When Lex Luthor loses a $150 million contract to Luthor Corp, he finds that his mansion was bugged by his father. He hires a team to bug the offices of Luthor Corp expecting to find the building empty since it is Sunday, but Lionel Luthor assigns Martha for work in his office with him. Jonathan becomes very upset, since it is their wedding anniversary, and he was planning a picnic with Martha. Lex calls off the action, but the leader of the group of industrial spies is killed by a member who wants to steal the contents of Lionel's safe. Martha and Lionel become hostages of the criminals, and when they open the safe, a great secret is disclosed. Meanwhile, Lana schedules a meeting with Mr. & Mrs. Small in The Talon to get to know Jennifer Small, who warns Lana about her husband.

Metropolis, three months later. Clark Kent (under the influence of the red kryptonite ring) has becomes a criminal, heisting banks, going to night-clubs, and living under the alias 'Kal'. But he comes into conflict with not only his Kryptonian-marked chest, but a ruthless and greedy gangster, named Morgan Edge, who wants an ever increasing percentage of the stolen loot, and also begins to suspect Clark's alien origins. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor is declared dead, but he is living with the weird Louis Leery Jr. in an isolated desert island. Back in Smallville, Dr. Helen Bryce comes to his funeral and meets Lionel Luthor in the mansion where secrets are disclosed. Lana Lang and Jonathan Kent try to bring Clark back to Smalville. Unsucessful after Lana's pleas to Clark, Jonathan makes contact in the cave with the spirit of Jor-El who imbues Jonathan with Kryptonian super-powers to combat Clark and bring him home... in exchange for a price. Also, Chloe enjoys her new job at the Daily Planet, while tailing Lana during her search for Clark.

While working in the night shift at the Daily Planet, Chloe receives a distressed phone call from a woman claiming that she is in danger. Chloe and Lois schedule a meeting with the woman, but a car runs over her and the cousins witness the murder. Meanwhile, the close friend of Jonathan, Senator Jack Jennings, visits the farm to rest from his campaign for the senate against Lex Luthor. Jonathan is surprised by the visit of Detective Maggie Sawyer, who is investigating the death of the nineteen-year-old stripper that Chloe and Lois witnessed last night. She found a picture of Senator Jennings with the girl and is following the lead. Clark believes Lex is involved with the crime, but Lex helps him in the investigation. Lois decides to go undercover by working at the nightclub as a stripper to investigate the murder. When Lois meets the criminal, she is abducted and her life is in danger.

Despite his father's warning, Lex still finds himself in a power struggle from within over the secret to The Traveler...with some deadly results.