Quid Pro Quo

based on photo prompt 16 and a sequel of sorts to "The Safecracker Suite," and "Operation Briefcase."

story cover image courtesy of Katbybee

There were two possible outcomes to this conversation. Klink would either break down and cry, or he would throw up. Neither one appealed to the Kommandant, who surprisingly, still had some dignity.

This is all General Burkhalter's fault, Klink thought. Somehow, he managed to compose himself to the point that he remained standing and did not have to run to the bathroom.

"Klink…Klink…Are you listening to me?"

"Yes…yes…General. Of course, my Stalag is your Stalag. If you wish to hide here…" Klink let out some nervous laughter. "Who am I to say no?"

"I advise you don't say no." Burkhalter stepped closer to his subordinate. "I have heard through sources I won't reveal that your name has come up."

Klink squeaked, backed into a chair, and flopped down with a large thud. He then put his head in his hands. "I thought the list was destroyed," he mumbled. "Hogan assured…"

Burkhalter leaned over, his face coming within millimeters of Klink's. Klink noticed the general's breath smelled oddly of curry. "List, what list? And what does Hogan have to do with this?" Burkhalter demanded.

Now frightened to the point that his mouth resembled a tap with no shut-off valve, Klink blabbed. "There is no list, General. I swear. Well, not anymore. The only copy was destroyed. It had both our names on it; plus Kronman gave it to me."

"Major Kronman is no longer with us, Klink. Don't you understand? It doesn't matter that the list was destroyed. Everyone is suspect now. I've managed to elude them so far, but eventually they will catch up. I need to hide here until I figure out what to do next."

'"I don't look good in piano wire," Klink sobbed.

"You said Hogan had something to do with that list." Burkhalter paced back and forth while he thought. "Hogan is smart." He turned and walked over to the chair. "Have Hogan come here. He may be the key to surviving this."

HhHhH

It had been several weeks since the failure of the plot to assassinate Hitler. Not only was an Allied operative dead, the general carrying the briefcase, plus countless others, guilty or innocent, were swept up in raids all across the country. Most were either dead, almost dead, or dying. The hope that the war would be shortened with the death of the Fuhrer was now lost, and the prisoners' morale was at a low point.

Schultz found a morose group of POWs playing cards when he went over to the barracks to fetch Hogan.

"Colonel Hogan. The big-shot wants to see you."

"To talk to General Burkhalter," Hogan replied as he followed Schultz to the door.

"Yes. To talk to General….Wait, how did you know the General is here? That is a big secret,'" he whispered to Hogan.

"Well Burkhalter is a big general. Like you big guy." Hogan patted Schultz's stomach. "I assume the big general has some big questions, and some big news."

Schultz opened his mouth, thought better of speaking, and closed it shut. He walked with Hogan across the compound and into the office and announced him.

"Thanks, Schultz," Hogan said.

"General. Kommandant." Hogan saluted the two Germans, who didn't bother to return the courtesy.

"Sergeant, leave us alone," ordered Burkhalter. "Shut the door and leave the building."

Once Hogan was settled comfortably in the chair with one of the Kommandant's cigars and a glass of sherry, he leaned back, crossed his legs and said, "I'm all ears."

"Hogan, what I am about to tell you…if this leaves this room, you will be shot, all your men will be shot, and we will take away all privileges."

Hogan tilted his head. "In that order, General? I think you're a bit mixed up. With all due respect of course."

"Hogaaan!" Klink said. He was now standing beside the desk, while Burkhalter had his seat.

"Let me guess. This has something to do with the failed assassination attempt on old bubblehead. You know, it was a good idea, although the plot execution needed work. Too bad you and your generals didn't do this in, say, 1933?"

Burkhalter ignored Hogan's snark, but he leaned forward and nodded. "I need to get out of the country," he stated.

"Uh huh." Hogan took a puff of the cigar. "Tell me. Why is the general in charge of Luftwaffe POW camps hiding out in a Luftwaffe POW camp?"

"Yes, General. Why?" This came out of Klink's mouth as a cross between a whine and a cough.

"It should be obvious. Where is the first place I would hide? In a POW camp with one of my loyal kommandants. So, given my savvy intellect and experience, that would be the last place the SS and Gestapo would think I would hide. They would waste their time looking in the camps. So that's why I'm hiding here."

"That almost makes sense," Hogan said. 'But why him?" he pointed at Klink. "Besides the fact that I'm here, and you're asking for my help."

"How can he be a suspect? He's too much of a coward."

Klink began to perk up. "Coward. Yes."

"And too stupid."

"Well, I…"

"Shut-up, Klink."

"I'll shut-up." Klink leaned against the wall and removed his monocle. He cleaned it and put it back in his eye.

"What about your wife, family; more distant relatives, etcetra?" Hogan asked.

"All in Switzerland."

Hogan nodded. "So, even if I wanted to help, what makes you think I can, General? I'm just a prisoner. What can I possibly do?"

"Well, apparently you helped Klink out several months ago."

Hogan looked over at Klink. What an idiot. "I did," he admitted, as there was no use denying it. The caper and their part in it didn't reveal anything about the operation, so he felt safe at this point.

"You will help, Hogan," Burkhalter stated. "I know up to now, you haven't been caught. But, Major Hochstetter is not stupid. There are too many odd things happening in this camp and in this district. You may or may not be involved. However, I could order a complete and thorough investigation, plus I could raze the camp and break up the group of men you have here. You'd all be transferred to multiple camps. So, I suggest you do your best to cooperate."

Hogan attempted to settle the butterflies in his stomach. "You'd be caught and executed, then."

"Well, that would be unfortunate. But, this situation is...I would call it…what's that phrase? A quid pro quo. Besides, everyone knows prisoners manage to cobble together a radio. We've confiscated some with transmitters. I bet you have something of the sort hidden somewhere in camp."

"Is that true, Hogan?"

"Why would I tell you, Kommandant? All right, General. Let me think this over."

"You have until morning," Burkhalter replied.

HhHhH

The hut was a madhouse when Hogan returned. All of the residents were listening in on the conversation, and they were all talking at once.

"All right," Hogan said as he quieted everyone down. "We have until morning to make a decision. Which leads me to believe Burkhalter may be on the level. He could be giving us time to make arrangements. But, I'm willing to hear you all out. One at a time. Kinch? You first."

"Could still be a trap, Colonel."

"Could be. But Burkhalter was on that list. Kinch, check in with London and see if you can have them verify if his family is in Switzerland. Let them know what's going on here and get their take."

As Kinch disappeared into the tunnels, Hogan listened to the concerns of the men in the barracks.

"Newkirk?"

"I'm with Kinch, but I know one thing, they won't take me alive…"

Hogan smiled. "I have no intention of things getting that out of hand."

"Olsen?"

"The chatter outside is hot and heavy, sir. The civilians are scared to death they may get swept up accidentally. The resistance cells have scattered and are laying low, but you already know that."

"I think General Burkhalter is on the level, Colonel." This came from Carter. "He could have turned us in by now if he wanted. And I still think he's Nimrod."

"He's threatening us just to get help." LeBeau countered. "Not nice, but something I would do in similar circumstances. The Bosche are only out for one thing. Themselves."

When no one else had anything else to add, Hogan tabled the discussion. "Let's wait to hear what Kinch finds out from London."

HhHhH

Klink and Burkhalter were dining on roasted chicken and vegetables in Klink's quarters. "You gave him quite a long time to think this over, General," Klink said. He was still nervous, but for some reason, now that Hogan was involved, he felt a bit better.

"I believe Hogan will see reason, Klink. This gives him the entire night to figure out arrangements."

Klink stood up and removed the empty plates. With Burkhalter hiding in camp, Klink did not want anyone, not even Schultz, nearby. Not that he would suspect Schultz of anything besides scarfing down scraps, but it didn't hurt to be too careful. "Make yourself at home, while I wash up, General."

"I intend to." Burkhalter walked into Klink's bedroom, and changed. He was, of course, sleeping in Klink's bed, while the Kommandant took the couch. He returned to the sitting room, and relaxed in an easy chair while enjoying an after dinner drink. Now that Colonel Hogan was involved, Burkhalter thought, for some reason, he felt a bit better.

HhHhH

Hogan was not feeling better. London was taking their sweet time getting back to him. He tried to doze off, while Kinch and Baker manned the radio. The rest of the hut was quiet, but he knew most, if not all of the men outside his office, were probably nervously awake as well. Finally, four hours after Kinch sent the first message, he heard a loud knock. Still dressed, Hogan tore out of bed and opened the door.

Kinch was standing outside. "We have confirmation. Burkhalter's family. His wife, niece...the one that got married, her husband, his sister, and several other relatives are in a safe house in Geneva. They are insisting Burkhalter come to England. Besides, things are too chaotic right now to send him through the usual overland channels. They will send a plane tomorrow night. Usual place. 0200 hours."

"Fine," was Hogan's response. "Guess I'll go inform Burkhalter he may yet survive the war."

HhHhH

"England?" Burkhalter's face was turning red. "I insist I be sent to Switzerland."

"No dice. England or nothing." Hogan desperately hoped Burkhalter would not call his bluff and renege. The men were listening in on the coffeepot, and at the signal...a prearranged word, the camp would begin evacuation. The pistol hidden in Hogan's jacket would give them some time.

"Quid pro quo. Remember, General? Or you could take your chances out there. You can't stay here forever, no matter what you do to us."

Burkhalter deflated. "I'll do what you ask, Hogan.".

"That's the right answer, General. Kommandant. Here is what I want you to do. We'll need a staff car; not the generals's. Have it parked outside here at 0100. It will leave the camp shortly afterwards. By 0300, maybe earlier, the car will return to camp. Give the tower guards and the gate orders to let it through with no questions asked. I will have my own guards here all day and in the evening. They'll be missing from roll call, so let Schultz know they have your permission."

Klink, dumbfounded as usual and shocked that Burkhalter, who was part nuisance and part savior, was leaving, and that Hogan arranged this so quickly, gulped a "Yes, I understand."

"Good. Then leave."

"Leave, Hogan? Oh, yes. I don't want to know what else is being said. I'm leaving." Klink hurried out of his quarters.

When the door closed behind him, Hogan turned to Burkhalter. "They are flying you out. Be ready at 0100 sharp or it's off."

Burkhalter nodded.

At exactly 0100, Hogan and Newkirk, dressed as a Major and Lieutenant, waited in the car for Burkhalter. Like clockwork, the general quietly exited Klink's quarters and slipped into the back seat of the vehicle.

Where did you get those uniforms?" he demanded, then thought better of it, and said. "Never mind. I don't need to know."

Newkirk and Hogan drove to the landing site, hid the car in the brush and waited. At the appropriate time, several members of the underground marked the spot with light so that the pilot could find the location and know it was safe to land. Before the wheels touched the ground, the car was driven across the grass. The propellers still turning, and the car engine still running, Hogan jumped out of the car. "Let's go, General." Burkhalter grabbed his valise, and as quickly as his heavy body could take him, he ran with Hogan to the plane.

"Good luck, General." Hogan saluted and held out his hand.

"Good luck to you as well, Papa Bear."

The end.