Kima slowly recovers in the hospital. Stringer changes operations in the pit and the towers, rendering the wiretaps and clones useless, and prompting Burrell to begin dismantling the detail. Avon and Stringer meet Levy to discuss where their organization is vulnerable. Unbeknownst to the detail, Wallace returns to the pit to resume work. When Prez starts pulling political campaign finance reports, Pearlman is called to a meeting with a worried State's Attorney, and an angry Clay Davis confronts Daniels. Meanwhile, Stringer issues a difficult order to Bodie and Poot. With Shardene's help, the detail are able to install a camera in the strip club.

The brutality at police headquarters continues over the perceived failure of department commanders to rein in the city's crime stats. Another hit by Omar on the Barksdale stash houses goes horribly wrong. Proposition Joe summons Stringer Bell to a meeting and tells him that the cops have screwed up. Daniels reassigns his detail after the wire on Stringer Bell goes dead.

Avon readies his troops for a seemingly endless war against Marlo. The detail works towards the top rungs of the Barksdale organization with the information garnered from the wire. While Royce continues to grapple with Amsterdam, Burrell offers a deal to minimize the fallout. Carcetti's political plans become obvious to his friend and fellow councilman Tony Gray. Bubbles offers his view of the world. McNulty changes tack.

With his lead dwindling, Royce resorts to extreme measures to stall Carcetti's momentum. At Bodie's corner, Michael proves adept as a runner, with Bodie and Marlo taking notice. A re-up bodega is put under surveillance by Omar and Greggs.