Tess creates an elaborate hoax in order to kidnap Oliver/Green Arrow, and delivers him to the shady head of the secret society Checkmate, Amanda Waller, who tells him that that the government is recruiting him to serve his country. However, Green Arrow escapes before they can learn his identity. After Oliver brings Clark and Chloe up to speed on what happened to him, the three investigate and Clark is surprised to find John Jones investigating Oliver's kidnapping too. Clark senses that John is keeping information from him. Oliver and Clark are shocked when Tess reveals that Amanda is after something called "Watchtower," which is Chloe's code name in the Justice League. When Chloe is captured by Checkmate agents, Waller threatens to kill Chloe unless Clark gives her the names and locations of the rest of the Justice League.

Tess's latest intrusion, at Watchtower, and Chloe's excessive lockout mechanism, lock the pair up, likely to be killed while Checkmate breaks trough the last firewalls. Intrudening the Luthor mansion Oliver faces Zod, whose abusive side reemerges, now with superpowers. Clark must save his friends and hopes to do he same for the Kandorians, one of which carries unsuspecting Zod's unborn child, but the all-round secrecy exacts terrible prices.