Previously on 24.
Logan: Now, why would David Palmer call my wife about a national security threat?
Walt: We can’t risk having Mrs Logan obsess about this phone call. Now, David Palmer called her yesterday. Our communications office will have a recording of their conversation.
Logan: Get that for me.
Logan: You don’t need to be concerned that there’s any connection between David’s death and the phone call he made to you.
Martha: He said it was a matter of national security; those were his exact words.
David: [on tape] Martha, it’s David Palmer. I need to talk to you. It’s hardly a matter of national security.
Martha: No, that’s not it; that is not what he said!
Logan: Yes it is.
Walt: I have dealt with the Martha Logan situation; I was able to alter the tape of the phone call before the president heard it. There’s no longer any evidence on my end that Palmer was trying to warn her of the attack.
Edgar: Sir, it’s Edgar, I think we can find Chloe. She’s accessing our system through a laptop; I’m running a locate now.
Jack: What have you got for me on Chevensky?
Chloe: He’s a baggage supervisor at the airport.
Agent Jennings: Jack Bauer! Agent O’Brien! We know you’re down here.
[Chloe drives the van out of the car park but is trapped by two police cars and apprehended.]
Bill: Chloe, what the hell’s going on?
Chloe: Jack didn’t kill anybody; he’s being set up to cover up the real reason Palmer was assassinated.
Bill: Where is he?
Chloe: I can’t tell you.
[Jack enters the airport.]
Jack: Where can I find the baggage claim supervisor?
Security officer: [pointing] Down that hall; to the left.
Jack: Thank you.
Jack: Chevensky.
[Chevensky tries to run, but Jack grabs him and points his gun at his face.]
Jack: Why was President Palmer killed?
Chevensky: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
[Jack hits him in the stomach area twice.]
Jack: You are going to tell me what I want to know; it’s just a question of how much you want it to hurt.
Derek: Mom, do you see those men?
Derek: I have to warn Jack. [He takes off his seatbelt and gets out of the car, and runs towards the terminal.]
Diane: Derek, where are you going? Come back here!
[Beresch remotely detonates explosives in the van outside. People outside and within the terminal are shocked and horrified.]
[Beresch fires an automatic into the air. Bystanders scream and drop to the ground.]
[Jack is distracted by the gunfire. When he looks back, Chevensky is dead. Jack moves out of the room.]
[Beresch stands in the middle of the hostages.]
Beresch: Quiet! Quiet! [There is silence. The hostages stare at him, terrified.] You will not be harmed as long as your President complies with our wishes.
[Jack leans against a wall, listening and planning.]
Voiceover: The following takes place between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
[Outside the airport, people run away from the building, terrified. The terrorists’ van burns out the front of the building. Police officers are attempting to set up a barrier to keep people out of the airport.]
Police Officer at the barrier: Get back! Get back!
[Several police cars are starting to arrive on the scene.]
Police Officer: We have an incident in progress; I want this facility locked down and a code five right now. Clear the area!
[Diane runs up to him.]
Diane: Officer, my son is in there.
Mclaren: I’m sorry, ma’am, we’re clearing the area. Follow the people.
[Diane runs past him towards the airport.]
Mclaren: Ma’am! [to another police officer] Grab her!
[The other police officer grabs Diane and pulls her back, away from the airport.]
Diane: [crying] I have to get my son! I have to get my son! Derek! Derek! [to Mclaren as she is pulled past him.] I have information for CTU. My son …
[The police officer stares after her.]
[Inside the terminal, Derek kneels, staring at the floor.]
Beresch: Everyone quiet.
[A terrorist chains one exit. Another sprays black paint onto a security camera. Terrorists surround the hostages. One hostage pulls out his cell phone. Beresch sees him. He signals to one of the other terrorists, who walks up behind the hostage and shoots him through the head. Other hostages scream in terror. A mother tries to shield the sight from her young son’s eyes.]
Beresch: If you cooperate, you have a chance of leaving this building alive. If you do not, you will die. Understand? Take out all cell phones and pagers and drop them on the floor.
[The hostages rush to obey, pushing their phones and pagers away from them.]
Mother: [to her crying son] We’re going to be OK, we’re going to be OK.
Beresch: Bring them in!
Terrorist: Up from the floor!
[The hostages stand, and many put their hands behind their head.]
Terrorist: Move. Come on. [Terrorists herd the hostages together.]
[Meanwhile, two other terrorists drag away the body of the dead hostage.]
[Jack makes his way through another office, gun drawn. Two terrorists walk into a nearby room, looking for Chevensky.]
Terrorist: Chevensky?
[Jack is hiding behind a bookcase. The terrorist’s phone rings.]
Terrorist: Yeah?
Beresch: Well?
Terrorist: Chevensky’s not here.
Beresch: We have to find him, keep searching. [He ends the phone call.]
Terrorist: [speaking in Russian.] Let’s search the other rooms. Come on. Let’s go.
[They leave the room.]
[Out the front of the airport, more emergency vehicles are arriving. Mclaren’s phone rings.]
Mclaren: [to phone] Mclaren.
Beresch: Listen very carefully. We have hostages. If you wish to keep them alive, make no attempt to re-enter the building. We are wearing explosive vests. We are prepared to detonate ourselves along with our captives. If you make any effort to enter the terminal, you will spend the rest of the day collecting body parts. [He hangs up. Behind him, all of the hostages have been herded together into a group and are sitting on the floor together, surrounded by armed terrorists.]
[Outside.]
Mclaren: Hello? [He puts his phone back in his pocket.] [to radio] Set up a security perimeter. We’ll operate from the northwest entrance behind hanger twelve. And get those fire trucks out of here. Everybody out! [to other police officer] And grab that woman in the yellow next to Bailey; bring her up here. Quick!
[Jack throws his bag onto a luggage rack, and climbs up onto the top level of the rack. He pushes at a panel of the roof, lifting it. He steps up into the ventilation system of the airport, grabbing his bag before replacing the roof panel.]
[In CTU. Audrey is walking up the stairs towards Bill’s office.]
Audrey: [on phone] All right. Yeah. Thank you. [She hangs up.] Bill, I just spoke to the director of the secret service; now that Suvarov’s has arrived safely, they’re lowering their security level by one.
Bill: I think we should do the same. I’ll take our attack teams off standby.
Audrey: Have we heard back from our unit we sent out to the refinery?
Bill: Yeah. At least that part of Chloe’s story checks out.
Audrey: So it’s possible Jack was set up in Palmer’s assassination.
Bill: We can’t assume too much; Jack still has a lot to answer for.
[Phone rings. Bill answers.]
Bill: Buchanan.
Operator: Mr Buchanan? I have Jack Bauer on the line.
[Audrey looks over, shocked. Bill picks up the handset.]
Bill: Put it through.
Audrey: Bill, put it on speakerphone. Please.
[Bill puts the call onto speakerphone and replaces the handset.]
Bill: Jack, it’s Bill.
Jack: Bill, I’m inside Ontario airport. Gunmen have just attacked and taken over terminal one. They’re carrying automatic weapons and they have hostages.
Bill: We haven’t received any alerts.
Jack: Trust me, you will. [He looks out of a grill in the wall; he can see the hostages huddling together.]
Bill: What are you doing at the airport, Jack?
Jack: I was following up a lead; President Palmer knew of the planned attack. I believe that’s why he was assassinated.
[Spencer enters Bill’s office.]
Spencer: We’ve just received an inter-agency flash; there’s been an attack on Ontario airport. First reports are several men carrying automatic weapons and they’re in control of terminal one.
Bill: Put alert level four. Launch all available tac. teams.
Spencer: Curtis is in the area.
[Meanwhile in the airport, Jack takes pictures of the terrorists using his phone.]
Bill: Redirect him to the airport. Have him maintain operational control the moment he’s on site.
Spencer: Right. [He leaves the room.]
Bill: Jack. We just received confirmation of the situation; I want you out of there now, Jack. Turn yourself in – let our people handle this.
Jack: Understand this, Bill – I don’t work for you. I’m staying inside. You want my intel, fine. But I’m doing this my way.
Bill: how many hostiles are there?
Jack: Approximately ten to twelve. The gunmen have locked down the terminal. I’ll send you photos of the hostiles – they should be good enough that you can identify them. Hold on. [Jack sends the photos through.] OK, they’re transmitting.
Bill: All right, Jack, we’ll pull a schematic of the airport and forward it to your cell.
Jack: Bill, hold on, one more thing. A woman is going to contact you; her name is Diane Huxley. I sent her and her son to CTU for protection.
Bill: Who are they?
Jack: I don’t have time to explain, but I’m responsible for them. Just make sure they’re safe, OK?
Bill: We’ll take care of them, Jack.
Jack: Thank you. I’ll be standing by. [He ends the call.]
Bill: [to Audrey] We have to alert the President.
Audrey: Right.
[In Ontario Airport, Jack watches the hostages and hostage-takers. Beresch is giving instructions to one of the men. Jack climbs a ladder into another part of the building.]
09:08:44 … 08:08:45 … 09:08:46 … 09:08:47 …
[At President Logan’s retreat, photographers take pictures of President Logan and President Suvarov, shaking hands and smiling broadly.]
Suvarov: I hope to personally extend my condolences on the loss your country has suffered today.
Logan: Thank you, Mr President. I hope that what you and I accomplish today will serve as a fitting tribute to David Palmer’s legacy. I can’t imagine anything more appropriate than the two of us establishing a comprehensive anti-terrorist alliance between our two nations.
[Walt and Novick approach quietly from one side. Logan sees them.]
Logan: If you would excuse me for one moment, Mr President?
Suvarov: Of course.
[Logan approaches Walt and Novick.]
Logan: [quietly] What’s up, Mike?
Novick: [quietly] Terrorists are controlling the main terminal of Ontario airport in Los Angeles.
Logan: [quietly] Terrorists?
Novick: [quietly] Yes sir. There are eyewitness reports of two casualties and they’ve taken hostages.
[Logan glances back, to see President Suvarov consulting with two of his staff, one of whom is talking on a cell phone.]
Logan: [to Walt and Novick] Who are they?
Walt: Unclear. CTU Los Angeles is prepping a briefing. Mr President, I suggest we move to the situation room.
Logan: Now?
Novick: CTU thinks this may be related to the summit.
Logan: Related in what way?
Novick: I don’t know, sir, but we’ll find out during the briefing. Sir? We should go.
Logan: Of course.
[Logan approaches Suvarov, who turns to face him.]
Logan: Mr President, as you’ve probably been made aware, a situation has developed that requires my immediate attention.
Suvarov: I have just been informed. This is terrible news indeed. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do.
Logan: I will. Thank you, sir.
Walt: [in background; to photographers] That’s all for now, ladies and gentlemen.
[In CTU.]
Bill: [approaching Spencer] Spencer?
Spencer: Belinda got the terminal off the NTSB server, and I’m sending it to Jack Bauer now.
Bill: Good. [He turns away.] Edgar? Were you able to identify the terrorists from the photos Jack sent?
Edgar: Still no matches on the watch list. I tried three different coding arrangements.
Bill: Have you tried widening the parameters?
Edgar: If they were any wider, we could use the phonebook.
[Chloe is being escorted to a holding cell and overhears this.]
Chloe: No, wait. Hold on a second. Try using an NP safe adapted search.
Edgar: You OK?
Chloe: Thanks for asking, Edgar.
[She looks at Spencer, who looks away and sighs.]
Bill: [walking over to Chloe] Chloe? You’ve managed to rack up four protocol violations.
Chloe: Well, it’s a lot worse than that if you count Agency dot code; it’s more like 26 violations. Do you want me to figure our whose face that is? Or I could just go wait in holding?
Bill: See what you can do.
[Chloe grins slightly, and walks over to Edgar.]
Chloe: Did it work?
Edgar: We got something, from the archive of the Bureau of Consular affairs. Anton Beresch, a former army officer in one of the Russian breakaway republics.
Bill: Then this definitely has something to do with the summit.
Chloe: I’ll data-mine the agency server; see what I can come up with.
Audrey: [walks over to join them.] DOD is receiving a localised broadcast from the airport; the networks are also picking it up.
Bill: Spencer, put it on screen.
[Spencer does so. An image of Beresch, wearing a balaclava and with two other terrorists – also wearing balaclavas – in the background appears on the television screen.]
Beresch: Citizens of the United States, today your President and the President of Russia …
[We move scene to the President’s retreat, where Logan, Walt and Novick are watching the same broadcast.]
Beresch: … an anti-terrorism alliance.
[Jack is still in the ventilation systems of the airport, and can hear Beresch’s speech.]
Beresch: They believe this plan will bring peace, and security to their respective countries. But you will soon learn it will accomplish the exact opposite. We are acting on behalf of the oppressed people of our region;
[Cut back to CTU, where Audrey, Bill, Spencer, Chloe and Edgar are watching the broadcast. The screen then splits into three, to show Beresch making the speech; Logan at his retreat watching the broadcast; and Audrey and Bill, and then Edgar, Chloe and Spencer, watching the broadcast at CTU.]
Beresch: people whose desire to be free is every bit as strong as your own. We are prepared to use every means at our disposal to achieve our goal. We have hostages. Unless President Logan and President Suvarov make a joint statement repudiating this accord, I will order their execution.
[We see Derek, crouching among the hostages. We then cut to Logan’s retreat.]
Beresch: You have exactly 90 minutes.
Logan: We have to get this lunatic off the air.
Novick: Sir, we can contact the networks, but they’re under no legal obligation to cut the show.
[Cut to Jack crouching on a metal “bridge”, listening.]
Beresch: … we take these actions … but we are only responding to the violence that has been inflicted upon our own sons and daughters.
[Jack is now almost directly above the hostages, and can see them through two rows of metal grilles.]
[Cut back to Beresch.]
Beresch: Until we, as a people, achieve our own, due national sovereignty. Terror will be met with terror. [He steps off camera.]
[Cut back to the Presidential retreat.]
News reporter: [on television] That was a live feed from the Ontario airport in southern California. As we just heard, terrorists are demanding that President Logan repudiate the anti-terrorism accord.
[Logan turns the television off.]
Logan: This is insane. How did these people get control of an entire airport? We’ve been preparing for this summit for 16 months! Every news agency in the world is here. I’ve staked my entire administration on this day, and now these people are demanding I go out on national television and repudiate everything we’ve done?
Novick: Mr President, perhaps you should take a few moments –
Logan: Mike! I want this handled. Do you understand? I don’t care how you do it; I don’t care what it takes – fix it! [He walks away angrily. Walt and Novick are left in his wake.]
[Cut to Ontario airport. A helicopter is arriving, with Curtis on board.]
09:14:02 … 09:14:03 … 09:14:04 … 09:14:05 …
Curtis: [to pilot] All right. [He removes the headset, and leaves the helicopter, giving the pilot a thumbs up signal once he has shut the door. His phone rings as he walks away from the helicopter. He answers.]
Curtis: Go ahead.
Jack: Curtis, it’s Jack. I’m staring straight down on the main concourse. I’ve got six hostiles wearing explosive vests. Four of them are staying near the hostages; I expect their orders are to detonate if we make a move. The other two are roaming. I’ve got two security doors on the north east side of the concourse; both are chained but are currently un-guarded.
Curtis: [to nearby agent] Get a recon unit over to the northeast wall. [to Jack] All right, Jack, I’m going to need you to coordinate this thing from the inside.
Jack: Copy that.
Mclaren: [to Curtis] Excuse me. I got a woman – Diane Huxley – says she has info for CTU.
Curtis: Diane Huxley? Who is she?
Jack: Curtis, did you just say Diane Huxley?
Curtis: Yes, I did.
Jack: Is she there?
Curtis: Yeah.
Jack: Lemme speak to her.
Curtis: I’ll bring her over.
Mclaren: Ms Huxley? Over here please.
[Diane walks over quickly and takes the phone.]
Diane: Hello?
Jack: Diane, what’s going on? What’s wrong?
Diane: Derek is inside the terminal.
Jack: What are you talking about? I left him with you.
Diane: He – he saw some men; he wanted to warn you, and then – I tried to go after him; there was an explosion.
Jack: Are you sure he made it all the way inside?
Diane: I don’t know!
Jack: Hold on.
[He searches in his bag, and pulls out a small pair of binoculars. He starts scanning the hostages, looking for Derek. Suddenly, he spots him.]
Jack: Dammit. [to Diane] I see him. He’s with the other hostages, but he’s not hurt.
Diane: Please don’t let anything happen to him. Jack! I can’t loose my son.
Jack: Diane, listen to me. I promise you on my life, I am going to get Derek back to you, do you understand me?
Diane: [crying] OK. OK.
Jack: Now let me speak to Curtis.
[Diane hands the phone back to Curtis.]
Curtis: Jack?
Jack: Curtis, I need to ask you a favour. I want you to let Ms Huxley stay with you at the command post.
Curtis: You got it. I need you to let me know if the hostiles adjust their profile in any way.
Jack: Copy that. I’ll get back to you. [He hangs up.] Son of a bitch! [He lies down again and looks back down at the hostages, and Derek kneeling amongst them.]
09:16:43 … 09:16:44 … 09:16:45 …
09:21:12 … 09:21:13 … 09:21:14 … 09:21:15 … 09:21:16 … 09:21:17 …
[Split screen, with Jack looking down at the hostages; the hostages huddled together; Diane holding her head in her hands and crying; and President Logan looking at a picture of Beresch.]
[Cut to CTU, where Bill is briefing Logan over the phone.]
Bill: His name is Anton Beresch. He’s a member of the Dawn Brigade – a separatist movement blamed for numerous terrorist bombings in Russia.
Novick: Precisely the kind of terrorist organisation today’s accord was designed to combat.
Logan: Bill, I have no intention of calling off this signing; much less making a public statement to that effect. So, that gives you less than 90 minutes to rescue the hostages.
Bill: We’re already operating under that timetable, sir, we have a unit on the ground, and we’re making an onsite assessment.
Logan: Spare me the agency patter; just get it done.
Bill: Sir, you need to be aware. We should be prepared to accept additional civilian casualties.
Logan: More casualties?
Novick: It’s a possibility we have to face, sir.
Logan: I’m not prepared to accept any such thing. Bill, it’s your job to make sure those people get out of there alive.
Bill: Mr President, the terrorists are wearing explosive vests. They’ve threatened to detonate themselves and the hostages if any attempt is made to retake the terminal.
Logan: I’m aware of the situation.
Novick: Bill, have you tried initiating a dialogue with the terrorists?
Logan: Yes, what about talking to them? Have you tried that?
Bill: Beresch placed a call to an airport police sergeant. It was a blocked number, but we’re in the process of back-tracing it.
Logan: Look, whatever you do, just make sure it’s done by the deadline. When I put my name on that accord, I do not want to be signing the death warrant of innocent American citizens.
Bill: Yes, Mr President. [He ends the call.]
[Chloe enters the room carrying a laptop.]
Bill: Do you have the number?
Chloe: Yes, sir, we just completed the back-trace.
Bill: Try it.
[Cut to the airport. Derek is kneeling beside the mother from before.]
Mother: We’re all going to die.
Derek: It’s going to be OK. It’s going to be OK.
[Beresch’s phone rings. He answers.]
09:22:45 … 09:22:46 … 09:22:47 … 09:22:48 …
Beresch: Yes?
Bill: This is Bill Buchanan, director of the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit.
Beresch: I am listening.
Bill: The President has authorised me to speak on his behalf. I’m hoping we can resolve this peacefully.
Beresch: I’ve told you how to resolve this peacefully. Your president must make a public statement.
Bill: I know he’s considering that option.
Beresch: Then we have nothing else to speak about.
Bill: There must be some other way we can address your demands.
Beresch: I don’t think you understand just how serious we are.
Bill: I know the President does –
[Beresch hangs up.]
Bill: [puts the phone down] Data-mine that call.
Chloe: Yes, sir. [She leaves, carrying her laptop.]
[Back in the airport, Beresch walks towards the hostages. He points his gun at one man.]
Beresch: Get up. Up!
Hostage in business suit: What …
Beresch: [to other terrorist] Bring him.
[The other terrorist grabs the hostage and pushes him after Beresch.]
[Jack is watching from the metal grille.]
Jack: Curtis, they’re moving one of the hostages.
[As he walks, Beresch puts on a black balaclava, while the other terrorist puts plastic handcuffs on the hostage. They walk into the line of the camera that they used to broadcast their speech earlier.]
Beresch: On your knees!
[The other terrorist pushes the man to the ground, facing the camera.]
[We cut to the President’s retreat, and see that he is watching this unfold on television – this is being broadcast over the world.]
Logan: Oh my God.
[At the airport, Curtis watches the scene on a computer screen.]
[Back inside the airport, the hostage kneels on the ground. Beresch points a gun at his head.]
Hostage in a business suit: Please … I have a wife …
Beresch: So do I.
Jack: [whispers] No …
[Beresch shoots the man through the head. Hostages scream.]
[At the President’s retreat, Logan closes his eyes and turns his head away from the screen. Novick bows his head. Walt stares at the television for a second or two.]
[The atmosphere at CTU is just as sombre, as on the television screen, the hostage’s body is dragged away by one of the terrorists, leaving a trail of blood.]
09:24:33 … 09:24:34 … 09:24:35 … 09:24:36 …
[At the President’s retreat, Logan turns to look out the window, shocked by what he has just seen.]
[Back inside the airport, the terrorists approach the hostages again. As Jack is watching, one of them grabs Derek and pulls him to his feet.]
Terrorist: You!
Jack: No! They’ve taking another one of the hostages; I can’t see where. I’m changing position.
[Derek is rushed back to the camera, and pushed to his knees in front of it. The terrorist secures his wrists behind his back with plastic handcuffs. Jack can just see Derek through another grating.]
[Outside, Diane catches sight of her son kneeling on the ground on the computer screen.]
Diane: Derek? That’s my son. They’re gonna – they’re gonna kill my son! That’s my son! Derek! No! No! [She is crying and screaming frantically, and is carried back to the van by Mclaren and a CTU agent.] Derek!
[Derek kneels on the ground, scared but crying not to panic. Beresch stands behind him.]
Beresch: In 15 minutes, your president will get another demonstration of our commitment. 15 minutes.
Jack: I’m in position; how much longer till you’re ready to move in?
Curtis: At least half an hour. We’re still transferring personnel from the summit.
Jack: Negative; that’s too long. You need to advance your attack.
Curtis: We can’t. We’re just not ready.
Jack: Curtis, they’re gonna kill that kid.
Curtis: Jack … I heard that woman Diane’s side of the conversation …
Jack: This has nothing to do with her. These people are going to continue to kill hostages until the summit deadline.
Curtis: We can’t risk the lives of all those hostages for this one kid. You know that.
Jack: I’m not going to jeopardise the mission; just tell your men to hurry.
Curtis: I will.
[Derek looks at the floor. He sees the blood left by the hostage killed only minutes before. He stares up again, breathing hard.]
09:26:34 … 09:26:35 … 09:26:36 …
09:31:02 … 09:31:03 … 09:31:04 … 09:31:05 … 09:31:06 … 09:31:07 … 09:31:08 …
[Split screen, with Derek kneeling on the ground, then a view of the hostages; Jack in the ventilation system; Bill in his office; and Diane in the car, sobbing.]
[Cut to the Presidential retreat. Martha and Evelyn are watching the broadcast of Beresch’s speech.]
Beresch: [on television] Until we as a people achieve our own due national sovereignty. Terror will be met with terror.
[Martha shakes her head.]
Martha: It’s all connected.
News reporter: [on television] … threatened to kill a second hostage in less than 15 minutes. There has been no reaction from the President …
Evelyn: Maybe that’s enough, Mrs Logan. [She goes to turn the television off.] The doctor said you really shouldn’t be watching this with your –
Martha: [grabbing the television controller from Evelyn] David Palmer called me last night. He said he had something to tell me. It was a matter of national security. I think it has something to do with this.
Evelyn: The terrorists?
Martha: Yes. I tried to tell my husband and Walt Cummings. They think that I imagined the call. So we checked the phone recordings – the conversations don’t match. Someone altered the conversation, Evelyn.
Evelyn: Who would do something like that?
Martha: I don’t know. [She turns the television off.] Listen to me. You have got to cover for me. No one can know that I am gone, do you understand?
[Evelyn nods. Martha moves towards the door.]
Evelyn: Where are you going?
[Martha does not answer.]
[Cut back to the airport. Jack is looking at the terrorists. He sees something odd on the vest of one terrorist, and pulls out his phone. He uses it to take a photo of the man.]
[Cut to CTU. Chloe’s phone rings; she answers.]
Chloe: O’Brien.
Jack: Chloe, is that you?
Chloe: Jack?
Jack: What’s going on; why are you answering the phone?
Chloe: Mr Buchanan needed my help with the airport crisis.
Jack: Are you alone?
Chloe: Yeah.
Jack: OK, I’m going to send a picture of one of the hostiles over to your screen; hang on. [He sends the picture.]
Chloe: OK, I got it.
Jack: I want you to enlarge the upper right corner of his vest. [Chloe does.]
Chloe: Looks like a secondary detonator. Cell phone activated.
Jack: Yeah, so the leader can set off the chargers individually in case anyone has cold feet. I need the detonation frequency.
Chloe: OK. I’ll have to ID the detonator; could take some time.
Jack: Just get started.
Chloe: Did you clear this with Buchanan?
Jack: No. Chloe, can you see the live feed?
[Chloe gets the live feed up on her computer screen. She sees Derek kneeling on the floor.]
Chloe: God, it’s Derek.
Jack: I need your help.
Chloe: OK. I’ll get back to you.
[She hangs up. Spencer is walking past her desk, busily not looking at her.]
09:33:47 … 09:33:48 … 09:33:49 … 09:33:50 …
Chloe: Spencer!
[He stops.]
Spencer: I was really worried about you.
Chloe: Uh … not now. I need to you to reconfigure Jack’s phone to emit an alternate signal.
[Audrey walks past, and Spencer and Chloe look away. Audrey walks into another office.]
Spencer: What for?
Chloe: Could you just work up a procedure?
Spencer: This is off protocol, isn’t it?
Chloe: Yes. Spencer, you have more knowledge of bandwidth processing than anyone here.
[Spencer looks into the office, at Bill and Audrey discussing the situation. He is debating whether to tell them about Chloe’s actions or not.]
Chloe: I need you.
[Spencer walks to his desk. Edgar glances over, and notices what is happening. Spencer sees Chloe working on the image Jack sent her. He looks slightly confused.]
Chloe: Got it?
Spencer: Yeah.
[At the Presidential retreat, Agent Pierce approaches Martha’s room. Evelyn is waiting alone in there.]
Agent Pierce: [knocking on the door] It’s Agent Pierce. I’m here to escort Mrs Logan to the garden room.
Evelyn: She’s still not ready.
Agent Pierce: President Logan is expecting her 15 minutes before the ceremony; can I speak with her?
[Evelyn opens the door.]
Agent Pierce: What’s going on?
Evelyn: She’s in one of her moods. If you push her, you’ll make her worse.
[Agent Pierce nods.]
Agent Pierce: I’ll wait out here.
Evelyn: Thanks. [She closes the door.]
[Cut to elsewhere in the Presidential Retreat. Martha enters a room, where she sees a communications officer, Burke. She follows him quietly.]
09:35:57 … 09:35:58 … 09:35:59 … 09:36:00 …
[She follows him into the men’s bathroom.]
Martha: It’s Mr Burke, isn’t it?
Burke: [embarrassed] Uh, Mrs Logan.
Martha: You work in the communications office, don’t you?
Burke: Yes, ma’am.
Martha: I know that all phone conversations are recorded; where do they keep those recordings?
Burke: Uh … well, the call’s recorded onto a hard drive; part of the central server.
Martha: [closing the door] Is there, by any chance, any hard copies?
Burke: Actually, the President insists on written transcripts as backups. He’s – he’s kind of old-fashioned that way.
Martha: [smiling] I know. Where do they store hose transcripts?
Burke: Archive room down the hall.
Martha: Can you show me?
Burke: Access is restricted –
Martha: I’m the First Lady.
Burke: I understand, Mrs Logan. But there are security requirements. You, uh, you have to have an access card.
Martha: Do you have one?
Burke: Well, yes I do –
Martha: Can I borrow it? It’s extremely important.
Burke: Mrs Logan, I’m sorry. There’s, uh, there’s nothing I can do.
[He moves towards the exit, but Martha stops him.]
Martha: [gently] Mr Burke. We can continue this little dance if you really want to, but we both know that I am going to get into that room. So you can save us both the trouble and just give me your entry card.
Burke: Mrs Logan, you wouldn’t –
Martha: No. In three seconds, Mr Burke, I am going to scream louder than any woman you’ve ever heard in your life. [She unties part of her shirt, exposing her bra, and pulls down the top of her stockings.] One … two …
Burke: [reaching into his pocket] Here’s the card. Um … yeah.
Martha: [fixing her clothing] Thank you. I’ll return it very soon.
09:37:38 … 09:37:39 … 09:37:40 …
09:42:04 … 09:42:05 … 09:42:06 … 09:42:07 … 09:42:08 … 09:42:09 …
[Split screen, with Diane crying in the car; Jack in the ventilation system, and Derek still kneeling on the ground in front of the camera.]
[Jack calls Chloe.]
Chloe: O’Brien.
Jack: Chloe, they’re going to kill Derek in less than three minutes; I need that frequency.
Chloe: We’re still trying to find the manufacturer of the detonator.
Jack: Hurry; we’re running out of time.
Chloe: I know! But if we don’t get the frequency right, we could accidentally detonate all the vests.
Spencer: I can’t find a match on any of the Czech military components.
Chloe: That leaves the German manufacturers. Jack, we’re trying to narrow it down.
[Jack watches Derek through a metal grille.]
[Outside, Curtis is briefing other agents on the operation. Bill and Audrey are listening over the phone.]
Curtis: Ok, the first team will enter through the southeast door and split into two flanks. Primary kill shoots – take out the hostiles wearing bomb vests. Second team enters through the southeast door and forms a protective rings around the hostages. We’ll only have a few seconds to neutralise the hostiles, so pick your targets fast. Go. [The agents move away to prepare.]
Bill: What’s your time frame?
Curtis: Our target to launch the assault is in 15 minutes.
Bill: Understood.
[Inside the airport, Beresch approaches Derek, staying out of the camera’s view. He watches him for a few seconds.]
Beresch: How old are you?
Derek: 15.
Beresch: Learn to control your breathing. Slow down. [Derek tries.] See? Better.
Derek: Please don’t kill me.
Beresch: It’s up to your president.
[Back in CTU, Bill’s phone rings. He answers.]
Bill: Bill Buchanan.
Operator: Beresch is calling from the airport, sir.
Bill: This is Bill Buchanan.
Beresch: The boy hasn’t long to live.
Bill: We haven’t heard from the President yet. We need more time.
Beresch: No. The president must announce the summit is cancelled, or I kill the boy.
Bill: We’re doing our best to get an answer from the President; I implore you to resolve this without further killing.
Beresch: This boy’s blood will be on his hands. [He hangs up.]
Jack: Come on, Chloe.
Chloe: Jack, we just got a match on the manufacturer; we’re trying to figure out the frequency.
Spencer: There’s no match on the 2004 series.
Chloe: It’s gotta be one of these three.
[Beresch pulls on a black balaclava.]
Beresch: [to other terrorists] Hold him.
[The two other terrorists wearing balaclavas and in the camera shot grab Derek and hold him. He struggles.]
[Outside at the command post, an agent sees this on the computer screen.]
Agent: Agent Manning.
[Curtis walks back over to the computer screen.]
[In CTU.]
Spencer: I got it.
Chloe: [to phone] Here it is; we’ve got the trigger frequency for detonator. Go to sub menu three on your phone.
Jack: I’m at sub menu.
Chloe: Enter this code – six, three, three, nine.
[Jack enters the numbers.]
Jack: Now what?
[He looks up, to see Beresch approaching Derek.]
Chloe: The phone needs to reboot; when it does, it’ll give you a ready message. Then you press the star key and it should send a signal to set off the detonator.
[Jack watches his phone, as it flashes a “System Reboot” message.]
Beresch: Your president has abandoned you.
Jack: I’m not getting a ready message signal.
Chloe: It takes time to reflash the ROM. [She is watching the television over her shoulder.]
Jack: Son of a bitch; come on! [His phone still displays “System Reboot”.]
[One of the terrorists wanders away from the hostages.]
[Beresch points his gun as Derek’s head.]
Beresch: I’m sorry.
[Derek struggles, panicking and terrified.]
[Jack’s phone displays “System ready”.]
Jack: I got it. I got it!
[He presses the star key. One of the terrorist’s vests explodes, killing him and knocking another terrorist to the ground. Hostages scream; Beresch and the other terrorists duck to the ground. Beresch and one other terrorist run to see what happened; the other terrorist holds Derek still and holds a gun at his back.]
[In CTU.]
Bill: Curtis, what was that?
Curtis: There was an explosion in the terminal. We can’t tell what it is from here.
Bill: Patch me through to Jack.
[The television screen shows Derek and one terrorist.]
[Diane is sitting in the car, confused.]
[Inside the terminal, terrorists run to the site of the explosion.]
Beresch: Keep the hostages together! Guard the exits! Make sure the perimeter is secure.
[Inside CTU, Spencer smiles slightly behind his hand. Chloe looks relieved.]
[Beresch slowly approaches the site of the explosion.]
Other terrorist: It was Ibram’s vest. It must have detonated by accident.
[Back in CTU, Bill have been patched through to Jack.]
Bill: Jack, what’s going on?
Jack: One of the terrorist’s vests exploded, but none of the hostages were hurt.
Bill: Were you responsible for that, Jack?
[Jack is silent.]
Bill: Jack, answer me.
Jack: Bill, they were going to kill another hostage; I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t compromise my position. Now you tell me this. Are Curtis and his team on schedule?
Bill: Yes. The backup units are in position; go time is ten minutes.
Jack: OK.
Beresch: [to other terrorists] Point of formation while we run circuit checks on your vests.
Jack: The terrorists are revising their formation. I’ll contact Curtis in the next few minutes with final positions.
Bill: Thanks, Jack.
09:46:47 … 09:46:48 … 09:46:49 … 09:46:50 …
[Bill’s phone rings.]
Operator: Mr Buchanan, President Logan’s on the line for you.
Bill: Mr President.
Logan: The news is saying there was some kind of explosion inside the terminal.
Bill: Everything’s under control, sir. Our tactical units are in position. Go time is ten minutes.
Logan: Then what caused the explosion?
Bill: We’re not entirely certain, sir. We believe that our man inside may have been trying to stall the execution of a hostage when he triggered the bomb vest of a hostile.
[Walt in particular looks shocked to hear that there is a “man inside” the terminal for CTU.]
Logan: Did you authorise this action?
Bill: No, sir, he acted independently. You should know, Mr President, the man we’re talking about is Jack Bauer.
[Novick turns quickly to the phone. Logan and Walt also look stunned.]
Logan: Jack Bauer?
Bill: He was in the terminal when the terrorists attacked; he has been helping us coordinate the operation from inside, sir.
Logan: I thought that … Jack Bauer assassinated David Palmer.
Bill: There’s mitigating evidence to suggest that Bauer may have been framed, Mr President.
Logan: What evidence? What are you talking about?
Bill: It’s complicated, Mr President.
Logan: Why am I only hearing about this now?
Bill: I didn’t want to distract you with details that could wait until after we’d resolved this hostage situation, sir.
Logan: You tell me everything, and I will decide which details are relevant.
Bill: With respect, Mr President, we don’t have time.
Logan: Then talk faster.
09:48:02 … 09:48:03 … 09:48:04 …
09:52:25 … 09:52:26 … 09:52:27 … 09:52:28 … 09:52:29 … 09:52:30 …
[Split screen, with Jack watching the terrorists; Martha searching through the written transcripts of phone records; Derek still kneeling in front of the camera; and Agent Pierce still waiting outside Martha’s room.]
[Agent Pierce walks over to the door again. It is locked. He knocks again.]
Agent Pierce: Mrs Logan is due in the garden room right now; open the door, please.
Evelyn: Just a few minutes.
Agent Pierce: Ma’am, it’s my job to make sure she’s getting. [He gets out a set of keys and unlocks the door.] If you don’t open the door, I will open it myself.
[Evelyn sighs in frustration.]
Agent Pierce: [entering the room] Mrs Logan?
Evelyn: How dare you barge in here!
[Agent Pierce looks through the rooms, to find them empty other than himself and Evelyn.]
Agent Pierce: Mrs Logan?
Evelyn: This is a private residence.
[Agent Pierce stands in front of Evelyn.]
Agent Pierce: Evelyn, if something happens to Mrs Logan, the blame will fall on you. We both know that. So I am urging you in the strongest possible terms to tell me where she is.
[Evelyn sighs.]
[Cut to the Archive Room. Martha finds the transcript. She quickly starts reading.]
[Back outside the airport, Curtis is moving his troops into position.]
09:53:43 … 09:53:44 … 09:53:45 … 09:53:46 …
Curtis: Move into danger positions. Davies, Matthews – are you teams in place?
Agent: [over radio] All teams in place and ready to go, Agent Manning.
[Curtis sees Diane sitting in the car, upset.]
Curtis: All right, copy. [to other agent] Go. [He walks over to the car.] It’s OK; listen, listen. Derek’s alive. He’s OK.
Diane: Are you sure?
Curtis: I can’t go into details, but … he’s OK. I have to go; we’re mounting a rescue operation. [He moves away quickly.] Let’s go! [He and the other agents move off towards the airport.
[Back in the Archive Room, Martha, begins packing away files. Behind her, Agent Pierce has just entered the room.]
Agent Pierce: They’re waiting for you in the Garden Room, Mrs Logan. [He offers her a hand.]
Martha: I can get up myself. [She stands.]
Agent Pierce: All right. You still need to come with me.
Martha: [sighing loudly] Whatever you say, Aaron. Whatever you say.
[Martha leaves the room, and Agent Pierce follows her. Burke and Evelyn are waiting in the corridor. Martha puts the access card in Burke’s pocket. She takes Evelyn’s arm and moves away, followed by Agent Pierce.]
Evelyn: I’m so sorry, Mrs Logan –
Martha: It’s all right.
Evelyn: I’m really sorry.
Martha: Evelyn, will you stop apologising? It’s really annoying. Besides, I got what I came for.
09:55:12 … 09:55:13 … 09:55:14 … 09:55:15 …
[Walt walks outside and pulls out his cell phone. He calls Nathanson.]
Nathanson: Yes?
Walt: You have a problem at the terminal.
Nathanson: Explain.
Walt: Jack Bauer is inside providing recon for CTU’s rescue operation, which is set to launch shortly.
Nathanson: Are you sure?
Walt: This came straight from the director of CTU. And, Bauer was responsible for detonating the vest of one of Beresch’s men.
Nathanson: Can you tell me Bauer’s precise location?
Walt: No. But I know he has a connection to one of the hostages – a 15 year old boy named Derek Huxley. [He sees Agent Pierce walking towards him.] I have to go. … Yes, tell them that’s being handled out of the Press Office … Thank you. [He ends the call.] [to Agent Pierce] Yes?
Agent Pierce: Mrs Logan is back in her room getting ready.
Walt: Oh, why the delay?
Agent Pierce: She was in one of the archive rooms.
Walt: Archive rooms. What was she doing there?
Agent Pierce: The First Lady is safe and accounted for. You’ll need to ask her about anything beyond that.
Walt: Thank you, Aaron.
[Agent Pierce leaves. Walt is left to wonder what was going on.]
[Cut back to inside the airport. Beresch walks over to a group of the terrorists.]
Beresch: [to one terrorist] Go to the ticket counters. [to another] Go to the west exits. [Jack writes down the details as the terrorists split up to go to their new posts. Jack calls Curtis.]
Curtis: Manning.
Jack: Curtis, it’s Jack. Beresch has redeployed six men. Are you ready for final positions?
Curtis: Go ahead.
Jack: Four men were deployed to the east side of the terminal in front of the ticket counter. The other two to the west side of the terminal in front of the emergency exits. Do you copy?
Curtis: Copy.
Jack: OK, once you deploy, I’ll give you real time updates on their positions.
Curtis: All right, Jack, I’m starting the countdown. All teams, standby to execute.
[Back in CTU, Bill and Audrey are listening in. Both look nervous.]
Bill: This is it.
[Jack looks down, to see Beresch receiving a phone call.]
Beresch: OK. [He ends the call and puts the phone in his pocket.] Hostages up!
Jack: Hold on one second.
09:57:32 … 09:57:33 … 09:57:34 … 09:57:35 …
[Beresch approaches the security counter. One of the terrorists puts a laptop on the counter.]
Jack: Hold on. Hold on, Beresch is changing something.
[Beresch types at the computer, and a loud electronic noise blasts through Jack’s phone. He recoils.]
Curtis: Jack? Jack!
Bill: Curtis, what happened?
Curtis: I lost Jack.
Bill: What do you mean, you’ve lost him?
Curtis: The connection’s broken.
Bill: Can you reconnect?
Curtis: I’m trying.
[Beresch picks up the phone on the security desk, and sets it to broadcast through the airport.]
Beresch: Jack Bauer. [He motions to the terrorist holding Derek to bring the boy over.] Derek is a very brave young man. I will shoot him in the head if you do not show yourself immediately.
[Jack rests his head in his hands.]
Bill: Curtis?
Curtis: It’s not going through, Bill.
Bill: Can you move in without him?
Curtis: The last thing Jack said was that Beresch was moving something. He could be moving the hostages into the kill zone.
Bill: [frustrated] Abort!
Curtis: All teams – abort the operation. Repeat, this is an abort.
[Back inside the terminal, Derek is pushed to his knees beside Beresch. In the background, the hostages stand in a group with their hands on their head.]
Beresch: Bauer! If you want to save the boy, present yourself now.
[The screen splits, to show Derek once again breathing heavily and terrified; Diane waiting outside, and feeling nervous and scared; Walt looking through the archive room to see what Martha has found; and President Logan watching news broadcasts of the airport crisis. As we watch, Walt realises what Martha has found – he looks horrified.]
[The camera focuses on the scene inside the airport.]
Beresch: Mr Bauer. Derek has five second left to live … four … three …
Jack: Beresch! [He walks out from behind Beresch with his hands in the air, and his gun held in his right hand. A terrorist trains his weapon on Jack.] I’m lowering my weapon. [He puts his gun on the floor, nodding reassuringly to Derek.]
Beresch: Secure him. One of the terrorists puts plastic handcuffs on Jack, then knocks him to his knees.]
09:59:57