The Talon, again at night. Lana is wearing a blue turtleneck that actually makes her look like a turtle. She's telling Jason that she'll be fine for a few hours while he goes to A&M to go hunt through microfiche. MamaKent, cleaning up for the night, watches silently as they discuss. Jason reminds Lana that she was just attacked behind a locked door in her own apartment. Lana says she's not going to let Jason flunk History over her death. Nice. Plus: Microfiche? He can't find some of this stuff online? Clark comes through the door. He ignores Jason and Lana and asks his mom if she's ready to go. MamaKent has a stroke of...not genius exactly, but something like insufferable nosiness. She says that she and Clark can watch Lana. Lana turns, and instead of saying, "We weren't talking to you, lady," is totally fine with the idea. She hands Jason his jacket and tells him to get out. Jason says he won't be long, and gives Clark a serious look. Don't be mussin' up my teen bride, Kent. Clark sighs with his face about four times.

Outside, Jason goes to his car, which is waiting in the back alley. He beeps his car alarm and gets in. The warning music of impending mischief plays. Jason checks his rear-view, even though he's sitting still in an alley. He puts the key in the ignition. Mafia explosion! No, not really. The rear-view suddenly gets skewed, and some dice hanging from it are swinging. He re-adjusts the mirror. Turns on the car. Urp! Something behind Jason is choking him. Jason starts honking the horn as he struggles against an invisible assailant. The choking. The honking. Clark superzips down the alley and comes to the car. He smashes through the window. The pastel scarf around Jason's neck, which was choking him, goes slack. Jason rubs his neck as the attack concludes. We peek down at the rear car door, where a brown dust slips through the crack. Commercials.