Chapter 7: Bittersweet Revenge

Hogan, Carter, Newkirk and Lebeau were in Klink's bedroom, surrounding Klink's bed. Newkirk and LeBeau each held a gun aimed towards the bed. Klink was still asleep. Noticing a glass, half full of water, sitting on the nightstand, Hogan picked it up and smiled. He dipped the tips of his fingers into the water and flicked a few drops onto Klink's face. Klink's eyes and nose twitched in response. Hogan repeated the performance and got the same response.

A third time, Hogan flicked water onto Klink's face. This time, through half-opened eyes, Klink stared up at Hogan. "Oh, it's you, Hogan," Klink stated matter-of-factly, as his eyes started to close. Then, his eyes opening wide, Klink pulled himself to a sitting position. "Hogan! What are you doing here?"

Hogan placed a finger to his lips in a hushing gesture. Nodding in the direction of his men, Hogan said, "Not so loud. They're trigger-happy. You wouldn't want to startle them."

"Hogan, you know, you men are not to be outside after dark."

Glancing around the room, Hogan declared, "We're not outside."

"We're in," added LeBeau.

Klink was not amused. "You had to go outside to get here. Don't expect me to believe you came through the walls. Even then, you couldn't have gotten here without going outside."

"Actually, we came through the floor," Hogan remarked.

Klink frowned. "Hogan, you just woke me up. I'm not in the mood for any of your pranks. I'll tell you what. You men stop this nonsense and I'll be lenient. You'll only get a week in the cooler."

Smiling, Hogan merely shook his head.

In desperation, Klink conceded, "All right, return to your quarters and we'll pretend this didn't happen."

Hogan shook his head again. "No deal."

Carter reached over and picked up Klink's robe from the back of a chair. He handed it to Hogan.

"Your robe," offered Hogan, holding the robe towards Klink.

Klink failed to reach for the robe. Instead, a small glimmer of hope came to his eyes. "I know what this is," he decided. "It's all just a bad dream. A nightmare. I'm going to close my eyes. And when I wake up, all of you will be gone."

Still offering the robe with one hand, Hogan reached out and pinched the back of Klink's hand with the other.

"Ouch. What was that for?" a startled Klink asked.

"You're not dreaming. Now, put on the robe. Or you can go in your pajamas. The robe just seems a little more dignified."

Klink was puzzled. "Go? Go where?"

"The robe, Kommandant," Hogan insisted.

Klink grabbed the robe, got up and put it on. As he was tying the sash, he asked, "Satisfied?"

"Quite," agreed Hogan. "Now, if you'll come with us."

Hogan and his crew escorted Klink into the living room. Carter moved the stove aside.

Klink's eyes seemed to grow wider. "Th-the stove. It-it moved," he stuttered.

"Obviously," Hogan responded.

Watching as Carter and LeBeau entered the tunnel, Klink observed, "You did come through the floor. You dug a tunnel to my quarters."

Hogan was really enjoying this. "Among the first ones we dug. Very convenient."

Klink stared icily at Hogan, then glanced desperately towards the outer door.

"I wouldn't," Newkirk warned.

Turning towards the sound of the voice, Klink noticed Newkirk waving the gun, threateningly, in the air. Klink looked back at Hogan.

"After you," Hogan invited, gesturing towards the tunnel, with his open hand.

Klink stared silently at the hole in floor. Then, he glanced back at Newkirk, who was still waving the gun. Finally, with a resigned expression on his face, Klink climbed into the tunnel.

When he reached the bottom of the ladder, Klink stepped aside and gazed silently around the area. Hogan immediately followed. While they waited for Newkirk to close the entrance and follow, Hogan watched Klink with more than a little amusement. He couldn't remember when, if ever, he'd seen Klink this quiet.

Once they were all gathered at the bottom of the ladder, Carter and LeBeau started down one of the tunnels. "Klink, this way," Hogan prompted.

Klink, with Hogan beside him, followed Carter and LeBeau. Newkirk, gun still in hand, brought up the rear.

As they walked through the tunnels, Klink kept pausing every once in awhile to look around. With an awed look in his eyes, Klink finally said, "Amazing! All this is under Stalag 13?"

Hogan grinned and nodded. "Yeah." After walking a short distance further, Hogan declared, "This way, Klink. There's something I'd like to show you."

They took the side tunnel that led to their mint. Soon, they were in the room that housed the equipment. Klink walked around the room, surveying everything. He noticed the huge stack of German marks on the table.

"You're printing counterfeit marks?" Klink deduced.

"We had to do something with all our spare time," Hogan replied. "Might as well make it pay. Now, let's go. We have to show you to your new quarters."

Klink was puzzled. "New quarters? I was satisfied with the old one."

Hogan shook his head. "It doesn't work that way, I'm afraid. You see, Klink, the tables have turned. It should be obvious that you are our prisoner and we intend to keep it that way."

Klink voiced no response, but Hogan decided the look on his face was priceless.

They continued on to the radio room. Klink had noticed their disguises hanging on the rack and made note of the various uniforms. He also noted that not only did they have a radio but a telephone switchboard, as well.

Leaving the others to keep an eye on Klink, Hogan walked over and stood beside Baker. "Radio London," Hogan ordered. "Tell them we have Burkhalter and Klink. We're ready to begin the final phase."

"Final phase?" questioned Klink, not liking the sound of that.

"Securing the camp. Now, come on. It's not much further to your quarters."

Carter and LeBeau stayed behind to start working on their next project.

Newkirk, still armed, went along with Hogan and Klink. The three of them started off down another branch tunnel. On the way, Klink kept thinking about all he had seen. The radio, the uniforms, the mint and the vastness of the tunnel system. This brought up memories of accusations that others, especially Major Hochstetter, had made. Suddenly, he began to understand it all.

"The tunnels. They don't just go under the camp. They go outside, don't they?"

Hogan nodded. "Yeah."

"And the uniforms and other clothing? They're disguises for these outside activities?"

"Yeah."

A look of dismay came to Klink's face. "The suspicions others had? They were right. You and your gang were responsible for the sabotage in the area, weren't you?"

"Some of it was the underground," answered Hogan.

"And you've been helping other prisoners escape? And--and spying?"

"Among other things." Hogan stopped in front of a padlocked door, again one with a window. "Here we are. Your new quarters," he explained, unlocking the padlock. Hogan opened the door and motioned for Klink to enter.

"I've been such a dupe," declared Klink, walking into the room.

"Just doing as ordered. I told you to keep being one," remarked Hogan, following him in.

Klink recalled the incident when the Abwehr agent had told him to keep being one(1). "That was you behind the mask?"

Hogan watched as Klink sat down at the small table. "Yeah," Hogan admitted. "You sure you wouldn't prefer the bed?"

"No. I couldn't sleep now. Not after all this. Hochstetter was right."

"I'm the most dangerous man in all Germany?" Hogan guessed.

"No. I've let the Third Reich lose a lot of ground. It's all my fault." This knowledge left Klink very distraut. He sat there staring blankly into space, slightly shaking his head, repeating over and over, "No perfect record. It was all my fault. I was such a dupe."

Hogan and Newkirk stood silently, watching him a minute. Then, they slowly left the room.

Once they were outside with the door locked, Newkirk said, "You know, I can almost feel sorry for Klink. Almost."

Hogan took one final look through the small window. Klink could still be heard repeating the same three sentences. "I know what you mean," Hogan agreed.

Hogan had anticipated various reactions from Klink but nothing like this. Klink's spirit had seemed to deflate with his ego. Revenge was bittersweet.


1 Duel of Honor