24 Episode 8.17 8:00 AM-9:00 AM

Jack apologizes to President Taylor for Hassan's death. She says that it was Hassan's choice to give himself up to the terrorists, but Jack still feels he didn't do enough. Jack exhorts her to continue the peace process. Yet without Hassan and no clear chain of succession in the IRK, Taylor is convinced that the peace process is dead.

Samir is still alive. The plan is to question him. One of the paramedics tending to Samir surreptitiously injects him with a hypodermic. As the paramedic leaves, he and Renee catch each other's eye. She thinks she recognizes him, but lets him pass.

President Taylor prepares to address the delegates. Russian delegate Novakovich speaks to IRK delegate Jamot, implying that Jamot must be pleased about Hassan's death because Hassan had Jamot brutally interrogated for no reason. Jamot, containing his anger, says that Hassan was a great leader who temporarily lost his way. Jamot excuses himself, and runs into the President just as she's about to go in and address the delegates. He tells her that if she can spare a moment, he thinks there is a way to save the peace talks. She agrees to hear him out.

Novakovich speaks with the fake EMT named Pavel, who reports that Samir will be dead within 30 minutes; everybody else who could identify them is already dead. However, Pavel recognized Renee. He was working with Vladimir at the same time she was, and she disappeared just before the arrest of Vladimir's crew. He is having the taxi that's carrying Renee and Jack tailed.

President Taylor and Jamot meet with Dalia. At Jamot's suggestion, they ask her to succeed Hassan as President of the IRK. She is popular at home and shares Hassan's ideals. Dalia protests that she's not a politican, but is ultimately persuaded to take her late husband's place at the peace conference. Taylor gives Tim Woods the go-ahead to implement the changes they discussed.

Tim calls Chloe and informs her that, based on the transcripts of today's events, Hastings is being removed as head of CTU. He gives Chloe temporary command. Chloe protests, but Tim says the decision has already been made. Hastings is being informed even as they speak. When they hang up, Chloe goes to Hastings' office and says she doesn't think it's fair for them to blame him for everything that went wrong. Yet Hastings accepts responsibility for all of CTU's successes and failures under his command. He's the one who recruited Dana, after all. After an awkward moment, he gets down to business. They need to review protocols. No more time to waste.

At Jack's apartment, Renee tells Jack she won't hold him to any promises he made to her in the heat of the moment. Jack cuts her off with a kiss. In the apartment directly across the street, an elderly man is shot and killed by Pavel, who has broken into the apartment. He takes out a rifle and aims across the street at Jack and Renee, who are making love.

Novakovich meets with President Taylor, and tells her that Russia will be pulling out of the peace agreement. He is unimpressed with her plan to move forward on Dalia's authority, even though the IRK is about to install her as provisional president. Taylor again accuses him of having no interest in the peace process, and asks whether she needs to take this up with President Suvarov. Novakovich insists he has full authority.

President Taylor visits a recovering Ethan Kanin, and recoils when he says that the only hope of getting Moscow's endorsement is former President Charles Logan. He may be a criminal, but he was pardoned by President Daniels. He has a special relationship with the Russians, and he's in town right now on a speaking engagement.

Hastings says his farewells to the CTU staff, and he and Chloe exchange words of respect and support. As he leaves, Chloe inherits her first crisis: Samir is going into cardiac arrest. Cole says he was with Samir the whole time, all the way from the scene. Yet what about on the scene, Chloe wonders. She orders a complete toxicology panel.

Kayla is horrified to find that her mother has agreed to assume the Presidency. She worries that Dalia will be killed. Dalia tells her that the decision was hers to make, and she needs Kayla to help her to be strong.

President Taylor meets with President Logan. She doesn't trust him one bit, and orders his assistant out of the room. Logan is sure he can get the Russians to change their minds because he will be able to exercise some leverage. He refuses to elaborate, saying only that no laws will be broken and it won't tarnish her Presidency. In exchange, Logan wants her public acknowledgement of his help and to be present at the signing. Taylor angrily accuses Logan of only being interested in repairing his reputation. Logan says that she wouldn't have called him unless she was out of options. They can dwell on the past or he can let him help her. She reluctantly agrees, and he asks to meet with Novakovich. "God help you if you make me regret this," Taylor warns him.

Back at Jack's place, Renee, wrapped in a sheet, lounges in bed. Jack gets up from bed for a drink of water. As Pavel continues to watch Renee in his scope, Jack's phone rings. Jack tells Renee to ignore it, but she answers anyway. It's Chloe, who says that Samir was murdered; the toxicology report showed an unidentified toxin in his blood. Renee remembers the EMT, and finally realizes she recognized him from when she was infiltrating the Red Square mob. She asks for the old surveillance files so she can identify him.

As Renee leaves the bedroom to tell Jack this update, a shot rings out. Renee is hit and drops to the floor. Jack scrambles over to her, dodging Pavel's bullets, then grabs the phone. He tells Chloe to have a trauma team ready at St. Andrew's hospital. Jack takes Renee in his arms and sprints across his apartment, just ahead of Pavel's gunshots. Jack manages to bundle Renee and himself into a taxi, and they pull away before Pavel can get off a shot. The cabbie drives crazily, dodging and screeching around traffic at Jack's behest.

The taxi arrives at the hospital, and Renee is rushed into surgery while Jack waits outside the OR. Chloe calls to check up, and Jack reports that Renee is not in good shape. Chloe says the shooter got away. She also tells Jack about Samir's death and the EMT that Renee recognized. Suddenly, the surgical team exits, looking grim. Jack puts down the phone as the surgeon tells him he's sorry, but Renee didn't make it. Jack, devastated and beginning to break down, approaches Renee's body. He gives her one last kiss, then collapses into tears, sobbing in rage and grief.