Rawls tries to pawn off the shipyard investigation to another jurisdiction after McNulty sends it his way. Wee-Bey is harassed by a prison guard and tells Avon. Valcheck goes after Sobotka and his union with a little help from above. Bunk, Freamon and Russell end up having to track a container ship to Philadelphia.
After the case gets dumped back in Russell's lap, McNulty offers to help her out, ensuring that it boomerangs back to Rawls. He knows it will tick him off, but at least he can get back at him for forcing him to go on the boat. Soon the cases are given to Bunk and Lester. The two are ready to kill McNulty after Landsman puts the fourteen whodunits under their names on the Board and forces them to work with Russell in solving the case. ..