Episode 5 of "The Madness" kicks off with an intriguing scene where Lucie arrives at Stu's mansion, seeking a conversation that's heavy with unspoken tensions. The recent months had seen Mark's paranoia escalate, evident in the frequent exchanges between them. Stu, convinced that his association with Mark will make him the next target, is desperate to eliminate any trace linking him to the deceased. Despite his protestations of innocence in Mark's demise, Lucie drops another bombshell – the name Linda Pfaelzner, an FBI agent who had been probing around. Lucie claims to have kept her mouth shut, but the air is thick with suspicion.
Stu, in a bid to distance himself further, hands over $5,000 from the estate sale proceeds, but he also asks a favor in return. Lucie heads to the furniture store, her heart pounding as she discovers that Mark's belongings have vanished from the safe. To add insult to injury, Mark's will reveals Bobby Woods, a notorious member of the Forge gang, as a co-owner. It seems the Forge, the masterminds behind the chaos, now possess Mark's possessions.
Determined to retrieve the hard drive containing Mark's work and family files, Lucie ventures into the lion's den. The Forge members are wary of her, especially after her fiery outburst at the furniture store. However, Levi, sensing an opportunity, agrees to listen to her plea. Lucie orates passionately about Muncie being a scapegoat and how Mark would never have lowered his guard around such a person. Her fiery speech rallies the group to her side, and she's even encouraged to put herself forward as the next leader. For now, though, she secures the hard drive, a small victory in her quest for truth.
Back at her place, Lucie delves into the data, uncovering a treasure trove of folders – weekly work reports, and a comprehensive folder dedicated to Revitalize. Among the files, she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: audio recordings that cast Stu and Mark in a negative light. But the real bombshell comes when she realizes that Linda, the FBI agent, is actually Julia, a security consultant working for Revitalize. The plot thickens, and Lucie finds herself deeper in a web of deceit and intrigue.
At the police station, the question loomed: where could Muncie possibly be allowed to go? Sneaking out through the rear exit, it emerged that the whole orchestration was Franco's cunning plan. Though still under arrest, Muncie was now entangled in a web of federal cooperation, aiming to untangle the messy predicament he had accidentally stumbled upon. The clever disguise was that he was granted bail and placed under Franco's watchful eye. Since Stu had been persistently calling Muncie, they decided to use him as bait to snare their elusive "white whale." With Stu's help in clearing Muncie's name, he would finally be free from suspicion.
It came to light that Stu had been making weekly payments to Mark for 18 months prior to his untimely demise. Franco suspected these payments were for influence, but Lucie's segment of the story hinted that this might not be the whole truth. According to Franco's narrative, once the payments ceased and Brother14 started labeling politicians as "undercover globalists," Mark met his fate. With Stu heading Revitalize, if these revelations threatened his profits, he might have orchestrated Mark's elimination.
Agreeing to wear a wire (though he had little choice in the matter), Muncie waited anxiously in the alley as arranged with Stu. Alas, Stu's sharp instincts swiftly detected his collaboration with the feds, aborting their meeting. But with eyes on him, Muncie seized his moment. He ditched the wire and his phone, before being escorted to Stu's presence.
Stu was joined by Jayne, who promised top-notch lawyers and impeccable PR work in exchange for Muncie's revelations. Muncie was fully convinced that Stu had framed him, yet Stu was oblivious to the identity of Don Sloss. This suggested that an insider from Revitalize could be plotting against Stu, considering Don was paid from the same account as Mark.
Stu seemed less like the mastermind but was willing to hear Muncie's tale nonetheless. However, this willingness evaporated when Don himself showed up and opened fire, claiming the lives of Stu and his security detail. It transpired that Julia was the puppeteer pulling the strings. After erasing incriminating details from the computer, she dispatched Don (whom Muncie held hostage) and nearly did the same to Muncie. In a desperate bid for survival, Muncie fled, leaping off the balcony into the water below.
