The Cost

Bubbles (Andre Royo) is trying to stay clean. Waylon (Steve Earle) from NA gives him some advice. Avon (Wood Harris) and his crew want Omar (Michael K. Williams) dead, but Avon tells Stringer (Idris Elba) to get the word out to Omar that they want to call a truce and parlay. Rhonda Pearlman (Deirdre Lovejoy) tells McNulty (Dominic West) that the case is hurting Judge Phelan's (Peter Gerety) political career. D'Angelo's (Larry Gilliard Jr.) baby's mama is moving in, but he's still trying, unsuccessfully, to reconcile with Shardene (Wendy Grantham). The unit finds out the pager number for the stash house, and they stake out a pay phone in Pimlico. Orlando (Clayton LeBouef) gets busted in a sting, trying to buy cocaine from the state police. Avon sends a lawyer, not to bail Orlando out, but to have him sign away ownership of the strip club, because he's not a clean front anymore. McNulty tracks down Wallace (Michael B. Jordan), who's still shaken up by what happened to Brandon. Wallace tells the cops that he pointed out Brandon to Stringer the night of the murder. McNulty's ex-wife, Elena (Callie Thorne), calls him into court to limit his custody rights after she finds out about his using their young sons to follow Stringer. Stringer meets with Omar (who's wearing a wire), and tells him that Avon (whom Stringer doesn't identify by name) will let Omar live if Omar stops stealing from him. Omar doesn't buy it, and leaves town. Shardene tries to get information about Avon's operation for Freamon (Clarke Peters), but the dealers won't let her get close. Greggs (Sonja Sohn) goes on an ill-advised buy-and-bust operation (ordered by the Deputy Commissioner) with Orlando. This episode was directed by Brad Anderson (Next Stop Wonderland).