Day 4: 7:00am-8:00am

Eighteen months have passed since Season 3. A train is bombed near Los Angeles. While at a meeting, ex-CTU agent Jack Bauer discovers the terrorists' plan and their next target is his new boss, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Heller.

Episode guide
The following takes place between 7:00am and 8:00am.



07:00:18
A commuter train moves through the Santa Clarita Valley bound for Los Angeles. A passenger, Brody, is handcuffed to a titanium briefcase, and an armed guard watchfully protects him nearby. Suddenly, the engineer sees a truck full of metal drums on the tracks. He brakes the train, but the drums explode on impact. A helmeted dirt bike rider, Dar, sees the explosion and rides to the crash site. A woman pleads for help, but Dar ignores her and approaches Brody, who writhes in pain. Dar kills Brody with a sound-suppressed pistol, uses bolt cutters to cut the chain from Brody's wrist, takes the briefcase, and drives off into the morning sun.

COUNTER TERRORIST UNIT, LOS ANGELES. Sarah Gavin and Chloe O'Brian find out Tomas Sherek was spotted on the FBI Watchlist in the city. Erin Driscoll gets word of the train crash. Chloe walks into her office and talks about a scheduled attack at 8:00am but states the train incident happened at 7:00am. Jack Bauer is coming to a Department of Defense meeting, Driscoll says. Jack hasn't been back since Driscoll fired him 16 months ago.

Jack Bauer dresses wearily in a hotel room with Audrey Raines, his lover. Secretary Heller, Audrey's father and Jack's boss, doesn't know about their relationship. Jack thinks being back at CTU will be uncomfortable. They kiss passionately.

Agent Curtis Manning briefs Driscoll, Chloe, Sarah, and chief analyst Edgar Stiles about Tomas Sherek. CTU assumes Sherek would leave L.A. after the train crash. Chloe wonders if the attack at 7:00am is not the attack scheduled for 8:00am. Driscoll orders her to track Sherek's flight out of L.A.

07:10:33

Tomas Sherek walks on the streets of L.A. and calls a Turkish man named Navi Araz at his home. Sherek says Dar has acquired the briefcase. Navi hangs up and talks to his wife, Dina, about their son, Behrooz. Navi thinks his son is still seeing an American girl, Debbie, behind their backs. Dina tells Behrooz to come downstairs. Although Behrooz claims to be talking to his friend Scott, Navi suspects he is actually calling Debbie, and tells him that he forbids him from ever seeing that girl. Navi read Behrooz's emails, and Behrooz is infuriated at his dad for looking into his private business. As long as Behrooz lives under Navi's roof, there's no such thing as "his business." On the TV, a KRLH news reporter recounts the story of a train accident ten minutes ago at 7:00am. Navi reassures Behrooz everything is in place and says, "What we will accomplish today will change the world. We're fortunate our family has been chosen to do this. We cannot fail." Dina and Navi smile at Behrooz.

07:14:12...07:14:13...07:14:14...



07:20:12
At a graphic designer startup center, Melanie sees her friend, Andrew Paige, worked through the night. While stealing software, he sees nodes in place to corrupt the Internet. Melanie persuades him to call the authorities, and Andrew agrees to do so from a pay phone to not get caught stealing code. 07:22:12

Jack and Audrey exit the hotel with Secretary of Defense Heller. Heller gets word from a contact that 32 are confirmed dead in the train bombing. He agrees to call someone named Carl but tells Jack first. Heller wants Jack to find out more at CTU. He then asks why Audrey didn't return his phone calls. She says she had dinner with a friend. Jack will call Heller when he gets to CTU.

Andrew calls Chloe O'Brian at CTU and tells her what he saw on the Internet. Chloe knows Andrew, but reminds him he's not supposed to call her. He mentions he couldn't understand everything because some of the damaging code is in Arabic or Turkish.

Sarah digs up information on her computer about Maurice Landstrass who runs a dry cleaning store owned by a Turkish holding company. Chloe tells Driscoll what Andrew told her. Driscoll orders her to pass it to the FBI and focus on the train bombing.

07:24:59

Jack walks into CTU and sees some changes. He walks around and looks at the new layout. Sarah motions to Jack and asks Chloe if she knows who he is. Chloe tells her that his name is Jack Bauer and she greets Jack. Jack tells her Kim and Chase live together. Curtis welcomes Jack and introduces him to his replacement as head of Field Ops, Ronnie Lobell. Jack senses the urgency in the air as he waits for Driscoll.

Audrey rides with her father in a limousine as they travel to visit her brother, Richard Heller. Audrey is on the phone with Max from Vandenberg and assures him their meeting with the Secretary will not be postponed. Secretary Heller wishes to convince his son not to take part in a protest that could embarrass the President.

07:28:32

President Keeler phones Secretary Heller to consider raising the terror alert level on the bombing. Jack meets with Driscoll about the Department of Defense's budget for CTU. Jack, who is the special advisor to Secretary Heller, thinks some of Driscoll's proposals for increasing funds are unreasoned. Driscoll is frustrated, but excuses herself when Curtis calls to notify her Ronnie arrived outside the dry cleaning store. She prepares to watch the video feed Ronnie will set up. Outside the store, Ronnie sends his subordinates Aaron and Sean to cover the exits, then goes inside.

Jack and Driscoll watch the surveillance feed. Ronnie fruitlessly questions Landstrass at the counter while Jack thinks the man is hiding something. Driscoll dismisses his belief. Jack points out Landstrass keeps looking suspiciously to the right of the counter. Driscoll radioes Ronnie to advise him. Ronnie asks if he could check behind the shelf to his right. Suddenly, Sherek stands up and runs for the door. Ronnie runs after him as the agents grab Sherek. Driscoll praises the team, while Jack realizes his skills are still intact, shakes his head, and smiles to himself.

07:33:04...07:33:05...07:33:06...



07:39:03
Secretary Heller walks into Richard's house alone while his Secret Service guards the house. Jack calls Audrey to explain CTU has the prime suspect behind the train bombing in custody. As she is about to hang up, Jack tells her to wait. He tells Audrey he doesn't want to move too fast with their relationship, but goes on to reveal he hasn't felt this strongly about someone since Teri died. He tells Audrey he's falling in love with her. Audrey is pleased but Jack has to hang up because Driscoll's coming. Jack asks Driscoll for information but Driscoll won't divulge anything.

Despite his father's plea, Richard will protest because it's something he believes in. Heller tells him these people could be using him. Richard thinks having 25,000 nuclear warheads is bad enough since America lost allies due to the country's "psychotic need" to control the world. Heller and Richard continue to argue about national security.

07:44:04

Andrew returns to the startup with coffee and hears Melanie crying. He then sees a bald Turkish man interrogating Melanie, who's tied to a chair. Melanie confesses Andrew saw the damaging code but she doesn't know what it is. The bald man takes out a silenced gun and shoots her at point blank range. Andrew is shocked. He attempts to flee, and trips over the body of a co-worker, shot in the head. The two Turkish hitmen hear noises and run after Andrew. Outside, Andrew gets his bike and steers in front of a 18-wheeler and disappears on the other side. The shooter and his accomplice come out and see Andrew escaped. They leave.

07:46:55

Driscoll gives Jack an open socket to look up the budget numbers. He sees Sherek escorted in by Ronnie and other CTU guards. Jack recognizes Sherek but knows him under the name Jann Bolek. Jack explains he traced Sherek to bombings back in the '90s, and is adamant Sherek wouldn't risk coming to L.A. just for a train bombing. Driscoll refuses to heed Jack's warning, and reminds him Sherek is CTU's problem.

Jack turns to Chloe to ask for any indications there were more than one attack. Chloe is not comfortable doing this behind Driscoll's back, but Jack pleads. After helping him log in to the account, she tells him there was a time discrepancy. The bombing happened at 7:00am. Logged in to Interpol, Jack sees Sherek didn't come for a train bombing. Something will happen at 8:00am.

07:50:15...07:50:16...07:50:17...



07:54:13
Audrey phones her estranged ex-husband, Paul, about their divorce and she wants to proceed with it. Suddenly, Jack interrupts her with a urgent call. He needs clearance to talk to Heller but Audrey tells Jack he's in Richard's house. Jack tells her about a possible second terrorist strike at 8:00am. As it's almost 8:00am Jack emphasizes the urgency. Audrey gets out of the limo and heads into the house. Audrey gives the phone to her father and Richard comments he didn't expect to see her. Audrey tells him to stop trying to hurt their father.

Secretary Heller tells Jack he's hesitant to step on Driscoll's toes and says to let CTU handle it. Heller hangs up because of a call from President Keeler.

07:56:57

Jack looks at his watch to sees it's 7:57am. He takes matters into his own hands and sneaks into the interrogation room where Ronnie is talking to Sherek ineffectively. Jack quickly neutralizes a guard, goes inside, and jams the controls. Jack takes out a gun and points it at Sherek. Driscoll tells Jack she'll call security if he doesn't leave. Jack throws the metal table on the ground and screams at Sherek to divulge his primary objective. When Sherek uses the same silent treatment that worked on Ronnie, Jack shoots him in the knee. Sherek screams as he bleeds. Jack prepares to shoot him in the other leg when Sherek shouts the primary objective is the Secretary of Defense. Jack demands Driscoll call Secret Service immediately.

07:58:14



Audrey and Secretary Heller discuss their schedule when Jack calls. He tells Audrey the train bombing was a diversionary target and Secretary Heller is the real target. A rocket passes behind Audrey and hits a car, which explodes into flames. Heller gets Audrey on the ground as two vans swerve in and dozens of bandanna-masked terrorists gun down every Secret Service agent. The terrorists grab Heller and Audrey and force them into a maroon van. Audrey screams and begs to be left alone. On the phone, Jack listens helplessly.



Split screen: Andrew rides his bike to safety. Dar walks into the Araz family house carrying the titanium briefcase and embraces Navi while Dina watches them.

In the van, the terrorists blindfold Secretary Heller and Audrey, who cries quietly.

07:59:57...07:59:58...07:59:59...08:00:00

Memorable quotes

 * Chloe O'Brian: As usual, Edgar, we can't hear you. Also, where's your laptop in case you need to pull data?
 * Edgar Stiles: I'm sorry, I'll speak up. And, uh, I don't need my laptop, I have everything memorized.


 * Erin Driscoll: I'll talk to Secretary Heller about it myself.
 * Jack Bauer: No, you'll talk to me. We're not doing this twice.


 * Secretary Heller: Spare me your sixth grade Michael Moore logic!


 * Navi Araz: What we accomplish today will change the world. We are fortunate that our family has been chosen to do this. We cannot fail.

(After Sherek is brought into CTU)
 * Jack Bauer: Erin, listen to me. This doesn't make sense. I know this guy's file.  He's a major handler. He wouldn't risk exposing himself here in the United States for a train bombing.  It's not big enough.

(Reading the information transcript about the train bombing)
 * Jack Bauer: It calls for an eight o'clock strike unless target deviates. That doesn't make sense.  Trains don't deviate; they're on a fixed course and schedule.
 * Chloe O'Brian: Sometimes when Interpol's breaking codes in communiques, it won't use the exact wording. What are you thinking, Jack?
 * Jack Bauer: Sherek didn't come here for a train bombing. Something is going to happen at eight o'clock.

Starring

 * Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
 * Kim Raver as Audrey Raines
 * Alberta Watson as Erin Driscoll
 * and William Devane as Secretary of Defense James Heller

Guest starring

 * Jonathan Ahdout as Behrooz Araz
 * Roger Cross as Curtis Manning
 * Shawn Doyle as Ronnie Lobell
 * Lukas Haas as Andrew Paige
 * Louis Lombardi as Edgar Stiles
 * Logan Marshall-Green as Richard Heller
 * Lana Parrilla as Sarah Gavin
 * Geoff Pierson as President John Keeler
 * Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian
 * Nestor Serrano as Navi Araz
 * Faran Tahir as Tomas Sherek
 * Matt Gallini as Abdul Mahnesh
 * Brittany Ishibashi as Melanie
 * and Shohreh Aghdashloo as Dina Araz

Co-starring

 * Michelle C. Bonilla as Train Crash Reporter
 * Thomas Tofel as Maurice Landstrass
 * Elyse Marie Mirto as Hurt Woman
 * Jeff Griggs as Brody
 * Will Badgett as Train Engineer

Uncredited

 * James Frain as Paul Raines (audio only)
 * Joseph Hodge as Dar
 * Anil Kumar as Kalil Hasan

Background information and notes

 * There is a Season 4 Prequel on the Season 3 DVD that bridges the seasons.
 * This episode is the season premiere of 24's fourth season.
 * FOX decided to deviate from the usual airing schedule and delay the premiere until January 2005 to give viewers longer breaks between seasons. This allowed the show to run without repeating episodes for 19 weeks, the entirety of the fourth season. FOX also moved 24 from Tuesdays to Mondays to kick off Season 4 with a special two night "miniseries" on 1/09/05 and 1/10/05.
 * This was the second premiere to air with commercial interruptions. Season 2 and Season 3 had commercial-free premieres.
 * This was the first season premiere to not feature "Events occur in real time" in the opening narration.
 * For the fourth season, FOX gave its affiliates two public service announcements portraying Muslims in positive light, because of criticism from the Council of American-Islamic Relations.
 * As of this episode William Devane, Kim Raver, and Alberta Watson join the regular cast. William Devane receives the "and" credit in the main cast.
 * Kiefer Sutherland is the only main cast member to return from Day 3. Mary Lynn Rajskub and Geoff Pierson also return, but are not main cast members. Dennis Haysbert, Carlos Bernard, and Reiko Aylesworth all become guest stars this season.
 * Throughout the season, Shohreh Aghdashloo receives the "and" credit in the guest cast.
 * This is the first season not to include Elisha Cuthbert or Dennis Haysbert as parts of the main cast.
 * This is the first episode to feature future regulars Louis Lombardi, Roger Cross, and Lana Parrilla.
 * This is the first episode not to feature David Palmer since "Day 1: 3:00pm-4:00pm," the second episode not to feature Tony Almeida, and the first not to feature Michelle Dessler since her introduction. (All three actors return in later episodes of the season.)
 * The music playing when Audrey Raines and James Heller are taken to a van and the remaining Secret Service agents are killed is the same music from the shootout between Jack and Kingsley's men in "Day 2: 1:00am-2:00am."
 * All split screens are formatted for widescreen beginning with this episode. Additionally, the running clock is kerned so the digits are as close together as possible (that is, 1's no longer occupy the same amount of space as other digits).
 * The exterior shot of the train's wheels screeching to a halt was reused for the subway train explosion in "Day 6: 7:00am-8:00am."
 * The opening scene was scripted to be two trains colliding. This was deemed too expensive and changed to the train crashing into a pickup truck.
 * As of this episode, Jack Bauer is the only character to have appeared in every episode of the series.
 * Shohreh Aghdashloo and Jonathan Ahdout, who play Dina and Behrooz Araz, also played mother and son in the film House of Sand and Fog. Navi Rawat, who played Melanie in Season 1, also appears in the film as Aghdashloo's daughter.
 * The "Blood on the Tracks" featurette from the Season 4 DVD explores the making of the opening scene.
 * According to Joel Surnow in the DVD audio commentary, the scene where Jack arrives at CTU was shot so the audience sees the changes made to the building at the same time Jack does.