The Wire/Stray Rounds

Stray Rounds
Season 2, Episode 9
Airdate	August 3, 2003
Written by	David Simon
Directed by	Tim Van Patten
← 2x08 Duck and Cover	2x10 → Storm Warnings
The Wire — Season Two

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Stray Rounds is the ninth episode of the second season of The Wire, and the twenty-second episode overall.

Guest Stars: Seth Gilliam (Ellis Carver), Domenick Lombardozzi (Herc Hauk), Jim True-Frost (Prez Pryzblewski), Robert Wisdom (Bunny Colvin), James Ransone (Ziggy Sobotka), Pablo Schreiber (Nick Sobotka), Tom Mardirosian (Kristos Koutris), Michael Potts (Brother Mouzone), Bill Raymond (The Greek), Lev Gorn (Eton Ben Eleazer), Michael Hyatt (Brianna Barksdale), J.D. Williams (Bodie), Tray Chaney (Poot), Robert F. Chew (Proposition Joe Stewart), Luray Cooper (Nat Coxson), Kelvin Davis, Chris Ashworth (Sergei Malatov), Al Brown (Stan Valchek), Doug Olear (Terrence Fitzhugh), Charley Scalies (Horseface), Delaney Williams (Jay Landsman), Ted Feldman (George Glekas), Bus Howard (Ott), Edward T. Norris (Ed Norris), Gloria Phillips

Plot Overview

The episode opens with Bodie's crew selling drugs on a corner recently taken from rival drug dealers in the neighborhood. The rival dealers return to confront Bodie's crew, and gun fight breaks out. The fight continues until the police arrive, and it is revealed that a child living in a nearby house was accidently killed by a stray round.

The show continues after the opening credit with the detail discussing the recent drop in activity on the warehouse wire and the docks. The team concludes that the Greeks and dock workers have been spooked and temporarily suspended smuggling operations.

Back at the scene of the gun fight, Major Colvin arrives and confers with Rawls, and Colvin expresses a certain amount of dismay regarding the crime situation in the city. Back at the funeral home, Stringer debriefs Bodie regarding the incident, and warns him to dispose of the guns and lay low as the police will certainly be taking a large interest since a child was killed. Bodie tosses the guns over a bridge, but it lands on a passing barge instead of falling into the water.

At the diner, Nick Sobotka meets with Spiros to try and buy some more drugs to sell, but is told he doesn't purchase in amounts large enough to deal with the Greeks directly. Instead, he is told to buy from another mid level dealer named "White Mike".

Back in the pit, police continue to make sweeping arrests in order to provide a visible presence and attempt to learn something in response to the shooting of the child. Stringer meets with Proposition Joe, who advises him to move his business off the street, instead providing the wholesale to street deals and make money as a middle man without risking police exposure. Stringer then makes a deal to buy from Proposition Joe's supplier, over the orders of Avon.

Back at the Clement St bar, Ziggy tries to bring John (?) in on a deal, while New Charles returns to the bar for the first time since his injury, and is rechristened with the nickname "Tilt."

McNulty calls the madame of the prostitution ring, but is rejected when he is deemed too suspicious.

Nick arrives at the bar to find Ziggy in a drunked rage, soon discovering the reason for his anger is the death of the pet drunk because of alcohol poisoning.

At the detail office, the team reviews what they know so far, and make plans to continue survielence and try to infiltrate the prostitution ring. Meanwhile, the Greeks discuss new opportunities for smuggling. Ziggy meets with Glekas to make a deal for stealing cars from the docks. Jimmy and Freeman tell Daniels that they have an appointment with the prostitution ring, while Ziggy and (dock guy) make plans to steal the cars off the docks, and the detail continues surveillence of the warehouse.

Jimmy meets with his FBI contact, asking him to check what the FBI knows about the Greeks. A query is entered into the computer, returning a mention of one of the Greeks from an investigation in San Diego. (FBI guy) talks to an FBI officer in San Diego, who downplays the importance of the suspect. Carver and Hauk photograph more activity at the warehouse. Two detectives interrogate Bodie, showing him the recovered guns, but make a mistake when they accidently reveal they have no prints of the guns.

The Greeks meet over dinner, discussing the tip from an agent in San Diego that someone is still investigating, but considering that none of the containers stolen from the docks have been followed, start to feel more confident about resuming operations. Stringer meets with Prop Joe's people, where he receives delivery of a drugs shipment. McNulty and the detail prepare for the raid on the prostitution ring. Ziggy meets with Glekas again, finalizing plans to steal and deliver the cars, and Glekas declines an advance payment for the cars.

Back at the funeral home, Stringer rebukes his employees for not disposing of the guns properly. He then asks Bodie if he is certain the police don't have any evidence, and Bodie confirms that the police didn't seem to have a case against them. Nick meets with White Mike to arrange for a delivery of drugs. White Mike originally wants to charge Nick a higher price, but after confirming Sirgie, agrees to sell to Nick at a lower price. Meanwhile, the details captures the discussion, revealing a critical detail about how the Greeks dispose of bodies. Freeman then uses this to dig up information on any bodies missing hands and a head.

At the union offices, Frank, Horseface, and Ott celebrate the political progress towards achieving economic projects at the docks.

Jimmy is picked up and taken to the brothel, being followed by the detail. Meanwhile, acting on a tip from the Greek, search a shipment of cargo for contraband. After being unable to find anything, the FBI agent checks with the Greek again, and then discovers what they thought to be paint pigments is actually drugs.

Stringer meets with Brianna, who is still grieving over D'angelo's death. Stringer asks Brianna to talk to Avon, in the hopes of giving him permission to have more control over the operations of the business. At the brothel, Jimmy is quickly "attacked" by two prostitutes, and the detail busts into the hotel room, discovering McNulty already undressed.

Daniels and Pearman meet with Valchek, Rawls and Burrel, who pressure them to bring in a case as soon as possible. Valchek gets angry when Pearman tells him that Frank Sobotka is no longer the primary target of the detail, but if rebuffed by Burrel. Brianna tells Stringer that Avon has vetoed Stringer's plan, and says that he can expect Brother Mouzone from New York to help hold the towers. Back at the detail office, Bunk teases McNulty as he types up his report on the prostitution ring.

Stringer tells Prop Joe about Avon's response, but Joe tells Stringer that he has to deal with Mouzone on his own before doing business. The detail learns Spiro's cell phone number. Colvin patrols his district, leaving a corner shortly before Mouzone arrives. The episode ends with Mouzone looking up at a housing project.