A man named Sylvester Pemberton tracks down Chloe and tells her he knows about her team of superheroes and needs their help. However, before he can explain who he is, he is attacked and killed by Icicle. Clark and Chloe's investigation leads Clark to the former headquarters of the Justice Society of America, an underground team of superheros, where he meets up with Nelson (AKA: Dr. Fate), Carter Hall (AKA: Hawkman) and Courtney (AKA: Star Girl). Courtney pleads with Hawkman and Dr. Fate to help her catch the killer that is targeting their group but they are reluctant to resume their duties as superheroes. Clark, John Jones, Green Arrow and Chloe team up to help the JSA stop Icicle before he murders another member of the group. Meanwhile, Lois receives a package from a mysterious agency called Checkmate, run by the shadowy Amanda Waller.

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.