On May 3, 1945, and after being kicked awake by Soviet soldiers early in the morning and put under arrest, Karl Veth is trying to figure out how the Soviets found him and what they want with him. The day before, after hearing the announcement that Berlin had surrendered, Karl and his friend Harold had left their shelter in the subway tunnels where they had spent the last few days leading up to the fall of Berlin. As members of the Hitler Jugend (Hitler Youth), the two 14 year old boys had been ordered to fight to the death, however, they chose to ignore those orders and live.
After being transported to an interrogation center and brought before a Russian political Kommissar, Karl soon finds the answers to his questions. Once again, he is going to be used by a high-ranking official due to his unique knowledge of the Berlin subway system. He must agree to help the Kommissar or risk being shipped off to the Russian labor camps along with the rest of the German prisoners. When Karl learns that Harold has also been arrested and given the same choice, the two boys agree to assist the Kommissar.
In the days that follow, Karl and Harold work with the Kommissar and successfully complete the missions they are assigned. When the last mission is completed, Karl hopes to be released by the Kommissar so he can search for his family. Unfortunately, the final mission ends with a twist and Karl is once again forced to make a life or death decision. This time, however, the life hanging in the balance is not his own, but that of someone very close to him. To save the life of the person he holds dear, Karl must decide whether or not he will follow orders and do the one thing he has never done before - take the life of another.
If you missed the first book in the series, be sure to check out Loyal To A Degree.