By ElaineB
Lesson Learned: Think before you plan the “perfect” murder/suicide
Whew! Last week Henry Taylor managed to avoid the noose and kill his aide Brian instead and we all rejoiced that he would not be seen as another Taylor suicide (being this first family is really tough!). This week the forensics specialists managed to finger Brian for the bad guy, noting the syringe of narcotic found at the crime scene. So it is likely that, had things gone better for Brian, they would have found the drugs in Henry’s system as well, or at least a needle mark, and figured out it had been a double murder. Of course, Henry escaped the noose only to lose a finger himself. Dubaku called Pres. Taylor to convey her husband’s agonized screams while Jack, Renee and Bill were in her office. This did not make the stubborn president back down, but she is not above a bit of stealth. So, while she is trying to make Dubaku think she is complying with his demands to withdraw her troops and hand over Matobo, Jack and pals are going to hunt down Henry before Dubaku kills him. Conveniently, they have one hour.
Knowing they still need help, Renee goes to the one person she knows she can trust at the FBI, her love smitten squeeze Larry Moss, who gripes and grumbles but provides them with Brian’s phone records. They zero in on Agent Edward Vossler. He has a wife and child, and Jack asks Renee to go and put pressure on them while he goes after Vossler. Moss is incredulous that his beloved fellow agent would terrify a mother and child, but does not try to stop her. In what is the best thematic dialog exchange of the hour, Moss tells Jack, “The rules are what make us better.” Jack replies, “Not today,” and rides off in Moss’ car.
It goes as planned. Jack finds Vossler, Renee convinces him she is ready to kill his now hysterical wife and baby and he spills the beans then attacks Jack. Bad move to take on Jack. Vossler is stabbed with his own knife and dies. Jack calls Renee to tell her they have an address. She is standing just feet away from a distraught wife and crying baby and is shaken to hear that Vossler – lackey to a genocidal maniac but a good husband and father – is dead. “You can quit now,” Jack tells her. “I may. Tomorrow,” she replies.
I have a feeling she won’t live that long, but it’s just a feeling I’m getting because I like the savage freckle-faced agent a whole lot, and if there are heartstring tugs going on, it’s likely not going to end well. And in what is likely the stupidest thing a genocidal maniac can do, Dubaku leaves his henchmen to deal with Henry and rushes off to deal with the handicapped mother (I think) of his girlfriend Marika. As a result, he isn’t there when Jack and Renee invade his hideout and take out his men, but not before one shoots Henry. Things aren’t looking good for the first gentleman as the rushes for next week hint, nor do they look particularly good for Dubaku as he is only slated to appear in 6 episodes this season and I think his number is about up. At some point we’ll have to find out what Jonas, the creepy arms dealer (Jon Voight), has up his sleeve in 24: Redemption.
Later this week, Cherry Jones will be speaking about playing the president on this season’s 24. I’ll be posting some of her remarks on Friday. And next week has Janis facing off against Chloe while Sprague Grayden joins the cast as Taylor’s daughter Olivia.