The game changes for Jack Bauer, and the FBI is forced to collaborate with other federal agencies; as the threat intensifies, the administration shakes things up, and seeks a new perspective.

The CDC arrives to test Jack, who is not yet showing any symptoms, to find out what he may have been contaminated with. He tells them what little he can about the bioweapon. It'll take 15 minutes to find out whether he's infected. In the meantime he asks to be taken to the FBI. The deadly canisters arrive at Starkwood, as does the captured Tony Almeida. Hodges demands that the bioweapon be ready to deploy ASAP; two hours is too long. Tony is roughed up; Hodges promises him he'll get out of this alive if he talks, but Tony keeps mum. Greg Seaton interrupts; he thinks the plan should be called off now that the government knows about it: it was supposed to be covert. Hodges angrily tells him to keep his doubts to himself.

At the White House, Olivia recommends a Rick Berman from the private sector to be the new Chief of Staff to replace Ethan Kanin. President Taylor says that during the search, she'd like Olivia to be the provisional Chief of Staff. Olivia is reluctant, but accepts. Larry Moss calls and tells the President that Jack is innocent, that Starkwood was involved with today's terrorist attacks, and that they're preparing to strike right now. He asks for permission to move on Starkwood immediately. The President calls for the Joint Chiefs to be assembled.

Moss releases Agent Walker from holding; he wants her to be the one to debrief Jack. He apologizes for not trusting her... and she apologizes for not trusting him as well. Olivia meets with Aaron Pierce, and asks him to be the agent in charge of her security detail; she'll get him reinstated. He's reluctant. Before he can give a final answer, she's called into the meeting with the Joint Chiefs. The bioweapon has been identified as an agent that attacks the brain and nervous system, and kills within a day or two. There's no cure. Unfortunately there are no good and legal ways of moving on Starkwood with military force; it would take Congressional approval. The President insists on finding a way.

Tony continues to refuse to talk. Just as Stokes is about to shoot him, he himself is shot dead by Greg Seaton. Seaton thinks Hodges has lost his mind, and frees Tony. In the CDC van en route to the FBI, the results of Jack's blood work come in. Jack reads the diagnosis, his face unreadable. He arrives at the FBI, where Agent Walker is surprised to find that he's not in quarantine. Jack is indeed infected, but he's not contagious. Back at Starkwood, Seaton sneaks Tony into his office. Hodges calls; Seaton claims that Stokes is still trying to get Tony to talk. Hodges wants Seaton on deck, ASAP. As soon as Hodges is off the phone, they call Moss at the FBI. Seaton wants immunity in exchange for the location of the bioweapon canisters. Moss needs to run this by the President; while they're waiting, Moss updates Tony on Jack's condition.

President Taylor and Olivia watch horrific footage recovered from Sangala of the bioweapon being tested on innocents. The President is more resolved than ever to bring down Starkwood. Tim Woods (head of Homeland Security) and Admiral Smith enter to bring the President into a secure Internet conference with the FBI and Tony. Woods and Smith, upon hearing Seaton's story, concur that they may not get a chance like this again. The President gives Moss authorization to move on Starkwood, and digitally signs Seaton's pardon. Seaton gives the location of the warehouse where the canisters are stored. It'll take Moss ten minutes to get to Starkwood. Agent Walker asks Seaton to get Tony into the warehouse. Jack begs Moss to come along, but Moss can't risk Jack coming down with symptoms while he's in the field. Jack realizes that Moss is right.

Seaton takes Tony to the warehouse, and recons via phone with Moss. Inside, Hodges and teams of security and scientists are working on the weapon. They're an hour away from being armed. Moss contacts Starkwood’s air tower; they have an executive order to search that warehouse; interference will result in arrest. The air-traffic controller lets them in. Hodges, looking anxious, hears the helicopters approach. Moss has the doors blown open. The FBI team enters... to find an empty warehouse. Moss demands to know where the weapons are. Seaton claims he doesn't know. Tony had threatened to kill him; he just told Tony what he wanted to hear. Moss isn't buying it, but there's nothing to be done but place Seaton under arrest. Hodges observes this scene via a security monitor; he and the weapons are in a completely different warehouse on the other side of the compound. Seaton's bought them some time. Now they just have the keep the FBI over there. Moss leads the FBI out of the empty warehouse, determined to keep searching Starkwood. He's met by a heavily armed team led by Stokes, who is still alive after all. He says they cooperated with the FBI's demand to search this particular warehouse, and now asks them to leave. They're on private property. As the groups take aim at one another, Stokes says that Starkwood will defend themselves against a hostile government that is trying to shut them down. It is within their legal rights to do so. If the FBI tries to advance any farther, they will be fired upon. Moss doesn't answer. No one moves. No one blinks. It's a standoff.