Épisode 4h00 - 5h00 S02E21 - 24 Saison 2

Dans le but de convaincre les deux hommes de rendre la puce sans effusion de sang, Jack leur avoue que seul ce petit objet est en mesure d’empêcher le déclenchement de le troisième guerre mondiale. Dans le même temps, Kate contacte la Cellule Antiterroriste. Les deux hommes entrent en conflit : l’un souhaite rendre cette puce alors que l’autre s’y refuse, craignant que Jack ne les élimine après lui avoir remis. Ils en viennent aux mains…

un coup de feu retentit…Jack défonce la porte et parvient à neutraliser les deux hommes sous la menace de son arme. Il récupère la puce qui est tombée lors de l’affrontement.

Le président Palmer fait part à Mike du rapport du Pentagone selon lequel les bombardiers ne rentrent pas à la base, contrairement à ce qu’il avait ordonné quelques minutes plus tôt. Mike prétexte le ravitaillement puis demande au président de le suivre jusqu’à la grande salle de conférences. David est circonspect devant l’embarras évident de son secrétaire, il se doute que quelque chose se trame dans son dos.

Mike est contraint de lui révéler que certains membres de son gouvernement se posent des questions sur sa capacité à diriger le pays dans cette situation de crise. Le président Palmer découvre alors, par écran interposé, que ses ministres sont effectivement réunis sous la direction du vice-président Jim Prescott.

Celui-ci en appelle au 25ème amendement qui autorise le vice-président à assumer les responsabilités du président en vigueur si la majorité des ministres jugent que le président est incapable d’exercer ses fonctions. Prescott reproche à David Palmer de ne pas avoir déclenché les offensives armées à cause d’un simple agent (Jack Bauer) qui, contrairement à l’avis des services de renseignements, prétend pouvoir apporter la preuve que l’enregistrement de Chypre est un faux.

Palmer accepte que l’affaire soit débattue à la condition que, si l’issue du vote est favorable pour le président, Jim Prescott démissionne de son poste de vice-président des Etats-Unis sur le champ. Prescott accepte. Le procès de David Palmer est ainsi lancé.

Tony reproche à Ryan Chappelle de ne pas l’avoir averti plus tôt de l’annulation de l’offensive militaire ordonnée par Palmer. Chappelle, sans doute renseigné sur la situation du président, lui conseille de laisser toute son équipe sur le qui-vive, la Maison blanche ayant de grandes chances de rétablir l’ordre d’attaque.

Jack fait passer l’ordre à Tony d’engager des recherches sur Peter Kingsley et d’avertir le président qu’ils sont en possession de la puce. Ron Wieland fait apparition dans la salle où se tiennent les ministres en tant que premier témoin. Il témoigne du compromis que lui a proposé le président puis de sa détention plusieurs heures durant.

Même si Palmer parvient à faire reconnaître au journaliste que sa détention était préférable au courant de panique qu’auraient engendrées ses déclarations sur la menace nucléaire, Ron Wieland prétend que ses droits en tant que citoyen des Etats-Unis ont été bafoués. L’entretien terminé, le journaliste quitte la salle.

04 : 20 Michelle fournit les instructions à Jack afin de décrypter la puce mais Jack n’aboutit pas, la puce ayant été gravement endommagée lors de l’affrontement. Jack transfère sur l’ordinateur de Michelle toutes les données contenues sur la puce. Kim, qui se trouve dans une voiture la ramenant à la maison des Matheson, s’entretient avec son père.

Ils échangent tous deux des mots réconfortants et ont hâte que cette journée se termine au plus vite. Avant que le second témoin n’intervienne, la séance est suspendue. Le président en profite pour s’entretenir avec son conseiller : Mike lui avoue qu’il était effectivement au courant de ce complot depuis deux heures mais, malgré tout, il considère qu’il a agi dans le but d’aider son président et non de lui nuire.

C’est alors que David sort cette terrible phrase : « Je suis le président des Etats-Unis, Mike. Ne m’appelez plus jamais par mon prénom ». La séance reprend. Le second témoin intervient, c’est…Roger Stanton ! Celui-ci apparaît dans un état délabré. Il avoue été torturé sur ordre du président Palmer. Il relate en détail sa journée : le limogeage de Rayburn à cause des différends avec le président puis son arrestation et sa détention quelques heures plus tard.

Chappelle apprend de la bouche de Tony que le décryptage de la puce devrait prendre une quinzaine de minutes puis il envoie à sa secrétaire un message destiné au vice-président. Dans le même temps, les ministres découvrent les terribles images de la torture de Stanton. Sur ces mêmes images, le chef de la N.S.A. avoue qu’il était au courant de la menace nucléaire depuis plusieurs semaines.

Le président pense ainsi, légitimement, que cette déclaration est un point positif dans son procès mais Stanton prétend qu’il a craqué et a dit au président ce qu’il voulait entendre, espérant ainsi que les tortures prennent fin. Palmer affirme qu’il lui a également donné de précieux renseignements sur le groupe Serpent Corail et sur l’endroit où était situé la bombe, informations qui ont rapidement té corroborées mais Stanton nie en bloc ces faits.

Le président demande à ce que le reste de la bande soit diffusé afin de prouver ses dires mais son exaltation redescend bien vite lorsque Prescott lui apprend qu’il n’y a rien de plus sur la bande, cette séquence ayant été supprimée délibérément.

Le président ne peut même pas compter sur les déclarations de l’agent Simmons car il n’a pas été autorisé à cette scène. En dernier recours, David Palmer fait appel à Mike mais même celui-ci s’est rangé à la cause de Prescott et affirme ne pas en savoir plus que ce que le président lui a dit. Devant l’absence de témoin en sa faveur, le président se lance dans un plaidoyer contre le déclenchement de toute offensive armée qui pourrait s’avérer gravement préjudiciable si la culpabilité des pays concernés n’était pas réellement prouvée.

Prescott l’interrompt lorsqu’il reçoit le message de Ryan Chappelle et informe l’assemblée que Jack Bauer a les éléments prouvant que l’enregistrement de Chypre a été fabriqué. La séance est levée. Le travail sur la puce se poursuit à la Cellule Antiterroriste mais, malheureusement, celle-ci est très endommagée et les fichiers audio sont inaccessibles. Chappelle considère que l’agent Bauer leur a assez fait perdre de temps comme cela.

04 : 41 Kate se culpabilise des événements de la journée, elle aurait dû déceler chez sa sœur les signes avant-coureurs de l’appartenance à une organisation terroriste. Jack tente de la réconforter comme il peut en lui disant qu’elle n’est en aucune façon responsable de la tournure des événements.

Michelle et Tony informent Jack de l’absence de sources audio sur la puce mais également du travail de Michelle sur des fragments de code source qui ont permis de remonter jusqu’à un pirate informatique du nom de Alex Hewitt, individu fiché au F.B.I., et qui pourrait avoir créé cet enregistrement. Chappelle ayant donné l’ordre d’arrêter les recherches sur la puce, Jack se rend chez cet Alex Hewitt. La séance reprend.

Les escadrilles aériennes viennent d’être ravitaillées et sont en attente de l’ordre qui émergera de cette réunion : l’attaque ou le repli. Le président s’entretient par téléphone avec Chappelle et Jack, ce dernier fait son rapport sur l’absence de preuves concrètes en l’état actuel des choses et sur la piste Alex Hewitt.

David Palmer demande du temps supplémentaire à ses ministres, requête qu’ils ne peuvent accorder. Avant le début du vote, Mike s’entretient avec David : il tente de le ramener à la raison mais le président campe sur ses positions. Jim Prescott donne ses instructions : le vote « oui » pour ceux qui pensent que le président est apte à exercer ses fonctions et le vote « non » pour la destitution du président. La Ministre des Transports commence à voter, elle choisit le oui…le Ministre des Finances le non.

Tony renseigne Jack sur la vie de Hewitt : brillant élève ayant organisé le programme de surveillance technique du Département, il s’est fait prendre pour avoir manipulé des informations sur des fichiers qui lui étaient interdits, tentative de suicide durant sa garde à vue, interné en hôpital psychiatrique, libéré en septembre dernier.

Le Ministre de la Défense vote oui, ce qui amène à 7 voix en faveur de Palmer contre 5 en sa défaveur. Le Ministre de l’Agriculture vote non…7-6…le Ministre de l’Intérieur vote à son tour, il choisit le non…7-7…Il reste une personne à s’exprimer, le secrétaire d’Etat, son vote est déterminant, il choisit le …non, David Palmer ne peut plus exercer ses fonctions de président des Etats-Unis, le pouvoir est désormais entre les mains de Jim Prescott !

David sort de la salle, entouré de deux gardes, à l’image d’un simple prisonnier. Jack pénètre au domicile de Alex Hewitt, il découvre des cassettes vidéo, des ordinateurs, du matériel informatique éparpillés dans la pièce.

Prescott jure la main gauche sur la Bible et devient ainsi le nouveau président des Etats-Unis. Jack entend un bruit suspect, il se cache, l’arme à la main. Un homme armé pénètre dans la pièce, bientôt suivi d’une femme.

Celle-ci est…Sherry Palmer !

PREVIOUSLY ON 24.

PALMER: Jim. We both know that you've been one of the most outspoken opponents to my decision to call off this attack. If you have something to say, I would expect you to bring it to me first.

PRESCOTT: Does the president have any idea what's going on?
NOVICK: No, I don't think so.
PRESCOTT: Let's keep it that way.

PRESCOTT: Thank you for assembling at such short notice. I'm sure you're all wondering why I've invited you here. It is my sincere belief, based on his response to today's events, David Palmer is unfit to continue as President of the United States.

POLICE OFFICER: Looks like you've had quite a day.
KIM: I didn't kill anyone.
OFFICER: I know you didn't. We know Gary Matheson killed his wife. We're looking for him now. So you're off the hook for everything that happened this morning.

CHAPPELLE: I thought I made myself clear, Tony. We're past Bauer.
TONY: No, sir, you are. I'm not. Now if you're not comfortable with me making my own decisions here, I suggest you relieve me of my duties right now.
CHAPPELLE: That won't be necessary.
TONY: Thank you, sir.
CHAPPELLE: Don't thank me. I just don't have anyone to take your place right now.

KATE: Aah! Ah!
MAN: Come on, gimme that!
JACK: Kate, are you alright?
KATE: Yeah. They've got the chip!

JACK: All I want is the chip!
MAN: You come in here, I'm gonna smash this thing. I'll put it right under my foot!

==========================

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 4:00 A.M. AND 5:00 A.M.

[Kate Warner's house. Jack speaks to the men in the bathroom.]
JACK: At least let me know who I'm speaking to.
MAN: It doesn't matter who we are. The only thing that matter is we got something you want, something your girlfriend was about to pay us a lot of money for.
JACK: Listen to me, both of you. About five hours ago a nuclear bomb went off, I'm sure you know about that. The chip you have has information about who's responsible, it's vital to our investigation. The man you assaulted was a foreign intelligence agent. He was bringing the chip to my office. I'm gonna give you one chance to get out of this. Gimme the chip back, and I'll let you walk, no questions.
MAN: ... we don't know, you're setting us up.
JACK: Kate, get back.
KATE: Jack, what are you doing? They killed Yusuf, they were about to kill me.
JACK: We're about to go to war with three countries who are not responsible for what happened today. The only way I can stop this is by getting the president that chip, so right now I will do everything I can to get it back. Please, Kate, I need your help. Get in touch with CTU. Please!
JACK: I'm gonna give you 30 seconds to open that door.
MAN 2: Give it to him.
MAN 1: Are you crazy? This is the only thing keeping him from killing us and he killed ...
JACK: You got 20 seconds!
MAN 1: Damn, we are supposed to trust you?
JACK: Right now, you don't have another choice.
MAN 2: Just give it to him!
MAN 1: No way!
MAN 2: He's serious!
MAN 1: So am I!
MAN 2: He's gonna kill us if we don't open the door!
[They are fighting, the second man goes down. Jack enters the room.]
JACK: Against the wall! Now!
[The first man does so.]
JACK: Where's the chip?
MAN 1: I dro-, I dropped it.
JACK: Don't move.
[He finds the chip and takes it into his pocket.]
JACK: Kate! Kate!
[She comes in.]
JACK: Gimme some wires so I can tie these guys up.
KATE: What about the chip?
JACK: I've got it.
[She leaves to get the wires.]

[Novick enters the President's room.]
PALMER: I just got this Pentagon briefing stating that our bombers aren't going back to their bases. Do you know anything about this?
NOVICK: I understand they are in a holding pattern, awaiting refueling.
PALMER: I ordered them back to their bases.
NOVICK: Yes, sir, I know. That's why I'm here. Could I ask you to come with me for a minute?
PALMER: Come with you where?
NOVICK: Just down the hall to the main conference room.
PALMER: What's going on, Mike?
NOVICK: Please, Mr. President. Come with me.
PALMER: You're ordering me to the conference room?
NOVICK: No, sir. Of course not, I'm sorry. I'm - asking. It's very important, sir.
PALMER: Mike, I'm the President of the United States. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what this is about.
NOVICK: Mr. President. It seems there are a number of people, cabinet members, who question whether you are fit to continue as chief executive of this country.
[They look at each other.]
PALMER: And these people are in my conference room?
NOVICK: In a manner of speaking, sir, they are.
PALMER: Well, then let's go see them.
[They walk over to the conference room.]

04:04:55, 04:04:56, 04:04:57, 04:04:58

[The White House is on the screen.]
PRESCOTT: Mr. President.
PALMER: So now I see why I had such a hard time reaching you today, Jim. You were busy.
PRESCOTT: I apologize if this comes as a surprise, Mr. President. This is a unique situation in the history of our country, calling for unique measures.
PALMER: Let's skip the sound bites and cut to the chase. What's going on here?
PRESCOTT: Mr. President, we are invoking the 25th Amendment.
PALMER: Who is "we"?
PRESCOTT: I think there's a general feeling that some of the decisions that have been made today -
SECRETARY OF STATE: Ah, hold on a minute, ah, Mr. Vice President. With all due respect, sir, most of us here are s-, scrambling just to understand today's events. I think, it's way, way too early to be referring to a "general feeling" about anything.
PRESCOTT: Fair enough. For the record, let me review the relevant portions of the 25th Amendment. Section four states that whenever the vice president and the majority of the cabinet determine, the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the vice president shall immediately take office as acting president. Is everyone clear on that?
PALMER: The 25th Amendment was designed for situations where the president is ill or incapacitated.
PRESCOTT: The language speaks for itself, Mr. President. "Unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office." The reason for the disability isn't limited to any particular cause. The Attorney General agrees with this interpretation.
PALMER: And just what exactly is my supposed disability?
PRESCOTT: It seems clear to me, Mr. President, that the stress of today's events has overwhelmed you. An atomic device has been detonated on American soil today. We have clear evidence which countries are responsible, along with details of the terrorist group they sponsored.
PALMER: The evidence implicating these countries is not clear, Mr. Prescott. Far from it.
PRESCOTT: The Cyprus audio has been independently verified by every intelligence group we have.
PALMER: And I have reason to believe that those agencies are mistaken.
PRESCOTT: Because of this lone CTU agent, Jack Bauer?
PALMER: Yes. Mr. Bauer believes that the Cyprus audio is a forgery. He also believes that he will soon have proof.
PRESCOT: He's been telling you that for hours, Mr. President. You still don't have a proof. If military strikes do not occur imminently, casualties to American soldiers would increase by tens of thousands of lives. That analysis is undisputed.
PALMER: The risk of attacking innocent countries is unacceptable. We have to be sure.
PRESCOTT: Everybody is sure, Mr. President, everybody but you.
PALMER: Well, as it happens, I'm the only one who counts.
[He shakes his head and turns to leave.]
PALMER: This meeting is over.
PRESCOTT: Mr. President. One way or another, there will be a vote. I think you should be heard before that vote is taken.
[Palmer]
PALMER: You don't like one of my policy decisions. The 25th Amendment does not give you the right to reverse that policy under the pretence of saying I have a disability.
PRESCOTT: Mr. President, I agree. What I intend to show is a pattern of erratic and irrational behavior on your part since the start of this crisis. Seen in that light, your refusal to authorize military action is simply another symptom of your disability.
PALMER: Listen to me. All of you. I know you're not in the same room with me. But you can see and hear me plainly enough. Take a good look. Do I seem scared? Am I breaking into a nervous sweat? Am I babbling? At a loss for words? (betont jedes wort) Is my voice shaking?
Can anyone of you look me in the eye and tell me I'm disabled?
PRESCOTT: Mr. President. The issue is not your demeanor of the past few minutes, but your actions over the past 20 hours.
SECRETARY OF STATE: Mr. President, the vice president has raised serious questions and, in my opinion, it would be a mistake to ignore them. Now, for my own part, I'm confident that if you explain yourself with your usual candor and clarity, all questions will be resolved to the satisfaction of everyone here.
PALMER: Mr. Prescott. There seems to be a collective feeling that a discussion is called for. In the interest of putting this behind us, I'll agree. On one condition. When it's over, if I'm supported, you tender your resignation as the vice president of this country.
PRESCOTT: Very well, Mr. President. I agree.
SECRETARY OF STATE: I, ah, suggest we all take a few minutes to compose ourselves and, ah, and get on with the - proceeding.
PALMER: Let's not mince words, Mr. Secretary. You mean the trial of David Palmer.

04:11:11, 04:11:12, 04:11:13

==========================

04:15:36, 4:15:37, 4:15:38, 4:15:39, 4:15:40, 4:15:41, 04:15:42

[CTU. Chappelle talks with a woman.]
CHAPPELLE: All right. The problem here is that they don't correspond and I need them to.
[Tony comes up.]
TONY: Ryan, could I have a word with you, please?
CHAPPELLE: (to the woman) Give me a minute.
[She leaves.]
TONY: I just got a message that the president called off the military offensive over an hour ago.
CHAPPELLE: Who told you this?
TONY: Someone at DOJ. Someone I trust.
CHAPPELLE: I wouldn't worry about it.
TONY: Is it true?
CHAPPELLE: Yes.
TONY: And you knew about it.
CHAPPELLE: I did.
TONY: And you didn't tell me. Why are you so determined to keep my people processing intel on an operation that's been scrapped?
CHAPPELLE: Because there is a strong possibility the White House will reinstate the attack order.
TONY: It doesn't make sense. Why would the president reverse his orders twice?
CHAPPELLE: Just keep your people on a war footing.
[He leaves.]

04:16:29, 04:16:30, 04:16:31, 04:16:32

[Michelle comes up to Tony.]
MICHELLE: Tony, phones are up. I got Jack Bauer on line two.
TONY: Where is he?
MICHELLE: He's at Kate Warner's house.
TONY: What's he doing there?
MICHELLE: I don't know, but he has the chip.
TONY: All right, conference-call him to my office.
MICHELLE: OK.

[Jack works on the chip.]
TONY: Jack, it's Tony. What are you doing at Kate Warner's house? You were supposed to bring that chip here over an hour ago.
JACK: We ran into some interference. Yusuf Auda is dead.
TONY: What happened?
JACK: I don't have time to explain, but he's the only reason why we've still got this chip. Look, I'm trying to read it now. I put it in a flash card adapter, but something's not working.
MICHELLE: Jack, this is Michelle, just gimme a minute. You may be able to override the reader function manually. I'll talk you through it.
JACK: OK, good. Tony, while she's going to set up, I need you to do a couple of things for me. I want you to run a background check on the name Peter Kingsley. It's probably an alias. Maybe I get lucky. I want you to cross-reference it with every major player in the oil industry.
TONY: Peter Kingsley. Why?
JACK: I'll explain it to you later. First I need you to get in touch with the president. Tell him that we've got the evidence that he needs.
TONY: I already told him. And I just found out that he's called off the military strikes.
JACK: Good, then we've got some time.
TONY: Not necessarily, Jack. Chappelle just told me that he expects the order to be reversed.
JACK: Why?
TONY: He didn't get specific, but, ah, something's going on in Washington. Something we're not supposed to know about.
JACK: Michelle, are you ready for me?
MICHELLE: Yeah.

[OC, conference room and screen.]
PRESCOTT: I've asked someone to join us.
[Ron Wieland enters.]
PRESCOTT: Most of you know Ron Wieland. Ron is one of the most respected national affairs correspondents of the country. He had a very interesting experience earlier today. Ron?
WIELAND: I was sent to cover President Palmer's environmental speech when I began to sense a bigger story. There were rumors of a terrorist attack on the West Coast, possibly involving a nuclear device. Naturally I kept asking questions. Next thing I know, I was called in to talk to the president. He asked me to keep the story under wraps until later in the day, and then he would give me an exclusive.
PRESCOTT: And what did you say?
WIELAND: I told him I'd think it over. But as I was leaving the building I was suddenly grabbed by a secret service agent and hustled into a room. And I was kept there under guard for several hours.
PRESCOTT: Did you feel this was a violation of your First Amendment rights as a journalist as well as an American citizen?
WIELAND: Of course.
PALMER: Ron. Were you harmed in any way or threatened?
WIELAND: No, sir.
PALMER: Did you understand the reason for your being detained?
WIELAND: I assume, it was fear that if word got out of a nuclear threat, panic would strike. People might get hurt.
PALMER: Do you think, the lives of thousands of citizens is less important than a couple of hours of your First Amendment rights?
WIELAND: (snorts) No, I don't. But under the Bill of Rights that decision was mine. Not yours, Mr. President.
PRESCOTT: Did you get the feeling that things were a little out of control in the Palmer administration?
PALMER: You are putting words in his mouth.
WIELAND: I did have the sense that President Palmer was not in control.
PALMER: I was trying to balance the need for public safety against Ron Wieland's rights. I offered Ron a deal and he turned me down. Nothing was out of control. I might add, I had legal precedent for my action.
PRESCOTT: Thank you, Mr. Wieland.
[Wieland leaves.]
PRESCOTT: I'd like to call someone else to testify. He should be ready in just a few moments.

[Kate Warner's house. Jack is working.]
MICHELLE: Ctrl C X - 5, and hit "enter".
JACK: Done.
MICHELLE: Anything?
JACK: I think it's reading it. No, all I'm getting are numbers and symbols.
MICHELLE: All right, Jack. Take out the chip. Make sure the leads are exposed.
[Jack takes out the chip and looks at it.]
JACK: Dammit!
MICHELLE: What is it?
JACK: The chip is damaged.
MICHELLE: How badly?
JACK: I'm not sure. Part of the microprocessor is gone and the leads that were connected to it.
MICHELLE: OK, Jack, whatever data you have, send it to my screen. I'll run it through the retrieval program here.
JACK: Will you be able to access the complete audio file?
MICHELLE: If it's on there, I'll find it.
[Tony takes the phone and dials.]
BERMAN: (over the phone) IT, this is Berman.
TONY: This is Almeida. Listen, ah, send two of your guys up here right away, would you?
BERMAN: They are all doing MI for Chappelle.
TONY: Look, I don't care what they're doing. I need two IT people up here right away.
BERMAN: Chappelle specifically -
TONY: Just do it, I gotta go, alright?
[He takes another call.]
TONY: Almeida.
KIM: Tony, hi, it's Kim. Look, I haven't been able to reach my dad. Ah, is he available?
TONY: (sighs) Kim, we're in the middle of something really important right now. Can I have him get back to you?
KIM: Tony, please, it'll, it'll just take a minute.
TONY: OK. OK, just hold on.
[Jack is working.]
JACK: Are you getting it?
MICHELLE: Yeah, I got it, Jack, but you were right. The data is pretty screwed.
TONY: Hi, Jack. I've just assigned two IT people to help Michelle with this. We should be able to get through in about 15, 20 minutes tops.
JACK: OK, good.
TONY: Also, I got Kim on the line for you.
JACK: Thank you, Tony.
TONY: Kim? I got your dad on the line, go ahead.
KIM: Dad?
JACK: Sweetheart.
KIM: Tony told me, you're alive. I've been trying to reach you.
JACK: Are you still at the sheriff's station?
KIM: There are taking me to the Mathesons' house to pack up my things. Glad, you're okay.
JACK: Me too.
KIM: When I thought you were gone, I, ahm - I just miss you dad, I mean, ah, I miss you so much.
JACK: I've missed you too, honey.
KIM: I just wanna come home.
JACK: (smiles relieved) You'll be home soon enough. I promise, OK?
KIM: (smiles) OK. - Hey, Dad?
JACK: Yeah?
KIM: I love you.
JACK: (smiles) I love you too, baby. I'll see you soon, OK? Bye.

04:23:06, 04:23:07, 04:23:08

[OC, conference room. Novick enters with two glasses of water.]
PALMER: You knew about this, didn't you, Mike? How long have you known?
NOVICK: That doesn't matter, Mr. President.
PALMER: It matters to me. How long?
NOVICK: A couple of hours.
[Palmer looks at him.]
PALMER: You were part of it, weren't you? When all is said and done - you were on Prescott's side.
NOVICK: No, sir. I'm on your side and always will be. This could be a good thing. A chance to correct a mistake of historic proportions. David, I'm begging you, reconsider your position on this.
PALMER: I'm the president, Mike. You don't call me by my first name.
NOVICK: Yes, sir.

04:24:47, 04:24:48, 04:24:49

==========================

04:29:12, 04:29:13, 04:29:14, 04:29:15, 04:29:16, 04:29:17

[The White House. Michelle at CTU. Palmer. Jack is working on the chip.]
JACK: OK, it's transmitting.

[Prescott enters.]
PRESCOTT: Gentlemen, I'm sorry for the delay. The man you're about to see is not entirely well. In fact, it's taken a great deal of courage for him to join us at all. Roger Stanton, head of the National Security Agency. Roger, thank you for speaking with us.
STANTON: Yes, of course. I'm sorry, if I seem a bit tired. You see, I was tortured for several hours at the operations complex by order of the President of the United States.
PALMER: And why were you tortured, Roger?
STANTON: Because you thought I knew more than I was saying about the location of the nuclear bomb. As if the head of NSA would withhold information from the president.
PALMER: You're lying, Roger. This may work for a while, but eventually the truth will come out.
STANTON: I have nothing to fear from the truth, Mr. President.
PRESCOT:: As briefly as possible, Mr. Stanton, tell us what happened to you today.
STANTON: I arrived at the OC around noon to find that my assistant director Eric Rayburn had been dismissed by the president.
PRESCOTT: What was the reason given for Mr. Rayburn's firing?
STANTON: Eric wanted to bring the military into the equation right away, and the president was, was reluctant to even contemplate the use of military action.
PALMER: That's not true.
STANTON For the next few hours I, I worked for the president as best I could. He was indecisive, erratic, and, as I said, terrified to even think of military engagement. And a little after six this evening I was arrested on the charge of treason. I was taken to a small windowless room. The president entered and accused me of knowing more about the bomb than I was telling him.
PRESCOTT: Was that true?
STANTON: No, of course not. In fairness to the president, I think he genuinely believed it to be true.
PRESCOTT: Why would he hold such a believe?
STANTON: David Palmer is a decent man. Maybe he's too decent for the times we live in. He wanted to avoid war at any cost. If he could prove to himself that Americans were behind the bomb, then he'd have a good reason not to use military force against any foreign country.

[CTU. Chappelle comes up to Tony and Michelle.]
CHAPPELLE: I just heard you ordered two ITs onto some kind of a retrieval project. They were working military intel.
TONY: Jack Bauer has a chip. It contains an audio file that we expect will prove that the Cyprus audio was indeed forged.
CHAPPELLE: Where is this chip?
TONY: It's been damaged.
CHAPPELLE: Damaged?
Jack sent us the data but it's pretty messed up. The audio file needs to be reconstituted which is gonna take a little time.
CHAPPELLE: How long?
TONY: However long it takes.
MICHELLE: It should take about 15 minutes, sir.

04:32:17, 04:32:18, 04:32:19, 04:32:20

[Chappelle dials a number.]
SECRETARY: Division, Mr. Chappelle's office.
CHAPPELLE: I need to get a message to the vice president.
SECRETARY: Right away.

[A video from Stanton's torturing.]
PALMER: Ready to tell me everything I need to know?
[Stanton doesn't answer.]
PALMER: Continue.
STANTON: We knew about the bomb weeks ago.
[OC]
PALMER: Enough! This should end this discussion here and now. Yes, I had Roger Stanton tortured. It was a horrible thing to do and God knows I hated doing it. But just as I suspected, he knew about the bomb. You've just seen it for yourselves.
STANTON: When I was strapped to a chair and thousands of volts of electric current passed through my body every few seconds, I'm not proud of it, but I dare say I did what most of you would have done. I cracked. I told the president what he wanted to hear, that I knew about the bomb.
PALMER: You told me more than that, Roger. You told me about the Coral Snake Team. You told me that the bomb was at Norton Airfield. Information that we corroborated very quickly.
STANTON: I don't know - I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. President.
PALMER: Mr. Prescott, play the rest of the tape.
PRESCOTT: There is no rest of the tape.
PALMER: What?
PRESCOTT: That's all I have.
PALMER: Well, that can't be. I was in that room for another ten minutes.
PRESCOTT: Well, this is all that was transmitted by the OC, Mr. President. We did ask for everything.
PALMER: There must be some kind of mistake, of deliberate sabotage. Mr. Stanton had a whole lot more to say than what you've just seen on that tape.
SECRETARY OF STATE: Mr. President, couldn't Agent Simmons verify what you've been telling us?
PALMER: No, I sent him out of the room. But the fact remains that Roger Stanton told me about the Coral Snake Team. He told me about the location of the bomb. Where else could that information have come from?
STANTON: We have many intelligence agencies, Mr. President. Thousands of agents combing the planet. It could have come from anywhere. I just know it didn't come from me.
PALMER: That's a lie, and you know it. Tell them, Mike.
NOVICK: I only know what the president told me. I wasn't in the room.
PRESCOTT: Mr. Stanton, thank you again. Legally, you will remain in custody as President Palmer has ordered until this matter is resolved.
STANTON: I understand.
PRESCOTT: Mr. President, if you have any evidence you would like to present, please do so now.
PALMER: The testimony that's been presented here so far is inaccurate and incomplete. Roger Stanton is directly responsible for placing a nuclear weapon on US soil. I have evidence that proves it, but you've given me no time. While my behavior may have been extreme, I was just responding to the extremity of today's events. Make no mistake. If we unleash our military power on nations that later prove innocent, it will rank as one of the most despicable sneak attacks in history. Any chance for peace in the Middle East will vanish forever. Even if it costs American lives in the future, we must delay the attack until we are certain of our ground.
PRESCOTT: Excuse me, Mr. President, I just received an urgent message from, ah, CTU division chief Ryan Chappelle. I read, Jack Bauer has evidence he claims will prove the Cyprus audio was forged.
[The cabinet members start murmuring.]
PRESCOTT: Please, please, everyone. Just - shh, shh, please, settle down. The evidence is being reviewed at CTU right now. Mr. Chappelle says that the analysis shall be complete within the next few minutes. Considering the potential impact that this, ah, this evidence will have on these proceedings, I think, it's incumbent upon us to wait.

[CTU. Michelle is on the phone with an IT guy, Jason.]
MICHELLE: Well, yeah, I'm looking at it right now.
JASON: Yeah, well, we can't configure it, either.
MICHELLE: (sighs) OK, did you try running it through the default mode?
JASON: Yes, the audio files are gone, Michelle. There are just some markers that repeat, that's all.
MICHELLE: All right, thanks, Jason.
JASON: All right.
[Michelle sets the phone down.]
TONY: He didn't find anything either.
[She shakes her head. Chappelle comes up.]
CHAPPELLE: Well, what have you got?
TONY: The chip was more compromised than we thought.
CHAPPELLE: Do you have the audio file?
TONY: Michelle was able to recover some information we are following up behind.
MICHELLE: Repeating code fragments. It may tell us who programmed the information.
CHAPPELLE: Did you find the audio file or not? That's all I need to know.
MICHELLE: No, we didn't.
CHAPPELLE: So, Bauer wasted our time.
[He leaves.]

04:37:30, 04:37:31, 04:37:32

==========================

04:41:55, 04:41:56, 04:41:57, 04:41:58, 04:41:59, 04:42:00

[Palmer sits in the conference room. Kim still is in the police car. At Kate Warner's house the two men are marched off.]
OFFICER: Come on. Go.
[Jack sees Kate leaning on a desk, holding the head in her hands. He walks over to her.]
JACK: Kate?
[She doesn't answer.]
JACK: Kate, are you all right?
KATE: Everything that's happened today, every-, everything that's still happening - I keep thinking it's all my fault.
JACK: Come here. We would never have found the bomb in time if it wasn't for you.
KATE: But my sister was the one behind the bomb. She helped those fanatics.
JACK: Yes. But you're not your sister.
KATE: I should have seen something was wrong, before it got this bad. Because of what she did, it could start a war. I could have stopped it. I could have stopped it.
JACK: No, Kate, you couldn't have. There are things in this world that are just out of our control. Sometimes we like to blame ourselves for them so that we can try and make sense out of them.
[She looks at him.]
JACK: Come here.
[He takes her in his arms. She cries.]
JACK: There was nothing you could have done.
[They look at each other. Jack brushes a strand of her hair from Kate's face. Suddenly his phone rings.]
JACK: Sorry. Yeah?
TONY: Jack, it's Tony and Michelle.
JACK: (to Kate) Excuse me.

04:43:48, 04:43:49, 04:43:50

[Jack walks into another room.]
JACK: Did you get the audio file?
MICHELLE: No.
JACK: What do you mean, no? Are you telling me that there's no audio file on that chip?
MICHELLE: If there were, they were destroyed when the chip was damaged.
TONY: Look, Jack, ah, Chappelle is following the precedy. He wants you on the court.
JACK: Yeah, I bet he does.
TONY: Also, ah, some of the information Michelle was able to recover may be worth looking into.
JACK: What kind of information?
MICHELLE: Identical code fragments retailing in several data streams.
JACK: What are you talking about? What kind of fragments? What are the fragments for?
MICHELLE: Nothing. That's the point. It's junk code. Programmers ... sometimes embed it into their programs as a mark or signature.
TONY: Michelle was able to trace the sequence back to a hacker named Alex Hewitt. He's got a file with the FBI.
JACK: Are you telling me, you think this is the technician that created the Cyprus audio file?
MICHELLE: Yes.
TONY: Chappelle is not gonna let us follow up any more leads on the chip, so you're gonna have to talk to this guy on your own.
JACK: Fine. What's his last known address?
TONY: 210 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, North Hollywood.
JACK: OK, I got it. I'll get back to you.
TONY: All right.
JACK: (to Kate) I'm sorry. I gotta go.
KATE: Where?
JACK: We got something off the chip. Not what we were looking for, but it's a lead and we'll have to follow it up.
[Kate nods.]
JACK: As soon as you're ready to leave here, one of the officers will take you back to CTU so you can be with your father.
KATE: Thanks.
JACK: OK.
[He turns to leave.]
KATE: Jack.
JACK: Yeah?
KATE: Be careful.
JACK: Thanks. I will be.

04:45:33, 04:45:34, 04:45:35, 04:45:36

[The White House. Prescott gets off the phone.]
PRESCOTT: The airborne squadrons have been in a holding pattern ever since President Palmer called off the attack. They just refueled. If we want to resume the operation, we need to come to a conclusion now.
PALMER: A few more minutes. This is the difference between peace and war, Mr. Prescott.
PRESCOTT: It's also a pattern that's been recurring over the last few hours. Everything will change once Mr. Bauer calls. It just never quite happens.
[There's a knocking on the conference room's door. Novick gets up and opens the door.]
NOVICK: Yes, what -?
[A man hands him a phone.]
MAN: It's CTU.
NOVICK: Jack Bauer and Ryan Chappelle are on the line.
[Palmer takes the phone.]
PALMER: This is President Palmer.
CHAPPELLE: Mr. President, this is Ryan Chappelle.
PALMER: Hello, Ryan.
CHAPPELLE: I have Jack Bauer on the line as well. He'll give you an update.
JACK: Mr. President, I found the chip, but unfortunately it's been very badly damaged.
PALMER: Is it in good enough shape to prove that the Cyprus recording was forged?
JACK: Sir, in its present condition, I'm afraid it doesn't prove much of anything.
PALMER: Can it be repaired?
JACK: No, sir, I'm sorry. But we happen following another lead. About an hour ago I was captured and tortured by men who wanted the chip. They worked for a man named Peter Kingsley. I believe he is part of the group that was behind the bomb. I think they've been manipulating today's events to start this war, sir.
PALMER: Why?
JACK: To improve the value of their oil contracts in the Caspian Sea and to control the oil coming out of the Middle East.
PALMER: But I need something concrete. I need evidence.
JACK: Mr. President, I understand. Right now I'm checking up on an address of a man who, we believe, engineered the Cyprus recording for Kingsley. I'm sorry, sir, but it's the best we've got.
PALMER: Everything you have seen, are you absolutely convinced that the Cyprus recording was forged?
JACK: Yes, sir, absolutely.
PALMER: All right, Jack. Thank you.
[He gets off the phone.]
PALMER: The evidence I was hoping for is not yet available. But I believe it will be in the near future.

04:47:35, 04:47:36, 04:47:37, 04:47:38

SECRETARY OF TREASURY: When, Mr. President?
PALMER: I don't know.
PRESCOTT: Meanwhile, the window for a surprise attack is rapidly closing. It's time to vote.
NOVICK: Mr. Vice President, if you could indulge me for one minute?
[He speaks low to Palmer.]
NOVICK: Mr. President. This Bauer thing is an illusion, a mirage. Every time you get near it, it moves further away. For your sake, for the country's, authorize the attack. All this will just go away.
PALMER: And a lot of people, Americans and Non-Americans, will die for no reason.
NOVICK: We don't know that, Mr. President.
PALMER: (loudly) Let's get on with the vote.
PRESCOTT: Members of the cabinet, you've been presented with the evidence. You know what's at stake. Those of you who believe that the president is able to continue in office, vote "Yes". Those of you who believe he isn't, vote "No". Mr. Novick will conduct a voice poll. The accumulated numbers will be reflected up on the screen. Mr. Novick?
NOVICK: Ms Secretary of Transportation, how do you vote?
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: Yes.
NOVICK: Mr. Secretary of Treasury?
SECRETARY OF TREASURY: No.

04:49:16, 04:49:17, 04:49:18

==========================

04:53:41, 04:53:42, 04:53:43, 04:53:44, 04:53:45, 04:53:46

[OC. The White House on the screen.]
CABINET MEMBER: Yes.
[Jack driving, he dials a number. Palmer. The poll screen with 6 "Yes" and 5 "No".]

[CTU. A phone rings. Tony takes the receiver.]
TONY: Almeida.
JACK: Tony, its Jack. I'm about half a block from Hewitt's loft. Has the FBI sent over his file yet?
TONY: Yeah, we just got it.
JACK: What do I need to know?
TONY: Well, the State Department recruited him right out of ... Tech. He revamped their entire technical surveillance program. Then he got caught manipulating ... and files that he didn't have clearance for. He tried to kill himself in custody, spent a year in psychiatric prison, and got ... before being released last September.
JACK: No connection to Kingsley?
TONY: No, not that we can find.
JACK: OK. As soon as I get Hewitt, I'll get back to you. Oh, and, Tony, any word on what's happening with the president?
TONY: No, not yet.
JACK: OK, thanks.

NOVICK: Mr. Secretary of Defense, how do you vote?
SECRETARY OF DEFENCE: Yes. I believe the president should stay in office.
[Novick taps it in. It's the seventh "Yes" against 5 "No".]
NOVICK: Mr. Secretary of Agriculture?
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE: No.
NOVICK: Mr. Secretary of the Interior?
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR: No.
NOVICK: Mr. Secretary of State, the vote is seven for and seven against. Yours is the deciding vote.
SECRETARY OF STATE: I'm aware of that. - I have never met a man that I respect more than you, Mr. President. Never. - But we are talking about tens of thousands of American lives. I'm compelled to vote "No".
[Novick taps in the last vote. It's eight "No" against seven "Yes". Prescott rises.]
PRESCOTT: Mr. President, can you see the results? You will have an opportunity to appeal this in four days in front of Congress. In the meantime, I must ask you to remove yourself from the decision-making process. Please, take the president to a holding room.
[Two military officers and a secret service agent, Pierce, enter the room.]
PIERCE: Will you please come with us, Mr. President?
[Palmer rises slowly.]
PIERCE: Mr. President. I'm not a lawyer, sir, but as far as I can tell, the Constitution has been followed. I've got no choice but to ask you to come with us. I'm sorry, sir.
[They leave the room.]

04:58:19, 04:58:20, 04:58:21, 04:58:22

[Hewitt's building. Jack enters his floor. He knocks at the door which swings open. He draws his gun and enters carefully.]

[The White House. Prescott gets inaugurated.]
PRESCOTT: I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.
[Palmer walks down a floor. Kim in the police car. Chappelle watches Tony. Jack searches Hewitt's loft.]
[Suddenly there's a noise from the elevator. Jack closes the door and hides. A man enters. He has a gun in his hand. There are steps on the corridor. A woman enters.]
WOMAN: Alex?
[The man switches the light on and she turns around. It's Sherry Palmer.]

04:59:57, 04:59:58, 04:59:59, 05:00:00