Day 5: 3:00 A.M.-4:00 A.M. - Recap

Jack informs Karen that he has the recording, which was on the co-pilot, and is en route to Van Nuys Airport. He tells her the recording can't fall into the hands of anyone that is loyal to the President and needs a team to escort him back to CTU.

Curtis enters medical with some good news for Audrey - her father survived the crash. He's still in ICU but is expected to pull through. Karen calls Curtis to meet Jack at the airport and put him in protective custody before the President's men can get to him.

The President receives a call on his cellphone, it's Graham. His solution to take down the plane is to simulate a VCI distress signal indicating that the plane has been hijacked and will be used as a weapon. The only response to this is to shoot down the plane. President Logan's reluctance is obvious.

Miles sees Karen talking to Bill and he wonders why he's out of holding. There's some new intel but Karen doesn't have time to explain.

Mike informs the President that the plane issued a VCI distress code to which President Logan acts shocked. Admiral Kirkland has already dispatched a F-18 to shoot down the plane, he just needs the President's approval. Mike isn't convinced Jack intends to use the plane as a weapon but the President gives the order to take down the plane, anyway.

Karen and Bill receive word of the VCI distress signal and quickly tell Jack. Jack orders the pilot to land the plane immediately however there is nowhere to land so Jack asks Bill to look for a suitable freeway nearby to land on.

Chloe is released to help Karen and Bill find out how long Jack has before the fighter pilot reaches him. Bill has narrowed down his search to two landing sites and picks the one he thinks is the best. Karen agrees.

Jack tells Sue, the stewardess, to prepare the passengers for an emergency landing. Bill calls with the coordinates of the landing site but the co-pilot says it's not long enough. Jack tells him he can either try or else he'll do it himself. Karen calls Curtis to direct him to the landing site.

The F-18 is five minutes away and radar has locked onto the target. The plane isn't descending fast enough so Jack orders the co-pilot to descend despite the fact that they won't be able to pull out of the dive. Oxygen masks drop down and the passengers scream.

The F-18 is one minute away before it's within weapons range. The co-pilot wants to pull up as the plane shakes but Jack won't let him. When Jack sees the freeway, he orders the co-pilot to pull up but he can't. Jack has to help by pulling on the controls. He then tells the co-pilot to lower the landing gear even though they're going too fast.

Admiral Kirkland sees that the plane is in a landing profile and doesn't deem it necessary to shoot it down. President Logan is adamant that it should be shot down immediately. Mike intervenes and implores the President to reconsider to which he does.

Jack manages to land safely and leave the plane.

Graham isn't happy that the plane wasn't shot down. The President insists he has everything under control by cordoning off the area. There's no escape for Jack.

Curtis picks up Jack but they stumble across a marine roadblock. The commander wants to see individual IDs but Curtis manages to convince him there's no time, a few minutes us all Jack needs to slip through the net.

Miles isn't happy about being kept in the dark and demands to see Karen. Bill and Chloe are unsure if Miles should be let in. Karen thinks it's time to reveal all as he's been nothing but loyal. He's not happy that Karen is acting without hearing the recording.

Vladimir Bierko is on his way to a new holding facility at District. Karen signs the necessary form and he's bundled into a van. Bierko catches the eye of the driver and they both nod to each other.

The President learns that Jack has escaped the net. He's forlorn at hearing this and asks for time alone. His cellphone rings and he just leaves it.

Jack arrives back at CTU and gives the recording to Chloe so that she can prepare and clean it up. Jack goes to see Audrey who is on the phone about her father. They sit with each other for a while.

President Logan takes out a box and calls Graham. They know of the conference call with the Attorney General that CTU have arranged about the President. He can't go to trial so he must commit suicide to protect the country. President Logan takes out a gun from the box and checks the clip.

President Logan has a chat with his wife who has been drinking. He's sorry for everything and can't live with the fact that he's hurt her. Martha is still horrified at her husband's actions and he leaves. He walks back, alone, to the room with his gun and pours a drink - a last one before he takes his life. An urgent call comes through from CTU, it's Miles. He tells the President about the recording and asks if his intervention will be met with approval. The President gives the go ahead for Miles to do what he can.

Miles enters the conference room where Chloe is working on the recording. Whilst Chloe is getting annoyed at his presence, Miles uses a hidden device in his hand pointed at the recording. He uses it to delete everything before leaving the room.

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