By ElaineB
Lesson learned: Google prospective boyfriends
I used to work with a gorgeous young woman with a very active dating schedule. The secret to her success in finding good men, she said, was weeding out the losers. She googled names, checked arrest records, whatever she could find before she moved beyond that first coffee date. To me, trusting soul that I am, her actions seemed a bit extreme. But Marika, Dubaku/Samuel’s girlfriend, should have done the same. Of course, she would have come up with nothing, as Samuel did not exist, but she might have tried. And, as noted in my column last week, had the FBI made public a mugshot of Dubaku, this season’s 24 would have gone in a very different direction for a few hours. I mean, clearly Dubaku knew they were looking for him already, so how would telling people there was a terrorist in their midst have hurt? And we could have enjoyed watching a few wannabe cowboys trying to take him down or having Dubaku sitting in Marika’s diner when his face flashes on the screen above the cash register trying to play innocent or hide his face. Or we would have watched Marika dealing with the dilemma: Do I believe the man I love or do I turn him in?
But the writers didn’t, so hour 9 was spent watching women looking miserable. First, there was Renee, trying to keep it together while Moss berates her for threatening a wife and mother to get to the woman’s I’m-in-bed-with-genocidal-lunatics-for-the-money husband. Renee deserves a medal, not a dressing-down and her retort, “It worked. Doesn’t that count for something?” was right on. Under those circumstances, Pres. Taylor would have done the same thing, as would I.
Pres. Taylor is fighting back tears, too, as she goes to the hospital to be at Henry’s bedside. His chance of survival seems about one in four, but that’s pretty good given what the poor guy’s has been through. Also, tearing up is Taylor’s daughter Olivia, who, after being approached by unflappable agent Aaron Pierce, reveals that she doesn’t like mom very well. Apparently she loves her daddy, however.
But most of all, there’s the tearful Marika, just about to run off to Belize (Belize … Belize??) with Samuel/Dubaku until Jack and Renee break down her door and show her pictures that reveal exactly what sort of monster she’s been canoodling with. But, through her tears and fear, she shows courage under fire and decides she will go to Dubaku just so Jack and Renee can tail her there.
Chloe, meanwhile, reports to FBI headquarters, where she is observed by guards saying goodbye to Morris and toddler. Hopefully, the lesson for next week will not be: If you are in a covert operation, do not have your hubby and kid drop you off when you report for duty.
Chloe sets up in the conference room. Moss makes a few disparaging comments about Jack – not a good idea as Chloe cuts him down to a few inches shy of the floor. But soon they are working together anyway, tailing Dubaku for Jack and Renee.
But a woman wrecks their plans. Janis, suspicious that Chloe is going to take her job because boss Moss has her so far out of the loop, gets sleazy Sean to give her access to a server override (don’t ask why he has it and not her, just accept) and discovers what is going on. About to get caught e-dropping, she pulls the plug which also brings down Chloe’s link to Marika, putting the young woman in jeopardy.
Worst of all, sleazy Sean is the mole. He has tapped into Moss’ phone and learns Marika knows everything. He tells Dubaku that his woman has been compromised, wipes evidence of his team’s involvement in helping Dubaku and puts an arrest warrant out on Jack. In what may be the swiftest response in DC police history, squad cars box Jack and Renee in. Moss gets them freed but learns the warrant came from his office. Chloe gets Jack and Renee back on Marika’s tail, but will the pair reach her in time?
Next week (I think): Janis takes the hot seat, first gentleman just holds on, sleazy Sean quietly gloats. You’ll get yours, Sean. Jack will guarantee it.
