24 Recap: Starkwood's Bait and Switch Makes FBI Their Bitch

Its okay Tony, they got us too. Last night we witnessed a textbook 24 bait and switch when Coach Kilmer’s weaseley assistant juked President Taylor into digitally signing a Presidential Immunity Order and then spin moved out of trouble with his boss after leading the FBI to the wrong storage facility. The hour closed as a tense face-off between Starkwood, a rogue military agency, and the Bureau. Starwood seems prepared to defend their grounds at all costs, totally ignoring that fact that the US government is the US government. I know what you’re think “ohhhh shit, this is about to get ugly” but look for Starkwood’s operatives just to stall the FBI from finding the weapon, they may be brazen, but they aren’t stupid. Then again, they’re in pretty deep so who knows what could happen when radical patriotism trumps common sense.

Now, the emotional part: Bauer has been infected with the deadly biological agent, which from what we saw last night ends in a painful violent death by seizure and paralysis. We’ve been in this situation before team, Bauer’s written off, it seems there’s no way out, and then BAM, he comes back to save the day. But every time this happens, it seems less likely that Jack will be able to walk away. I mean he’s been infected, that’s it- he’s not going to make it. But don’t be so naïve. There are multiple situations that could play out here; maybe a radical experimental antidote, maybe a false positive, or maybe he’s not really infected, maybe the FBI is trying to cover somehow. We do know one thing though, it hurts to see Bauer sitting on the sideline, even if we did get some full frontal nudity in the process.

Answer me this: How in the hell could the President’s cabinet stand by while she makes an obviously awful and emotionally-fueled decision by tapping her daughter, the First C, Chief of Staff? I mean give me a break here people, no chance this would ever happen. It’s also very obvious that she’s up to no good, which we should learn more about next week after what appears to be a steamy liaison with her news reporter friend. In the meantime, it’s 2-4, so keep your head on a swivel.