And because of this Agent Vossler’s ties with Hodges, it pretty much cements Chris’ future as being the foundation of a one-episode story arc. Well, one episode for him anyway. All puns intended.
Meanwhile, we see Jack Bauer at a school in Sangala, unloading heavy containers of supplies. He’s been helping his friend Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle – Eragon, Angela’s Ashes) keep the school running and Jack has also been running from his past. A beleaguered U.S. Embassy official has the dubious duty of trying to serve Jack with a subpoena. Remember all the cool things Jack did in Season Six? And Five? And since the beginning of the series? Well, the government seems to take a dim view of such violent methods of extracting intel and capturing bad guys. And the Embassy man, Trammell (an out-of-place Gil Bellows – The Cleaner, Ally McBeal) asks Carl for information on Jack by way of a vague threat to stop the government support of the school, if Carl does not give up Jack.
Jack has seemed to have found a bit of peace here in Africa, helping at the school and making friends with the boys. But he does not want to compromise the already tenuous situation, so he decides to leave. Of course, he does not get very far, as the Dubaku’s men are on their way, having already killed one boy and severely injuring another who tried to run away while the soldiers approached.
Now is when we get to see Jack’s softer side. Not quite leading “Kumbaya” campfire sing-along sessions, but our image of Jack Bauer is typically that of a terse killing machine; the go-to-guy for making things happen in the name of patriotism. He rarely interacts with children, but here he treats them with dignity and compassion. And even when he’s engaged in throwing sticks of dynamite or knifing rebels, his motivation is nearly endearing.
Because outgoing President Daniels ordered the closing and evacuation of the Embassy, there is minimal manpower to aid Carl’s school. The subsequent moments involved Jack’s brief capture by the rebels, where he pretends to give up the location of the boys, but instead he strangles a captor with his legs. He and Carl then begin the transport of the boys to the Embassy.
There are many tense moments while the group alternately hides and runs. They have managed to secure a walkie-talkie from the enemy, so they are doing their best to stay on safe roads, or go off-road altogether. And here is another moment where Jack’s humanity is evident. When Carl steps on a land-mine to save one of the boys, both he and Jack realize that there is no fix for this situation. Of course at first, Jack stubbornly refuses to accept this, mentally scrambling for options. But finally he knows that Carl will die, he can only now ensure that his death will not be meaningless. He needs to keep the boys moving.
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