We don't need to dream no more.
“Middle Ground” · Season 3, Episode 11
In this episode: Stringer Bell (4), Avon Barksdale (2), Slim Charles (2), Brother Mouzone (2), Omar Little (1), Maurice Levy (1)
LLevy
[to Stringer] A guy says if you pay him, he can make it rain. You pay him. If and when it rains, he takes the credit. If and when it doesn't, he comes up with reasons for you to pay more. Clay Davis rainmade you ...... It's an old game in this town, and Clay Davis? That goniff was born with his hand in someone's pocket.
[when Stringer asks him to kill Clay Davis] Shit, murder ain't no thing, but this here is some assassination shit!
[to Avon, leading Avon to give up Stringer] What got you here is your word and your reputation. With that alone, you've still got an open line to New York. Without it, you're done.
[Omar and Brother Mouzone have trapped Stringer]
I ain't strapped. I ain't involved, yo. I ain't involved in none of that gangster bullshit.
[Both gunmen are silent, Stringer is breathing hard from running]
What y'all niggers want, man? Huh? Money?
[Silence]
IS THAT IT? Cause if it is, I can be a better friend to y'all alive.
You still don't get it, do you? This ain't about your money, bro. Your boy gave you up. That's right. And we ain't had to torture his ass neither!
[Stringer is silent, realizing both men have come for retribution]
[ruefully] Well it seem like... I can't say nuttin' to change y'all minds.
[long silence]
Well, get on with it, motherfu...
[Omar and Mouzone shoot him to death]
We ain't gotta dream no more, man.
Where Avon at?
He'll be along shortly.
That's good, 'cuz I came to see you anyway.
What'chu need?
...I need you to hit somebody.
Who we hittin'?
Clay Davis.
The Clay Davis? Downtown Clay Davis?
That supposed to mean somethin' to me, man? That nigga need to be got.
Shit, String, murder ain't no thing... but this here is some assassination shit, man!
Listen, I tell you you gettin' somebody, you gettin' them. I ain't askin'!
Damn, String, I don't know-
Nigga, I gotta remind you who the fuck you work for?!
Ayo. I think Slim gon' have to sit this one out, boss. So you finna go hit a state senator now, huh? Yo, you kill a downtown nigga like that, the whole world gon' stand up and take notice. I'm talkin' about the state police, federals, all of that! You need a Day of the Jackal-type mothafucka, basically, to do some shit like that, not a rumble-tumble nigga like Slim.
That nigga took our money, man.
I seen it comin'.
Well, heh... he gotta go.
Nah, you a fuckin' businessman! You wanna handle it like that, you don't wanna get all gangsta wild and shit with it, right? What'd I tell you about playin' them fuckin' away games? Yeah. They saw your ghetto ass comin' from miles away, nigga. You got a fuckin' beef with them?! That shit is on you!
You look healthy.
For a man who was gutshot. You reached out to a third party, who engaged me in the purpose of holding your towers. That third person's word was your word, as he represented you.
That's right.
And I ran those east Baltimore gentlemen off. I held up my end of the agreement... at least, for as long as I as physically able.
You did.
Your man then set up a meet at Butchie's bar. Your man told Omar Little that I was responsible for the torture of a young boy who was close to Mr. Little's heart. Your man, in effect, sought to have me hit.
Omar told you that and you believe that motherfucker?
He doesn't strike me as a man who tells stories - even at the point of dying.
[muttering] Shit... Proposition Joe, package-
The inner workings of your organization don't concern me.
If there's a way- I mean, if my man... if he made a mistake here, then I'm willing to pay the cost.
[pause]
How can we fix it? You want money?
Money?
Yeah. This is business.
Business is where you are now, but what got you here is your word and your reputation. With that alone, you've still got an open line to New York. Without it? You're done.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's The Wire pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.