Originally Aired 2.11.03
2.9 - Hot Heads

An ambulance appears at the mosque, it is safe to assume they are going to get the body of the man that is not Ali. Baker is suggesting that Kate leave but Kate says that she was told by Jack to stay. Jack arrives and says yes, indeed she needs to stay with them. He is given a piece of paper that was in the pocket of the man that was wearing Ali's clothes. They sent a copy of it over to CTU for analysis. Jack asks the head of the Mosque (the Imam) if he has been helping this man. The Imam replies that he would be seen as a criminal by both Jack and him. Jack lets him know that Ali has set a plan in action to detonate a bomb in LA. The Imam offers his help saying that if they catch him he will talk to him, he may be able to talk to him in a way that Jack can't, he can persuade him. An agent appears and wants Jack to come with him, there's something he should see. It is a trap door so Jack tells hi to open it. They look inside and Jack says he will go in alone. If Ali hears them coming he will likely kill himself. Jack takes the flashlight from the other agent and looks quickly down the hall then turns it off. He looks around the corner and turns the light off again.
Marie is driving and her phone rings, it is Ali. He tells her there has been a change of plans, she must go to the rendezvous point and if he is not there in a half an hour, the planned time, she is to proceed with the plan. He asks her if she remembers what he said and says she remembers but she doesn't repeat what he told her.
Ali hangs up the phone and he hears a nose, metal on concrete. Ali approaches the door where Jack is waiting and as he gets to the corner Jack grabs him and hits him with the crow bar. He yells that he's got the suspect, engage the room. Kate comes in with the agents and starts yelling "That's Syed Ali!" but Jack is yelling for them to get her out of there, he says it at least three times. As she is taken Jack turns his attention back to Ali, Jacks fingers are in his mouth and there is blood everywhere. With his free hand Jack lands a few punches on Ali who lets go of Jacks fingers. Jack says he has the cyanide.
Mason is talking with Bob, he convinces Bob that it is black and white, Marie killed Reza and two of their agents. Bob seems to give in and says that if he had known he would have done something. Mason suggests that this may help to explain some strange behaviour, anything could help. Bob starts a story that Marie went to school in London. When his wife died it really hit Marie hard, it hit all of them hard. Mason eggs him on, "And?" Bob continues that Marie ran away for a while, 3 weeks. They sent the police after her and everything but then she sent a letter saying she was fine, she was travelling. Mason asks if there was any change, and fundamental differences? Bob says that she was less politically inclined. Before she was always involved in political causes, save the wilderness or things like that. After that she wasn't. Mason concludes that this is what happens when you are radicalized, you are trained to fit in and not to draw attention to yourself. Michelle enters the room and Mason asks "can it wait?" but Michelle nods her head no so Mason follows her out leaving Bob to think. Mason gets the scan of the paper from the mosque and the piece of the number that is there. Michelle tells Mason that they brought Murdock in from San Francisco to work on it since all the others are indisposed. If anyone can do this, he can. Mason approaches him and he takes off his hat saying "hey man". He is already set up and started working. Mason asks why he isn't using their computers but Murdock says his is way faster so they leave him to it.
Roger is still where he was before and Ted re-enters the room. He asks again "who else knew about the bomb, Mr. Stanton?" and we move to Palmer's monitor. Mike tells Palmer that they are interrogating Ali as they speak. Palmer asks if he is sure Ali knows where the bomb is? And Mike assures him that Jack Bauer is sure. Palmer says to make sure he has all the resources he needs and Mike says yes sir. Mike looks towards the monitor and Palmer says that Ted tells him Roger had the same training in resisting interrogation that he did, but everyone breaks eventually.
7:14
Tony is looking for Kim still, he give the person on the other end of the phone where she was last seen. Mason comes up and asks what he is doing. Tony says he is getting more men out looking for Jack's daughter. He promised to protect her and he reminds Mason that he did too. Mason reminds Tony that Kim is outside the blast radius but the rest of LA isn't, he is yelling now; stay focused on the bomb, Tony. As soon as Mason leaves Tony gets back on the phone and continues the search for Kim with Michelle watching,
Kim is still attached to the trap and she hears something in the bushes. She stands up with the help of a stick and hides behind a big rock. We see that is a guy with a gun and he asks if there is someone there? She looks like she isn't going to answer and then asks "who are you and what are you doing out here?" The hunter turns it around and asks her what she is doing out here. She explains that she was in a car accident and started running. Before she knew it she had no idea where she was and got stuck. He asks why she was running from the highway and she reiterates that she was scared and panicked. He accepts this and comes over and lets her out.
There are all kinds of people outside the mosque. There is a snake of wires being brought in from a van outside with a satellite dish on it. Baker is outside the room with Kate and Jack is inside with Ali holding his fingers. Jack goes to Ali and says quietly that he knows who he is and he knows everything he's done. Where is the bomb? Ali doesn't answer so Jack knocks him around a bit and yells "Where is the bomb?" Jack tells Ali that he is wasting his time. "When is the bomb going to detonate?" Finally Ali speaks but instead of answering he tells Jack that he is the one wasting time, Ali woke up this morning knowing he was going to die. Jack responds by saying quietly to him that "I can make you die with more pain than you ever imagined." Jack grabs his wrist and gives it a twist, probably breaking it. After the pain subsides Ali just says then he will have that much more pleasure in paradise.
The hunter wraps up Kim’s ankle for her and suggests that they go to the ranger station. Kim says no so he asks if she doesn't want to go there for the same reason she ran away from the highway? This time Kim doesn't answer so he points and says that the highway is a couple of miles that way but the terrain is not safe and there are cougars. He then points in another direction and says that his place is a half mile that way and he could put a roof over her head for the night.
The Imam of the mosque enters the room with Ali and Jack leaves. He introduces himself to Ali and asks if he denies the accusations that he is setting up a bomb. He reminds Ali that the Koran states they aren't to kill innocents except in combat. Ali isn't interested in his ideas but the Imam persists saying this kind of actions won't get him into paradise. Ali says that they will continue the debate when he sees him there.
Jack is outside setting up some equipment and the Imam appears. Jack pulls him aside but the Imam is puzzled by Ali's behaviour. He says he has seen people that do this, have used their religion to channel hate, but he has never known anyone to act on it. The Imam wants to try again but Jack says no, they don't have time and he can't be involved in what's going to happen next. After he moves away Baker approaches Jack with the number that Ali called from his cell. As he tells the number to Jack, Kate who is in the background asks for the number again. Baker hesitates but Jack gives him the okay. As he repeats it Kate says it's Marie's cell number. She turns to Jack and asks what's going on, what is Jack not telling her? Jack tells Baker to give them a minute and after he leaves Jack tells Kate that Reza and 2 of their agents were found dead about an hour and a half ago. Marie was with them. Kate asks when Jack had planned on telling her this and Jack when they had confirmation that Marie pulled the trigger. Kate is upset and whines "How could you even think that?" Jack says she has videotape on her, she was the last one seen leaving the building. Kate doesn't believe it and defends her sister, she may have been trying to escape, she may have been hurt. They know he called her number but they don't know she picked up, her phone may have been stolen. Jack advances on her and asks if she really believes Marie had nothing to do with this? She can prove it to him by calling her cell, but if she picks up she has to stay on the phone with her so they can get a trace. Can she do that? Kate agrees so Jack says he'll be right back. Kate looks stunned as Jack goes to Baker, he needs him to set up a trace on a cell and also manipulate the caller ID so it looks like it's coming from Kate’s cell.
7:28
Jack explains to Kate about the gear they have set up. After they lock on to Marie's phone they can trace it, even after the call ends. Kate wants to know what to do if it's not Marie that answers? Jack explains that this is what they need to know. When Kate hesitates Jack encourages her, finding her sister could save the lives of millions of people. Kate gets the phone and Marie answers. She is still driving in the car. Kate says hi and then pauses, she tells Marie that she hasn't been able to reach their dad, he's not back yet. She asks Marie what's going on? Marie responds that she is just taking a drive to clear her head. Kate says she understands and then apologises, about everything. She offers to meet back at the house, grab a bite? Marie puts it together and asks "They've found Reza, haven't they?" Kate is crying again and says that she doesn't know what happened. She begs her sister to please tell her what happened. Marie just answers that people have to die for things to change. Kate starts to fly off the handle again and says that Marie couldn't have done this but Marie is uninterested in her pleadings, she hangs up the phone and throws it out the window. Jack has turned to walk away but Kate, now sitting on the floor, yells after him. "You don't know who she was with, they could have been forcing her. You don't know. Jack says he's sorry twice as he turns to the Imam who is back in the room.
Tony and Michelle are still on the hunt for Kim, they are told the search team can't cover as much ground at night. Murdock informs Tony and Michelle that the paper had an irregular pattern so it makes the letters easier to determine. The figures he's been able to pull out so far are N34. There are letters and numbers next to it but he hasn't been able to figure them out yet. They sent it over to Jack already.
Baker brings Jack the paper who promptly goes in to see Ali. He starts right away asking 'N34, what does that mean?' Jack asks again what it means and then tells Ali that he screwed up. They’re going to cross-reference that with everything they've got, they're on the way to pick up Marie now. He gives the ultimatum that Ali can tell Jack now or he’s going to suffer. He asks if he wants to suffer. Ali says that he already told Jack that he's not afraid of dying but Jack says "The only way you're gonna die today is if I kill ya." The bomb is not going to go off. The monitors are up and working now and we see masked men with Ali's wife and children. They are bound and sat in chairs. Comprehension dawns on Ali's face followed by Jack telling him that those men will kill his family if he doesn't tell Jack where the bomb is now. With compassion Jack turns to Ali again and seethes "I despise you for making me do this." Jack gives him his last chance, where is the bomb. Ali is obviously torn with his decision.
7:38
Palmer who is walking in the hallway is stopped by Mike. He tells Palmer about the situation with Ali's family and Jack. Palmer knows nothing about this, he asks where they are and is told the family is in their own country. Jack has requested they kill them one by one until Ali tells them the location of the bomb. Palmer asks if the people would do this and Mike says yes. He asks if they can let this happen? Mike tries to make a rationalization for this but Palmer doesn't care about that. Mike seems to be on Jack's side and says that a few people may have to die to save millions. Palmer ponders how it could come to this.
Ali is still watching the TV monitors with his family. Jack tells him that his wife has been writing him letters every day but she doesn't know where to send them. His son, Asad, wants to grow up to be just like him, he turns 12 next week, but he doesn't think he's gonna make it. Ali starts to react to his and Jack takes a second, then says "I know what it's like to lose someone, watch them get killed right in front of you." He goes on to say that he doesn't want to hurt his family. Ali stays convinced that he is doing Allah’s work but Jack assures him he is going to kill millions of people. Another agent enters with the phone for Jack, it's the president. Palmer tells Jack flat out that he can't let him do this. Jack pleads his case, Ali is obviously willing to take his own life, and his only weakness is his family. Palmer tells Jack that it will not be their policy to kill innocents, he cannot do this. Palmer hangs up but Jack keeps talking like he's still there. He says that he knows it is a difficult decision, pauses, and then thanks the dead phone for its support. He give the phone back to the agent telling him that Palmer authorized the plan.
Mike is on the phone telling the person on the other end that Roger isn't available. After he hangs up Lynn wants a word and when they are away from the others Lynn wastes no time telling him she doesn't like Sherry. Mike brushes it off telling her to deal with it herself but Lynn says she has something. She has a source that has approached her with evidence of communication between Sherry and Roger in the last 6 months. They remember that they gave the others the impression that they just met each other this morning. Lynn presses Mike, is this morning indicative of how Sherry operates? He doesn't really have a response and then ponders almost to himself his disbelief that Sherry could be a traitor to the country. Mike asks who the source is and Lynn doesn't give it, she says she has a meeting with them in 10 minutes. Mike tells her to go ahead with the meeting and let him know how it turns out. He warns her to be careful.
Jack is outside the room that they are holding Ali, he tells the soldiers to start with the older son, Asad, and then move to the younger one. He says they are a go and re-enters the room with Ali. Jack says that he can't wait any longer, tell me where the bomb is or I will kill Asad. Jack says that he 'knows what you think your doing is right but it's my job to stop it, Asad is just a boy.' He asks again, tell me where the bomb is. Jack asks again and then says fine, into his phone, 'kill him'. The men in the monitor kick over the chair and shoot, his wife and other son are screaming and crying and Ali yells no. Out in the hall, Kate can hear the yelling. Jack turns back to Ali and demands that he tell where the bomb is and he will spare the rest of Ali's family. Ali holds his ground and says he won't tell.
7:51
Lynn is out in the dark, what looks like a rest stop. She walks around the side of the building and checks her watch. The only sound heard is the clicking of her heels. She reaches the end of the building and Sherry Palmer is standing there, she speaks before Lynn sees her saying that her meeting has been changed. Lynn is shocked to see her and Sherry finishes her sentence, now it's with me. Lynn turns to leave but Sherry stops her. She tells Lynn not to go anywhere, they need to talk. Lynn just says "I don't think so." but Sherry keeps going. She tells Lynn that she thinks she connected her to Roger but that's what they want her to think. Lynn asks who 'they' are and is told it is the people working with Roger. Lynn doesn't buy it, she says by confirming Roger is connected to the bomb means she knew about it ahead of time and she knew about it as well. Sherry says Roger is more involved than the president could ever know, Lynn asks in response, "What is that supposed to mean?" When asked Sherry reveals that the goal of the conspiracy is to take over the presidency and the people planning it want to connect her because they know she'll figure it out and get in the way. Lynn still isn't taking any of this and asks that if she isn't involved then how did she know about the meeting? Sherry replies that she doesn't have to be involved to know her moves. Lynn finds another hole and asks why she hasn't told the president but Sherry has that covered as well, for the same reason Lynn hasn't. Lynn thinks that Sherry could have told her this stuff anywhere, why come out here. Sherry simply says, "to make a point, that's all." Lynn repeats that, to make a point? She thinks this is a warning, Lynn accuses Sherry of orchestrating all this to show her how powerful she is and "I will do everything in my power to make sure you don't hurt him and that you don't undermine his administration. At this she leaves Sherry.
Ali is crying and Jack is still there. He tells Ali that Asad is dead and there's nothing he can do about that but he can still save Faheed’s life. He says he's going to give him 10 seconds, where is the bomb? Jack is heating up now and his voice is rising. 'I'm going to tell these men to kill your last son, where is the bomb?' Jack gives the order to do it but finally Ali gives in, he says no and Jack tells them to wait. Ali is emotional and he says that the bomb is at Norton airfield. They are planning to fly over downtown and detonate it, it is true. Jack gets on the phone to CTU where Michelle picks up, Jack wants Mason. He passes the information on as Ali is crying in the background. Michelle says that the plane tail numbers start with N, that is probably what N34 means. Mason deploys three teams to the airfield and gets them to call the FAA to stop traffic there.
Kate is around still outside the room that Ali is in. Jack tells them to "get Ms Warner against the wall," as the guards move Ali out. He is yelling at Jack "You killed my boy!" many times and then "I'll get you for this, you will die for this!" Once he is out of sight Kate turns to Jack with her look and asks him "how could you do this?" She tells him that he is worse than they are. Jack is on the phone again, he says he wants the satellite link again, yes, he wants confirmation. He looks at the monitor and then silently walks away. After he leaves Kate goes to the monitor and looks. She sees the people untying the son that was supposedly killed and them leading him out. The screen was split. Kate murmurs to herself that he's alive, it was all an act. Jack comes back to Kate and says he needs her to come with him to the airfield, to help him talk to her sister. Kate asks if he thinks she is there and Jack says yes. Kate hesitates and Jack says they don't have much time. Finally Kate agrees and they get in a car that agent Baker brought for them
In a split screen we see Kim and the hunter and Ted with Roger who is starting to lose consciousness.
Marie enters the airfield and we see one of the men that had been driving the truck, the one that didn't get killed. They connect a test of the trigger that she had picked up and once they decide it is okay the two of them take it to the actual bomb where another guy lifts the lid on the case and they attach it all together, it starts to go. Marie turns to the guy and asks "now what." He responds "Now we pray."
8:00

Miscellaneous Thoughts:
-It looked awful bright down in that passage. I know it was just for camera purposes but honestly, if it’s that bright Jack shouldn't need a flashlight.
-Did I miss something? Do we know what Ali told Marie? I wonder what it was.
-Jack seems to be trying to protect Kate from seeing him inflict pain on people. He keeps telling the others to get her out of the room when he is going to do something bad. I hope this isn't a sign.
-Kate has serious attitude...when she tells Baker that Jack told her to stay she was just ridiculous.
-Whose blood was on Ali? I can only assume it was Jacks because Ali was biting his fingers but I don't remember seeing a cut later or bandage or anything. If that was all Jacks I would think they would at least give him a band-aid.
-I agree with Agent Baker, Kate shouldn't be there. I'm glad I don't have to hear her yell "That's Syed Ali!" again, now if we can just put a hold on the hissy fits that involve all kinds of screeching and flashing the one expression...
-They've been going at Roger for quite a while now...how is what they are doing to him different from how they killed themselves in Flatliners? Just pump him with some drugs and he's done like dinner.
-Murdock is an interesting character, nice lid.
-I wonder if there is an ulterior motive for Murdock to use his own computer...
-Mason is screwing Jack again, you think that he would have learned his lesson after Teri died. If Kim kicks it then I hope Jack blames him. Although Mason will be dead so he probably won't care.
-Kudos to Tony for keeping his word to Jack. Obviously he remembers what happened with Teri. If Teri had survived I would have credited Tony especially after what happened at their house. I'm pretty sure she would have been killed then and there if he hadn't shown up
-What kind of stupid question is that that Kim asks the hunter? The guy is out in the forest in the late evening with a gun and a lantern. I wonder what he possibly could be doing. I thought maybe he was just taking his lantern out for a walk, they need their exercise you know. Chalk up a few more points to Kim's IQ-O-Meter
-Did he really do anything that difficult to get Kim out of the trap? How long had she been trying to get out? Unless he did something I didn't see she should have been out of there long ago.
-Kim gets a little testy with the hunter when he asks her again why she ran away from the highway. I think that I would want to be a little nicer to a) a guy with a gun in the middle of nowhere and b) a guy that is going to get toy out of a trap that you are stuck in so you don't become cougar food.
-The Jack we see with Ali, I think this is my favourite Jack. One second whispering quiet threats then instantly yelling and angry. Sutherland just plays the no remorse, I can inflict pain 'till the cows come home Jack so well. It makes me want to tell him where the bomb is.
-I don't think the hunter needs to tell Kim that there are cougars in the forest
-The way Jack asks Kate "can you do that?" made me smile. It was like, well, you are an idiot and can you at least dial a phone and talk to her.
-I don't think he really expected her to say yes. That was a good surprised look.
-I know it must be hard to accept the fact that her sister is involved in terrorist activity but there are a lot of circumstances. Does she honestly believe that someone shot the agents and Reza at the office and then magically disappeared but spared Marie and let her get away unscathed to tell about it, then someone stole Marie's cell phone and answered it when it rang and it happens to be the same person involved in the bomb? Then when she phones her she still believes that someone is controlling her? Get real. If she actually went to university I would hope she'd be able to put that together. Completely ludicrous.
-That little/big fit Kate threw on the floor of the mosque, that was awful. I cringed but I'm at least glad that Jack didn't go over and mush it up with her. He just says he's sorry and leaves her to her idiocy.
-Good thinking Jack, letting Ali believe that he's still talking to Palmer. Again, this guy is one smart cookie. There is no way he could have spawned Kim. It's just not possible.
-Did anyone else get chills when Jack turned to Ali and said "I despise you for making me do this."? He was just so cold and hateful.
-I really thought N34 was a latitude (longitude? whichever one is N) but the plane that was in the hangar said N34 G5. I still think it might mean something. N34 falls over LA
-I like that Michelle is helping Tony find Kim. She's about the only one that didn't promise to keep her safe.
-It took Marie longer that a half an hour to get to the airfield. Did she actually do something in that time or just get lost?
-It was nice for Jack to share a bit with Ali, "I know what it's like to lose someone, to watch them get killed right in front of you." The only thing was, she wasn't killed right in front of Jack, and he was a couple of minutes away from the building yet...
-Those are serious heels Lynn is wearing.
-What was with that awful outfit Sherry was wearing? Hi, sleuth Sherry, nice to meet you
-Sherry actually came up with a pretty good story...too bad its complete crap and has more holes than a block of Swiss cheese.
-That was pretty cocky on her part, for part of the story to be that the people conspiring knew she would get in the way? Wow
-Ali definitely got the short end of the stick with the torture thing. Not only did his son get killed but he ended up telling them where the bomb was. Sucks to be him. Oh well, maybe he shouldn't have planned to blow up LA then
-Just wanted to take a second and say how much I have enjoyed the performance of the guy that played Ali. He did an awesome job and we probably won't see him again.
-Kate makes me crazy. Kate telling him that he is worse than they are is cruel. If Jack really had just killed an innocent buy he wouldn't have needed a psychopathic blonde to tell him his decision was not very nice. Obviously, as usual, she hadn't thought through what she was going to say. Ok, if he had killed the one kid how does that make him worse than the guys who are plotting to kill millions. This reminds me strongly of the plot of the movie 'Swordfish' Travolta asks Jackman something like 'if you had to kill one innocent child in order to save millions, could you kill that child?' Brutal question.