Tick... tick... tick...

The clock is truly counting down on 24, as the Fox drama moves toward its May 24 finale. What can fans expect from this two-hour episode?

“Chloe and Jack are in a real face-off,” executive producer Howard Gordon told Michael Ausiello. “And Chloe has to decide between her duty [as head of CTU] and her friendship and allegiance to Jack. Their relationship gets put to the test in a way it’s never been tested before.... It’s about as hairy a confrontation as you can possibly imagine, and it’s a nearly lethal one.”

Nearly a lethal one? Sigh. This is why we wish there was no 24 movie on the horizon. Not so Chloe could kill Jack.

But so Jack could lose his life while protecting the country he's dedicated it to for years now. Isn't that the only appropriate way for the series to conclude?

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.