Now that he thought about it. Captain Durante realized he had been awake for three hours past midnight. As he walked into the room where he would meet with the German captain, he was completely tired before a British officer got in his way. "Colonel Strudwick, what brings you here?" He asked. "I thought you said that you would let me take care of the Germans."

Colonel Strudwick looked around as if he didn't desired to be watched. After he scanned the area, he spoke with the American. "Captain Derby gave me a report about what happened last night when you all fought that Grimm. I find it disturbing that you would survive when you shouldn't have. Care for an explanation?"

Monte shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. I am just as befuddled as you and Kurt. I don't know why that happened and how I survived that."

"I will see to it that we discuss it with someone who might be more knowledgeable than both of us. He might explain it and figure out what happened." He replied as the door was about to be unlocked from the other side of the room. "We will discuss this later, understood?"

"Yes sir."

Colonel Strudwick left the room where Monte came through as the door on the other side swung open. The first to enter the room was General Ironwood of the Atlas Military. Despite the fact that he didn't participate in the war along with the Allies or the Germans, he was a third party that would oversee how the situation went between officers of two different armies.

The next person who followed suit was Captain Derby as he walked over to his side and took a seat besides Durante as he yawned. "Morning Monte." He began.

"Morning." Replied Monte as the last person to walk into the room was Captain Berger of that small group of Germans holed up in that camp.

The German took his seat across a table from the two American officers while General Ironwood stepped aside and watched the scene from a distance.

Then Captain Durante gave his hand out to the German. "Good morning, Captain Berger."

The Wehrmacht officer shook his hand as he gave a smile to him. "Likewise, Captain Durante." After the handshake was over, he placed his hands in his laps. "Is it true?" He asked. "Germany was defeated while I was away?"

"Yes, the Soviets reached Berlin while the rest of the Allies swept up the remains of Germany from the west." Answered the American. "I hate to say it, but the war is over for the Germans. Unless you want to fight us, I wouldn't really recommend it."

Captain Berger lowered his head and sighed. "I wonder, what will happen when there are no more wars for both of us?" He asked. "When we are sitting at home, reading a book about the events that transpired for both sides during the war."

"All I can say is that we both did our best to win a world war. It's just that you guys lost."

Berger raised his head to the same level of the Americans as a tear dropped from his eyes. "It is a sad day to tell my men that what they had fought for was just not worth the effort if this was to happen. To tell them that their efforts to become part of something great was simply a lie all because we desired to be heroes. Now, I wonder what the world will make of us."

"I don't know. Depends on how much they hate you and last time I remembered, you were short on everything except enemies."

The young man tried to smile. "Yes, that is true." Then the captain reached down into his holster as he placed his Luger on the table. "I take that you all desire us to surrender everything to you."

Captain Durante acknowledged with a nod. "Yes. Though, you are not going to be giving your weapons to us. You are going to do it when you get to the base camp."

"The base camp?"

"It's an established outpost for all Allied forces. You are going to disarm your men there since the Grimm are still running around and I don't want dead prisoners of war on my hands all because I refused to arm them when they were under attack."

"I see." Then he slid the gun over the Americans. "Please accept this as my form of surrender. I prefer it was in the hands of an officer than that of a clerk."

The American captain grabbed the pistol off the table as he inspected the weapon itself. After he finished, he looked back to the German officer as he pulled out his sidearm from his holster. "Captain Berger, take this as my form of respect to you and your men." He added as he slid the Colt. 45 across the table.

When the German was given the pistol, he slid the weapon into his holster as he began rise from his seat. A smile fell upon his face as he saluted both American officers across from him.

Captain Durante and Captain Derby followed his lead as they both returned the same respectful gesture to the German.

After the salutes were finished, Captain Durante glanced over to Derby. "Kurt, take him back to his men."

The old officer walked to him with a smile on his lips. "Follow me, son." He began as he brought the German officer out of the room.

As Captain Durante holstered his newly acquired sidearm, General Ironwood spoke up. "I have to ask. What was so important about that exchange between sidearms?" He asked. "I don't understand why you did that?"

Durante looked to the general as he found a reasoning. "General, an officer cannot walk around with an empty holster. It's an officer thing in our world that we must have at all times. Otherwise, we might give an impression that we are terrible officers in general." He answered. "I guess he knew that we value their Lugers as much as they did."

"That is very strange."

"When I first heard that from Derby. I found it strange, indeed." Then he began to make his way out of the room. "Have a good morning, general."

General Ironwood found himself standing in front of the door of Colonel Strudwick's office as he raised his hand and knocked on the door. "Hello, it this is General Ironwood." He began.

A voice on the other side had spoken up. "General, you may come in."

The general unlocked the door as he stepped into the room, only to find Colonel Strudwick looking out of the window as he leaned on his cane.

"What business did you bring to me?" He asked.

"Colonel, I wish to have a cultural exchange between our worlds." Answered Ironwood.

The colonel turned away from the window as he stared at him with his only eye. "You want someone to be in our world?" He asked. "I thought you were never interested."

"I'm not, but some friends in politics have pressured me to ask you if you would be fine if I sent my students from Atlas Academy into your world to experience something different."

"Well, I approve."

Ironwood gave a confused expression. "You hold no objections to my request."

A smile fell upon Strudwick's lips. "It is moments such as these that will lead to tensions between people and in some cases, war. After what this war has done to me, I refuse to let Remnant experience one that I have participated in. This is a better alternative than dealing with outrage and distrust. Have you prepared your students?"

"Yes."

"Then please inform Captain Edwards of Baker Company. Since his men are close with the students, I think it would be safe for your students to trust them."

"I'll send you a schedule list as soon as I can."

Captain Durante was about to find his bedroom in the hotel, only to be confronted by the very same Soviet officer that rescued him in the snow of Atlas. "Captain Kuznetsov, it is good to see you again."

The Soviet grimaced after his words before he stepped forward. "Captain Durante, I do not wish to take too much of your time. I just want to know what happened to him."

The American sighed. "Your brother and I were fighting together back in Germany to stamp out the remains of German resistance. Turns out, there was more than that." He stated. "We were fighting monsters, but that didn't kill your brother."

"Then what did?"

"It's the reason why I'm here, to find the people responsible for your brother's death."

"Then tell me, how did he die?"

"Captain, he was killed by an arrow… right next to me."

The Soviet shook his head in disbelief. "My brother is dead because of a fucking arrow?"

"I know how you feel, but let me assure you that I am here to find the people responsible. If it grants you any comfort, you will be the first to know."

Captain Kuznetsov shook his head. "Why would you do this for a Soviet?"

A small smile was on his lips. "Despite the fact that my mother supported the White Army and my family was killed by the Reds, we both fought tooth and nail against the Germans. I can set aside my views on what you people did against my family and what we both did to stop the Germans."

"Your family supported the Whites, I am surprised to hear that." Stated the Soviet. "Out of curiosity, what was your family?"

Captain Durante sighed. "I'm from the Bezukhov family, if that rings any bells."

"Nobility? So you fought the Germans alongside the Americans?" He asked.

"Nyet, I'm not longer nobility because my father is American."

"I see, but it's good to know that even our Russian brethren, who do not support our ways, still help us."

Monte acknowledged his statement with a nod. "Captain Kuznetsov, I hope I answered some of your questions about your brother."

"That, you did. Thank you for telling me. Just find those people and end them."