Jack rushes to the aid of CTU Director Richard Walsh who comes into possession of a keycard and ends up in a shootout. Gaines encounters trouble acquiring Martin Belkin's ID from Mandy. Elsewhere, Kim realises the gravity of her situation.

As Kim and Janet temporarily escape their captors, Senator Palmer learns that his son may have been involved in the death of his daughter's rapist 7 years ago. Gaines finally gets Belkin's ID from Mandy, while Jack delivers the keycard to CTU.

Jack follows the arrested conspirator to the police station in order to get more info on Kim's whereabouts. Palmer meets with a reporter who has some damaging information. Kim realizes just how dangerous Ira Gaines really is.

Jack returns to CTU to switch out the id card with a fake per Gaines' orders. Palmer tries to convince Keith and Sherry to go public about the murder.

Jack is taken into custody by the Secret Service after he stops the assassination. He quickly escapes in order to check on another name from the key card. Palmer tries to deal with the assassination attempt.

Jack takes Ted Cofell hostage after finding his name on the key-card and tries to get whatever info he has about the conspiracy which only amounts to the name of another conspirator, a one Kevin Carroll. Palmer starts to piece together his connection to Jack. Gaines receives orders to kill Teri and Kim from his boss Andre Drazen.

Kevin Carroll (the man who pretended to be York) leads Jack to Gaines' compound where he is quickly discovered. Nina and Tony try work around Director's Green's strict new protocols to help Jack. Palmer discovers that Carl Webb, one of his financiers is handling the Keith situation his own way.

Jack has a final confrontation with Gaines as a CTU chopper heads to the compound. Nina and Tony talk to Jamey's mother in order to learn why she was helping the assassins. Carl Webb threatens Palmer to keep quiet about the murder once and for all. CTU learns that more assassins are on their way to LA.