24 s02e21 Episode Script
Day 2: 4:00 A.M.-5:00 A.M.
Jim, we both knowthatyou've been one of the most outspoken opponents to my decision to call off this attack.
If you have something to say, I would expectyou to bring it to me first.
Does the president have any idea what's going on? - I don't think so.
- Let's keep it that way.
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.
Looks like you've had quite a day.
- I didn't kill anyone.
- 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.
I thought I made myself clear, Tony.
We're past Bauer.
No, sir.
You are.
I'm not.
Now, if you're not comfortable with me making my own decisions here, I suggestyou relieve me of my duties right now.
That won't be necessary.
- Thank you, sir.
- Don't thank me.
I just don't have anyone to take your place right now.
- No! - Come on, give me that! (gunshot) - Kate, are you all right? - Yeah.
They've got the chip! All I want is the chip! You come in here, I'm gonna smash this thing.
I'll put it right under my foot! - Tell me who I'm speaking to.
- It doesn't matter.
We got something your girlfriend was about to pay us for.
Listen to me.
Five hours ago, a nuclear bomb went off.
I'm sure you know.
The chip will show who's responsible.
It's vital to our investigation.
The man you assaulted was an agent bringing the chip to my office.
Give me the chip back, and I'll letyou walk, no questions.
- You're setting us up.
- Get back.
What are you doing? They killed Yusuf.
We're about to attack three innocent countries.
I can only stop it with that chip, so I'm gonna do everything I can to get it back.
Please, Kate, I need your help.
Get in touch with CTU.
Please! You have 30 seconds to open that door.
- Give it to him.
- Are y ou crazy? This is the only thing keeping him from killing us.
You got 20 seconds! - We should trustyou? - You don't have a choice.
- Give it to him.
He's serious! - So am I.
He's gonna kill us if we don't open the door.
(gun fires) Against the wall! Now! Where's the chip? I dropped it.
Don't move.
Kate! Kate! I need wire to tie them up.
- What about the chip? - I've got it.
Just got this Pentagon briefing stating that our bombers aren't going backto their bases.
Do you know about this? I understand they're holding, awaiting refuelling.
I ordered them backto their bases.
I know.
That's why I'm here.
Could you come with me for a minute? - Come with you where? - To the main conference room.
What's going on, Mike? Please, Mr President, come with me.
You're ordering me to the conference room? No, sir, of course not.
I'm sorry.
I'm asking.
It's very important, sir.
Mike, I'm the President of the United States.
I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what this is about.
Mr President it seems there are a number of people, cabinet members, who question whether you're fit to continue as chief executive of this country.
And these people are in my conference room? In a manner of speaking, sir, they are.
Then let's go see them.
Mr President.
So now I see why I had such a hard time reaching you today, Jim.
You were busy.
I apologise if this comes as a surprise, Mr President.
This is a unique situation in the history of our country, calling for unique measures.
Let's skip the sound bites and cut to the chase.
What's going on here? Mr President, we are invoking the 25th Amendment.
Who's "we"? There's a generalfeeling that the decisions made today Hold on a minute, Mr Vice President.
With all due respect, sir, most of us here are scrambling just to understand today's events.
I think it's way too early to be referring to a "generalfeeling" about anything.
Fair enough.
For the record, let me review the relevant portions of the 25th Amendment.
If the vice president and the majority of the cabinet determine that the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his offiice, the vice president shall take offiice as acting president.
Everyone clear? The 25th Amendment was designed for situations where the president is ill or incapacitated.
"Unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.
" The reason for the disability isn't limited to any cause.
The Attorney General agrees with this interpretation.
And just what exactly is my supposed disability? It seems clear to me 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 sponsor.
The evidence implicating these countries is not clear, Mr Prescott.
Far from it.
The Cyprus audio has been independently verified by every intelligence group we have.
I have reason to believe they are mistaken.
Because of this lone CTU agent, Jack Bauer? Yes.
Mr Bauer believes that the Cyprus audio is a forgery.
He also believes that he will soon have proof.
He's been telling you that for hours, Mr President.
You still don't have proof.
If military strikes do not go ahead, casualties to American soldiers would increase by tens of thousands of lives.
That analysis is undisputed.
The risk of attacking innocent countries is unacceptable.
We have to be sure.
Everybody is sure, Mr President.
Everybody butyou.
As it happens, I'm the only who counts.
This meeting is over.
Mr President, one way or another, there will be a vote.
I think thatyou should be heard before thatvote is taken.
You don't like one of my policy decisions.
You do not have the right to reverse that policy under the pretence that I'm disabled.
Mr President, I agree.
I intend to show a pattern of erratic and irrational behaviour on your part since the start of this crisis.
In that light, your refusal to authorise military action is simply another symptom of disability.
Listen to me.
All of you.
I know you're not in the same room with me.
Butyou 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? Is my voice shaking? Can any one of you look me in the eye and tell me I'm disabled? Mr President, the issue is notyour demeanour over the past few minutes, butyour actions over the past 20 hours.
Mr President, the vice president has raised serious questions and, in my opinion, it would be a mistake to ignore them.
For my part, I'm confident that if you explain yourself with your usual candour and clarity, all questions will be resolved to the satisfaction of everyone here.
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.
Very well, Mr President.
I agree.
I suggest we all take a few minutes to compose ourselves and get on with the proceeding.
Let's not mince words, Mr Secretary.
You mean the trial of David Palmer.
All right, the problem is that they don't correspond.
I need them to.
Ryan, could I have a word with you, please? Give me a minute.
I just got a message that the president called off the military offensive.
- Who told you this? - Someone at DOJ.
- Someone I trust.
- I wouldn't worry about it.
Is it true? - Yes.
- And you knew about it.
- I did.
- And you didn't tell me.
Why keep my people processing intel on a scrapped operation? Because there's a strong possibility the White House will reinstate the attack.
It doesn't make sense.
Why would the president reverse his orders twice? Just keep your people on a war footing.
Tony, phones are up.
I got Jack Bauer on line two.
- Where is he? - Kate's house.
- Why? - I don't know, but he has the chip.
Conference-call him to my office.
Why are you at Kate's house? You were supposed to bring that chip here.
We ran into some interference.
Yusuf Auda is dead.
- What happened? - No time to explain.
He's the only reason we still got this chip.
I'm trying to read it now.
I tried a flash card adapter, but it's not working.
You may be able to override the reader function manually.
I'll talk you through it.
Good.
Tony, while she's setting up, run a background check on Peter Kingsley.
It may be an alias.
Cross-reference it with every major player in the oil industry.
- Peter Kingsley.
Why? - I'll explain later.
First tell the president that we've got the evidence he needs.
I told him.
I found out he's called off the military strikes.
Then we've got time.
Not necessarily.
Chappelle said the order may be reversed.
Why? He didn't get specific, but something's going on in Washington that we're not supposed to know about.
- Michelle, are you ready for me? - Yeah.
I've asked someone to join us.
Most of you know Ron Wieland.
Ron is a highly respected national affairs correspondent.
He had a very interesting experience earlier today.
Ron? I was covering Mr Palmer's environmental speech when I began to sense a bigger story.
There were rumours of a terrorist attack on the West Coast, involving a nuclear device.
I kept asking questions.
Next thing I know, I was called in to talkto the president.
He asked me to keep the story under wraps until later, then he'd give me an exclusive.
- What did you say? - That I'd think it over.
As I was leaving, a secret service agent grabbed me and hustled me into a room.
I was kept there under guard for several hours.
Did you feel this was a violation of your rights as a journalist and an American? Of course.
- Ron, were you harmed or threatened? - No, sir.
Did you understand the reason for your being detained? I assume it was fear that if word got out of a nuclear threat, panic would strike.
Do you thinkthe lives of thousands of citizens is less important than a couple of hours of your FirstAmendment rights? No, I don't.
But under the Bill of Rights, that decision was mine, notyours, Mr President.
Did you feel that things were out of control in the Palmer administration? You're putting words in his mouth.
I did sense the president was not in control.
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.
Thank you, Mr Wieland.
I'd like to call someone else to testify.
He should be ready in a few moments.
(Michelle) Control CX-5, then hit "enter".
- Done.
- Anything? I think it's reading it No, all I'm getting are numbers and symbols.
Take out the chip.
Make sure the leads are exposed.
- Dammit! - What is it? - The chip is damaged.
- How badly? Part of the microprocessor is gone and the leads connected to it.
Send me any data you have to run through our retrieval program.
Can you access a complete audio file? If it's on there, I'll find it.
- IT.
- This is Almeida.
- Send two guys up here.
- They're all doing MI for Chappelle.
I don't care.
I need two IT people now.
- Chappelle specifiically - Just do it.
I gotta go.
Almeida.
Tony, hi, it's Kim.
Look, I haven't been able to reach my dad.
Is he available? We're in the middle of something important.
Can he call you back? Tony, please.
It'll just take a minute.
OK.
OK, just hold on.
Are you getting it? Yeah, I got it, butyou were right - the data is pretty screwed.
I've assigned two IT people to help Michelle.
We should get through it in 15, 20 minutes.
- OK, good.
- Also, I got Kim on the line for you.
Thank you, Tony.
Kim, I gotyour dad on the line.
Go ahead.
- Dad? - Sweetheart.
- I've been trying to reach you.
- Are you at the sheriffs station? They're taking me to the Mathesons' house to pack up my things.
Glad you're OK.
Me too.
When I thoughtyou were gone, I I just miss you, Dad.
I miss you so much.
I've missed you too, honey.
I just wanna come home.
You'll be home soon enough, I promise, OK? OK.
Hey, Dad? - Yeah? - I love you.
I love you too, baby.
I'll see you soon, OK? Bye.
You knew about this, didn'tyou, Mike? How long have you known? - That doesn't matter, Mr Palmer.
- It matters to me.
How long? A couple of hours.
You were part of it, weren'tyou? When all's said and done you were on Prescott's side.
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 proportion.
David, I'm begging you, reconsider your position on this.
I'm the president, Mike.
You don't call me by my first name.
Yes, sir.
(Jack) It's transmitting.
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 youfor speaking with us.
Yes, of course.
Sorry if I seem a bit tired.
I was torturedfor several hours at the operations complex, by order of the President of the United States.
And why were you tortured? Because you thought I knew more than I was saying about the location of the bomb.
As if the head of NSA would withhold information from the president.
You're lying.
This may work for a while, but eventually the truth will come out.
I have nothing to fear from the truth, Mr President.
As briefly as possible, Mr Stanton, tell us what happened to you today.
I arrived at the OC around noon to find that my assistant director, Eric Rayburn, had been dismissed by the president.
What was the reason given for Mr Rayburn's firing? Eric wanted to bring the military into the equation right away, and the president was reluctant to even contemplate the use of military action.
That's not true.
For the next few hours, I worked for the president as best I could.
He was indecisive, erratic and, as I said, terrifiied to even think of military engagement.
A little after six this evening, I was arrested on the charge of treason.
I was taken to a small windowless room.
The president accused me of knowing more about the bomb than I was telling him.
- Was that true? - No, of course not.
In fairness to the president, I think he genuinely believed it to be true.
Why would he hold such a belief? 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.
I just heard you ordered two ITs onto a retrieval project.
They were working military intel.
Jack Bauer has a chip.
It contains an audio file that we expect will prove the Cyprus audio was forged.
Where is this chip? - It's been damaged.
- Damaged? The data Jack sent us is messed up.
The audio file has to be reconstituted.
That takes time.
- How long? - However long it takes.
It should take about 15 minutes, sir.
Mr Chappelle's offiice.
- Get a message to the vice president.
- Right away, sir.
(yells) (grunting) (Palmer) Ready to tell me everything I need to know? Continue.
We knew about the bomb weeks ago.
Enough! This should end this discussion here and now.
Yes, I had Roger Stanton tortured.
It was a horrible thing to do.
God knows I hated doing it.
But just as I suspected, he knew about the bomb.
You've just seen that.
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've done - I cracked.
Told the president what he wanted to hear, that I knew about the bomb.
You told me more than that.
You told me about the Coral Snake team.
You told me that the bomb was at Norton Airfield, information that we corroborated.
I don't know whatyou're talking about.
Mr Prescott, play the rest of the tape.
There is no rest of the tape.
- What? - That's all I have.
That can't be.
I was in that room for another ten minutes.
This is all that was transmitted by the OC.
We did ask for everything.
There must be a mistake, or deliberate sabotage.
Mr Stanton had a lot more to say than whatyou just saw.
Mr President, couldn't Agent Simmons verify whatyou've been telling us? No.
I sent him out of the room.
But the fact remains that Roger Stanton told me about the Coral Snake team and the location of the bomb.
Where else could that information have come from? We have many intelligence agencies, Mr President, thousands of agents combing the planet.
It could've come from anywhere.
I know it didn't come from me.
That's a lie and you know it.
Tell them, Mike.
I only know what the president told me.
I wasn't in the room.
Mr Stanton, thank you again.
You will remain in custody as the president has ordered until this matter is resolved.
I understand.
Mr President, if you have any evidence you'd like to present, please do so now.
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, butyou've given me no time.
While my behaviour 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.
Excuse me.
I just received an urgent message from CTU division chief Ryan Chappelle.
Jack Bauer has evidence he claims will prove the Cyprus audio was forged.
Please, everyone Sh.
Please settle down.
The evidence is being reviewed at CTU now.
Mr Chappelle says that the analysis shall be complete within the next few minutes.
Considering the impact that this evidence will have on these proceedings, I think it's incumbent upon us to wait.
- I'm looking at it right now.
- We can't configure it, either.
- Did you run it through default mode? - The audio files are gone.
They're just some markers that repeat.
- Thanks, Jason.
- All right.
He didn't find anything, either.
Well, what have you got? The chip was more compromised than we thought.
- Do you have the audio file? - Michelle recovered some information.
It may tell us who programmed it.
Did you find the audio file? That's all I need to know.
No, we didn't.
So Bauer wasted our time.
Come on.
Kate? Kate, are you all right? Everything that's happened today, everything that's still happening I keep thinking it's all my fault.
Come here.
We would never have found the bomb in time if it wasn't for you.
My sister was the one behind the bomb.
She helped those fanatics.
Yes.
Butyou're notyour sister.
I should've seen something was wrong before it got this bad.
Because of what she did, it could start a war.
I could've stopped it.
No, Kate, you couldn't have.
There are things in this world that are out of our control.
Sometimes we blame ourselves for them so that we can try and make sense out of it.
Come here.
There was nothing you could have done.
(phone) Sorry.
Yeah? It's Tony and Michelle.
Excuse me.
- You got the audio file? - No.
What do you mean? Are you saying there's no audio file on that chip? If there were, they were destroyed.
Chappelle wants you in on a call to the president.
Yeah, I bet he does.
Some of the information Michelle recovered may be worth looking into.
What information? Identical code fragments in several data streams.
- What are the fragments for? - Nothing.
That's the point.
It's junk code.
Programmers sometimes embed it into their programs as a signature.
Michelle traced the sequence to a hacker named Alex Hewitt.
He's got a file with the FBI.
You thinkthis is the technician that created the Cyprus audio? Yes.
We can't follow up any more leads, so you have to talkto this guy.
What's his last known address? North Hollywood.
I got it.
I'll get backto you.
All right.
- I'm sorry.
I've gotta go.
- Where? We got something off the chip, not what we're looking for, but it's a lead.
When you're ready, an officer will take you backto CTU so you can be with your father.
Thanks.
OK.
- Jack? - Yeah? Be careful.
Thanks.
I will be.
Squadrons have been in a holding pattern since the president called off the attack.
They just refuelled.
If we want to resume the operation, we need to come to a conclusion now.
A few more minutes.
This is the difference between peace and war, Mr 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.
(knock on door) - Yes, what? - CTU.
Jack Bauer and Ryan Chappelle are on the line.
- This is President Palmer.
- This is Ryan Chappelle.
- Hello.
- Jack Bauer is on the line as well.
He'll give you an update.
Mr President, I found the chip.
Unfortunately, it's been badly damaged.
Can it prove that the Cyprus recording was forged? In its present condition, it proves nothing.
- Can it be repaired? - No, sir.
But about an hour ago, I was tortured by men who wanted the chip.
They worked for Peter Kingsley.
He's part of the group behind the bomb.
They've manipulated today's events to start this war.
What? To improve their oil contracts in the Caspian Sea and to control the oil coming out of the Middle East.
I need something concrete, evidence.
I understand.
I'm checking up on an address of a man who we believe engineered the recording for Kingsley.
It's the best we've got.
Everything you've seen, are you absolutely convinced the Cyprus recording was forged? Yes, sir, absolutely.
All right, Jack.
Thank you.
The evidence I was hopingfor is notyet available, but I believe it will be soon.
- When, Mr President? - I don't know.
Meanwhile, the windowfor a surprise attack is rapidly closing.
It's time to vote.
Mr Vice President, if you could indulge me for one minute.
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, authorise the attack.
All this will just go away.
And a lot of people, Americans and non-Americans, will die for no reason.
We don't knowthat, Mr President.
Let's get on with the vote.
Members of the cabinet, you've been presented with the evidence.
You know what's at stake.
Those of you who believe the president is able to continue in offiice, vote yes.
Those of you who believe he isn't, vote no.
Mr Novick will conduct a voice poll.
The numbers will be reflected on the screen.
Mr Novick? Ms Secretary of Transportation, how do you vote? Yes.
Mr Secretary of Treasury? No.
(man) Yes.
(rings) - Almeida.
- It's Jack.
I'm half a block from Hewitt's loft.
Has the FBI sent over his file yet? - Yeah.
- What do I need to know? The State Department recruited him.
He revamped their entire surveillance program.
He got caught manipulating files that he didn't have clearance for.
He tried to kill himself, spent a year in psychiatric prison, then was released last September.
- No connection to Kingsley? - No, not that we can find.
As soon as I get Hewitt, I'll get backto you.
Any word on what's happening with the president? - No, notyet.
- OK, thanks.
Mr Secretary of Defence, how do you vote? Yes, I believe the president should stay in office.
Mr Secretary of Agriculture.
No.
Mr Secretary of the Interior.
No.
Mr Secretary of State, the vote is seven for and seven against.
- Yours is the deciding vote.
- I'm aware of that.
I've never met a man that I respected more than you, Mr President.
Never.
But we are talking about tens of thousands of American lives.
I'm compelled to vote no.
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.
Will you please come with us, Mr President? Mr President I'm not a lawyer, sir, but as far as I can tell, the Constitution's been followed.
I've got no choice but to ask you to come with us.
I'm sorry, sir.
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.
Come on.
(elevator rattling) (footsteps) (door closes) Alex?
If you have something to say, I would expectyou to bring it to me first.
Does the president have any idea what's going on? - I don't think so.
- Let's keep it that way.
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.
Looks like you've had quite a day.
- I didn't kill anyone.
- 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.
I thought I made myself clear, Tony.
We're past Bauer.
No, sir.
You are.
I'm not.
Now, if you're not comfortable with me making my own decisions here, I suggestyou relieve me of my duties right now.
That won't be necessary.
- Thank you, sir.
- Don't thank me.
I just don't have anyone to take your place right now.
- No! - Come on, give me that! (gunshot) - Kate, are you all right? - Yeah.
They've got the chip! All I want is the chip! You come in here, I'm gonna smash this thing.
I'll put it right under my foot! - Tell me who I'm speaking to.
- It doesn't matter.
We got something your girlfriend was about to pay us for.
Listen to me.
Five hours ago, a nuclear bomb went off.
I'm sure you know.
The chip will show who's responsible.
It's vital to our investigation.
The man you assaulted was an agent bringing the chip to my office.
Give me the chip back, and I'll letyou walk, no questions.
- You're setting us up.
- Get back.
What are you doing? They killed Yusuf.
We're about to attack three innocent countries.
I can only stop it with that chip, so I'm gonna do everything I can to get it back.
Please, Kate, I need your help.
Get in touch with CTU.
Please! You have 30 seconds to open that door.
- Give it to him.
- Are y ou crazy? This is the only thing keeping him from killing us.
You got 20 seconds! - We should trustyou? - You don't have a choice.
- Give it to him.
He's serious! - So am I.
He's gonna kill us if we don't open the door.
(gun fires) Against the wall! Now! Where's the chip? I dropped it.
Don't move.
Kate! Kate! I need wire to tie them up.
- What about the chip? - I've got it.
Just got this Pentagon briefing stating that our bombers aren't going backto their bases.
Do you know about this? I understand they're holding, awaiting refuelling.
I ordered them backto their bases.
I know.
That's why I'm here.
Could you come with me for a minute? - Come with you where? - To the main conference room.
What's going on, Mike? Please, Mr President, come with me.
You're ordering me to the conference room? No, sir, of course not.
I'm sorry.
I'm asking.
It's very important, sir.
Mike, I'm the President of the United States.
I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what this is about.
Mr President it seems there are a number of people, cabinet members, who question whether you're fit to continue as chief executive of this country.
And these people are in my conference room? In a manner of speaking, sir, they are.
Then let's go see them.
Mr President.
So now I see why I had such a hard time reaching you today, Jim.
You were busy.
I apologise if this comes as a surprise, Mr President.
This is a unique situation in the history of our country, calling for unique measures.
Let's skip the sound bites and cut to the chase.
What's going on here? Mr President, we are invoking the 25th Amendment.
Who's "we"? There's a generalfeeling that the decisions made today Hold on a minute, Mr Vice President.
With all due respect, sir, most of us here are scrambling just to understand today's events.
I think it's way too early to be referring to a "generalfeeling" about anything.
Fair enough.
For the record, let me review the relevant portions of the 25th Amendment.
If the vice president and the majority of the cabinet determine that the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his offiice, the vice president shall take offiice as acting president.
Everyone clear? The 25th Amendment was designed for situations where the president is ill or incapacitated.
"Unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.
" The reason for the disability isn't limited to any cause.
The Attorney General agrees with this interpretation.
And just what exactly is my supposed disability? It seems clear to me 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 sponsor.
The evidence implicating these countries is not clear, Mr Prescott.
Far from it.
The Cyprus audio has been independently verified by every intelligence group we have.
I have reason to believe they are mistaken.
Because of this lone CTU agent, Jack Bauer? Yes.
Mr Bauer believes that the Cyprus audio is a forgery.
He also believes that he will soon have proof.
He's been telling you that for hours, Mr President.
You still don't have proof.
If military strikes do not go ahead, casualties to American soldiers would increase by tens of thousands of lives.
That analysis is undisputed.
The risk of attacking innocent countries is unacceptable.
We have to be sure.
Everybody is sure, Mr President.
Everybody butyou.
As it happens, I'm the only who counts.
This meeting is over.
Mr President, one way or another, there will be a vote.
I think thatyou should be heard before thatvote is taken.
You don't like one of my policy decisions.
You do not have the right to reverse that policy under the pretence that I'm disabled.
Mr President, I agree.
I intend to show a pattern of erratic and irrational behaviour on your part since the start of this crisis.
In that light, your refusal to authorise military action is simply another symptom of disability.
Listen to me.
All of you.
I know you're not in the same room with me.
Butyou 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? Is my voice shaking? Can any one of you look me in the eye and tell me I'm disabled? Mr President, the issue is notyour demeanour over the past few minutes, butyour actions over the past 20 hours.
Mr President, the vice president has raised serious questions and, in my opinion, it would be a mistake to ignore them.
For my part, I'm confident that if you explain yourself with your usual candour and clarity, all questions will be resolved to the satisfaction of everyone here.
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.
Very well, Mr President.
I agree.
I suggest we all take a few minutes to compose ourselves and get on with the proceeding.
Let's not mince words, Mr Secretary.
You mean the trial of David Palmer.
All right, the problem is that they don't correspond.
I need them to.
Ryan, could I have a word with you, please? Give me a minute.
I just got a message that the president called off the military offensive.
- Who told you this? - Someone at DOJ.
- Someone I trust.
- I wouldn't worry about it.
Is it true? - Yes.
- And you knew about it.
- I did.
- And you didn't tell me.
Why keep my people processing intel on a scrapped operation? Because there's a strong possibility the White House will reinstate the attack.
It doesn't make sense.
Why would the president reverse his orders twice? Just keep your people on a war footing.
Tony, phones are up.
I got Jack Bauer on line two.
- Where is he? - Kate's house.
- Why? - I don't know, but he has the chip.
Conference-call him to my office.
Why are you at Kate's house? You were supposed to bring that chip here.
We ran into some interference.
Yusuf Auda is dead.
- What happened? - No time to explain.
He's the only reason we still got this chip.
I'm trying to read it now.
I tried a flash card adapter, but it's not working.
You may be able to override the reader function manually.
I'll talk you through it.
Good.
Tony, while she's setting up, run a background check on Peter Kingsley.
It may be an alias.
Cross-reference it with every major player in the oil industry.
- Peter Kingsley.
Why? - I'll explain later.
First tell the president that we've got the evidence he needs.
I told him.
I found out he's called off the military strikes.
Then we've got time.
Not necessarily.
Chappelle said the order may be reversed.
Why? He didn't get specific, but something's going on in Washington that we're not supposed to know about.
- Michelle, are you ready for me? - Yeah.
I've asked someone to join us.
Most of you know Ron Wieland.
Ron is a highly respected national affairs correspondent.
He had a very interesting experience earlier today.
Ron? I was covering Mr Palmer's environmental speech when I began to sense a bigger story.
There were rumours of a terrorist attack on the West Coast, involving a nuclear device.
I kept asking questions.
Next thing I know, I was called in to talkto the president.
He asked me to keep the story under wraps until later, then he'd give me an exclusive.
- What did you say? - That I'd think it over.
As I was leaving, a secret service agent grabbed me and hustled me into a room.
I was kept there under guard for several hours.
Did you feel this was a violation of your rights as a journalist and an American? Of course.
- Ron, were you harmed or threatened? - No, sir.
Did you understand the reason for your being detained? I assume it was fear that if word got out of a nuclear threat, panic would strike.
Do you thinkthe lives of thousands of citizens is less important than a couple of hours of your FirstAmendment rights? No, I don't.
But under the Bill of Rights, that decision was mine, notyours, Mr President.
Did you feel that things were out of control in the Palmer administration? You're putting words in his mouth.
I did sense the president was not in control.
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.
Thank you, Mr Wieland.
I'd like to call someone else to testify.
He should be ready in a few moments.
(Michelle) Control CX-5, then hit "enter".
- Done.
- Anything? I think it's reading it No, all I'm getting are numbers and symbols.
Take out the chip.
Make sure the leads are exposed.
- Dammit! - What is it? - The chip is damaged.
- How badly? Part of the microprocessor is gone and the leads connected to it.
Send me any data you have to run through our retrieval program.
Can you access a complete audio file? If it's on there, I'll find it.
- IT.
- This is Almeida.
- Send two guys up here.
- They're all doing MI for Chappelle.
I don't care.
I need two IT people now.
- Chappelle specifiically - Just do it.
I gotta go.
Almeida.
Tony, hi, it's Kim.
Look, I haven't been able to reach my dad.
Is he available? We're in the middle of something important.
Can he call you back? Tony, please.
It'll just take a minute.
OK.
OK, just hold on.
Are you getting it? Yeah, I got it, butyou were right - the data is pretty screwed.
I've assigned two IT people to help Michelle.
We should get through it in 15, 20 minutes.
- OK, good.
- Also, I got Kim on the line for you.
Thank you, Tony.
Kim, I gotyour dad on the line.
Go ahead.
- Dad? - Sweetheart.
- I've been trying to reach you.
- Are you at the sheriffs station? They're taking me to the Mathesons' house to pack up my things.
Glad you're OK.
Me too.
When I thoughtyou were gone, I I just miss you, Dad.
I miss you so much.
I've missed you too, honey.
I just wanna come home.
You'll be home soon enough, I promise, OK? OK.
Hey, Dad? - Yeah? - I love you.
I love you too, baby.
I'll see you soon, OK? Bye.
You knew about this, didn'tyou, Mike? How long have you known? - That doesn't matter, Mr Palmer.
- It matters to me.
How long? A couple of hours.
You were part of it, weren'tyou? When all's said and done you were on Prescott's side.
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 proportion.
David, I'm begging you, reconsider your position on this.
I'm the president, Mike.
You don't call me by my first name.
Yes, sir.
(Jack) It's transmitting.
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 youfor speaking with us.
Yes, of course.
Sorry if I seem a bit tired.
I was torturedfor several hours at the operations complex, by order of the President of the United States.
And why were you tortured? Because you thought I knew more than I was saying about the location of the bomb.
As if the head of NSA would withhold information from the president.
You're lying.
This may work for a while, but eventually the truth will come out.
I have nothing to fear from the truth, Mr President.
As briefly as possible, Mr Stanton, tell us what happened to you today.
I arrived at the OC around noon to find that my assistant director, Eric Rayburn, had been dismissed by the president.
What was the reason given for Mr Rayburn's firing? Eric wanted to bring the military into the equation right away, and the president was reluctant to even contemplate the use of military action.
That's not true.
For the next few hours, I worked for the president as best I could.
He was indecisive, erratic and, as I said, terrifiied to even think of military engagement.
A little after six this evening, I was arrested on the charge of treason.
I was taken to a small windowless room.
The president accused me of knowing more about the bomb than I was telling him.
- Was that true? - No, of course not.
In fairness to the president, I think he genuinely believed it to be true.
Why would he hold such a belief? 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.
I just heard you ordered two ITs onto a retrieval project.
They were working military intel.
Jack Bauer has a chip.
It contains an audio file that we expect will prove the Cyprus audio was forged.
Where is this chip? - It's been damaged.
- Damaged? The data Jack sent us is messed up.
The audio file has to be reconstituted.
That takes time.
- How long? - However long it takes.
It should take about 15 minutes, sir.
Mr Chappelle's offiice.
- Get a message to the vice president.
- Right away, sir.
(yells) (grunting) (Palmer) Ready to tell me everything I need to know? Continue.
We knew about the bomb weeks ago.
Enough! This should end this discussion here and now.
Yes, I had Roger Stanton tortured.
It was a horrible thing to do.
God knows I hated doing it.
But just as I suspected, he knew about the bomb.
You've just seen that.
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've done - I cracked.
Told the president what he wanted to hear, that I knew about the bomb.
You told me more than that.
You told me about the Coral Snake team.
You told me that the bomb was at Norton Airfield, information that we corroborated.
I don't know whatyou're talking about.
Mr Prescott, play the rest of the tape.
There is no rest of the tape.
- What? - That's all I have.
That can't be.
I was in that room for another ten minutes.
This is all that was transmitted by the OC.
We did ask for everything.
There must be a mistake, or deliberate sabotage.
Mr Stanton had a lot more to say than whatyou just saw.
Mr President, couldn't Agent Simmons verify whatyou've been telling us? No.
I sent him out of the room.
But the fact remains that Roger Stanton told me about the Coral Snake team and the location of the bomb.
Where else could that information have come from? We have many intelligence agencies, Mr President, thousands of agents combing the planet.
It could've come from anywhere.
I know it didn't come from me.
That's a lie and you know it.
Tell them, Mike.
I only know what the president told me.
I wasn't in the room.
Mr Stanton, thank you again.
You will remain in custody as the president has ordered until this matter is resolved.
I understand.
Mr President, if you have any evidence you'd like to present, please do so now.
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, butyou've given me no time.
While my behaviour 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.
Excuse me.
I just received an urgent message from CTU division chief Ryan Chappelle.
Jack Bauer has evidence he claims will prove the Cyprus audio was forged.
Please, everyone Sh.
Please settle down.
The evidence is being reviewed at CTU now.
Mr Chappelle says that the analysis shall be complete within the next few minutes.
Considering the impact that this evidence will have on these proceedings, I think it's incumbent upon us to wait.
- I'm looking at it right now.
- We can't configure it, either.
- Did you run it through default mode? - The audio files are gone.
They're just some markers that repeat.
- Thanks, Jason.
- All right.
He didn't find anything, either.
Well, what have you got? The chip was more compromised than we thought.
- Do you have the audio file? - Michelle recovered some information.
It may tell us who programmed it.
Did you find the audio file? That's all I need to know.
No, we didn't.
So Bauer wasted our time.
Come on.
Kate? Kate, are you all right? Everything that's happened today, everything that's still happening I keep thinking it's all my fault.
Come here.
We would never have found the bomb in time if it wasn't for you.
My sister was the one behind the bomb.
She helped those fanatics.
Yes.
Butyou're notyour sister.
I should've seen something was wrong before it got this bad.
Because of what she did, it could start a war.
I could've stopped it.
No, Kate, you couldn't have.
There are things in this world that are out of our control.
Sometimes we blame ourselves for them so that we can try and make sense out of it.
Come here.
There was nothing you could have done.
(phone) Sorry.
Yeah? It's Tony and Michelle.
Excuse me.
- You got the audio file? - No.
What do you mean? Are you saying there's no audio file on that chip? If there were, they were destroyed.
Chappelle wants you in on a call to the president.
Yeah, I bet he does.
Some of the information Michelle recovered may be worth looking into.
What information? Identical code fragments in several data streams.
- What are the fragments for? - Nothing.
That's the point.
It's junk code.
Programmers sometimes embed it into their programs as a signature.
Michelle traced the sequence to a hacker named Alex Hewitt.
He's got a file with the FBI.
You thinkthis is the technician that created the Cyprus audio? Yes.
We can't follow up any more leads, so you have to talkto this guy.
What's his last known address? North Hollywood.
I got it.
I'll get backto you.
All right.
- I'm sorry.
I've gotta go.
- Where? We got something off the chip, not what we're looking for, but it's a lead.
When you're ready, an officer will take you backto CTU so you can be with your father.
Thanks.
OK.
- Jack? - Yeah? Be careful.
Thanks.
I will be.
Squadrons have been in a holding pattern since the president called off the attack.
They just refuelled.
If we want to resume the operation, we need to come to a conclusion now.
A few more minutes.
This is the difference between peace and war, Mr 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.
(knock on door) - Yes, what? - CTU.
Jack Bauer and Ryan Chappelle are on the line.
- This is President Palmer.
- This is Ryan Chappelle.
- Hello.
- Jack Bauer is on the line as well.
He'll give you an update.
Mr President, I found the chip.
Unfortunately, it's been badly damaged.
Can it prove that the Cyprus recording was forged? In its present condition, it proves nothing.
- Can it be repaired? - No, sir.
But about an hour ago, I was tortured by men who wanted the chip.
They worked for Peter Kingsley.
He's part of the group behind the bomb.
They've manipulated today's events to start this war.
What? To improve their oil contracts in the Caspian Sea and to control the oil coming out of the Middle East.
I need something concrete, evidence.
I understand.
I'm checking up on an address of a man who we believe engineered the recording for Kingsley.
It's the best we've got.
Everything you've seen, are you absolutely convinced the Cyprus recording was forged? Yes, sir, absolutely.
All right, Jack.
Thank you.
The evidence I was hopingfor is notyet available, but I believe it will be soon.
- When, Mr President? - I don't know.
Meanwhile, the windowfor a surprise attack is rapidly closing.
It's time to vote.
Mr Vice President, if you could indulge me for one minute.
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, authorise the attack.
All this will just go away.
And a lot of people, Americans and non-Americans, will die for no reason.
We don't knowthat, Mr President.
Let's get on with the vote.
Members of the cabinet, you've been presented with the evidence.
You know what's at stake.
Those of you who believe the president is able to continue in offiice, vote yes.
Those of you who believe he isn't, vote no.
Mr Novick will conduct a voice poll.
The numbers will be reflected on the screen.
Mr Novick? Ms Secretary of Transportation, how do you vote? Yes.
Mr Secretary of Treasury? No.
(man) Yes.
(rings) - Almeida.
- It's Jack.
I'm half a block from Hewitt's loft.
Has the FBI sent over his file yet? - Yeah.
- What do I need to know? The State Department recruited him.
He revamped their entire surveillance program.
He got caught manipulating files that he didn't have clearance for.
He tried to kill himself, spent a year in psychiatric prison, then was released last September.
- No connection to Kingsley? - No, not that we can find.
As soon as I get Hewitt, I'll get backto you.
Any word on what's happening with the president? - No, notyet.
- OK, thanks.
Mr Secretary of Defence, how do you vote? Yes, I believe the president should stay in office.
Mr Secretary of Agriculture.
No.
Mr Secretary of the Interior.
No.
Mr Secretary of State, the vote is seven for and seven against.
- Yours is the deciding vote.
- I'm aware of that.
I've never met a man that I respected more than you, Mr President.
Never.
But we are talking about tens of thousands of American lives.
I'm compelled to vote no.
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.
Will you please come with us, Mr President? Mr President I'm not a lawyer, sir, but as far as I can tell, the Constitution's been followed.
I've got no choice but to ask you to come with us.
I'm sorry, sir.
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.
Come on.
(elevator rattling) (footsteps) (door closes) Alex?