A mysterious bomber called "the Wrecker" is blowing up trains and ships, demanding payment to prevent each act through anonymous phone calls. The calls are untraceable, but there are distinctive sounds in the background — thumps followed by a ringing bell. Perry White and Inspector Henderson call together the directors of the three transportation companies involved, but as they're discussing tactics another threat is phoned in, this one to a ship.
The police and the Daily Planet crew head to the threatened ship at the appointed hour, when Superman discovers and intercepts the Wrecker's method of attack: a toy-sized aircraft loaded with explosives. However, for his next trick the Wrecker says he'll blow up multiple targets at one time, which is beyond even Superman's ability to stop. Our heroes agree to deliver a payment, staking out the pickup spot in hopes of seeing the villain, but the money disappears into a hidden trapdoor.
Clark finally figures out that the background sounds in the phone calls are coming from a high striker, and Lois and Jimmy indeed find a house full of incriminating evidence next to a carnival. They tie up the owner of the house and go fetch Clark, but when they return he's dead ... meaning the Man Behind the Man is still out there...
This episode contains examples of:
- Attack Drone: The tiny plane is an interesting
Older Than They Think example, though it's implied to be less than fully automated. - Corrupt Corporate Executive: Mr. Crane, one of the transport tycoons, turns out to be behind the attacks.
- The Evil Genius: Emil Hatch, former government and aerodynamics expert turned terrorist.
- Insurance Fraud: Mr. Crane engineered the attacks for this reason.
- The Man Behind the Man: At first Hatch, the aeronautics genius living next to the carnival, seems to be the Wrecker. But he's actually working for Mr. Crane.
- Ransom Drop: The Wrecker asks that the money be left on a certain stump in a park, which turns out to be a conduit to a pipe system that could go anywhere.
- Revealing Cover Up: Crane arranges the attacks on his peers' vehicles as well as his own to make it look like terrorism instead of insurance fraud, though of course this only draws more attention to the crimes.
- Summation Gathering: Superman does this at the end, calling all the company directors together with Henderson and White so that he can explain the Wrecker's scheme.
