The Shield

Previously, on The Shield.

You need help.

I can't...

.. be helped.

This is how serious I am!

Calm down.

Jesus Christ!

What's the matter with you?

I'm your Landlord, Rondell.

And you can't follow by my rules, I'll find someone who can?

Rondell's out. I'm making the change.

He's working for a drug dealer?

The drug dealer was working for Mackey.

I want you to help him prove it.

We killed a cop!

Get over it. Don't bring it up again.

You accused Big Mackey working with a drug dealer.

- Who's your witness? - Anonymous tip.

Anyone who can corrobrate it?

Call me anytime...

Jesus Christ! What did you do?

Nothing you haven't done.

You've been manipulating police resources...

...to crash land value in this neighborhood?

The facts will show that Assistant Chief Gilroy...

...chose a path that led to tragic circumstances fro this city.

Store owner says he heard the shots.

He didn't come out to take a look.

That make him gutless or smart?

Probably a little of both.

The D.M.V. says she had a '96 Ford Escort registered to her.

You think driving with an escort will disqualify you from being car-jacked.

Where the hell are the tech guys?

A knife fight over on Stanton.

Hurry up and wait time.

No. I'm gonna try the gum again.

You'll be back on the tar in a week.

Thanks for your support.

Christ almighty, my whole life is going by.

Vic.

Gilroy's in the house.

Hey. What brings you to the front line?

A car jacking at 2:00 in the afternoon.

Yeah, well. Business as usual on the Farm.

Look, I wanted to talk to you in person.

The command of this new Strike Team.

I'm having a hard time selling you to the chief.

Balls!

I know the area. I know the players.

No one can do this better than me.

The chief's not looking for somebody better.

He's looking for somebody more...

What? What's the problem?

He's worried about all your run-ins with Plotkin.

- Plotkin was an asshole. - He was your superior.

Yeah, and I've done my penance for a year and a half because of him.

I'm never gonna get another shot?

Not this one, Vic. I'm sorry.

No. I need to get out on the street, cleaning it up.

I mean, you gotta talk to the chief again.

- What? - You can make it happen.

Pull a favour. Just get me the assignment.

Get me Shane on the Strike Team.

That's another one with a spotty jacket.

Shane's a good cop.

And he works well with me.

You can fill the rest of the team with whoever you like.

Ben, I need this.

I've only got one marker to use with the chief.

If it use it, I need results. I need them quick...

...or we're both out of a job.

Just give me the chance.

The unit's anti-gang, anti-drug.

- Your own team, wow. - I just can't blow it.

- You won't. - A lot of O. T.

It's more money, but it's less time with you and the kids.

We'll manage. You have to do this.

- Ben picked you, didn't he? - Yeah.

After looking for any reason not to.

And he couldn't find one, so show him.

Can I help you?

I'm Detective Mackey. I'm running the Strike Team.

We're still interviewing for that position.

I hope not.

Assistant Chief Gilroy told me I start tomorrow.

I figured I'd settle in early. Hit the ground running.

Gilroy told you that?

I'm Captain David Aceveda.

You said your name was Mackey, right?

Yeah.

I read your file.

We have a chance to do something real special here.

Well, you let me know how I can help.

I don't care how you did it in the past.

But in this house, we're gonna work together.

Special squads, detectives, uniformed police officers.

We'll help each other and share information,...

...however and whenever we can.

It's the only way that this satellite precinct can work.

I'd like to thank the man responsible for our new jobs,...

...Assistant Chief Ben Gilroy.

Thank you, Captain.

You all know this unit is a trial squad.

An expensive one.

People say it's a waste of time and tax dollars.

I don't believe that.

Let's prove them wrong.

- Thanks, Big Ben. - Good luck, Vic.

Come on, Brent. I remember you.

Sofer, you did your P-2 over at Central?

- Yeah. - Who sucked you into this hellhole?

I couldn't pass up the long hours and the low pay.

- You ready, boot? - Yes, Ma'am.

- Don't ever call me "ma'am." - Yes, sir.

Just Danny, okay?

All right, Danny.

I know you two haven't worked Farmington...

...as much as Shane and I have,...

...so I want you to get out on the street, cultivate C.I.s...

...find out who's hating, who's mating.

- Knowledge is power. - Cool. When do we get started?

Already have.

I put a list together of the neighborhood dickheads.

We're gonna make some house calls.

Let them know who's new in town.

This is gonna rock, man. Thanks for letting me join the band.

Shane vouched for you.

In spite of that, I figured what the hell.

Might have been a mistake.

Oh, yeah? Who let the guy with the mustache in?

- The ladies love the 'stache. - Listen, guys.

Trust isn't something that happens overnight.

And trust me, where we're going, we're gonna need it.

Yeah.

Sorry.

We have a drive-by, gang-related, one fatality.

That's you.

- We're on. - Let's do it.

- What happened? - Yo, man, they killed Wanda.

They took Jolene off in an ambulance.

- Polly's shot somewhere. - Looks like you got off easy.

- Who did it? - Yo, man, I didn't see him.

- What's your name? - Ringo.

Parents didn't like you enough to name you after John or Paul?

No, I know a Ringo.

- Oh, yeah? - Small-time pimp daddy.

Who'd you piss off?

Yo, man, I was just walkin' with my girls, mindin' the store. That's all.

I mean in the last couple of days.

No one.

Someone's trying to mark their territory.

Who's the lion?

See what you can drum up out of Ringo.

I know one of the girls that works for him. Owes me.

- I'll see if she can help. - Okay.

The classroom's where you learn the rules, but 70% of the job is instinct.

Morning, Jules. Black tea, please.

You want anything?

Orange juice and a breakfast burrito.

- I'll take care of that. - That's okay, man. On the house.

I appreciate that, but I have to pay.

Regulations.

- Five bucks. - There you go.

What's going on?

Oh, my God.

Vic.

Can I come in?

Sure, yeah.

You taking care of Brian now?

He stays with my mom most of the time.

Sometimes she's got this thing like three, four hours though.

And then you're alone with him?

He's fine. I don't fix while I'm watchin' him.

One of Ringo's girls was killed today.

Another one got shot.

I heard about Wanda.

She was okay.

Any idea who might have done it?

Well, you heard it from somewhere else?

- Lionel Phipps or his guys. - Who is he?

From the neighborhood. Got his hands in drugs.

Decided he wanted to get a piece of our asses.

Ringo didn't wanna pay the tax.

Next thing you know...

Stay away from Ringo.

He's a walking target right now.

That's my mom.

Time for me to get to work.

If Lionel is the Lion, then what does that make you, his wives or his cubs?

Who wants to tell us about the drive-bys this morning?

- Stop feeling me up, faggot. - You getting a hard-on, faggot?

Bitch ass!

Hey, hey, hey!

Against the wall!

Up against the wall!

Man, he's the asshole who started it, man.

There's also about a dozen citizens watching us, man.

Just one mistake, that's all it takes.

Look, he's the cocksucker...

Who just put himself on our list.