Act Four
Scene One
Chapter 7
Kommandant Wilhelm Klink hung up the telephone with a sigh. This was what he'd been afraid of — Danziger was on his way here. A couple of hours, possibly three. He wasn't surprised, not after he'd learned what his people had found in the torn-apart trucks. Which left him with two options, neither one of which he liked. The question was, which did he dislike less?
The first option depended solely on him — he could leave. Permanently this time. The second depended on the cooperation of others.
He swiveled around in his chair. The first would also leave the camp at the mercy of Danziger and his SS goons. God knew what Danziger would do if he discovered that Klink, and Binyamin, had left.
That wasn't true. He had a good idea what Danziger would do, and it wouldn't be pleasant for anyone in the camp. And he couldn't take Hogan and the others with him. There wasn't enough time. And that was assuming Hogan was in any condition to travel. As far as he knew, it was the first time Hogan had been shot. The wound wasn't serious, but it was painful. And he knew better than anyone how hard it was to pretend that nothing was the matter when all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and stay there. Which may leave only the second option. He could always leave later — if he were still alive that is.
However, the second option depended on whether others would be willing to lie for him. Worse, it involved doing something that revolted his very soul. He'd done it before. And he'd sworn he would never do it again. Ironic. He had a reputation for keeping his promises. Except for the ones he made to himself. Those . . .
Enough thinking. There were too many risks to others by leaving. Danziger, from what he'd learned, had grown more brutal with the years and wouldn't stop until he slaughtered half the camp's population. And the death of the innocents here revolted Klink's soul even more than the second option.
He stood and walked to the door. "Fräulein Hilda, I need Colonel Hogan, Sergeant Schultz, Sergeant Langenscheidt, Captain Gruber and you in here now."
Hilda looked at him with surprise. "Jawohl, Herr Kommandant."
Klink closed the door. He needed to gather his thoughts before the others arrived.
...
Newkirk burst through Hogan's door, startling him as he lay on the bunk.
"Colonel, Klink wants to see you now!" Newkirk managed to gasp.
"Okay. Help me up, will you?"
Newkirk with unexpected gentleness helped Hogan sit up. As the rest of the men came in, he helped Hogan into his jacket.
"Any idea what gives?" Hogan asked.
They shook their heads.
"Schultz is getting Langenscheidt and Gruber as well," Kinch said.
"Okay. Listen in," Hogan ordered as he left the room.
Hogan found a gathering in Klink's office when he got there. Hilda, Sergeant Karl Langenscheidt, Captain Fritz Gruber and Sergeant Hans Schultz stood or sat in front of Klink's desk.
"Glad you could join us, Colonel Hogan," Klink greeted.
"What's up, Kommandant?" he asked as he sat down next to Hilda.
Klink was silent for a moment, and then looked soberly at them. "Schultz, I know that Sergeant Langenscheidt had . . . forgotten a few things about his trip to Paris(1) with you and Colonel Hogan." Langenscheidt visibly started. "But I need more than that this time. Do you trust him?"
Schultz looked intensely at Langenscheidt, who gulped nervously, but kept still under the scrutiny. "Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. I trust him."
Klink nodded. "Colonel Hogan, Fräulein Hilda has also conveniently forgotten to tell me a few things about you and your men. And once in awhile, she has done more than forget. Do you trust her?"
Hogan looked at the startled young woman. "Yeah, I do."
Hilda managed a faint smile, which Hogan returned encouragingly.
Klink nodded, his eyes on the nervous pair before him. "I need you both to do more than forget some unimportant details, Fräulein Hilda, Sergeant Langenscheidt. I need you to lie convincingly to the SS colonel who will be here shortly. To be blunt, my life depends on it. Probably the lives of others. Do you think you can?"
Langenscheidt and Hilda looked at each other, then at Klink. There was indecision on both of their faces.
"If you cannot, please tell me now," Klink said quietly.
"Herr Kommandant," Langenscheidt began. "We, I, do not . . . I do not know you. Now. You are . . . " He shrugged.
"I know," Klink said gently. "And right now, I have no explanations to give you. If you agree, you may learn more. As for Fräulein Hilda . . . "
"I can lie." A hard look at Langenscheidt. "So can Karl."
Langenscheidt looked at Hilda with surprise, then at the others waiting for his answer. They trusted him to do what they thought was right. Klink trusted him. Klink had requested that Langenscheidt not be transferred away from the camp, as had happened with the other Luftwaffe personnel. If it hadn't been for Klink, he might be dead. "Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. I can lie."
Klink nodded. "Then we proceed. Schultz, the men on the back gate and the front, do you trust them?"
"Kaufmann and Reinwald are on the main gate. The back gate has Krieger and Hirschfeld. Ja, Herr Kommandant, I can trust them."
"Good. You are going to get a truck from the motor pool. Then I want you to tell the men at the gates that we are going on a work detail by the destroyed bridge. Make certain they understand that if anyone asks, I have been planning this trip since this morning. Understood?"
Schultz nodded.
"Go. I will fill you in later."
Schultz left as Klink turned to Hogan. "Colonel Hogan, I need you to organize a work detail. I want your team and half the men who had been on Miller's detail a couple of days ago. I also want another two or three men dressed as guards. Have them wait in the motor pool. It might be a good idea if you take men who were at the unmasking; I believe some of the men on the work detail were there as well. And take Private Wagner with you."
Hogan lifted a brow.
"I will explain later. Please, go.
Hogan nodded and slowly exited the room.
"Now," Klink turned to the others and switched to German, "here is where it becomes more difficult. There is an SS colonel named Danziger coming, along with Hauptsturmführer Schiff. I am hoping that it will only be those two, but I do not know. Danziger doubts me, but he does not know anything. Not yet. He will ask to see all the men on the work detail, along with their files. Fräulein Hilda, you will supply the files and answer any questions. Except for the Wagner file, everything will be in order. He may not question it, but if he does, play along with him. Tell him you had nothing to do with it. That it was put there without your knowledge. He must trust you, even if he does not trust me.
"Hauptmann Gruber, make certain that Langenscheidt is the one who brings the prisoners on the detail to see Danziger. After he fails to find what he wants here, he will demand to go the bridge. If he does bring men in addition to Schiff, you must convince him that if there is something wrong, I will be suspicious if he shows up with extra guards. You must convince him to go in my staff car and with only yourself and Langenscheidt as the escort. Schiff can also go, but no more. If the only way you can get him to agree is to cast doubt on my loyalty, do so. Again, Danziger must trust you.
"Fräulein Hilda," he turned to her, "after they leave, call me immediately on the walkie-talkie and tell me who is going to the site. Understood?" His eyes took them all in.
They nodded.
"Herr Kommandant," Gruber asked, "if there are others with him, if I cannot convince him to keep them here, then what?"
A sad smile. "Then, Hauptmann, I'm afraid you will not see me again. I will leave if he insists on bringing more men with him. The risk is too great to stay."
Though Hilda and Langenscheidt were startled, Gruber nodded soberly.
"You can change your minds," Klink said gently.
Hilda shook her head firmly. After a moment, Langenscheidt did as well.
"Good. Now," he stood, "begins our little play."
...
Hogan was waiting with some nervousness beside the remains of the Adolf Hitler Bridge. Hilda had called. Danziger and Schiff had left camp in Klink's staff car. Gruber was with them and Langenscheidt was driving. Hilda had said that Danziger was convinced that Klink was a traitor, and he would prove it. Danziger had wanted to bring more men with him, but Schiff had weighed in on Gruber's side, agreeing that more men would make Klink suspicious. So far, so good. But Hogan still didn't like it.
"Please relax, Robert," Klink said softly.
"Relax. Right."
A faint smile. "You used to be more adventurous."
"That was before I got shot! Besides, you're the one who keeps telling me to stop being so cocky." His hand lifted to his elbow; that arm of his was getting sore again.
"True. But to use an expression of yours, all bases are filled."
Hogan smiled. "All bases are covered. And I hope so." He looked around again. Most of the Adolf Hitler Bridge had disappeared, leaving jagged edges butting out about twenty feet over the deep ravine. A few hundred feet below, the debris from the bridge was barely visible in the tangle of rocks, shrubs and snow. Conceivably, the bridge could be rebuilt, but who'd do it?
"That should keep people away," Hogan murmured.
"That was the idea," Klink said.
Hogan grunted and turned back to the men. Four of his men were there; he'd left Kinch behind to man the radio — just in case. Half of the men from the original work detail, including some from last night, and Binyamin Weiner were spread out, filling holes and leveling the road running by the bridge. Guarding the prisoners were Schultz, Samuelson dressed as a Wehrmacht corporal, and the Mulcahy twins dressed as Wehrmacht privates. Samuelson and the twins had volunteered for the assignment. Well, the twins were always ready for a mission, more so since they learned who Klink was. Samuelson, he was the surprise. He'd never gone on any of their missions before. Hogan nearly turned him down, but then Hogan thought about it a bit more. Maybe it would do Samuelson good to see some action. Though, if the truth were told, Hogan didn't have a clue what that action would be. Olsen was a mile up the road, ready to warn them when Danziger was near.
Klink looked around when the walkie-talkie sounded; he answered it.
"They're coming," Olsen's voice said softly.
Klink tossed the walkie-talkie back into the truck. "Bring the men in for a break."
Hogan gestured and the prisoners came over to the still standing guardhouse. "Showtime, fellas," he murmured. "Everyone stay cool. Take your cues from Klink." He almost smiled at the startled expressions on the faces of the six men who didn't know what was going on. Well, there was no time to explain things now. Not to mention, he wasn't sure what to explain.
Hogan looked down the road; he could just make out the staff car coming toward them.
But Klink was walking out onto the remains of the bridge. Hogan followed him. "Don't get too close to the edge. It's not as stable as it looks."
"I won't."
Hogan watched as Klink stooped down, looking at the damage. "What are you doing?"
Klink stood. "Can it be rebuilt?"
"What?"
"Can it be — ?"
"Who the hell cares?"
Klink raised a brow. "I do."
"Oh, for . . . It was your idea to blow the damn thing. Now you want to rebuild it?"
"Well, not immediately. Later."
"When later?" Hogan started. And stopped. The staff car, driven by Langenscheidt, had stopped in front of the bridge.
Gruber got out, followed by Schiff who looked around with a cynical smile. Then another man who, if he had been a few years younger, could have been a poster boy for the Aryans. Tall, blond, handsome. Or he would have been if he didn't have that deep scar on his right cheek. His eyes flickered over Hogan and Klink almost dismissively. Then they turned to the work detail. His eyes began to glow, and Danziger smiled. Hogan found himself shuddering at that smile.
That smile turned on Klink. "Is this he, Schiff?" Danziger asked in German.
"Jawohl, Herr Standartenführer," Schiff answered. "Kommandant Klink."
Danziger walked closer. "The man who can personally identify every man on his work details. Such a memory, Kommandant." He smiled again. "Don't you agree, Schiff?"
"Jawohl, Herr Standartenführer."
"A man with such a memory is wasted here, Schiff. Surely, he belongs somewhere else. Another post perhaps? Would you like another post, Kommandant?"
"I am content here, Herr Standartenführer," Klink said.
"Of course, Kommandant. Here, you can play your games, hide from battle, protect worthless prisoners. And Jews. Is that correct, Kommandant?"
Klink stayed silent, his eyes fastened on Danziger.
Danziger turned around suddenly. His arm jerked out, his finger pointing at Binyamin. "There, Schiff! There! Do you see that worthless thing? If you look on his arm, you will see the numbers 300303 tattooed there. My birth date. A gypsy woman told me those numbers were special. And they were. For years, those numbers brought me luck. They protected me. They protected him. But no more."
Just as suddenly, Danziger turned again. "You lied, Kommandant. A Jew-lover," he spat. "Or is it simpler than that? What did he promise you? Gold? Gems? I'm afraid he cannot deliver them, Kommandant. His friends have taken them. But I will find out where they have gone."
Hogan's eyes narrowed. Danziger was as loony as a tune. Or was he? Gold? Gems? He shouldn't be surprised that Danziger had those things. Other SS men had also looted their way through Europe. But now they were gone, and Danziger thought that . . .
Wait a minute. The convoy. Danziger had been apoplectic when the convoy didn't report to him. Of course! He'd hidden that stuff in the convoy. And he thought that Binyamin had . . .
Hogan stopped thinking as Danziger turned to Klink again.
"Or perhaps you already know, Kommandant. He told you about the trucks. Perhaps you had something to do with the trucks disappearing. It does not matter. I will get the truth out of both of you. First you. Then," he turned back to Binyamin, "you."
Hogan didn't see Klink's hand move. One moment, Klink's right hand was empty; the next, there was a gun in it, pointing at Danziger's head.
"Danziger," Klink said softly.
Danziger turned.
There was time for a split second of fear to cross Danziger's face before Hogan saw the blood spurting from the hole in Danziger's forehead. As Danziger fell, Klink's hand lowered and he turned toward Schiff.
Not particularly surprised, Schiff looked down at Danziger's body. "That is one less for the Allies to take care of."
"Shall I make it two?" Klink said softly.
"Nein!" Binyamin interrupted hurriedly. "He . . . he saw me escape. He let me go."
"Do not concern yourself, Herr Wagner," Schiff said with a faint smile. "If the Kommandant had wanted me dead, I would already be dead." He looked at Klink with mild surprise. "How did you know?"
"Your vague description of the escaped prisoner was the first suspicion. When you did not demand to examine the prisoners for tattoos, that was another. I made inquiries; you have friends, Schiff."
"So do you, Herr Kommandant. To my surprise, given your reputation."
Klink bowed slightly.
Schiff looked down at the body. "The wound. It looks like it came from a rifle. Interesting. I have heard of such weapons. Something to do with the barrel?" He glanced at the other side of the ravine. "A sniper firing from there?" He pointed. "An assassination?"
Klink nodded. "Danziger had many enemies."
Schiff nodded. "And, of course, there is no way to find the sniper, given the destruction of the bridge."
"None. Though Sergeant Schultz heroically sprayed the terrain with machine gun fire."
Schiff nodded. "I agree. That is how my report shall read. If you will permit me to use your car and return to camp, Herr Kommandant, I will send my men back to recover his body. If there is a nearby cemetery, I would prefer to bury him there."
"As you wish."
"Then I will take my leave, Herr Kommandant. Auf Wiedersehen."
Klink nodded. And said through tight lips, "My condolences to Frau Danziger and the children."
Schiff looked surprised. "I will offer them, Herr Kommandant."
"Danke," Klink said softly.
Schiff clicked his heels together and bowed to Klink. Then he turned to Binyamin. "May you have a long life, Herr Wagner."
"And you, Herr Schiff."
Again the cynical smile, and Schiff returned to the staff car. Langenscheidt, as pale as a sheet, and Gruber, nearly as pale, got inside. In moments, the car was out of sight.
Klink stirred. "Schultz, if you please, the woods." Klink gestured toward the other side.
Schultz nodded, and walked out onto the remains of thebridge. The silence was shattered by his machine gun firing.
"Now what?" Hogan asked.
"We go back," Klink said in a tired voice. "Schultz can stay with the body until the SS arrives."
Hogan looked at Klink's face and frowned. Klink was far too quiet now. It was as if . . .
"You didn't have a choice," Hogan said. "You had to do it."
"Did I?" Klink said softly.
"Danziger was a monster. Schiff was right; one less for the Allies — "
"Judge, jury, and executioner," Klink said.
"He was gonna kill you. You know that. After he tortured you. He got what was coming to him."
Klink looked at him sadly. "It's still so easy for you, isn't it? Everything is still so black and white. Danziger is a monster; you eliminate the monsters. He was a man, Robert, with a wife and family who will grieve for him."
"Their tough luck."
Klink shook his head. "Be very careful, Robert. The world is not as simple as you think it is. Death should never be simple. When it is, when we forget that these are human beings we're killing, then we all become monsters."
Hogan shook his head. "I don't buy that. We're the good guys, and — "
"The end justifies the means?"
"Yeah, it does."
Klink shook his head and walked away.
Hogan stared after Klink. What was with him? Why did he make things so complicated?
Hogan shook his head and turned around to see the others looking at him, waiting for him.
"Get in the truck, fellas. We're going back to camp."
Slowly, soberly, the others walked back to the truck.
1 "Art for Hogan's Sake"