24

Previously on 24.

Just hear me out. You used up the public's goodwill with Sherry.

They don't want to hear about your being involved

with someone else who's not trustworthy.

You have got to respect the people who voted for you.

Her ex-husband clearly had his own agenda. It

shouldn't be difficult to prove he's a liar.

Anne, it's me, Ted. I'm up in my office. Come up and I'll explain everything.

I have some documents that'll prove your innocence.

- Kim, it's me. Are you alone? - Where are you? Chappelle ordered you back here.

I'm not coming back until I find your father.

I just found out where Hector Salazar is.

A small town in northern Mexico called Las Nieves.

- I'm sure Jack's taking Ramon there now. - You cannot go in there alone.

Hector's gonna have an army down there.

Kim, I need to hear you promise me you're not gonna tell anyone you talked to me.

Be careful, Chase.

- What are you doing, Jack? - Your brother tried to kill me on the plane!

That is not what we talked about!

My brother. I'm so glad to see you.

What's going on? I don't understand.

I'll tell you in a minute. I promise.

Good job, Jack. Come.

We have a lot of work to do.

- Where's Chappelle? - Interrogation 820.

Let's go.

Talk to me, you son of a bitch. Almeida, what are you doing here?

Get him out of the room. Why?

- -

- He's in. - What are you talking about?

Who's in? Jack. Gael and I have been working with Jack.

We've been trying to get him back undercover with the Salazars.

- That signal means he's back in. - I don't understand.

Look. I'll explain everything. Right now we gotta call the president.

The following takes place between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

So, you're telling me that Bauer's been playing a game with us all this time.

It's no game, Ryan.

But he's back under with the Salazars, and they trust him again.

That's what we're counting on, yeah.

I'm your boss, Tony. You should have come to me first.

Look, Ryan. You'll understand everything once I've explained it to the president.

After that, if you feel like I've acted inappropriately,

you can do what you gotta do.

I will. Count on it.

The president's coming on the line.

Thank you. Go ahead, Mr. Almeida.

Mr. President, this is Tony Almeida, Director of C.T.U., Los Angeles.

Mr. Almeida. Thank you for taking my call, Mr. President.

You're also on with my chief of staff, Wayne Palmer.

I was told this is an urgent matter.

Yes, sir, it is. It's also fairly complex,

so I'll try to keep it as clear and concise as I can.

Go on.

Sir, everything that's happened today from the infected body at Health Services...

to Ramon Salazar's prison break has been part of an elaborate sting operation.

- Sting operation? - Yes, sir. Planned and executed by Jack Bauer,

Agent Gael Ortega and myself.

Elaborate, Mr. Almeida.

Jack Bauer wanted to fill you in on the situation himself, sir.

Jack Bauer is a fugitive from the law.

If you'll indulge me, sir, there's a video file you should see.

It's on a designated C.T.U. server.

You can access the file with the pass code Delta-3-Delta-59.

Mr. President,

the fact that you're reviewing this recording now means...

that I have successfully completed the first phase of a secret operation.

Contrary to what you've been led to believe,

the Salazars are not in possession of the Cordilla virus.

The idea that they are is a lie which I promoted deliberately...

in order to achieve a more important goal.

Please, sir, let me explain.

About a month ago, I learned from a contact

that a group of scientists from the Ukraine...

were trying to sell a weaponized virus on the open market.

They were looking for a buyer with cash and credibility.

I only managed to get their interest when I suggested the Salazars as potential buyers.

As long as I could get the Salazars to agree,

C.T.U. would seize the virus as the sale took place.

Our goal was to remove the virus stockpile from the marketplace.

Because, Mr. President, it is without a doubt...

the most lethal threat that we have ever faced.

But all of this hinged on me convincing the Salazars that I had switched sides.

And the only way to gain their trust...

was to break Ramon Salazar out of prison.

Mr. President, I'm sorry for deceiving you.

But I assure you, it was a benign deception.

And I assume complete responsibility for my actions.

Sir, if things went wrong, you would have been exposed personally,

legally and politically.

And this was the only way I could see to avoid that risk.

But now it's time for you to know the truth.

And I'm asking you to allow C.T.U. Director Almeida to coordinate...

an interdiction with the military, so we can take possession of this virus...

and keep it from our enemies.

Thank you, Mr. President.

[ Tony On Intercom ] Mr. President?

Keeping me in the dark on a matter of national security is inexcusable.

We were trying to protect you, sir.

I know what you were trying to do, and it was a mistake.

And you and your colleagues will take responsibility for it when this is over.

- Yes, sir, I understand. - Where's Bauer now?

In northern Mexico. He's setting up a meeting...

between the Salazars and the Ukrainians who are selling the virus.

When is this meeting expected to take place?

In the next few hours, sir. Mr. President,

I'm requesting your permission to activate the interdiction plan.

Under the circumstances, I don't have a choice but to say yes, Mr. Almeida.

But even if this plan works flawlessly,

you haven't heard the last of it.

I don't like decisions being taken out of my hands.

Well, David, some decisions you wanna keep as far away from as you can.

Not this decision. It's too important.

Jack Bauer had no right to keep me out of the loop.

I disagree. Bauer protected you as he should have.

Now when this is all over, you're probably gonna have to punish him for form's sake.

But while you're punishing him, know this.

He did do the right thing.

Michelle.

We need an extended network using protocol four, all right?

Thanks.

I'm not so sure this is gonna work out well for you, Almeida.

Maybe not. But right now I gotta help Jack get this virus.

And I don't need you looking over my shoulder, all right?

You work for me. You don't give orders; you take them.

Yeah. Except the president put me in charge of this particular operation.

Now, if you object, give him a call.

I may be wrong, but I didn't get the impression that he's in the mood...

for any bureaucratic squabbling today.

Ryan, just let me do my job, all right?

Yeah, I'll be watching.

Are you ready to listen, Ramon?

All right.

Tell me how the man who betrayed us is now our friend.

Bauer came to me with an opportunity.

An opportunity? Yes.

To make more money than we have ever dreamed of.

Bauer found out about a virus that was coming in the market.

These men who have it, they are from the Ukraine.

They're scientists. All they want to do...

is to make their money and disappear.

How much are they asking?

- A hundred million. -

Al Qaeda will pay us ten times as much. North Koreans too.

I made all the calls, Ramon. I have the buyers all lined up.

That's a billion dollars.

How do you know this virus is real?

The Ukrainians gave us a demonstration.

Bauer delivered one of the bodies to Health Services in L.A.

He used it to scare the Americans into letting you go.

The scientists, where are they now?

They're not far from here.

I'm supposed to call their representative,

a man named Michael Amador, in the next hour.

What's in it for you, Jack?

$50 million.

Ramon, we don't like each other.

But it doesn't mean we can't do business together.

I need your capital, and you need my access to the virus.

I would never have thought that Jack Bauer was for sale.

And I am not that sure now.

A few years ago, my wife was killed because of my job.

My daughter's never been the same since.

This last year? Well,

you know what I went through to bring you in.

What did I get for it?

A pat on the back? In the end, a demotion and a heroin habit.

I'm tired of putting my ass on the line for nothing.

I'm done putting my ass on the line for nothing.

If you don't want to go through with it,

blow him away.

But just remember, you're blowing away a billion dollars.

- Ramon, no! -

Are you crazy? You are crazy for trusting him.

Give me the gun. No.

Who are you to refuse me?

I run our business, not you!

If not for me-- me-- you wouldn't even be here!

Like I said,

I have to call him within an hour.

These men are not gonna wait around. There's too much at stake.

You can either shoot me, or let me make the call.

But you'd better decide quickly.

Jack's transponder pinpoints his location somewhere east of Las Nieves,

just south of the border.

Satellite photos show that it's some sort of ranch or farm.

Our units will hold a perimeter of 10 miles.

All communication will be on a designated frequency,

and nobody makes a move unless it goes through me first, all right?

Chloe, I want you and Chase to provide tactical assistance.

- Where is Chase? - We're not sure.

Chappelle ordered him back over an hour ago.

All right, let me know when he gets back here.

Now, let me make this perfectly clear.

For the next few hours, all of our resources are dedicated...

to helping Jack Bauer intercept this virus.

Any questions?

All right, let's get back to work.

Tony.

I spoke to Chase. When?

About an hour ago. He is not coming back to C.T.U.