 Lex tries to initiate an employee buyout, and convinces the employees to mortgage their homes to help provide the financial resources to complete the buyout. Lionel learns of Lex's plans and buys the Smallville Savings & Loan, so that he may immediately foreclose on all the property when Lex's employees miss their payments. Roger Nixon (Tom O 'Brien) tests Clark's abilities by setting off a bomb in his truck, while he is inside. Nixon confronts Clark in the Talon coffee shop, but Lex intervenes on Clark's behalf. Nixon follows Clark home and overhears a conversation about Clark's ship being in the storm cellar, and that Lex has the missing piece from the ship. Nixon goes to the Luthor mansion and steals the octagonal key, and immediately returns to the storm cellar with a video camera.
