tech has been monopolising all the recent weapons contracts. The same way Queen Industries has been getting all the aerospace jobs. I won't fall behind.' Ever since the great Jack O'Neill had been given the keys to the kingdom he could do no wrong. Even when he almost brought the economy of half the planet crashing down.

What happened was a great upheaval. The alliance of super corporations known as the Trust was not only shattered but the CEO's arrested and their assets seized. Three days after this O'Neill told the whole country why. Everything from the Trust's attempted take overs of the Stargate program to their own take over by the Goa'uld and subsequent attempts to take the presidency. Public opinion of any super corporation went from something they would put up with to a latter day Boston Tea party. Anyone with ties to the Trust, the companies involved and even those who went to school with those people were questioned. Fortunately none of the Trust had trusted Lex's father enough to offer him a position. This left Luthorcorp safe from the witch hunt.

In the end only a handful of mega corps were left. The three biggest being Luthorcorp, Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries. Those three, overnight, became the suppliers to the planetary defence forces. But that wasn't enough was it. O'Neill didn't let the the survivors gobble up the former Trust companies. He gave them, resources and all, to smaller companies. Splitting them up and scattering everything. Sometimes starting completely new companies and staffing them with those he had made jobless. The whole economic landscape changed overnight.

Then came the laws preventing the mega-corps from absorbing the smaller companies. Things were a mess. Worst of all while Wayne and Queen got all the ordinance contracts his company was left with the feeding and waste disposal.

That was going to change. If the Final Project succeeded that is. 'Professor, Your research was only the tip of the iceberg. There are other uses for talents and I have just the place for you to explore them.' Picking up a folder from his desk Lex gave it to the startled man. 'I expect the best so I pay for it. You'll be getting a raise and moving your work to a new facility...'

There was a knock on the door. 'Mr Luthor?' It was one of his guards. 'Sorry to interrupt you sir but you wanted to know if something... extra-terrestrial was happening.'

That got his attention. 'What is it?'

'The news.' The guard pointed at his TV.

Lex turned to the scientist who was boggling at the folder. 'You will excuse me.' With a flick of the remote it came on.

'Ladies and gentlemen. To repeat:- In continuance to the Decepticon attack earlier today a giant Decepticon has been sighted just outside Chicago and has started attacking the city. No one knows, yet, just how this threat bypassed the planetary defences or what it hopes to gain.

The young woman reported professionally despite the rather low cut top she was in. 'With no sign of the Autobot defence team it is believed that they are still in Metropolis and have been taken completely by surprise by this attack.' The reporter put a hand to her ear. 'I hear we now have footage of the giant Decepticon.' the shot changed and the anchor was lost for words.

It was huge. A black and purple dinosaur that made Chicago look like a kids toy. The thing had to be easily the size of a city and a match for whatever earth had. Lex knew just how many Autobots were left on Earth. Not enough to stop this thing, it would take everything they had to slow it down...

Everything. 'Professor, You will get to the factory, level three is waiting for you.' Dismissing the shocked man Lex picked up his phone and punched in the number of his agent. This was the perfect distraction he'd been waiting for.

'Hello'

'This is bishop to knight.' Lex spoke the code phrase. 'The pieces are in place for the knight gamble. Move in to checkmate and clear the board.'

'Y... Yes sir.' his operative stammered. Good the Project would start soon.

---

'Oh great. We've got a super sized robo-godzilla stomping around downtown Illinois and I don't think the blues brother's magic car is going to be that much help here.' Jack quipped. Chloe would never in a million years believed she'd hear one of President Jack O'Neill's infamous bad jokes. Let alone in person. Okay being star struck wasn't really her, but this was THE Jack O'Neill. A girl had to have some priorities .

'Question is where did those Decepticons get their energon from. Tripticon was always a bit heavy on energon consumption.' Springer said.

Hot Spot half laughed, the same way you do when someone makes a lame joke just before everything hits the fan. 'A "bit" heavy? The guy drunk whole energon stations as an afternoon snack.'

'True.' Springer agreed. 'Unfortunately that power ain't wasted. The Decepticon city is a match for Metroplex in any mode. Trapped in on the west cost and in city mode Metroplex won't have a chance against a full battle mode Tripticon. And he can't transform, being the home to over a million Autobots and humans. The damage. The loss of life...'

'Don't forget Clark.' Chloe had to say but he really wasn't as important as the death of everyone in one of the biggest cities in the world.

Jack nodded. So the questions in order; Where did they get the power to run that thing? What's this got to do with the Kent boy? and... and he's the freaking energiser bunny.'

'What?' Everyone asked.

'I just figured it out. They're running Tri-tip out there on an alien power source. Kent.'

'Yeah. That's what I came here for.' Octane jumped up. 'The human, whatever he is. Starscream's using him as a living power core.'

'Forgive me for being dense.' Chloe asked. 'But why can't Metroplex do anything?'

'The city's too big.' Springer announced. 'Over the last couple of years too many humans have moved in, it was already full of our civilian population. In the end we had to build out, making it bigger. Only problem is now Metroplex is landlocked. If he transformed the destruction would be almost as bad as Tripticon smashing the place up.'

Jack finished for the Autobot sub-commander 'Collateral damage would be a bitch too. Imagine two of them out there. By the time they'd have finished the continental United States would be a warzone. We need a plan that takes Dino-boy out of the picture, quickly.'

Streetwise, the police car that got her to the Auto-base, had a suggestion; 'Hey if they're running Tripticon on an alien power source why don't we attack that? You could arrange for a massive all out attack and just drain it out.'

The computer screen beeped. 'Negative possibility of success. Kryptonian cellular energy renewed through atmospheric interaction. Power drain insufficient compared to gross planetary output.'

Chloe caught The president's confused look and explained. 'In other words there isn't enough power on the planet to stop Tripticon. The fact is Clark recharges too fast to make a dent. But there is another way...'

---

Jonathan Kent tried his son's phone again. No answer. 'Martha; there's probably a hundred reasons why he's not answering. He might just have turned it off.' He tried to comfort her but he knew she might be right.

'Jonathan I know you, you're not very good at lying.' His wife managed a smile. 'Least of all to me. More than that I'm his mother and I can feel it.' She tuned back to the TV. 'I only wish I was wrong.'

'But how can he be involved in this? It's no where near Metropolis and even if he was mixed up in what happened back there you know Clark. He'd never leave Metropolis with people that need help left behind.' he turned the TV off. 'I don't see what good worrying about it does.' That didn't mean they weren't going to worry.

There was a lot of work left to do that day, even with an election race he was in the middle of he had to run a farm. So Jonathan headed out to do his chores. Half an hour later he was tossing hay-bails to the cattle at the main gate when a very fancy dark green car pulled up.

A lot bigger than most the futuristic car took up the whole dirt track that led to the farm. It was also a lot longer than it should be, two forward prongs and a tail out the back that couldn't have been much more than show. The car pulled to a stop silently next to him. It must have been one of those new Autobot designed cars but what one was doing in Smallville.

'Hello?' he asked and the side opened up.

'Hi Mr Kent. Sorry, in a bit of a rush. Doesn't Clark keep a meteorite rock in a lead box?' A hyperactive blond that happened to be one of Clark's best friends jumped out and stared speaking a mile a minute.

'Chloe! When did you get such a fancy...?' Then another person got out. A tall distinguished man with greying hair and a little scar on his left eyebrow. It was also the last person Jonathan ever expected to see. 'President O'Neill?'

'Jonathan Kent, haven't we met?'

That caught him on the back foot. 'Yes. Two weeks ago, you wanted to meet all the candidates...'

'Oh now I remember. You were the only person there whose hand shake wasn't so slimy I had to wash my hands.'

Jonathan had no idea how to react to that one. 'urm... thank you?'

'You're welcome, but we're going to have to have a long chat, Mr small town Kansas Farmer.'

Oh god, what had Chloe told him 'What do you mean?'

'Let's start with, oh I don't know, the space ship you kept in your storm cellar. Moving through the whole not mentioning your son had super-powers right the way to the fact he's not even human!'

That did it. President or no this guy was going to get a piece of his mind. After all what did he have to lose now. 'He was a boy, sir. An innocent kid when we found him! What were we supposed to do, leave him out there for god knows who to find? My father raised me never to turn my back on someone in need. I raised my SON the same way! I don't care where he's from or what destiny other people want for him. He's my son you son of a bitch and I won't let anyone, even you, hurt him. Got that? YOU GOT THAT!' towards the end Jonathan was jabbing the man's chest. It was about then he noticed a few things.

The President wasn't in an uncomfortable suit or immaculate blue uniform. He was in worn jeans, a well worn shirt and battered tan jacket. In fact he looked so like Jonathan himself he had to blink. That bought him back to his senses. He was poking the President of the United States. Poking the actual President and the guy was smiling ruefully. Jonathan lowered his hand slowly.

Jack snorted with laugher. 'I had a son too. He's dead so I feel what you fear, I feel it every day. You're a good man Jonathan Kent and I'd have done the exact same thing you did given the choice.

'Doesn't mean we aren't still going to have a talk.' Jacks face was suddenly serious. 'Doesn't mean I'm going to take your son away or have you and your wife arrested.' he nodded to the farm house. Jonathan glanced and saw Martha, hand to her mouth in shock. 'It means I need to know everything if I'm going to help you. If Clark really is the last of his people we have to.'

'Thank you, Jack.' Jonathan nodded and it felt like a great weight had been lifted. 'So it's not all PR then.'

'Nope, mostly just a pain in the butt space monkey beating "Do the right thing" into my head for eight years.'

Martha was at his side. 'Hello, I heard Jonathan shouting. I don't think we've met but you look...' she trailed off, recognising him. '...Oh god you know.' She whispered. A death grip on Jonathan's arm.

'It's alright Mrs Kent.' Chloe ran back. 'I told him everything. Clarks kinda in trouble and he needs help. The presiden... Jack and the Autobots got involved. Or we got involved with them and...'

'Chloe. Slow down' Jonathan said, trying to calm her down. 'It will be okay, we don't need to know everything. Only that you, both of you, will do your best and we can't help. Martha, we have things to talk about, with Jack, later. I trust him.'

Martha nodded mutely, her grip faltering but still tight.

---

Jack tried to smile reassuringly to the farmers wife. They were right to protect their adopted son and he had nothing but respect for a guy with that sort of secret but still willing to do the right thing for others. He'd make a good senator, that made one at least. 'Well lets see it This magic rock that's going to weaken him.' Jack turned to Miss Sullivan.

'That's not a good idea, sir. You see, err, they can do things to us too.' She squirmed under the black look he gave.

'What do you mean "things"?' he wasn't having a good day. A painful reminder of his son, learning that there were aliens out there with powers like the Kent boy's, oh and the frigging great big Decepticon stomping down the centre states.

She winced. the Kent's looked shifty all of a sudden too. 'Well,' Sullivan explained. 'There's a lot of evidence that exposure to meteorite rocks can, well, mutate people. Giving them powers that sort of drives them insane.'

'Insane like "ha-ha you're funny", or insane "I will use my powers to rule the world"?

'The second one... but don't worry you can tell when a meteor rock is near because they glow green.'

Jack put a tight grip on his anger. 'So; In this town glowing green rocks from space drives people dangerously insane AND give them abilities beyond the average human.'

'The three of them looked at each other and at once nodded. 'Yeah', 'Something like that', I guess.'

'Okay. Firstly that's a crap TV premise and second:- Why the hell wasn't I told!?' He bellowed at them.

It had stared as a good day. It went bad and it was just going worse.

End Chapter 3