Inside the party, Clark tries to get Lois to leave by saying he can cover the story on his own. Lois chides herself in her thoughts for getting attached: "They always leave." Part of what's slowing this episode down is that the action comes to a dead halt while Clark's listening to what people are thinking. It's like watching a sitcom where the actors wait for the audience to finish laughing before going to the next line, only worse, because it's not funny. Lois, for no discernible reason other than to get her out of this scene, decides that Clark can "fly solo" on the story and leaves. Clark watches her for a moment as she leaves, then starts listening in to the shareholders' thoughts. They're worried about losing money and about Tess ruining the company. One woman's thoughts snark about Tess: "Oh, so the devil came in a blue dress tonight." It's sort of an uncharacteristically fugly dress, too. Tess stands at the podium and introduces Oliver to the crowd as their "fearless leader." There's a smattering of applause. Oliver takes the podium and starts reading his teleprompter: "Hopefully, I can remain upright long enough to say what..." He trails off when he realizes what he's saying. He looks down at his screen, then tries to play it off like his speech writer has a sense of humor. People in the audience chuckle. The screen tells Oliver to use the earpiece, which he does, causing some feedback in the mic. Everyone grasps their ears in pain, including Clark. There's a flash of light and then he can no longer hear anyone's thoughts. What a conveniently inconvenient time for that to happen. "Thanks, Dad," Clark deadpans. The Toyman's voice comes over Oliver's earpiece: "Oh, yes, Mr. Queen. It's your old playmate, Winslow Schott. I'm sure you remember. You framed me for murder, after all." How could we forget? It was the episode that got Omar G.'s worst grade ever. It cuts back and forth between Oliver at the podium and Toyman's sweaty face talking from his undisclosed location. Toyman tells Oliver that he'll have to read everything he's written or die. "If you move one muscle, I will kill everybody in this room." Toyman tells Oliver with maniacal glee that Oliver is standing on a pressure plate rigged to a bomb. He laughs and laughs.