24

Previously on 24.

- Almeida. - Tony, it's me. Gael's dead.

He was suffering so badly. No one should have to go through what he did.

There are children upstairs who are going to die in agony.

Michelle, unfortunately there's nothing we can do for them right now.

Actually, there is.

Suicide capsules for the people down at the hotel.

It's against every regulation in the book.

- Yeah. - Do it.

Get down!

The Saunders computer file--

What server did you store it on? A-5.

Chase, we got a bomb.

- How much time? - None.

- I got it! Go! Go! -

Chappelle. Ryan, it's Jack.

Almost the entire MI-6 office has just been wiped out. What?

One of the things that Saunders was trying to destroy...

was all the information that MI-6 had gathered on him.

I managed to retrieve the hard drive. Have you got anything yet?

I'm trying to follow the money trail.

- What do you want? - To give you your next assignment.

There's a man named Ryan Chappelle. Regional Director of C.T.U.

- I want him killed. - It's out of the question.

Before you decide, you might want to drop by the Chandler Plaza Hotel.

Take a good look at what's happening. Then imagine the same event...

taking place at hundreds of locations all over the country.

You're insane.

The following takes place between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

This office isn't above the law.

How can I justify authorizing the murder of an innocent man?

David, we're fighting a war. Ryan Chappelle is not a civilian.

I still can't order him to be killed.

So what's the alternative? Yes, David, I know. It's extreme.

I realize that. But it's the only move we have here.

Look at what's happening right now at the Chandler Plaza.

This man Saunders has proven that he will use this virus to inflict mass casualties...

if you don't do what he says.

How long am I supposed to let Saunders dictate my actions?

How long do I allow him to hold this country hostage?

Until we catch him. And what if we don't?

We will. But until we do, your only option is to sacrifice Chappelle.

I handed the hard drive from MI-6 to the I.T.

lab. They're sorting through the data now.

London wants you to debrief them on what went down with MI-6.

Are we any closer to finding Saunders?

He's using a scrambler phone to contact the president. Adam says it can...

take up to 24 hours to trace his location.

That's the only search protocol we've got going?

Saunders transferred money to Amador using a server somewhere in Los Angeles.

I'm trying to follow Amador's money trail to see if it leads back to Saunders.

But you haven't turned up anything yet? No.

The computer we confiscated from the go club in Chinatown is a dead end.

- I'm trying to backtrace payments to offshore accounts. - Okay, fine.

- Jack, the president's office is holding for you. - Transfer the call down here.

He asked to speak to you in private. He's on the line in station seven.

Excuse me.

This is Bauer. Agent Bauer, please hold for the president.

Mr. President, I have Jack Bauer for you.

- Jack. - Mr. President.

Are you alone right now? Yes, sir.

Saunders called me a few minutes ago. He's made another demand.

What is it?

This is a hard one, Jack. So I'm going to be as direct as I can be.

He wants Ryan Chappelle dead.

I-I'm sorry. I don't understand.

He wants his body delivered to the train yard downtown.

Why would Saunders want Chappelle dead?

I don't know. He wouldn't give me a reason.

But he was emphatic about the consequences if his demand wasn't met.

Jack, I feel as though I'm crossing a line...

that I will never be able to step back from.

So then you've made your decision, sir?

Unless you can suggest a way to handle this.

What time is this supposed to happen? 7:00.

Maybe I can find Saunders before that. That's in less than an hour.

Yes, I know, sir. I should get going. Jack,

I'm sorry to put this on you, but I didn't know who else to call.

I understand, sir. I'll get back to you.

Chloe. What are you doing right now to help find Saunders?

-Actually, we're relaying our data streams to

Division. -Why are you sending them there?

They're the hub now. Chappelle has them

gathering information for us-- D.O.D., MI-6.

No. Forget about that. I want you to mirror everything they're doing...

- and start your search here. - Okay. What kind of search?

What's the largest base of knowledge we have on Saunders?

Financial. Okay. Follow the bank trails.

I'll have to clear it with Chappelle. No, you can't do that.

Well, he gave the order. He outranks you, Jack.

You're gonna do what I ask you, and you're not gonna let Chappelle know. Got it?

No. I don't got it. He's mad at me for, like,

12 things. I'm not gonna add that to the list.

Chloe! Chloe,

I wouldn't ask you to do it like this if it wasn't very important.

Okay? So, please, just do this for me.

Fine. Thank you.

Nearly a third of the people in this hotel are symptomatic, and it's getting worse.

They should have the choice to end their own lives.

The capsules should be there soon.

Tony. Yeah?

I realize we've both been talking around this, but...

if my test comes back positive--

Michelle, don't go there.

Sweetheart, we both know my chances of survival are low.

You still have a chance, and while there's still a chance,

I don't wanna talk about this. Okay.

Okay. Just--

No matter what, I just want you to know...

the last three years have been the best years of my life.

I should be there with you.

- You are. - No. It's not the same.

The best thing you can do for me right now is make sure those capsules get here.

- I'll do my best. - I know you will.

Tony, I need to speak to you.

- Michelle? - Yeah.

Did she get her test results back yet?

No, they won't have 'em back for another hour yet.

- What's going on? - Do you know if Saunders and Chappelle had any history?

If their paths had ever crossed?

Not that I'm aware of. What kind of connection you lookin' for?

The kind that would make Saunders want Chappelle killed.

'Cause that's exactly what he just ordered the president to do.

By 7:00 a.m., he wants Ryan Chappelle dead.

- Why? - That's what I'm trying to figure out.

And the president put this on you?

I don't know what I'm gonna do if we don't find Saunders by 7:00.

- Have you told Ryan about this? - No. Not yet.

Well, I should probably change his security clearance before you do.

- You really think he's a flight risk? - We can't take the chance.

We have to find Saunders.

I'll get Chappelle to send all his data over to Chloe.

Prep her and whoever else you can spare to sort through it.

They're gonna wanna know what's going on. They don't need to know.

I'll take care of it.

Thank you.

Field Ops. O'Brian. Chloe.

Yeah. Put all your protocols on hold for the next hour.

Got it.

Okay. All right.

What did the president want to talk to you about?

You. Me? What about me?

Ryan, come with me.

Just take a seat.

What's going on here, Jack?

Saunders called in with another demand. What does he want now?

Jack. He wants you killed.

This is some kind of a joke? It's no joke, Ryan.

He's threatened to release the virus into the main population...

unless we deliver your body by 7:00 a.m.

Did Palmer actually go along with this?

My God! Jack! He's proven he'll use the virus.

- The president had no choice. - So he sent you to kill me?

- Not if we can find Saunders by 7:00 a.m. - Ah, great.

That gives us a lot of time, doesn't it?

I-I don't understand this. Why me?

We don't know. Ryan, I need you to think real hard.

Do you have any past connection with Saunders we don't know about?

No! The first time I heard the name Stephen Saunders was today.

The money transactions that you've been investigating. That's what triggered this.

- I haven't had a chance to trace them to Saunders. - The fact he wants you dead...

proves that they lead back to him.

And you expect to figure this out by 7:00?

Finding Saunders in time is the only way to keep you alive.

And I will use everything at my disposal to do that.

Ryan, I need your help.

I need all your files-- and I mean everything-- sent over to Chloe's desk,

so she can start going through it.

I'm sorry, Ryan.

Let's find this guy.

What have you got? I found Saunders's offshore bank account in the Caymans.

I was able to access his account information

off their network, but it's encrypted.

Another brick wall. Just send it over to Chloe's desk.

If anyone can break the encryption, she can. Not in the time we have.

You don't know that, Ryan. It has to be now, Jack, now. This is it!

Don't you understand?

Oh. Of course you understand. You're the one who's going to kill me.

We're doing everything we can.

Don't you realize the possibility that this might not even be relevant?

Saunders knows if he kills me it doesn't kill the investigation.

He might want me dead for something else I know.

Something I haven't made a connection with yet. Then think, Ryan, think!

But don't give in to this bastard.

With all of us working together, we're gonna find this guy, okay?

Send the encrypted account over to Chloe's desk. I'll explain it to her. Come on.

Chloe, Ryan's forwarding a file to you.

You'll be all right, sweetheart.

They don't know.

Don't worry. I got you.

Please, let me-- let me call my wife.

I'm sorry. We're still under orders to keep what's going on secret,

so we don't create a panic. Yeah. I won't tell her anything.

Your people can listen in.

That order comes directly from the president.

I have done everything I can do to help you. Please?

I just wanna-- I just wanna hear her voice, please.

I'm sorry. Sir?

I'm-I'm so sorry.

There you go.