4:00pm-5:00pm

Originaly Aired 11/18/03

~ 3.4 - Final Assignment~

4:00
The medics are wheeling Tony out of the mall on a stretcher. He is unconscious. Kim is on the phone and says that 'Jack isn't picking up.' Adam is trying to get through to Tony who is also unavailable. Michelle comes over and they tell her that there were shots fired at the mall and they can't get in touch with either of them. Adam is on the phone and relays that someone is down, either Tony or Jack, they are not sure. Kim and Michelle exchange looks and Adam says to hold on. Then he pulls the phone away from his ear and says 'it's Jack, he wants to talk to you.' Adam passes the phone to Michelle who is on the verge of panic. She asks where Tony is and Jack says that he got hit in the neck. He is still alive. Jack tells her that with Tony down she is in command but she needs to decide if she wants to be with Tony or work. If she decides to go to Tony no one will fault her for it but if she decides to work she needs to move at full capacity. Kim goes to Michelle and asks concertedly if Tony is okay. Michelle tells her that he got shot in the neck. Chloe comes over and starts to ask Michelle a technical question. Kim tells her that it is not a good time. Chloe asks if she's kidding and continues to ask the question which is about overloads on the system. Michelle gives her an answer and after she leaves she resolves to go to Tony, she can't be at CTU. Adam stops her before she can get too far and asks who else is going to take charge, she is the ranking agent. Michelle thinks and then doubles back and finds Kim. She instructs Kim to get tell her the second anyone knows anything about Tony's condition.

Michelle enters the conference room where they are going over the tape with the final instructions about what to do with Salazar. It contains the instructions for his release. They have two hours to comply or they will release the virus. Michelle wants to know if the origin is the same as the other one, Adam doesn't know. He says he will track the frequency but he is doubtful there will be any information. Michelle says that whoever made this call is controlling Kyle Singers movements since they are able to stop him from getting out. She reminds them they have two hours.

Kyle is in a back stairwell in the mall and he calls Linda. She is trying to find a parking space but complains that something is going on. He tells her to meet him outside the east entrance. As he walks through an underground parking lot a truck pulls up and Gomez the thug gets in. Outside Linda parks and waits for a few seconds. Soon Kyle comes out and goes to the drivers' side of the car telling her to move over. She hesitates and then does. She questions him about what is going on and he says that they have to get out of there. He hurries off and the truck with the thugs is suck behind a slow car.

Chase comes through the main floor and Kim excuses herself to go and meet with him. He says that he heard about Tony and asks how he is doing? Kim tells him that he's on the way to the hospital. Chase looks concerned and looks up to Michelle. He asks why she is not with Tony. Kim explains that Michelle knows it will set them back. Chase says that he is going to the prison but Kim doesn't think it's a good idea. Her dad says that questioning Salazar was a waste. Chase says that sitting at CTU is a waste. Kim encourages him to tell Michelle where he is going.
Michelle answers her phone; the man on the other end identifies himself as a doctor Lindsor and asks for Tony Almeida's wife. She says that is her and he informs her that his wound will require vascular surgery. She asks to talk to him but the doctor says that he cannot talk he is medicated. That is the reason he is phoning. He needs her verbal consent to operate. She quickly agrees and asks if the doctor is sure Tony will be okay. The doctor says that nothing is 100% but he is in excellent hands. He tells Michelle that he will find her in the waiting room when he is finished. Michelle says that she will try and be there but he may have to find her at the number at CTU. She thanks him and hangs up the phone. She sits down at the desk and looks upset about the fate of her husband.
4:08
4:12
As we return from commercial we see Kyle speeding along, Jack in pain and Michelle still sad.

Wayne Palmer sits and tells David that he is meeting Anne's ex, Ted, in half an hour unless Palmer has changed his mind. David says that he's never given in to blackmail in his life. Wayne assures him that with everything they are up against, they decided. David reminds him that it was he who decided; Wayne tells him it was the right decision. Once they give him the money he can crawl back under the rock he came from and life will be simple for everyone. David's phone rings and it is a secretary saying that she has Jack Bauer on the line. Jack addresses Palmer as Mr President and David says that he understands they received final instructions for delivering Salazar but he is curious if Jack can pre-empt that. Jack informs him that they know where the virus is, it is being carried in Kyle Singer, but they lost him. They will not be able to find him in the time frame. Palmer concludes that they either hand Salazar over or they will release the virus. Jack thinks it is an impossible choice but Palmer says that it is not a choice. Their policy has been to not negotiate with terrorists. Letting Salazar go would destroy that policy. Jack reminds him that if the virus got out it would kill hundreds of thousands in a week. Palmer thinks that it would kill more in the long run. It would be open season. Jack asks if that is his final answer and Palmer replies that he will not negotiate with terrorists. When he hangs up he tells Wayne that he wants a conference with the CDC and health services.

Kyle is still speeding along and says that he just wants to get out of town; things have changed. Linda asks what he is in to. Kyle explains that the cops came and were talking about this weird disease. Linda is immediately suspicious of the virus and Kyle explains that they said it was inside him, he asks her if it sounds ridiculous, he thinks it does. Linda tells him to pull over, she wants out of the car. After she yells he stops the car. She takes off and tells him that he can have the money and the car. He tries to talk to her but as he gets close she backs off saying that if he has some weird disease, she doesn't want it. She scolds him that he never should have gotten involved in any of this. Kyle yells back that "Don't you think I know that?!?" She tells him that the money is under the front seat, Kyle is panicking. He starts wondering around asking himself how stupid he could be. A truck pulls up and Kyle yells for Linda to run. She is too slow to react and the guys have come out of the truck and catch them both.

The Palmers are being told that they have a plan. They have quarantined everyone inside two miles of ground zero, which was the mall. Nicole from health services has been in touch and says that they can lower the casualty estimates to between sixty and ninety thousand. Palmer shows some remorse but continues. He says that they are about to set off a chain of events that will create a panic. If anyone sees an option that he is overlooking he asks for someone to offer it up. No one speaks. Wayne comes in and tells David that he has Jack Bauer on the line; it is urgent and needs to be private. Palmer excuses himself from the others. 4:18

Jack asks if the phone is secure, Palmer confirms. Jack confides in Palmer that for what it's worth he agrees with Palmers actions today. Palmer gets to the point and says that Jack didn't call him for that. Jack says no, he has another option. An option what will protect the policy and stop the outbreak. Palmer asks what he would have to do and Jack says nothing. Palmer thinks the Salazar's will view that as non compliance but Jack says not if he gets his brother back. Jack says he would create a prison break and get Salazar out. Palmer says that is quite the plan, who would do it? Jack says he would, he knows the prison and has full access. Because of his background in insubordination no one would have a problem to believe that he switched sides. Palmer says that there has to be another way but Jack doesn't think so. If they release Salazar the damage would be catastrophic. Jack tells Palmer that he needs his okay on this. Palmer warns him that if he succeeds he would be an outlaw, he would not be able to grant him legal status and he would be a fugitive. Jack admits that this would be his last assignment. Palmer says that he doesn't know what to say. Jack says that 'if you don't say anything Mr. President I will accept that as a go for this mission.' Palmers' silence seals the agreement so Jack simply says 'good luck Mr President' and speeds out of the parking lot.
4:20
4:24
Anne tells someone in a cell phone that she wants information sent to her office, her eyes only. She sees Wayne with a briefcase and asks where he is going? Wayne excuses himself and says he has an appointment hat he is running late for. Anne wants to know who the appointment is with and Wayne responds it's government business. Anne catches on and asks if it is about her ex-husband but Wayne is not going to answer. He tells her curtly that he said id was government business.

Michelle is working away in her office and makes a call. She phones the hospital and identifies herself as Tony Almeida's wife, she asks if he is went into surgery yet. It is confirmed he has and she asks if they knew he was allergic to penicillin. They already know and she hangs up the phone. Chloe comes in and apologises to Michelle. She says that she didn't know Tony had been shot in the neck earlier and if she did she would have been more careful with her words. Michelle brushes her off and Chloe leaves. She promptly runs into Gael and tells him quickly that they need to be careful what they say around Michelle, she is really sensitive about Tony getting shot in the neck. Gaels cell phone starts to ring and Chloe questions him about it saying that she thought personal cell phones weren't allowed because they can't be monitored. He comes up with an excuse that she quickly accepts.

Gael answers the cell and it is Hector. He asks Gael about the second call which Gael made 20 minutes ago. Hector is getting anxious, he wants to know what they are waiting for and why they have not made a move to release his brother. Gael assures him he will be kept up to date.
Hector finds a gun box sitting slightly ajar and one of them missing from inside. He hears a noise and goes with his gun drawn, he comes across a child. Hector asks him if his sister knows he is here? The child says no. Hector asks him if he knew it was loaded? He is very angry at the child but he starts to calm down and offers it to the child. He says it is okay, he can take it, he calls him Sergio. The kid does. Hector asks him if he likes how it feels and if he wants to pull the trigger and hear the noise it makes. The child nods and is excited at the thought so Hector helps him. The go to the landing and point the gun down to the next floor where there is a vase. Hector coaches him telling him to line it up and squeeze the trigger very slowly. The kid does and hits the vase. He is very excited but the noise has brought Claudia out. She tells the kid to get out and takes the gun as she starts to yell at Hector saying that he is just a boy. Hector says he needs to become a man but Claudia says that he is not his father. Hector asks what she is going to do? Shoot him? He dares her to pull the trigger and he licks his finger and points at his forehead saying 'right here'. She looks and then suddenly turns away tossing the gun on the couch.

Kyle and Linda are dragged into a warehouse and tossed into a glass walled, sealed vault. The door is closed and the men that brought them there are hosed down by men with chemical suits on. The start to take their clothes off and get spayed down as Kyle and Linda watch in fear.
Anne knocks and Palmer tells her to come in. Anne says that they never really finished their conversation about what he was going to do about her ex. She says that she ran into Wayne a few minutes ago. She knows that he never rally liked her but she had a feeling that she wasn't able to shake. Palmer enquires about what kind of feeling. Anne answers that he is paying Ted to keep quiet. She asks what he is doing. He says that sometimes you have to do the wrong thing for the right reason. Palmer says he has to consider the political realities are he is going to stay in power. Anne tells him to 'tell himself that if it makes him feel better. Palmer assures her that it doesn't but in his past experiences he has learned that there are no absolutes, sometimes you have to make compromises. Anne says he in running scared encourages him to face Keeler's lie with the truth and trust the people to know the difference. Palmer doesn't think it's that easy but Anne reminds him that he's never been about what is easy, he's about what's right, that's not who the people elected to lead them, that is who she fell in love with. Palmer admits that he was trying to protect her from being in the medias crosshairs. Anne admits she's used to scrutiny but Palmer says not like this, it's worse than she can imagine. Anne says she can defend herself and leaves him there. Palmer thinks for a second and then makes a call to Wayne who is sitting in his car waiting. Palmer asks him if he has made contact yet and Wayne says no. Palmer tells him to simply walk away. Wayne doesn't believe it and asks if Anne talked to him. David doesn't answer and again tells him to walk away. Wayne backs up the car and meets up with Ted. They exchange looks and then Wayne takes off.

4:39
Michelle comes into the conference room and Gael says that he has talked to Chloe and Adam and if she wants to go to the hospital to be with Tony she can go. They try to convince her but she has an answer for everything. She tells them that she appreciates it but it just won't work. The others leave and Gael goes to Michelle. He agrees that they can't run CTU by team and he offers to take over. When he was at Langley he filled in for his bureau chief. Michelle asks if there was a bio threat and the president in town all in one day? The obvious answer is no so she thanks him for the offer.

Jack calls Kim who is trying to trace the origin of the phone call from Salazar. Jack asks her to generate a prisoner transfer document. He needs to move Ramon Salazar. She asks why but he just asks her to do it, he knows he can trust her. She walks him through the steps and gives her the code, *99, password, Lincoln 65 fga. She follows his orders and then announces that it is cycling, it will take a minute. Jack takes the opportunity to tell her that he knows she tried to come up to his office and talk about something important and he was not very supportive. He apologises and says that he knows he is overprotective. All of the things he has watched her go through over the past few years, he doesn't want to see her get hurt anymore. He is in a bit of pain again and Kim asks if he is okay. He says he is fine and Kim says that it means a lot to her and he tells her that he loves her. She says too that she loves him. Jack asks to speak to Chase and after a pause Kim tells him that Chase has gone to the prison. Jack says he will get back to Kim and then dialling again says 'son of a bitch.'

Chase is just punning into the prison as his phone rings. Jack asks what he is doing and tells him to get back to CTU. Chase asks sarcastically to do what, some filing, maybe some dusting needs to be done? Jack says no, to work with Michelle to find Kyle Singer. Chase says there are a bunch of IT people working on it already. He says that he knows he's mad about Kim but Chase is not going to let that stop him from doing his job. Jack reminds him that his job is to follow his orders. Chase doesn't think he is in any condition to give orders. Jack warns him not to go against him. Chase says that Jack knows he respects him but since he got back from Salazar he has been hiding from everyone at CTU and Kim that he is a junkie. Jack tries to say more but Chase hangs up, Jack yells and slams the phone into the dash.

Chase enters the prison and the warden calls him Agent Edmunds. Chase says he needs to see Salazar but the warden says he has been responsible for the killing of two people today, no one can see him. Chase lets the warden know they are dealing with a major terrorist threat, Jack and him have been coming there for three months two times a week. Chase needs to go one on one with him right now. The warden agrees, he is in solitary in 'b' block. They walk and Chase asks about cameras, he wants them off. Chase grabs a towel from a bin and assures the warden that there won't be any marks, he promises. Chase arrives at the cell and Salazar says he is a strong guy, huh? Chase just stares and wraps the towel around his fist. Salazar thinks he should be worried what will happen if he lays a finger on him and Salazar concludes that if Chase isn't worried then neither is he. Chase attacks Salazar landing a few punches and then holding him face first up against the glassed wall. He tells Salazar "Let me know when you start to worry."

4:50
Chase is still beating on Salazar and asks about Kyle Singer. Salazar told him that he doesn't know, Chase pressures as to who does. The door open from the other end and Jack yells 'Chase!, put him in his cell.' Chase tosses him aside and turns to Jack asking what he is doing here. Jack says that they have run out of options and that he was right, Salazar was their only hope. Chase starts like he is going to apologise 'what I said before,' Jack tells him to forget about it. Chase asks if they are okay and Jack says yeah, they're okay. He pats Chase below the ear and smiles. They turn back to Salazar and Chase says that he was harder to break then he thought but maybe if they go together. Jack asks about the cameras and Chase says they are all off. They head towards Salazar's cell, Chase in front, and Jack lands a punch in Chases back. From behind Jack grabs Chase and puts him in a somewhat soft choke hold until he stops struggling and is unconscious. Jack quickly turns around and checks his pulse. Salazar asks if Jack is going to kill him now. He answers that he'd love to but he can't. He tells Salazar that if he plays it cool he can get him out of here and in a couple of hours he will see his brother. Jack tells Ramon to grab Chases feet and they drag him into the cell. Jack instructs him to face the wall as jack gets out some zip-cord.

Wayne finds Anne waiting for the debate to start sitting in the stands alone. Wayne tells her that if David loses this debate it will be because of her. Anne brushes it off saying not likely but Wayne says that she doesn't know what she's talking about. David made the decision to pay and she changed his mind. Anne is sure that if it was the right decision in the first place he wouldn't have changed his mind. Wayne thinks she is just a distraction and a liability. Anne starts on Sherry but Wayne says that he is not going to defend Sherry, she went off the rails. But she stood by David and knew the game for more than 20 years. Anne says that she knows David and they disagree as they always have. Wayne threatens that he will not stand by and watch her jeopardize everything he has worked for. Anne says she does not scare easily.

Chase comes back into consciousness in Salazar's cell. He is gagged and bound and has been left on the bed. He catches his breath and realizes what is going on.

Jack and Salazar walk out of the block. Salazar turns to Jack and says that he can't believe that he sold out his country, it is not in his nature. Jack winces and tells him to shut up. Ramon says playfully that Jack doesn't look so good, that's the bitch. Jack turns to him and asks if he wants to get out of here, if he does then he needs to shut up. They have reached the gates and Jack is told that the warden wants to see him. Jack says fine and reminds Salazar not to move. The warned comes and says that the access codes that he gave to move Salazar don't match, they are the ones from yesterday. Jack says that he will have to do it retroactively. The warden assures Jack that he knows about the bomb threat, Agent Edmunds explained it to him. Jack uses that and says that's why they have to move Salazar. Jack says that they can't lose time over a small detail like that. The warden asks about Edmunds and Jack tells him that he is conducting a search of the prisoners cell. He will fix the paperwork when he is done. Kevin, the warden, finally agrees to let Jack go and tells him to pick up his badge and gun at receiving. Jack says he owes him

Chase is working away trying to cut the bonds on his hands loose. He is rubbing it on the edge of the sink but to little avail, his wrists are bleeding from the pressure. Kevin goes to the security room and asks them to turn on the cameras in isolation three. They do and they find the camera is pointed into the wrong direction. They head out to check the problem

Jack is picking up gun and badge and they unlock the box and present him with it, he just has to sign. Salazar waits patiently.

Kevin and his guards get to the cell block and find Chase still trying to get loose.

Jack is trying to seem casual with the guard and says that it is a hot day today.

Chases gag has been cut and he yells immediately that "whatever Bauer told you he's lying!" He tells the guard to 'come on!' as he cuts his bonds.

A guard enters and says that he's back on post. Before he can even finish the alarms sound and everything is getting locked down. Jack grabs his keys and knocks the guard out taking off from where the came from with Salazar. Jack finds a security room and pulls his gun on the guard telling him to open all the cellblocks. The guard stutters that he can't do it from there but Jack asks if it is worth losing his life over? The guard sits and thinks for a second; Jack holds the gun to the base of his neck. The man breathes in and starts opening the doors. Salazar watches with a small smile on his face. Throughout the prison the doors open and prisoners come wandering out. In one block they attack a guard. The other guards are preparing and Chase grabs a rifle and cocks it as he walks. Jack and Salazar set off into the rest of the prison
5:00

Miscellaneous Thoughts:
-Whatever health care system Tony is on, I want that! That was the fastest ambulance EVER that made it to the mall. We ticked off the top of the last hour and he was on the ground bleeding then in seconds he was on a stretcher.
-Did anyone else find it weird to hear Kim call her dad Jack?
-I loved the tension between Michelle and Kim while they were waiting to find out who had been shot. They just kind of exchanged looks and it was like 'well, your loved one or mine.'
-And then Adam with the phone in the same scene. When he said "It's Jack", if I was Kim or Michelle I would have taken that as 'Jack is the one that got shot, NOT Jack is on the phone. I saw Tony get shot and I thought Jack was shot...
-Also, he left the longest pause EVER. If it was in the script it would have looked like: "it's Jack………………………………….he wants to talk to you." Plenty of time to draw your own conclusions.
-Does Chloe have any background of social interaction? Was she raised in a dark room with no other people? Does she not see that there is something going on with Michelle and it was not the time to be asking some trivial question?
-I am very happy that Michelle stayed and didn't go to be with Tony. What if she had gone? I really liked Adam for stopping her.
-I thought it was kind of funny that the thugs drove a Chevy. I guess Ford probably had something to do with that.
-Okay, here's a question. How the heck to both Kyle AND the thugs get out of the mall? I know they took the back stairs etc but honestly…why did they even bother to cover the exits? AND what happened to the security guards? How do they let a guy with a gun that shot a federal agent get away? Are these people good for anything? Maybe I will take the ones at my local mall over the high tech ones…at least everyone knows they're useless!
-To add to this, if they are quarantining everyone within a 2 mile radius of the mall because of the virus what's to say someone else didn't get out?
-I get the impression that Chase is the emotional character of the season. Last year it was Tony. It's not outright emotion but the sort of 'just under the surface sensitive' guy.
-Palmer's little bit of ego showed throughout last season and here it is again, "I decided". I guess he's allowed somewhat of an ego but I just didn't see it in the first season…although he wasn't the leader of the most powerful country in the world then, either.
-It's always someone that doesn't like Palmers woman. Last year it was Lynn, this year Wayne.
-On an aside, what ever happened to Lynn anyway?
-I have to say that I love Palmer's foresight. To let the virus get out now would be crazy so it would be easy to allow Salazar to go free. The thing is in the long run letting the virus out probably would be for the better because there would just be more and more threats. I don't think I could allow it though…
-Kyle is such a good kid. I felt really bad for him watching him freak out in the car and with Linda.
-I love how Palmer asks if anyone sees another solution to this problem and then Jack calls him right then. Good timing.
-Why does Jack have this incredible preoccupation with sacrificing himself? Can't someone else do it?
-This last assignment stuff is pretty scary - but I'm sure Jack will get out of it.
-Line of the week contender: Jack to Palmer 'if you don't say anything Mr. President I will accept that as a go for this mission.'
-Worst line of the week: Anne to Wayne: 'Tell yourself that if it makes you feel better.' This is a recycled line if I've ever seen one…Mason said this exact phrase ton Tony in the beginning of season 2 while the whole Paula thing was happening. Don't their writers get paid enough or something?
-Wayne is good mean - maybe he should have been cast as a bad guy. I loved how he told Anne about his government business.
-I'd really have to say that Michelle has it more together than Jack at this point. At least she is still inside of the law. In fact, I'm proud of how she is holding up…especially after her near fall-apart last year.
-Could Chloe say 'shot in the neck' a FEW more times? Because I'm really not sure.
-I think Michelle has a reason to be upset and sensitive about her new husband getting shot and I don't think Chloe should be saying anything about it - but that's just me.
-Again I ask - What is Chloe's deal?
-The personal cell phone rule must be a new one after everything that happened with Nina and Jamey in season one. Too bad Chloe didn't say anything about it.
-Either that kid that Hector was with is genetically a great shot or Hector is a good teacher. Look out Jack Bauer, here comes a good one!
-So, where is the boys father? Will he get involved in this?
-and I will just reiterate that it is a good thing Michelle didn't go to be with Tony. Really there's not much she can do anyway except wait.
-I was really glad to see that Jack had a change of heart and that he was supportive of Kim. I guess that was kind of an unofficial goodbye and let her know that he feels Chase can protect her and do the stuff he does.
-After Jack finished talking to Kim I expect there was an apology for Chase coming. It was too bad that he had already gone against Jack's orders. He may have even been put in the loop about Jacks insane plan. Instead he got tied up.
-How do Jack and Chase have electronics that work? They both are slamming around their stuff all the time! I can hardly get my electronics to work when I am nice to them!
-I wonder if Chases respect for Jack will come into play next week?
-I felt really bad for Jack. It was obvious that he didn't want to hurt Chase. If he had followed orders then he wouldn't have been in that position anyway but still…
-Salazar is so smug about everything! If I was looking at Chase about to beat the hell out of me I think I'd be a tidge worried.
-I laughed when I saw Chase shove Ramon against the glass like that. His little squished up nose was pretty funny.
-I also got a kick out of it when Chase literally threw Salazar back into his cell and the little 'ow' that followed from Ramon.
-And again Sherry takes a figurative beating at the hands of someone on Palmers staff.
-Line of the Week contender: Jack of Chase, 'he's conducting a search of the prisoners cell.' Search indeed
-I think Chase is a wee bit determined to stop Jack from getting away with Salazar - that was a lot of blood. How would he ever think that that sink would be sharp enough to cut that plastic - that stuff is big time strong, in some places they use that instead of cuffs.
-Ramon has a pretty good read on Jack, especially the selling out his country stuff. We all know that and even Ramon does, how could anyone believe that Jack is actually doing this?
-Did you see the preview for next week? Holy cow!