24

Previously on 24.

I've just been told a cruise missile was launched containing a nuclear warhead.

Yes, sir. That's correct. What about Marwan?

- You think he'll break? - That won't be easy, sir.

He's planned and organized everything that's happened today.

How am I supposed to be able to fight terrorists

while I'm provoking a nuclear superpower?

We marched onto Chinese soil, we kidnapped one of their nationals--

and in the process, the Chinese consul was killed.

The murder of a Chinese consul on Chinese soil...

could be construed as an act of war.

I assume you know this man. Howard Bern, one of your field agents.

The security camera at the Chinese consulate picked up your face.

That's impossible. I was wearing my mask.

Trust me. I saw the freeze-frame. It was you.

Sorry, Jack. You gotta go. There's a chopper waiting for you.

It doesn't matter where you take me.

What I want is already happening.

Go!

Notify the perimeter we no longer have Marwan in custody.

Richard Heller called Marwan a week ago.

They're bringing him to C.T.U.

This is a sketch of the guy that Richard Heller described.

He and the girl are our only leads to finding Marwan.

- One of us is gonna get caught to save the other. - It's gonna be you.

- - Tony, wait.

I can't spend another day without you.

I'm ready to leave here. I'm ready to go with you.

Be careful.

Tony, this is Jack.

- Has anybody reported any outside movement? - No. Why?

The man is dead. The girl is no longer in the apartment.

Tony, do you copy? Tony, do you copy?

Castle, why is Almeida not on comm?

All teams, this is Bauer. Castle is down. Almeida is missing.

I repeat, Almeida is missing and possibly a hostage.

The following takes place between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Jack, have you apprehended her?

No, we do not have the female hostile in custody.

She's hiding somewhere here in the apartment complex. She killed Agent Castle,

and I believe she's taken Tony Almeida as a hostage.

Is there any way she slipped the perimeter?

No, the perimeter's airtight. But there's over 600 apartments in the complex.

We have to search them room by room. Listen, we need more personnel here.

Jack, we're running low on manpower.

Damn it, Bill. There's a missile in the air, carrying a nuclear warhead.

This is our best shot at taking it out before it hits its target.

The White House has us running point with D.O.D.

to find the missile. We're stretched thin.

Jack, we'll have L.A.P.D. send more men,

and we'll send Curtis and another tac team to the location.

Fine. We've already initiated a search, starting

with the buildings nearest the perimeter,

working our way in, but we need L.A.P.D. here now. Keep us posted.

Contact Division. See if they can spare more men.

I'll call our liaison at L.A.P.D.

We've almost completed our second satellite pass...

over the current flight radius of the missile.

- And no sign of it yet? - No, not so far.

What do you think our realistic chances are...

of being able to locate the missile with subsequent passes?

I don't think they're very good.

This missile is an "S" class. It uses elements of stealth technology.

It was designed to evade detection.

I'm aware of that, but it will still have a heat signature.

Yes, but the lower the missile flies to the ground,

the harder it is to pick up.

How much longer until you've completed the second satellite pass?

Uh, less than 20 minutes.

- Get back to me as soon as you have the results. - All right.

I don't care. We need every available agent there now.

They're not cleared for fieldwork.

Bump up their security level on a provisional basis. Yes, ma'am.

Call me back with the exact number when you have it. Yes, ma'am.

All right. Coordinate that with Edgar Stiles here at Comm. Thanks, Rick.

- What did L.A.P.D. say? - They're keeping certain units in reserve, in anticipation--

- But they're sending more patrolmen to help

Jack, right? - They're sending nine over now,

and they're gonna pull another 12 from the East Valley. Nine? That's not enough.

We'll have to reassign our people. Send them

there now. I'm taking care of it, Michelle.

When? We need people there now. This woman has to be captured.

Michelle, everyone understands what's at stake here.

We're gonna do our best to find this woman.

But we have to remain calm, or everything will spiral out of control.

You're right. I'm not being objective.

I'll admit it. I'm worried about what this woman might do to Tony,

but I will not lose sight of the big picture.

The big picture is that we have to apprehend this hostile, alive.

Nothing else matters.

[ Helicopter Whirring ]

What is it, Marwan?

You're late. You were supposed to check in.

I know. There was a hitch. Nothing serious. Um, I am gonna be there.

What kind of hitch?

There was a problem in the apartment, and I'm dealing with it.

I'm leaving in one hour. I'm not waiting for you.

I know, and I'm gonna be there.

Well, we don't have much time.

They're very close to finding us, and that would be very, very bad for both of us.

So tell me, Tony. Two years ago, you put Michelle

Dessler's life ahead of national security.

You let a suspect escape, and you committed treason.

Is she gonna do the same for you?

Mike, it's Audrey Raines. Yes, Audrey. What have you got?

Well, the second satellite pass is complete.

We were unable to detect the missile with thermal imaging.

There's just too much radiant heat from ground sources.

Ms. Raines, this is President Palmer.

Is there a chance another satellite pass will find the missile?

Well, the more data we have, Mr. President, the better.

But a more intensive pass will take two to three hours.

And we expect the missile to find its target before then?

Yes, sir. We do.

All right.

Make sure F.B.I. is on a real-time link with all local emergency channels.

All right. I'll get that done right now.

I also want you to compile disaster scenarios...

for the urban centers within range of the missile.

Sir, that's 20 of the largest cities in this country.

I'm aware of that. I want death rates, fallout patterns,

emergency response predictions laid out for all of them.

Yes, sir. I'll take care of that right now.

Thank you, Ms. Raines.

As additional teams arrive on-site, assign them sections of the grid.

We do not want people bumping into each other.

If the subject is spotted, what's the approach protocol?

We maximize for capture. There can be no lag time.

Don't you wanna evaluate the formation since she's got Tony hostage?

We proceed as if there is no hostage.

There is only one operational objective, and that is to capture this woman.

Make sure that's the profile you send out to all the teams.

Understand? Yes.

Dessler.

Why don't you get somewhere private,

where we can talk? Who is this?

I'm sending you the answer.

Tony. Now do you know who this is?

And don't bother trying to triangulate the call. It's scrambled.

Please, don't hurt him.

He's okay for now.

But he won't be unless you do everything that I say, Michelle.

I understand. I need your help getting out of here.

Wh-- What kind of help?

- You're hesitating. - I'm not. I'm not.

I just... need to know what you want me to do.

Your men are between me and my exit.

I need to know what their search patterns are and how many men there are.

- Okay, okay. I'll find out. - You'll tell me right now.

I have to go downstairs and talk to my tactical team.

Oh, Michelle. You're stalling.

How many men are there total?

Upwards of 30, not including L.A.P.D.

And reinforcements are on the way.

You will need to remove your men from the northeast driveway of the complex.

I-I-I don't know if I can do that.

You will redeploy your men by the time I call you back,

or Tony dies.

When are you calling back? Soon. Get moving, Michelle.

Well, she still loves you. The question is how much?

- Edgar Stiles. - Edgar, send the deployment group to my screen.

It's updating. You want the last version or do you wanna wait?

Just send it.

Are L.A.P.D. reinforcements there yet?

Some are on-site now. Some will be there in about 15 minutes.

Do you want me to send the upgraded grid when it comes in?

- Ms. Dessler? - Yes. Yes, do that.

No, no. We can't eliminate the Midwest or any

missile's flying range.

All areas of the country are potentially vulnerable?

Yes. That's what I'm trying to tell you.

This warhead could hit anywhere. We're putting

together the projected casualty numbers.

They're gonna be high. I understand.

Yeah.

Where are we on the search of the apartment complex?

- Nothing so far. - L.A.P.D. there yet?

- They're on their way. - I'll be at Comm.

I can't do this.

Can't do what?

I can't... sacrifice the lives of all those people if this warhead goes off.

- She called me. - Who? Who called you?

The hostile who has Tony.

When? What did she say?

Couple minutes ago. She said to redeploy our men so she can get away,

or Tony dies.

Yes, sir?

Patch me through to Jack Bauer's comm. Right away.

Take your team. Start working the second floor, building 11.

Jack, you read me? Yeah, I copy.

We've got something. The suspect contacted Michelle.

She confirmed she's holding Tony hostage.

She's trying to use him as leverage against Michelle to open up an escape route.

Is Michelle there? I'm here, Jack.

Do we have any idea where she is?

She wants me to clear a path in the northeast driveway.

She's going to call to confirm that I did it.

When? I don't know. Could be any second.

Michelle, I want you to make her believe that you're still cooperating with her.

I need you to draw her into the open.