Ep 9. Day 2: 4:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M.

Day 2: 4:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M. begins with Jack Bauer trying to recover after being taken hostage by Syed Ali's men. He is still in a weakened state, but he knows that time is running out to stop the terrorists.

Meanwhile, President David Palmer is dealing with his own problems. He's been trying to keep the news of the nuclear bomb threat under wraps, but a journalist has found out and is threatening to go public. Palmer is forced to take drastic measures when he learns that the journalist has been killed.

Back at CTU, Tony and Michelle are still trying to track down Ali, but they are having no luck. They receive intel that Ali's courier is on the move, and they race to intercept him. They manage to catch up with the courier, but they are too late. He has already handed off the nuclear bomb to one of Ali's men.

As the clock ticks down, Jack Bauer makes a plan to go undercover as one of Ali's men and retrieve the bomb. He heads back to the terrorist compound, but things quickly go wrong. Jack is discovered, and a firefight breaks out. Jack manages to take out several of Ali's men, but he is badly wounded in the process.

At CTU, Tony and Michelle get word of Jack's situation and are desperate to help. They locate a doctor who is willing to give Jack a blood transfusion, but they need to get him out of the compound first. They come up with a daring plan to rescue Jack using a helicopter. The plan works, and Jack is brought back to CTU.

As the episode comes to a close, Jack is in bad shape but still determined to stop Ali. The clock is ticking, and the fate of Los Angeles hangs in the balance.