Narrative Web
S2E19
ยท Bad Moon Rising

C.J. Jokingly Confesses to Escape Interrogation Hell

After Jamie Hotchkiss storms out denying the voucher leak, C.J. slumps in exhaustion and beckons Carol, asking how many more grueling staff interrogations await. Carol's deadpan '1,138' elicits C.J.'s wry vow to confess after just five more, crystallizing her fraying nerves amid loyalty-straining probes. This beaty breather reveals the personal erosion from internal witch hunts, mirroring the administration's broader pressure cooker while injecting gallows humor before the next suspect.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

C.J., overwhelmed by the scale of the leak investigation, jokes about confessing to stop the interrogation treadmill, showing her stress.

exhaustion to dark humor

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

4
C.J. Cregg
primary

Bone-weary exasperation laced with wry, self-deprecating humor to mask fraying resolve

Slumps in exhaustion post-interrogation, beckons Carol with a simple call, laments the number of remaining staff grillings, delivers wry joke about confessing after five more, steels herself to proceed with 'Sure' despite evident fatigue.

Goals in this moment
  • Vent mounting frustration from loyalty-straining leak hunt
  • Assess and brace for the sheer volume of ongoing interrogations
Active beliefs
  • Internal witch hunts are eroding personal endurance and team trust
  • Gallows humor sustains through institutional pressure cooker
Character traits
wry resilient exhausted
Follow C.J. Cregg's journey
Carol
primary

Deadpan professionalism veiling empathy for C.J.'s strain and awareness of the ordeal's futility

Promptly responds to C.J.'s summons, deadpans the hyperbolic count of 1,138 remaining interrogations to underscore the grind, efficiently checks readiness for the next suspect, anchoring the press office amid chaos.

Goals in this moment
  • Provide stark reality check on workload to support C.J.
  • Propel the investigation forward without pause
Active beliefs
  • Relentless process is essential despite human cost
  • Dry humor diffuses tension in high-stakes comms siege
Character traits
deadpan efficient loyal
Follow Carol's journey

Pissed defiance hardening into indignant withdrawal

Storms out after vehement leak denial, leaving charged silence that triggers C.J.'s exhaustion collapse, his exit punctuating the fraying trust and intensifying the personal toll on interrogator.

Goals in this moment
  • Reject accusations and protect team loyalty
  • Escape further probing without betrayal
Active beliefs
  • Nine months' work demands unyielding allegiance
  • Leak hunt unfairly targets dedicated staff
Character traits
defensive loyal angry
Follow Jamie Hotchkiss's journey

Mentioned by C.J. as a Baltimore Sun reporter Jamie may have spoken to in the last four days regarding the voucher leak

Character traits
dogged scrutinizing well-connected
Follow Terry Cashin's journey

Narrative Connections

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Key Dialogue

"C.J.: "How many more of these do I have?""
"CAROL: "1,138.""
"C.J.: "Okay, after five of them, I'm just going to confess.""