Bauer presses Hodges to expose his allies in a high-stakes domestic threat plot

Summary

– Bauer challenges Hodges’ motives, exposing the plan as a power grab rather than a patriotic act

Jack Bauer confronts Jonas Hodges, a powerful figure in the private military world, accusing him of orchestrating a chilling plan to attack the United States. Bauer’s goal is clear: extract names and details of Hodges’ associates to prevent further threats. This tense exchange highlights an ideological clash, with Bauer’s commitment to national security at odds with Hodges’ misguided attempt to use fear to gain influence.

After Bauer reveals to Hodges that the people trying to kill him are unaware of his survival, Hodges faces a dilemma. Bauer offers him a deal: testify and provide actionable information, and he’ll be granted witness protection and a death certificate, allowing him to disappear from his powerful adversaries. Hodges initially refuses, but Bauer escalates the pressure, threatening to leak his status to the media if he doesn’t cooperate. Fear of public exposure and subsequent revenge from his allies forces Hodges to reconsider.

As Bauer probes for information, Hodges explains his actions, framing himself as a patriot trying to protect the country. Hodges insists that the government’s ineffectiveness made the public vulnerable, claiming that only drastic measures would force people to demand real change. His plan, he reveals, was to stage simultaneous attacks across multiple U.S. cities, forcing citizens to recognize the government’s limitations. Bauer, however, isn’t swayed by this self-righteous justification. He cuts through Hodges’ defense, accusing him of risking innocent lives to serve his interests.

Hodges then reveals that he was part of a larger network, a coalition of private military entities driven by the belief that they could protect the country better than the government. While there are thousands of private military companies, few have the “vision” and “courage” to execute the attacks necessary to destabilize the public’s trust in government protection. These attacks would, he claims, justify the need for a more aggressive, privately led security approach.

Hodges acknowledges that the idea was to make the public see the government as incapable of defending them, leading them to demand “drastic measures” in favor of private intervention. Bauer challenges this logic, demanding how Hodges could justify sacrificing innocent lives. Hodges, showing no remorse, argues that a few casualties would be necessary for the “greater good,” an idea that Bauer outright rejects, branding it as pure treason.

When Bauer demands the names of Hodges’ associates, Hodges struggles to comply, claiming that the project was designed to protect anonymity. He admits he never met his contacts in person, communicating only through an intermediary—a woman whose identity he never discovered. As Bauer presses further, Hodges finally concedes, describing the mysterious woman as someone who provided not only intel but also the biological weapon that would be used in the attacks.

With time running out, Bauer threatens to release Hodges’ existence to the press, leading to an intense standoff. Hodges pleads for witness protection, terrified of the fallout that would ensue if his identity were exposed. The moment ends with Bauer reluctantly agreeing to uphold the deal, though not without clarifying his feelings. To Bauer, Hodges is nothing more than a traitor, driven not by patriotism but by a thirst for power.

As the leader of Starkwood, a prominent private military contractor, Hodges reveals his true motivations: a fear of losing influence and financial gain. Bauer’s interrogation ultimately exposes Hodges’ actions as a desperate attempt to secure power, not an effort to protect the nation. Through the encounter, Bauer shows no mercy, reminding Hodges that true patriotism lies in the country’s defense, not in exploiting its weaknesses.