Gunter Vogler, a vicious criminal, is betrayed and left for dead, only to be recruited by the police, who want to use him against the mob. Given a badge and authority, Vogler becomes even more dangerous and out of control.

Vogler and Hagerman investigate a series of apparent suicides by priests, uncovering a conspiracy involving a dentist-hitman and gangsters who are hiding out in churches.

A teenager goes on a violent rampage and kills several people, impressing Vogler. Vogler encourages the boy to embrace his dark side, but Vogler then must defuse a hostage situation at the school when it turns out that a new drug is the cause of the violence in the city. Vogler is shot in the face again during the hostage crisis, which drives him even further into madness.

Vogler confronts Racken, exposes some dirty cops, and attempts to figure out Martine's plans. Martine has convinced Tannhäuser, Racken, and Vogler that each man is the father of her baby, and has even married Racken while living under a false identity. More curious than anything else, Vogler does not expose Martine to Racken.

Vogler and Hagerman fight a group of prostitutes who are knocking off gangsters and inflaming tensions in the underworld. Racken and Tannhäuser, convinced that each other are behind the attacks, declare war, threatening to destroy the entire city.