The season opens in Washington, DC, with Bauer on trial and CTU disbanded. Bauer’s morning takes an unexpected turn when he learns that former colleague Tony Almeida has returned and is involved in a national security breach under investigation by a team of FBI agents. Meanwhile, President Taylor, White House Chief of Staff Ethan Kanin and First Gentleman Henry Taylor battle the daunting domestic security crisis with grave global implications in a breathtaking race against time. Meanwhile, malevolent mastermind Jonas Hodges fans the flames of the growing international conflict.