At 12:49:25, Farhad is still hiding out, his phone still to his ear, as the guys with flashlights on their guns close in. At their head, Ali answers his ringing cell phone. It's Samir, asking if they found Farhad yet. "I injured him badly. He won't get far," Ali assures Samir. Samir tells him they're moving the rods to a secure location, and Ali needs to hang back and find Farhad. Ali doesn't seem to be pleased with this assignment. I guess he'd rather fuck around with poisonous metal than chase after a gimped-up little weasel

On the CTU floor, Arlo has pulled up an overhead view of the complex, which is "a six acre warehouse complex in Forest Hills. Farhad is somewhere in one of these buildings." Of which there are eight, plus he's actually outside, so this search is already not looking particularly blessed. He adds that the rods must also be there, and although the aerial surveillance drones are en route, it's going to be twelve minutes before they get there. Are the drones taking taxis? The police are also going to cordon off the area, but it's going to take a while. Just then Agent Owen -- who I think is that young, inexperienced rookie from last week who couldn't even buckle his flak jacket by himself -- presents himself to Hastings, ready to lead the operation. He's got three units ready, and as Hastings walks him out, he remarks, "A lot of pressure on you, Agent Owen." Yeah, too bad Hastings doesn't have any experienced, grizzled tactical agents on his staff. He wants to hear Owen's plan. Owen says they're assuming the rods are near Farhad, so the first two teams are to retrieve them, while the third team evacuates Farhad. "It's a standard urban search and rescue. We're in, we're out." In the background, Kiefer cuts in, "Nothing standard about it," as he shoulders his man-purse and then walks out. Passive-aggressive much? Hastings follows Kiefer out the door, saying his name twice before he'll deign to turn around. Hastings tells Kiefer to speak his mind, and Kiefer does: "The people that are chasing Farhad already now they've got a big security problem, so most likely, by the time your men get there, those fuel rods will be long gone. And then you're down to one team covering Farhad? What if they run into resistance? Well, at that point you start shooting at people who have a higher intel value than the man you're going to try and save." I think I like Kiefer better when he's talking like Michael Westen. Hastings says he has all confidence in Agent Owen. Kiefer actually smirks, "Yeah, if that were true you wouldn't be standing here talking to me." Hastings asks if Kiefer's offering to bring in Farhad. "Yes," Kiefer says, "if you drop the criminal investigation against Renee Walker." He knows Hastings would prefer to do that anyway, and offers to be his excuse for getting out of it. Hastings starts to walk away, until Kiefer calls out, "I've sat in that chair before. The chair you're sitting in now? I know what it's like." Is he referring to the cutting-edge ergonomics? He adds, "The ones that last here, the ones that mattered? They knew when to say no." Hastings says he can't say no to the White House. "You've got a lot more juice than you think," Kiefer tells the head of CTU, "especially with a nucular weapon in play." Hastings says if they proceed, it's not for one rescue operation. "It's 'til this whole thing is over and done...You're not in and out any more. I want you in, with both feet." Because honestly, the writers are growing weary of coming up with new reasons for Kiefer to keep hanging around every few hours. Kiefer settles his man-purse strap across his body and says, "Deal." Man, he's never going to get to L.A. at this rate.