Day 8: 5:00am-6:00am

Samir Mehran demands that the United States government hand over President Omar Hassan within one hour or face a radiological attack in the heart of Manhattan. Defiantly, President Allison Taylor instead orders Jack Bauer to escort Hassan to Fort McGuire Air Force Base, while members of her inner circle conspire to subvert her decision.

Episode guide

Previously on 24

• Jack Bauer calls the NSA and tells them that CTU New York is offline and that they must shut down bridge and tunnel traffic.
• Renee Walker receives a phone call from Chloe O'Brian saying she can't locate Jack.
• Chloe O'Brian pulls a gun on Frank Haynam after he rejects her plan to restart CTU.
• Samir Mehran loads the nuclear fuel rods into a boat for transport across the East River.
• Dana Walsh strangles Bill Prady after he refuses to drop his inquiry into Kevin Wade's whereabouts.
• Dana calls Samir and promises to help him escape CTU's surveillance, proving herself to be a mole.

The following takes place between 5:00am and 6:00am.

05:00:00

An EMT checks Jack's wounds; Jack brushes off the idea that his ribs may be broken, though the EMT warns him that more stress could cause a collapsed lung. The taxi bearing Samir, Tarin and the rods is quickly found via satellite drone, but Dana helps them evade capture by disabling the drone for thirty seconds. Samir asks for NYPD patrol patterns and checkpoints, but Dana can't get them for him now; it's not safe.

05:07:42

Hastings calls President Taylor to say he can no longer guarantee Manhattan's safety. As the National Security Team is assembled, the President calls Jack and asks him to supervise the evacuation of President Hassan. Renee insists on going with him.

The taxi pulls into an underground garage, where Samir gives the rods to Ahman, the bomb maker. The device will be functional just as soon as the rods are loaded in. Samir says to get ready to leave; he wants to place the bomb just as soon as he's spoken to the President.

05:10:12...05:10:13...05:10:14...

05:14:24

As Jack meets with Hassan and his Secret Service detail, led by young Agent Molly O'Connor, the National Security team has a contentious meeting. General Brucker wants to retaliate against the IRK, while Ethan Kanin insists that the Islamic Republic is an ally.

05:16:16

Samir calls and tells the President that his bomb is a radiological dispersal device that will contaminate forty square blocks. He wants Hassan turned over to him. The President refuses. She has exactly one hour to change her mind.

05:21:23

With over 100,000 lives at stake, Rob Weiss recommends turning Hassan over to save American lives, and Brucker points out that the retaliation he was just recommending could well escalate. Kanin is aghast, and the President is angered. There's no guarantee that the terrorists won't detonate the bomb anyway. She won't give in to a terrorist demand, and "if the worst happens, we will deal with it," she says. "We will pick ourselves up off the floor and deal with it. Why? Because that's what we do. Americans don't stay down. We rise up in times of crisis. We carry on. Is that clear?"

05:24:34...05:24:35...05:24:36...

05:28:52

Dana asks Chloe for an updated list of checkpoints and road closures, then calls Samir, who is sure that President Taylor will cave as the time pressure builds. Ahman says the bomb is ready.

General Brucker takes Rob Weiss aside and suggests a covert operation to turn Hassan over to the terrorists while making it look like they took him hostage, thus sparing New York while also preserving America's standing in the world by appearing to stand by its ideals. Weiss is interested, but hesitant. Brucker needs Hassan's evacuation route. Weiss doesn't have access; it's being handled by the Secretary of State's office. Brucker says they're just going to have to get it from Kanin. Weiss says that this is sedition, but Brucker believes that the President's orders are illegal, and that it's their moral obligation to disobey. Weiss isn't buying it, but General Brucker reminds him that Weiss himself said that it's the primary role of government to protect its citizens.

05:31:16

As Hastings urges the CTU staffers to make a last-ditch effort, Dana sends Samir the NYPD movement info. Meanwhile, Brucker and Weiss sneak into Kanin's office. As they begin to copy Hassan's itinerary onto a thumb drive, Kanin catches them in the act. Brucker bars his exit. Kanin tries to surreptitiously dial Jack, but Brucker takes his cell phone; Weiss hangs up before Jack can answer. Kanin begs Weiss not to betray his President. Then suddenly, Kanin begins to suffer a heart attack. He drops his nitrate pills, and though Weiss helps him, the medication has no effect. Weiss wants to call an ambulance, but Brucker forbids it until they have Hassan in hand.

05:36:47...05:36:48...05:36:49...

05:41:04

In the evacuation tunnel, Jack tries to call Kanin back. Not only is he not picking up, but the operator at McGuire Air Force Base can't reach him. Jack shares his suspicions with Renee. Meanwhile, Brucker calls Michael Bishop, the head of his black ops team, and says to do whatever he must do in order to take Hassan alive.

Jack, Renee, the Hassan family and their security detail are 200 yards from the evacuation vehicle, but Bishop's team, ski masks over their faces, is now in place. In Kanin's office, as an ashen Kanin rests on the couch, there is a knock at the door. It's Kanin's aide, saying that Jack is calling for him. Weiss doesn't let her in, and says he'll take care of it. He tells Jack that Kanin is tied up with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Weiss can't get rid of Jack, who insists that Kanin wouldn't have called him during a sensitive evacuation unless he had important news. Weiss insists that it's not possible to speak to Kanin. When Jack continues to insist, Weiss yells at him to just do his job and then hangs up.

05:42:46

Jack becomes suspicious, and tells Agent O'Connor to stop because something isn't right. They're going back to the UN. When Bishop sees them turning around, a mere 100 yards short, he gives the order to take out as many as possible. Jack pulls Hassan behind a stack of pallets, while Renee has Dalia and Kayla. Jack tells Renee to get them into the side tunnel; Jack will be right behind her. O'Connor says they're pinned down. Jack covers her long enough for them to retreat further into the maze of pallets, then tells her she's going to have to hold them off. Jack's orders are to stay with Hassan, or he'd stay and fight. She understands, and she gives orders to draw the black ops team into a crossfire.

Hassan, seeing the Secret Service agents being slaughtered, wants to stay and help, but Jack says they need to keep moving so their sacrifice won't be in vain. They flee down the side tunnel. As their pursuers catch up with them, Hassan insists on being handed a weapon. Kayla twists her ankle and can't walk. Jack throws a smoke grenade as Renee lets loose a spray of gunfire. Jack slips into the smoke and begins to take out the commandos.

05:46:52...05:46:53...05:46:54...

05:51:13

As the last two surviving commandos are about to get the drop on Jack, Hassan shoots one of them. Jack captures the other and unmasks him. He's shocked to find that the man is an American. It's Bishop, who explains the situation to Jack, and says that it's all up to Jack to deliver Hassan to the terrorists or else the bomb will be detonated by 06:15 hours. That's in less than twenty minutes. Jack tells Bishop that he only follows orders from the President of the United States. He takes Bishop hostage.

05:57:45

Samir calls Dana, who tells him that Hassan is being transported to the McGuire Air Force Base, and they lost communication with his security detail twenty minutes ago. Samir realizes that President Taylor has no intention of giving up Hassan. Dana tries to convince him not to use the bomb because he'll lose his leverage, but Samir tells her President Taylor left him no choice and hangs up. He calls Tarin, who is now the driver in place of the recently killed Ali, and tells him to start the countdown. Tarin doesn't reply, as he is surprised by what he has to do. "Your name will never be forgotten, my friend," Samir says, "Your family will be honored above all others."

Tarin seems visibly distraught about Samir's decision. But to assure Samir of his dedication he says an Arabic phrase which translates into "The next world is the true life". Samir responds to Tarin with the same phrase. Tarin begins the countdown. Fifteen minutes to detonation.

05:59:57...05:59:58...05:59:59...06:00:00

Episode credits

Cast

Starring

• Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
• Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian
• Anil Kapoor as President Omar Hassan
• Annie Wersching as Renee Walker
• 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

Guest starring

• Bob Gunton as Secretary of State Ethan Kanin
• Nazneen Contractor as Kayla Hassan
• Michael Gaston as General David Brucker
• Mido Hamada as Samir Mehran
• Frank John Hughes as Tim Woods
• Necar Zadegan as Dalia Hassan
• T.J. Ramini as Tarin Faroush
• Michael Irby as Adrion Bishop
• Hrach Titizian as Nabeel
• Christina Cox as Molly O'Connor
• Rizwan Manji as Ahman
• James Jordan as EMT Phillips

Co-starring

• Sarah Hollis as Susan (as "Aide")
• Tripp Pickell as Agent Swofford
• Sterling Sulieman as Jim

Uncredited

• Henry M. Kingi, Jr. as Secret Service bodyguard

Production staff

Music by Sean Callery Edited by Casey Rohrs Production Designer: Carlos Barbosa Director of Photography: Rodney Charters, A.S.C., C.S.C. Executive Producer: Brian Grazer Producer: Paul Gadd Supervising Producer: Milan Cheylov Co-Executive Producer: Patrick Harbinson Chip Johannessen Brannon Braga Alex Gansa Brad Turner Executive Producers: David Fury Manny Coto Kiefer Sutherland Evan Katz Howard Gordon Produced by Michael Klick Created by Joel Surnow & Robert Cochran Teleplay by Alex Gansa Story by Evan Katz Directed by Milan Cheylov

Executive Consultant: Joel Surnow Robert Cochran Casting: Debi Manwiller, C.S.A. Peggy Kennedy, C.S.A. Unit Production Manager: Craig West First Assistant Director: Nicole Burke Second Assistant Director: Scott Remick Costume Designer: Jim Lapidus Production Sound Mixer: Bill Gocke Property Master: Randy Gunter Script Supervisor: Anne Melville Art Director: Carlos Osorio Costumes Supervisor: Jean Rosone Set Decorator: Cloudia Rebar, S.D.S.A. Gaffer: David St. Onge Key Grip: Anthony Vietro Special Effects Coordinators: Stan Blackwell Scott Blackwell Set Designer: Marco Miehe Key Make-up Artists: Dee Mansano Stephanie Fowler Key Hair Stylists: Michael Marcellino Audrey Futterman-Stern Transportation Coordinator: Hal Lary Stunt Coordinator: Jeff Cadiente Camera Operators: Guy Skinner Jay Herron Assistant Camera Operators: Jon Sharpe Bruce DeAragon Boom Operator: Todd Overton Unit Publicist: Mariana A. Galvez Location Manager: KC Warnke

Construction Coordinator: Phil Stone Addl. 2nd Assistant Director: Aaron Penn Key Assistant Location Managers: Leo A. Fialko Clay Dodder Production Coordinator: Kimberley Barnhart Posly Computer Graphics Supervisor: Mark Marcum Graphic Artist: Olivier Benamou Playback Operator: Tim Whittet Script Coordinator: Shauna McGarry Extras Coordinator: Jason Gutierrez Production Accountant: Tony Pacheco Post Production Supervisor: Amanda Mace Assistant Editor: Melanie Goldstein Post Production Coordinator: Joe Lindquist Post Production Assistant: C'Jay Shaw Sound Supervisor: William Dotson Re-Recording Mixers: Michael Olman, C.A.S. Kenneth Kobett, C.A.S. Music Editor: Jeff Charbonneau Music Mixer: Larold Rebhun Visual Effects Supervisor: James Riley Producer's Assistants: Jose Cabrera Adam DaSilva Sabira Khan Jessica Petelle Kim Reynolds DGA Trainee: Lisa Zugshwerdt Assistant Production Coordinators: Teo Dell'Amico Drew Bryden Production Assistants: Scott Koche Patrick McDonald Matt Price Dialect Coach: Joel Goldes

Memorable quotes

• President Allison Taylor: Now we have sixty minutes to find these bastards, and I believe we will. But if we don't, and the worst happens, we will deal with it. We will pick ourselves up off the floor and deal with it. Why? Because that's what we do. Americans don't stay down. We rise up together in times of crisis. We carry on! Is that clear?

• David Brucker: "The primary role of a government is to protect its citizens." Your words, Mr. Weiss. It's time to decide whether or not you meant them.

• Ethan Kanin: This...This is beyond madness.

• Jack Bauer: Son of a bitch just hung up on me.
• Renee Walker: He's under a lot of stress, they all are.
• Jack Bauer: I don't give a...

• Jack Bauer: I don't take orders from anybody other than the President of the United States, now move.

Background information and notes

• Series regulars Cherry Jones and Chris Diamantopoulos return after a three episode absence.

See also

Wiki 24 has 56 images related to Day 8: 5:00am-6:00am.

• 5:00am-6:00am (disambiguation)
• Season 8 production staff