"That's Got His Own" is the 12th episode of the fourth season of the HBO original series The Wire. Written by George Pelecanos from a story by Ed Burns & George Pelecanos, and directed by Joe Chappelle, it originally aired on December 3, 2006.
Plot
Michael
Michael Lee flees from Stanfield enforcers Chris Partlow and Snoop, who are chasing him with guns drawn. He hides in an abandoned warehouse and surprises them. He tags both of them with what turns out to be paintballs and they are impressed at his progress. Chris asks him to explain the rationale behind his targeting and Michael explains that at a distance you aim low because of the possibility of a vest and at close range you aim for the head. Snoop is impressed, commenting that Michael is "learning."
School
Howard "Bunny" Colvin meets with his friend the Deacon to discuss the soon-to-be-axed special class program. Colvin explains that the school board is afraid to try anything with the current budget concerns. The Deacon offers to put him in touch with State Delegate Odell Watkins. The Deacon meets with Watkins as promised. Watkins recognizes Colvin's name from the Hamsterdam debacle and the Deacon ushers him in.
Mr. Pryzbylewski visits Randy Wagstaff at home with his foster mother, Miss Anna. Randy is still being kept at home because he is believed to be in danger as word has been spreading that he was working with the police. Prez delivers Randy's schoolwork and tells Miss Anna that he hopes the problem will not continue for much longer. She confides that they are thinking of switching schools to escape further difficulties. As he leaves, Prez notices an unmarked but conspicuous police car waiting further down the block.
In the morning, Prez meets with Assistant Principal Marcia Donnelly and tries to convince her that Duquan "Dukie" Weems is not ready for high school. She tells him that she has noticed the effort he has put into helping Dukie, but that he must not get too close to his students since they have to move on, and there are plenty more students coming into the system.
With the statewide exam closing in, both the special class and the normal classes are practicing test questions. Prez's class remains disruptive, but he is able to focus them on the material eventually. The special class is more resistant. Zenobia Dawson points out that she does not like answering questions about getting an allowance from a father when she has neither. Namond Brice tells the teacher that he feels cheated because his class is now the same as the other classes. Colvin and Dr. David Parenti share a concern that the test material does not speak to the students at all.
After class, Dukie confesses to Prez his own misgivings about moving up to high school. Prez tries to reassure him that he is ready and that he is welcome if he needs to come back at any time. Dukie walks home with Michael and continues to worry about going to high school. They find that Dukie and his family have been evicted, again. Michael offers Dukie a place to stay with him and his brother. Dukie returns for his last day at Edward Tilghman Middle School, where he wraps up work on a special assignment. As the final bell rings he looks dejected.
Major Crimes
Lester Freamon continues to search the area where he found the body of Curtis "Lex" Anderson in a vacant house. He has identified the type of nail used to seal the house as being indicative of further houses where bodies will be found, as H.C.D. uses screws to seal the vacant houses. Sergeant Jay Landsman arrives and orders Freamon to stop opening vacant houses because finding John Does at this stage in the year will destroy the homicide unit's clearance rate. Freamon is enraged and his partner Bunk Moreland tries to calm him.
Freamon's mood is lifted slightly when he returns to the detail office to watch Lieutenant Charles Marimow's departure. Thomas "Herc" Hauk is overjoyed to see the back of the lieutenant, telling the other detectives that Marimow had planned to ruin his career, but instead Marimow was the one forced out of the unit. Freamon asks Detective Sydnor to restart surveillance of Stanfield's people, and dispatches Detective Dozerman to city hall to look at high-value property sales and to check for luxury car purchases. He asks Herc to begin work on requisitioning back their wiretap equipment while Freamon will be at the missing persons department to search for Stanfield murder targets. Herc pulls Freamon to one side and asks if he can give the direction as he is the sergeant; Freamon acknowledges the question but does not respond.