It was a slow day, as they often were, and Voigt was getting bored of it. It was Saturday and work was slow.

In his office, he kept little in the way of entertainment. As much as anything he thought this set a good example. But he lived with the effects of it nonetheless. If he was truly bored, the most he would do was go out the back for a smoke when he knew nobody would care, like near the end of a working day or on Sunday mornings when the station emptied out as most of the officers went to mass. It's where he was now, dragging his cigarette to its end and flicking it away.

Shunting open the heavy back door, he did his tie back up and buttoned his tunic on the way along the shining corridor back to the center of the building. Now back at work, he dusted his hands off and occupied his mind with what would need to be done over the next week until he was interrupted. It was the sound of rapid footsteps from behind him. Wheeling around he saw the receptionist. A young officer called Rudi who looked a little short of breath.

'Were you asked to leave your desk?' He tutted. 'It's just past midday, we might still have people coming in-'

'It's men for you, Kommissar. To see you, I mean.'

'What men? I have no appointments today.'

'From the state, Kommissar.' Voigt pursed his lips.

'Where are they now?'

'In your office. They directed themselves there. I insisted that they wait-'

'It's no matter, thank you, Rudi.'

Rudi nodded as Voigt slid past him, walking briskly. As he made it outside his office door, he stopped. It was ajar. He listened for voices, but the room was silent. He entered.

Indeed, two men were sitting in the chairs in front of his desk. One younger, with blonde hair and a navy blue suit. He turned to look at Voigt first, smiling. The second was an older man in a darker suit with grey-black hair and sharp features. Both sat up straight and stood as Voigt entered the room. The blonde one spoke first.

'Apologies for our brashness, Kommissar, but we're here at short notice. I'm Herr Hoffman and this is Herr Schwarz. We're from the interior ministry.'

Hoffman extended his hand, which Voigt shook before sidling up to his desk and sitting.

'Gentlemen, I'm surprised we weren't informed of your visit.' Voigt chuckled. 'If I had known you were coming I would have prepared for an appointment in advance, but I suppose you are here urgently so that is of no matter. I just wonder what brings you here so urgently. The last time we had any wartime disturbance was months ago, and these men who have recently arrived from the front have been well-behaved in compliance with the expansion of the reserve.' He smiled. 'If any such instances were noticed, they would be run up to central as soon as possible by me personally.'

Hoffman and Schwarz both smiled back through Voigt's assurances.

'We're not doubting any of that, Kommissar. And we're glad things are in order here. But we're on specific business.' Schwarz said, leaning forward and folding his arms out. 'It's regarding an individual.'

Voigt pulled his chair closer to his desk and clasped his hands together.

'What kind of individual? A fugitive from across the border? I suspect not a spy, else I feel I would've been visited by the zverdeckte Behörden.' He laughed. 'Whoever they are, if they are in need of finding then we can take to that as soon as possible. Any business of yours is business of ours.'

'They're not a criminal per se, just a person of interest.' Schwarz stood up, walking over to the office's small window and gazing out with his hands clasped at his back.

'To the interior ministry? I'm a little surprised such a person is all the way up here.'

'It wouldn't be the first time.' Hoffman said. 'Right?'

Voigt cocked his head.

'Yes, that's right. We did bring someone in who ended up being questioned by your ministry. They were a renter at the edge of town. Claimed she didn't have anything to do with the enemy or the war effort, but it had been wired in that there were strong enough pretenses and my men had the authority to act.'

'Was she much difficulty?' Schwarz said.

'She wouldn't let her story go but it wasn't as if she was uncooperative. It ended up that one of my men took her to be collected by your officials outside of town. I feel it's a shame when someone who may as well be innocent can't bring themselves to confess. She seemed a decent person otherwise.'

Schwarz turned around. Voigt had sat back in his chair.

'Sounds like a thing of trust to me. A treasured commodity since the chancellery became occupied all those years ago and since the first bodies fell in triumph at the time of our nation's rebirth.'

Voigt smiled. Schwarz was a good talker. Many state suits had something to say about the war, about the struggle. It was music to his ears.

'What are you saying? Someone like that may still be dangerous?'

'Not dangerous.' Hoffman said. 'Just...'

'Belligerent.' Schwarz said.

'The friendliest are the fiercest, are they not?' Voigt grinned. 'Well, if that's the case and you intend on bringing this person in yourselves, I insist on coming with you.'

Hoffman glanced at Schwarz, concern spreading across his face.

'We appreciate the gesture but would hate to appear intrusive in your community by dragging the Kommissar around brashly. Besides, it's prudent for us not to draw too much outside attention to an investigation like this. Even just being from our ministry and exercising wartime detainment can prompt questions. It's best we keep this quiet.' He said, smiling.

'Community can come second.' Voigt stood, tugging at his tie. 'Let me change out of all this and into civilian clothes, I won't be recognized from afar. If your individual is considering belligerence, putting my face to their detention might stop them trying anything stupid.' He began moving towards the door. 'Besides, I'm guessing you need to know where this person is. Do they have a name?'

Almost bolting up from his seat, Schwarz held a hand out in front of Voigt.

'We'll get to that, but we do appreciate your help.' He smiled. 'You're obviously quite ready to take swift action in service of the state.'

Voigt stopped, and Schwarz lowered his hand.

'It's my job. And we're still at war, aren't we? Regardless of what happens in Dresden, and whatever your bosses are put to do, every action we take as Germans today should serve the state. That's how we win.'

'Winning this war is all that matters. No matter the how or the when.' Schwarz rolled his shoulders, his breath languishing on Voigt's face as he spoke. 'Every action swift and bold.'

Voigt's expression suddenly became severe.

'How do you know those words?' He said. But no sooner had he blurted it out, his face had dropped.

He stepped away from Schwarz, his fists balled. The otherwise immaculate commissioner seemed to be bouldered up in his own shock. Schwarz clasped his hands behind his back, a proprietary grin crossing his face.

'Yes, I'm sure those guys in Normandy whom you and your men dealt with so viciously were just as adamant on winning as all of us are. I've read even the Wehrmacht commander who subsumed your position was shocked that just a half company of Panzergrenadiers could cause such a mess.'

Schwarz walked over to a shelf aside from Voigt's desk. On it were a few framed pictures and other trinkets related to Bergwand and the police precinct. One was of all of the officers grouped together outside the station, with Voigt in the middle. Schwarz picked it up and looked it over.

'There are many things which are withheld from people, Kommissar. To a lot of people, it's unfair, conspiratorial. The whole truth obscured obscures more than itself. Some believe it hides their oppression, others their freedom. But as I'm sure you know.' He placed the photo back down, turning back up to face Voigt. 'There is always a reason.'

Hoffman had stood, his hands folded in front of him.

'And it's not personal, Herr Voigt.' He said.

'Not at all.' Schwarz said, raising his eyebrows. 'But it's just best for everyone that you leave this case to us. You need not speak of it, or ever think of it again. Nothing will be brought against you. Your individual will come with us, and we will clear up any hanging threads.' He smiled one last time. 'But we do need Herr Qrow's location if you wouldn't mind. We have the building, we just need the number of Herr Lehmann's apartment'

Voigt, still standing, breathed profoundly and clasped his hands behind his back.

'It's on the first floor, apartment number four. I wish you luck.'

His voice was glum and his shoulders hung low. Sitting back at his desk, he folded his arms.

'Thank you. Good day, Kommissar.' Hoffman said.

Hoffman began heading towards the door, turning and waiting for Schwarz to follow him. Schwarz lingered in front of Voigt's desk. His fingers playing at the buttons on his jacket, he reached up to an inside pocket and pulled something out. Placing it on the desk, he slid it up to Voight, whose eyes followed

'Good day.' Schwarz said.

He turned to Hoffman, and both men left the room, the door drifting shut behind them. Voigt picked up the Polaroid and gingerly flipped it over in his hand. On it, in bright and visceral color repainted from black and white was perfectly clear scene. Poised in the bottom of the square was a mound. A pile of dead mas and twisted, broken flesh among grey and muddy clothes with streaks of bright skin muddled in between and stacked haphazardly together. Only a small part of it was visible in the shot. Above the carnage was a metal surface, the side of a vehicle. On it were painted three words in bright red with juddered brushstrokes: 'Swift and bold.'