24, for the first time in hours, kind of spun its wheels during tonight's episode.  There have to be housekeeping episodes that set up the subsequent action, and 24 succeeded in setting up what looks to be an exciting final third of the season.  A couple of major plot points were hit upon, and the greatness of Jon Voight was in full effect once again.  24 has had its share of great bad guys (Dennis Hopper, Tobin Bell, James Cromwell, to name a few), but when all is said and done, it's going to be tough to beat the man who fathered Angelina Jolie.  What follows is a recap of the night's events.  Do enjoy.

Jack is taken care of by men in HAZMAT suits.  A woman from the CDC asks Jack to take his clothes off.  As he strips, he explains the situation to her.  Jack takes his shirt off, showing off his glowing physique and his various battle scars.  He explains that he had those scars before he got hit with the gas.  Jack gets all naked and then gets washed off. 

Moss explains the sitch to Janis.  He wants to start looking into Starkwood, and then they'll proceed from there.  The biological weapon is dropped off at Starkwood.  Jonas Hodges watches it touch down.  Tony is led into the Starkwood headquarters by some random henchman.  Hodges explains to his Number 2, Seaton, that Tony will not talk because he's one of those pesky hero-type guys.  Some bald weapons expert tells Hodges that it'll take him two hours to get the weapon ready.  Hodges is all like “That's unacceptable, dude.”  The weapons expert will speed up the process.  Jonas then watches as some henchmen wail on Tony.  Hodges stops the beating, and talks to Tony.  Hodges only wants to know what the FBI knows – he tells Tony they'll let him walk away if he tells them what's up. Hodges bitch slaps him a few times.  Number Two wants to speak with Hodges – he tells Jonas that theirs is no longer a covert operation and that, maybe, they should destroy the evidence before the government finds them out.  Uh, Jonas is not down with that plan.  He orders his henchmen to take Tony away.  Full steam ahead. 

Jack will be kept under quarantine for the time being.  They'll know more about whether Jack is infected in fifteen minutes.  In the meantime, he'll be transported back to the FBI. 

Olivia and her mother talk boringly about who the next Chief of Staff should be.  Olivia has someone in mind, a guy named Rick Berman.  Allison Lady Madame President Taylor is open to the idea.  She also wants Olivia to be her Provisional Chief of Staff.  Olivia obviously accepts.  Moss calls the White House one more time today.  He tells the Prez what's up.  Jack innocent, Starkwood, weapons, etc. President Taylor assembles the cabinet and the Joint Chiefs. 

Renee Walker is visited by Moss in her holding cell.  He tells her that Jack was right.  He explains the situation again, as if we haven't heard it enough times this episode already.  He tells Renee about Jack getting maybe probably infected.  Walker begins to cry, revealing her true feelings about Jack, perhaps.  Moss apologizes.  A little late, sir.  One tear beads down her face, oh so poetically.  Now, it looks like Renee and Moss are about to make out, but of course they don't. 

Olivia spies Aaron in the White House halls.  He was about to leave, but Olivia wants him to stay.  She needs a security detail, and Olivia wants Aaron to be her man.  Aaron isn't sure, but Olivia strong arms him.  How can Aaron turn her down?  He won't.

Taylor meets with the Joint Chiefs and the cabinet.  “This day is not over,” says the Prez.  Obviously.  We get a satellite look at the Starkwood facilities.  The weapon is a prion that attacks the brain.  It kills within a day, maybe two.  No cure.  Possible catastrophe.  Starkwood, however, is huge and contains 1500 mercenaries on their compound.  Going in could cause a mini-war.  Air strikes are also a problem, because it's too iffy.  Also, attacking the compound would be totally illegal.  Taylor wants their to be a better option. 


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