The following takes place between 9:00 am. and 10:00 am.
24, Episode 5.03: 9:00-10:00
Written by: Manny Coto
Directed by: Brad Turner
The terrorists in the airport secure their position. Jack makes his way into the crawlspaces in the ceiling, contacts Ferret-face and begins assisting CTU's efforts from within the airport. He snaps photographs with his handy Treo cell and transmits them to CTU. They are able to identify the leader of the terrorists (who looks like a skinny Vin Diesel) as a former army officer in a breakaway Russian republic, obviously tying the attacks into President Weenie's summit.
Vin Diesel goes on television and announces that the only way they will release their hostages is if President Weenie and the Russian president repudiate their anti-terrorism stance. Of course, President Weenie goes berzerk, saying he has staked his entire administration on this day. He snaps at poor Mike Novick, “HANDLE IT!” and stalks out. Ah, Jobu, we miss you, my friend.
Curtis arrives at the scene and begins talking to Jack. Diane is brought to him, which surprises Jack, as he had thought Diane was suckin' on chili dogs outside the Tastee Freeze. She talks to him and tells him that Derek is inside the airport. Jack curses, realizing that once again, his desperate need to be a family man has put the people he loves in jeopardy.
President Weenie gets snappy with Ferret-Face, telling him that he has to find a way to stop the terrorists before their deadline, because there will be a treaty signin' today, buddy! Properly motivated, Buchanan gets a backtrace on the call that Vin Diesel placed to a policeman before going on television. He calls Vin, trying to negotiate an alternate and Vin blows him off, hanging up on him. Vin then grabs a random hostage, pulls him in front of the camera, and kills him on live television. Even Walt the mole looks shocked. President Weenie looks like he was the one who was shot. Not that we could get that lucky.
Vin then grabs another hostage. Derek. Duh. Jack watches in shock as they drag Derek over, make him kneel in the first guy's blood, then announce that the President will get another demonstration in fifteen minutes.
At the command post, Diane goes into hysterics, and Jack gets in Curtis's cell grill, telling him to get his troops there now. Of course, Curtis says he can't. Of course, Jack says he won't jeopardize the mission for one kid. Of course, I say, yeah right. In fact, he calls Chloe and gets her to start figuring out a way for his cell phone to access the transmitters for the terrorists' explosive devices. Chloe hijacks Spencer into helping.
Martha Logan throws off the stigma of her marriage and takes decisive action. Certain that the recording of David Palmer's call to her the night before was altered, she sneaks out of her room. She goes down the hall to a mens' room, where she corners a communications geeks and bullies him into giving her access to the room where the written transcripts of recorded conversations are stored.
I was very happy, by the way, to see in this scene the return of Aaron, our favorite Secret Service agent from past years. He was always loyal to Jobu and that makes him a good man in my book. Good to see you're still around, Aaron.
TENSION!!! Chloe and Spencer are racing to get the frequency! Derek is about to be shot! Jack's having puppies! Finally, just as Vin is about to squeeze the trigger, Jack's cell phone finishes rebooting and he pushes * and blows up one of the terrorists and all hell breaks loose.
Jack calls Ferret-face and fesses up. Ferret-face informs him that Curtis's team will be in position in ten minutes. The President then calls CTU, and he just totally loses it when Buchanan tells him that not only is Jack Bauer alive, but he is inside the terminal helping CTU. Walt the mole looks like he's going to be sick as President Weenie screams at Buchanan to give him their evidence that Jack didn't kill Palmer. God, I hate this guy. And when I say “guy” I mean it like they meant in Major League.
Aaron goes in to collect Mrs. Logan, and finds her gone. Her aide, Evelyn, tries to cover, but Aaron railroads her and finds Mrs. Logan in the archive room going through folders. She comes along, telling Evelyn not to worry, that she found what she wanted. Unfortunately, Aaron tells Walt the mole that Mrs. Logan was in an archive room.
As CTU prepares their rescue, Walt telephones Bluetooth and tells him that Jack is inside, and also of Jack's connection to Derek. Bluetooth immediately calls Vin, who jams the cell frequencies in the terminal. CTU figures out the jig is up and aborts the operation. Vin calls Jack out by name, using Derek as bait. Walt the mole rummages through the First Lady's archive room as Jack gives himself up.
9:59:59
Man, this is getting better every hour. I wish I had time tonight to watch the next episode, but it's going to have to wait. All we need now is for a cougar to show up and maul Derek and I'll be in 24 heaven.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it doesn't really want a cougar to maul Derek. He'd settle for fighter planes blowing up the airport or something. That'd be cool.
