24 s05e08 Episode Script

You helped terrorists acquire weaponised nerve gas! We were going to trigger the canisters once they reached central Asia.
Walt, you got into bed with them and they're threatening to use the gas on US citizens.
What do we do about Walt? Keep him out of sight long enough to construct a narrative.
Are you talking about a cover-up? Walt Cummings was complicit in David Palmer's assassination.
If we go public, the credibility of this office will be destroyed.
- Mr President.
- What is it, Mike? - Come here.
- What's going on? Just come here, sir.
- Lynn.
- What is it? I know you're busy, but I need to see you.
I need you to do some work for us and we need it done fast.
Get the canisters.
You have to cut precisely ten centimetres from the bottom of the casing.
- We need a place we can meet.
- I'll call you back.
Logan asked for Jack to be reinstated provisionally with full autonomy.
We got a possible intercept on Erwich - Jacob Rossler.
He's a software programmer indicted for security code infiltration.
Copy that.
Federal agent! Rossler is in custody.
Repeat, Rossler is in custody.
Answer it.
- Yes.
- We have the identification keys.
No! No! Is he gonna make it? No.
He's dead.
He was our only link to those canisters.
Erwich's gonna call here any minute and he's gonna expect to talk to him.
- What's the situation? - Rossler's dead, shot by his companion.
- What does that do to our plan? - We intended him to lead us to the Sentox.
- How? - He was gonna sell Erwich a chip that would enable him to release the Sentox.
- And we put a tracker on the chip? - Yes.
Obviously that plan has to change.
- Has Erwich set a place for the meeting? - No.
We've also picked up chatter related to the canisters.
- Related how? - Erwich's put out feelers to terrorists here.
He's asking for help launching nerve gas attacks on larger targets.
There's a call coming in on Rossler's phone.
What do you want to do? Put it on the speaker.
Jack, this has to be Erwich.
The roof of the parking garage, the corner of White Oak and Madison.
One of my men will meet you.
Look for a blue van.
- What do you think? - I think we caught a break.
Give me the chip.
CTU.
- Let me speak to Bill Buchanan.
- Jack Bauer on the line.
- Buchanan.
- Did you get that? Erwich is sending someone else.
That's a problem.
No.
It means I can pass myself off as Rossler.
We can keep the meeting.
We can control this.
Rossler and Erwich's man may know each other.
He wouldn't have said, "Look for a blue van" if they did.
- It's a big risk, Jack.
- Jack, they will probably kill you.
Even if they do think you're Rossler.
We don't have a choice.
If we're lucky, he'll take the chip to Erwich and lead us to the gas.
- All right, Jack.
Do it.
- Thank you.
Chloe, Edgar, Jack will need you to support him through the installation of the chip.
- We'll pull up the schematics.
- Already on it.
The chip is genuine, but it's useless without the unlock code.
- The tracker is built into the chip itself.
- OK.
Thanks.
- How do you wanna play this? - I want them to think I'm scared of them.
Get tac teams ready.
We're on the move.
You'll need a comm unit with a fresh battery.
You'll be patched into CTU at all times.
We'll be able to hear everything within a 20ft radius of you.
- I'll be watching your back.
- Thanks.
Testing, one, two, three.
He'll be waiting for you there.
Let me know if there's a problem.
- Do we have the new chip yet? - No.
I sent Polakov and Komar to meet Rossler.
We should have it in a few minutes.
Anything? A remote is the most effective way of triggering the canisters.
I understand, but what if the new chip doesn't work? I need options in case Rossler fails us.
There may be a work-around, but someone will have to be on site with the canister.
Get it done.
Excuse me, I thought you should know.
Walt's body has been moved to the Secret Service outbuilding for the time being.
You realise, sir, we still need to issue a public statement about his death.
- No statement till his wife's been notified.
- Of course.
Sir, if you don't mind me saying, I think perhaps we have an opportunity here.
This statement you plan to release disclosing the fact that Walt was part of the conspiracy to supply terrorists with nerve gas and that he was involved in Palmer's assassination - What's your point, Mike? - I'm sorry, sir.
I wonder if his death might render all that moot.
Go on.
Little will come from dragging his name through the mud when he's not here to answer for what he did.
And it would be devastating for this country, particularly if, God forbid, that nerve gas is used against us.
What are you suggesting? We could attribute Walt's suicide to a despondency over the day's events.
Overwork, personal issues.
Let him go out with some dignity, you mean, not as a traitor.
Yes, sir.
My wife will have a considerable problem with that.
Well I respect the first lady's moral conviction, but this is your decision, not hers.
- Is there anything else I can get you? - No, thank you, Evelyn.
I'm fine.
- Can I ask your advice on something? - Of course.
Some of the staff are asking questions.
- About? - Walt Cummings' death.
I'm preparing a statement that the president's gonna give later.
It'll explain everything.
- Is there something else, Evelyn? - Yes.
What? What is it? Why did he do it? Why did Walt kill himself? I deserve to know.
A violent thing happened to someone that I work with every day, who had no visible signs of depression.
What if it wasn't suicide? What if we're in danger? I don't know what to think.
- It was suicide.
- How can you be so sure? Evelyn, listen to me.
What I'm going to say to you has to stay in this room until it's made public.
You do understand? His family doesn't know the truth yet.
OK.
- Walt Cummings was a traitor.
- What? I'm not gonna go into any details.
Walt was responsible for some of the awful things that happened.
- I can't believe that.
- The presidentjust found out.
I suppose that Walt didn't want to face the humiliation of a long public trial and he decided to kill himself.
Was he working with the terrorists? Our enforcement agencies are trying to figure that out.
- Jack's arrived at the rendezvous point.
- Maintain your distance.
Heads up.
We have the blue van entering the parking garage.
Licence plate 6Q49951.
- Repeat, 6Q49951.
- Running the plates.
He's heading up the ramp towards you.
Couldn't get a visual.
I have a hit.
The plates don't match the vehicle.
They probably stole the van and put clean plates on it.
Two men are getting out.
Showtime.
Rossler.
I was told there'd only be one of you.
- Is that a problem? - Yeah.
I don't like surprises.
Relax.
I've got your money.
- Let me see it.
- When I see the chip.
Erwich says you have to install it.
Where's the remote trigger? Let's go.
Let's go.
OK, Jack.
You need to remove the backing.
Inside there are five jumpers.
Toggle the one in the middle to the left, then pry out the old chip, but do it gently.
When it's out, clear your throat or something.
OK.
Insert the new chip into the slot.
Press the reset button directly under it.
Screw the back on and you're done.
It's reconfigured.
You can activate the canisters.
You'd better hope it works.
You're coming with us, just to make sure.
What are they doing? We're on the move.
This isn't the deal I made with Erwich.
I reconfigured the trigger.
You're supposed to just give me the money.
- Standing by to move in.
- Hold on, Curtis.
Erwich knows who Jack is.
He saw him.
They'll kill him.
When Jack gets close, the tac teams will move in.
We need to move in now.
Make the terrorists tell us where Erwich is.
Erwich will know something's wrong and we'll lose him.
This is our only shot.
Bill! Are we letting them take Jack? Stand down.
Take no action.
Reassemble the tac teams and mount a follow operation.
- All teams, stand by.
- Roger that.
Lynn's right.
Whatever happens, Jack can handle it.
He has to.
Come in.
- Excuse me, Mrs Logan.
- What is it? - Here's the press release.
I'm confused.
- About what? It's not what you said.
They're calling Walt Cummings a hero, not a traitor.
I don't believe this! Well, is CTU any closer? They hope their operation will lead them to the canisters.
Hope is not good enough.
We want results.
You need to make that clear to them.
I believe they're doing everything that can be done, sir.
I just read the statement you issued about Walt's death.
"Stress due to overwork robbed this country of one of its most dedicated public servants.
" "His work with this administration has " You're covering everything up.
- I'll wait outside.
- Don't go anywhere, Mike.
Your fingerprints are all over this.
Charles, we worked on this together.
I thought we agreed you needed to go public about Walt's involvement with everything.
I know you're disappointed, but it's obvious Walt taking his own life changes things.
What's obvious is that this is a pack of lies! Mrs Logan, full disclosure would have been necessary to ensure Walt faced justice for what he'd done.
With his death making that a non-issue, it was decided this course was best for his family.
Oh, don't.
You don't care about his family.
You decided that this was best for you.
- But you are dead wrong - Martha, that's enough! I made my decision, and I am the president.
Which means it's yourjob to tell the truth, even when it's ugly.
And if you don't, I will.
If you feel so strongly about telling the truth, start with Walt's wife when she arrives.
- Suzanne's coming? - To collect her husband's body.
So you can tell her that the real reason Walt took the coward's way out was because he disgraced himself and he betrayed his country.
All right.
It will be very painful, but it's the right thing to do.
We're one mile behind Jack, heading west on Nordhoff, passing Sepulveda.
Maintain your distance.
We've got them on satellite.
Where are we going? - What does it matter? I have another appointment.
We're almost there.
How long it takes once we get there is up to you.
- What do you mean? - I told you.
We need to make sure the remote trigger works on the canisters.
Oh, my God.
You've got one of the canisters with you.
Erwich wants a field test.
I won't be within 50 miles of that when it goes off.
We have masks.
What's the target? - Curtis, are you reading this? - Do you want me to reposition for intercept? No.
Not till we have a visual on the canister.
If they stay on Nordhoff, up ahead there's an industrial park and two retail complexes.
- They just turned north.
That's not good.
- What is it? What's the potential target? Sunrise Hills Mall.
Curtis, the intended target is the Sunrise Hills Mall.
Repeat, the intended target is the Sunrise Hills Mall.
Uploading schematics of the mall and surrounding streets now.
Teams, stand by for positioning.
We'll set up on the second level of the parking structure.
This is it.
Curtis, do you have Jack on visual? He and the hostiles are in the south parking lot.
Alpha team, take up position at the perimeter.
Bravo team, I want plain-clothes agents at the mall doors.
- How will you get the canister in? - Through the door.
Anyone asks, we're working on the air conditioning.
- I didn't agree to this.
I'm not going in.
- Yes, you are.
What are we waiting for? There are hundreds of video cameras in there.
This entire country'll know what we look like.
We want your leaders to know who did this.
That's your fight.
The deal I made was to sell the chip, not to get my face all over the news.
Erwich prefers to keep you alive, but only if you cooperate.
Now hand me the jackets.
We're moving the tac teams in to recover the canisters before you go inside the mall.
Fine.
Let's get this over with.
I'll let you know as soon as we're in position.
Sending redeployment orders now.
- Hold off on that.
We have got to stop them before they get inside.
If we move in, Erwich will know we're onto him.
We won't be led to the other canisters.
Are you talking about letting them do this? Sacrificing the lives of all those people? I'm accepting the damage that one canister can do versus what the other 19 can do.
- This is insane.
Bill.
- Bill's not in charge here.
I am.
We need to call the president.
Let's go.
I just got into the mall's video surveillance server.
We should be able to see Jack.
Jack, we're still waiting for the president to call.
I'll let you know as soon as we have him.
Get the security guard.
Knock on the glass.
- What are you doing here? - Servicing the HVAC.
- We didn't get a call about that.
- I don't know what to say.
We did.
- You got paperwork? - Just a minute.
- Will this work? - Yeah.
Do it.
Throw me the bag.
And yourjacket.
The president is on line one.
- Put him through.
- Yes, sir.
Jack, the president is on the line.
I'll patch you in.
- Go ahead.
- This is Lynn McGill.
You also have Bill Buchanan, Audrey Raines, Chloe O'Brian and Edgar Stiles in the room.
We need your decision on a critical operational matter.
- What is it? - Jack Bauer's undercover with the terrorists.
They're expecting Jack to help them release a canister of Sentox nerve gas in the Sunrise Hills shopping mall where they are now.
- Well, then, arrest them.
What's the problem? - If we don't maintain Jack's cover, there's no guarantee that they'll lead us back to the other 19 canisters.
Do you mean actually let them release the Sentox? Are you out of your mind? Mr President, Bill Buchanan.
I had the same initial reaction.
Then I looked at updated scenarios.
With the help of other terrorists, the remaining canisters could be deployed at other, more crowded public areas such as subway stations, hospitals and sports arenas, sir.
The loss of life could exceed hundreds of thousands of people.
My God.
Bring it over here.
I got it.
What kind of casualties do you predict at the mall? We don't have exact numbers, but based on our surveillance our guess is 800 or 900.
Sir, many of them are children.
- Can't you evacuate the mall? - Not without the terrorists knowing.
The public will not tolerate the government's complicity in this.
They wouldn't know, sir.
This would be a covert decision.
We're monitoring them.
We know with 100% certainty that when they leave the mall, they're going back to the remaining canisters.
- What's your recommendation? - Bill and I agree.
The greatest good would be served by allowing them to release this single canister.
I believe that we have no right to sanction the deaths of innocent people.
We should take our chances, interrogate them and find the location of the other canisters.
- Are we ready? Almost.
Mr President, we're running out of time.
We need your decision, sir.
This is a field operation.
It's up to you.
With all due respect, Mr President, it's not.
We don't have the legal authority to make this decision.
Only you do.
You're putting me in a terrible position.
Hold on.
Mike.
CTU has laid out the facts well, but you have to make the call.
All right.
The terrorists are forcing us to make a tragic choice.
I'll go along with your assessment.
Let them release it.
But you'd better find those other canisters, or those people will have died in vain.
Pull our tac teams out of the mall.
Jack, you heard the president's decision.
- Let's go.
Put your masks on.
I'm going to arm the valve.
What's the unlock code? Jack, the unlock code is Alpha, Kilo, Charlie.
I repeat, Alpha, Kilo, Charlie.
Come on! What's the unlock code? Alpha, Kilo, Charlie, Jack.
Echo, Bravo, Charlie.
Enter the correct code, Jack.
That's an order.
Jack, this is a direct order from the president.
Now, enter the correct code and let them release the gas.
Now! - It's not arming.
Why isn't it working? - Maybe the remote's been damaged.
- Make it work or I'll kill you.
- There's nothing I can do.
- Make it work! - I told you, there's nothing I can do! Jack, can you hear me? - Yes? - We can't arm the canisters.
- What is the problem? - Rossler says he doesn't know.
- Do you believe him? - I don't know.
Should I kill him? Not until we are sure we have another way to release the gas.
Andrei thinks he's discovered an alternative.
I'll put him on.
Get him in the other room.
Polakov.
- The canister is in front of you? Yeah.
- You have the mechanism? Yeah, I have it right here.
- Follow my instructions exactly.
OK, I understand.
In the trigger mechanism you'll see multicoloured wires.
OK.
- Splice each wire individually.
- What's going on? Andrei may have a way to release the gas.
- See the circuit configuration? - I see it.
Now, move the jumper over.
Expose the red and yellow wire.
Hang on.
I'm gonna put you on speakerphone.
Can the valve open without warning? If you make a mistake, it could, so pay attention.
- Five more splices to go.
Which one now? The orange wire is next in the sequence.
Exactly as before.
The white and blue wires need to be connected through the circuit board, then into the release valve.
Get the masks.
We're almost ready.
OK.
Now you're ready to proceed.
You'll see three inputs on the bottom left of the circuit board.
Three outputs on the top right.
They are marked input one There is still time to stop them before they murder those people.
- We have a directive from the president.
- He signed these children's death warrant.
More people could die if these men don't lead us to the canisters.
They could.
That's theoretical.
Those children will die in minutes.
- Look at them! - Audrey, that's enough.
If you were in Jack's shoes would you follow that order? Stand and watch as they murder all those people? This is war.
There will be casualties.
If those were the orders of the president, I'd have to.
I hope that's not true.
For your sake.
You have two more wires to go.
All right.
The wires are together.
Put your mask on.
The next pair you splice will open the valve.
Go kill Rossler.
Polakov.
Polakov! Polakov! Jack, can you hear me? What's happening? What's your status? I stopped the gas, but some got into the ventilation.
- Evacuate the mall.
- What about the terrorists? One's dead, one escaped.
Have Curtis's men start looking for him.
- Curtis, this is Buchanan.
Move in now.
- About time.
Move in.
All teams, move in.
Up against the wall.
Terrorists have released a toxic substance into the ventilation system.
You need to evacuate people now.
This is not ajoke.
This is not a robbery or a drill.
Do it now! We have a red alert.
Begin evacuation procedures immediately.
- Where's the power source for ventilation? - It's next to the food court.
Get everybody out now.
to the nearest mall exit in an orderly fashion.
- Curtis, it's Jack.
- We're closing in on the mall.
I'll try and shut down the ventilation system.
I do not have a visual on the hostile.
- Make sure your men take him alive.
- Understood.
Curtis, it's Jack.
The Sentox nerve gas that escaped has stayed in the food court.
I got at least 11 people down.
I need assistance.
I need assistance now.
- Got it.
- Sweetheart, can you hear me? I want you to hold the mask to your face when I take it off, OK? All right, masks on.
Inject anyone who's down and get them outside as soon as possible.
I need a shot of atropine for a child under 12.
Curtis, give me thatjacket for her head.
I'm losing her.
Come on.
She's responding.
Her pulse is stabilising.
We've secured the exits.
We don't have a visual on the terrorist.
If he got out of the mall before we locked down, he may be lost.
He's our only chance of finding Erwich.
Monitor the tracking device in the remote trigger.
The hostile still had it on him.
Chloe.
Jack's right.
The signal's moving away from the mall.
Looks like he's on foot.
Michaels.
Jack and I are going after the remote trigger.
You're in charge here.
Walsh, gather your team.
You're with us.
Don't be scared.
You're gonna be all right.
This man's gonna take care of you.
Yes.
Rossler - or whoever he was - killed Komar and tried to stop us.
- What? Why? - I don't know.
I managed to activate the valve before I got away.
At least some of the gas was released.
- You sure you're not being followed? - Yes.
What do you want me to do? - Come back here.
- I'll be there soon.
- He's turning left on Reese.
- We're six blocks out.
One moment, please, Mr McGill.
I'll connect you with the president.
Yes? Mr President, I thought it was important to let you know what's happening.
What's happening is I sent you over there to make sure CTU was running smoothly and you seem to be incapable of that.
- Bauer refused.
There was nothing I could do.
- No, I don't want excuses.
Just do yourjob, and if you can't do it I'll find somebody else who can.
The estimates from the mall are much lower than we anticipated.
It appears the fatalities will be limited to between ten and 20 people.
Thank God.
- So, what are we telling the media? - Nothing yet.
CTU is maintaining a blackout until we give them direction on a cover story.
What about the other 19 canisters? CTU has a terrorist under surveillance as we speak.
They believe there's a good chance he'll lead them to Erwich and the other canisters.
All right.
Good.
There's something else, sir.
Suzanne Cummings has arrived to claim Walt's body.
Martha is on her way to speak with her now.
Thank you, Mike.
Suzanne.
I can't believe he's gone.
I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry.
- I should've been with him today.
- Don't do that.
- I wanted to be.
- Honey, don't do that.
Don't blame yourself.
He told me to stay at the hotel.
You know how much we love you, honey.
No matter what you need, we'll always be here for you.
I just don't understand.
This doesn't make any sense.
You were with him today.
Why, Martha? Why in the world would Walt do this? Suzanne.
Walt loved this country.
And he loved you.
I'm sorry.
I need a moment.
Of course.
All right.
He's slowing down.
He's stopping.
Cross-referencing with the street grid.
He's in front of 1136 East Muldower.
Bill, we'll have to hit him hard and fast to stop him from releasing any more Sentox.
Agreed.
Set up a perimeter.
Begin your approach.
- All right, all teams, we're moving in.
- Put your gas masks on.
Team B, take the front entrance off the street.
We're taking the side.
Go now.
Go.
Yes.
- You were followed.
- I don't know how.
It doesn't matter.
You know what to do.
Yes.
No! Hostile down.
I repeat, hostile down.
Air is clean.
Curtis, have your men call in now.
Team A, team B, report.
- What have you got? - There's no one here.
We're clear.
- The place is empty.
- Erwich and the canisters are gone.
We've got nothing here.
Dammit!