The following takes place between 6 am and 7 am. Events occur in real time.
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6:00
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Vice-president Keaton has just been sworn in as acting president. President Allen is there, making it clear that this is a temporary, and peaceful, transition of power. Among those watching this are Ira Gaines. Gaines calls Carl Webb.
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Gaines: You hear the news?
Carl: About president Allen stepping down. Horace's suicide was not what I expected.
Gaines: What about Keaton?
Carl: We still have enough to control him, and if he steps down Nathan Templeton is much more likely to play ball.
Gaines: I hope you're right, for both our sakes.
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Jack Bauer and Tony Almeida are driving around, trying to avoid being seen by any traffic cameras. They're still not certain who they can trust, but they are determined to stop the terrrorists from killing any more innocent people.
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Ryan Chapelle arrives at CTU and speaks with Mason.
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Chapelle: Any progress since our last conversation?
Mason: Not much to report, but Eric Carter is set to meet with a possible lead.
Chapelle: Who's the lead?
Mason: Kalil Shabazz. Former drug dealer who became a radical communist while incarcerated.
Chapelle: Our understanding is that the terrorists behind this are neo-nazies and religious fanatics, not exactly friendly with the communists.
Mason: We're working on the belief that the terrorists are short handed and putting out feelers towards those with similar enemies, that would be us.
Chapelle: Seems like a thin lead.
Mason: It's the best we have at the moment.
Chapelle: And Jack Bauer?
Mason: Still no leads. It's possible he suffered a mental break after encountering Nina Myers. It's also possible he suffered brain trauma from the explosion in Cuba.
Chapelle: You think he took a woman hostage because he suffered brain trauma?
Mason: We can't rule it out.
Chapelle: That could blow back on us.
Mason: I know. We'll just have to live with the consequences.
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Jamal and Eric Carter meet Kalil outside a 7/11.
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Jamal: It's good to see you again Kalil. This is my friend Eric.
Kalil: Nice to meet you.
Eric: Likewise.
Kalil: Jamal says he converted you to our cause.
Eric: Other way around. I helped open his eyes to the hypocrisy of this country, convinced him that Marx and Lenin were right.
Kalil: Funny, I said the same thing to him, but he didn't listen.
Jamal: I was wrong okay, I admit it. I wasn't ready to listen back then. Back then, I wanted to believe I could be a good citizen, to have a good life. But all these years, setback after setback, all those people who refused to take chance on a decarcerated black man. After all that I was ready.
Kalil: No shame in that. A lot of our recruits are the ones who tried the capitalist way, who got frustrated with a lot of setbacks. Still, I am a suspicious man by nature. I'd like to ask you both some questions. I suggest we all get some breakfast before we head out, it could be a long conversation.
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It was clear to Jamal and Eric that, wherever Kalil was about to take them, if he didn't like their answers, they had seen their last sunrise. They all went into the 7/11 to get some doughnuts, hashbrowns, and milk. It was quite possibly the last meal for one of them.
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6:08