We start off with air traffic control (henceforth ATC to save my fingers a little) still trying to get through to the plane they lost contact with. They discover the plane is not communicating with ATC, but someone else is in control. They alert the FBI.

Jack and Walker are back near Schecter’s office, on the street while agents lock down the building the sniper was in who took out Schecter. Jack believes there is a … wait for it.. a mole in the FBI who tipped Tony off that Jack would be there. How else could Tony have called right after to warn Jack to stay away or get a shooter on the roof so quickly. Walker refuses to believe.

Back at ATC, two planes were set on a collision course by Tony and Co. At the last second, one of the planes was ordered to pull up, narrowly avoiding striking the second plane. Tony then calls the head guy at ATC and tells him that was just a warning shot – a demonstration. The next one won’t be.

Some new players show up at Tony’s hideout. Apparently, they’re there to pick up the module device Latham worked on. We learn that these guys have a new job for Tony and someone is coming with the specs for it. We also learn Tony’s been at this shady stuff for three years now and he has one more ‘job’ and he’s done. Done with what, I don’t know.

Back at the White House, the Press Secretary makes the announcement that a full-scale intervention on Juma’s regime. President Taylor meets with Prime Minister Matobo to discuss post-invasion procedures. She wants him to ensure Juma will be dealt with in a court of law, and not murdered for his crimes. Matobo gives his word.

Tony’s sniper is trapped in the building being searched by FBI. He calls Tony for help. Jack, made to sit in an SUV to wait, has a chat with the driver. The driver tells Jack he doesn’t believe he should be put on trial, not after what he’s done for this country. Jack says he thinks it’s fine. That there are so many things done in secret that we’ve created two worlds: ours and the people we promised to protect. The driver tells Jack that he still doesn’t believe Jack should be treated that way, and that he’s not the only one who thinks so. Jack quietly thanks him.

An FBI agent searching the building finds the sniper… and then tells him he’s there to get him out. That Tony sent him. He hands him an FBI jacket and keys. The agent then tells the FBI the basement is clear, and the sniper goes on his way.

As Jack steps out of the SUV for some air, he spots the sniper walking – he’s not wearing regulation black shoes – he’s wearing tan hiking boots. Well spotted Jack! He alerts Walker who immediately says they will tail him and see if he leads to Almeida. Jack thinks that’s the wrong play, of course. He says until they know how badly the FBI has been compromised, they should follow the guy themselves. Agent Walker decides to listen to Jack.

Let me repeat: Agent Walker decides to listen to Jack. Pardon me while I faint. She even tosses him the keys to the car she commandeers to do so.

Coming back from commercial break and ohhhhh dear. Things just got worse. Almeida’s new players arrive at their hidey-hole with the module and Latham, and proceed to hand it over to Colonel Dubaku… who’s brother was killed in ‘Redemption,’ and is General Juma’s top officer. Ohh Tony. WTF dude, seriously? Dubaku will make his demands on President Taylor.

Off topic, but I haven’t spotted any iPhones in use yet.

As President Taylor is briefed on post-invasion stuff, Taylor’s husband’s agent informs the President’s Chief of Staff (AKA, the warden from Shawshank) that her husband is still trying to prove their son was murdered. He’s worried about his state of mind and believes the President needs to be informed.

Meanwhile Jack and Walker are tooling along and trailing the suspect when Agent Moss back at the office discovers she and Jack have left the scene. He calls her, she lies to him, he lets her, but asks Janice (Janeane Garofalo) to triangulate their position using Walker’s open comm unit.

In the car, Walker asks Jack how far he would have gone with Schecter but Jack dodges the question and gets testy. He tells her that he agreed to help the Bureau find Tony and even agreed to do it their way. But now that the FBI’s been compromised, they’re going to have to do it Jack’s way. “Is that going to be a problem?” he asks. “We’ll see.” she replies.

Back to President Taylor’s husband… He arrives at his son’s girlfriend’s office and confronts her about some money she had wired to her three days after his son’s death. She claims it’s money she was hiding for her Aunt. Secret Service whisks him off before he becomes too irate, but he does threaten her. Still not sure where all this is going unless it’s just serving to add one more worry to the President’s plate, but we’ll see.

Jack and Walker follow the sniper to the docks. He was indeed on his way to Tony. They stop him before he can enter the boat Tony’s hiding on and Jack pretty much beats the tar out of the guy. Then he and Walker proceed to use him as a hostage and get to the boat. But after taking out the security cam, a gunfight ensues. Walker turns out to be quite a good shot. They get all stealthy and make it on board. Walker finds a laptop finishing up a deletion program but is unable to stop it. Jack, however, stumbles right into Tony who surprises him and tries to run away. A hell of a fight ensues which features a leaping Jack, some strangleholds and ooof, some good punches.  Eventually though, Jack bests him as Walker turns up to tell him the device is gone.

And then a chopper shows up. It’s Agent Moss. It goes off to land and Jack backs away from Tony with such a look of betrayal and sadness on his face. Ohh it was gutting. He chokes up a little, and asks his old friend, “What happened to you? What the hell happened to you?” as Tony just gives him a stony stare. *shudder*

And thus ends the incredible first two hours of the long-awaite premiere of the seventh season of “24.” Some initial thoughts: I like that the FBI office looks.. well looks like my office. Cube farm, open plan enviro and not so glitzy with the tech stuff. Gone is that shiny CTU building full of giant monitors and stylish stations.

Agent Walker is a pistol! I think she’ll impress Jack in the end as she seems to have a few of his rogue-ish ways.

Tony Tony Tony…. I don’t know what to say. It’s like he said, ah screw it. I think I’ll be a baddie for a while.

I love the new Prez. I’m not sure where the son’s suicide plot is going but it’s not boring to me yet, so that’s good. She seems to have a decent staff on her hands. No weasels in sight. Yet. And the FBI guys, especially the techs promise to be just as quirky and weird as the days of Chloe and Edgar of old.

So until tomorrow night fellow addicts!! Welcome back Oh and why not follow me on Twitter?