Visions of Sleep
By
Jennaya O'Neill
"Reeeeeppoooooorttt" Colonel Wilhelm Klink yelled coming out of his quarters.
"All present and accounted for Herr Kommandant."
"Good. Now gentlemen I bring you glorious news how the Third Reich is winner the war..."
Hogan listened impatiently sticking his thumbs in his brown flight jacket pockets. Of all the days that Kraut decided to make a speech, interrupting him usually made it longer. His thoughts wondered back to Carter. He was pretty sure this was an accident if the Krauts were involved they wouldn't have found him. But what about the contact was she all right or did she cause the accident? Too many questions and not enough answers.
Carter's innocence was refreshing, but Hogan had no idea how he kept it with all they'd seen. He envied that about the young sergeant. Hogan had never been that innocent even when he was a green second lieutenant. He might have been in grade school, but even that was a maybe. Carter didn't always seem to have firm grasp on women; Hogan was kissing girls in the 5th grade. It didn't take long to go past kissing, he mused, laughing lightly to himself, vaguely hearing his name. Oh someone was calling his name!
"COLONEL HOGAN, have you heard a word I have said?"
"Oh yes, sir."
"Then you agree with me that the war will be over soon?"
"Yes, sir, as soon as the Germans surrender."
"Disssssmisssed!" Klink raised a clutched fist and stormed off across the compound to his office.
"Colonel, are you all right?" Kinch asked, as all of the men from Barracks 2 filed back into the hut.
"Klink wasn't saying anything important."
"No, just the usual garbage, were you thinking about Carter?"
"Yes I was."
"Mon Colonel, look who's awake." LeBeau exclaimed walking over to where their wounded comrade lay.
"Carter!" Hogan walked over to his young sergeant. "How are you feeling Carter?"
"Not so good," came out faintly Carter struggled to keep his eyes open.
"Can you tell us what happened?"
"Newkirk?"
"I'm right 'ere mate," Newkirk moved to be in his line of sight.
"Carter we need to know what happened."
Forcing his eyes to open, Carter asked, "Newkirk really okay?"
Newkirk switched places with the Colonel, and sat on the edge of the bunk where Carter could see he was fine. A slight smile shown on Carter's face but he was losing the battle for consciousness.
"I think 'e's going back to sleep on us, Colonel."
"Let him rest. Newkirk, I need for you to finish those papers for our next set of escapees."
"Yes, sir," Newkirk started to stand up but felt Carter's weak hand on his forearm. A look of panic went through the younger man's eyes. "Beggin' the Colonel's pardon, I think I should stay with me mate for a while."
Hogan nodded his head in approval then turned to enter his office as the hut door opened. Anderson entered.
"What's up?" Hogan questioned.
"Schultz told me Carter was sick and that I should come and check him out. I thought it would be best if I came on over while he was watching. How's he doing?"
"'e woke up for a few minutes."
"That's a really good sign."
"Really? The Colonel asked.
"It means he's not as bad as I was concerned about," Anderson stated as he checked Carter out again. "He'll sleep on and off all day. It'd be good if someone stayed with him all the time though. He might be confused or disoriented when he comes to."
"I'll make sure of it, gov'nor."
"You're a good man, Newkirk. Rotate out with some of the other men, I need those papers by the end of the day. We'll have more escapees in a couple days from Stalag 4."
"I'll stop by in a few hours, Colonel." Anderson said as he left.
"If anyone needs me, I'll be in my office." Colonel Hogan stated as he closed his office door. Then walked over to his desk, tossed his hat down and hanging his jacket on the back of the chair. Sitting down looking at a stack of material he had to go through, Hogan rubbed his eyes. Tired didn't quite cover how he was feeling. He was fatigued down to his bones; last night wasn't the only reason. This war was wearing on him if he'd been in London, he'd have a few days off every once in a while. Here there was never a moment of relief between the Germans and Allied Command. Now Carter was hurt, Carter of all people. If it had been in an explosion, that would have been easier to understand. He'd always expected Carter to singe his eyebrows or hair with the chemicals. There had been several small explosions but Carter always came out miraculously unharmed.
Hogan laid his head on his desk. Five minutes is all he needed; then he'd finish this stack of paperwork and take a turn watching Carter. Five minutes, just five minutes of slumber Hogan told himself as he dozed off. That's when the dreams started no not dreams, nightmares, the same old ones. Once Klink had threatened, if he overslept and was late to a roll call again, he'd make it a nightmare not a dream. That time he'd been flying back from a secret trip to London. If Klink only knew the nightmares came all the time he'd gloat.
Too many men injured and worse those lost over the years in his career. Some in combat, more in clandestine activities like the ones he and his men carried out. This wasn't his first command of a sabotage unit. Each man's face flashed in his nightmares. Then scenes of their deaths, the missions that went wrong, the ones that went right but someone still hurt or worse.
Today's nightmare had replayed over and over again for many years. He started his career in the Army Air Corps flying missions for military intelligence and then joined one of the undercover teams. After a couple of years he moved up into more covert operatives, the Alpha group, which used a smaller number of men on each job. Some jobs were one man others were up to four men. Hogan enjoyed the smaller unit and having to figure out the job on the fly. The type of work the Alpha team did was more intelligence gathering and psychological warfare but from time to time they involved combat type missions. They dealt with spies from various countries not all on a friendly basis with the US. That's what had prepared him for this assignment.
Hogan was partnered up with Major Ray Michaels who quickly showed him the ropes, and they were soon hanging out in town after hours. Both men were confirmed bachelors until Michaels was sent to Arlington, VA to give a class, and met someone special. The following weekend Michaels returned to Arlington and continued each weekend for weeks, before he allowed Hogan to meet his new lady. Hogan remembered asking about her while they were having lunch at the mess hall one Friday afternoon.
"Tell me about this lady who has you turning down the twins this weekend. The twins!" Hogan asked.
"She's the most beautiful angel you've ever seen." Michaels answered.
"How do I know until I meet her?"
"I'm not letting you near Penny; until I'm sure you won't try to walk away with her."
"Do you think I'd try that?" Hogan had a mischievous grin on his face.
"In a heart beat, but she won't give you a second look."
"What makes her an angel?"
"She has long wavy red hair and big brown eyes, and full of life and a spitfire. She's one of the best cryptologists around. Penny makes me laugh and I've never seen any woman who can hold a candle to her." Michael's eyes were a hundred miles away to wherever his lady was.
"When do I get to meet Penny?"
"This weekend if you want, I'm going to give her this." Ray held out an engagement ring.
"Whoa. Are you sure?" Rob thought they were both confirmed bachelors. "Ray, are you moving a little fast here?"
"I love her and can't imagine my life without Penny."
"I never thought I'd hear you say those words."
"You want to come down with me? She has a friend."
"Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world. What's her friend look like?"
"Brunette, Thirty-Four, Twenty-Six, Thirty-Four."
"Count me in." Hogan grinned.
That weekend when he met Penny he knew Ray's bachelor days were over. Six months later they were married. Hogan spent a lot of time at Ray and Penny's house, eating good home cooking after they were married. Penny accepted Rob as Ray's sibling, everyone knew they were closer than brothers inseparable by friendship, bound by honor and duty.
Hogan and Michaels had served together in their unit for about four years when his worse nightmare happened. Michaels was now in command when they were assigned to retrieve classified intelligence files which had been stolen from a courier. The General ordered it was vital to retrieve the information at all costs. Three Nazi agents were being tracked and thought to have the intelligence files; they had been spotted in a cabin near the US and Canadian border. The US might officially be neutral but they were keeping an eye out since war looked imminent, and didn't want Nazis running around in country.
The team was flown into retrieve the information and arrived around midnight on a cool moonless night. Meeting up with some military police, MPs, from the local base including Sergeant Gray who had worked with them on prior jobs, the men traveled the back roads taking the last two miles without headlights. A half mile from their target, the trucks were left with the MPs while Michaels, Hogan, and Jefferson made the trek up the trail.
As the entrance to the cabin came into site the tranquility of it struck Hogan as paradoxical almost ironic. On the outside a peaceful looking cabin with smoke coming out the chimney, spring flowers neatly lining each side of the cobblestone pathway, picture perfect. Inside sat three very dangerous men working for the Nazi party, with a list of US Army troop strengths and weaponry. Jefferson went around back while Hogan took the side door. Michaels threw a smoke bomb in the front door and counted to five then all three men entered their respective doors. Jefferson was caught in hand to hand combat with one of the men as his teammates over powering the other two. Hogan and Michaels came to his aid and quickly subdued the third man.
Michaels had Hogan and Jefferson gathering the stolen documentation while he stood watch. The three prisoners had already been taken into custody by the MPs and Sergeant Gray was outside with their truck. Out of nowhere a fourth Nazi showed up, Michaels shoved Hogan and Jefferson out of the line of fire. Hogan's reflexes were fast but a split second to late; he took the intruder out, but not before Michaels took four rounds to the chest. Jefferson and Sergeant Gray secured the scene as Hogan treated Michaels' wounds. He and Jefferson rushed their fallen commanding officer to the truck as Sergeant Gray raced them to the hospital.
Michaels died on the way in Hogan's arms. Hogan never cried so hard in his life and still hadn't even realized he was wounded. Jefferson tried to bandage Hogan's bleeding leg, but he was pushed away. Nearly halfway at to the hospital Hogan passed out from the loss of blood and exhaustion.
When Hogan opened his eyes three days later he was in the hospital and Penny was standing over him. He couldn't look her in the eyes; he failed to bring her husband home and she was six months pregnant. The look of grief on her face lessened some what by his waking up. Michaels' funeral was the next day and Hogan attended in a wheelchair. He never forgave himself for being too weak to be a pallbearer.
Hogan's nightmare of watching his best friend in the world die over and over again kept playing in his head. The image on Michaels' lifeless body lying in his arms twisted and turned mercilessly until it made him sick. He was thankful something was stopping this nightmare now...
"Colonel, I'm sorry to wake you."
"Kinch, what's up?" Hogan straightened up and stretched his arms grateful to be pulled out of that nightmare.
"I received a message from London. They have an assignment for us, but want you to decide if we can handle it before accepting it."
"How's Carter?" Hogan stood and poured himself a cup of coffee.
"He's the same, been in and out of it all day."
"All day? How late is it? Has he said anything?"
"It's 1400 sir; I thought you needed the rest. The only intelligible thing we can make out is he keeps asking for Newkirk."
"I was going for five minutes." Hogan stretched and rubbed his sore neck. "Hopefully Carter'll come out of it soon. What's the message?"
"Here it is, sir." Hogan took the paper and read it.
"Are they out of their MINDS? There's no way in the world we could carry that off!"
"I know sir. What do you want me to tell London?"
"I'll tell them. When's our next contact?"
"Right now, they're waiting for our answer."
"Let's go, I'll handle it."
Hogan and Kinch walked out of the Hogan's office and then over to where Newkirk was sitting with Carter.
"Anything new, Newkirk?"
"No, sir. He seems to sleep more peaceful when I'm up 'ere, so I broughts me work to finish." Newkirk indicated the papers he was forging laying out on the table.
"Post a double lookout. I don't want the Germans barging in and finding you working on those."
"Yes, sir."
"Colonel, why do you suppose he wants me so close by?"
"I don't know, maybe because you're friends? Ask him when he wakes up. Has Anderson been by again?"
"Yes, sir, he's looked in on him a couple of times. Schultz has been here three times. I think Schultzie is as worried as the rest of us."
"He might be more concerned about himself. Kinch, let's tell London, no." Hogan lowered himself over to the ladder to the downstairs room thinking. Wow five visits to their little hut and he slept through them all. He was more exhausted than he thought. Perhaps he could get Klink to take a vacation to Paris again, he needed the break. And London wanted them to consider a suicide mission? No way in hell. They'd done several dangerous missions but this was ludicrous. Absolutely preposterous. He would not put his men in danger like that for anything.
"Papa Bear to Goldilocks, Papa Bear to Goldilocks, come in Goldilocks."
"This is Goldilocks we read you Papa Bear. Have you considered the mission?"
"I've considered it and turning it down outright."
"For what reasons Papa Bear?"
"There's no way we can pull it off. We're short a man, our demolitions man at that. We don't have the man power, flexibility, or ability to handle a job like this. Whose dazzling idea was this anyway?"
"General Crittendon came up with the idea. He rather thought it a brilliant one." The British voice came across the radio.
"General WHO? How did that incompetent make general? Please tell me this is a joke!"
"I rather don't know. I was a surprised as you, Papa Bear. No, no joke at all."
"How would he propose we carry it off?"
"He has full confidence in your ability to come up with a brilliant plan."
"I don't think so. How does he recommend we even get near the target?!"
"He thought one of your more bizarre schemes would work. What would you have me tell him?"
"Tell him we can't get to Berchtesgaden, have no way of getting any where close to Hitler, or blowing him up. Some people have already tried and lost their lives to the effort. It would be suicide and we'd never get near the target. Orders not accepted."
"Right ol' boy, I agree with you. How is your down man? Any decision on whether to bring him to London?"
"We'll have the decision in the next 24 hours. Papa Bear out."
"We'll be standing by. Goldilocks out."
"Colonel, how did HE make General?"
"I have no idea Kinch. And he made it before me! Are you sure that was really Goldilocks and not some joker playing games with us?" Hogan rubbed his head; he was getting a headache from that call.
"I'm sure as soon as you get out of here, sir, you'll have the stars."
"It's the principal of the matter. I have a stack of paperwork to get too. If you need me, I'll be upstairs."
"I'll let you know if the General comes up with any more dazzling plans." Kinch grinned and Hogan moaned as he climbed the ladder. How many times a week did he go up and down this ladder? They needed an elevator.