What's up with Lionel: Lionel is in his limousine, talking business on his cell phone, when a man in a mask appears on a TV screen in his car. The vehicle stops in the middle of a set of train tracks. Lionel's driver gets out of the car, and the doors lock themselves. An altered voice challenges Lionel to a game of hangman - he must guess the missing letter and say the mystery phrase before the oncoming train hits the car. Lionel is losing until the man offers a hint - it's something Lionel taught him. The answer is "NO MERCY." Lionel is able to escape before the train collides with the car.

What's up with Lex: After his brush with death, Lionel pays Lex a visit. Lionel is convinced Lex orchestrated the hit. Lex insists that makes no sense - since Lionel has returned to their company, profits have soared. While not the most comforting reason as to why Lex would not kill him, Lionel accepts this answer. Later, Lex is teaching Lana how to play chess when Lana brings up the kiss. Why haven't they talked about it since it's happened? However, they are not able to discuss it right then. Lex receives a phone call - Lionel is missing. Lex sends his security team to Lionel's office to search for clues. Clark, who hears from Lois that his mother is missing too and goes to consult Lex, sees a hidden camera in one of Lionel's statues; he also notices there is a chip in the statue's base - a convenient excuse as to how Clark knows that there's something wrong with it. Chloe researches and finds out where the signal to the camera is coming from.

What's up with Clark: Clark wants to tell Martha that Lionel knows his secret, but he doesn't want to burden his mother. After all, she's had to deal with not only her husband's death but also her new political career. Chloe thinks it's essential that Clark tell his mother. After all, Lionel has been playing Chloe too by feeding her information about Dr. Fine's whereabouts.

What's up with Martha: Clark tells his mother that Lionel knows, but she always suspected so anyway. She knew something was up when Lionel said he would take care of the tape with footage of Clark surviving an explosion. She insists that she will handle Lionel. Unfortunately, she doesn't get a chance to do so right away - the masked man kidnaps her right after he takes Lionel.

How it ends: The masked tormentor is a disgruntled victim of Luthorcorp who plans to kill Lionel. He admonishes Lionel for treating his employees poorly and promises revenge. He plays a series of games with Lionel, but Lionel steps up his game when he sees Martha in a tank slowly being filled with water. Lionel asks the mysterious figure why has he taken Martha hostage too. He answers that no one connected with you is innocent. He accuses Martha of being a puppet of Lionel's.

After she escapes the tank, there is one final game. Only one can leave the elevator they are trapped in alive. Lionel wants Martha to shoot him, but she can't. Lionel then intends to blow his head off, but the gun is empty. The masked tormentor comes out - it is a member of his security staff, one that Lionel trusted just earlier in the day. He reveals they can't win this game. The elevator drops.

Clark, with the help of Chloe and Lex, is able to find where Lionel and Martha are and is able to save them before the elevator falls to the ground. Lionel says, "Thank you, son." Afterwards, Clark stops by Lionel's office. Clark does not want Lionel to call him son. He tells Lionel to stay away from his mother - or he will wish Clark never saved him.