text: Near the beginning of the second season, Mason was exposed to lethal dose of plutonium, leaving him with radiation sickness. Mason eventually passes along the leadership of CTU to Tony, and leaves the agency. One hour later, in a noble effort to remove the nuclear bomb from a populated area, Mason crashes a plane carrying the bomb into the Nevada desert, sacrificing his own life as it detonates. Under Tony's command, CTU receives recordings of a meeting between Ali and representatives from three Middle Eastern countries at Cyprus.
  Jack learns from Jonathan Wallace that the Cyprus recordings were false. After learning the truth himself, Tony, along with Michelle Dessler, begin covertly assisting Jack, and are eventually forced to physically incapacitate Chappelle. After Chappelle is found by Carrie, he orders their arrest. However, when Mike Novick orders Chappelle to assist Jack, Tony and Michelle, they are given immunity and reinstated. With Tony and Michelle's assistance, Jack and Sherry Palmer, the president's ex-wife, are able to get a recording implicating Peter Kingsley, the true manipulator of the day's events, and prevent a war with the Middle East.
  Throughout the day, Tony and Michelle begin to realize that they share a mutual attraction. At first, Tony keeps his distance out of hesitancy after what happened with Nina. After receiving parting advice from Mason, however, Michelle expresses an interest. The two become romantically involved and later marry.