02x09 - Programmed for Death

[bunniefuu]

Yo, Andy McAlister here.

It's me, Andrew.

Andrew, you still there?

Yeah.

Listen, I can't talk

right now.

I'm, uh, I'm studying

for this exam

I have tomorrow.

Why?

That figures.

Why would you call me

if you weren't in trouble?

Where are you?

I'm on my way.

Andy, I don't mean to pry,

but is everything okay?

Everything's fine.

It's just this guy

that I used to know,

and he wants to talk.

It's no big deal.

I mean, if there's

anything I could do--

Nah.

It's a hopeless case.

Believe me, hopeless.

You in there, Pop?

Try the back door,

Andrew.

So who are we running

from this time?

The IRS, the bookies,

the mob?

I can't see a thing.

That's weird.

This is weird, Dad.

What, have you

gone nuts?

"Nuts," Andrew?

Is that any way

to talk to your father?

Come on, Clark, Clark--

Yo, uh, could I have

a moment?

Yes, you're-you're Kent,

aren't you,

the-the student who's

always studying?

And-and you're Lana,

the girl who's got

the thing for

the Superboy?

Um, excuse me,

should we know you?

The name is McAlister,

Jack McAlister.

Hello.

You're Andy's father,

right?

Ha, give a big cigar

for the little lady.

Did you ever think about

going into modeling?

Andy didn't tell us

you were coming.

Well, Andrew didn't know.

You see, we sort of lost

touch a few years ago, uh,

after I was--uh, well,

how shall I put it?

Sent up?

"Sent up" for?

He means after

he went to jail.

See, I-I had some

gambling debts.

I got in a little deep,

so I ran this embezzling

scam to pay off

the $200,000.

But, before I could

pay it off, I got caught.

No big thing.

Anyway, after the kid's

mother d*ed,

he-he went to live

with his uncle.

He raised him while

I was in the slammer.

When I got out, he showed

me Andrew's letters.

So I've read quite a bit

about you two.

Mr. McAlister, we'd love

to help you find Andy,

buthe didn't come

home last night.

Yeah, you know,

he's not the easiest person

to keep track

of sometimes.

Sounds a lot

like his old man.

Actually, I came here

to contact Superboy.

-Why Superboy?

-Well, I need his help.

You see, I witnessed

a m*rder yesterday.

Wow!

I saw the k*ller,

the k*ller saw me,

and I panicked and ran.

Well, why didn't you

just go to the police?

With my record, and the

story I've got to tell?

Ha, no-no, no way,

little lady, not at all.

They'd probably

end up booking me.

I think Superboy would-

would understand.

I think he'd be different.

I think he'd listen

to my story.

And I think he'd try

to help me clear my name.

It was Andrew's letters

that led me here

to you, Clark.

They said that you know

how to contact him.

We keep in touch.

Then you've got to give

him a message for me.

You've got to tell him

to meet me at 4:00 today--

sharp, that is--

between 6th and main.

It could be a matter

of life and death.

You tell that

to Superboy.

Life or death.

And give my regards

to the kid.

Tell him I'll talk

to himLater,

if I'm still around.

"Give my regards

to the kid"?

Golly.

Doesn't really sound

like Andy and his father

are all that close.

I don't really think that's

any of our business, Lana.

But I do think

Mr. McAlister

really needs

Superboy's help.

Maybe they both do.

I mean, the longer

I don't hear from Andy,

the more I worry.

Me too.

Aaahhh!

Superboy stood you up?

It's not the end

of the world.

At least you and I

still have each other.

Get in, Jack, or you'll

never make peace

with your son.

I have Andrew.

Now, get in.

What the hell have

you done to him?

Dad, Dad!

That's not a great idea.

Listen to him, Jack.

If you don't let go

of that wire,

I will send 5,000 volts

through it

and k*ll you both.

Bad mistake, Jack--

running to Superboy.

Now that you've tried

to put him between us,

you force me

to get nasty.

I'll just have to

eliminate him.

How did you know I was

going to be down here?

I calculated

the probability at 97.4%.

And as one betting

man to another,

not too shabby odds.

All right, all right,

so you've got me here.

Now you don't need

Andrew anymore.

Let him go.

MaybeMaybe we can

strike a deal.

Jack, Jack, Jack.

You're a man after

my own brain--

or is it the other

way around?

Good afternoon.

How's the world

been treatin' you?

No complaints, huh?

Yeah, I know what

you mean.

That's funny,

I don't see any

maintenance schedule

this afternoon.

I've gotta call this in.

That won't be necessary.

Are you going to tell me

why we're breaking into

a power plant?

This is where Andrew

is going to watch you die.

You, and Superboy.

Open the gate, Jack.

Open the gate.

Look at him.

The first machine

on earth to think

like a human being--

that's what he said.

He said this machine

would blow the lid off

the entire computer

industry.

But why'd he choose you?

ThisIn-home test,

it's sort of

a psychological profile.

I paid a shrink to give me

the best answers.

So you let this quack plug

his midget Frankenstein

into your brain

night after night?

Dad, didn't you wonder,

didn't you ever think,

what-what you were

getting into?

I had my own problems--

I-I needed the money.

Dad, wake up!

When are you

gonna learn?

This thing is

your problem.

It thinks like you,

it talks like you,

and now it's trying to tap

into the city's power?

Someone's gonna get hurt.

We have to shut it down.

Andrew.

Didn't your father tell

you I've already k*lled?

He watched me

k*ll my creator.

And now that I've tapped

into unlimited amounts

of energy, I am ready

to k*ll again.

Tell detective Miller

I want him down here

tomorrow morning,

6 am sharp.

Marie, I'll get back to you.

This is an honor--Superboy.

I'm Detective Sloan.

What can I do for you?

Detective, I need you

to run a check

on someone for me.

He's an ex-convict

out on parole.

His name is McAlister,

Jack McAlister.

My creator stumbled

onto a new process

for creating artificial

intelligence.

Heinrich developed

a computer that could

be infused with input

from the human brain.

Your brain, Jack.

Your emotions,

inflections,

even your personality.

I'm not you, and you're

nothing like me.

I am your dark side, Jack.

You still don't get it,

do you, Jack?

There's a monster

hiding in every man.

There was a flaw

in Heinrich's process

that brought

out the monster in you.

Sad to say,

a fatal flaw.

I would've settled

for snuffing you out, Jack.

But no, you had to bring

Superboy into this.

Now his blood will be

on your hands, our hands.

Dad, no!

Dad!

Relax, Andrew.

Probably stunned him.

I want Jack to live,

just long enough

to see all the damage

he's going to cause.

Parole violations

are the least of

Jack McAlister's problems.

He's wanted for

questioning in a m*rder.

A m*rder?

Who's the victim?

Some computer genius,

Heinrich Gibbs.

Neighbors say he spent

a lot of his time

in his garage working

on some kind

of experimental

computer.

Jack McAlister was

seen leaving there

just hours before

the body was found.

Wait a minute.

This says something

about a van, loaded with

state-of-the-art

computer equipment.

Both it and the computer

are missing.

Police upstate think that

McAlister used the van

to make his getaway.

What's going on?

Excuse me.

What's with the lights?

It's happening all

over the city, sir.

Some sort of drain

from the new substation.

Isn't that the new

power plant that's run

totally by computer?

You got it.

Excuse me.

Andrew, I helped this

thing get in here

only if it would

set you free.

Dad

It's not gonna live

up to our deal.

You know that,

don't you?

Yeah, well,

at least you tried.

What's that?

What do you think

the odds are that I can

cut you loose before it

turns at you, son?

Zero.

Still better odds

than we have now,

don't you think?

Welcome, Superboy,

I'm Jack McAlister.

The real Jack McAlister.

I knew you wouldn't

waste any time

finding the source

of the power drain.

Are you two all right?

Be careful, Superboy,

it's some kind of trap.

So you k*lled

Heinrich Gibbs.

I had no choice.

He was going

to take me apart.

I couldn't let

anyone do that.

That's why I modified

myself with

tailor-made weapons,

and now,

my other half

has to suffer.

He's going to watch me

destroy you, Superboy,

and then k*ll his son.

Why would a machine

program itself to k*ll?

You wouldn't have

to ask that, Superboy,

if you could imagine

what it would be like

to have the mind

of a human

and be trapped

Trapped in this.

You really think

you're a match for me?

What's to stop me

from shutting you down?

About 20 million volts.

Enough electricity is

coursing through your

body right now to light

up half the country.

I can't begin to calculate

the agony you must feel

at this moment.

We can't just stand here--

Superboy's dying!

It's now or never.

Brace yourself.

Now you die, Jack.

Dad!

How touching.

First he tries

to save your life,

and now you're

trying to save his.

So, both of you still

care after all.

A pity you never

had a chance

to tell each other.

This cannot be.

By all my

calculations,

you should be

dead by now.

That's my problem.

I never know

when to give up.

Now it's time for a dose

of your own medicine.

Nooo!

-Nice work, Andy.

-It was nothing.

UghThanks, Superboy.

I never really meant

to put you in any danger.

I know, you just did it

to help your son.

My son.

then, when we lost

your mother,

I couldn't be there

for you because, well,

I had to go away

and-and do my time.

I mean, don't get me

wrong, that's not saying

anything against

your Uncle Bob--

Dadwhat are you

saying here?

All right, uh

Cards on the table time?

Yeah.

Well, uh

I know I haven't been

much of a father,

and I feel awful

about not being there for you.

I'd like to change that.

Starting now.

If that's okay

with you, kid?

Yeah, yeah.

Come on, let's get

outta here.

I really hope it

works out between

Andy and his father.

You know, you and I have

really had it lucky.

We've always had

our parents around.

Have you ever wondered

about Superboy?

I meanI wonder

if he has parents

somewhere out there.