24 : 12 - 1 a.m.

24. 6.19. Ricky “acquires” a car. Or steals one from some poor unknown. Attention would be car thieves: try the phrase “I’m a federal agent in pursuit. I need the vehicle.” Jack uses power lines as a shield while he removes his tracking signal. He calls Cheng and arranges to meet in an abandoned motel on highway 305. Just by looking at the tire tracks, Ricky figures this out and follows, calling for a field team. The writers seem to think we care about Karen and Bill and that one of them has to take the fall for Fayed. Since Bill had him in custody and released him and Karen’s closer to the president, she fires him.

Jack leaves a message on Bill’s voice mail saying he’s set an explosion to incinerate the circuitboard. Bill never hears the message. Morris and Chloe can’t work next to each other without bickering. He moves across the room. Oh the drama! Bill names Nadia as acting director until Division sends an interim director in a few hours. She tells the CTU gang before the news hits their internal forums. Internal forums? Ricky finds Jack’s truck outside the motel. Cheng pulls up in a limo, also containing Audrey. They go inside. Jack apologizes to Audrey. For what, I can’t imagine. She’s the one who went searching for him.

The field team’s too slow for Ricky. He starts shooting. Then everyone shoots. Cheng and some cohorts escape with the component out the back in three black hummers. A helicopter tries to follow but is shot down. Jack’s bummed that Ricky’s firefight ruined his plans. “Why didn’t you listen to me?” he asks as if anyone has ever listened to him so he should have expected it. Nadia has Jack arrested. Audrey’s traumatized. I’m traumatized myself from the VP and Lisa’s smooch. Line of the hour: Chloe’s annoyed, “Halfway – fifty percent – point five!”