Well, the interior is just as massive as the exterior, though I don’t think that in particular was a surprise to anyone. People bustled like worker ants, hurriedly making their way to whatever destination within the parliament awaited them. The high rise ceiling gave way to intricate gold patterns, spindly and frail but with an air of majesty resembling trellis vines. The sides of the enormous hallway are decorated with the same banners like the ones on the outside, albeit relatively smaller.

“Even in the heart of its operations, the Adlerschrank likes to remind it’s guests where they are, huh?” I comment. Schreißen chuckles.

“Well, the Imperial eagle is an important symbol of the Adlerschrank’s rule. So I suppose their headquarters would be no exception to this,” he responded, wearing a sort of half-smile.

Looking up to the ceiling and away from Schreißen, I started to wonder about something. Yeah, this building is amazing and all that, but how are we ever going to find our way to our Herrscher’s office in this maze-like place?

“Get lost, you dirty Schunger!” I hear an agitated voice shout. Snapping quickly to attention, I whipped my head around to see the sight of a man hunched over on the stairs to the entrance. 4 or 5 enforcers are looming over him. He clings to the pant leg of one of the enforcers.

“Please, I’m begging you, my sister is innocent! She’s done nothing! She’s only 9 years old, how could she commit such a crime?!” the hunched man cries to the indignant enforcer, tears streaming down his pale and dirtied face. The enforcer's face curls up into a vicious snarl. Jerking his leg away, he kicks the hunched man right in the jaw, causing him to spit up blood.

“Don’t touch me with your filthy hands, you damn subhuman! Or do you want to be shipped off like your sister?”

“Please, you have to believe me! How could that young of a child conspire against the Adlerschrank? She’s innocent, I swear! Take me if you must, but she’s just child! She’s done nothing to deserve this!” he desperately begs. The enforcer smirks.

“Well if you want to go off to Schutzfel that badly, I’ll gladly let you accompany your sister!” he cackled, as he grabbed the man by the collar.

What the hell? Who does this guy think he is, doing that sort of thing? In the halls of the Parliament, no less. And why…

Why is nobody doing anything?

I hear a snicker from the encircling crowd.

“A dirty Schunger? Serves him right,” I hear one say.

“What is he even thinking, showing his face here?” I hear another say.

“What can be expected of his kind? Being born wrong, what a tragedy,” one more chimes in.

“Do you think he’ll be shipped off for assault on an enforcer?” someone asks.

What is this? What is this? Assault? Didn’t he just get kicked in the jaw for grabbing a pant leg? If anything it’s the enforcer who should be punished for assaulting a civilian! And what’s all this talk of being shipped off? Shipped to where? A model officer like Schreißen should do something, right…?

I look back at him. But he doesn’t move a muscle. He only looks on, with a cloud drifting over his vision. Even Schreißen?

Am I the one who’s gone mad? Am I the only one who sees anything wrong with this? What am I missing here?

“Schreißen, we have to do something. Look at that man, he’s getting ganged up on and yet nobody is even budging,” I urgently say. He slowly moves his head to face me. After staring at me for a couple of seconds, his mouth slowly forms into a hollow smile.

"The members of the Opera house really are isolated huh…?” I stare at him, flabbergasted. What sort of response is that?

“No god no, please! Don’t do this, please! I only want my sister to be released!” I hear the man scream, as he slowly gets dragged away. The enforcer snorts.

“Oh trust me, I’ll take extra care to make sure you’re sent to Schutzfel. I’m sure your sister will be simply delighted to know that her big brother will be there with her.”

Outrageous. I swear I’m gonna put that bastard in his place. Just wait until I-

“Stop. Don’t do something reckless, especially not before your big day.” I hear Schreißen say behind me, putting his hand on my shoulder.

“But… but…!”

“Don’t,” he says in a dangerously low voice. Why is he being like this…?

Finally, I realize. He’s right. I can’t just charge in recklessly. Only an idiot would do that in this sort of situation. No, I won’t charge in…

“Hey, Schreißen. How much time until my scheduled meeting with our Herrscher?” I ask. He tilts his head at me.

“About 30 minutes. Why?” Suddenly, his eyes begin to widen. “No Dietrich, don’t do it!” he says, stricken with visible panic. But it’s too late for him to get in my way.

Walking in full stride towards the scene, the crowd practically parts before me. I approach the enforcer and tap his shoulder. “Hm?” he huffs out as he turns around. He looks rather displeased, doesn’t he? However, I hate trash and filth in any form, I simply cannot abide by its existence in my line of sight. His entire demeanour seems to shift drastically as he catches sight of my armband.

“Ah, hello there! A visitor perhaps? Please don’t mind the scene, I was simply cleaning the halls of the Parliament. I assure you that it isn’t normally like this.” he says with an excited grin on his face. Disgusting. I feel like I’m going to vomit. He reminds of that trash that sits in the seat of the Imperial Lordship.

However, this isn’t the time to show my true feelings. I must deal with this in a professional manner if I’m to move up in the ranks of the Adlerschrank. I paint on my most business-like smile.

“I understand that of course. Nuisances cannot be abided in the halls of the Parliament. I myself, am here to deliver a report to our Herrscher and it saddens me to see such degeneracy.” Murmurs ran through the crowd. The enforcer’s face lit up. Good! I apologize for using your name like this, my Herrscher, but it is all for the Adlerschrank that I do this. Hopefully, I can be forgiven.

“As expected of someone directly requested by our Herrscher, such perceptiveness! If you understand then, please allow me to escort these two subhumans off the premises,” he eagerly responds.

Tch. I’m pretty sure you’re the subhuman in this situation. And wait, two? What is he talking about? Glancing behind the other officers, I see a trembling little girl. Is that his little sister? I was given the impression that she had already been taken away. It’s definitely more convenient this way, though. Let’s not let up here.

“I understand that you’d like to escort them off the premises. However, I believe this would be a total waste of your time and resources. After all, why waste time sending them packing, when I could just easily dispose of them right here and now?” The brother’s eyes widened in horror.

“No, no, no, you can’t! We haven’t done anything wrong! Do you bastards hold anything sacred?!” he angrily yelled. The enforcer smirked.

“A man of action, huh? I like you. The Adlerschrank can never use enough enthusiastic followers. Alright then, I’ll let you deal with it, see some Schunger blood flow. However, I ask that you do it in the back. No need to dirty our halls with the blood of filth.” Perfect. The idiot fell right into the trap.

“Of course. I will dispose of them immediately,” I say as smoothly as I can. The brother glares daggers at me, tears streaming down his cheeks. He looks so terribly enraged, like an angry beast about to pounce on its prey, yet so much like a terrified child unable to see it’s encroaching fate. It’s a harrowing sight. It’ll all be over soon. It’ll all be over soon. It’ll definitely be over soon. I’m so close, I can’t mess up now.

I turn to Schreißen. He looks at me as if I’ve completely lost it.

“Sir Schreißen, would you so kindly assist me?” I continue maintaining my unflinching business smile. All the watchful gazes of the crowd shift towards him. He trembles.

“I would be happy to assist, Mr Dietrich,” he says with unwavering conviction, but doubt and fear paint the depths of his eyes. Approaching them, his grip locks around the brother’s restrained wrists. He puts up a mighty struggle, but his face goes pale as soon as I grab his sister. The brother goes completely still, but the hatred doesn’t leave his eyes.

“Well don’t just sit there, move it along!” I sternly yell at them. After watching us roughly drag the siblings along for a minute or two, the enforcer gives us a satisfied smirk and tells the crowd to buzz off, as he leaves to go wherever I assume the nearest trash heap is if he has any decency.

Lowering his voice, Schreißen furiously whispers to me.

“What the hell are you doing?! You could’ve just gotten us killed for being sympathizers!”

“Hush! You’ll blow our cover. And what do you mean by sympathizer? What was weirder than me stopping them, were the others not doing anything!” He looks at me, flabbergasted.

“You… you really don’t know anything do you?”

“Know what?” He shakes his head.

“Not now. Just forget it for now. I’ll tell you later.”

Exiting the side door that leads into a nearby alley, I carefully close the door behind me.

“Hold still,” I command the sister. Carefully clicking in the universal code onto the number lock on her neck collar, it snaps open. She stares at me, baffled. Then Schreißen and the brother do the same.

First, Schreißen.

“H-how did you do that? When did he tell you the code?” I smirked.

“He didn’t.”

“But then how..?” I cross my arms and puff up my chest.

“I did some service in the submarine corps before I started my work as a desk writer for the Opera house. Any half-decent submariner knows the Reichsmaschine’s universal code,” I say proudly. Well even though I’m being smug about it, my years as a submariner were hell. Definitely not worth the effort for some dumb code.

“Y-you’re not going to kill us?” I hear a voice ask. Turning my head over towards the source, I see the brother staring right at us. Schreißen scratches his head.

“Don’t look at me, he was the one who dragged me into this.”

The brother stares at me, seemingly awaiting an answer. W-what am I supposed to say? Clearing my throat, I do my best job at explaining myself.

“I won’t ask for much from you two. All I ask is that you disappear from here, without so much as of trace. I have no ulterior motive, I only hate the sight of trash trying to drag people down to their level. And no, I won’t kill you two. But perhaps if you’re ever around again, tell me about what got you into this situation in the first place.”

The brother gazes at me, with stars filling his eyes. Oh no, no, no, I know that look. Please don’t start expecting unreasonable things from me, I beg of you.

“I understand! I will take my sister with me and we shall flee. However, I won't forget this kindness you’ve shown us, not in my entire life! My name is Włodek Szczęsny and this is my little sister Kamila. Somehow I swear, I’ll find some way to repay you! Please, tell me your name, kind sir.”

“U-uh it’s Manfred. Manfred Dietrich. No middle name.” I stutter. Wait no, I’m not used to this much admiration, please stop.

Scooping up Kamila into his arms, Włodek looks at me earnestly.

“Although I am grateful, I cannot understand why someone like you would dedicate themselves towards something as vile as the Adlerschrank. I think you are being misled, my friend. I advise you to leave while you still have the chance.”

“I understand that you’ve had a bad experience with the Adlerschrank, but I can assure you, the whole organization isn’t like that. Those were just a couple of bad apples that slipped through, surely,” I tell him. Vile? The Adlerschrank was what pulled our nation out of poverty and ruin. They couldn’t possibly be.

Włodek sadly shakes his head.

“If that is what you believe my friend, then I won't try and change your mind.”

“What do you think you’ll do now? Those mooks don’t look like they enjoy your presence all that much.”

He looks at me, a haunting emptiness seeping into his gaze.

“My homeland of Zaplecza has already fallen to the Wiedervereinigung, my sister and I hunted out of our homeland after its military was disassembled by the Adlerschrank,” He says, gazing downwards sadly. “Truthfully, I know not where we’ll go, but anywhere is better than Graf Richter, the centre of all this madness.” There’s still something missing from all this, though. Why did this happen in the first place? From what little I could extract from that screaming match, the little sister committed some sort of conspiracy against the Adlerschrank.

However, I agree with Włodek. It seems utterly ridiculous for a 9-year old child to be able to conspire against the government.

“One more thing… why exactly did that Enforcer take your sister away?” I ask. He looks down, shaking his head.

“Don’t you know? It because… we’re Vurin”

Vurin? That can’t be. All those Vurin they’re… subhuman. They’re not like these people. They’re miserable scheming Vermin, not oppressed and pushed around like Włodek and Kamlia.

“But that’s-”

“Hey, hey, hey! If it isn’t the bigshot? How’s it going?” I hear a booming voice exclaim from behind me.

Shit. it’s Roter. Włodek nods, his tone becoming urgent.

“I will thank you one more time. May our paths cross again, so I may repay you. And may you free yourself from the grip of the Adlerschrank, my friend. Farewell and good luck.”. With these final words, Włodek and Kamila vanish into the twisting alleys of Graf Richter, as I hear Roter’s thundering footsteps approaching me from behind.

Zaplecza, huh? I guess I never really bothered to learn the names of the lowland countries, now that I think about it. I wonder what that says about me.