24 (TV Series)

Day 4: 3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m. (2005)

Tzi Ma: Cheng Zhi

Quotes 

• Cheng Zhi : [Over the phone]  I'm sure your office is aware of the incident that happened here earlier tonight?

  Michelle Dessler : Yes, we are very sorry to hear about it: is there anything we can do to help?

  Cheng Zhi : I would like to come over and discuss this matter with you

  Michelle Dessler : Of course, my office will be more than glad to make an appointment with you in the morning

  Cheng Zhi : No, I need to do this right now

  Michelle Dessler : I'm afraid that's impossible: you must know we're in the middle of a national security crisis

  Cheng Zhi : The murder of a Chinese consul on Chinese soil could be construed as an act of war

  Michelle Dessler : What does that have to do with us?

  Cheng Zhi : I believe your agency stormed the Consulate and kidnapped Lee Jong

  Michelle Dessler : That is an outrageous accusation

  Cheng Zhi : Just an hour earlier, your government called and asked for permission to speak to Lee Jong: thirty minutes later, we were attacked. It is unlikely these two events are unrelated

  Michelle Dessler : I'm sorry, I can't help you

  Cheng Zhi : I suggest you cooperate "voluntarily." Otherwise, I'll be forced to go above you on this

  Michelle Dessler : I'm sure you'll do what you have to. I mean no disrespect but I do have to get back to work

  Cheng Zhi : Very well, you'll be hearing from me soon

• Cheng Zhi : [after Bill introduces Cheng to Jack]  of course I know of Mr. Bauer: from his previous service to this country. We knew you were in Los Angeles today, when did you arrive?

  Jack Bauer : Few in a few days ago with Secretary Heller

  Cheng Zhi : I assume Secretary Heller is still here?

  Jack Bauer : No, for security reasons, his at our District office

  Cheng Zhi : Why aren't you with him?

  Jack Bauer : We felt under the circumstances today, I could be more helpful here at CTU with Bill

  Cheng Zhi : That's odd

  Jack Bauer : Not really, as you know I used run this office

  Cheng Zhi : So if there's anyone "capable" of leading a covert operation on short notice, you would be the ideal candidate

  Bill Buchanan : Mr. Cheng, this kind of...

  Jack Bauer : [Interrupts him]  it's alright Bill, I've got it. Mr. Cheng, I can assure you that neither CTU nor I had anything to do with the terrible events that took place at your Consulate tonight

  Cheng Zhi : [after taking out a printed photo from his briefcase]  I assume you know this man? Howard Bern: one of your field agents, this was taken by one of our surveillance cameras tonight

  Jack Bauer : [while looking at the photo]  this photograph has been altered

  Cheng Zhi : Just to make it clearer

  Jack Bauer : Or set up a scenario that you can utilize for political propaganda?

  Cheng Zhi : No Mr. Bauer, we ran this image through our database, the computer picked Mr. Bern as a "near perfect match"

  Jack Bauer : Did you take the time to cross reference your database to include members of the People's Freedom Coalition? Because according to our information, their the group most likely behind this attack

  Cheng Zhi : That would be pointless, wouldn't it? This man is not Asian

  Jack Bauer : Mr. Cheng, you and I both know that the PFC has initiated terrorist activities around the globe. Utilizing European mercenaries: half a dozen which are a closer match to this photograph than Agent Bern

  Cheng Zhi : I take it Mr. Bern is not available to question?

  Bill Buchanan : No, his not here tonight

  Cheng Zhi : Of course

  Bill Buchanan : Mr. Cheng, you must know it will not be in America's best interest to provoke the Chinese government

  Cheng Zhi : Then what're we playing these games for? Thirty minutes before we were asked our Consul to give up Lee Jong, and before our government can comply, the Consulate was attacked, Lee Jong disappears. Howard Bern is not available to be questioned, what are you trying to hide?

• Cheng Zhi : [Before Bill enters the room]  I am surprised after you were kidnapped, that you stayed on to work here: that must have been very difficult for you

  Audrey Raines : Well, I wasn't physically hurt and I wanted to try and help find the people who planned these attacks

  Cheng Zhi : Very admirable, I looked through the hourly's for Mr. Bauer, your associate from the Defense Department. I noticed from 1am to 3 am, you and he were working on some data processing tasks?

  Audrey Raines : Yes, that's correct

  Audrey Raines : And what analyst did you give this information to?

  Audrey Raines : Edgar Stiles: why does that matter?

  Cheng Zhi : They go through all this trouble to re-enlist a man who used to run this place, Jack Bauer, and his doing data processing?

  Audrey Raines : Well, it's much more subtle than it sounds. There are hundreds of lists that have to be cross referenced, and with Mr. Bauer's experience, we were able to narrow the search

  Cheng Zhi : I am surprised

  Audrey Raines : Why's that?

  Cheng Zhi : I mean no disrespect, the log shows that your husband Paul Raines was at the clinic at the same hours and unfortunately he passed away

  Audrey Raines : What's your point?

  Cheng Zhi : I don't believe you were with Jack Bauer mining data, that you were waiting for your husband while he was in surgery, and that you're lying to me now to cover for Mr. Bauer

  Bill Buchanan : Mr. Cheng, I'm not going to stand there and allow you to accuse my people of lying

  Cheng Zhi : No and I'm not going to stand here to endure "half baked" alibis

  Audrey Raines : You can believe whatever you want: my answers stand. Now if we are done I do have to get back to work, if you will excuse me