In his office, Burrell barks at Daniels, "It's over. Your wire's cold." Daniels quietly reminds Burrell, The court orders give me a total of ninety days on five phones." Behind Daniels, Reed chuckles as Daniels concludes, "I'm doing the full ninety." Burrell sneers that if Daniels wants to "sit listening to a bunch of broke-ass pay phones," he's welcome to. Reed thinks this is hilarious too. "But you don't need all that manpower to do it," says Burrell. Daniels says that he can send a couple of bodies back. Burrell, with a shit-eating grin, reminds Daniels, "I gave you those people. I decide who comes back. But feel free to speak your mind, if it were up to you." Daniels tries to turn his gaze into a lethal laser through sheer force of will, but when that doesn't work, he just shrugs. "He asked you a question, Lieutenant," Reed sycophants. Daniels fakes like he has no opinion. "What's the name of that old detective from Pawn Shop?" muses Reed. Daniels's poker face is far superior to McNulty's, and he doesn't break. "And that young one," Burrell piles on, "Valchek's brain-dead son-in-law." Daniels impassively identifies Lester and Prez. "Keep 'em," spits Burrell. Daniels betrays a minuscule smile as Burrell orders Daniels to return Sydnor and Santangelo. Daniels returns his mouth to its downturned and locked position as Burrell delivers his kicker: "If you want to do anything beyond listen to those dead phones, you need to brief me first." Daniels nods deferentially. "You did good, Cedric," smugs Burrell, leaning back. "You play your cards right, all the work you did over the past few months will speak volumes for you." Reed pipes up to say that a Major Spurgeon plans to retire in a few months, and Burrell notes that there will therefore be a vacancy in the Northwest Command. Daniels betrays no emotion either way, though if I were him, I don't know that I'd be as interested as I had been formerly in climbing a ladder if the likes of Burrell and Frazier are at the top of it.