Day 8: 4:00pm-5:00pm

At the United Nations in New York City, President Allison Taylor and President Omar Hassan of the Islamic Republic are putting the finishing touches on an historic peace treaty. With a new lease on life, Jack Bauer plans on moving back to Los Angeles with his daughter Kim and granddaughter Teri, but his plans are put on hold when an old informant comes to him with information on an assassination plot against Hassan.

Episode guide
The following takes place between 4:00pm and 5:00pm.

Events occur in real time.



04:00:20
On a New York street, a yellow taxi cab pulls over and a man in a bright red sweatshirt, Victor Aruz, gets out. Across the street, another man recognizes him. A sniper on a nearby roof is about to take out the first man, but traffic gets in the way and he misses his shot. The man enters an apartment building and walks upstairs. He calls out for a man named Manny, but finds him dead in the bathtub. He dashes nervously to the window to look out at the street and calls another friend, only to be informed by a hysterical woman that he has just been murdered, too. Aruz flees into the hallway.

The two men waiting outside see a man leave the apartment building in a bright red sweatshirt. Again they are about to shoot, but the man turns, and they realize it is someone else simply wearing Aruz's sweatshirt. Meanwhile, Aruz takes advantage of their confusion to hotwire a car and speed away from the apartment building. The sniper and the man on foot shoot at Aruz. The sniper hits Aruz in the shoulder, but he escapes alive. Though unsuccessful, the spotter dials 911 to report Aruz's vehicle as stolen.

In a high-rise hotel, a young girl sits on the couch watching cartoons. She wakes up the man laying on the couch next to her, her grandfather, Jack Bauer. Jack tells Teri to call him "grandfather", but admits he "doesn't look like a grandpa". She tells him the cartoon he put on for her is boring and asks him to change it. Jack finds a new station and briefly watches a news broadcast about a peace treaty being signed by Presidents Allison Taylor and Omar Hassan before Teri protests for him to put a cartoon. Teri finds a program she likes and Jack's phone rings. It is Kim calling and she thanks him for watching Teri, apologizing for being late but explaining that traffic is being redirected around the United Nations. Jack comments Teri reminds him of Kim, while Kim remarks Teri reminds her of Jack. Kim says she'll be there in a few minutes and hangs up. In the car, Stephen notices Kim looking worried. Kim tells him she wishes Jack would chose to go back to Los Angeles with them, since his treatment is over. Stephen consoles her and Kim says Jack may have just gotten used to living alone.

04:06:16

A newscaster outside the United Nations building explains President Allison Taylor and President Omar Hassan of the Islamic Republic of Kamistan are holding a series of talks which will hopefully result in the dismantling of Kamistan's nuclear weapons program.

Inside, President Taylor revisits a point of contention in the proceedings: her condition that a team of American weapons inspectors to be dispatched to Kamistan. The discussion becomes heated, and Hassan's brother and advisor, Farhad, exclaims that if America believes they are the only trustworthy country, it should be of no surprise the rest of the world detests them. Secretary of State Ethan Kanin engages in this debate with him, but Hassan silences his brother. Ultimately, the two leaders agree to adjourn and discuss the issue with their respective teams.

Outside the conference hall, Taylor pulls Kanin aside and asks him to try to do what Hassan asks. Kanin is shocked, but Taylor points out the situation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and Hassan has already risked so much by coming here and discussing nuclear disarmament. She insists that the United States can't expect him to do much more.

04:09:22

Jack and Teri exit the elevator into the lobby and Kim and Stephen meet them there. Teri is ecstatic to see her mother. Jack tells Kim he has been thinking about returning to Los Angeles and, to Kim's pleasant surprise, has decided to fly back with them tonight. Jack walks Kim, Stephen, and Teri to their car outside and tells them he needs to finish packing, but will meet them at their hotel in an hour. They depart in good spirits. Across the street, however, Aruz watches them leave, wincing as he clutches at the wound in his shoulder. He grabs a gun from under a newspaper on the passenger seat and opens the door.

04:11:26...04:11:27...04:11:28...



04:17:22
Rob Weiss, the White House Chief of Staff, addresses the media outside the council chamber and gives an outline of the statements that Presidents Taylor and Hassan will make after an introduction by the Secretary General. Due to the heightened security measures, he reminds them to keep their credentials visible at all times.

At a security checkpoint outside, a journalist, Meredith Reed, is surprised to learn that her clearance for the summit has been revoked. She insists that there must be some mistake because she has been there every day so far, but the guard orders her to leave the premises immediately.

Farhad Hassan enters the residence suite at the UN and informs his brother that Secretary Kanin has agreed to IAEA inspectors, as they had been pushing for, but only on the condition that the verification team be led by an American. Although Farhad has doubts about the compromise, Omar believes it is an acceptable one, saying that Taylor has already lifted sanctions against the IRK and offered a substantial aid package; they are getting everything they hoped for. Their conversation is cut short by a call: Meredith Reed, outside the UN, calls to tell Omar that she has been kept out of the press conference. Omar agrees to take care of it, then, in a softer voice, agrees to meet with her later for an interview they had planned. After the call ends, Farhad is reluctant to clear Reed, saying that Omar is getting too closely involved with this reporter, and has endangered both his marriage and his career should their affair become public. Omar silences him, saying that he has done nothing reckless.

04:21:14

Jack is packing a suitcase when he hears a knock at the door, and opens it to find Victor Aruz outside. Angrily, he pulls him inside and pushes him into a chair, asking what this is about. First, Victor warns him not to call for an ambulance: his attackers are listening to the emergency channels for some sign of him. Despite Jack's insistence that he doesn't work for the government anymore, Victor explains the reason he has come: his employers are planning to assassinate President Hassan at the UN sometime today. He wants Jack to call CTU and vouch for him, to help cut a deal and get immunity for telling them what he knows. Jack takes his gun and threatens him, warning that this information had better be real.

04:23:12

In an underground tunnel, an SUV pulls up in front of the entrance to the newly reformed CTU New York. Cole Ortiz, Director of Field Operations, exits and places a call ordering Agent Singer's team to the northeast quarter at the United Nations building. Dana Walsh, a senior data analyst and Cole's fiancee, tells him that Hastings wants an expanded CTU patrol route around the UN; she agrees to check if the NYPD can supplement the patrols instead. Before she leaves, Cole mentions that his sister left Dana some messages about a problem with the bridesmaids' dresses; she apologizes that her work schedule prevented her from handling it sooner, but promises to call her back as soon as she can.

Dana notices Chloe O'Brian pounding on her keyboard, and asks what's wrong. Chloe says that she can't finish the facial recognition on the reporters at the press conference in time, but Dana steps in and shows her how to load the different data formats in a batch. She reminds Chloe not to be shy about asking for help, and says she's doing great so far.

Just then, Chloe gets a call from Jack, asking to speak to the director immediately. Chloe refuses at first, saying that Mr. Hastings doesn't like being disturbed when he's on the phone, but she agrees after Jack tells him what the call is about.

Hastings's call with Gary is cut short when Chloe tells him the news. Jack briefs Hastings on the situation, saying that Victor Aruz was one of his old informants during the Salazar operation and he believes he is telling the truth. Hastings is reluctant to act on this information, saying he needs more than Jack's instincts, but agrees after Jack threatens to call President Taylor should Hassan actually be killed. He tells Jack that he will send a chopper to meet him at the 12th Precinct, five blocks from the hotel. Jack confirms, and he and Victor head out.

In the bullpen, Arlo Glass monitors the feed from an unmanned aerial drone over the city and zeroes in on a woman sunbathing. Cole arrives to tell him about an emergency briefing Hastings has just called, and, gesturing to the woman, mentions offhand that if he's ever caught doing that, he'll be out of a job. Arlo jokes that it would be worth it, but transfers control of the drone and signs off.

04:28:22

Hastings briefs Cole, Dana, and Arlo on the operation with Jack Bauer, whose name Cole is surprised to hear, but which Arlo has never heard before. Hastings orders Cole to take Agent Torres and a small team to meet Jack and Aruz, and Arlo to use a drone to monitor the ground operation. Cole asks for a second team for extra security, but Hastings turns this down, saying the drone can provide full spectrum coverage of both the landing site and the air corridor.

An NYPD patrolman recognizes Victor's license plate from the APB and calls in to report the stolen vehicle. A Russian named Davros intercepts this call, and his spotter confirms that it is Aruz's vehicle. Davros dispatches the hit squad to the hotel, warning them not to fail him again.

04:30:27...04:30:28...04:30:29...



04:36:22
Ethan Kanin returns to the council chamber to announce to President Taylor that Hassan has accepted their counterproposal on inspections, and that he expects they will have a finalized treaty after the next session. Allison sits down, looking sad, and remarks that she and Henry often talked about achieving a lasting peace with the Islamic Republic, and that she wishes he were there to share the moment. Ethan is surprised, reminding her of how he treated her during the divorce, particularly in the press; she says that he had every right to be angry after she sent Olivia to prison, but he counters that she simply refused to cover up a murder.

They are interrupted by Rob Weiss, who reports that CTU has information on an assassination plot against Hassan from Jack Bauer. Ethan advises that they refrain from telling the Kamistani delegation about the threat, as they might withdraw from the talks, but Weiss counters that that will definitely happen if they don't tell them and an attack takes place. Allison says that she will consider both options and dismisses them.

04:39:03

Outside, Rob apologizes to Ethan for being harsh. Ethan replies that there's no need; he recommended Weiss because of his reputation for speaking his mind. Ethan notices him eying the pill bottle that Ethan is holding and tells him not to worry; "I ain't dead yet."

Back at her hotel, Kim calls her father, who is escorting Aruz along a busy sidewalk. Jack tells her that something came up and he'll be a little late; he says it would be best to meet up at the airport instead. Kim asks him what's going on, but he assures her that nothing's wrong. Two blocks away from the precinct, Jack decides to cut through an alley to cover their progress.

Chloe brings Hastings the file on Victor Aruz, saying that it took a long time because the database was in a proprietary format. Hastings criticizes her for her poor performance, and while he acknowledges that she is unfamiliar with the new systems, he believes it's more because of her ambivalence. She admits that she was forced to take the job at CTU because her husband was laid off, but urges him to give her more time to catch up. He agrees, but warns her that she will lose her position if she doesn't improve soon.

04:41:34

Ortiz and his team emerge onto the helipad, while Dana briefs him on the flight path to the precinct. She asks why he's looking at her strangely, then assures him that nothing's wrong; she wishes him good luck. Agent Torres jokes that she's getting cold feet, but Cole tells him to focus on his assignment. They board the helicopter and depart.

In the alleyway, Victor collapses and loses consciousness due to his gunshot injury, forcing Jack to cut open a mattress to find material to compress the wound. Unknown to Jack, a bystander close by sees them and quietly dials 911.

04:43:36...04:43:37...04:43:38...



04:50:24
Dalia, President Hassan's wife, applies her makeup while watching the news on television. Their daughter Kayla enters and tells her it's almost time to go. Dalia remarks that Omar doesn't trust her to be on time, then accuses Kayla of lying when she denies it. They proceed into the living room, where Omar compliments her beauty; he tries to hold her hand, but she tells him not to pretend any more than they need to, and leaves. Omar apologizes to Kayla for the incident, then they enter the elevator to go to the press conference.

04:52:34

Farhad arrives at the security checkpoint and gives the officer Meredith Reed's new credentials; she is cleared to attend the press conference. Meredith thanks Farhad for his help, but he coldly warns her to stay away from his brother, unless she wants to destroy everything he has worked for.

In the council chamber, Weiss again urges President Taylor to tell Hassan about the threat, but she turns him down. The Hassans enter, and they exchange greetings with Taylor. Hassan thanks Taylor for agreeing to the compromise regarding inspections, and Weiss briefs them both on the press conference, which will only take about twenty-five minutes.

Jack applies a compress to Victor's wound, and they are about to head out when they are stopped by a policeman and his partner responding to the 911 call. Jack explains that he's with CTU transporting a vital informant, but the cop orders them to face the wall while his partner calls the station to verify. Just then, the hit squad that was after Aruz opens fire from across the alley, quickly killing both officers. Jack shoots out the lock on a nearby door and drags Victor inside.

Jack calls Chloe to report that he is under attack, and Chloe patches Jack through to Cole Ortiz aboard the chopper. Running up several flights of stairs, Jack reports that he is in a building on West 21st, three doors in from 9th Avenue. Arlo reports that the building is adjacent to a parking structure on the eighth floor, and Ortiz redirects the chopper to land there.

04:56:23

At the top of the stairs, Jack urges Victor to give up what he knows in case they don't make it, but he says that he doesn't care what happens if the assassins catch up with them. Jack leaves him in a secure location, then waits for the hitmen to reach their landing. From around the corner, Jack buries a fire axe in the spotter's chest, then uses him to  push the sniper over the landing. He returns to Aruz and they break through a window onto the parking structure.

Ortiz and his team exit the chopper and lock off all the entrances. Cole shakes Jack's hand and says it's an honor to meet him; he wants to take Jack back to CTU for debriefing, but Jack insists that he's done and has a flight to catch. Suddenly, Jack grabs Cole and throws him to the ground, as Davros fires a Stinger missle from an adjacent rooftop, destroying the helicopter and engulfing Torres and Aruz in an explosion. Dana and Chloe attempt to reach Jack and Cole, but are unsuccesful.

At the parking structure, Jack gets to his feet and runs over to Aruz, who is barely alive. Jack urges him to die with honor and tell him what he knows. Painfully, Victor says that somebody inside Hassan's delegation is helping the assassins, but then convulses as he begins to die. Desperately, Jack tries to revive him, but he is unsuccessful.

At the UN, Meredith Reed is on the phone, saying that her clearance was revoked, but Hassan's brother helped her get in. She says that the conference is on schedule, and hangs up.

04:59:57...04:59:58...04:59:59...05:00:00

Starring

 * Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
 * Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian
 * Anil Kapoor as President Omar Hassan
 * Mykelti Williamson as Brian Hastings
 * Katee Sackhoff as Dana Walsh
 * Chris Diamantopoulos as Rob Weiss
 * John Boyd as Arlo Glass
 * with Freddie Prinze Jr. as Cole Ortiz
 * and Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor

Special guest star

 * Elisha Cuthbert as Kim Bauer

Guest starring

 * Bob Gunton as Secretary of State Ethan Kanin
 * Nazneen Contractor as Kayla Hassan
 * Doug Hutchison as Davros
 * Akbar Kurtha as Farhad Hassan
 * Benito Martinez as Victor Aruz
 * Paul Wesley as Stephen
 * Jennifer Westfeldt as Meredith Reed
 * Necar Zadegan as Dalia Hassan
 * Jaime Gomez as Agent Torres
 * Stefan Kapicic as Red Square spotter
 * Cliff M. Simon as Red Square sniper

Co-starring

 * Claire Geare as Teri
 * Daniel Kash as Sterling Rush (as "U.N. Security Officer")
 * Tania Verafield as Woman
 * Chris Caldovino as NYPD Patrolman
 * Nick Smith as UN Field Reporter
 * Jay Thames as Crack Addict
 * Heather Nauert Norby as N.Y. News Anchor
 * Robert G. Beckel as Bob Beckel (as "Second Pundit")
 * Monica Elizabeth Crowley as Monica Crowley (as "Female Pundit")
 * Sam Ayers as NYPD Officer

Memorable quotes

 * Jack Bauer: Sweetheart, we talked about this remember? You're supposed to call me grandpa.
 * Teri: You don't look like a grandpa.
 * Jack Bauer: (smiles) Couldn't agree with you more.


 * Victor Aruz: There's a big hit going down.
 * Jack Bauer: On who?
 * Victor Aruz: President Hassan, at the UN. He's getting taken out.
 * Jack Bauer: When?
 * Victor Aruz: Today.


 * Jack Bauer: Keep moving, I'm out of bullets.


 * Jack Bauer: (After delivering Victor) I've got a flight to catch.
 * Cole Ortiz: That's it?


 * Arlo Glass: Who is Jack Bauer?

Background information and notes

 * This is the season premiere of 24's eighth and final season.
 * Freddie Prinze Jr. receives the "with" credit and Cherry Jones receives the "and" credit.
 * Just like "Day 1: 12:00am-1:00am," this episode opens the season with a panoramic shot of a city skyline at 4:00pm.
 * There is no split screen at the end of this episode, making this the only season premiere to not have a final split-screen.
 * The car that Victor Aruz steals near the beginning of the episode is a 2009 Pontiac G8.
 * The music that plays after Davros shoots the CTU helicopter is the same music that played after Michelle Dessler was killed by a car bomb in Day 5: 7:00am-8:00am.