Lex Luthor has got Jimmy Olsen trapped in his lab, and he taunts the young man by musing about the possible deaths that will befall the heroes that Jimmy has come to worship. Superman in particular, though, will have a death that Lex can predict accurately - and in a few minutes, Jimmy will experience just how that death will come about.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Superman and Wraith are battling with Russian-made robotic drones, whose weapons have the surprising ability to pierce Superman's skin. Wraith explains that the bullets these drones fire are emitting a low-frequency red solar radiation before impact. It appears that the weapons were designed solely to kill him.

In Nova Scotia, Lois Lane approaches the man who had saved her life following a plane crash caused by the terrorist group called Ascension - of which he is thought to be a member. He calls to her by name, demanding that she take from him a radiating crystal. Weakening, he coughs that the shard is the key to everything. and she must tell the world the truth about it. He warns that though Superman will think it is like his native planet's Sunstone, it is something far worse and more dangerous. She has been chosen to hold it because Superman himself will not be alive much longer to receive it.

With Ascension taunting them, Superman decides it's time to take the fight to the drones, rather than letting them tear through the city - despite his wounds. Ripping off a section of an armoured truck for protection, he speeds to through an oncoming drone while Wraith thrusts it into the sea. Unfortunately, more are on the way. Knowing they can't fight them one at a time and survive, Wraith suggests that they combine two attacks: He will produce a sonic blast that will disrupt their shields so that Superman can unleash a rapid-fire burst of heat-vision

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