‘24’ Recap: Closer and Closer to the Abyss - CTU New York and the Nuclear Crisis
Last night’s episode of 24 has a very disturbing Renee Walker coming off her hinges as Jack tries to get a handle on her situation; she’s just cut off her informant’s thumb in order to avoid being detected by other authorities and remain undercover. Jack decides not to tell Hastings, Head of CTU New York; however, Chloe is asked to pull the records of Renee’s interactions with Vladimir. Apparently, Vladimir was violent and attempted to rape Renee several times, ending with her in the hospital.
On the other front, the peace agreements between the United States and the IRK may be reaching an end as President Taylor warns that the human rights obligations must be upheld by the IRK president in order for the peace talks to continue. However, President Hassan argues that his people have only known and respected power. Therefore, the power play against his opposition in his nation is justified, or otherwise he will be seen as weak and unable to run the country. He requests to see his family and leaves President Taylor.
A marriage comes to an end in a very poignant scene between President Hassan and his wife. There is a lack of argument in their talk. Instead, both concede that they walked away from one another and abandoned their marriage long ago and it has been far too long to reconcile; too many things have happened, too little has been said, and too much damage has been done. It is over and the president’s wife will not be staying.
Dana Walsh’s past has come to haunt her in the form of her recently released from prison, ex-boyfriend Kevin. He is abusive, he wants money and to expose her. No less than six figures. She says she can’t, she didn’t rat him out. He slaps her around and threatens her. Quite a turn of character for Katee Sackhoff as she comes off from the stronger, no nonsense Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica. Instead, this character is less living and more in hiding from her previous life. She is engaged to Freddie Prinze, Jr.’s character, Cole Ortiz, and working for CTU. Kevin’s appearance is incredibly mysterious. Dana’s life is falling apart and she’s dropping the ball at CTU, leaving Arlo in charge of her duties and covering for her to Hastings.
When Renee makes contact with Vladimir, she is put in the trunk of a car and Jack loses contact wit her. A car comes out of the warehouses where the meeting was taking place and Jack follows it closely. Chloe tracks the car and keeps tabs on it until Jack is able to follow it by sight.
The Russian family is also in disagreement as the youngest son is dying due to exposure to the uranium weapons grade-235. His brother decides to take him to the doctor, against his father’s orders. He’d rather defy his father than see his younger brother die. When they arrive at the doctor’s, they explain that he has no choice in the matter, or his family will be gone.
Renee resurfaces but Jack still has a car in sight. Chloe informs him that another car left five minutes after the first one in the opposite direction. Jack has been duped and is following a decoy. He continues to listen and tries talking to Renee but she does not reply. Shots are heard on his end but it is not Renee who’s been shot. Vladimir takes her stoic demeanor to mean that she is not lying. Vladimir trusts her now and allows her to come in. Jack calls off a tactical team that would recover Renee. “She’s in,” he declares and the chase continues.