Contains spoilers for this episode.
Jack Bauer escapes the men sent to kill him inside the Russian Consulate, but Anatoly Markov cuts off the building's communications before he can pass Gredenko's location to CTU. Mike Doyle arrives to lead a possible assault. Capturing Markov is the mission's first objective, with Jack's rescue initially treated as secondary until his interrupted call confirms that he has information about the remaining bombs.
Charles Logan proposes another way into the standoff: his former wife Martha can contact Anya Suvarov and persuade the Russian president to intervene. Aaron Pierce helps arrange their meeting, but Martha's anger at Logan erupts while they wait for the call. She stabs him, leaving Pierce to summon medical help and then ask whether she can still speak to Anya. Martha makes the appeal despite being restrained.
Vice President Daniels pressures Tom Lennox into supporting the false claim that Assad planted the bomb which injured Wayne Palmer. He uses that accusation to threaten the ambassador with military retaliation. Suvarov orders Markov to surrender; when Markov refuses, he authorizes American force against the consulate. Doyle's team rescues Jack, who identifies Shadow Valley as Gredenko's location. Fayed prepares a nuclear drone there while Logan's condition worsens in the ambulance, with his fate unresolved.