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Kiefer and Bierko both survived the gas plant explosion, unlike the nerve gas itself. Now that the apparent terror threat has been neutralized, the show would now like us to be afraid that something even bigger is coming, unless Kiefer can finish uncovering the conspiracy in time. Wayne Palmer and Aaron make it back to Not Camp David so they can talk to David Palmer's source for all things conspiracy-related: the First Lady's assistant, Evelyn. But Evelyn has problems of her own, namely that Henderson has kidnapped her daughter and is holding her hostage in order to retrieve the evidence that Evelyn has. Kiefer needs CTU's help to save the little girl without giving up the goods, but CTU is busy being swallowed up by Homeland Security. This is at the Vice President's creepy-ass insistence, so Kiefer can't even tell Hayes what's going on in case the Veep is also behind everything else. And the only way Audrey can keep Chloe around to help Kiefer is to sign a document selling out CTU and Buchanan. Which she does. VP Gardner is acting all kinds of suspicious, particularly after running into Wayne at Not Camp David. Audrey and Chloe provide remote support for Kiefer's operation, in which he and Wayne shoot Henderson's guys right out from under him at the evidence-for-daughter exchange. Evelyn's wounded in the crossfire, but her daughter is safe and Henderson has to escape empty-handed. And then we see Henderson on the phone with the guy he's been taking orders from: President Logan. Uh-oh. Want more? The full recap starts right below!
It's been a couple of minutes since the ginormous explosion that looked like it was going to squish/immolate the police car that Kiefer and Bierko were in, and they're still dealing with the aftermath at CTU. Chloe confirms that the nerve gas was incinerated in the explosion. Here's what I don't get: they couldn't stop the Sentox once it was released into the main distribution tank, but they could stop fire? Why didn't the natural gas ignite all through the pipes and in every home on the plant's grid? Ah, well, I guess I just don't understand all the underlying science stuff that I'm sure was thoroughly researched. The bad news for CTU is that there's not yet any sign of Kiefer. Hayes goes off to brief the White House, calling Slime to heel alongside her.
Curtis is still on the scene and on comm with Buchanan and the rest of the folks at CTU. He's just explaining that rescue units are out there looking around for bits of Kiefer, when he sees a heavily laden figure walking purposefully out of the stylishly backlit smoke. It's Kiefer, of course, schlepping Bierko -- or, more likely, a Bierko-shaped dummy -- in an effortless fireman's carry. Curtis notifies CTU and rushes to help Kiefer. Kiefer's face and clothes are blackened, as are those of Bierko, whom Kiefer lays on the ground and tries vainly to revive. "Bierko!" he screams, in a more convincing Russian accent than that of Bierko himself. A medic rushes up and quickly diagnoses Bierko with shock, so Kiefer orders his prisoner transported to CTU Medical. "You get him back to CTU alive," he tells Curtis, who we won't be seeing again this hour.
Kiefer then calls Buchanan on his cell phone to make sure that CTU is making the search for Henderson a priority. He says this kind of attack isn't particularly Hendersonian, and adds that his old boss was willing to let his wife die in order to protect someone very powerful, although Kiefer doesn't know who. "Bill, I'm scared," Kiefer admits. "I think this is bigger than anything we could have imagined." The hand holding the cell phone is shaking with the stress of trying to keep us worried even after the primary terror threat has been neutralized. Don't give up, Kiefer; you've still got nine hours to kill, and probably ten times that many people.
It's 10:04:42, and Vice President Gardner is having a private cell phone conversation in the backyard of Not Camp David, giving Hayes what-for over her failure to make CTU part of Homeland Security already. Hayes says she doesn't want to get in the way of the search for Henderson, which the Veep blows off as a "procedural mop-up" and tells her to get off the fucking dime. I don't know why even a "procedural mop-up" supersedes a "bureaucratic reshuffling," but then I've never been elected to public office. Perhaps that's why.
At CTU, Slime says they'd better get started on implementing the Veep's order. But Hayes still isn't convinced they have sufficient political cover to pull it off in light of all the lives that CTU just saved. Slime suggests getting someone to roll over on Buchanan, but Hayes points out that Buchanan's people are loyal and therefore unlikely to go along. So Slime slimily explains that he's thinking of targeting Audrey, who's been there all day and who also has loyalties to the DoD that he can play off of. "Let me draft a statement and present it to her," Slime oozes. And then he quickly grows a mustache to twirl. The really amazing thing is that all this time they're spending plotting and scheming and politicking causes Christopher Henderson to magically materialize in a CTU holding room. Okay, not really.
Buchanan's finally decided to let Audrey in on what's going on regarding the takeover by DHS. She's in denial about it: "They can't do that, not after what you've accomplished today." He agrees that it's a really bad time to be making a changeover, what with the search for Henderson still going on, but he points out that Hayes is getting her orders from the Vice President. Neither of them understands what the Veep is up to. I hope I'm not giving too much away by remarking that the Veep has got his hands full with a boatload of misdirection. By the way, Audrey looks outstanding again, and, like her late husband, appears to have the innate ability to recover from the effects of horrific torture in a matter of minutes. Which is forcing me to develop all manner of unsavory theories about their bedroom habits.
Speaking of Henderson, here he is now. He appears to be set up with a few gunmen inside some large, abandoned industrial facility. And if Homeland Security will just hurry up and level all of these places, I fully support the takeover. Henderson's on the phone with the head of the hit squad that tried to kill Wayne Palmer last hour. The guy has to explain that Wayne "knocked Cobb out and retrieved his weapon." Wow. Go, Wayne. Not that I believe it for a second. The hit man then adds that someone came to Wayne's rescue. Henderson isn't nearly as pissed as you might expect; he simply checks his watch and says, "We're going to a fallback. Scrub the scene and get over here." He hangs up. No way are they going to have time to "scrub the scene." The best they'll be able to do is a light rinsing.
It's 10:07:15 as Aaron climbs out of his Secret Service Mobile near the Presidential corral. He makes sure no one's around before going around to the back and opening the tailgate, revealing that he crammed the wounded and unconscious Wayne under the cargo cover. Surviving brothers of dead ex-presidents don't really get the standard Aaron Pierce Red Carpet treatment, do they? "You're all right, Mr. Palmer," he assures us, lest we think he's turned into some kind of jerk in the last ten minutes. Wayne shakes himself awake and sits up, and Aaron suggests they get Wayne to a doctor. Wayne Kiefers that there's no time for that and he's fine. So Aaron asks what's going on and why Wayne was being targeted. Wayne explaynes: "Because David had a source inside the White House, and someone is trying to prevent me from seeing her." That source? The First Lady's assistant, Evelyn. Of course -- who else would it be? In a White House with only half a dozen speaking parts, options are rather limited. Aaron is surprised to hear it, and even more surprised to hear that David Palmer and Evelyn had been trading emails. Wayne wants to find out what was in those messages, because he thinks his brother was killed over information that Evelyn gave him. Which doesn't explain why Wayne called ahead to set up a meeting to give something to Aaron, but then that was like two hours ago and thus totally beside the point.
And here's Evelyn now, with her coat and purse and just about to head out for the day. So she's not staying at Not Camp David while the Logans are in California, I suppose. Don't worry, it's about to get even more confusing. She hands off some papers to FLOTUS, seeming hurried and distracted as she backs toward the door while talking. FLOTUS stops her and asks if she's all right, and Evelyn claims she's just tired. FLOTUS makes sure Evelyn has her credentials with her, due to the curfew still being in effect and all. Evelyn does, and she exits the FLOTUSuite hurriedly. FLOTUS looks a little worried about her. Hey, if I'd just worked a sixteen-hour day, I'd want out of there too.
But Evelyn doesn't get very far down the hallway before she runs into Wayne and Aaron. "I really need to talk to you," Wayne says. Evelyn must really be in a hurry, because she tries to blow him off even after that hot look he gives her. She says she needs to get home (so she lives in L.A. then? See? Confusing), but Aaron backs up Wayne, and they quickly prevail upon her to join them in an empty room at 10:09:37. Before starting, Wayne loosens his tie for some reason. Good of him to have changed into a suit since this morning for this secret visit to official headquarters. He cuts right to the chase, saying he knows that Evelyn and David had been emailing each other. I don't know how he was able to trace the emails back to Evelyn without being able to ascertain what any of them said, but he seems certain, even though Evelyn is playing ignorant. He leans on her harder, saying David was killed and someone tried to kill Wayne, which means that Evelyn is probably in danger as well. Evelyn's face gets more and more twitchy, until Palmer starts yelling at her to tell him what he needs to know. And then Evelyn tearily reveals the reason for her reluctance: "They kidnapped my little girl!" Ah, the old kidnapped daughter routine. Works every time on this show, except when it doesn't. Also: Evelyn lives in L.A. with her daughter? Must be a bitch of a commute when FLOTUS is in D.C., even if Evelyn drops the kid off at school in St. Louis. Evelyn explains that the bad guys promised to give her daughter back if she gave them some key evidence she has: "I have proof about who's behind everything that's happened today." She starts crying, so Wayne gets all sensitive and comforting: "Even if you turn over this evidence, they're not just going to give you back your daughter and let you go. That's not what these people do." Oddly, that doesn't seem to make her feel better. Nor does Aaron's contribution to the discussion: "Mr. Palmer's right. You know too much. They'll kill you both." They give Evelyn a minute to process that, and she finally recovers enough to tell Wayne, "I'll give you the evidence that I have if you get me back my daughter." It's 10:11:57, and we go to commercial before Wayne has to confess that he couldn't even retrieve a medicine bottle from his ex-sister-in-law's house without getting her killed.
It's 10:16:22, and Kiefer is using a white rag to clean his face while driving. He's always been such a god multitasker. At CTU, Chloe and New Girl Shari are just about to start data-mining Henderson's work records when a whole group of people in suits marches in. Chloe and Shari look up worriedly, like this doesn't happen several times a day. The guy at the front of the group points the blonde woman at his right to Chloe, who tells Shari, "That's Jim Hill from Homeland." In case we missed it, Jim Hill from Homeland introduces himself to some random as "Jim Hill, Homeland Security," and then promptly disappears from the episode. Great to meet you, Jim Hill from Homeland! Take care! The blonde he sicced on Chloe comes over and announces that she's there to take over Chloe's station. Chloe tries not to completely freak out as she asks what's going on, and that's Hayes's cue to come out and make her big announcement. From the mezzanine over the main floor, she tells the room that CTU is being absorbed by DHS, and asks everyone to "cooperate to make this transition as smooth as possible." Of course, if the search for Henderson were really a priority, the transition would be as nonexistent as possible, but there are obviously other agendas at play here. She reminds them that Bierko is on his way to CTU Medical, and that Henderson is still "an open protocol." And that's all she has to say. I would expect pandemonium to erupt on the floor below as fired CTUers try to make off with armloads of office supplies, laptops, and interrogation drugs, but that doesn't happen. Buchanan just turns away, looking disgusted.
And now, at 10:17:42, it is I who looks disgusted as Slime unctuously presents himself before Audrey and invites her to join him in the Situation Room. I'd like to join him to a downed power line. Audrey's not happy about it, but she goes. Chloe notices, realizing this can mean nothing good.
Kiefer's driving along in his CTUmobile, now looking as fresh as a daisy that hasn't been blown up in the last twenty minutes. His cell phone rings with a call from Wayne, asking if he's okay. Kiefer grumps that he's fine, the way he always does, and apologizes to Wayne for not having everyone behind his brother's death in custody yet. Like he's just been fucking around for the last fifteen hours or something. That just happens to be the reason Wayne's calling: he explains that he's with Evelyn, who, in case you forgot, is sitting on her evidence due to her daughter having been kidnapped. "This has to be Henderson," Kiefer says, as if Wayne knows who Christopher Henderson even is. Wayne says they're expecting a call any minute from the kidnappers to set up a meeting, and Kiefer says he wants to be in on the call. Nosy bastard. He adds that CTU will provide operational support and says they need a place for him to meet up with Wayne and Evelyn. Wayne suggests a barn he passed on the way in, because somehow he got the memo that the woods around Not Camp David aren't crawling with hit men anymore. Kiefer promises to be there in twenty minutes, and they hang up.
Wayne tells Evelyn it's time to go, and suggests that he and Evelyn should leave separately in case she's being watched. So they should meet up in the parking lot and take Evelyn's car together. Well, as long as they're being careful. Aaron opens the door, and Evelyn leaves discreetly. Wayne straightens his tie, just so nobody gets the wrong idea if they are spotted.
Audrey's reading from the statement that Slime has already prepared and printed out, and it's pretty much a hatchet job on Buchanan. There's not a word about McGill's part in the security breach that led to the gas attack, either in the part of the statement we hear or in Audrey's response to it. "You can't possibly expect me to sign this," she sighs, removing her glasses. "Thanks to CTU, hundreds of thousands of people are alive who would otherwise be dead." Slime slimes that it's CTU's fault that those lives were in danger in the first place. And normally I would agree that a day at CTU is generally one screw-up after another, but to the extent that's true this season, the people who are to blame are pretty much dead now. Audrey pushes the statement back across the table at Slime, unsigned. Slime puts on a big show of being disappointed, "but I appreciate your loyalty." Audrey gets up to leave, but Slime's not finished -- he fake-friendlies that although Audrey was there all day, participating in some of CTU's allegedly bad decisions, "it would be a shame to see the taint of CTU's mismanagement spread to your agency. And your career." He promises that by signing it, she can protect herself. And her taint, presumably. Audrey takes a long moment, her face troubled. She returns to the table and looks seriously at the statement, and I actually think she's about to fold. But then she looks up at Slime and says, "I'm proud of what we did here today. The people of CTU are heroes. Especially Bill Buchanan. This takeover is completely unwarranted. And I won't help you justify it." I don't say this often, but go, Audrey. He sits there blinking, embarrassed at having miscalculated in thinking that everyone is as much of a self-serving asshole as he is.
Audrey marches out of the Sit Room at 10:21:25, just as her cell phone's ringing. It's Kiefer, calling Audrey so we can hear for the third time the episode's setup: Wayne Palmer, Evelyn, damning evidence, kidnapped daughter, Henderson, blah blah blah. Kiefer tells her what he needs: a surveillance satellite over the coordinates of the meeting place. He doesn't have those coordinates yet, but Audrey points out a bigger problem: CTU is being rolled up by Hayes and Homeland Security, and everyone's being replaced. Kiefer says that doesn't make sense, like Audrey doesn't already know that and like it isn't my line. All she can tell him is that Hayes is taking her orders from Vice President Gardner. While Kiefer looks freshly worried at this news, Audrey suggests bringing Hayes in on their little operation. But Kiefer doesn't want to risk it, because it's more fun going all lone wolf, and in any case Henderson is protecting someone powerful. "And now all of a sudden Vice President Gardner is shutting down CTU when we're actually in a position to bring Henderson in?" Kiefer snits. Wow, he's cynical when he gets blown up. He tells Audrey to have Chloe get ready to reposition the satellite. Audrey whines that Chloe and her entire department have been fired. He snaps, "Audrey, I need the satellite. Just figure out a way to get Chloe back on." Audrey says she'll call him back and hangs up, looking nervous. Then she happens to glance up at the boss's office, where she sees Slime conferring with Hayes. She comes to a decision and heads off in that direction, but not before throwing up a little in her mouth.
Up in the office, Hayes and Slime are arguing about their move when Audrey comes in to announce that she's reconsidered. Hayes is suspicious about the sudden change of heart, so Audrey explains that she wants to shield DoD and her dad, the Secretary of Defense, from any controversy. Smirking, Slime brings her the document and hands her a pen. Perusing the statement, she says she wants one thing in return: Chloe kept on and assigned to Audrey. She says she needs Chloe's help to compile her report for DoD. "There are people who can do that job," Slime points out, and Audrey shirtily says, "I have a working relationship with Chloe," like that makes Audrey special. Okay, well, actually I guess it does a little. Hayes reluctantly agrees to the deal, and Audrey signs the document with a flourish. And she was doing so well there for a minute. But then I guess agreeing to sign documents they claim to repudiate runs in her family.
At the Henderson Hideout, Henderson checks his gun and announces that Evelyn will be leaving Not Camp David in a few minutes, and that it's time to get going. Which is weird, because they'll all still be there thirty minutes from now. "What about the girl?" asks one of the gunmen. Looking like he'd really not have to think about this, Henderson says, "I'll take care of her." And the camera pans over to a dark-haired girl, presumably Evelyn's daughter Amy, who's just sitting there nervously. It's 10:24:47. This makes it look like she's going to get tragically killed during the commercial, but don't worry, she doesn't. Go ahead and buy things.
10:29:12. Evelyn gets to her car and calls Wayne on her cell phone, saying there's no one around. Wayne says he's on his way and hangs up. Evelyn starts to unlock her car. I notice that there's frost on the car to hers, which, combined with Aaron's visible breath earlier, tells me it's chilly outside. In case you care.
Aaron and Wayne are walking through the corridors of Not Camp David. Wayne's wounded left hand is wrapped up in a white bandage. Aaron's whining about Wayne and Evelyn leaving without protection, even though they all know Aaron can't leave again without arousing suspicion. Just then the Vice President pops into view around a corner in front of them, saying, "Wayne! This is a surprise. We didn't know you were coming." Liar. The Veep personally cleared Wayne's passage through the checkpoint on the way to Not Camp David less than two hours hour ago. The only reason he would be surprised to see him now is if he never expected Wayne to make it through alive. Or that's what the writers want us to think. Yes, we're at that point in the season. It comes every year, you know. Wayne, unaware that the Veep had anything to do with authorizing his clearance, hides his wounded hand behind his back. "Are you here to see the President?" the Veep asks. Wayne simply says, "No," shaking his head and refusing to elaborate, his eyes saying Kill you!. Smooth, that. Aaron steps into the awkward silence, saying that Wayne came to give Aaron a memento from David. "It's a service medal," he explains. Wayne finally decides to play along, saying he knew that the Veep and the Prez would have their hands full dealing with the crisis, and he didn't want to impose. The Veep says, "Your brother was one of the greatest men to ever occupy the office," laying it on thick with the condolences. Wayne thanks him, and the Veep says that Logan would also want to express his sympathies, but Wayne says he's got a plane to catch. "I'm flying David's body back to Washington," he excuses. The Veep says he understands, and wishes Wayne a safe trip, shaking Wayne's good hand. Aaron leads Wayne out so he can shake him down for that service medal. The Veep is left looking after them suspiciously at 10:31:05.
The blonde chick from Homeland Security is typing away on Chloe's keyboard, much to Chloe's dismay. I'm surprised Chloe's not spewing a bunch of condescending technobabble at her replacement about how much she sucks. Instead, she spots Buchanan across the floor and heads over to him, ignoring Blondie's protests that they aren't finished. She asks Buchanan what's going on, and he promises, "This is not over. Just follow your instructions." He promises that he's going to get the order rescinded, and that the best thing Chloe can do now is "stay focused and follow your orders." That's our Buchanan: drop your pants, bend over, and await your inevitable vindication. He puts a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Chloe manages not to accuse him of sexual harassment. Slime happens by to interrupt the tender moment, telling Chloe not to transfer her station over to Blondie yet. "You got a pass," he grumbles. Chloe's surprised, and Slime can't even give good news pleasantly as he snaps, "Get back to work." Chloe's still chonfused, so Slime says Audrey demanded that Chloe be kept on. Buchanan asks what Audrey has to do with it, so of course Slime gleefully explains that Audrey signed a statement outlining all the shit Buchanan did wrong. Buchanan looks thrown by that as Slime adds, "So for the moment, she gets what she wants and she wants O'Brian." Chlaudrey shippers rejoice! Buchanan's in denial, until Audrey appears behind him saying, "I did sign it, Bill." Buchanan is shocked and betrayed, saying any chances of rescinding the order are now shot to hell. And Audrey acts all tenfold cold as she says she's sorry. Who knew Audrey was as good an actor as Kim Raver is? She walks away, Chloe staring after her in disgust. "O'Brian?" Miles smirks, directing her back to her station with a nasty glance.
And because it's been a while since anyone's explained that Evelyn's daughter has been kidnapped, she's telling the whole story to Wayne again as he drives her car through the night. Sure, it's her car, but since there's a guy there to drive, what else are they going to do? I can only assume he refrained from telling her how he hurt his hand in the first place. Wayne tries again to get her to spill what she knows in case something goes wrong, but she's still adamant that she's not saying anything until her daughter is safe. Wayne changes the subject to the question of why she contacted his brother with her information. Evelyn says she knew him through his friendship with FLOTUS. "He was truly a wonderful man," she manages to say straight-faced. And she must think FLOTUS is truly an asshole. Seriously, instead of telling her boss, the First Lady, she went to Palmer, who went to the First Lady. And then she didn't say a word to anyone when FLOTUS was all nearly crazy with trying to find proof of David trying to warn her about some scary information he'd gotten, which turned out to be FROM EVELYN. Jeez, how long has her kid been kidnapped, anyway? Instead of wondering about any of this, Wayne sadly agrees with her assessment of his brother, and you can see the tears in his eyes even in the dark. Evelyn says she never thought the information would endanger David's life: "I have your brother's blood on my hands and I will never forgive myself." Wayne lets her off the hook on that score. As for the blood of the people who've died since this morning while she kept her mouth shut, that remains to be seen. God, listen to me, going on about this like it's anyone's fault but the writers'. Plan the season in advance, fuckers!
And then her cell phone rings. "It's them," she says. Wayne dials the ringing phone and gets Kiefer, who says, "Patch me in." Wayne hits some buttons and hands the still-ringing phone to Evelyn, saying, "You ready for this?" Evelyn nods and answers, wondering how this guy knows his way around her phone so well. I'm just wondering how he managed to do all that without driving off the road again.
It is indeed Henderson, who wants to know why it took Evelyn so long to answer. Kiefer manages not to crow, "I knew it!" upon hearing his ex-boss's voice. Evelyn claims she was passing through security on the way out of Not Camp David. In the face of this first sign that he should call the whole thing off, he lets it go, asking, "Are you alone?" She lies that she is, and his question is, "Why was Wayne Palmer at the retreat?" Evelyn plays dumb, but Henderson isn't impressed: "He was there for a reason, and it wasn't to drop off his résumé." Hee. I'd love to see the objective statement at the top of that document: "Presidency-ending former White House Chief of Staff seeks new, high-ranking position in current administration despite not being related to anyone in it. Special skills include burglary and sweet lovin'." Evelyn insists that she knew nothing about Wayne's presence at Not Camp David, and Henderson eventually lets that go, too. Sign number two, right past the boards. "Did you bring what she discussed?" he asks. Evelyn says she did, and asks to talk to Amy. "Very well," Henderson monotones, then walks the three steps over to where Amy's sitting and kindly says, "All right, sweetheart, this is your mommy. Say hello." Aw, what a sweet kidnapping murdering lying bad-husband traitor. Mother and child have a brief but emotional conversation in their separate splitscreen windows, while a third shows us how hearing this is affecting Kiefer. He's not suppressing guffaws, in case you're wondering. He looks like he's remembering when his own eight-year-old daughter was kidnapped, even though she was chronologically in her teens at the time. Evelyn tells her daughter to keep being brave, and they exchange "I love you"s. Henderson takes the phone back from Amy, calling her "sweetheart" again and telling her she did good. He gives Evelyn an address: 4615 Tarpin Street. Evelyn says she's got it, giving Henderson sign number three with her ease in writing down an address despite the fact that she's supposed to be driving. Sign number three passes without comment from Henderson. Meanwhile, Kiefer drops off of the call to dial Audrey at CTU.
Who is a little distracted at first, what with watching Buchanan walk out with his coat and briefcase, sparing one last hurt look at Audrey on his way to the door. But she recovers enough to take down the address Kiefer gives her, even though he says it all weird: "Forty. Six. Fifteentarpin." Audrey's got it, and promises to call Kiefer right back. She walks over to Chloe's desk at 10:36:27. Chloe doesn't seem to want to talk to Audrey. You can tell because she hisses, "Don't talk to me." Audrey says she needs Chloe's help for Kiefer, and goes so far as to grab her arm when she tries to walk away. But then they walk off together, Audrey explaining her motives for signing the document in exchange for keeping Chloe at work: "You're the only one that Jack and I trust here." Sure, now that Buchanan's gone. Too bad Audrey had to sell out the whole place in order to get access to a spy satellite. If only she were a highly-ranked official at the Department of Defense or something. She gives Chloe the address they need to monitor. "I'm going to need an explanation," Chloe says sullenly, folding her arms. Audrey promises her one, as soon as there's time. "Right now we need to hurry." And they hurry right off into a commercial break at 10:37:16.
Fox should probably be a little worried that the least interesting ads this break were for its own shows.
10:41:42. In one of the splitscreen windows, Evelyn is still riding shotgun in her own car, teary-eyed. Which is weird, because when the splitscreen is over one second later, her car is parked outside a barn and she and Wayne are loitering inside the building. They've thoughtfully lit a few oil lamps so the cameras can see what's going on. The sound of a car engine is heard, and headlights shine through the crooked wall slats all X-Files. The head lights go out, and they hear the vehicle's door open and close. But Kiefer doesn't come in. "Something's wrong," Wayne realizes, and drags Evelyn into a hiding spot. But it's a crappy hiding spot, because while we're watching Wayne watch the front door, we see an out-of-focus figure enter the back door behind him. "Wayne," Kiefer says, turning out to be a bullshit scare. Wayne's relieved to see Kiefer, and the latter holsters his gun so they can shake hands. Kiefer then crosses over to Evelyn, introducing himself. "I promise you I'm going to get your daughter back." Although he doesn't say in what condition or in how many pieces. And then he asks Evelyn again what she knows, and again she has to say that she isn't telling anyone anything until her daughter is safe. Because no matter the urgency of the situation, there's always time for people to be saying the same thing over and over all the time. "Fine," Kiefer grumps, and excuses himself to dial his cell phone at 10:43:12.
He gets through to Audrey, who puts him on speakerphone so Chloe can be in on the conversation as well. Chloe's been brought up to speed during the commercials: "I can't believe the Vice President's involved in this," she remarks. Well, don't, then. It'll probably work out better that way in the long run. Kiefer asks how she's doing on the satellite coverage, and she says it's already up and she's sending real-time images to his PDA. This despite the fact that last season, it took her most of an hour to get access to a spy satellite, and she was busted almost immediately anyway. Great job taking over the place, Hayes. Looking at the infrared blips, Chloe tells Kiefer that she counts ten hostiles at the location. Kiefer takes this with some equanimity, asks her to keep sending real-time refreshes to his GameBoy, and hangs up. Then he turns to find Wayne lurking behind him, and tells him to "find somewhere safe" while Kiefer goes with Evelyn to make the "exchange." Funny how he says "exchange" when he means "massacre." Wayne says he's coming along. Kiefer tries to shoot that down, saying it's too dangerous. "I was a Marine, Jack," Wayne retcons (okay, I'm not actually sure about that, but I'm not about to go back and watch all of Season Three to be sure), but Kiefer already knew that and points out that Wayne never saw combat. "There's a big difference between training to kill someone and actually having to do it," Kiefer says, as if he himself wouldn't be dead now otherwise. And more to the point, he doesn't want to endanger Wayne when his family needs him. Why, can't his family have someone else break into people's houses for them? Kiefer starts to walk away, but Wayne stops him with a little speech: "These are the people who killed my brother, Jack. They shot a bullet right through his neck and he died in my arms." He asks if Kiefer could walk away in his position, and Kiefer has to admit that he couldn't. Upshot: Wayne's coming along. Kiefer looks worried, like, His only hope is his lack of agent status, because he is too black and too, too handsome.
Logan's in his office, busy doing his very favorite thing, which is taking phone calls from people congratulating him on his "handling" of a crisis. The Veep lurks into view just as Logan's wrapping up his latest call. "It's going to take me the better part of the day to return all these phone calls," Logan gloats to Gardner. The Veep changes the subject, pleasantly asking if Logan knew that Wayne Palmer had dropped by. Well, again, Hal, you were the one who cleared his approach, so this shouldn't be news to you either. It's clear from Logan's reaction -- not a happy one -- that he wasn't in that particular loop. "What was he doing here?" he asks, faux-innocently. Gardner passes along the story of Wayne wanting to give Aaron something. "That explains it," Logan says, clearly not wanting to discuss Wayne Palmer with Gardner right now. "David and Aaron were very close." Why, it's almost as if Logan is the one with something to hide. Curious. Gardner is still surprised that Wayne didn't want to see Logan, who reminds him that Logan and the late Palmer didn't always get along. "It's possible Wayne harbors ill feelings toward me," Logan guesses. "That must be the reason," Gardner nods, completely forgetting to suck up given the overriding need for this scene to show these two fencing creepily for no purpose.
It's 10:46:04 as Kiefer drives the EvelynMobile up to the back entrance of the Henderson Hideout and parks. Good thing Henderson picked a spot so close to the barn. Kiefer, Evelyn, and Wayne all hop out like there aren't ten bad guys on the premises, any number of whom could have them in their sights right now. Kiefer makes sure Evelyn's clear on the plan we haven't heard about yet. She's nervous about being able to pull it off, so Kiefer meanly says, "Evelyn, do you want to see your little girl again? Because these people didn't hesitate to kill President Palmer and they're not going to hesitate to kill you or your daughter once they get what they want. Right now, I am your last chance." Well, that's comforting. Kiefer tells her to stick to the plan, and she nods worriedly. "Let's go," Kiefer whispers, and for once she gets to drive her own car as she leaves Kiefer and Wayne behind.
As Kiefer walks over to the back door, he and Wayne both call out tests for the earpiece comm units they picked up somewhere along the way. Chloe hears both of them back at CTU, where she's still getting real-time images from the infrared satellite. She tells him that there's a tunnel and a conveyor belt on the other side of the door whose lock Kiefer is currently picking. Kiefer copies that, and tells Wayne to draw his weapon as he gets the door open. Wayne draws a silenced handgun just like Kiefer's, presumably produced from somewhere in the depths of the man-purse, and they both disappear through the door. It's 10:47:42.
10:52:04. The leader of the hit squad who tried to kill Wayne is now positioned on a high rooftop above the industrial complex, manning a sniper rifle. Talk about failing upward. Down inside the building, Henderson intones into his walkie-talkie, "Bravo, check. Have you got a visual on the mark?" Bravo the sniper doesn't, and it's weird that it's taking Evelyn longer to drive around the building than it took Kiefer to drive to it. No wonder he and Wayne wouldn't let her take the wheel.
Kiefer's still consulting his PDA as he leads Wayne through the catacombs of the building. "This way," he whispers. Looking at the screen, he spots a bad guy whose patrol is taking him near their position. Kiefer comes up behind the baddie, wraps an arm around his neck, and fires two silenced rounds through the guy's torso at point-blank range. "Let's go," he whispers to Wayne, satisfied that he's given his new sidekick sufficient proof of what a stone-cold bad-ass he is.
It's 10:53:13 as they make their way to a new position. Kiefer checks his screen again and frets, "Dammit, there's too many of them. We're running out of time." Basically, he has no choice but to send Wayne on a little mission: Wayne is to take out a guard at ground level so Kiefer can climb unseen to the roof and take out the sniper. Wayne starts to head out, but Kiefer yanks him back into their hiding spot, saying one of them's moving. And indeed, a guard comes into view, only to be felled by two more silenced rounds from Kiefer's gun. "Go," he hisses at Wayne. Wayne goes. Kiefer looks worried as he watches Wayne sneak off. Oh, come off it, Kiefer. You don't work for CTU either most of the time.
Over his earpiece, Chloe directs Wayne to his target. Wayne gets into position and hides behind a support just feet from a clueless guard, looking terrified. The guard steps into the open with his back to Wayne, who whips around and levels his gun, looking all bad-ass along the sights. For about ten minutes. It took him three tries today to have a gun on an actual bad guy, and now he freezes? Looks like someone's got himself a little deer fever. Finally the guard turns and spots Wayne, but before he can raise an alarm or his assault rifle, Wayne plugs him twice in the chest. Wayne looks down at the guard's body, thinking, Kiefer was right. It is different. Also, I want that gun. "Jack, it's all clear," he says, and I'd be a little more sympathetic to Wayne right now if he hadn't been the one to argue for Kiefer to kill Chappelle back when I got this gig.
Kiefer starts climbing. Moments later, he's right behind Bravo's sniper nest. Bravo reports via walkie-talkie that he hears a car approaching, and turns to investigate, passing right by where Kiefer was a moment ago when the camera panned through. But Kiefer's gone now, and the unsuspecting Bravo finishes reporting in to Henderson that the vehicle has a single, female occupant. Not that he can see that from up there. And then Kiefer jumps down right behind him and slashes his throat. Bravo, Bravo (what, I'm going to not say it?). Kiefer takes the dead guy's walkie-talkie and does something to it with the point of his knife so that when he says, "Woman is alone in the car," Henderson can barely understand it, let alone recognize Kiefer's voice. He looks a little suspicious as he makes Kiefer repeat the message. But signs four and five -- the pause in answering his call, and the suspicious sound of the transmission -- go the way of the three. Henderson must really want that evidence. Kiefer picks up the dropped sniper rifle and takes up Bravo's old position, observing Evelyn through the scope as she stops her car and gets out. Kiefer earpieces to Wayne to wait for his signal. "We need Henderson alive. Do not shoot to kill," he reminds Wayne. Only a one-in-three chance of that, I'd say.
Evelyn's cell phone rings, and it's Henderson, telling her to open all the doors and the rear hatch of her car. She complies at 10:56:22. Satisfied, Henderson tells her to go to the front of the car and drop the keys on the ground. She obeys. "Bravo, hold your position," Henderson says. "I'm coming out." Don't worry, Henderson, Kiefer isn't going anywhere. Henderson steps out into the open, leading Amy by the hand and flanked by two henchmen. Kiefer reports this development to CTU. Henderson demands the evidence, Evelyn demands her daughter, and Henderson sends the little girl running to her mom. Through Kiefer's scope, we see four henchmen surrounding Henderson in a box formation, and Evelyn is still standing up and holding her daughter. "Get down," Kiefer wills her impatiently, while Henderson is just as impatiently asking for the evidence, failing to recognize Evelyn's slowness as sign number six. Henderson tells Bravo to check in. But before Kiefer has to respond, Evelyn suddenly remembers her part in the plan, and she drags her daughter to the ground, shielding her with her body. "Now," Kiefer says, and starts shooting. Two of the guys near Henderson go down instantly, and the other two don't get much return fire off before Wayne pops out of the bushes and takes one of them down as well. He's a bit sloppy, though, so as one of the bad guys dies, he squeezes the trigger on his machine gun, sending bullets thudding into the ground right to where Evelyn and her daughter are crouched. Great plan, Kiefer.
Meanwhile, Henderson is staying low, grabbing Evelyn's car keys off the ground and hopping into her vehicle. Looks like sign number seven, which is the sight of his guys getting shot right out from under him, is what it takes to get the message through to him. Kiefer calls to Wayne, "I didn't get him. If you've got a shot, take it!" He turns and runs down the ramp he came up a minute ago as the gunfire continues. Staying low in Evelyn's driver's seat, Henderson peels out with most of the door's still open, bouncing his surviving henchman off the hood as he goes. That's the third person who's driven her car this hour who's not Evelyn. Does her insurance agent know about this? What would President Palmer say? ["Something about how The Unit is a shitty show? Oh, wait. That's me who would say that." -- Sars] Kiefer's now on ground level, running after the car and shooting at it while Wayne fires from the side and takes out the driver's side window without hitting Henderson himself. Kiefer earpieces to Chloe that Henderson is escaping in the EvelynMobile, and that she needs to redirect the satellite to track him. Chloe says she'll try. Kiefer runs back to where Wayne has joined Evelyn and Amy, and has discovered that Evelyn took a bullet in the leg. Kiefer runs to investigate, and it's splitscreen time.
The takeover of CTU continues, with Hayes witnessing the proceedings literally from on high. Audrey and Chloe are still hunched over their computer, looking worried. And that's the whole split-screen, really.
Kiefer has quickly ascertained that Evelyn's wound is a through-and-through that didn't hit an artery; she'll live, but the wound needs to be dressed. And now that Evelyn's got her daughter back, Kiefer needs to know who's behind the big conspiracy. "Is it the Vice President?" "The Vice President's got nothing to do with this!" Evelyn snarls angrily. Kiefer looks confused, either by the news or the vehemence of Evelyn's reaction. Well, then, who is behind it?
Before Evelyn can tell us, we're in her car with Henderson, who's getting a dressing-down from somebody over a cell phone connection so crappy that we can't recognize the voice. That's happening to Henderson a lot the past few minutes. Henderson admits that Kiefer "outmaneuvered" him. As a split-screen window opens up to show the person on the other end of the line -- someone we can only see from the back, in some shadowy location -- Henderson promises that Kiefer and Wayne "won't be around long enough to tell anybody else what they know. I'm putting together another team." What's he going to do, place an ad in month's Soldier of Fortune? "I will handle this sir, I promise you," Henderson promises. The camera's coming around the other party on the call now, and even in the out-of-focus background, the geometric door pattern unique to Not Camp David is clearly visible. "I will not let you down." Henderson says. "See that you don't," responds President Logan, and hangs up.
I'm not shocked, I'm not scared, I'm not surprised. I'm reserving judgment until I see if or how this is going to end up making a goddamn lick of sense. It's 11:00:00.