Watch EpisodeIn a classic 24-style surprise, we learn that the seemingly innocent Tarin is actually working hand-in-hand with the terrorists trying to thwart President Hassan's plans and set off a dirty bomb in New York City.

As the hour starts, we learn more about another terrorist, crazy-eyed Marcos, and his reasons for becoming, well, a crazy-eyed terrorist. Apparently, his professor father was jailed by President Wayne Palmer's administration for suspected ties to a radical Kamistani organization, and eventually committed suicide as a result of the fallout.

Using this information, Jack does his best to convince Marcos that helping the terrorists isn't the best way to honor his father's memory, but he won't be reasoned with, telling Jack: "I came here prepared to die, and that's what's gonna happen."

24: Unfortunately, we're soon distracted by Walsh and Ortiz (once again) as they hash out their relationship drama in the wake of last week's mess with KevinEx and his buddy. He's being stoic; she wants to know what he's thinking, which turns out to be, "I wouldn't have done what I did if I didn't still love you." Sweet — I guess.

Hastings is, to say the least, ticked off when the pair finally returns to CTU after disappearing without explanation. This results in Hastings bestowing the no doubt-delicious honor on Chloe of having Walsh now report to her, though Chloe does her best to accept the situation with grace, telling Walsh, "I just want you to know, I'm glad you didn't get fired or anything."

Walsh later does her best to apologize to Hastings and explain that she won't let anything like this happen again, yada yada yada. Hastings' response serves as a neat summary for the whole Walsh-Kevin subplot: "So, we can chalk up the last several hours to a serious lapse in judgment?" Yeah, let's do that, 24.

And yet still, this plot refuses to die: Seems Kevin's probation officer (played by the always-reliable Stephen Root) is looking for his favorite ex-felon, and he thinks Walsh may be able to help. This, of course, prompts more hang-wringing from she and Ortiz. At this point, I'm really longing for an hour of 24 where no one utters the name Kevin!

Unlike Walsh, Ortiz dives right back into operations where he left off, heading over to the Brooklyn home of Marcos' mother, Elaine (Mare Winningham), in hopes that she can persuade her son not to blow himself up. After arriving at the hospital and receiving a pep talk from Jack, momma gives it her best shot, screaming, crying and pleading with her son, but it's not enough.

That's when Jack steps in and gets crazy, threatening to take Marcos' mother to the future site of the dirty bomb explosion so she can absorb a lethal dose of radiation. "Go ahead. Blow yourself into a million pieces," he tells Marcos while fixing him with a steely gaze. "The first thing I'm gonna do is make your mother come in here and clean it up. Then I'm gonna take her to the blast site."

This prompts some rather embarrassing grunting and bawling from Marcos, but it works — for the good guys anyway. Marcos steps out of the chamber, but the vest has already been activated. And though Jack works feverishly to disarm it (in a scene very reminiscent of Oscar victor The Hurt Locker), there's not enough time to save Marcos. But there's just enough for Marcos to reveal that the man on the inside helping to smuggle the nuclear rods into NYC is none other than President Hassan's former head of security, Tarin.

Those turn out to be poor Marcos' last words, as Jack pushes him into the oxygen chamber just as the vest explodes in a flash of light and a shower of red. Marcos, we hardly knew you.

Meanwhile, Kayla is still dodging calls from her mother, Dalia (Necar Zadegan), because she's too busy having sweaty, sweaty sex with Tarin (who tells her he's planning to seek political asylum in the U.S.). When Kayla finally does answer, her mother delivers the very bad news that her father's suspicions about Tarin were right.

Just as Tarin is stepping out of the shower, Kayla is able to tell her mother where she's staying. Unfortunately, Tarin immediately wants her to get dressed and accompany him to his "asylum filing" and her reaction prompts suspicion that is definitely not going to lead anywhere good for Kayla.