If the writers for the show are making this up as they go along, they’re doing a damned fine job. All of the terrorist activity to date-the train wreck to steal the override device, the kidnapping of Heller, and the nuke meltdowns-has been a prelude to the terrorists real goal:

Kill the President.

The plot is exquisite in it’s elegance and subtlety. The terrorists also seem to have a frightening familiarity with the American psyche. In short, they’ve played us, CTU and indeed the entire security apparatus of the United States government perfectly.

My complaint last week about the President being in the air for the entire show now appears to be something that terrorist mastermind Marwan counted on. In a conversation with the President, Heller implied that the reason the President hadn’t landed was a matter of security. Marwan’s planning must have included this because the final part of the plot involves a rouge Air Force officer. Can’t wait to see how this plays out but my guess would be either an attack on Air Force One using a hijacked fighter escort or an attempt at the air base.

Stay tuned.

SUMMARY

Michelle arrives at CTU and immediately makes her presence felt. First, she carves poor Audrey into little pieces for questioning her on a matter of procedure. Then it’s Tony’s turn as their long awaited and much anticipated confrontation ends up with Tony’s already bruised and battered ego nearly destroyed by Michelle’s taunt about his lack of sobriety. Finally, Sarah feels the icy blast of Michelle’s wrath when, in the middle of the worst internal security crisis in the history of the United States, she demands that Michelle make sure that the deal she had with Erin about expunging her personnel record and the bump in pay grade go through. Michelle gives her a look that would freeze the Hounds of Hades and promptly fires her.

Adios, Sarah…for a while. Anyone whose last line as they exit is “You’ll be sorry…I promise you will” is going to be back, I guarantee it.

Meanwhile, Jack rescues Paul from the clutches of the McGlennon-Forster goons and, because of the EMP bomb knocking out any car with an electronic ignition within 8 miles, they have to try and make their escape on foot. Conlon discovers that Jack and Paul have esacped and calls in a squad of commando/mercenaries to finish them off.

The two rivals for Audrey’s love take refuge in a sporting goods store owned by two Arab-American brothers. (I deal with the PC aspects of this issue in my post below). After the brothers volunteer their services, Jack outlines his plan; start a firefight with an enemy of greatly superior numbers and firepower and hope to hell that CTU is expecting him to do that so that they can rescue him.

In point of fact, Tony is expecting Jack to do that…but Michelle overrules him condemning Jack and Paul to a long couple of minutes before CTU ground teams can arrive.

And Audrey? In a heart to heart with her father, she makes clear that Jack is in trouble. Talking about Jack’s novel interrogation methods when questioning Paul a few hours ago, Audrey reveals that she’s in something of a quandry as to who Jack Bauer really is:

Audrey: Somehow, he seemed like a different person.

Heller: We need people like that Audrey…

Audrey: (Beginning to cry) Jack is an extraordinary man.

Heller: But you’re not sure you feel the same way you did before, is that it?

Audrey: Something like that…

Doesn’t look good for Jack.

And Tony doesn’t make matters any better for his erstwhile friend. Judging by this exchange, maybe Tony should keep his mouth shut:

Tony: You think he’ll go back to wearing a suite?

Audrey: After the hell he’s gone through today do you think he’ll want to come back to that?

Tony: Some people are more comfortable in hell.

Thanks a lot Tony…just what she needed to hear.

After being told of Tony’s heroics earlier in the day by Audrey (who also informs the ice queen that Tony still has feelings for her), Michelle tries to be a little friendlier in their subsequent meetings but Tony’s having none of it. Hard to tell where this is going, but an interesting possibility would be a reconciliation followed by Tony’s untimely demise. Serve her right, anyway.

Back at the sporting goods store, Jack, Paul, and the two good Arabs are putting up a good fight but are forced to fall back to their last line of defense, the storage room. After Jack’s most horrific killing to date (he stabs a mercenary through the back of the neck) Conlon corners Jack. But before he can kill him, CTU arrives and takes care of Conlon…mostly. As Jack is talking to the leader of the CTU swat team, Paul notices that Conlon isn’t dead just in time to save Jack’s life and take a bullett for him in the process. As Paul’s life ebbs away, Jack probably remembers his promise to Audrey from last week:

Audrey: Take care of Paul. He’s not like you Jack. Please promise me you’ll look after him?

Jack: Yeah…I will.

One more nail in Jack’s coffin.

BODY COUNT

Big night for the grim reaper. Jack took out 3 McGlennon-Forster security flunkies and 6 commandos. Paul and the good Arabs accounted for 5 more. Still no word on casualties from the meltdown although Audrey told Heller it’s not as bad as they feared.

Jack: 27 dead

Show: 115

LOOSE END

There’s no such thing as “residual” EMP effects. The pulse is like a wave. Once it passes, there’s no way any more damage can be sustained. This fallacy was used as a plot device to keep Jack in trouble a little bit longer.