The Wire s04e01 Episode Script
Boys of Summer
Anybody in plumbing, please go to aisle four.
Tchh God damn! I see you got the DeWalt cordless.
Your nail gun.
DeWalt 410.
Yeah.
The trouble is, you leave it in the trunk for a while, need to step up and use the bitch, the battery don't hold up, you know? Yeah, cordless'll do that.
You might want to consider the powder-actuated tool.
The Hilti DX 460 MX or the Simpson PTP, these two are my Cadillacs.
Everything else on this board is second-best, sorry to say.
Are you contracting or working round the house? - No, we work all over.
- Full time? No, we had about five jobs last month.
Well, the cost of the powder-actuated guns justifies itself.
- You say "power"? - Powder.
- Like gunpowder? - Yeah.
The DX 460 is fully automatic, with a.
27-caliber charge.
Wood, concrete, steel to steel, she'll throw a fastener into anything.
For my money, she handles recoil better than the Simpson or the P3500.
- You understand what I mean by recoil? - Yeah, the kickback.
I'm wi' you.
- That's right.
- .
27 caliber, huh? Not large ballistically, but, for driving nails, it's enough.
Anymore, you'd add to the recoil.
Man, shit.
I seen a tiny-ass.
22 round-nose drop a nigger plenty of days, man.
Motherfuckers get up in you like a pinball, rip your ass up.
Big joints, though, big joints just break your bones, you say, "Fuck it.
" I'm gonna go with this right here, man.
How much I owe you? $669 plus tax.
No, no.
You just pay at the register.
No, man, you go and handle that for me, man.
And keep the rest for your time.
- This is $800.
- So what, man? You earned that buck like a motherfucker, man.
Keep that shit.
- We good? - Yeah, man.
The man said if you want to shoot nails, this here is the Cadillac, man.
- He meant Lexus but he ain't know it.
- Hold the charge better? Man, fuck the charge.
This here is gunpowder-activated,.
27 caliber, full auto, no kickback, nail-throwing mayhem, man.
Shit right here is tight.
Fuck just nailing up boards.
We could kill a couple motherfuckers with this.
You laughing.
I've been schooled, dog.
- All right.
All right.
- For real.
When you walk through the garden Watch your back Well I beg your pardon Walk the straight and narrow track If you walk with Jesus He'll save your soul Gotta keep the devil down in the hole He's got fire and the fury At his command Well, you don't got to worry Hold on to Jesus' hand We'll be safe from Satan When the thunder rolls But you gotta keep the devil Down in the hole Oh yeah, mm We'll be safe from Satan Gotta keep the devil Down in the hole Keep him in the hole In the hole Down in the hole Down in the hole Keep him in the hole Keep him in the Down in the hole Down in the hole Keep him in the hole Keep him in the Down in the hole Down in the hole Seven and counting.
All of them caught on the wire.
We're not above the corners but we soon will be.
- They don't dump phones? - Every month or so.
Sloppy enough that we may be able to track one to Marlo or the people he keeps close.
Truth is, if they're still using cellphones, they're mine.
And if Marlo Stanfield is on a cell, he'll be mine too.
- Cool Lester smooth.
- That's not trash talk, that's simple fact.
Marlo Stanfield may have a lot of heart and a lot of corners, but he's a babe in the woods when it comes to this right here.
I was proud to chase those Barksdales, but this Stanfield Not as fierce as we thought.
For months there hasn't been a body we can put to him.
- Mm.
- You two sound disappointed.
This unit needs good, hard targets or it'll go soft.
I'll assume you want another 30 days on your taps.
At least.
We've got subpoenas to go out as well.
- Subpoenas? - Asset investigations.
- On Marlo Stanfield? - Come here.
All this is from the Barksdale money trail.
We've been running down all the paper from Stringer's apartment and the B & B office.
I miss Prez, man.
I do.
I hear you.
The truth is, those guys had money going everywhere, investments, political donations, consulting fees - You want to do this now? - I wanted to do this a year ago but fresh cases got in the way.
And your lieutenant's gonna OK this kind of paper? Our lieutenant has a fearless heart.
- This will get you started.
- Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wait right there.
My coupons.
You were gonna give her my coupons.
Been clipping them for two days and you damn near lost them.
- Why are they in my pile? - Why is your pile in my workspace? - I'm doing real work.
- Working my nerves is what you do.
- Don't you - Don't you Four weeks before the Baltimore City primary, you hand me drug-money subpoenas that hit a dozen key political figures.
There's an election? Who's running? And they think I can.
Shit, we can't take four more years of this guy.
This city's in the toilet.
- They said that during my term, too.
- You got dealt a bad hand, - with the riots and all.
- Yeah, sure.
I'll squeeze in if Tony Gray draws off don't you think? I don't know.
Royce's negatives are up, even among black voters.
Yeah.
In a minute, Norman.
You know what I think, Tommy? No matter what, you got your name out there and it'll help you down the road if you ever want to step up to the legislature.
But as one paisan to another, the day of the white mayor is over.
Your Eminence, you're due at the Belair-Edison Senior Center and I don't want to lie to wrinkle-assed voters cos you wanted to talk shop.
Seniors, huh? They vote, Tommy.
Gotta run.
Sorry.
He's on your clock, don't ever let him forget it.
No, indeed.
Need your sig on vehicle logs and a corrected court report and office memo subpoena requests and a requisition to City Purchasing for a large fan.
A fan, huh? Caroline says it stays hot in the wire room with the door closed.
Oh.
It's beautiful, Lieutenant.
Never seen a beach house so fine.
- Think so? - Shit.
Makes me think about retirement and I only got nine years on.
When do you break ground? Next March, if I have my permits.
Which reminds me, on Tuesday I have to go to Delaware to see my contractor.
No problem.
Me and Lester, we'll cover for you on that.
No problem at all.
Cake.
That's my baby's mother we talking about, yo.
But y'all been broke up, right? Man, I ain't living with her but I still be giving her a couple dollars, you know, stopping past.
Pandemic! Pandemic! Look at this.
Hey, Na'.
- Namond! - Huh? - What the fuck am I paying you for, nigger? - Oh, my fault, B.
Pandemic! Damn! Yo, man, and do something with that ponytail.
Cops can make his ass a mile away.
Braid it or something.
Me and Patrice been together for a long time.
But you say she running with the boy Fruit now? Yeah.
If he don't back the fuck off, I'm gonna fill his ass with some hot ones, yo.
Shit.
You don't think I will? I got that pandemic.
Man, do what you gonna do.
- Bodie.
- What's up, big man? You ain't real with us all week, man.
You stepping on that package or what? Yo, man, everything's slow.
Been slow since we moved here from Fayette Street, man.
Yeah, well, Marlo wanted Fayette.
Man, I do not like backing down from niggers, man.
I feel like a punk, I feel like doing shit.
Ain't like the old days, dog.
Nary a Barksdale left.
You out here on your own, dog.
Give it up.
B, let's roll.
Hey, Lex, man, I'm gonna give you the truth because you need the truth.
That boy Marlo got the world by the ass and Fruit, he work for Marlo.
So I'm saying, fuck that bitch.
Pffff.
And move on.
- That's just the way it is.
- Yeah.
- It's just the way it is, man.
- Pandemic! Pandemic! Thank you, sir.
- Just one moment, ma'am.
- You seen Hoskins? Lieutenant went upstairs already.
Step through, please.
Madam President.
Council president's hot as balls.
- I'd fuck you to fuck her, man.
- Yeah? You'd fuck a guy for a chance to fuck a hot broad? You don't think that makes you a fagot? It's just an expression, man.
- Been on this detail how long? - Eight months.
Eight months with Clarence Royce.
So let me ask, are you ready to take a bullet for the Mayor of Baltimore? Lieutenant, sir.
Is the truck OK, or do we want to call one? No, the truck works.
He said he needs just ten minutes.
No, not now.
Maybe tomorrow? OK.
Is that Krawczyk again? Every time he writes another check he calls for something just to see that he can.
Getting calls from Carcetti's people, too.
They want one debate for crime and safety, the other on economics and schools.
Tony Gray crying the same blues.
Want the whole night to smack me with the crime rate.
I told The Sun we're open to any forum now which will be for another couple of days in which time we'll say, "Fuck you.
One debate.
" Two debates.
Shit! That lost-ball-in-high-grass motherfucker Carcetti.
He needs to get used to life in the wilderness.
Not just the downtown areas but your communities here on the East Side.
We stand or we fall together and I'm here today to ask for the chance to stand with you.
Thank you for your time.
Questions? Yes, ma'am? Is it the Salisbury steak for lunch today or is they doing tacos? It's developments like this one, planned residential towers with waterside retail space and restaurants that grow Baltimore's tax base and help rebuild our city.
I want to thank Ed Bowers for his vision but, more important, for his commitment.
For his commitment to the City of Baltimore.
Ed? Mr.
Mayor, I want to thank you and your administration for making this next stage of redevelopment for Baltimore's harbor a reality.
You talk about vision and commitment, Mayor Clarence Royce.
Pandemic! Pandemic! - What up, Na'? - Yo, what up? - What you got? - Just a story about AJ from North & Woods.
Yo, you know they gave him 700 years? Read this shit, son.
This corner is dead, man.
You still working? Yeah, we was gonna catch some fresh birds.
I don't know.
Let me see if I can bounce.
Hold up.
Hey, Randy, saw a dead bird the other day.
- Hey, B.
- 'S up? Um, I want to know if I can leave early.
We want to go down to Mondawmin - for some back-to-school stuff.
- What for? Yo ass stayed suspended.
Come on, stop playing, B.
Without social promotion, your ass'd still be in pre-K, motherfucker.
Probably daycare up this bitch.
Pandemic right here! Fuck it.
Pay this late-to-work, early-to-play nigger for five hours, yo.
You owe me extra time tomorrow, though.
Lex! Did you hear me? Damn, y'all! Young'uns don't got a scrap of work ethic nowadays.
If it wasn't for his pops, I wouldn't even bother.
Yo! Make sure you come early tomorrow because it ain't always gonna be this slow.
Pandemic! At least I hope it ain't.
Mr.
Mayor.
Mr.
Mayor, excuse me.
I just want to make sure we're still OK for that median cut on Boston Street.
I need that access to make the site viable.
Right.
I'll get my people on it.
Thank you, sir.
Something going on with his median? Not once he ponies up.
I think he can do a lot better than the 4,000, don't you? I don't even want to know.
No, Chris, please, man.
- We're low on quicklime, man.
- Doesn't matter.
We got vacants on both sides.
He'll stink is all.
Chris, please.
Don't fret, boss.
I got you covered.
Quick and clean, I promise.
Chris.
Man, shit like that don't even work in cartoons.
The roadrunner snatch the birdseed and book.
- We ain't in no cartoon.
- Yeah, you is.
- Shh.
Be still.
- You scaring away the birds.
I'm talking to both y'all.
Took me off the clock for this craziness? What the fuck is you thinking? We're serious, Na'.
This bird could be worth 400.
Nigger, please.
You know Nemo, worked Marlo's pigeon coop? Said he got 400 for a white homing bird.
- That's a homer? - I mean, it's white.
- So that makes it a homer, right? - It could be.
Damn! Use hamburger meat.
That shit would've been got.
Shut your mouth, it'd have been got.
I'm gonna fuck this nigger up.
Hey.
What the fuck is wrong with you, throwing bottles and shit? - You just cost us cash money.
- Yo, I ain't done nothing.
You a seriously backwards dude.
Playing with bugs like he's still in Pampers.
- That wasn't even necessary.
- You the one that need Pampers.
Put them over that mouth, catch all that shit you be flushing.
Oh! Y'all be stinking like rat fart.
- There you go.
- Oh, yeah.
Get him, Na'! All right.
All right.
Come on.
Come on.
- Y'all acting like little bitches.
- You seen my man Duke? - Got him upside his head.
- Didn't want to touch the dirty motherfucker.
Could have came up with AIDS or some shit.
Dukie fight like a bitch, yo.
I'd whip that ass if I didn't feel sorry for him.
Duke, you scared away the birds.
I blew me up a bug bomb.
You want to see the pieces? Nah, I'm good.
I got to go.
All right.
Hey, Randy.
That pigeon wasn't a homer.
Homers got metal things around their leg.
That way you can tell them from the other birds.
- How you know that? - Nemo let me clean out his coop sometimes.
So he was schooling me.
Which leaves us a total of 54.
No surprises on who's coming back.
All the regulars.
- We lost Mr.
Parker and Ms.
Bowles.
- Gregory's leaving? Hired by the county.
I knew Bowles wouldn't be back, the way they tore up her classroom.
So we're short two in math and four in science.
Man at the door.
No system ID but says he's new here.
Buzz him in before something changes his mind.
All the way on the left.
Pull it hard.
- Hard! - It's locked.
All right.
I'll be right down.
Not a goddamn thing up in here works like it should.
Turn to the cafeteria assignments and that leaves Ernest alone and he can't handle it alone.
You tell them, I ain't even gonna try to pronounce it.
Roland Pryzbylewksi.
Everyone just calls me "Prez".
- Claudell Withers, I'm principal here.
- New in math.
I won't have my certificate until next year but they said I'd be getting classes because of staff shortages? Jesus.
Lambs to the slaughter here.
What did you do before you decided to teach, Mr.
Pryzbylewski? I was a police in the city.
Marcia Donnelly, Assistant Principal.
Welcome to Edward Tilghman Middle.
That leaves Tullman as SIC for the 12th.
Can he handle the whole shift? Which one's Tullman, again? Goofy redhead, looks like Opie from Mayberry but less fierce.
Jimmy, Major wants to see you.
Jimmy, come on in.
I know I offered when I first came over here, and I know your answer then but I'm still asking.
- Can I get you out of a radio car? - No thank you, Major.
McNulty, I'm short two men in Ops and my follow-up squad can't make a case.
- You're too damn good to be humping calls.
- Thanks for the offer, though.
You don't think I asked him ten times when I was acting commander? - He's in the wrong fucking place.
- For us, yeah.
For him Yo, po-po, man.
Po-po.
Shut it down.
Where's the love, Bodie? Where is the motherfucking love? I go back so far with this kid, I was chasing him through juvie.
But does any of that matter? I get so much as a wave, a nod, a smile? Nothing.
- How about just hello? - Hello.
See? That wasn't so hard, was it? Lex, my man, how's your day going? Not to criticize or anything but I think you missed a spot there.
Little Kevin, how's it hanging? Reesey, you look like someone just shot your dog.
You OK? - He still messing up? - You hear what he said? You send him to Lamelle next month, I'll put him in remedial math and we'll have done some good today.
He's fucking got me.
- Everything good? - Yeah.
Just words.
Mr.
Entrapment, how you doing? Don't look like that.
I still dine out on that story.
You know how he beat the wiretap a year ago? Claimed entrapment in Bunny Colvin's Hamsterdam.
Shit you not.
Smart kiddo.
I loved it.
When I roll back in an hour, this corner's bone-dry.
Your people are done for the day.
OK.
So let's try this again.
I say, "Have a good evening, Mr.
Broadus.
" And a good evening to you, Sergeant Carver.
See? We're right here.
And a very good evening to you, Officer Colicchio.
Fuck yourself with a 40, shitbreath.
What the fuck was all that about? - You can't bust every head, Tony.
- I can't? Bust every head, who are you gonna talk to when shit happens? Hi, Rachel.
- Tim, thanks for doing that yesterday.
- Yeah, no problem.
You ran late all morning.
Late for the seniors, late for the Stonewall meeting.
- Late for the Gay-Lesbian Alliance.
- Them seniors talk slow.
Bullshit.
It was breakfast with Young Tony, swapping stories over cold coffee.
- Young Tony, huh? - I was getting sage advice.
- From a one-term mayor? - He takes over in '67, sees the city burn.
It was an opportunity.
Spiro Agnew made his career on the '68 riots.
- Agnew? - One man's shithead's - another man's vice president.
- True as ever.
- Is that polling data? - Raw numbers.
It's incomplete.
You need to be in the call room, dialing for dollars.
Fuck! I can't do it anymore.
I hate it.
I hate it more than anything.
I fucking hate it! You don't do this, you can't pay for the TV spots in the last two weeks.
Mothersucking cockfuckers.
Oh, Jesus.
I fucking hate this.
Hey, Jim, Tom Carcetti here, remember me? We met at your sister's house, the one that's married to that Republican cunt.
I know you don't remember me or have any use for fucking politicians, and frankly, I don't give a flying fuck about what you think or what your concerns are but I do care about what your cute blonde wife thinks about things.
But, Jim, the reason I'm calling is because I want you to write me out a check for $4,000, the maximum allowed by law, and because we don't trust you to mail that check, we're gonna send over some DPW workers to beat the check out of you.
All finished? You need $30,000 In the next three hours.
No bullshit, Tommy.
You hit your number or die in this room.
Woo! Oh, my goodness.
So what are you watching, then? Anything on the tube? No fucking way.
They got enough power in the line-up.
What they need is pitching.
What you looking at? Fucking crazy.
Like I'm really gonna give that motherfucker a ride to Woodlawn.
Shit.
Help! Somebody help! What's up, Patrice? You're letting it ring? You're not hanging up after a ring or two? I'm making the calls, Terri.
Nobody's home.
Lex? He used to go with Patrice? Lester! - He her baby's daddy.
- He ain't the first to get it.
- Don't talk like that.
- Nigger just walked up to him, Served him up.
One to the face.
Wow.
Shoot.
He was real cute.
Lex took all the cute out of that lazy-eye motherfucker.
- Anything on Fruit's phone? - Nothing outgoing for two hours.
Sure.
Sure.
I really need your help.
- Put me down for four.
- Yeah.
What about your wife? Can she come up with four? - I don't think we can do eight.
- Kids? - They're in strollers.
- I know, I was kidding.
- That's funny.
- Never mind.
4,000's good.
Thanks.
One to the left temple.
Close range in a lot full of club trash, nobody sees a thing.
- Mm.
We hear your shooter goes by "Lex".
- Lex? We were up on your victim's cellphone, too.
We'll go through calls, send you whatever's there.
Got this from his pocket.
Pull the numbers from that as a consolation prize.
This fucks you guys up, no? Losing a guy you had wired? Nah.
We're up on several phones at street level.
With or without Mr.
Fruit, we're on our way.
You know, it's strange.
We're not seeing bodies.
This is the first drug hit in months, and it's Marlo's boy who falls.
- I thought Marlo was the new power.
- He is.
Shit, he's got everything from MLK to Fulton now.
How do you hold that much real estate without making bodies? You hear anything more about this on your wire, Lester, the Bunk expects a call.
Yeah, I know he does.
No.
The hell with Norris.
You're my real partner, Lester.
My life partner.
Don't tease, bitch.
Look at that bow-legged motherfucker.
I made him walk like that.
So who the fuck is Lex? Dontrelle's cousin.
Used to be with Cantel's people.
He working some corner over Hilltop now.
He ain't more connected than that and he coming near one of mine? Wasn't about no business.
Pussy, man.
Yo Fruit was into something that Lex thought was his own.
You say the word, we take off that whole motherfucking corner.
Every last bitch.
- What corner are we talking about again? - Rag-tag shit up on Pacer.
They get their shit from Joe but they're mostly independent.
They gone, Marlo.
Just say so.
That what you think? Just do 'em all? Take their fucking corner too.
What do I want with some off-brand Hilltop corner? And why I need to be stacking bodies when there ain't no one trying to war with us? - Just Lex.
- He did one of ours, so he got to fall.
Get out, Tommy.
You're done.
Get up, Tommy! Come on, pretty boy.
Come on.
You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
Come on.
Let's go.
- That's home? - Yeah.
That's it.
There we go, little trouper.
drag you out of bed like you did yesterday.
Mm-hm.
Damn, boy, what happened to you? Terrace Boys banged me coming across the tracks by Ramsey Street.
Teron, Manny, Herbie.
Man, all them Terrace niggers.
- They can't whoop on Dukie like that.
- Only we can whoop on Dukie like that.
- We've got to even this out.
- Nah.
Fuck even.
We gonna hurt them twice as bad.
Give 'em a whoop-ass they ain't going never forget.
If we straight-up fight them, there's as many of them as there is us.
More, even.
- So what? You scared? - Nah, I'm just saying, if we're gonna hurt them, we need to think on it.
Do something go past beating on each other.
You talking guns and shit.
Nah, I ain't talking guns.
What? Aw, shit.
Randy got an idea.
Hey, Norman, you know what I had for dinner last night? Tuna sub.
I ate in the car.
When I write my memoirs, that shit'll be in there, no doubt.
You see what I just ate? In the car? A fucking tuna sub.
In order to prevent distemper you must vary the candidate's menu.
If you're done chewing, let's give these new radio spots a listen.
We've seen what Tommy Carcetti can do .
.
while the current administration What? .
.
protecting jobs at the fort by preventing the overdevelopment of .
.
home ownership.
That prevented budget cuts to vital city services Three and five zeroes, mayor's latest TV buy and it's four weeks Turn that shit off! You don't like the spots? I read the copy first.
I think they're strong.
They're bullshit! Weak bullshit! I wouldn't vote for me.
Fuck! Fuck Royce! Fuck Tony Gray! Fuck me! - Where am I going? - A neighborhood - between Oliver and Middle East.
- Middle East.
- It's a good name for it.
Fucking Fallujah.
- Command performance.
Ms.
Victorina Simmons.
She rules two big vote precincts, no matter who the EDC is with.
Fucking Royce! 300,000 like it's fucking water.
Also the Reverend Garnett.
What are they complaining about today? Fucking shithole city.
Whining bastards, bitching about trash or crime or this or that.
Like it's my fucking fault.
- These motherfuckers.
- Boss.
They can bite my white ass.
Ms.
Simmons.
Reverend Garnett.
Good to see you again.
I had a meeting go long but I know there's things to see.
We called and called downtown, ain't nothing gets done.
- OK.
Show me.
- Right this way, Councilman.
The first thing to look at Drink a lot.
Think about water running.
And that way, you know How the fuck you know what water running be like? Water been off in your house since last year.
- Man, that's cold.
- Yeah, Na'.
Shit.
I'm ready.
Can't go with niggers watching, yo.
Damn! When we call, he'll send somebody, most times, and they write it all down just like he doing now.
But nothing ever gets done.
Come here, Councilman, I want you to see this.
Now, see them drug boys? They block the alleys so the police won't chase them there.
All this trash.
Rats everywhere.
Houses vacant.
We keep trying to get them to come and clean this up.
I guess that's too much like right.
Well, Royce won't let the city agencies take any of my constituent calls.
But let me see what I can do.
Come on, let me show you this down here.
Yo.
Y'all Terrace niggers know that boy by the name "Deez"? - Deez? - Yeah, Deez nuts.
- Fuck.
- Damn.
Shit.
Yo, yo.
Come on.
Yeah, come on.
Get him, y'all! - I knew them bitches gonna set us up.
- Yeah.
Fucking say it, bitches.
Don't ever disrespect Terrace.
Damn! - I fucking pissed myself.
- Fuck! Fuck them up! Come here! - Over here! - Oh! - Kick him right behind.
- Ah! Randy! - This way.
- Ooh! Hey, yo.
He went in there! Remember that phrasing is the cornerstone in communicating with your students.
This applies not only to the questions you ask or their comprehension of the lesson, but how they perceive you as an educator.
And where does that begin? Out loud and enthusiastically.
IALAC.
Let's go.
Once again.
IALAC.
And what are we telling ourselves? I am loveable and capable.
Now I see those smiling faces.
Where the listing on the lower half of the page indicates some typical soft-target locations, an officer alert to the terrorist threat must ask himself, "Do I know the location of my soft targets, "those where large numbers of civilians congregate?" Train terminals, office buildings, stadiums.
Another hot zone in the classroom is the pencil sharpener, where children tend to congregate I had a pencil sharpener in my class once.
Antoine Granderson ripped it off and threw it at me.
I'd like to know what your plan suggests when Harold Hounchell sends a set of textbooks through a closed window.
- Thank you.
- Attention.
Attention, people! Settle down, everybody.
And for emergency procedures in the event of biochemical agents, you can refer to Appendix B.
No disrespect to your appendix, but if terrorists do fuck up the Western, could anybody even tell? Al-Qaeda were up on Baltimore Street to blow up the chicken joint.
Apex's crew jacked them up, and buried their ass in Leakin Park.
- That's what I heard.
- Y'all want some real terrorists? Go up on Pencey and Gold.
- Hey, guys, let's maintain our - Ack-ack-ack-ack-ack - Brownie, you're doing one heck of a job.
- Not another fucking word.
Thank you.
So, supervising the scene of a terrorist attack.
- You beast.
- I can't help it.
You stirred my manhood.
- Little Boy Blue.
- What the fuck are you doing here? I caught one.
Got a street dealer who goes by the name of Lex.
- Lester heard it on the wire.
- Lester's up on the wire? Shit, boy, you are out of the loop.
You know this mutt? Goes by Lex? Yeah, he's familiar.
You know who you should ask? Carver.
He'd love the job, man.
All right.
Carver it is.
I still feel the need to pull your coat.
- For what? - The taste, Jimmy.
The taste.
How about you and me hit a few of our favorite spots? You know, me on the Glenlivet, you on the Jamey? Go see if that train is still on the track.
Why don't you come round some night for dinner? Say hey to Beadie and the ankle-biters.
Dinner? located in high-rise structures, as well as residences are detailed alongside Thanks, Santy.
This horseshit? You serious? Back to school for the kids.
- Namond, I'll pay you back.
- You gonna never have no money.
- Yo, Michael, they got you? - Nothing but a scuffle, man.
Everybody made it back, though? No, Keith had to go for some stitches.
He got hit with a brick.
- I see you changed clothes.
- He had to.
He was stinking.
Randy, that was the stupidest thing you ever thought of.
But it was kind of funny.
You know what I'm saying? You want something before he bounce? I'm buying.
One for every soldier that stood tall.
- I was down there.
- Yeah, fuck you, Duke.
- So you get out all right? - Yeah.
Hurt my ankle going round a corner - but - But you got away, then? The lieutenant governor - I know, we're late - Ain't no thing.
You did good here.
Turn that bullshit off.
- You think they'll vote for the white guy? - Black folk been voting white for a long time.
You come correct, we listen.
It's y'all that'll never vote black.
Shit, you got my vote, anyway.
Uh! I don't have your vote, Norman? You're my deputy campaign manager and I don't have your vote.
Last white man I could vote for was Bobby Kennedy and you ain't no Bobby K.
- I thought you just said - I was speaking in general about the kindly nature of black folks.
In particular, I ain't all that kindly.
So you're gonna take my check and run with my fucking campaign Well, I do know who pays me.
Yes, sir! Oh yes, sir, boss! Who are you gonna vote for? Royce? Tony Gray? One of them brothers.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Don't make me tell you again.
It's nine sharp, boy.
And I'm smelling what has to be urine.
What you been at, boy? Well, we were playing with Dukie today.
You know how he be with his clothes and all.
Well, it's good that child has friends, I suppose.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Get in there.
- Come on, give me a break - Dougie, I got to come backdoor or the agencies won't do shit.
You know that as well as I do.
- Come on, Tommy.
Hustle.
- It's ridiculous.
Give me a break Look, Dougie, I'm sorry to bug you but this asshole Royce won't help me and I need some alleys cleaned.
- Which ones? - 1200 block of Federal Street, - Chester and Collington off that - Jesus, Tommy.
I know, you'll be back again in a couple of days.
Have Frankie send a truck.
Federal Street's a fucking tank trap.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Great.
Thanks.
Love to Denise.
Hustle up, Tom.
How you doing? Good evening.
Hi.
You're late, Tommy.
You ain't gonna win disrespecting your base.
Hold up, Tony.
Look, man.
We gotta talk.
I feel bad about the way things have turned out but if you're elected then I'll do whatever I can to help you.
And if I get in, I'm gonna need your help.
I mean, it's not personal, Tony.
Fuck you, Tommy.
So this is me? This is you.
Pandemic! Pandemic! Got that pandemic right here! - What's up? - What's up? I got all this from the Koreans at a discount.
When school start, I'll sell it for three times that.
Tell you what, let me get them Skittles.
Pandemic right here! Naw.
Do me a favor for the rest.
Go and tell Lex a girl wants to see him - at the playground behind Fort.
- Girl? Patrice say to come to the playground after eight.
Why don't you tell him yourself? I don't want to be taking Bodie's shit about cutting work.
All right? Just do me that favor.
For a skinny motherfucker, he sure do sweat some.
Keep an extra change in the car so we don't have to come home.
We way past late now, so - Damn it! - Here, let me.
Hey, Norman.
Maybe I'll go to clip-on for a while.
- Terri got new polling data.
- Did you get a bump? She won't show me till it's all broke down but, yeah, I deserve a bump, don't I? Four more weeks, Jen.
Quality time with the wife and kids.
- That's what, four minutes? - More like six.
Six.
Shit, I could have got laid.
- Yo.
Yo, Chris, I didn't - Yeah.
It's good.
Pandemic! Pandemic right here! No Lex.
Where's that skinny mope? He was here earlier.
Well, fuck it, we'll jack him tomorrow, no problem.
All right.
- Yeah, let me get these bad boys up.
- This shit be cool, dog.
Share the sodas, too.
- What's up? - Hey.
What's up? - Let me holler at you real quick.
- What up? - You did like I said? - Yeah.
Yeah, you must have, because the nigger went up.
He ain't never coming back down.
Chris and Snoop Pow! - What? - Look.
Just be cool, all right? - Our heroes back from the wars.
- Got those poll numbers yet? Not too bad, either.
Royce 35, you 26, Gray 20.
19% undecided.
We're fucked if we haven't moved more than that.
I need to be at 30 and I need Tony taking 25 of his points.
Royce's negatives are way up.
- He's vulnerable.
- Geri, understand this.
To win, I need Tony Gray to take a huge bite out of Royce's lead.
Tony's moved, what? Two points in the last month? That poll says one in five voters hasn't decided yet.
Yeah.
The radio spots worked magic.
How much money we piss away on those? Look at these First District figures.
That's my base and I'm polling - Fuck me! I'm done! - Nobody's focused on this race yet.
- We're gonna own the First.
- Look at Royce in the Fourth.
- Tony needs West Baltimore.
- He needs to be rounding 25% and headed for 30.
And, by the way, who can tell me when the fuck did the Sixth District become 64% black? About five years ago in the last redistricting.
Mostly, as I recall, to give your ass more white votes in the First.
What the fuck was I thinking? A lot can happen between now and election day.
I've been ahead further than Royce is and lost.
I can't win this.
Tommy, where the fuck you going? I'm your ride home, man.
The man can read a poll.
- You been drinking? - I'm fine.
Well, you need to be fine somewhere else.
Park curfew is midnight.
City's averaging a murder a day and you're quoting park rules? - What are you, a smart ass? - Sorry.
I didn't mean nothing.
Don't I know you? I'm running for mayor.
Tommy Carcetti, First District.
I'll come back through in about 20, Councilman.
Do me a favor and take it down the road.
- Randy? - Yes, ma'am.
Tchh God damn! I see you got the DeWalt cordless.
Your nail gun.
DeWalt 410.
Yeah.
The trouble is, you leave it in the trunk for a while, need to step up and use the bitch, the battery don't hold up, you know? Yeah, cordless'll do that.
You might want to consider the powder-actuated tool.
The Hilti DX 460 MX or the Simpson PTP, these two are my Cadillacs.
Everything else on this board is second-best, sorry to say.
Are you contracting or working round the house? - No, we work all over.
- Full time? No, we had about five jobs last month.
Well, the cost of the powder-actuated guns justifies itself.
- You say "power"? - Powder.
- Like gunpowder? - Yeah.
The DX 460 is fully automatic, with a.
27-caliber charge.
Wood, concrete, steel to steel, she'll throw a fastener into anything.
For my money, she handles recoil better than the Simpson or the P3500.
- You understand what I mean by recoil? - Yeah, the kickback.
I'm wi' you.
- That's right.
- .
27 caliber, huh? Not large ballistically, but, for driving nails, it's enough.
Anymore, you'd add to the recoil.
Man, shit.
I seen a tiny-ass.
22 round-nose drop a nigger plenty of days, man.
Motherfuckers get up in you like a pinball, rip your ass up.
Big joints, though, big joints just break your bones, you say, "Fuck it.
" I'm gonna go with this right here, man.
How much I owe you? $669 plus tax.
No, no.
You just pay at the register.
No, man, you go and handle that for me, man.
And keep the rest for your time.
- This is $800.
- So what, man? You earned that buck like a motherfucker, man.
Keep that shit.
- We good? - Yeah, man.
The man said if you want to shoot nails, this here is the Cadillac, man.
- He meant Lexus but he ain't know it.
- Hold the charge better? Man, fuck the charge.
This here is gunpowder-activated,.
27 caliber, full auto, no kickback, nail-throwing mayhem, man.
Shit right here is tight.
Fuck just nailing up boards.
We could kill a couple motherfuckers with this.
You laughing.
I've been schooled, dog.
- All right.
All right.
- For real.
When you walk through the garden Watch your back Well I beg your pardon Walk the straight and narrow track If you walk with Jesus He'll save your soul Gotta keep the devil down in the hole He's got fire and the fury At his command Well, you don't got to worry Hold on to Jesus' hand We'll be safe from Satan When the thunder rolls But you gotta keep the devil Down in the hole Oh yeah, mm We'll be safe from Satan Gotta keep the devil Down in the hole Keep him in the hole In the hole Down in the hole Down in the hole Keep him in the hole Keep him in the Down in the hole Down in the hole Keep him in the hole Keep him in the Down in the hole Down in the hole Seven and counting.
All of them caught on the wire.
We're not above the corners but we soon will be.
- They don't dump phones? - Every month or so.
Sloppy enough that we may be able to track one to Marlo or the people he keeps close.
Truth is, if they're still using cellphones, they're mine.
And if Marlo Stanfield is on a cell, he'll be mine too.
- Cool Lester smooth.
- That's not trash talk, that's simple fact.
Marlo Stanfield may have a lot of heart and a lot of corners, but he's a babe in the woods when it comes to this right here.
I was proud to chase those Barksdales, but this Stanfield Not as fierce as we thought.
For months there hasn't been a body we can put to him.
- Mm.
- You two sound disappointed.
This unit needs good, hard targets or it'll go soft.
I'll assume you want another 30 days on your taps.
At least.
We've got subpoenas to go out as well.
- Subpoenas? - Asset investigations.
- On Marlo Stanfield? - Come here.
All this is from the Barksdale money trail.
We've been running down all the paper from Stringer's apartment and the B & B office.
I miss Prez, man.
I do.
I hear you.
The truth is, those guys had money going everywhere, investments, political donations, consulting fees - You want to do this now? - I wanted to do this a year ago but fresh cases got in the way.
And your lieutenant's gonna OK this kind of paper? Our lieutenant has a fearless heart.
- This will get you started.
- Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wait right there.
My coupons.
You were gonna give her my coupons.
Been clipping them for two days and you damn near lost them.
- Why are they in my pile? - Why is your pile in my workspace? - I'm doing real work.
- Working my nerves is what you do.
- Don't you - Don't you Four weeks before the Baltimore City primary, you hand me drug-money subpoenas that hit a dozen key political figures.
There's an election? Who's running? And they think I can.
Shit, we can't take four more years of this guy.
This city's in the toilet.
- They said that during my term, too.
- You got dealt a bad hand, - with the riots and all.
- Yeah, sure.
I'll squeeze in if Tony Gray draws off don't you think? I don't know.
Royce's negatives are up, even among black voters.
Yeah.
In a minute, Norman.
You know what I think, Tommy? No matter what, you got your name out there and it'll help you down the road if you ever want to step up to the legislature.
But as one paisan to another, the day of the white mayor is over.
Your Eminence, you're due at the Belair-Edison Senior Center and I don't want to lie to wrinkle-assed voters cos you wanted to talk shop.
Seniors, huh? They vote, Tommy.
Gotta run.
Sorry.
He's on your clock, don't ever let him forget it.
No, indeed.
Need your sig on vehicle logs and a corrected court report and office memo subpoena requests and a requisition to City Purchasing for a large fan.
A fan, huh? Caroline says it stays hot in the wire room with the door closed.
Oh.
It's beautiful, Lieutenant.
Never seen a beach house so fine.
- Think so? - Shit.
Makes me think about retirement and I only got nine years on.
When do you break ground? Next March, if I have my permits.
Which reminds me, on Tuesday I have to go to Delaware to see my contractor.
No problem.
Me and Lester, we'll cover for you on that.
No problem at all.
Cake.
That's my baby's mother we talking about, yo.
But y'all been broke up, right? Man, I ain't living with her but I still be giving her a couple dollars, you know, stopping past.
Pandemic! Pandemic! Look at this.
Hey, Na'.
- Namond! - Huh? - What the fuck am I paying you for, nigger? - Oh, my fault, B.
Pandemic! Damn! Yo, man, and do something with that ponytail.
Cops can make his ass a mile away.
Braid it or something.
Me and Patrice been together for a long time.
But you say she running with the boy Fruit now? Yeah.
If he don't back the fuck off, I'm gonna fill his ass with some hot ones, yo.
Shit.
You don't think I will? I got that pandemic.
Man, do what you gonna do.
- Bodie.
- What's up, big man? You ain't real with us all week, man.
You stepping on that package or what? Yo, man, everything's slow.
Been slow since we moved here from Fayette Street, man.
Yeah, well, Marlo wanted Fayette.
Man, I do not like backing down from niggers, man.
I feel like a punk, I feel like doing shit.
Ain't like the old days, dog.
Nary a Barksdale left.
You out here on your own, dog.
Give it up.
B, let's roll.
Hey, Lex, man, I'm gonna give you the truth because you need the truth.
That boy Marlo got the world by the ass and Fruit, he work for Marlo.
So I'm saying, fuck that bitch.
Pffff.
And move on.
- That's just the way it is.
- Yeah.
- It's just the way it is, man.
- Pandemic! Pandemic! Thank you, sir.
- Just one moment, ma'am.
- You seen Hoskins? Lieutenant went upstairs already.
Step through, please.
Madam President.
Council president's hot as balls.
- I'd fuck you to fuck her, man.
- Yeah? You'd fuck a guy for a chance to fuck a hot broad? You don't think that makes you a fagot? It's just an expression, man.
- Been on this detail how long? - Eight months.
Eight months with Clarence Royce.
So let me ask, are you ready to take a bullet for the Mayor of Baltimore? Lieutenant, sir.
Is the truck OK, or do we want to call one? No, the truck works.
He said he needs just ten minutes.
No, not now.
Maybe tomorrow? OK.
Is that Krawczyk again? Every time he writes another check he calls for something just to see that he can.
Getting calls from Carcetti's people, too.
They want one debate for crime and safety, the other on economics and schools.
Tony Gray crying the same blues.
Want the whole night to smack me with the crime rate.
I told The Sun we're open to any forum now which will be for another couple of days in which time we'll say, "Fuck you.
One debate.
" Two debates.
Shit! That lost-ball-in-high-grass motherfucker Carcetti.
He needs to get used to life in the wilderness.
Not just the downtown areas but your communities here on the East Side.
We stand or we fall together and I'm here today to ask for the chance to stand with you.
Thank you for your time.
Questions? Yes, ma'am? Is it the Salisbury steak for lunch today or is they doing tacos? It's developments like this one, planned residential towers with waterside retail space and restaurants that grow Baltimore's tax base and help rebuild our city.
I want to thank Ed Bowers for his vision but, more important, for his commitment.
For his commitment to the City of Baltimore.
Ed? Mr.
Mayor, I want to thank you and your administration for making this next stage of redevelopment for Baltimore's harbor a reality.
You talk about vision and commitment, Mayor Clarence Royce.
Pandemic! Pandemic! - What up, Na'? - Yo, what up? - What you got? - Just a story about AJ from North & Woods.
Yo, you know they gave him 700 years? Read this shit, son.
This corner is dead, man.
You still working? Yeah, we was gonna catch some fresh birds.
I don't know.
Let me see if I can bounce.
Hold up.
Hey, Randy, saw a dead bird the other day.
- Hey, B.
- 'S up? Um, I want to know if I can leave early.
We want to go down to Mondawmin - for some back-to-school stuff.
- What for? Yo ass stayed suspended.
Come on, stop playing, B.
Without social promotion, your ass'd still be in pre-K, motherfucker.
Probably daycare up this bitch.
Pandemic right here! Fuck it.
Pay this late-to-work, early-to-play nigger for five hours, yo.
You owe me extra time tomorrow, though.
Lex! Did you hear me? Damn, y'all! Young'uns don't got a scrap of work ethic nowadays.
If it wasn't for his pops, I wouldn't even bother.
Yo! Make sure you come early tomorrow because it ain't always gonna be this slow.
Pandemic! At least I hope it ain't.
Mr.
Mayor.
Mr.
Mayor, excuse me.
I just want to make sure we're still OK for that median cut on Boston Street.
I need that access to make the site viable.
Right.
I'll get my people on it.
Thank you, sir.
Something going on with his median? Not once he ponies up.
I think he can do a lot better than the 4,000, don't you? I don't even want to know.
No, Chris, please, man.
- We're low on quicklime, man.
- Doesn't matter.
We got vacants on both sides.
He'll stink is all.
Chris, please.
Don't fret, boss.
I got you covered.
Quick and clean, I promise.
Chris.
Man, shit like that don't even work in cartoons.
The roadrunner snatch the birdseed and book.
- We ain't in no cartoon.
- Yeah, you is.
- Shh.
Be still.
- You scaring away the birds.
I'm talking to both y'all.
Took me off the clock for this craziness? What the fuck is you thinking? We're serious, Na'.
This bird could be worth 400.
Nigger, please.
You know Nemo, worked Marlo's pigeon coop? Said he got 400 for a white homing bird.
- That's a homer? - I mean, it's white.
- So that makes it a homer, right? - It could be.
Damn! Use hamburger meat.
That shit would've been got.
Shut your mouth, it'd have been got.
I'm gonna fuck this nigger up.
Hey.
What the fuck is wrong with you, throwing bottles and shit? - You just cost us cash money.
- Yo, I ain't done nothing.
You a seriously backwards dude.
Playing with bugs like he's still in Pampers.
- That wasn't even necessary.
- You the one that need Pampers.
Put them over that mouth, catch all that shit you be flushing.
Oh! Y'all be stinking like rat fart.
- There you go.
- Oh, yeah.
Get him, Na'! All right.
All right.
Come on.
Come on.
- Y'all acting like little bitches.
- You seen my man Duke? - Got him upside his head.
- Didn't want to touch the dirty motherfucker.
Could have came up with AIDS or some shit.
Dukie fight like a bitch, yo.
I'd whip that ass if I didn't feel sorry for him.
Duke, you scared away the birds.
I blew me up a bug bomb.
You want to see the pieces? Nah, I'm good.
I got to go.
All right.
Hey, Randy.
That pigeon wasn't a homer.
Homers got metal things around their leg.
That way you can tell them from the other birds.
- How you know that? - Nemo let me clean out his coop sometimes.
So he was schooling me.
Which leaves us a total of 54.
No surprises on who's coming back.
All the regulars.
- We lost Mr.
Parker and Ms.
Bowles.
- Gregory's leaving? Hired by the county.
I knew Bowles wouldn't be back, the way they tore up her classroom.
So we're short two in math and four in science.
Man at the door.
No system ID but says he's new here.
Buzz him in before something changes his mind.
All the way on the left.
Pull it hard.
- Hard! - It's locked.
All right.
I'll be right down.
Not a goddamn thing up in here works like it should.
Turn to the cafeteria assignments and that leaves Ernest alone and he can't handle it alone.
You tell them, I ain't even gonna try to pronounce it.
Roland Pryzbylewksi.
Everyone just calls me "Prez".
- Claudell Withers, I'm principal here.
- New in math.
I won't have my certificate until next year but they said I'd be getting classes because of staff shortages? Jesus.
Lambs to the slaughter here.
What did you do before you decided to teach, Mr.
Pryzbylewski? I was a police in the city.
Marcia Donnelly, Assistant Principal.
Welcome to Edward Tilghman Middle.
That leaves Tullman as SIC for the 12th.
Can he handle the whole shift? Which one's Tullman, again? Goofy redhead, looks like Opie from Mayberry but less fierce.
Jimmy, Major wants to see you.
Jimmy, come on in.
I know I offered when I first came over here, and I know your answer then but I'm still asking.
- Can I get you out of a radio car? - No thank you, Major.
McNulty, I'm short two men in Ops and my follow-up squad can't make a case.
- You're too damn good to be humping calls.
- Thanks for the offer, though.
You don't think I asked him ten times when I was acting commander? - He's in the wrong fucking place.
- For us, yeah.
For him Yo, po-po, man.
Po-po.
Shut it down.
Where's the love, Bodie? Where is the motherfucking love? I go back so far with this kid, I was chasing him through juvie.
But does any of that matter? I get so much as a wave, a nod, a smile? Nothing.
- How about just hello? - Hello.
See? That wasn't so hard, was it? Lex, my man, how's your day going? Not to criticize or anything but I think you missed a spot there.
Little Kevin, how's it hanging? Reesey, you look like someone just shot your dog.
You OK? - He still messing up? - You hear what he said? You send him to Lamelle next month, I'll put him in remedial math and we'll have done some good today.
He's fucking got me.
- Everything good? - Yeah.
Just words.
Mr.
Entrapment, how you doing? Don't look like that.
I still dine out on that story.
You know how he beat the wiretap a year ago? Claimed entrapment in Bunny Colvin's Hamsterdam.
Shit you not.
Smart kiddo.
I loved it.
When I roll back in an hour, this corner's bone-dry.
Your people are done for the day.
OK.
So let's try this again.
I say, "Have a good evening, Mr.
Broadus.
" And a good evening to you, Sergeant Carver.
See? We're right here.
And a very good evening to you, Officer Colicchio.
Fuck yourself with a 40, shitbreath.
What the fuck was all that about? - You can't bust every head, Tony.
- I can't? Bust every head, who are you gonna talk to when shit happens? Hi, Rachel.
- Tim, thanks for doing that yesterday.
- Yeah, no problem.
You ran late all morning.
Late for the seniors, late for the Stonewall meeting.
- Late for the Gay-Lesbian Alliance.
- Them seniors talk slow.
Bullshit.
It was breakfast with Young Tony, swapping stories over cold coffee.
- Young Tony, huh? - I was getting sage advice.
- From a one-term mayor? - He takes over in '67, sees the city burn.
It was an opportunity.
Spiro Agnew made his career on the '68 riots.
- Agnew? - One man's shithead's - another man's vice president.
- True as ever.
- Is that polling data? - Raw numbers.
It's incomplete.
You need to be in the call room, dialing for dollars.
Fuck! I can't do it anymore.
I hate it.
I hate it more than anything.
I fucking hate it! You don't do this, you can't pay for the TV spots in the last two weeks.
Mothersucking cockfuckers.
Oh, Jesus.
I fucking hate this.
Hey, Jim, Tom Carcetti here, remember me? We met at your sister's house, the one that's married to that Republican cunt.
I know you don't remember me or have any use for fucking politicians, and frankly, I don't give a flying fuck about what you think or what your concerns are but I do care about what your cute blonde wife thinks about things.
But, Jim, the reason I'm calling is because I want you to write me out a check for $4,000, the maximum allowed by law, and because we don't trust you to mail that check, we're gonna send over some DPW workers to beat the check out of you.
All finished? You need $30,000 In the next three hours.
No bullshit, Tommy.
You hit your number or die in this room.
Woo! Oh, my goodness.
So what are you watching, then? Anything on the tube? No fucking way.
They got enough power in the line-up.
What they need is pitching.
What you looking at? Fucking crazy.
Like I'm really gonna give that motherfucker a ride to Woodlawn.
Shit.
Help! Somebody help! What's up, Patrice? You're letting it ring? You're not hanging up after a ring or two? I'm making the calls, Terri.
Nobody's home.
Lex? He used to go with Patrice? Lester! - He her baby's daddy.
- He ain't the first to get it.
- Don't talk like that.
- Nigger just walked up to him, Served him up.
One to the face.
Wow.
Shoot.
He was real cute.
Lex took all the cute out of that lazy-eye motherfucker.
- Anything on Fruit's phone? - Nothing outgoing for two hours.
Sure.
Sure.
I really need your help.
- Put me down for four.
- Yeah.
What about your wife? Can she come up with four? - I don't think we can do eight.
- Kids? - They're in strollers.
- I know, I was kidding.
- That's funny.
- Never mind.
4,000's good.
Thanks.
One to the left temple.
Close range in a lot full of club trash, nobody sees a thing.
- Mm.
We hear your shooter goes by "Lex".
- Lex? We were up on your victim's cellphone, too.
We'll go through calls, send you whatever's there.
Got this from his pocket.
Pull the numbers from that as a consolation prize.
This fucks you guys up, no? Losing a guy you had wired? Nah.
We're up on several phones at street level.
With or without Mr.
Fruit, we're on our way.
You know, it's strange.
We're not seeing bodies.
This is the first drug hit in months, and it's Marlo's boy who falls.
- I thought Marlo was the new power.
- He is.
Shit, he's got everything from MLK to Fulton now.
How do you hold that much real estate without making bodies? You hear anything more about this on your wire, Lester, the Bunk expects a call.
Yeah, I know he does.
No.
The hell with Norris.
You're my real partner, Lester.
My life partner.
Don't tease, bitch.
Look at that bow-legged motherfucker.
I made him walk like that.
So who the fuck is Lex? Dontrelle's cousin.
Used to be with Cantel's people.
He working some corner over Hilltop now.
He ain't more connected than that and he coming near one of mine? Wasn't about no business.
Pussy, man.
Yo Fruit was into something that Lex thought was his own.
You say the word, we take off that whole motherfucking corner.
Every last bitch.
- What corner are we talking about again? - Rag-tag shit up on Pacer.
They get their shit from Joe but they're mostly independent.
They gone, Marlo.
Just say so.
That what you think? Just do 'em all? Take their fucking corner too.
What do I want with some off-brand Hilltop corner? And why I need to be stacking bodies when there ain't no one trying to war with us? - Just Lex.
- He did one of ours, so he got to fall.
Get out, Tommy.
You're done.
Get up, Tommy! Come on, pretty boy.
Come on.
You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
Come on.
Let's go.
- That's home? - Yeah.
That's it.
There we go, little trouper.
drag you out of bed like you did yesterday.
Mm-hm.
Damn, boy, what happened to you? Terrace Boys banged me coming across the tracks by Ramsey Street.
Teron, Manny, Herbie.
Man, all them Terrace niggers.
- They can't whoop on Dukie like that.
- Only we can whoop on Dukie like that.
- We've got to even this out.
- Nah.
Fuck even.
We gonna hurt them twice as bad.
Give 'em a whoop-ass they ain't going never forget.
If we straight-up fight them, there's as many of them as there is us.
More, even.
- So what? You scared? - Nah, I'm just saying, if we're gonna hurt them, we need to think on it.
Do something go past beating on each other.
You talking guns and shit.
Nah, I ain't talking guns.
What? Aw, shit.
Randy got an idea.
Hey, Norman, you know what I had for dinner last night? Tuna sub.
I ate in the car.
When I write my memoirs, that shit'll be in there, no doubt.
You see what I just ate? In the car? A fucking tuna sub.
In order to prevent distemper you must vary the candidate's menu.
If you're done chewing, let's give these new radio spots a listen.
We've seen what Tommy Carcetti can do .
.
while the current administration What? .
.
protecting jobs at the fort by preventing the overdevelopment of .
.
home ownership.
That prevented budget cuts to vital city services Three and five zeroes, mayor's latest TV buy and it's four weeks Turn that shit off! You don't like the spots? I read the copy first.
I think they're strong.
They're bullshit! Weak bullshit! I wouldn't vote for me.
Fuck! Fuck Royce! Fuck Tony Gray! Fuck me! - Where am I going? - A neighborhood - between Oliver and Middle East.
- Middle East.
- It's a good name for it.
Fucking Fallujah.
- Command performance.
Ms.
Victorina Simmons.
She rules two big vote precincts, no matter who the EDC is with.
Fucking Royce! 300,000 like it's fucking water.
Also the Reverend Garnett.
What are they complaining about today? Fucking shithole city.
Whining bastards, bitching about trash or crime or this or that.
Like it's my fucking fault.
- These motherfuckers.
- Boss.
They can bite my white ass.
Ms.
Simmons.
Reverend Garnett.
Good to see you again.
I had a meeting go long but I know there's things to see.
We called and called downtown, ain't nothing gets done.
- OK.
Show me.
- Right this way, Councilman.
The first thing to look at Drink a lot.
Think about water running.
And that way, you know How the fuck you know what water running be like? Water been off in your house since last year.
- Man, that's cold.
- Yeah, Na'.
Shit.
I'm ready.
Can't go with niggers watching, yo.
Damn! When we call, he'll send somebody, most times, and they write it all down just like he doing now.
But nothing ever gets done.
Come here, Councilman, I want you to see this.
Now, see them drug boys? They block the alleys so the police won't chase them there.
All this trash.
Rats everywhere.
Houses vacant.
We keep trying to get them to come and clean this up.
I guess that's too much like right.
Well, Royce won't let the city agencies take any of my constituent calls.
But let me see what I can do.
Come on, let me show you this down here.
Yo.
Y'all Terrace niggers know that boy by the name "Deez"? - Deez? - Yeah, Deez nuts.
- Fuck.
- Damn.
Shit.
Yo, yo.
Come on.
Yeah, come on.
Get him, y'all! - I knew them bitches gonna set us up.
- Yeah.
Fucking say it, bitches.
Don't ever disrespect Terrace.
Damn! - I fucking pissed myself.
- Fuck! Fuck them up! Come here! - Over here! - Oh! - Kick him right behind.
- Ah! Randy! - This way.
- Ooh! Hey, yo.
He went in there! Remember that phrasing is the cornerstone in communicating with your students.
This applies not only to the questions you ask or their comprehension of the lesson, but how they perceive you as an educator.
And where does that begin? Out loud and enthusiastically.
IALAC.
Let's go.
Once again.
IALAC.
And what are we telling ourselves? I am loveable and capable.
Now I see those smiling faces.
Where the listing on the lower half of the page indicates some typical soft-target locations, an officer alert to the terrorist threat must ask himself, "Do I know the location of my soft targets, "those where large numbers of civilians congregate?" Train terminals, office buildings, stadiums.
Another hot zone in the classroom is the pencil sharpener, where children tend to congregate I had a pencil sharpener in my class once.
Antoine Granderson ripped it off and threw it at me.
I'd like to know what your plan suggests when Harold Hounchell sends a set of textbooks through a closed window.
- Thank you.
- Attention.
Attention, people! Settle down, everybody.
And for emergency procedures in the event of biochemical agents, you can refer to Appendix B.
No disrespect to your appendix, but if terrorists do fuck up the Western, could anybody even tell? Al-Qaeda were up on Baltimore Street to blow up the chicken joint.
Apex's crew jacked them up, and buried their ass in Leakin Park.
- That's what I heard.
- Y'all want some real terrorists? Go up on Pencey and Gold.
- Hey, guys, let's maintain our - Ack-ack-ack-ack-ack - Brownie, you're doing one heck of a job.
- Not another fucking word.
Thank you.
So, supervising the scene of a terrorist attack.
- You beast.
- I can't help it.
You stirred my manhood.
- Little Boy Blue.
- What the fuck are you doing here? I caught one.
Got a street dealer who goes by the name of Lex.
- Lester heard it on the wire.
- Lester's up on the wire? Shit, boy, you are out of the loop.
You know this mutt? Goes by Lex? Yeah, he's familiar.
You know who you should ask? Carver.
He'd love the job, man.
All right.
Carver it is.
I still feel the need to pull your coat.
- For what? - The taste, Jimmy.
The taste.
How about you and me hit a few of our favorite spots? You know, me on the Glenlivet, you on the Jamey? Go see if that train is still on the track.
Why don't you come round some night for dinner? Say hey to Beadie and the ankle-biters.
Dinner? located in high-rise structures, as well as residences are detailed alongside Thanks, Santy.
This horseshit? You serious? Back to school for the kids.
- Namond, I'll pay you back.
- You gonna never have no money.
- Yo, Michael, they got you? - Nothing but a scuffle, man.
Everybody made it back, though? No, Keith had to go for some stitches.
He got hit with a brick.
- I see you changed clothes.
- He had to.
He was stinking.
Randy, that was the stupidest thing you ever thought of.
But it was kind of funny.
You know what I'm saying? You want something before he bounce? I'm buying.
One for every soldier that stood tall.
- I was down there.
- Yeah, fuck you, Duke.
- So you get out all right? - Yeah.
Hurt my ankle going round a corner - but - But you got away, then? The lieutenant governor - I know, we're late - Ain't no thing.
You did good here.
Turn that bullshit off.
- You think they'll vote for the white guy? - Black folk been voting white for a long time.
You come correct, we listen.
It's y'all that'll never vote black.
Shit, you got my vote, anyway.
Uh! I don't have your vote, Norman? You're my deputy campaign manager and I don't have your vote.
Last white man I could vote for was Bobby Kennedy and you ain't no Bobby K.
- I thought you just said - I was speaking in general about the kindly nature of black folks.
In particular, I ain't all that kindly.
So you're gonna take my check and run with my fucking campaign Well, I do know who pays me.
Yes, sir! Oh yes, sir, boss! Who are you gonna vote for? Royce? Tony Gray? One of them brothers.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Don't make me tell you again.
It's nine sharp, boy.
And I'm smelling what has to be urine.
What you been at, boy? Well, we were playing with Dukie today.
You know how he be with his clothes and all.
Well, it's good that child has friends, I suppose.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Get in there.
- Come on, give me a break - Dougie, I got to come backdoor or the agencies won't do shit.
You know that as well as I do.
- Come on, Tommy.
Hustle.
- It's ridiculous.
Give me a break Look, Dougie, I'm sorry to bug you but this asshole Royce won't help me and I need some alleys cleaned.
- Which ones? - 1200 block of Federal Street, - Chester and Collington off that - Jesus, Tommy.
I know, you'll be back again in a couple of days.
Have Frankie send a truck.
Federal Street's a fucking tank trap.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Great.
Thanks.
Love to Denise.
Hustle up, Tom.
How you doing? Good evening.
Hi.
You're late, Tommy.
You ain't gonna win disrespecting your base.
Hold up, Tony.
Look, man.
We gotta talk.
I feel bad about the way things have turned out but if you're elected then I'll do whatever I can to help you.
And if I get in, I'm gonna need your help.
I mean, it's not personal, Tony.
Fuck you, Tommy.
So this is me? This is you.
Pandemic! Pandemic! Got that pandemic right here! - What's up? - What's up? I got all this from the Koreans at a discount.
When school start, I'll sell it for three times that.
Tell you what, let me get them Skittles.
Pandemic right here! Naw.
Do me a favor for the rest.
Go and tell Lex a girl wants to see him - at the playground behind Fort.
- Girl? Patrice say to come to the playground after eight.
Why don't you tell him yourself? I don't want to be taking Bodie's shit about cutting work.
All right? Just do me that favor.
For a skinny motherfucker, he sure do sweat some.
Keep an extra change in the car so we don't have to come home.
We way past late now, so - Damn it! - Here, let me.
Hey, Norman.
Maybe I'll go to clip-on for a while.
- Terri got new polling data.
- Did you get a bump? She won't show me till it's all broke down but, yeah, I deserve a bump, don't I? Four more weeks, Jen.
Quality time with the wife and kids.
- That's what, four minutes? - More like six.
Six.
Shit, I could have got laid.
- Yo.
Yo, Chris, I didn't - Yeah.
It's good.
Pandemic! Pandemic right here! No Lex.
Where's that skinny mope? He was here earlier.
Well, fuck it, we'll jack him tomorrow, no problem.
All right.
- Yeah, let me get these bad boys up.
- This shit be cool, dog.
Share the sodas, too.
- What's up? - Hey.
What's up? - Let me holler at you real quick.
- What up? - You did like I said? - Yeah.
Yeah, you must have, because the nigger went up.
He ain't never coming back down.
Chris and Snoop Pow! - What? - Look.
Just be cool, all right? - Our heroes back from the wars.
- Got those poll numbers yet? Not too bad, either.
Royce 35, you 26, Gray 20.
19% undecided.
We're fucked if we haven't moved more than that.
I need to be at 30 and I need Tony taking 25 of his points.
Royce's negatives are way up.
- He's vulnerable.
- Geri, understand this.
To win, I need Tony Gray to take a huge bite out of Royce's lead.
Tony's moved, what? Two points in the last month? That poll says one in five voters hasn't decided yet.
Yeah.
The radio spots worked magic.
How much money we piss away on those? Look at these First District figures.
That's my base and I'm polling - Fuck me! I'm done! - Nobody's focused on this race yet.
- We're gonna own the First.
- Look at Royce in the Fourth.
- Tony needs West Baltimore.
- He needs to be rounding 25% and headed for 30.
And, by the way, who can tell me when the fuck did the Sixth District become 64% black? About five years ago in the last redistricting.
Mostly, as I recall, to give your ass more white votes in the First.
What the fuck was I thinking? A lot can happen between now and election day.
I've been ahead further than Royce is and lost.
I can't win this.
Tommy, where the fuck you going? I'm your ride home, man.
The man can read a poll.
- You been drinking? - I'm fine.
Well, you need to be fine somewhere else.
Park curfew is midnight.
City's averaging a murder a day and you're quoting park rules? - What are you, a smart ass? - Sorry.
I didn't mean nothing.
Don't I know you? I'm running for mayor.
Tommy Carcetti, First District.
I'll come back through in about 20, Councilman.
Do me a favor and take it down the road.
- Randy? - Yes, ma'am.