So, this Part 2. Questions, questions, questions...
Before I forget it, someone asked what language the title was in. It´s in German, which seemed convenient partly because the story is set in Germany and partly because I´m German which means I have quite the vocabulary in that language :-))
Thank you all for reading and reviewing.
„Well, Hogan, why don´t you answer my question?"; Burkhalter asked, his patience obviously worn thin by being forced to be in the same room as Klink for more than five minutes.
Hogan still felt them staring at him and instinctively straightened up, banning all emotions from his eyes so no one would see how he really felt.
With some effort he found back into his role, quipping as everyone would expect: "Why, General, I´m doing great, thanks for asking."
Klink flinched as a scowl formed on Burkhalter´s face.
"Don't be cute, Hogan. I don't have all day. Now, your men here have already told me what happened that night. Unfortunately, their version does not coincide with that of Major Hochstetter."
"Naturally.", Hogan shrugged: "The man is as nutty as a fruit cake."
He thought he saw the corners of Burkhalter´s mouth twitch a little, but if the general concurred with him he didn't let it keep him from prying further.
"Anyway. I would like to hear your version of the events for my report to Berlin."
"Of course. Well, we were trying to escape from Stalag 13…"
This time it was Klink that scowled at him but he ignored it as usually. More important now was that he didn't contradict his men. With no way to communicate with them, he chose to stick to the lie that seemed most convenient.
"We were outside the fence, walking through the forest to get away from camp when we ran into this German guy who was…taking a walk, I guess. We tried to ask him for help but he recognized us as POW´s and was about to turn us in when Hochstetter suddenly showed up. The German ran off in fear but we knew we had no shot at outwitting a SS Major so we surrendered."
So far Burkhalter seemed satisfied with his description. But then, that had been the easy part.
"He then took us into custody and had us transported to his headquarters where he interrogated us. I trust my men´s condition tells the story much better than I could."
He couldn't help the bitterness in his voice as he said it, but again no one seemed to take offense. Despite all their differences, the dislike of Hochstetter was mutual.
"Carry on.", Burkhalter insisted calmly while lighting one of Klink´s cigars.
"Well…", Hogan said slowly: "He…he went on about getting back at me for making a fool of him and threatened to kill my men unless I confessed to his ludicrous accusations. You've heard it, I´m sure. I, by myself, am bringing down the entire Third Reich with the help of Goldilocks and fairy dust which helps me to overcome the fences night after night to haunt him."
Burkhalter shook his head in silence, obviously too frustrated with his subordinate to snap at Hogan for his insolence. "You´d be surprised to know how close his version was to what you just said."
"I doubt it, sir."
So far, it seemed to be going well.
"Alright, Hogan. I´m willing to believe you were really trying to escape. You got your punishment for that during the last ten days and your men…well, we decided they had learned their lesson when we saw them."
"Thank you, General."
"However.", Burkhalter carried on: „There is one more thing I need to speak to you about, Colonel. To you and Corporal Newkirk here. Your other men are dismissed."
Hogan felt his heart sink. He should have known he wouldn't get away so easily. He took another deep breath as they waited for LeBeau and Carter to hurry out of the office. Next to him, Newkirk stood at attention, still not making a single sound.
If he was nervous, he didn't let it show in his posture. His face maybe, but Hogan still couldn't bring himself to look at that. It would have to wait before he betrayed his own words with his facial expression.
"So, Hogan.", Burkhalter was looking at them both, now somewhat uncomfortable himself: "Major Hochstetter and his guards said you finally agreed to confess to his accusations."
"I had no choice, sir; it was either that or let him kill my men. So I decided to give him what he wanted."
Burkhalter nodded slowly while chewing on his cigar. It was impossible to read his expression. Klink fidgeted nervously somewhere in the background while everyone ignored him.
"Very brave of you, indeed, colonel.", he said at last: "But that's not what I'm getting at. I'm sure you know what I am talking about without me having to say it."
Hogan felt Newkirk shift restlessly next to him but didn't dare to glance at the man. He himself stood as confident as ever, his clenched fists the only outward sign of his tension. He remained silent, waiting for Burkhalter to say something. If he could help it, he sure as hell wouldn't bring that up.
The generals scowl deepened but then he shrugged:
"Fine. If you insist, I´ll ask you outright, Colonel. Hochstetter reported seeing you…uhm, being affectionate toward your corporal here. Care to elucidate?"
There it was. The moment he´d been dreading.
No matter what these Germans would think of him personally, as far as he knew they were bound by law to report him and Newkirk if they even suspected them being affectionate. There was only one thing he could do.
Lie.
Lie and con and twist things around, then lie some more, just like he always did.
Ten days ago he had been prepared to leave life as a free man. Now he was truly caught once more. Figuratively and literally. There was no way around it.
"General…what Hochstetter told you is the truth. I did kiss Newkirk.", he paused shortly as Klink gasped, putting a hand over his mouth in shock.
Then he forced himself to go on with the hard part before the last sentence sunk in too much: "I had to."
Burkhalter´s eyebrows arched in surprise which was probably better than outright hostility. No one said a word as they all waited breathlessly for Hogan to continue.
"You see, even after I had consented to giving him what he wanted, he was still going to shoot Newkirk…thinking I didn't want him to get shot because he had information concerning my alleged espionage. That of course being nonsense, I had no way left to convince him to leave him alone. So I…I must say I panicked and did the only thing I could think of in that moment. I pretended to…to have romantic feelings for Newkirk so Hochstetter would let up. I figured he was going to shoot me anyway, and it worked. Sorry to have confused you."
"So you aren't…?", Burkhalter asked cautiously.
"Of course not.", he replied with more force than necessary: "I never would have done something like that if I had thought there was any other way."
Now, that was true, as twisted as his words were. He probably never would have kissed Newkirk if he hadn't been pushed like that. Still it turned his stomach to form those words, to have to return to being a hypocrite.
"I see.", Burkhalter murmured after a moment. "I´m sorry you had to go through that, Colonel."
And that seemed to be it. Had it really worked? They just believed him? Hogan carefully kept quiet and simply nodded.
"Alright then, Hogan.", Burkhalter got up and waved casually towards the door: "You may go. I hope you will refrain from any further escape attempts in the future."
Hogan nodded hastily and headed for the door with Newkirk at his heels before Klink could launch into one of his perfect-escape-record-speeches.
Outside on the compound he drew in a quick breath before heading straight for the barracks. Still he could not bring himself to look Newkirk in the eye.
They crossed the compound in silence and slipped into the barracks to escape the Germans' watchful gaze.
Once inside he looked around to find some prisoners hanging out on the bunks, reading and chatting as usual. They saluted him casually when they noticed him, happy to see him return safely.
So they had no idea. Yet.
He looked around for his gang only to find the door to his office slightly ajar. Quickly he strode over there, more feeling than seeing that Newkirk was still behind him.
He opened the door to find LeBeau, Carter and Kinch standing around his desk, the wired coffee pot in the middle. Their heads snapped up in unison as he entered, staring at him intently. Behind him, Newkirk closed the door.
"So, you were listening in.", Hogan said bleakly.
And.. cliffhanger! To be honest, cliffhangers are what I like best about writing. Only my own of course, with other stories they unnerve me just as much as the next person :-)).
So it looks like this story will be longer than I planned, there is too much that needs to be adressed. After all, there has to be a plot apart from Hogan´s crush on Newkirk. Writing anything that´s not purely drama or romance is always hard for me because it involves so much planning, but I´ll do my best at creating an acceptable story arc. And I´ll just make the chapters shorter I guess.
Alright: Everyone in favor of Hochstetter coming back, raise your hands! :-))