Lex is faced with the consequences of his past shady cover-ups in Metropolis while Clark tries to keep Chloe away from the mystery of his adoption.

What's up with Chloe? For a class assignment, Clark is Chloe's choice of subject for a biography. She starts by questioning the Kents and prying into the details of Clark's adoption. Clark gets defensive when she goes overboard investigating. Chloe later apologizes. In the end, despite her vows and apologies, Chloe saves the mysterious records on Clark's adoption.

What's up with Lana? Lana is busy preparing the rescued Talon Theater for the grand re-opening, supervising the contractor in the remodeling. Jude Royce, who says he's a former Metropolis acquaintance of Lex's, applies for the Assistant Manager position.

Who is Jude Royce? From a variety of flashbacks to 3 years ago, we learn that Jude Royce was the fiancée of Lex's friend Amanda. Lex and Amanda were out at a Metropolis nightclub, Club Zero, when they ran into Jude with a girl on each arm. Amanda threw her engagement ring at him. Jude blamed Lex. Lex told the sleaze he didn't deserve Amanda. Lex followed Amanda towards the door, with Jude rushing behind. Jude attacked Lex, stabbing him with a knife. We see different accounts of what happened in the confusion that followed. First account: the bouncer stepped between Lex and Jude, shooting Jude dead. Second account: once the Metropolis detective who is on the Luthor payroll arrived, Lex told him Lex himself shot Jude. The detective's police report will say that the bouncer, in an effort of security, shot Jude. The detective bribed a witness to agree, told Lex he'd cover it up, and to never again speak to Amanda. Now Jude is back (from the dead?) and wants the truth.

What's up with Lex? After he hears about Jude's arrival from Lana, he goes out to look for him. Later that night at the Talon, Lex is supposed to meet with the contractor. But instead he, Lana, and Clark find the contractor on the floor, apparently attacked from behind. There is a gift left behind, addressed to Lex with a card from Club Zero. Inside is a human hand wearing a "K" initial ring. Lex knows it's the hand of Max Kasich, former bouncer at Club Zero who was involved the night of the shooting. Max is later found dead. Jude comes to Lex's gym. With Lex at gun point, he demands the truth. Clark comes in and Jude disappears. Lex asks Clark to stay out of it.

What's up with Clark? Jonathan's continued mistrust of Lex is fueled when Clark and his dad find their herd of cattle dead in the pasture. The HAZMAT team finds LuthorCorp. chemical drums spilled on the property. When Lex arrives, he assures the family payment for their livestock loss. Clark suspects the incident has to do with Club Zero and Jude. As Lex goes to talk to the CEP environmental officer at the scene, it turns out to be Jude, who kidnaps him in a van. With the help of Chloe's photos taken at the poisoned livestock scene, Clark matches the CEP officer's face with a photo in an article about Jude's death at Club Zero. Suspecting trouble, Clark is on his way to Metropolis.

How it ends: Lex is strapped into a straight jacket, hanging upside-down in the abandoned Club Zero, being threatened by Jude. As he repeats the story of the night at Club Zero, the contractor from the Talon steps up and shoots Jude. The contractor is Amanda's brother, seeking revenge for her suicide. He's just out of prison, and had found "Jude," at least a double who looked like Jude, to help him in his plot to get Lex. Now Lex tells the brother the third account of what happened that night at Club Zero. It was Amanda who grabbed the gun and shot Jude dead. Lex tried to protect her with the altered police report. Enraged, the brother pushes Lex through a glass barrier on the second floor balcony. Clark arrives at this moment. Using his speed, he pushes a couch below Lex to cushion his fall, runs upstairs to stop the brother from shooting, then runs back to the door and re-enters to approach Lex who doesn't realize what just happened.