| Synopsis
| - Deep within the headquarters of the Holistic Integration for Viral Equality lies its Queen. She is bathing in Techno-Organic Waste, a mysterious substance created from the negative emotions of everyone on Metropolis. The Queen is interested in Hector Hammond and the mental power he commands. Investigating everything Hammond did for the past few days, the Queen considers him the ultimate tool for her goal: to save the world from itself.
Using a mental virus, H.I.V.E. plants agents in S.T.A.R. Labs and infiltrates Project: Mindstorm, the scientific cell holding and investigating Hammond's comatose body. S.T.A.R. Labs had barely recovered from Orion's previous attack.
Meanwhile, Clark is having dinner on Chinatown, Gotham City. He was supposed to be waiting for a confidential source for a story, when all of a sudden, a hooded stranger threatens him with a gun. He asks Clark about "The Twenty" and Clark is upset that he came to Gotham for an urban myth. Clark then uses his X-ray vision to discover the stranger's identity and is surprised to find out that the stranger is in fact a young Chinese woman.
The stranger gives Clark a suffed folder for him to read. One of the pictures sliding off the folder is of Senator Hume, one of the politicians who wanted Superman to reveal the secrets of the Fortress of Solitude. The stranger says that Hume is one of the man's many identities and his vendetta against Superman is one of his many crimes.
Meanwhile in Metropolis, S.T.A.R. security teams chase the H.I.V.E. agents to a flight transport. The S.T.A.R. teams decide that Hammond is better off dead if he is out of their control, so they destroy the ship. However, the H.I.V.E. agents have already escaped through the sewers, the ship was just a distraction. The Queen demands a status report and the agents reply that they will arrive at headquarters in twelve minutes.
Clark has taken a flight back to Metropolis to check the info he got from the source. During the flight, Clark realizes how much he needs to be human so that he does not become the threat Luthor, Edge and Hume think he is. However, after the attacks of Brainiac and H'El, Clark understand why are there people who do not trust him.
As the H.I.V.E. agents travel through the sewers, they fail to see a loose live wire, which then falls into the water. The ensuing electrical current awakens Hammond from his coma. Then, Hammond connects to every mind on Metropolis. Even in the sky, Clark and the others feel the mental jolt. Clark then leaves the plane and puts his armor on.
As Superman flies downtown, Lois gets a sudden feeling of invulnerability and puts herself on the path of an oncoming bus. Fortunately, Superman saves her just in time. Then, Superman goes to check on Jimmy Olsen, finding him living on the most expensive hotel of Metropolis. Jimmy tells him that all of a sudden, he was filled with loneliness. His parents died and left him a billion dollars. Then, Superman goes to the Daily Planet, where Perry reveals himself to be Superman to everyone to his staff. Superman is intrigued that three of his closest friends just experienced three different aspects of his personality. Whoever did this wanted to attack Superman mentally but the attack automatically deflected to them instead.
Meanwhile at H.I.V.E., the Queen waits for Hammond's arrival. Suddenly, Hammond arrives at H.I.V.E., waiting for the Queen to answer his questions.
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