"Alliances" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the HBO original series The Wire. Written by Ed Burns with a story by David Simon & Ed Burns, and directed by David Platt, it originally aired on October 8, 2006. Plot Dukie, Randy, Namond, Michael, Donut and Kenard discuss Lex's disappearance. Namond, Donut, and Kenard believe that Partlow is turning his victims into zombies. At school, Prez offers prizes to students who exhibit good behavior, while the most disruptive students get detention. Prez gives Michael and Namond detention for not attempting their work, and sends Namond to the office when he swears at Prez. Colvin believes the students in the school can be split into two broad groups: the better-behaved "stoop kids" and the disruptive, street-acclimated "corner kids". Colvin believes that by accepting the latter into Parenti's in-school program, both groups could do better. After discussion with Grace Sampson and Dr. Parenti, Sampson suggests that the key is coming up with a program to benefit the corner kids. They encounter Namond in the halls on his way to the office and he swears at Parenti. Donnelly suggests that Colvin and Parenti begin with ten children. Prez learns that Michael cannot make detention since he needs to walk Bug home, and tells him to talk to him if he is unable to make detention. Prez gives Dukie some of his lunch and a hall pass and change to get something to drink. When Dukie leaves the room, Crystal explains that Dukie is not wearing the new clothes Prez gave him because his family steals his possessions and sells them for drug money. After school, Randy talks to Dukie about his fears of Partlow coming for him and confesses his role in Lex's murder. Dukie tries to convince Randy that Partlow is simply murdering his victims in the vacant rowhouses, explaining that he saw one killing from his bedroom window. Dukie takes Michael and Randy to one of the vacant buildings Partlow has used and shows them a body interred there. Randy is forced to face up to Partlow's victims being truly dead. Politics Major Stan Valchek visits Tommy Carcetti at his campaign offices. He gives Carcetti the news of Detective Norris being reassigned from the murdered witness case and replaced with homicide rookie Kima Greggs. After Valchek leaves, Carcetti discusses how to use the information with Norman Wilson and Theresa