Metropolis. All the lights go off. The Daily Planet planet stops spinning. Blackout!

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Metropolis. Still dark. Inside the Daily Planet, workers are running out of there like there's a donut sale on the street. And nobody's bothering to carry a notepad to write down what might be the biggest story of the year. Nice one. There are sirens and alarms. If newspapers reacted this way every time the computers malfunctioned there would never, ever be a newsprint medium again. Clark asks Chloe what's going on. "I dunno. You tell me," she says, and shows Clark a laptop screen full of Kryptonian gibberish. Clark says that it's already reached Metropolis. He knows that because he's standing there. Chloe asks whether he knows where it started. Clark tells Chloe that it started on Lex's computer, and thinks if anyone could figure out the virus, it would be Chloe. Chloe from 24. Chloe says that she's been tracking the virus (with what computer?) and adds that after it took out communications, the virus started hitting the city's infrastructure. "All because of me," says Clark. You just stole Lana's line. Clark says that his hand is being forced because he won't help release Zod. Chloe says that he's playing hardball because elevators, gas mains and subways are all affected. She says that it's like Y2K on acid. You mean Y2K when nothing really major happened? On acid because of the green color on the screens? Note to whomever wrote that line: there's a fine line between clever and stupid. Chloe turns on an old radio and catches a news broadcast that is somehow being put out without electricity, computers, or gas mains. Maybe it was a podcast recorded before everything went to shit. The news "broadcast" says that the sudden collapse of the city's infrastructure is causing injury and panic throughout the city. Damn, people, chill! There's already looting and riots. You people are such pussies. Really. The radio says that there've been reports from as far as Denver of similar shenanigans. Chloe says that if this continues, every major city in the world will be infiltrated. Chloe turns as she hears a car screech. The front end of a vehicle slams through the stained glass windows of the Planet basement. Clark super-zips, and we see him put his arm around Chloe and pivot her in slow motion, as glass flies toward them. Clark does a full turn, then holds a hand out, stopping the car in mid-air. Slick move. Clark and Chloe look at each other. He starts to walk off. Shouldn't you exchange insurance information or something? And the driver of the car didn't notice any of that? Chloe tells Clark that he can't save everyone. Clark says he can't release Zod. In an impassioned little rant, Chloe asks whether maybe the solution is to do what Jarnelle says and destroy the vessel. More tympanis. Clark looks around. He says that he doesn't want to leave Chloe there in case something goes wrong. "You have to," Chloe says. It would take Clark about three seconds to pick up Chloe and drop her off at the farm. Why is that too much trouble? Clark walks away. Why is Chloe the only staff member in the building right now? "Clark!" Chloe calls. Clark stops. "I don't know if I'm ever going to see you again," she tells him. She goes to him and kisses him. It's about seven seconds of hot smooching in profile. When they break, Chloe rubs Clark's well-defined cheekbone. A phone rings. Clark turns to it, then turns back to Chloe. She touches his cheek again. Clark goes to the phone, as Chloe tries to decompress. Think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts. Clark picks up the receiver in what looks like an ancient phone booth. "Hello Clark," says the voice of Lex, "I heard you want to see me."