Episode Report Card M. Giant: B+ | 1 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Manning Down
By M. Giant | Season 6 | Episode 4 | Aired on 01.14.2007
Kiefer pulls Curtis aside, saying that he thought he'd have a chance to talk to Curtis about this before the paperwork came through. He tells Curtis -- who has to have been suspecting this all along -- that Assad's been offered a pardon by Wayne in exchange for his cooperation. "In other words, he walks," Curtis grumps. Kiefer weasels that it's not his call, as if that would matter. I could go back to any one of five previous seasons for examples, but I don't have to; we all know that if Kiefer were always so scrupulous about following Presidential orders, Assad wouldn't be getting any pardons at all right now because he'd have been too busy over the last two hours being scattered all over Inglewood. Curtis isn't happy, but he seems to accept it. Kiefer clasps him on the shoulder, and is on his way out of the house, but he's too late to miss seeing the obligatory joyous reunion between Scott and his mom. Mom seems pretty relieved that she failed in actually getting her son killed. Of course, in hindsight we can see that she was right and Dad was wrong about calling the authorities, but all that gives Mom is plausible deniability. Kiefer quickly briefs Mom on the situation, and then his cell phone rings.
It's Chloe, and she's hit pay dirt with regard to Curtis and Assad. She tells a whole story about how, when Curtis was in the Army after Operation Desert Storm, his squad was ambushed by some of Assad's men. Five of Curtis's men were killed and two were taken hostage, while Curtis was too wounded to pursue. The next anybody heard of Curtis's two captured men was when a TV station received a tape of Assad's lieutenant beheading them. Of course, in a future episode, we will learn that this operation was carried out without Assad's knowledge or approval, and that Assad first executed and then fired the lieutenant in question. But for now, Kiefer is shocked to realize that Curtis might kind of have a point.
Meanwhile, Assad has just finished putting his signature on the pardon, and gets up to carry it out of the house, followed by Curtis's sidekick.
Elsewhere in the house, Curtis seems to come to a decision. It doesn't look like a wise one.
Kiefer finally finishes processing what Chloe's just told him. He hangs up and goes looking for Curtis at 9:53:25.
Outside, Curtis takes over from his sidekick in leading Assad to the CTUmobile. "Still don't remember?" he mutters to Assad's back, and then grabs him by the throat and shoves him back against the CTUmobile. "Special Forces Battalion, 32nd Support Group," Curtis growls shakily. That probably doesn't mean anything to Assad, but the muzzle of Curtis's gun being pressed against Assad's forehead almost certainly does.