Episode Report Card M. Giant: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT I Got Your Gas Right Here
By M. Giant | Season 5 | Episode 7 | Aired on 02.05.2006
Out at the park, Erwich finally gets the call he's been waiting for. "Jacob Rossler," says the voice of Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs. "I was asked to call you by a friend in Moscow." Rossler's a gray-haired guy who's calling from the apartment where they shot Billy Idol's "Cradle of Love" video. Let's hope his place is in L.A. for CTU's sake, right? Rossler already knows what Erwich's planning to do, and he's ready to help out: "You need to start by cutting into them." It's a testament to Erwich's dedication and tenacity that this news doesn't immediately cause him to say, "Fuck that in the ear!"
Meanwhile, at CTU, the few words Erwich has said into his phone have already proven sufficient for the call to be flagged and tapped into in real time. Still going with it. Chloe gets to work pulling the call up on her computer. Audrey walks by, apparently chattering on her cell phone to some mass of ruffled feathers at the DoD, and Buchanan flags her down to gently break the news that Logan's talked Kiefer into sticking around until the nerve gas is recovered. Before Audrey can wonder why no one is talking her into sticking around, and therefore why she's still there, Chloe crosses over to another nearby computer and activates live audio of the call currently transpiring between Erwich and Rossler. Rossler is explaining that he'll need the seven-digit code found on the inside of each casing, and then he'll be able to program a new trigger chip. It's 1:10:05 as Buchanan hits a button on the nearest phone and barks, "Put me through to Jack Bauer." I think it would be funny if Erwich and Rossler said, "Who?" but apparently the listening only goes one way and they continue their conversation, oblivious to their eavesdroppers. Probably because any such eavesdropping is technically (never mind legally) impossible, but it's still rather sloppy of them. Edgar says that Erwich's on an untraceable satellite phone, but he's traced the other end of the call to a land line downtown. Kiefer, who's a passenger in a helicopter that he presumably didn't have to steal, is now on the line with CTU. Buchanan updates him on the news that Erwich is talking with the occupant of a penthouse at 22 North Figueroa. And it don't rock easily, it's true. They make the astounding deductive leap that Erwich is trying to get help in reconfiguring the triggers on the gas canisters, while Chloe looks up the fact that the owner of the penthouse is, as we already know, Jacob Rossler. Apparently the guy's been indicted on a number of computer-related crimes, but was never convicted. Kiefer says the guy's probably clean, then, so they should start looking for other leads. Not really. He instructs, "We're going to need to go in covertly. Have Curtis meet me at the location with a small team of four, but tell him to stay out of sight until I get there." The phrase "a small team of four" seems unnecessarily redundant, unless Kiefer means that Curtis should round up some of McGill's Hobbit buddies.
Back at CTU, Chloe has a request for Buchanan: she wants Spencer temporarily reinstated to help them hack into the security system of Rossler's building. Apparently Chloe thinks Spencer can do it faster than herself and Edgar put together. Buchanan's completely against the idea, as is, unsolicited, Edgar. Chloe points out that Spencer's polygraph tests proved that he didn't know Walt was guilty. I'm fine with those tests having happened off-screen, especially since a "polygraph" at CTU probably only uses one electrode inserted straight into the brain through the cornea. Edgar doesn't care about Spencer's polygraph, but Chloe doesn't care that Edgar doesn't care. She lays it out for Buchanan: "If you don't let Spencer help us do this, we're not going to get it done in time." Buchanan reluctantly decides to allow it, but only with tight security on Spencer the whole time. Chloe "fine"s and stomps off to get her sort-of-ex-boyfriend.