- In the nation's largest city,
the vicious and violent members of the underworld
are hunted by the detectives
of the Organized Crime Control Bureau.
These are their stories.
- Congressman Kilbride,
let's talk about Damon's lawsuit.
- I do not want to be used as a pawn
for someone's political ambition.
- I know that you're doing work.
I miss you.
- The Marcy Killers are on the streets
dealing the Kosta Organization's stolen cocaine.
- Sergeant Brewster. - Sergeant Bell.
- I'm putting you together under one roof
to tackle this problem.
- Paint the streets red with the blood of the Marcy Killers.
- It's Hugo, we got a problem. - Then get ahead of it.
- Oh, we way past that.
- The Marcy Corporation is not looking to be at war
with the Kosta Organization,
and we would rather work with you.
- Who is that? - That's Eddie Ashes.
- I want to know everything there is.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- So you were in the army.
- First marines in the run up to Kuwait City.
- Is that where you learned to start the fires?
- There and other places, yeah.
- You don't say much.
- What are you doing in my place?
- Let's go for a drive.
Leave the phone there.
♪
- It's like "Survivor" but you're alone.
- Well, what do you have to do?
- Kill your own food.
This one guy in Canada couldn't find anything,
so they made him eat a muskrat.
[door clangs open]
[tense music]
- Ah, ah.
- What's it worth?
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- So you're gonna act stupid, huh?
I want a guided tour.
I want to see every single thing in all these crates.
- [screaming]
Italians. - Ah, my ear!
- Shut--shut the-- - Come here.
Open that crate.
- [chuckles]
- Ah, mother--Christ.
- New world order, baby.
- [screams] [gunshot]
- You want some?
- No, thanks. I got a lousy ticker.
- My nephew,
he likes you a lot.
- Well good. I like him, too.
- But he's not too smart, huh?
- Why, 'cause he likes me?
- No, because he has bad instincts.
- I just work for the man. - You know the Albanians.
We don't really trust outsiders.
You are an outsider.
[tense music]
You know, my culture, we take an oath
to protect our people by any means necessary,
and we die for each other.
- I've been in this game since I was a kid.
I never ratted anybody out.
I never cheated a partner.
That's my oath.
♪
- 600 rounds per minute.
This thing kill a lot of people--
and fast too.
- Mm. That's true.
And to me, the whole point of shooting somebody
is to make them suffer.
Plug them in the gut, let them bleed out.
- You got your way of doing things, homey, and I got mine.
- Whoa, hey, what you doing? Who you pointing that at?
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
- What?
- Put it down.
- Uncle Albi.
- Okay.
It's your time.
- I can't get it.
- Just the tip. - Yeah, that's what she said.
- Give it here.
- When these goons are finished, it's all yours.
- To do what? What am I doing?
- Burn the place.
- The whole place? How about just the bodies?
- We need to send a message.
All right, the K-O is running this city now,
and we don't back down.
[suspenseful music]
- It's all yours, boss.
♪
[tense music]
♪
- Did anybody see you come in?
- We have very strict protocols,
Sergeant Brewster, and cams everywhere.
Detective Stabler never goes anywhere
until I've given him the all clear.
- Yahoo's really settling in like it's a mortgage
and not a lease. - Don't even get me started.
- Talking about alliances nobody wants.
- Hey, shouldn't I be a part of this?
- So last night, the K-O, they hit a warehouse
filled with guns, but they used the Marcy Killers
as their muscle. They took the guns.
They left two dead bodies.
- What's the status of the crime scene?
- I burned it down. - Before ID'ing the bodies?
- By the time I got there, the bodies,
they were in pieces.
Teeth, fingers everywhere.
The prints are still intact.
Yeah.
- Well first, we need to figure out who they hit.
Then we need to find out what this K-O
and Marcy Killer alliance is all about.
- Well, this is about territory.
Marcy Killers owns more blocks in New York
than any other criminal organization.
- A month ago, Albi Briscu
made a deal with Colombian cocoa farmers.
- Smart move-- if you control the cocaine
before it hits the streets, you really control the streets.
- Ideally, we need a person in both organizations.
Stabler, you were saying something about a girl.
Her name was Nova? - Nova.
- Do you know who that is? - Yeah, I know who she is.
- Do you think she's worth turning?
- I mean, Nova's smart and very hard.
I say we pick Briscu up and try to flip him.
- No, too soon. We are not ready for that.
- We got the guy dead to rights.
I mean, what the hell are we waiting for?
- And when he says go screw yourself?
- Which I guarantee you, he will.
- We've taken out the one guy that can lead us
to the head of the Kosta Organization.
We're in this for the long game.
Jon Kosta, long game.
- Baby, I don't know what design I should pick.
There's just too many options.
- You don't have to decide, baby.
This place is yours.
- Nova, what are you talking about?
You're acting crazy again.
- The salon, it's yours.
I bought it for you.
- You bought this place for me?
The whole thing?
- This deal with the K-O, let's just say
I got a raise.
A big one.
- Uh-huh.
- You always said you wanted to open up your own business.
Be independent and everything.
So it's all yours.
- [squeals]
- Uh, give me a cheeseburger, no cheese,
with a side of fries, well done.
- Hamburger with crispy fries.
- Eh, medium rare, and, uh, you know,
put your number on the check, please.
- That ever work?
- It's okay.
Reggie says same thing every time.
He's, uh, how you say, yip, yip, yip,
like a dog with no teeth.
- Oh, I got teeth, baby.
Ask around. - What can I get for you, sir?
- I'll have the Monte Cristo,
but I want it with turkey, not the ham.
Monte Cristo. - Mont. Mont Cristo.
- Monte--what are you saying? - Mont.
- Monte Cristo, like the Count of Monte Cristo.
- I--I don't know who's that. - You know, guy in a book.
- I--I'm sorry, I'm only in America four weeks,
and I'm still learning many new words.
- Well, you're doing good.
- A Monte Cristo, turkey and no ham.
- No ham. - [sighs] Text Nena.
Ma, don't worry about the leak.
I already called the plumber.
Love you more than banana cream pie.
Send.
- Everything all right?
- Oh yeah, you know, my mom.
She's freaking out about the house.
She worries about everything. You know how moms are, right?
- Mm-hmm.
- What about yours? She with us?
- She passed away when I was locked up.
- Oh, man.
- Wouldn't even let me go to her funeral.
- That's terrible. I can't imagine.
- Got to take care of our moms. - Yeah.
Oh, hey, we gotta bounce. We got a little ride.
- What about our food? - Leave it.
Ah, ah, ah--anyone in the K-O gets a free meal.
When you're with me, you're in the K-O.
- I'll just leave a tip. - Hey, we don't do that.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- What the hell happened here?
- You're the fire expert, you tell me.
- Uh-huh. - Was it an accident?
Or did somebody do it on purpose?
- I told you, a kitchen towel caught on fire,
and it spread before I could get to it.
I burnt my arm trying to put it out.
- But you still had time to get the cash register
and the safe to your car, huh?
- I saved what I could.
What would you have done? Let the money burn, huh?
- So you're telling me this place just happened
to set fire the week that my crew take over
the protection payments from the Italians?
- I hired a new cook. He's not experienced.
There's not a lot of work that's available.
- Shut up, let the expert talk.
What's the verdict, Eddie?
Is this guy telling the truth?
- Yeah, what do you think, Ed? - Just--
Look--look, typically you got accidental fires,
then you got some V-shaped burn patterns.
- I don't know what you're talking about, V--
the fire started right there.
- The story add up to you? - I don't know, maybe.
You got to give me time. I just got here, just--
give me a minute.
- What about the sprinklers? Don't they work?
- Oh, they haven't worked in months.
I kept meaning to get 'em fixed,
but every time I went to make--
♪
- Let's call it arson.
[apprehensive music]
♪
- I killed that man.
Sean Mulaney would still be alive if I hadn't hesitated.
I knew he needed my help.
Just...
[sighs]
Felt like I had to prove my loyalty.
- You are walking a very tight rope.
That's a dangerous place to be, Elliot.
- [sighs]
Someone probably thought I was dead.
I--I didn't think quickly enough.
- When Gina died...
You remember what you told me?
You told me that sometimes, we lose a few to save a lot.
- I don't know if I still believe that.
- Well, neither do I, but...
You know, sometimes, we just have to remind ourselves
that what we're doing is worth doing.
I can take you out. We can find another way at him.
- No, I'm almost on the inside.
I'm good. It's good.
You just got to promise me one thing.
That fire can't be ruled an arson.
If it's arson, the family
doesn't get the insurance money.
- Yeah.
We don't want to take up a lot of your time.
We just want to find out if you know anything
about your husband's financial arrangements.
- We've been paying off the Italians for years now.
And then a couple of days ago, the Albanians show up
and say the money goes to them now.
- They raise the price? - 30%
Who can pay that, even in the best of times?
We're a bagel shop.
- Did your husband have a point person?
He ever mention anyone's name? - Guy named Reggie.
That guy is crazy.
At least with the Italians,
we knew what we had to pay and when.
But with these guys, the Albanians,
they just do whatever they want whenever they want it.
- They think your husband burned the place down,
made it look like an accident
so you could get the insurance money.
- And keep their boot off your neck.
- Our son is on his way to college.
We worked 20 years to pay for it.
The Albanians tried to take that money.
- I understand.
- We are good people. We didn't deserve this.
- K-O likes to kill and put their work on display.
Three bodies in less than two days.
All of the crime scenes destroyed.
They're building up to something.
- Feels like a spree. - Ah--[chuckles]
Just got a tip from the tips. - What?
- The fingertips Stabler lifted from the crime scene.
The--the prints are back. - And?
- The people who were burned in the fire were
Jerry Milanesi and Marco Dornetto.
High level Italian gangsters. - They're working together.
The K-O and the Marcy Killers are going after the Italians
and their territory.
Now that Manfredi Sinatra is dead, they're weakened.
This is just a first step.
- And they're not gonna stop until
they're the only ones left standing.
- It feels like a spree because it is a spree.
- Hey, honey, that bread isn't good for the ducks.
Here, give them some of my grapes.
There, that's better for them.
- They're not eating the grapes.
They like the bread.
- Well, yeah, because it's junk food
like Cheetos or candy bars.
If you stop feeding it to them, they'll eat the grapes.
- Everyone throws bread in the pond.
- Yeah, why do you think they have so many health problems?
Their wings don't even work. See, look at that.
That's what I'm talking about.
After being fed crap all day long.
- You're not supposed to say crap.
- Yeah, well, that's what it is.
Come on, now.
We got to look out for our animal friends.
That's enough. - Hey, give me that back!
- No.
Oh, Elliot, I told you no feeding the ducks.
- Mom!
- Hey, what did you do to my kid?
Julian, are you okay? - She hit me.
- Oh, God. - Don't you move, lady.
Stop that woman. She attacked my son.
Hey, stop her. - Hey! Hey, lady.
Hey, what's going on? Hey. - Let me go.
What are you doing? Let go of me.
Do you know who I am?
My son is a high ranking member of this police force.
I need to talk to him now.
- And my son is the mayor, could you get him on the phone?
- You--you--you have to let me out of here.
I--no, I didn't mean to hurt that boy.
That was a mistake. I made a mistake.
Get me my son, Detective Elliot Stabler.
I need to talk to him now. - Ma'am--
- My son, I need to talk to him.
- Ma'am, ma'am, everything's going to be okay.
Okay? - Are you letting me out?
- Hey, just come with me. All right, come with me.
I'm gonna take you to a safe place.
Okay, listen, I know you don't know who I am.
I'm Sergeant Bell. I'm your son's partner.
- His partner? What do you mean?
- Yeah, I'm unable to get in touch with him right now,
so I just--I need you to come with me,
and I'll keep trying, okay? - Okay.
- Mrs. Stabler.
- Hi, Mama.
- Who are you?
- It's me, Elliot.
Oh, hey.
It's all right. You're all right now.
Thank you.
- Is it really you? - Yeah, it's really me.
- Why are you hiding? - I'm not hiding.
Oh, this is--this is work.
- No, no, I meant you were gone.
You left.
- Yeah, I've been in Europe.
In Europe. We went to Rome.
We've been living in Rome. - Living in Rome.
- Yeah. - Yeah, I remember that.
- Right? - Yeah.
But why didn't you visit?
- We visited.
We've been back about four times.
Remember? - You did?
Yeah, me and Kathy, we brought the kids over.
Christmas.
- Yes, I remember. I remember Kath--oh.
- What's the matter? - Elliot, I--
I just remembered your wife.
Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot.
- It's okay. - You know, I--I meant to--
I--I know I missed it, but I was going to attend,
and then I'm not sure what happened.
I think I had an episode.
- You been taking your medication?
- Well, I changed my pills because I felt okay.
You know, I thought it was fine.
- Okay, Mom. Okay.
- I'm so sorry, honey.
I'm just so sorry your beautiful bride.
How was Olivia's funeral?
[sentimental music]
♪
- It was beautiful.
- Now, it might be a little untidy here.
Ah, I'm so dry.
Will somebody get me some water, please?
- Yeah, I'll get you some water.
- Thank you. He's such a sweet boy.
- Yeah. What's with the cats? - Huh?
- Where'd you get the cats? - Oh, in the neighborhood.
You know, every one of them needed a home.
We have to look out for our animal friends.
- Mm, yeah.
When was the last time you checked on her?
- It was, like, three months ago,
but she had a caretaker.
Grandma, what happened to Rosa?
- Who?
- Rosa, the woman who was coming in to help you.
- Oh, she was horrible.
She kept bossing me around. I fired her.
- You can't fire--we hired her. You can't fire her.
- Yeah, yeah I can. I can and I did.
- Mama--
- And just stop trying to control--
- I'm not trying to control you.
This is not okay.
- Grandma, when was the last time you went to the doctor?
- Oh, I don't know. A couple of months probably.
- And that's not okay. That's not okay.
Ma--Mama--
Mama, let's go to the hospital, we'll get your vitals checked.
- I am not going back to that hospital.
That is a nut house. - It's not a nut house.
- Don't yell at me.
- It's a facility that is very qualified
to deal with people with your issues.
- No, they are not qualified to deal with anybody's issue.
Get it. They're no good.
I--I'm not going back there.
I'd rather stay here and die if I have to.
[sentimental music]
Oh, God.
Every time I think I got this thing, like,
"I think I'm okay. It's not gonna come back.
I'm fine."
And then, you know.
I'm 82 years old. I just can't figure normal.
- I know.
Grandma, I know, but I love you.
We all love you. Please let us help you.
Maybe you should come stay with us for a bit?
- Oh-- - Yeah--
Yeah, you totally should.
- It's a good idea.
That's a good idea. We should do that.
- Mm-hmm. - Stay with us.
- That's the thing. Let's just--please stay with--
- You really want me to? - I really want you to.
Stay with us, and we'll figure it out.
- Sh--should I clean up?
- No, I want you to just take
and bring her back to our place,
and I'll try to be there for the weekend, okay?
- But what about the cats?
- I'll take care of the cats, Grandma.
- Really? You really will? - Yes, I will.
- I guess I'm not doing so well, am I?
- You could be doing better.
♪
- How much did they offer? - 150.
- 150 thousand? That's it?
I was expecting at least a million.
- Someone's gotta die for that to happen.
- What about the apology?
- No apology. No terminations.
Look, I'm not saying that you have to accept it.
I'm not even asking you to.
- Good, because it's a terrible offer.
- Well, it's more than they usually put up.
- Usually?
You mean all of the other times they've broken the bones
of young Black men?
- All I'm saying is that it could be less.
- Damon is not in it for the payout, Ayanna.
He wants an apology. He wants those men fired.
He's gonna take them to court.
- Okay, well, then it's gonna get ugly.
- How much uglier can it get? - A lot.
Come on, now, you know how this works.
They're gonna dredge up his past.
The time he got arrested in the park for smoking pot.
- He was 14. - It doesn't matter.
They're gonna make him out to be a criminal
like he deserved this.
He wants apologies, he wants the cops to lose they jobs?
Okay, well, just get ready to buckle up
for a bumpy ass ride. - For you.
[apprehensive music]
- For all of us.
- She did a pretty good job, don't you think?
- Yeah, they look sick, babe.
- I still can't believe I'm a business owner,
and you got us front row seats to "Hamilton."
- New world order, baby.
- It's not like I haven't earned it, though.
I spent a lot of nights alone
while you were out there making money for these tickets.
- Speaking of making coin, babe, I gotta make a quick stop
before we head to the theater.
- Are you serious?
- Hello, Mr. Count of Monte Cristo.
- Ah, you got my name right.
- It's, uh, like "Monty Python" but different.
- Speaking of Montes-- - Turkey instead of ham.
- You got it. - Well, you know what I want.
They start speaking English, all of a sudden
they think they're independent, right?
Gotta keep them humble. Where the hell is Nova?
Should be here already.
[tense music]
- Yo, I know you.
Yo--
- Sit tight, baby, I'll be right back.
- Be quick. - I'll just be a minute.
- I don't want to miss one second of the show.
- Yeah, you're the guy that--
[gunfire]
[patrons screaming]
- Woo, I guess Frugatti's boys got their panties in a bunch
when we jacked their guns, huh?
- You all right?
- Yeah. - Okay.
♪
- Baby.
Penda?
Penda. Hey, hey, hey. Penda. Penda!
Penda, come on. Stay with me, baby.
It's gonna be okay.
It's me, come on. No.
Somebody help me! Somebody help me!
- We're trailing the Marcy Killer that got shot.
The one you were telling me about.
- Nova. - Yeah.
Just want to make sure it was her
before we pick her up and try to turn her.
- African American, 5'6", medium build,
early 20s with dreads.
- Okay, you got a picture coming.
- That's her.
[tense music]
♪
- Nova?
I know you lost someone you cared about.
Her name was Penda.
- You don't know what you're talking about.
- I know what it's like to lose someone I loved.
Listen, I want to find the person
who took her away from you. - Save it, lady.
You think I really believe you care about me?
About my loss?
You just want me to help you catch the bad guys.
Put another notch on your belt.
- I want to put that person behind bars.
Look, it's not going to bring Penda back,
but it will bring some justice.
- I don't need your help.
- Well, I need your help.
I need to know who pulled that trigger.
- I'm not a snitch.
- Here's my card.
You call me if you change your mind.
- Hey, I want a word with you.
- Have your word.
- You should've been prepared for that hit.
You don't burn down a mafia stash house
and not expect the Italians to retaliate.
- I'm inside the K-O, so if they put a hit out
on somebody, I flag it for my sergeant.
If I think we're about to get hit,
I make sure, the best I can,
that innocent bystanders don't get hurt.
Now, as far as the Italians go--thanks.
I have no idea when they're going to make a move.
- Which goes to the point I was making earlier.
We're inside the K-O.
We know when they're going to make a move.
What we don't know is
what's happening inside the Marcy Killers.
- You don't think I know this?
♪
I warned you about that girl. You were getting too close.
- I loved her, all right?
- That was not part of the job.
- What's going on? Tell me now.
- She works for me.
- We're supposed to be working together.
There is no world where it is cool that you didn't tell me.
- Dial it back. - Dial it back?
We are a joint task force.
Are you telling me I don't have a right
to know that there is another plant?
- Nova has been in deep cover for a long time.
- Strictly need to know.
- Oh, it becomes "need to know" when someone gets shot.
- Nova and Brewster have daily check ins.
They have a very tight, well-honed system.
The reason he didn't tell you--
- Is because you couldn't keep your own UC alive.
Not to mention Morales. - Don't you--
- Your whole deal has been chaotic these past few months.
Why would I put my people in your hands?
- Because we're supposed to trust one another.
We laid everything out there.
Can't work with somebody I can't trust.
- Where are you going, Serg-- - Strictly need to know.
- We really gotta go all the way to Jersey?
- It's South Amboy.
It's, like, a step away from Staten Island.
- Shoot.
We even gonna understand them all the away out there?
- Say that again, I hit you so hard
upside the head you won't understand yourself.
We're invited as guests of the Italians.
- So we bringing the long guns, yeah?
- No, no. Nobody is shooting nobody.
He just wants to discuss what it's going to look like
with us running the streets.
- So, um, we're just gonna talk?
- You can bring the handgun if you like.
[tense music]
♪
- I don't want more people to die
like that girl from last night.
- She had a name.
She wasn't just some girl. She had a name.
Her name was Penda. - All right, all right, cool it.
- Take it easy. It's cool. Take it easy.
- Lieutenant Moennig is saying that he thinks we could
all benefit from a little bit more communication.
[phone chimes] - That was me.
The Albanians are heading somewhere.
I spotted a duffle of guns on the pole cam.
- I'm rollin'.
Be safe out there.
- You see, just Frugatti and a few personal friends.
♪
- John. - How you doing, Mario?
- I want to know how much this is going to cost
to make this problem go away.
- There's no buying your way out of this.
We own this town now. There's no need for you.
- We still got Sparks, the poker halls,
the shops on Jackson Street-- - Those are ours now.
All of them.
- Yeah, I can't let you do that, Kosta.
Worked too hard for too many years.
Won't be worth the pain of my slipped disc
if I just let it all go. And for what?
- I got a herniated neck.
And you're out of options, Mario.
- Is that so?
- You could let it go gracefully.
You could leave claw marks.
As of yesterday, we're taking over those operations.
♪
- Just the hand guns, huh?
- All right--
No more negotiation.
This is what we call an impasse,
and this is the solution, right in my hands.
Now, get in your cars and go home
or stay and go to hell. I don't care.
I got that tanker. I got them pumps.
Take you, take us,
take the whole damn neighborhood with us.
Doesn't matter to me.
Your choice.
♪
- Are you feeling like Italian?
- Yeah.
- Let's go.
[upbeat dance music playing]
- Hey, yo, this table. This table over here.
- Reggie, Reggie, Reggie, you hold that--
[laughter]
- Hey!
[cheers and applause]
- The Eddie Ashes triple layer cake.
- Every night from now on, baby, huh?
[laughter]
- Who's gonna blow that out? Set the place on fire.
Yeshua!
- Oh, he isn't that deep.
- What does that remind you of? - Oh, right?
Exactly, right? [laughs]
- Oh, oh ho.
Did you just pop out of that cake there?
- He's just one of us. It's fantastic. I love it.
- Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo!
[laughing]
Hey, Eddie. - Hey!
[laughs]
- Hey, you cool?
Whoo! Look at him. Look at him. Look at him.
[laughter]
- Let him handle it. Come on.
[apprehensive music]
♪
- Breathe in, baby.
- Why don't you have a seat?
[voice distorted] I know who you are.
I had my people check you out.
Eddie Ashes.
You know, I'll tell you something--
you might not be Albanian,
but you got Albanian balls, my friend.
[laughs]
You showed us you have our back,
and I commend that kind of loyalty.
- Thank you.
- No, hey, hey, thank you. - Thank you.
- Hey, Albi, we're doing the thing.
You're gonna use this to keep in touch.
It's been checked for bugs.
Look at me. Look at me.
If you're in our circle, you got to stay clean.
- Clean. - That's right.
- Hey, Eddie, you all right, brother?
[laughter]
- Relax. You're in the family now.
[laughter]
♪
[intense electronic music]
♪
- Liv!
Olivia Benson, open up!
Liv. Oh, God.
[wolf howls]