Episode Report Card Gustave: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Cordilla Virus: Catch it!
By Gustave | Season 3 | Episode 4 | Aired on 11.17.2003
Back at CTU, Bitchelle is briefing Palmer via videoconference on their plans to monitor everyone in the "quarantine zone." Palmer asks her to define the "quarantine zone," and Bitchelle replies that it's the two-mile radius around "the mall" where Kyle was last seen. Dr. Nicole is also in this meeting. She informs the President that medical teams are in place to screen everyone in the quarantine zone over the next seventy-two hours. "If we move quickly," she says, "we believe we can lower the prior casualty estimate." "Lower it to what?" asks Palmer. Dr. Nicole admits that between sixty and ninety thousand people will still die despite their best efforts. Meanwhile, Brother Palmer, who is in the same room with Palmer during this meeting, gets a cell phone call. Palmer ends the meeting and thanks the ladies. The monitors go off, and Palmer addresses his staff. "We are about to set into motion a chain of events that will create panic around the country," he says. "If anyone here sees an option that I'm overlooking, now's the time to offer it up." The casually dressed group of multicultural extras that portray Palmer's "staff" have nothing to say. Brother Palmer interrupts the meeting to put Kiefer on the phone with Palmer. Palmer asks his staff to leave so he can talk privately with Kiefer. "Is this line secure?" asks Kiefer, getting into his Kiefmobile parked at "the mall." Palmer replies that it is…despite the fact that Brother Palmer is still in the room and listening. Kiefer offers up a solution to the day's crisis. He offers to break Hartmano out of prison by himself without the approval of Palmer, thus keeping L.A. V-I-R-U-S-free and insuring that Palmer's reputation will be spared the taint of having dealt with terrorists. "The public and, more importantly, other terrorist groups would view this as a prison break as opposed to a capitulation to their demands," continues Kiefer. "I have a history of insubordination with CTU, they would believe I switched sides to deliver him." "Even if you succeed," says Palmer, "I won't be able to correct your legal status." "I understand," says Kiefer, starting up the Kiefmobile and preparing to drive out of "the mall." "This will be my last assignment." Palmer doesn't know what to say. Kiefer tells him that if he says nothing, he'll consider it a "go" for the mission. Palmer says nothing. "Good luck, Mr. President," says Kiefer, putting his car into drive and speeding off. The time is 04:20:27 PM.
The time is 04:24:55 PM. Klockwise from the top left, close-ups of Brother Palmer, Hartmano, Kiefer, and Bitchelle in their respective environments. Back at USC, Dr. Anne is on her cell phone, arranging to get some information about the V-I-R-U-S from Dr. Nicole sent over to her office. After she hangs up, she spies Brother Palmer leaving the building. She stares hard at his briefcase and gets suspicious. 'Cause you just know how rare and strange it is to see someone on the president's staff carrying around a briefcase. Dr. Anne tries to stop him, but he claims he's got a meeting. "But the debate starts in thirty minutes," says Dr. Anne. "Who are you meeting?" Brother Palmer tries to claim he's merely attending to "government business," but Dr. Anne knows that this concerns her ex-husband. "Like I said," says Brother Palmer menacingly. "It's government business." He stomps off in a huff.