1952. A warrant for the arrest of the communist Pavel Pavlov has been issued. The examining magistrate Nikolov goes to the prosecutor Miladin Voynov to get his signature and obtain formal approval of the arrest. Voynov has signed many such warrants. In this case, it concerns someone very close: he and Pavel have been friends since childhood and comrades-in-arms in the partisan brigade. Miladin hesitates but signs the document. The two officials leave for the office to have the warrant stamped. On the way, the prosecutor visualizes different situations: the magistrate suggesting to Pavel's mother that she should renounce her son; the detained Pavel accusing the prosecutor of illegalities; the prosecutor killing the magistrate; the prosecutor in the dock, bearing the dead men's features and facing the magistrate; the prosecutor committing suicide and attending his own funeral. While imaging all this Voynov makes an effort to avoid involvement in the case. He tries to persuade the magistrate to find another prosecutor, invites him to go for a stroll in the wood so that they both can have more time to think matters over. Finally, the two enter the office. The prosecutor takes out the rubber stamp but in the last moment changes his mind and tears warrant up.