Episode Report Card Gustave: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT That blows
By Gustave | Season 3 | Episode 3 | Aired on 11.10.2003
Over at the mall, Soul Patch's chopper has landed. A security guard greets Soul Patch at the makeshift landing strip and tells him that Kyle has indeed been spotted. His chestnut hair blowing in the chopper wind, Soul Patch commands his team to seal off all the exits and then close in.
Back in the Kiefmobile, Kiefer koughs. Dr. Nicole hesitates for a moment and then is all, "How long have you been using?" Kiefer is all, "What?" Dr. Nicole is all, "I did a rotation in rehab. You pick up things." Judging by those dark circles under her eyes, looks like Dr. Nicole "picked up" a rotation through rehab, if you catch my drift. Kiefer tries to deny it but finally admits to having been addicted to heroin for a while. "It was the only way I could maintain cover with the Hartmanos," he explains. "Are you high now?" asks Dr. Nicole. Why? Does she want a hit herself? Kiefer claims he's not high. Dr. Nicole doesn't want to turn Kiefer in, but she's worried about him. "I have a responsibility to stop this V-I-R-U-S and I am taking a calculated risk that you are more of an asset than a liability," says Dr. Nicole. "Please don't screw this up." "I won't," intones Kiefer. Their intense eye contact is interrupted by a call from Soul Patch, who reports that he's closing in on Kyle. Kiefer is just nearing the parking garage. He promises to be inside in a minute.
The time is 3:57:40 PM. Inside "the mall," Gomez hides from Kyle behind a potted plant and calls Crystal Gael on his combination Palm Pilot/cell phone, which I totally want right now. Gael wants him to stand down and keep out of CTU's way. Gomez refuses to comply, as this is the last chance they'll have to get Kyle. Meanwhile, Soul Patch tells the security guards to let him go in alone so as not to panic Kyle. Gomez walks past Kyle, sees Soul Patch in the distance, and keeps walking. Soul Patch approaches Kyle, introduces himself as a federal agent, and tells him that the story about the V-I-R-U-S is true. "Come with me and I'll prove it to you." Kyle ponders this for a moment, his cascading orangey-blonde hair bouncing in the breeze. All of a sudden, a shot rings out. It's Gomez. He's shot Soul Patch. Shoppers are panicking everywhere and backing away. Soul Patch goes down. A close-up of his head shows blood trickling out of his neck while his wedding-ring-wearing left hand tries to stanch the flow. The screen splits. In one box, Mama Diabetes cries quietly to herself in her hellhole of an apartment. In another, Brother Palmer arranges for the cash to be ready for the bribe of Mr. Dr. Anne. In yet another, Special Agent Charlie Brown sits idly in the nearly empty CTU building. Kiefer runs in past the weightlifting supplement shop and the Merle Norman boutique and finds Soul Patch on the ground. Dr. Nicole isn't too far behind. She goes to work trying to save Soul Patch's life while Kiefer calls the team on the walkie-talkie and warns them that Kyle is still not in custody. "I repeat, Kyle Singer is still not in custody." He tells them to cover all the exits. Meanwhile, Kyle has disappeared into the crowd. They lift Soul Patch's body to bring him out to the medics. He doesn't look so hot. The time is 03:59:58…03:59:59…04:00:00 PM.