"24" "8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M." ACT ONE FADE IN: EXT. LA FREEWAY In the darkness, ROWS OF HEADLIGHTS reveal that traffic is nearly at a stand-still. INT. JACK'S SUV JACK and KATE sit in silence, gazing out at long rows of cars. A convoy of CTU vehicles idles behind them. The tension is thick. KATE The traffic should have broken up by now. (beat) There must have been an accident. Jack looks grim. Before he can reply, his cell phone rings. JACK (into the phone) Tony! What's the situation? INTERCUT: INT. CTU TONY We're looking at a five-car collision with two lanes closed for the next three miles. Your nearest exit -- JACK (frustrated) Is Sepulveda in three-and-a-half miles. Dammit. TONY Look, we're working as fast as we can, all right? The highway patrol expects things to clear up in a half-hour. JACK Can they arrange safe passage for us along the shoulder? TONY Jack, police cars and accident vehicles are parked along the shoulder. Debris is spread across all highway lanes. There's no way you'll get through. JACK Every minute we lose means the bomb could leave Norton Airfield before we arrive. Find a way. He shuts off his phone. INT. CTU Frustrated and angry, Tony hangs up as well. MASON stands just behind him, having overheard. MASON He won't make it. Will he? Tony doesn't want to think about that. TONY I'll phone the L.A.P.D. He dials the number as Mason considers the next step. INT. JACK'S SUV Jack SURVEYS the landscape. Wall-to-wall cars, a guard rail separating the shoulder from a plunge into the darkness of a CANYON. Up ahead, there are STREET LIGHTS, indicating that the point from the freeway to the bottom of the slope will become less steep. JACK (to Kate) We need to talk strategy. What you'll say when you see your sister. KATE God, I can't even think about that. I can't believe Marie would be working with terrorists. JACK Her link with Syed Ali could be our only hope. Kate mulls this over, but another thing troubles her. KATE Jack? What will you do if it turns out she is involved with the bomb? Jack PAUSES for a beat. JACK If we stop it in time, she could be granted leniency if she agrees to name the other conspirators. But it's not a guarantee. Kate takes cold comfort in this. KATE Just don't be too hard on her. She's young, and confused. I'm sure if she knew what she was doing... Jack glances at her, notes the obvious concern in Kate's voice. JACK (trace of warmth) We'll take every precaution. I promise. EXT. CABIN KIM follows LONNIE MCRAE up to a clearing with a protective metal gate. Beyond it sits a neat two-story cabin. Kim eyes the gate with unease. MCRAE (understanding) It's to keep the cougars out. And looters. You never know what these woods will bring. Kim nods. McRae seems friendly enough, but she still keeps her distance. McRae unfastens the lock and slides the gate open. MCRAE Come on. Kim hesitates, then follows him through. INT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS Kim and McRae enter through a sliding door. The living room is small and plain, with a doorway leading to the other rooms. Its only furniture is a television surrounded by a couch, a couple of chairs, and glass end tables. KIM This is nice... She looks at the walls, which are covered with maps from all over the world and pictures of McRae on various team sports. KIM (re: maps) Have you been to all these places? MCRAE Some, when I was in the army. KIM The army? Is that where you got your tatoo? She gestures at his WRIST. McRae glances at it. MCRAE You could say. (beat) Come on, sit down. Make yourself at home. Kim stiffens and looks at him with uncertainty. McRae grins in response. MCRAE (CONT'D) Sheesh, you're worse than my ex girlfriend. She was always so nervous. KIM Really? (sliver of fear) What happened to her? MCRAE Oh, she's long gone now. KIM Gone? MCRAE In South Carolina. R.O.T.C. training. KIM (relieved) Oh. She finally sits on the edge of the couch. MCRAE I'm not gonna hurt you, don't worry. Or is it me who should be worried? KIM What do you mean? MCRAE About a girl who runs from a car accident and won't go to the police? KIM (startled) I would never hurt anyone, I swear. McRae stares at her just a little too long. MCRAE Good to know. INT. O.C. - HOLDING ROOM PALMER stands just outside, watching the torture of STANTON. At last he gives the signal for AGENT SIMMONS to cease, and walks in. He and Stanton lock gazes. PALMER (softly) Are you ready to talk? Stanton looks as though he desperately wants to give in, but holds firm. STANTON (whisper) I have nothing to tell. Palmer SIGHS. He starts to give the signal to continue, then stops. PALMER We both know that's not true. Silence. Palmer comes closer, and gives Stanton an almost intimate, brotherly look. PALMER (CONT'D) Did you know about the bomb? Silence. PALMER (CONT'D) Just tell me the truth, and all this ends. Silence. PALMER (CONT'D) (almost pleading) Why do you make me do this to you? Stanton's gaze HARDENS. STANTON It's you who have the power to stop this, not me. Palmer waits, hoping he will say more. When Stanton reverts back to silence, he finally pulls away and gives Simmons the signal to continue. INT. NORTON AIRFIELD - HANGAR MD6 MARIE, OMAR, and a third TERRORIST prepare the nuclear bomb for storage in a nearby PROP PLANE. OMAR (to Marie, in Arabic) You are ready? For what we have to face? MARIE (in Arabic) Yes. OMAR You're brave, then. You do yourself and our cause proud. Marie smiles faintly. OMAR (CONT'D) We still face plenty of risk. It will take some time to load the bomb into the cargo hold. MARIE What sort of risk? OMAR Of being discovered, for one. MARIE But no one knows we're here, right? OMAR (pointed) Does no one know? Marie looks uncomfortable, recalling her brief phone call with Kate. But still: MARIE I didn't tell anyone except Ali where I was headed. OMAR That's good. But just in case, I've had help setting up a number of traps for those who get too nosy. MARIE Help? I thought it was just us. OMAR When I arrived here, I met a group of men from my country. They said they supported Ali, told me things only he would know. He must have sent them for back-up. MARIE (confused) So I'm no longer needed, then? Omar smiles. OMAR No, you are still very much needed. EXT. LA FREEWAY The traffic is no closer to clearing. INT. JACK'S SUV Jack surveys the landscape again. He is now a quarter-mile from the point where the guard rail disappears and the slope becomes less steep. Jack's mind races as he plans the next step. His eyes grow focused. JACK Kate, forgive me for what I'm about to do. KATE What? JACK Just trust me. Jack veers the SUV onto the shoulder and hits the accelerator. KATE (worried) Jack? What are you doing? (beat) Jack! The SUV speeds down the narrow shoulder to gain momentum, inches from the guard rail and the idling cars on either side. Kate is locked in place, frightened. Straight ahead is a tall object... quickly revealed to be a STRANDED MOTORIST at a CALL BOX. Jack tries to avoid him, but he can't turn around and is driving too fast. KATE Jack, you have to stop! The motorist sees Jack and spreads against the wall just in time to avoid being hit. The shoulder narrows and the SUV scrapes against an idling car. Jack struggles to maintain control. Then, Kate gets a look of HORROR as he makes a sudden, sharp TURN to the right. The SUV plunges over the freeway's edge and descends downhill in total darkness, only the shaky beams of the headlights and the sounds of earth being torn up to indicate where it is headed. FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE ACT TWO FADE IN: EXT. BOULEVARD Several HUMMERS, carrying FIELD AGENTS from CTU, race toward Norton Airfield. INT. CTU Tony talks with AGENT STEINBECK, head of the assault team, giving him the what's what. Mason stands by, watching. TONY (over the phone) Michelle just gave the go-ahead. Traffic should be clear all the way to Norton Airfield. INTERCUT: INT. HUMMER STEINBECK Has the location been confirmed? TONY No, Murdoch is still working on the tail number, and we've heard nothing from Division or NSA up in Oregon. For now, Syed Ali's word is all we have to go on. STEINBECK Has he told you where they're planning to fly the bomb? TONY (grim) They're taking it over downtown, then detonating it. Mason starts to COUGH loudly. His hands tremble and his face looks pale. TONY (CONT'D) Steinbeck, we're putting you in charge of coordinating the search and seizure. STEINBECK What about Agent Bauer? TONY Jack Bauer is unavailable. He frowns at Mason. TONY (CONT'D) We'll alert the other teams prior to your arrival. STEINBECK Got it. The call ends. Mason walks over to Tony. MASON Jack did a good job for us when we needed him, Tony. But he's fallen off course. I did what I had to do. TONY But what if Jack knows something we don't? MASON Anything he learned back at the mosque he'd better damn well have told us. TONY We don't have any intelligence on where Ali's men are hiding. They could be anywhere at that airport. MASON (irritated) And if you continue to question my judgment... TONY You don't look well, George. MASON I don't feel well, either. But as long as I can think rationally, I can still run things here. They look at each other coldly for a moment. MASON (CONT'D) I wanted to reach Jack, but he's out of range. TONY Since when? MASON Since now. You try it. Tony hesitates, then dials. He listens, hears the signal break up. EXT. CANYON - CONTINUOUS Jack's SUV has come to a stop. It is silent, two lone, crooked headlight beams indicating that it rests on uneven turf. INT. CTU - CONTINUOUS Tony listens, shakes his head. Mason looks concerned. MASON I don't know what happened, but we've got no choice but to go on without him. Off this... EXT. CANYON The SUV. INT. JACK'S SUV Dark and silent. Suddenly, Jack shifts violently. He moves to turn on the interior light and check on Kate, who is physically unharmed but in shock. JACK Kate? He reaches over, shakes her shoulder. JACK (CONT'D) (urgent) Kate, talk to me. He now holds her by both shoulders. JACK (CONT'D) Answer me! Are you all right?! Kate comes to, her face awash in RAGE. KATE Get away from me! JACK Kate, I had to -- KATE "Had to" what? Get us killed?! JACK We were never going to reach the bomb in time as long as we stayed there. KATE You were just going to run over that man, weren't you? JACK Kate... KATE You were so determined to get moving, you didn't care who got in your way! You didn't care what this stupid detour could do to me or even to you! Quietly, Jack starts the car up again. After some initial stalling, the engine roars to life. JACK I did what I had to do. KATE What you "had to do"? (angry, suspicious) Who are you? What kind of a man whose job it is to save millions cares so little about individual lives? JACK One who knows that for the greater good, individual needs have to be put aside. He is referring to his own needs, but Kate does not realize this. KATE What the hell will you do with my sister? Jack speeds up and heads for a boulevard. KATE (CONT'D) Will you kill her? (beat) Answer me, damn it! Jack reaches for his cell phone, dials CTU. INT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM Kim sits on the couch, watching an episode of "The Facts of Life," in progress. She turns, with concern, toward the ENTRY WAY leading to the rest of the downstairs as McRae appears. He looks WOOZY, but otherwise fine. KIM Are you okay? MCRAE Yeah, yeah. Sorry you had to see me get sick like that. KIM Do you need any help? McRae collapses into a chair. MCRAE No, it's okay. Nothing but a little Gulf War Syndrome acting up. KIM (disquieted) How did you get that? MCRAE How else? I inhaled some chemicals while I was over there. This worries Kim all over again, thinking about fallout from the nuclear bomb. MCRAE (CONT'D) (near whisper) So stupid. I was supposed to pick up my new prescription today and I forgot. He looks more ill. Kim is concerned. KIM Will that be a problem? If you want, we can -- MCRAE (curt) You ask a lot of questions. You know that? He focuses his attention on the TV. Kim is cowed by his sudden chilliness. MCRAE (CONT'D) But you don't answer any. KIM What do you mean? MCRAE You like this show? KIM (awkward) It's what was on. MCRAE You take the good, you take the bad... At "bad" he looks at Kim in a way that creeps her out. MCRAE You left a car accident? Alone. No friends with you? KIM That's right. MCRAE You sure. KIM What, you think I'm lying? MCRAE No, I don't think so. 'Course if you were, I'd never know, would I? KIM (growing unease) I'm not lying. I swear to you. MCRAE For your sake, I'd better hope not. Because I've met some liars in my time... and let's just say it hasn't ended too well. Off Kim's reaction... EXT. BOULEVARD Jack is speeding along, talking to Tony on his cell phone. Kate is slumped over in her seat, exhausted. JACK Have Steinbeck and the other agents coordinated a plan? INTERCUT: INT. CTU TONY We're working on getting them that tail number. No word from Division, nor from NSA. JACK Put me through to Steinbeck, Tony. TONY To do what, Jack? JACK I've got someone with me who can lead us to the bomb quickly and with minimal risk of casualties. TONY Forget it. The other teams are arriving at Norton and have strict instructions upon arrival. Show up late and not only do you jeopardize the mission, you put yourself in danger. JACK Tony, I was assigned to this mission by the President himself. Not one of those men has half of my knowledge. TONY Maybe you should have thought of that before you went on your detour. JACK Just put me through to Agent Steinbeck. TONY Jack, it's no good. Just turn around and head back to CTU. The SUV engine starts to SPUTTER and lights on the dashboard FLASH. Jack turns off his cell and pulls over to the curb. He climbs out and inspects the side. Two FLAT TIRES and significant damage to the body. JACK Jesus... He goes around the front and lifts the hood. ON KATE She comes to life, and looks around at a surrounding neighborhood that is practically deserted. The store fronts are all shuttered or abandoned. Kate lays a hand on the door handle. ON JACK He inspects the engine, which pours out steam. With disgust, he heads toward the rear. As he passes the driver's side, he sees Kate positioned near the door and senses what's up. JACK Thinking of taking off? Kate stiffens up. KATE I just need some air. All right? JACK Fine, but don't go too far. This shouldn't take long. He walks over to the back of the car. ON KATE She climbs out and closes the door softly, then walks around the front of the car. She stands there, near tears, wanting to forget this entire day. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING POINT The field agents and a fleet HUMMERS and EQUIPMENT VEHICLES have gathered at the far edge of the airport. Steinbeck addresses the group. STEINBECK All right. Teams One and Two will use their vehicles to blockade all runways and exits. Three will stay with me and conduct a sweep of the hangars. The agents nod and several climb into their Hummers. STEINBECK (CONT'D) (to the rest) Keep your eyes open and avoid too much exposure. These people are dangerous so if you see anyone unfamiliar, shoot if they disobey your orders. Find anything at all, report back to me. Agents from the third team cock their ASSAULT RIFLES. Steinbeck gestures for them to follow as he heads toward the hangars. He phones CTU. INT. CTU Tony picks up. TONY Almeida. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD STEINBECK Tony, it's Steinbeck. We've begun sweep maneuvers and -- The rest of his sentence is drowned out by an EXPLOSION and a CRY. BEHIND STEINBECK One of the agents FLIES BACKWARD, covered in FLAMES. He lands on the ground hard. TONY (O.C.) What is it? What's wrong? The rest of his team gathers quickly to put out the fire. TONY (O.C.) Steinbeck, what happened? Shaky, Steinbeck brings himself to the phone. STEINBECK They know we're here. EXT. BOULEVARD ON JACK Who crouches behind the SUV, checking the underbody. Suddenly -- TEEN #1 (O.S.) (pretend friendly) What's the matter, honey? You had an accident? Jack stands up slowly to find KATE standing against the side of the car. Two hardened-looking TEENS, one carrying a CROWBAR, head toward her. TEEN #2 We can help you, you know. KATE No... that's all right. TEEN #1 Come on, let us help you. Kate tries to move away, but the teenagers surround her quickly and have her pinned. Kate desperately looks toward the back of the SUV. ON JACK JACK Freeze! He steps out into the open, carrying a loaded ASSAULT RIFLE. JACK Just back away slowly. The teens pause. Then the one with the crowbar makes a move, and Jack FIRES. The crowbar jolts loose and falls to the ground with a CLATTER. Fear-stricken, the teens look at Jack, and back away. Jack keeps his gun trained on them. JACK Kate, come to me. She does so quickly, as grateful to him now as she was angry earlier. Jack makes sure she's behind him, then glances down at the dented bumper. Thinks. JACK You kids like to steal? The teens don't speak. Jack COCKS his gun. The teens nod. JACK (CONT'D) You steal hubcaps? Tires? Hotwire cars? The teens nod. JACK (CONT'D) Good. You'll fix mine. (beat) Take it someplace safe where my friend and I can have shelter. I'll require a separate area to do my work. Any attempt to harm me or this woman will result in you being shot and placed under immediate arrest. Is that clear? A beat, then the teens nod numbly. Kate stares at Jack with disbelief. Jack signals for them to move. FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO ACT THREE FADE IN: INT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM Kim and McRae sit and watch television. Canned laughter reveals that they are still watching "The Facts of Life." McRae stares moodily at the screen, then at Kim. MCRAE Hell, look, I'm sorry if I bothered you earlier. KIM (wary) It's okay. MCRAE I'm so used to living alone, I forget how to act around people sometimes. He massages his temples. Kim watches him out of the corner of her eye, before STANDING up. KIM You know I was thinking: I'm feeling a little better now, and it would be no problem for me to just head on my way. If it's all right. McRae doesn't respond. Kim takes a few steps toward the door... when suddenly he stands up and moves to stop her. MCRAE Forget it. KIM Wait -- MCRAE You don't think I know what you're doing? You'll just wait outside, then burst back in and kill me the way you killed your friends? KIM (gasps) What? MCRAE You think I'm stupid? KIM No, of course not -- MCRAE You're staying here. Right here. Until I call the police. KIM Wait, no, Lonnie. You don't understand. I just need to get to my aunt's! MCRAE Don't lie to me! He SHOVES her down roughly onto the couch. KIM Lonnie, I would never hurt you, I swear! MCRAE Forget it! You're not leaving me! KIM (tries to stay calm) I don't know what's wrong. Maybe it's because you're feeling sick, but you're not acting like you were before. I think you need help. MCRAE You're not getting out of this. You're not leaving me again! KIM (now really stunned) What? McRae doesn't speak. With one arm he restrains Kim, while with the other he unfastens his belt. INT. GARAGE Jack's SUV now sits inside a joint garage/teenage lair, filled with stolen car parts and electronics. In one corner sits a couch and a couple of bean bags, and an OFFICE with a glass window. Kate is on the couch, while Jack stands and watches the teens work, his gun raised. Suddenly his cell rings. JACK Bauer here. INTERCUT: INT. CTU MASON Did you know about this? JACK About what? MASON Explosives at Norton Airfield. Jack glances at Kate, then heads into the office and shuts the door. JACK (troubled) How many? MASON We've lost two of our men already. Beyond that, there's no telling. JACK Ali never mentioned this. MICHELLE (to Mason) I'm cross-referencing their description of the explosive traces with what we have in our data files. The only one that matches is a Barracuda. MASON So what about it? MICHELLE Barracudas are rare and virtually undetectable by weapons scanners. TONY They fetch a huge price on the black market, don't they? MICHELLE And they usually come in clusters. There's never just one or two lying around. JACK Like landmines with a nastier punch. MASON So you're telling me we've sent our teams blind into a potential fire storm? MICHELLE (nods) Until we can find some other way to detect them. TONY How the hell could Ali's guys have planted explosives without being detected by airport personnel? MICHELLE Maybe some of them were involved. JACK Are you so sure they're Second Wave? MASON Bauer's right, we don't know. Tell our teams to hold off until we learn more. JACK You do that, George, you just play into their hands. They want to slow us down. I've been in landmine situations before and this can't be that different. Mason PAUSES. MASON (concedes) All right, Jack. I'll put you through to Steinbeck. He turns to Michelle and Tony. MASON (CONT'D) We need Ali brought over and debriefed. If these explosives belong to Second Wave, that means their operation is far bigger than we feared. INT. O.C. - HOLDING ROOM Palmer returns. This time he waves Simmons off and gets right in Stanton's face. PALMER What do you know about explosives planted at Norton Airfield? STANTON (dazed) Explosives? PALMER Barracudas. I just learned that CTU found three and as a result some of their agents' lives are in jeopardy STANTON I don't... know what you're talking about. PALMER Come off it, Roger! CTU is questioning Syed Ali further, but I know you're involved! What do you know about them?! Briefly, Stanton shows a glimmer of recognition. STANTON I swear I don't have a damned clue what you're talking about. PALMER Who is it, Roger?! Was it Colonel Samuels? STANTON You can keep me here for as long as you want, but I won't tell you about any new weapons. I can't tell you about something I don't know! Palmer steps back, looking ashamed for losing his cool. PALMER Fine, then. You'll just have the blood of millions on your hands. He walks away. Stanton looks worried. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING PLACE Steinbeck talks to Jack while he and the others zip into FLAME-RETARDANT SUITS. STEINBECK Right now we've got every exit blocked on the schematics. INTERCUT: INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE JACK Schematics aren't always accurate. Have your men check for any hidden tunnels. STEINBECK I'm on it. JACK What about explosives? Any more since you contacted CTU? Steinbeck looks at a wounded agent in the background being attended to by MEDICS. STEINBECK (frustrated) Two more men are down. No fatalities, but definitely some second, third-degree burns. JACK Did the explosives seem more concentrated in certain areas than others? STEINBECK Around the hangars. That doesn't exactly narrow it down. JACK Mason arranged for back-up. They'll have more specialized equipment, but since these explosives are a mystery, it may not be not be what you need. STEINBECK How long will it take? JACK Maybe an hour. Beat. STEINBECK Let them come, but I don't think we can wait. We need to go after the bomb now. JACK That's what I figured. INT. CTU - INTERROGATION ROOM SYED ALI sits at the table in HAND-CUFFS, broken but still defiant. AGENT LUCAS sit across from him while Mason INTERROGATES. MASON I'm asking you again, Ali. Where did you get the explosives? Silence. Mason comes right up to him. MASON (CONT'D) You could answer. Or we could make things difficult. Beat. ALI I do not know of any explosives. INT. CTU - CONTINUOUS Michelle and Tony work on securing data. Mason joins them. MASON He denies Second Wave's involvement. TONY Should we believe him? MICHELLE He thinks we murdered his family. He could say anything. MASON (weary) Whether or not we do, we're looking at two dangerous possibilities. If he is involved, it'll be harder for our teams to stop his men from smuggling out the nuke, or from any other deadly attack. MICHELLE And if it's not Second Wave... we don't know who they're working for, or where their loyalty lies. TONY Their agenda could go far beyond nuking Los Angeles. At the thought, a chilling silence hangs between them. Mason struggles to keep them in the now. MASON Any luck on bomb detection? MICHELLE No. The Barracuda is body heat sensitive. The closer anyone gets to it, the more likely it is to go off, and by then it's too late. MASON There has to be another way. MICHELLE I'm accessing more data files right now. Mason COUGHS brutally. Michelle and Tony look on with concern. INT. GARAGE Kate is still on the couch, trying not to notice the leers the teens send her way. Just then, Jack comes over. JACK Looks like the car should be ready to go soon. Kate nods. JACK (CONT'D) Kate, I know it's too late to say so, but I'm sorry for everything I've put you through tonight. KATE (overwhelmed) You CTU agents don't hesitate to pull out all the stops, do you? JACK When we have no other choice, no. Kate now looks at him, as though she's looking through him. KATE Why do I find that hard to believe? The way you tortured Syed Ali, your behavior on the freeway. Even your treatment of those two guys -- JACK I'm not always proud of the things I have to do. KATE You acted like you enjoyed it. An uncomfortable beat. JACK If I take the gentle approach, I risk not getting what I need when I need it. Understand? KATE So why even apologize to me? Aren't I something you "need"? JACK I'm apologizing because you're here. They're not. Kate seems to take small comfort in this. KATE But do you even care about any of the people you're trying to save? JACK Some of them. He looks at Kate, then looks away, pained, remembering his own personal loss. JACK (CONT'D) But not as much as I used to. INT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM Kim sits on the couch, her arms bound in back of her by McRae's belt. Her ankles are bound as well. McRae walks over to her from the next room. MCRAE I've called the police. They should be here any minute now. So if you thought you could get away with something, you're out of luck. KIM (softly) No Lonnie, you didn't call the police. You just walked into the next room and came back. MCRAE Are you calling me a liar? KIM No... Lonnie, something's wrong. Please, let me help you. MCRAE It's not me. It's never been me. It's always been you! He GRABS Kim by the shoulders and starts shaking her. KIM (teary, teeth gritted) Please... McRae's hands suddenly move downward, and Kim jerks violently. MCRAE You said you loved me. You said you understood my problem, that you'd stay with me... KIM Stop! MCRAE But you left me! I won't let it happen again! He physically throws his weight over her in a way that is both self-protective and sexual. KIM I'm not your ex-girlfriend! She struggles against him, but McRae is strong. Suddenly some strength within Kim rises and she jerks so hard that he STUMBLES to the floor. McRae tries to stand, but before he can do so, Kim stumbles over to him and places her restrained wrists around his neck like a NOOSE. KIM (CONT'D) ...and I'm not my mom. McRae gags and jerks around, taking Kim with him. Finally he lurches forward and stumbles against a GLASS END TABLE, which shatters. One of the jagged edges SLICES into his neck. Horrified, Kim works to undo the restraints, but it's too late. Sputtering BLOOD, McRae collapses to the floor. FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE ACT FOUR FADE IN: INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE Jack is on the phone to Steinbeck. JACK Is your team assembled? INTERCUT: EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING POINT The third team has regrouped around Steinbeck. STEINBECK We're all here. JACK Good. Divide them into sub-units of two or three, with a comm leader for each. INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE Jack looks out the window at the teens fixing his car, focusing in on the front WHEEL. He then looks down at a piece of PAPER on the DESK in front of him, on which he's drawn a wheel-patterned DIAGRAM. JACK (CONT'D) Then have half of them spread out so they evenly circle the hangars. From there they'll move in simultaneously toward a central point in the schematics. This way, if they meet any bombs, they'll clear them before the B sub-units move in to inspect the hangars, plus catch the suspects if they try to flee. Understood? EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING POINT Steinbeck looks at the men solemnly, aware of the risks. STEINBECK Understood. JACK Good luck. INT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM Kim has fallen to her knees beside McRae. His eyes are open and his face is very pale. Slight twitching indicates that he is not completely gone, and Kim quickly undoes her leg restraints and presses them against the wound. KIM Oh God... The restraints turn dark red. Kim looks for something else to stop the bleeding. KIM (near tears) Someone help me, please... EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING POINT The assault team A sub-units jog out to their locations, radios active and ready. STEINBECK (O.C.) When I give the signal, you will start moving. When you reach your destination, contact me. Do not, I repeat, do not under any circumstances go off course. The agents tense in readiness. STEINBECK (O.C.) Go! Go! At once the sub-units are on the move. Almost immediately one meets an EXPLOSIVE. The other members of his team keep moving. Then, another EXPLOSION lights up the air. ON STEINBECK TENSE as he stands with the B sub-units. STEINBECK (into his radio) Keep moving! INT. NORTON AIRFIELD - HANGAR MD6 Omar and Marie look rattled by the sounds outside. MARIE (in Arabic) I can't tell where they are. OMAR (in Arabic) Nor can I, but it sounds like they're coming closer. INT. GARAGE Jack rushes back over to Kate, apologetic. JACK Kate, I should have told you this sooner, but there's been a change of plans. KATE What is it? JACK Norton Airfield is too dangerous. We're working on securing the situation, but for now I can't let you come with me. KATE Why not? Jack, what's wrong? JACK Multiple explosives have been found at the airport. KATE Oh my God... Marie, is she okay? JACK We don't know of any victims besides CTU agents. (beat) Kate, is it possible Marie knows anything about putting together explosives? KATE What? No! Of course not! JACK I didn't think she did. I was just covering all possibilities. KATE How long will it take to locate the explosives? JACK Unfortunately it's already too late. Kate STANDS, looking ILL. KATE Could I... I have to... JACK Where are you going? KATE I just need to use the restroom. I'll be right back. JACK Of course. Kate walks away, shaky. Jack watches after her with concern. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD ON ONE A SUB-UNIT reaching the side of one hangar. AGENT BROWN, the leader grabs his radio. BROWN Steinbeck! It's Brown! All clear! INT. NORTON AIRFIELD - HANGAR MD6 Marie and Omar continue to listen to the activity outside. MARIE (in Arabic) Where did your friends plant the explosives? What if those men get past them? OMAR (in Arabic) I don't know! I didn't help set them up. MARIE Get the plane ready. I'm going to distract them. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CONTINUOUS Marie runs out into the open. She spies the sub-unit in the near distance. They see her, too, and raise their guns. BROWN Freeze! Marie runs in the opposite direction from the way she came, and after firing off a couple of rounds, the agents chase after her. One meets an EXPLOSION and is thrown against a hangar wall. The other agents crouch down to avoid debris. Marie pauses to look behind her, and for one moment, a flicker of remorse crosses her face. Through the heat waves and smoke, AGENT WILKENSEN spies her running. He whips out his radio. WILKENSEN Steinbeck! Do you read me?! Bardini is down and I think we're close to the bomb! INT. GARAGE - BATHROOM Kate stands over the sink and splashes water onto her face. She looks at herself for a long time in the mirror. Her eyes are rimmed with dark circles and her skin is pale. Slowly she walks outside. INT. GARAGE - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS She starts back toward the main garage, when she notices a wall PAY PHONE. She tests it to see if it works before removing a CALLING CARD from her pocket. After checking to make sure no one is in ear shot, she dials. A few rings, then... KATE (tired, anxious) Thank God you picked up. Are you all right? I haven't heard from you all day. INTERCUT: INT. DARKENED ROOM The person on the other end is in shadow, so his or her identity is hidden. One thing's for certain, this is not Marie, nor Kate's father. VOICE How did you track me down? KATE One of our guys gave me your number yesterday. By luck I had a moment to call. VOICE (suspicious) They're probably watching you. KATE They think I don't know anything. (beat) Are you safe? The silhouetted person looks at BARS on the windows. VOICE As safe as I'll ever be. KATE (hushed tone) Syed Ali's men have taken control of the bomb. VOICE How? KATE I'm not sure. I suspected Reza, so I had him checked out. Then Ali and his men kidnapped and tortured me. VOICE If he takes the bomb, Hassed's plans will be ruined, and so will ours. KATE (quiet) I know. (beat) It sounds as though our guys have been trying to intercept them at Norton Airfield. VOICE Were you able to communicate with them? KATE No. God, none of this is going the way I wanted. I found out Marie is involved with Ali. VOICE Your sister? KATE (hint of bitterness) Couldn't let me have just one thing for myself. Little sis had to take up my line of work. VOICE You spoke to her? KATE Yes, but I lost contact. If anything happens to her, I don't know what I'll do. Dammit, she was never supposed to know... INT. CTU Michelle shows Mason her latest findings. MICHELLE I've accessed military records and it appears the most effective way of locating Barracudas is by using a prolonged high-pitched frequency, like a dog whistle. Our teams should have the comm equipment to produce such a sound. MASON And that'll deactivate the explosives? MICHELLE No, but they'll start blinking and leave a ten-second window open before exploding. Tony comes over to them. TONY Steinbeck's on the line: he thinks he knows where the bomb is. MASON He's sure? TONY Said a suspicious woman tried to lure some of the agents away. INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE Jack watches the teens fix his car awaits news. He glances in the direction Kate disappeared to. His cell rings. JACK Yeah? INTERCUT: EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING POINT STEINBECK Jack. I just spoke to Tony and he told us we could activate the explosives with a high-pitched frequency. JACK And you'll see them in time? STEINBECK Right before they detonate. JACK I'd hold off. You're already closing in on the bomb, changing tactics now could leave you vulnerable. STEINBECK If we detonate all the Barracudas now, we'll have clearer access. JACK And what if that's what they're counting on? You don't know how many explosives they've planted, whether the whole airport could blow. STEINBECK (impatient) We're losing a lot of men out here, Jack. JACK What if one of those explosives is close to the bomb? These people are willing to die for their cause - if the bomb goes off, they'll still do enough damage to meet their goal! STEINBECK And if we stand here waiting, they could do it anyway. JACK Steinbeck -- STEINBECK Sorry, Jack. I'm overruling you on this one. JACK Steinbeck! Steinbeck turns off his phone and contacts the other agents. STEINBECK All teams retreat back to the starting point. INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE Angry, Jack dials CTU. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING POINT All agents return to Steinbeck, including those who were guarding the exits and runways. Meanwhile, two TECHS set up COMM EQUIPMENT nearby. STEINBECK Everyone, heads down until I tell you it's safe. One of the techs signals Steinbeck that they're ready. The other turns a KNOB, and there is a tense beat of silence, when: EXT. ONE HANGAR ONE BIG EXPLOSION, then another, sending a wall up in FLAMES. INT. ANOTHER HANGAR An explosion from the outside BLOWS OUT the windows and rocks a PROP PLANE inside. EXT. HANGARS Two more explosions, SPRAYING HOT ASH onto the rooftops. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD ON MARIE watching the sky light up from a safe distance. ON CTU AGENTS in defensive positions, waiting out the explosions. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - NORTH RUNWAY ON CTU VEHICLES Rocked by nearby explosions, they've been forced onto their sides, leaving a GAPING HOLE in the blockade. EXT. HANGAR MD6 Damaged, but intact. The DOOR slides open, the plane inside ready for departure. FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR ACT FIVE FADE IN: EXT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM Kim keeps pressing as hard as she can to stop the bleeding. By now, there are several dark red rags lying around. But it's no good. McRae looks up at her, his expression vaguely APOLOGETIC, inhales one last time and falls silent. One hand hangs over one of his jean pockets. Kim lays down her rag and starts crying. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CTU MEETING POINT Silence. Steinbeck motions to the other agents. STEINBECK One and Two, back to blockade positions. Three, you're with me. We'll -- WILKENSEN Steinbeck, up ahead. He points to... HANGAR MD6 The prop plane drives out, Omar at the helm, and taxis toward the runways. STEINBECK That's our plane. It's got to be. Come on! INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE Jack's cell rings. JACK Bauer here. As he listens, his expression becomes PENSIVE. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CONTINUOUS Steinbeck is on the phone while AGENT NORRICH drives. He leads a fleet of Hummers in pursuit. STEINBECK It'll be all right, Jack. It should be trapped. We've sealed off the runways and there's not enough room to get up to speed. Steinbeck looks ahead at the NORTH RUNWAY. STEINBECK Christ... JACK (O.C.) What? What is it? STEINBECK There must have been explosives on the runways. One of our blockades is open, large enough for the plane to get through. JACK (O.C.) Can you speed up and block it off? STEINBECK I'll try. INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE - CONTINUOUS JACK (softly) Why would they plant traps on the runway if they were planning to use it to escape? EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD - CONTINUOUS ON OMAR He sees the gap in the north runway, heads toward it. ON STEINBECK He speeds up, tries to overtake the plane. ON THE HUMMERS racing behind. Fallen DEBRIS makes it difficult to gain ground. ON OMAR He sees a large chunk of METAL in front of him and makes a sharp swerve to the RIGHT. ON STEINBECK He also sees the metal, but cannot swerve in time before it HITS and forces him to a stop. THE OTHER HUMMERS remain in hot pursuit, close enough for the agents to take aim. They lean out the windows and fire SHOTS at the plane's WHEELS. OMAR Struggles to regain control, bring the plane onto the runway. THE OTHER HUMMERS Get close to the tail, but by that time, the plane is on the north runway, gaining speed. The agents fire BULLETS toward the cockpit, but in vain. The plane is going too fast. It races through the gap in the blockade... and finally lifts off the ground. As it SOARS overhead, the Hummers come to a stop. The agents watch with DISBELIEF. The plane carrying the bomb soon disappears into the night sky. ON STEINBECK watching from his Hummer. JACK (O.C.) Steinbeck, what's happening? Steinbeck regains his presence of mind. STEINBECK The bomb is on the loose. JACK (O.C.) What? STEINBECK The bomb is on loose. It's up in the air. INT. CTU Tony LISTENS on the phone, then hangs up, closes his eyes. MICHELLE What is it? TONY The nuke. We didn't get there in time. For a moment, CTU is like death, as each person absorbs what has happened. Finally Mason comes to. MASON Come on, people. We prepared for this! Inform the President, and let's get to work on our back-up plan! INT. GARAGE - CORNER OFFICE Jack stands there, his expression stoic but barely holding it together. He holds himself responsible. INT. GARAGE - CONTINUOUS The teens have finished fixing the car and are testing the engine. Jack comes over. TEEN #1 (to Jack) Hey, it runs. JACK Thank you. Now do yourselves a favor: get out of Los Angeles. TEEN #2 (fear) What? JACK Something very bad is going to happen, possibly in less than an hour. Find your loved ones, pack your things, and get as far away as you can. The teens just stare, not knowing whether to believe him. INT. GARAGE - HALLWAY Kate is still on the phone. VOICE Where are you now? KATE With CTU. I mean, one of the CTU agents. Jack Bauer rescued me from Ali and his men. A PAUSE on the other end. KATE (CONT'D) I've been by his side ever since. VOICE How much do they know? KATE They've gotten very close to the bomb from what I can tell. VOICE Do you think they could cause us trouble? KATE Yes. VOICE For now, we'll have to take that chance. Stay on them, find out what else they might know. KATE All right. JACK (O.S.) Kate! KATE (lower voice) I have to go. (beat) You were right, though. About what you said. VOICE Right? KATE About Jack. She hangs up the phone. INT. DARKENED ROOM The cell phone is off. The person leans back against the wall, a splash of light through the bars revealing her to be NINA. Her expression is cryptic. INT. O.C. - HOLDING ROOM AGENT SIMMONS continues to apply pressure to Stanton. He stops when Palmer enters. SIMMONS Sir? Do you need to question him? PALMER I want you to remove his restraints and place him in his cell, pending release. SIMMONS (surprised) You found out what you needed? Palmer turns and leaves without responding. INT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM Kim just sits there, staring at the body of McRae. She feels the weight of lost life, and realizes now that she is a full fledged murderer. She finally reaches over to remove his hand on his side, and sees a LUMP in his pocket. She reaches in and removes an empty PRESCRIPTION PILL BOTTLE. Behind it, she sees the corner of a sealed white ENVELOPE. Kim removes it and holds it up to the light to see the document inside. A CORAL SNAKE appears. KIM Lonnie's tatoo... She looks closer at the writing beside it. Then she tears open the envelope. INT. O.C. - HALLWAY LEADING TO WAR ROOM LYNNE and MIKE NOVICK head for an emergency meeting. INT. O.C. - WAR ROOM - CONTINUOUS They find Palmer already seated, waiting. NOVICK Mr. President, since the bomb is already over Los Angeles, our options have narrowed very quickly. PALMER What are they? NOVICK CTU has arranged for two F-16s to be on hand for a possible interception. PALMER And if that fails? NOVICK Another option is that we train a specially guided missile to shoot the plane out of the sky. LYNNE Too risky. The fallout could be too great. NOVICK (nods) Even if we waited until the plane was in an area of the least risk, there would still be damage. PALMER Other options? Novick and Lynne look at one another. LYNNE We conduct an immediate evacuation of the city. Alert National Guard units to post themselves at various points to ensure an orderly removal, then have the public relocated to an area outside the fallout zone. PALMER Where, exactly? NOVICK Forts Richmond and Wayne. They're outside of the blast zone and can hold several hundred thousand apiece. PALMER But for weeks, even months? LYNNE (understanding) I know, sir. PALMER The sight of armed units forcing people out of their homes in the middle of the night... it'll create mass hysteria. NOVICK But it's one of the few choices we have available to us, sir. Palmer looks troubled by what he's about to decide. PALMER Call the National Guard units and tell them to rendez-vous with CTU and the L.A.P.D. We can't take a chance that any other plan could fail. Lynne and Novick nod and LEAVE. Palmer remains, mulling over the situation. PALMER (softly) Even so, no matter what we do, innocent people are going to die. SHRINK TO A BOX INT. CTU Mason, Tony, and Michelle prepare for counter measures. Mason looks gravely ill, but struggles to hold himself together. EXT. NORTON AIRFIELD Steinbeck gathers the other teams together and awaits instructions for their next move. INT. CABIN / LIVING ROOM Kim sits on the floor, reading the documents with growing UNEASE. FULL SCREEN INT. GARAGE Jack is in the driver's seat of the SUV as Kate returns from the restroom. JACK We have to go. KATE To Norton? JACK It's too late for that. The bomb is already airborne. Kate's face registers genuine CONCERN. JACK (CONT'D) I'm heading back to CTU to meet with the interception team. I can drop you off there. KATE Wait. Could I help you? Jack looks surprised. KATE (CONT'D) Please. Jack considers, then nods at her to get into the vehicle. FADE OUT. END OF SHOW