In Africa, Bauer and mentor Carl Benton battle an international crisis, while here at home the nation prepares for a new president on inauguration day. Taking place just a few months before the new day dawns, U.S. State Department officer Frank Tramell and Jonah Hodges are pulling the strings that will set the stage and raise the stakes for Season Seven.

Since Jack Bauer has been pulled from his senate sub-committee hearing to assist with the deadly domestic threat and the investigation of former colleague Tony Almeida, his new undefined role is to help secure the nation. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor presides over the escalating time-sensitive dilemmas linked to the unrest in Sangala. Chloe O'Brian and Bill Buchanan are on hand this season as well as FBI Agents Renee Walker, Larry Moss, Janis Gold and Sean Hillinger to cope with the unthinkable events

Since Jack Bauer has been pulled from his senate sub-committee hearing to assist with the deadly domestic threat and the investigation of former colleague Tony Almeida, his new undefined role is to help secure the nation. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor presides over the escalating time-sensitive dilemmas linked to the unrest in Sangala. Chloe O'Brian and Bill Buchanan are on hand this season as well as FBI Agents Renee Walker, Larry Moss, Janis Gold and Sean Hillinger to cope with the unthinkable events

With Tony in custody, Jack leads his interrogation, but is shocked when a code word Tony whispers in his ear leads to old friends and a plot much deeper than anyone in the FBI anticipated. Jack once again takes the law into his own hands when he breaks Tony out of the FBI's custody to deliver him back to the terrorist faction. Renee asks FBI technician Janis Gold to try to uncover a possible leak in the agency, but Janis is terrified when her discoveries point to fellow analyst Sean Hillinger. Colonel Dubaku sends a message to President Taylor, insisting that the US withdraw its forces from Sangala or risk a terrible attack on their soil.

Buchanan takes Jack to "CTU", a secret hideout where he and Chloe had been working with Tony to uncover the conspiracy within the US government. Tony had been undercover with the terrorists aiding Juma to discover the moles. Jack agrees to help get Tony back in play by joining Emerson's crew himself. Taylor is forced to meet with Matobo to inform him that she may be required to withdraw her forces from Sangala to protect American lives. Her Chief of Staff, Ethan Kanin, agrees with this decision, but Taylor is not yet convinced. Henry meets with Samantha, Roger's former girlfriend, who tells him that Roger was indeed cuddled and provides him with proof.

Jack and Tony use creative means to force Matobo out of his saferoom and prepare to leave with their captor when Agent Walker arrives on the scene, prompting Emerson to make some quick decisions. Agents Moss and Gold are sidetracked from their mission to find Walker when a representative from the Attorney General's office arrives to question them regarding the interrogation of Tanner. Henry receives new information about the passing of his son when he follows a lead from Samantha Roth.

President Taylor is faced with an angry cabinet after an unpopular decision results in the loss of many American lives in a terrorist attack. Jack and Tony convince Prime Minister Matobo to go along with their plan when their undercover mission is revealed in a showdown with Emerson. Meanwhile, Henry is stuck in an unthinkable situation, paralyzed and unable to help Samantha Roth when she returns home to find Agent Gedge in her apartment.

Dubaku begins another strike against a chemical plant in Kidron, Ohio, but his plans are cut short when Jack's team arrives at his hideout. Janis helps the plant manager avoid any casualties by manually overriding the valves. Meanwhile, Ethan becomes increasingly concerned about the whereabouts of the First Gentleman and informs the president that Henry is missing. Dubaku orders Henry brought to him to use as leverage.

Jack and Renee race against time and bend the rules to save Henry Taylor after Dubaku uses him to blackmail President Allison Taylor.

Dubaku's attempt to flee the country is cut short when his decision to take his girlfriend along proves to be his undoing, and leads to a breakthrough for Jack and Renee. The moles within the FBI are uncovered when Chloe's decryption skills are put to the test by Sean who attempts a last-ditch effort to save himself.

Jack and Renee track a lead to Dubaku's unsuspecting girlfriend, who, after learning of his true motives, agrees to help lead them to Dubaku before he flees the country. Meanwhile, Chloe O'Brian is brought in to the FBI to run tactical, but her progress is thwarted by a mole inside the agency. President Taylor is stunned to hear that her husband has been shot and is escorted to the hospital by Bill. She requests that her daughter be brought in, a task which Bill delegates to an old friend.

When Dubaku's evil plan escalates to his boss, General Juma, the stakes are raised and steadfast President Taylor faces a deepening foreign policy dilemma. Meanwhile, Jack Bauer's staunch defiance to uncover conspirators inside the government has critical consequences. As Bauer's by-the-book government adversary Senator Mayer heads to the White House for a meeting, another high-impact terror threat develops stateside. Malevolent mastermind and Starkwood honcho Jonas Hodges provokes the situation while Agent Walker leads the grueling investigation in the field and in the water. Stressed-out FBI agents struggle to cope with the circumstances, and Vice President Hayworth is brought into the fold.

When Dubaku's evil plan escalates to his boss, General Juma, the stakes are raised and steadfast President Taylor faces a deepening foreign policy dilemma. Meanwhile, Jack Bauer's staunch defiance to uncover conspirators inside the government has critical consequences. As Bauer's by-the-book government adversary Senator Mayer heads to the White House for a meeting, another high-impact terror threat develops stateside. Malevolent mastermind and Starkwood honcho Jonas Hodges provokes the situation while Agent Walker leads the grueling investigation in the field and in the water. Stressed-out FBI agents struggle to cope with the circumstances, and Vice President Hayworth is brought into the fold.

The siege on the White House reaches an explosive end after Jack and Bill work together to try and save President Taylor. Meanwhile, Jonas Hodges makes moves to cover his own tracks, starting with Ryan Burnett.

Jack seeks Senator Mayer's help to help discover the connection between Juma and the company that hired the man whohuged Burnett. In an effort to track down Jack, Larry recruits Morris O'Brian in exchange for Chloe's immunity. Ethan becomes suspicious of Olivia when a reporter obtains leaked information about the internal affairs of the White House after Juma's attack.

The president's daughter becomes increasingly involved in the day's events, a high-ranking official delivers devastating news to the administration.

Tony leads a group of FBI agents into Starkwood with the help of Hodges's aide, but finds that his intel might not be as accurate as he thought. Olivia moves her way deeper into her mother's inner circle when she is appointment as acting Chief of Staff, and chooses Aaron Pierce to be her personal bodyguard. Jack learns harsh news about his future after being examined by CDC.

Hodges threatens war on the FBI if they do not retreat from his property, but quick thinking by Tony and Moss shed new light on the whereabouts of the biological weapons. Jack begins to show symptoms of his exposure, but refuses to try a possible antidote when he learns it would involve stem cells from his daughter. Olivia is blackmailed by a news reporter into giving up the breaking story unfolding at the White House.

Hodges meets with President Taylor to outline his demands involving Starkwood having a seat at the highest government level, but Tony's plan to detonate Starkwood's weapons systems dramatically reverses the control of power. Renee calls in Kim Bauer to see her dad, who refuses to get her involved in a possible treatment option to stop the degeneration caused by the bio weapon. One Starkwood operative manages to sneak a canister off the premises and is pursued by Larry.

As Jack's pain worsens, he attempts to uncover the mole in the organisation; Renee is stunned by an unexpected passing; and, with one canister of the virus still missing, Jonas Hodges is given an ultimatum by his bosses...

The nation remains vulnerable as Jonas Hodges' life lies in the balance, and his boss stands at the epicenter of the mounting terrorist threat. Meanwhile, Jack hurries to expose Tony Almeida's doublecross.

Jack goes back into the field to help the FBI track down Tony and the bio-weapon canister, but his decaying condition begins to be a liability. Tony uses Jibraan's brother as leverage to force him to record an admission of guilt for the attacks on the US throughout the day. Olivia's rage at Hodges's freedom takes her down a dark path that she might not be ready for.

Jack and the FBI must secure the biological weapon before it is released on the subway, Olivia is forced to make the transaction on Jonas Hodges cuddle in order to be protected, and Kim suspects she is being followed at the airport. There is friction between Chloe and Janis at the FBI. Later, Jack is forced to help the terrorists in order to protect someone close to him.

Jack Bauer is forced to help Tony escape from custody, only to find Tony plans to use Jack to reconstitute the pathogen. Aaron Pierce and Ethan Kanin work together and discover Olivia's role in Hodges' cuddle. Kim Bauer takes down her captors, and works with Renee Walker to find her father.

Presented with the evidence of Olivia's actions, President Allison Taylor is forced to make a decision between her family and the Presidency. Thanks to Kim Bauer, Janis, Renee and Chloe are able to save Jack and arrest Tony before he canhug Alan Wilson. With Wilson refusing to talk and Jack about to die, the fight is no longer in the field, it's for the hearts and souls of Jack and Renee.