This drug thing, this ain't police work. I mean, I can send any fool with a badge and a gun to a corner to jack a crew and grab vials. But policing? I mean you call something a war, and pretty soon everyone is going to be running around acting like warriors. They gonna be running around on a damn crusade, storming corners, racking up body counts. And when you at war, you need a fucking enemy. And pretty soon, damn near everybody on every corner is your fucking enemy. And soon, the neighborhood you're supposed to be policing, that's just occupied territory. You follow this?
Okay The point I'm making is this: Soldiering and policing, they ain't the same thing. And before we went and took the wrong turn and start up with these war games, the cop walked a beat, and he learned that post. And if there were things that happened on that post, where there be a rape, a robbery, or a shooting, he had people out there helping him, feeding him information. But every time I came to you, my DEU sergeant, for information, to find out what's going on out on them streets... all that came back was some bullshit. You had your stats, your arrests, your seizures, but don't none of that amount to shit when it comes to protecting the neighborhood, now do it? [sighs] You know, he worst thing about this, so-called drug war, to my mind...it just, it ruined this job.
[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]
That's good, 'cuz I came to see you anyway.
...I need you to hit somebody.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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?
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.
[Pearlman and McNulty are interrogating Bodie.]
Look, he came to me and said we can sell drugs if we moved down to Vincent Street. And that's where I moved my crew. And you know I did! Because you the one that popped me with a G-pack on my way to the spot and let me go, remember?
You were selling drugs in Major Colvin's free zone? You can prove that?
[motioning to McNulty] Ask him, he know... Man, this-this must be one of them contrapment things!
[amused and impressed] Kid's gotta point...
