20 months have passed since the events of Day Five. For the past 11 weeks, the U.S. has been under siege by a series of terrorist bombings, with Muslim extremists as the prime suspects. L.A. joins the list of casualties when a bus is bombed in a suicide attack. President Wayne Palmer is torn when he receives conflicting advice from his top advisors. Tom Lennox suggests that the government begin rounding up all Islamic-Americans for detention, but NSA Director Karen Hayes argues that it’s too drastic a step in finding the terrorists.CTU Director Bill Buchanan and Curtis Manning meet with Chinese diplomats, who have agreed to release Jack Bauer from custody. Jack is ragged and dirty and hasn’t spoken for 20 months. Bill informs him that they’ve been contacted by a terrorist, Abu Fayed, who can lead them to the man behind the attacks, but he wants to take revenge on Jack for the murder of his brother in return. Jack meagerly accepts his fate, relieved that his death will have meaning.An average family comes to the aid of an Islamic boy when his father is arrested by the FBI, but it soon becomes clear that the boy may be more involved with the terrorists than they realize. Chloe and Morris O’Brian attempt to intervene on Jack’s behalf, but their efforts may jeopardize the deal between CTU and Fayed. Jack is turned over to Fayed. Fayed begins to torture Jack, but Jack finds the will to fight for his life when he learns that his death may be in vain.
Wayne prepares to talk to the nation as L.A. deals with the fall-out from the nuclear blast. Fayed tries to set up a deal with a new trigger man who can help with the four remaining bombs. Sandra is outraged when the FBI forces Walid to wear a wire in the hopes of gaining information from his fellow inmates. Assad provides CTU with a lead, but Jack finds that it takes a personal twist when he learns that the terrorists may have connections to his estranged family.
Jack takes his fight directly to the President as he attempts to force a confession from him that will prove his involvement in the day’s events. Martha vents her hatred for her husband in front of the press as Logan gives a eulogy over Palmer’s body. Jack and Audrey share a tender moment when it seems the crisis has subsided, but Jack finds that his problems have only begun as his past catches up with him.
CTU discovers where Philip is hiding and Daniels orders an air strike in a desperate move to appease the Russians. Jack and Bill go after Josh alone before the bombers find their target.Lennox persuades Daniels to grant leniency for Bill and Karen. In the wake of the close call, Daniels begins to question his choices as acting president.Chloe gives Morris some surprising news that alters their relationship, while Marilyn is reunited with Josh at CTU.
Jack and Henderson wage an assault on the submarine as Bierko prepares to launch an attack against L.A. Chloe brings in someone from her past to aid her. Martha and Aaron enlist Mike’s help in their plans to expose Logan.
CTU discovers where Philip is hiding and Daniels orders an air strike in a desperate move to appease the Russians. Jack and Bill go after Josh alone before the bombers find their target.Lennox persuades Daniels to grant leniency for Bill and Karen. In the wake of the close call, Daniels begins to question his choices as acting president.Chloe gives Morris some surprising news that alters their relationship, while Marilyn is reunited with Josh at CTU.
Bierko escapes from the transport taking him to Division and uses his last canister of nerve gas for a surprise strike. Jack is forced to work with Henderson to find Bierko, but Henderson wants something in return. Logan takes drastic steps to deal with Aaron when he won’t go along with the cover-up.
Doyle takes Josh to meet Phillip in the hopes of retrieving the circuit board, but his conscience bothers him over the exchange.Karen puts her career on the line when she uses Bill to help break Jack from custody. Jack and Bill track Phillip, but not before he pulls a fast move that reaps serious injury to Doyle.Nadia has a conversation with Milo’s brother, while Chloe suffers from a mysterious medical problem that strikes her at the wrong moment.
Jack searches for a safe place to land the plane when Logan gives orders to shoot it down. Hayes readies Bierko for a transfer to a secure facility, while Audrey receives some good news about her father. Logan becomes desperate as his plans start to unravel, but an unexpected ally at CTU turns the tables in his favor.
Jack runs a desperate tactic to free the CTU hostages from their captors. He manages to intercept Cheng, who plans to deliver Josh to his grandfather in exchange for the circuit board. Jack is forced to allow Cheng to escape in order to save Josh’s life.Lennox continues to monitor Lisa as she plants evidence for Mark to deliver to the Russians. The situation takes a nasty turn when all does not go according to plan. Meanwhile, Daniels tries to run a bluff on the Russian president, but finds he’s playing a bad hand.Nadia finds herself facing a hostile investigation over the security breach, while a decision from Daniels pits Doyle against Jack.
