Prop Joe meets with Marlo in a church reading room of some kind, commenting that it's not the sort of place you expect to see a gangster -- or police. Marlo lets that pass, and prompts that he heard Prop Joe knew something Marlo didn't. Prop Joe briefly demurs, but finally allows, "I heard the people pulling security at the card game weren't too keen on their wages." He figured that, before too long, they'd find a way to "get their due compensation." "And you didn't think to tell me?" says Marlo, all dead-eyed. "A man learns best when he get burned," Prop Joe intones. Marlo asks how he knows Prop Joe isn't making it all up, and Prop Joe shrugs, "You don't. Things happen on the street. Proof is hard to come by." He slides an envelope across the table to Marlo, saying that, off the street, "there's all kind of proof." Marlo pulls out papers for a Grand Jury indictment of Charlie Berman, Looey Jackson, Michael Spellman, Jamal Stokes, Lil Dawg Brown, and Red Top Redman. Prop Joe says that the orders are supposed to be executed on Friday, to make Royce look good before the primary. Marlo asks how Prop Joe got it, and Prop Joe replies that he keeps his ear to the ground. Marlo asks what Prop Joe's going to do with it, and Prop Joe drawls, "Maybe nothing." Deliberately, he adds, "Charlie's not part of the co-op." But he says he might tip Charlie for a fee. Marlo hints to Prop Joe about the camera set up by his hangout, and asks whether Prop Joe's heard anything about Marlo lately. Prop Joe says that he didn't have any incentive to listen. "You do now," says Marlo, eventually. Both men get up, and shake on it. Yeah, this isn't going to be good for anybody.

Watkins's office. Behind his desk, Watkins tells Carcetti that it's one thing to sit out the primary, but that to turn on Royce would be pretty low. Carcetti agrees. Watkins asks why he shouldn't back Gray, and Carcetti frankly says that Gray can't win. Watkins remains silent, giving him an opening, which Carcetti takes to launch into his pitch: he says that he can't do anything for Watkins that Royce can't "match or double," because Carcetti doesn't have anything like Royce's money. Carcetti volunteers to "ticket up" with any candidate Watkins wants him to, and stay away from any tickets Watkins thinks Carcetti will harm. He says that, with the primary a week off, both Carcetti and Royce need him; after the election, Royce won't need Watkins, but Carcetti still will: "I'm a white mayor in a majority-black city, and if I'm gonna do anything -- and Delegate, I am so serious about fixing this city -- I'm gonna have to govern by consensus. And if you support me, you will have a voice within my administration simply because I'm gonna need it." Watkins works his jaw for a moment, and squints that the last poll Royce showed him had Royce leading by seven. Confidently, Carcetti calls that "bullshit," saying he's within four points. He refrains from adding, "Swish."