When the Baltimore PD comes under pressure for their failings in combating a drugs-related homicide, a new detail is set up to placate the politicians; their impossible task is bringing the elusive Avon Barksdale to justice.

When a witness who testified against D'Angelo Barksdale is discovered murdered, McNulty and the detail take the opportunity to link the killing to Avon Barksdale's drugs crew.

Gung-ho tactics from Herc, Carver and Prez result in a riot, innocent casualties and bad publicity for the new department. Meanwhile, Bubbles the snitch introduces an undercover officer into the projects, and the detail plans a raid on Barksdale's supply.

The team's raids prove wholly unsuccessful. McNulty cannot convince any of the suspects to give up Barksdale, and Bodie manages to escape from lock-up.

When the detail discover that Barksdale's drug crew uses pagers to communicate, McNulty becomes determined to get hold of one to listen in on the organisation.

The politicians want arrests, but McNulty holds out, desperate for a wire-tap to get hard evidence against the Barksdale outfit. Meanwhile, Omar decides to testify after seeing the body of his murdered lover.