WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 2, Episode 15, "Takeover," which aired Thursday, March 10 on NBC.
Detective Elliot Stabler is out for a head-clearing jog, his mind replaying his current temporary suspension. He meets with his new friend, Frank Donnelly, who promises to be a cop friend who has his back. He shows Stabler a clip of Sgt. Ayana Bell saying that Stabler's future is out of her hands but is not indispensable as Donnelly flippantly refers to her as "that black chick." Stabler then surprises Bell as she heads to a meeting with Sgt. Brewster. He shouts at her, accusing her of throwing him under the bus. She is upset with him and says he's too old-school of a cop. Thankfully, Captain Olivia Benson comes in just as tensions flare. She happens to have a meeting there with McGrath, and Stabler has a lovely outburst and asks her to talk to McGrath about his suspension. Liv, used to his ways, says McGrath is more likely to extend the suspension after this pleasant tantrum.
So Stabler does the most logical thing and gets drunk at a bar with Donnelly and his close cop clique. They disparage the department for how they're treating Stabler, i.e. him finally facing consequences for his actions. Stabler plays it up that he loves it, upping the shots and the partying.
Benson meets with Bell and they discuss a certain priority: Stabler, who walks in. "That was uncomfortable," Benson muses. But did Donnelly buy it? Stabler wagers he did and it all comes out: Stabler is undercover as a version of himself to investigate Donnelly, who is suspected of taking bribes from the Marcy Killers. Elliot worries his dad would disapprove of what he's doing since he and Donnelly's dad were buddies. Liv reassures him, as his friend, that he's doing the right thing. He asks her, then, if as her friend, he can take her and Noah out to lunch. She touches his chest, gives a little wink and says they should wait before giving a flirty look and leaving. He's still undercover after all -- as Elliot Stabler.
Meanwhile, corrupt Congressman Kilbride is putting on a photo opp, donating laptops to school kids. Nova, his assistant and also an undercover cop, tells him there's a problem at the warehouse. A member of his gang, Chopper, is thinking about leaving and starting his own gang. Kilbride tells him the Colombians and Albanians (flashback to the Kosta Organization and Stabler's Eddie Wagner days) report only to him so he runs this town now, exclusively. Bell debriefs her squad on Kilbride's crimes and connections -- it's time to start surveilling him. Build a record and then they can make their moves.
Donnelly and Stabler watch a game at Stabler's apartment as Elliott takes a fake call from Bell and Jet about him being past due on his bills. Donnelly's ears prick up and Elliot says his kids' school is bugging him about tuition. The constant ringing of the "bill collectors" bugs Donnelly and he suggests they watch the game at his place instead. Stabler and Donnelly bond over having five-plus kids, while Donnelly complains about the alimony and child support. He then shows Elliot his fancy sports car and they have a bonding moment driving around.
Donnelly says the whole world hates cops now because of cell phones, and obviously not for the violence those cell phones capture. He gets a call, then, and tells Stabler his dad always liked his dad, and he's hoping the Stabler apple didn't fall far from the tree. Donnelly leaves Stabler in the car as he enters a ransacked house. Another cop is there and they conspire to take the drug money but not to get greedy so no one gets suspicious. Stabler appears in the doorway and insinuates that a bribe will get him on board, so Donnelly happily tosses him two stacks of cash. Elliot's living his dream life again as a work-related shady member of society.
Meanwhile, Nova attends church for her brother Derick's sermon and sees Preston Webb, an associate of Kilbride enter. Learning she's the pastor's sister, he gives her a suspicious look. Could her cover be blown?
Stabler reports back to Bell how Donnelly and the responding officer casually robbed the crime scene in broad daylight. But it's not only Bell who knows about this, now; a member of Kilbride's gang was watching and he reports the incident to Preston of two "January 6th looking dudes" following in a cop and cleaning out the house of the Marcy cash. Stabler identifies members of Donnelly's crew and notices a matching group tattoo that is a metaphor for a code of silence. Donnelly's more than corrupt -- he's the leader of a corrupt cop gang.
Preston and Nova attend a celebratory Marcy Killers dinner, toasting to the fall of the Italians and the Albanians and going over the history of the gang. But it's more than a celebratory dinner, it's a Red Wedding as Preston consolidates the current structure and takes power away from branches of the gang while promoting Nova to his direct report. All members now report directly to her. When trouble-making Chopper objects, Preston drives a knife right through his hand. Nova's promotion within the gang worries Bell, as it's more than they planned on. But Nova is determined and wants to take them down, asking Bell to trust her.
Preston then meets his wife at the hospital for the birth of their grandson. She notices the blood on his shirt and tells him essentially that she'll kill Chopper herself next time. That night, Elliot is introduced to Donnelly's friend/one of his shady income sources, Smoke, who hands over stacks of cash in exchange for ongoing police nonchalance when it comes to his proclivities.
Preston then pulls up, saying there was an unfortunate happening at one of his stash houses and accuses one of Donnelly's men of taking the cash. Frank protests (lies) as Preston says that if it was one of Preston's guys, the tentative brotherhood peace between the Marcy Killers and Donnelly's cops is over and there will be bloodshed. Stabler asks about the brotherhood and Donnelly says they have each other's backs and take opportunities for extra income as they present. Stabler says they sound like a gang but Frank shakes his head.
Bell and her wife, Denise, attend a Congressman Kilbride event at Preston's wife's gallery. Preston takes to the mike to drum up donations before introducing Bell to his wife. Kilbride talks up Bell, saying she's on track for great political things. Then, Preston is pulled away and learns that it was indeed Donnelly himself who stole from them. He orders his men to strike back and make sure they know it was the Marcy Killers.
Meanwhile, Donnelly meets with his not-a-gang and rails them for stealing from Preston Webb's house and that they should've known better. Donnelly asks Stabler what he thinks, and shady-Stabler says it's better to do nothing and just enjoy the cash, winning approval from the definitely-a-gang-of-cops, not knowing the Marcy Gang has just included him in their bounty. As Donnelly prepares to drive Smoke back to his helicopter, he's held up by Marcy Killers at gunpoint but Elliot is too quick and grabs the gun from them. They're saved -- for now. But there's no rage like a Marcy Killer scorned. Elliot loves it, laughing his unhinged little giggle with Donnelly. His quick thinking to save Donnelly has proven him worthy and he gets a real invitation to the not-a-gang-but-definitely-a-gang and gets his not-a-gang tattoo. He is, for all intents and purposes, one of them now.
New episodes of Law & Order: Organized Crime air Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.