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Eighteen months later.
In Seoul, a Korean man named Jason Park is
tortured into revealing something to his captors.
One of the captors runs to a room where
American military officers are waiting. He tells
them that Park had said the word "Today." An
officer immediately calls Eric Rayburn at the
National Security Agency.
President Palmer and his son Keith peacefully
fish in a boat on Lake Oswego in Oregon when
the Secret Service agent at their side alerts
Palmer to a situation.
Nine year old Megan Matheson runs into Kim's
bedroom in the Matheson house and playfully
hides under the covers from her father, Gary.
Although Kim is the nanny for his daughter, Gary
stares seductively at Kim in her sleepwear.
As a group of advisors whisks him from the dock
to a car, Palmer apologizes to his son for cutting
short their time together. Keith understands that
it's not Palmer's fault.
At CTU, new programmer Paula Schaeffer
apprises Tony and Mason of her software
upgrades. Staffer Michelle Dessler interrupts with
a request for Mason from Eric Rayburn. NSA
wants the inactive Jack Bauer to be brought in.
Palmer is shuttled to the Northwest Regional
Operations Complex and met by NSA staffer Eric
Rayburn. Rayburn briefs the President and chief
aide, Lynne Kresge, about a terrorist controlled
nuclear device in Los Angeles that is set to go off
today. While the government was tracking a
suspect named Jason Park, they noticed in a
surveillance photo that Park was standing next to
a suicide bomber named Mamud Rashed
Faheen. It was thought that Faheen had been
killed in a West Bank bombing. After torturing
Park, the NSA learned about the nuclear bomb.
Faheen is controlled by a splinter group called
Second Wave. Although no Middle Eastern state
officially recognizes Second Wave, one is
unofficially affiliated with them. Palmer asks to
speak to that country's Prime Minister on the
phone.
Carla Matheson, Megan's mother, carefully
prepares breakfast for her husband Gary. He
hugs his wife, and as he watches Kim, gropes
Carla for her benefit. Kim uncomfortably looks
away. Gary makes a comment about Kim's body
and asks her if she works out.
The Prime Minister disavows any relationship
with Second Wave to Palmer. President Palmer
tells the Prime Minister that he knows his country
supports Second Wave and that the group is
planning an attack against the United States.
Palmer threatens that America will retaliate if any
bomb goes off on U.S. soil. The Prime Minister is
insulted, and tells Palmer to proceed carefully or
else America will have one billion Muslim
enemies.
As Kim plays with Megan outside the Matheson
home, Jack watches from his car parked outside.
He is unshaven and unkempt. Jack's cell phone
rings with a call from Mason's office. Jack tells
the caller that he no longer works for CTU and
quickly hangs up. He then gets out of his car and
approaches Kim. She is uneasy around him.
Jack says that he only wanted to see her
because he misses her. "Every time I see you I
think of Mom," she says. Kim explains that she is
still not ready to let him back into her life.
At O.C., Rayburn recommends to the President
that they get the Pentagon involved for any
possible proactive measures. Palmer insists that
it is too early to discuss a response, and he
dismisses Rayburn.
A man of Middle Eastern decent named Reza
Naiyeer drives up to the Warner estate in the San
Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. He is
speaking Arabic on his cell phone. Reza goes to
the backyard and greets his fianc�e, Marie
Warner, with a kiss. She is frantically making last
minute preparations for her wedding later that
day in the garden. Marie's sister, Kate, and her
father, Bob, are also in wedding planning mode.
Kate questions why Reza sent the company car
to pick up his family at the airport, but Bob
brushes her mistrust of Reza aside.
Mason calls Rayburn to tell him that he has not
been able to bring Jack in. Mason offers a
solution to help sway Jack.
Jack returns to his unlived-in townhouse, and his
answering machine is filled with messages from
CTU. Jack ignores the machine, and instead
looks sadly at a photo of his family from happier
times. He is in the picture with Kim and his
murdered wife, Teri. Jack lies down on the
couch, clutching the photo. The phone rings
again, and Jack hears the incoming message on
the machine from the White House. He picks up
the line and is connected to President Palmer.
Although Palmer understands Jack's emotional
state, he asks for his help with a grave dilemma.
Jack tells the President that he is no longer an
agent, but Palmer urges Jack to go to CTU and
listen to the situation before making any decision.
Kim finds that Carla has returned home to wrap a
gift for Gary's assistant. When Kim offers to do
the task, Carla nervously tells her that she must
do it herself because Gary likes things done in a
very specific way.
Michelle points out to Tony that the CIA has
issued an Information Flow Advisory, but they are
unsure of what's actually going on. Paula asks
Michelle about the situation and tries to offer
help. Michelle tells her to stick to her job.
Mason summons the CTU staff and informs them
about the nuclear bomb in Los Angeles. He
orders them not to make contact with anyone
outside of the secure zone, including family
members. Tony and Mason conclude that Jack
was asked to come in because of a possible
connection to this case.
Rayburn makes a presentation to the President
and other aides in the O.C. war room about
potential casualties in the face of such threat in
Los Angeles. The number is over 2 million.
However, they don't know if it is a dirty bomb or
something bigger. Rayburn again suggests to the
President that they bring in the Joint Chiefs of
Staff to discuss military action, but Palmer shoots
Rayburn down. They are to proceed as if it is a
terrorist attack and not a military operation.
A man named Marko arrives at an unmarked
building in an industrial park. He speaks to a man
at the door in Arabic. Inside, armed guards are
protecting a metal enclosed work area that has
radiation symbols on it. People working with
gloved hands tremble as they pour a colored
powder into a container. Marko asks the man
when the bomb will be ready. "Soon," the man
replies.
Paula admits to Tony that, as a new employee at
CTU, she may not be able to work under such
stressful conditions. Tony urges her to focus on
her task. Suddenly, Jack is ushered into CTU,
and everyone in the room takes notice. Tony
greets him, and brings Jack to the conference
room where Mason is waiting. Mason tells Jack
about the rogue nuclear bomb in the city. He was
brought in to help identify a prime suspect. Jack
abruptly walks out of the room, and Tony follows
him. Jack runs for a phone and calls Kim on her
cell. He warns his daughter to get out of Los
Angeles. Frustrated that he won't obey her
wishes to be separated, she hangs up on him.
Jack redials and leaves a message on her voice
mail, telling her to drive north to her Aunt Carol's
house. Jack leaves, and Tony tries to convince
him that they can get to Kim quickly. He will be
more effective finding the bomb to save
everyone. Jack says that when he trusted CTU
before, his wife was killed. He runs out of the
building and phones Carol to tell her about Kim's
arrival. When he gets to his car, Jack has second
thoughts and returns to CTU. He demands from
Mason that two specific agents pick up Kim and
keep him apprised of her status at all times.
Mason agrees, and briefs Jack on the terrorist
situation. A man named Joseph Wald has been
connected to Second Wave, and Jack had
previously worked undercover on Wald and
made the arrest. Wald is out of jail on trial, but
the government can not find him. Jack orders
them to bring in Marshall Goren, the key witness
against Wald in the trial, so that Jack can re-
establish his cover with Wald. Although he is
dubious of Jack's plan, Mason relents and calls
the FBI for Wald.
At the Warner house, Marie is organizing
wedding details when Kate gets a phone call. It is
Ralph Burton, the private investigator she hired
to do a background check on Reza's finances.
Although Reza has checked out financially,
Burton has uncovered news that Reza has had
dealings with an international terrorist named
Syed Ali. Although the business may be
legitimate, Burton needs Kate's help to find out
for sure.
Lynne asks the President if he arranged a
conference call with the Joint Chiefs of Staff
regarding military response. He tells her that he
didn't, and orders her to cancel it. When Palmer
accosts Rayburn about this call, Rayburn says
that he set it up in case the President changed
his mind. Palmer tells Rayburn not to second
guess his decisions. "Sir, I would never work
against you," Rayburn replies.
Michelle creates a fake criminal background
record for Jack's cover. Mason arranges for the
FBI to have Goren sent to CTU for questioning,
but he can't get Jack to reveal his ultimate plan.
Mason questions Jack's state of mind. Goren is
brought in, but refuses to give any information
because he is already promised a deal by the
FBI. In a deliberate motion, Jack pulls out a gun
and shoots Goren in the chest. Mason freaks out,
but Jack tells him this is what it will take to get
results. He then asks Mason for a hacksaw.
Kim is in her room with Megan, when Gary pulls
up to the house. They hear Gary yelling at Carla
in the other room. Her cries echo from each
sound of abuse by Gary. "I don't like when he
gets like this," Megan says fearfully. Kim locks
the door when Gary comes knocking, and she
pretends that they were in the shower. He asks if
they had heard anything, explaining that Carla
had an accident. Gary sends Kim to help Carla,
but when Kim notices that Megan is afraid she
goes to her. Gary pushes Kim away and she
falls. He threatens her that he will hurt her.
Megan starts crying and runs to Kim. Gary pulls
at Megan, causing her to hit her head. Suddenly,
Gary's cell phone rings and he answers it to deal
with business.
At CTU, Jack shaves off his beard and washes
up. He is ready to get back to work.
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