Episode Report Card Gustave: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Nina's bidding
By Gustave | Season 3 | Episode 9 | Aired on 01.05.2004
The time is 9:20:37 PM. CTU. Soul Patch and Crystal Gael huddle in a conference room, looking for ways to track down Kiefer and Charlie Brown. They determine that Kiefer couldn't be more than thirty miles from the spot where they last tracked him -- their satellite technology would have told them if, say, a chopper had come and picked him up. Chappelle enters. Doesn't he have an office in another building he has to get to? Soul Patch and Crystal Gael pretend to be afraid of him and his authority. "Where's Kiefer?" he asks. Soul Patch admits that they don't know yet. "So this entire operation, which hinges on Kiefer being on site when they deliver the V-I-R-U-S, is going down the tubes because we don't know where he is?" asks Chappelle. "You want to chew us out?" asks Soul Patch. "Do it later." "I will," sputters Chappelle, exiting the room and threatening to hold them responsible for every death that this undercover mission has caused. "So what happens if Kiefer goes to this meeting without back-up?" asks Crystal Gael, now that Chappelle is out of the room. "The Salazars get the V-I-R-U-S," says Soul Patch. "What happens from there? I don't know."
The time is 9:22:59 PM. Whatever, Mexico. Automobile headlights sensuously flicker through the Mexican jungle as the Salazar caravan arrives at the designated meeting spot. A geodesic tent has been pitched near some ruins in the woods. Amador, a compact man in a suit, comes out and greets Kiefer, who, in turn, introduces him to Hector and Hartmano. Kiefer tells Amador that $100 million dollars is in escrow in a Swiss account, ready to buy the V-I-R-U-S. "There's been a complication," says Amador. "Another buyer is interested in the V-I-R-U-S. We'll hold an auction and the V-I-R-U-S will go to the highest bidder." Hector gets angry and lunges at Amador. Kiefer holds him back and tries to convince him that they will still rake in a hefty profit, even if they have to pay $50 million more for the V-I-R-U-S than anticipated.
Headlights indicate that yet another car has pulled up. "The other buyer is here," says Amador. The car stops, and a woman with brown hair -- we can only see her from the back -- gets out. Kiefer is surprised to see this woman. "Do you know her?" asks Hartmano. A close-up establishes that it is Nina. Nina in need of a sandwich, might I add. You know, I am thinking that Nina is to 24 what Kelly Clarkson is to American Idol. I mean, when you think about it, Nina "won" the first season of 24 by being the most surprising character. In the same respect, Kelly "won" AI and subsequently gets invited back to appear -- however briefly -- on subsequent seasons of AI, which, in turn, exploit her appearances for superlative ratings. Yet every time Kelly appears on American Idol, it just gets less and less exciting. It was fun to see her win, but her career itself, it just doesn't have that same panache. It's the same with Nina. I get excited that she's coming back, but it's only for a few episodes and it's always disappointing. As soon as Nina sees Jack, she orders her men to kill him, as he is a federal agent. Yeah, Nina has men now. Ain't Presidential pardons great? Amador demands that everyone put their guns away, and explains to Nina that Kiefer is representing a buyer just like her. "I know him," says Nina. "Whatever he's told you, he's lying." Kiefer tries to explain that he's no longer "with" CTU. "I work for myself," he says. "I'm out of here," says Nina, walking off. Kiefer tells Amador to let her go "in honor of the original deal," but Amador calls her back, reminding her that her client won't be too happy if she comes back from the auction empty-handed. He also explains that they have secured the land around them by monitoring for listening devices and military presence. Reluctantly, Nina agrees to stay and bid. The time is 09:25:50 PM.