When he's awakened at 2am by a phone call from his former partner's wife, Sergeant Shane Scully rushes to the aid of the battered woman. He's met with a scene of domestic abuse, and though Scully does his best to calm the enraged Lt. Raymond "Steeltooth" Molar, he's ultimately forced to kill his ex-partner. Although this should be a relatively open-and-shut case of self-defense, Molar was one of the most beloved and highly decorated officers on the force. Now Scully's not only receiving threats from his fellow cops; he's also become the target of the Internal Affairs Division -- called the Tin Collectors because of all the badges they've taken and all the careers they've ruined.