Episode 2 of "The Madness" kicks off with Muncie in a tailspin as the news of Jennings' demise shatters the tranquility. The duo's discovery of the watch throws Muncie's family into a turmoil of decisions. I refer to family in the broadest sense, as Muncie is accompanied by his estranged wife, Elena, who is intent on dissolving their marriage. Their son, Demetrius, seems relatively unfazed by the family dynamics but harbors a secret vice—smoking weed.
In a bid to seek guidance, Muncie sets his course to visit Kwesi, Elena's brother who happens to be a practicing lawyer. We had a fleeting glimpse of him in episode 1, but now, the depths of their relationship unfold. Sadly, Muncie's notorious reputation as a controversial commentator, coupled with the "culturally charged atmosphere" permeating his current legal firm, prompts the lawyers to decline his case without hesitation.
Desperation clawing at him, Muncie flashes the watch, insisting that he's been set up. They turn a deaf ear to his pleas and bluntly inform him that he must seek representation elsewhere. However, fate conspires to bring Muncie and Kwesi together outdoors, where Kwesi cautions him to tread carefully. He's been forewarned that offering counsel to Muncie from this point onward could jeopardize his career. The sole advice Kwesi offers is a hasty exit from the country before calamity strikes.
Next, Muncie ventures to see his daughter, Kallie. Their estrangement is as icy as the Antarctic tundra, especially at first. Not even his name graces her birth certificate, yet she harbors concern for her father amidst the murder frame-up he's enduring.After bidding farewell, Muncie receives an urgent message from Lucie, her words jumping off the screen in all capitals, a recurring nuisance in this narrative tapestry. She claims to possess crucial information and insists on a conversation. Armed with a gun in her garage, she confronts Muncie, her voice trembling with warning as she asserts that he's entwined her in a perilous web. A grim discovery at the morgue reveals a body with a gaping puncture wound in the neck, subtly hinting, though never explicitly stated, that this could be the assassin who met his fate in the shadowy woods.
Through a blend of persuasion and calm demeanor, Muncie manages to defuse Lucie's紧张情绪. He is eager to uncover the truth lurking beneath the surface. Though they won't forge an alliance, Lucie is astonishment when she learns of Mark's untimely demise, a revelation that shakes her to the core.
Later, Muncie's path crosses once again with Agent Franco Quinones. In a candid confession, Muncie admits to ending the assassin's life with a mere pen thrust to the neck amidst the dense woods, pleading self-defense. However, the autopsy photos stun him into silence – the deceased bore not one, but twenty-one puncture wounds. Muncie proudly displays the watch, recounting Laura's unwavering belief in his innocence, piquing Quinones' curiosity in unraveling this enigma. Yet, the agent harbors resentment over Muncie's earlier withholding of information.
Driven by determination, Muncie opts to incinerate the watch in a blazing barrel, then delves into the mysteries surrounding the assassin's tattoos. A prominent inking on his chest ties him to a notorious collective known as Profane Discord, an extremist faction harboring a deep-seated grudge against the Forge. These individuals are portrayed as ruthless psychopaths, matching the savagery of Brother14's followers, making the stakes even higher and the moral landscape even murkier.
Kwesi urges Muncie with earnestness to revisit Lucie's abode and extract information from her with relentless determination. Alas, another has beaten him to the punch, with graffiti defacing the garage doors in a daring display. Lucie conjectures that the Forge is behind this act, and it increasingly seems unlikely that Mark harbored any ill will towards Profane Discord. To compound the situation, acquiring any insights from Jennings is now a futile endeavor, as she has been pronounced deceased at the hospital.
A cryptic note, adhered to Muncie's vehicle, mocks him with the words, "Cease your fervent pursuit," hinting that he is indeed on the right track. This only fuels Muncie's resolve, igniting his determination to unravel the mystery further. In a bid to safeguard himself, he acquires a pistol and finds himself needing it sooner rather than later, discharging it into the sky when four juveniles materialize at his sister-in-law's residence, where his family has taken refuge. The youths scatter hastily, yet Muncie's stress levels appear perilously close to the breaking point.
