After the credits, the epigraph: "The king stays the king." -- D'Angelo. What -- no promotion from within the kingdom?

Then we're in Burrell's office, where he's going over the aftermath of the Tower riots with Daniels and -- hey! Maj. Stan Valchek (Al Brown)! I love that scratchy-voiced little prick. Foerster and the seldom seen Maj. Bobby Reed (Tony Head -- not Anthony Stewart Head, though that would be kind of rad) are also in attendance. Anyway, Burrell has three witnesses who say that Prez's attack on the now half-blind kid was unprovoked. Foerster shrugs it off, saying that "people's idea of police brutality is whenever we win a fight." Daniels asks about the State's Attorney, and learns that he's sending it to a grand jury, though Reed says that since there won't be an indictment, the SA can look "clean" while passing the buck. Daniels is like, "What if they do indict?," but Burrell is confident that they won't, given the witnesses' extensive criminal histories. Valchek rouses himself long enough to offer, "Shitbirds throwing dirt at good police." Charming! Also, colourful. Burrell gets stern to tell Daniels to "rethink" whatever reasoning led him to send Prez et al to "do field interviews" at the Towers at 2 in the morning. Daniels looks like he has to throw up in his mouth a little before choking out a "Yes, sir." Burrell confirms that Daniels's cops have union counsel, and then Daniels asks that Prez be put on administrative leave until after the review of the case. Valchek rolls his whole head. Daniels says he can use Prez in the office, but that he shouldn't be on the street until after the grand jury. Valchek (mistypes of his name so far, by me? "Valcheck," "Valeckh," and "Valeck" -- damn, that shit's unintuitive!) defends Prez like a lioness, saying that the department's "official stance" should be that Prez did nothing wrong. I think they should try to make that the official stance, on the condition that Valchek has to be the one to sell it down at the Towers, walking around in a sandwich board with "Prez Did Nothing Wrong" all over it. "A fourteen-year-old is half-blind," grits Daniels. "Two of ours were injured as well," mumbles Foerster. Burrell, for some reason, leaves it up to Bobby, who backs up Daniels. Valchek is DISGUSTED!

Foerster and Reed take off, and Daniels is right there with him until Burrell calls him back; Valchek hasn't moved. Burrell asks Daniels frankly what actually happened at the Towers: "Did you know they were in the high-rises without backup?" Daniels looks pained as he sits down, and finally Marlas, "I tell you yes, I screwed up. I tell you no, I'm putting my men in the jackpot." I don't know about you, but I will not be buying a ticket in that lottery. "Do you still want me to answer?" Daniels asks Burrell. Apparently Valchek does (or so I gather from his beady-eyed stare), so Daniels mutters, "I screwed up." He's barely bitten off his line before Valchek cheers, "It's a good man that's willing to take one for the company." "To hell with the company," barks Daniels. "I'm defending my own people here. THAT'S ALL." Burrell smooths it over by saying he thinks Valchek means he's grateful that Daniels would extend his support to Prez. "Fuck-up that he is--" starts Valchek. "He should be off the street," Daniels insists. Valchek spins that Prez just needs "a little guidance. A little supervision." And enough self-esteem to keep him from blinding people just so the cool kids will like him. Burrell basically just laughs as he fills Daniels in on Valchek's idea to rehabilitate Prez's image by letting him start over with a new unit. Daniels is totally impassive as Valchek elaborates that he knows Prez screwed up, so he owes Daniels for walking Prez through the grand jury. Burrell adds that, as a show of gratitude, Valchek's district is sending the detail "two new unmarked units and a surveillance van." Daniels is like, "Great, a net gain of one car." Valchek also adds an offer of more manpower while Prez and Co. are being investigated. He gets up, putting out his hand for Daniels to shake -- which he does, confirming in front of a witness, "So I got suction with you, Valchek?" "That's what I'm saying," says Valchek cheerfully. That little bastard is the ugliest tit I ever saw. Once he's gone, Burrell ruefully calls Valchek "a necessary evil." "Is it insubordinate if I ask what's so necessary?" asks Daniels dryly.