Chapter Seven: Necessity of Friendship

Even though he tried his best to pay attention during the morning roll call, Hogan found that it was very difficult as all he could think about was his nightmare. He barely even paid attention to Klink gloating over the latest bit of news that he was telling his prisoners about "the glorious Fatherland." Meanwhile, Newkirk and Carter had their own problems to deal with. Since they had always stolen their blood from the local hospital, they weren't used to the feeling that came from attacking people directly, as they did with Colonel Magerlein the previous night. It was both a feeling of power and satisfaction, but also of shame. For once, Newkirk didn't mind that Klink was telling the prisoners propaganda news of the war. He even felt a little happy to see that his Kommandant was in such a positive mood that day. It was far better than the alternative, as Newkirk thought to himself If Klink knows that the Gov'nor knows our secret, e'll think it's only a matter of time before… However, both Hogan's and Newkirk's thoughts were interrupted when the prisoners were dismissed back into their barracks.

Even during breakfast, all three men continued to think about the events that had occurred during the previous night, as well as Hogan thinking about his nightmare. They barely touched the food that LeBeau had prepared for their breakfast, and none of them were really listening to Kinch's description of what had gone on during the officer's party the night before. The men's silence and small appetite did not go unnoticed.

LeBeau was the first one to speak up. "What's wrong? Don't you like how the eggs turned out?"

"Nothing, they're fine," all three men replied at the same time.

Great, LeBeau thought to himself. I make a magnifique breakfast and they only say that "they're fine." He looked over at Kinch, who could only shrug his shoulders.

"Colonel, did something go wrong with the mission last night?" Since Kinch knew that his commanding officer was a private man, he hesitantly added, "Is there anything you would like to talk about?"

"No, the mission last night was a success. We were able to secure those papers from Colonel Magerlein." Sensing the slightly uneasy tension that was hanging in the air, Hogan added, "We're fine. There's really nothing to talk about." Silently, Hogan wished he could say, "But did you know that Carter and Newkirk are vampires, and they attacked Colonel Magerlein last night, and then, while I was sleeping, I dreamt that they changed me into a vampire?" Instead, he poked at his eggs, and was glad to see his second-in-command had dropped the subject. "Anyway, what did you two learn during the party last night?"

"Not much. There was this real talkative Gestapo at the party last night, a Sergeant Faust. Pretty much every time somebody tried to speak he would begin talking about the strangest thing. Said that there were vampires in the area or something."

"Everybody thought that he just had too much to drink," LeBeau added. "Can you imagine, vampires? The Gestapo are getting crazier and crazier."

"Vampires? Blimey, sounds like this Sergeant's gone round the bend," Newkirk spoke before Hogan had a chance to, perhaps even a little too quickly. Carter nodded his agreement.

The rest of the breakfast was uneventful. After everybody had finished, LeBeau cleared the table, while Hogan silently caught Newkirk's and Carter's attention and motioned with his head to his quarters. He knew that he needed to get his dream off his chest and talk about it with them.

Once all three men had left, Kinch strode over to LeBeau to help him wash the dishes. "Did you notice that the Colonel, and Newkirk and Carter, all seemed pretty quiet about the mission last night? Plus they barely touched your cooking? It just doesn't seem like them."

"Oui, mon ami. Something is wrong here, especially with the way that Carter and Newkirk were acting all last week….Plus, I didn't want to say anything at the table, but did you notice that Carter's eyes seemed a little green?"

"Yeah, I noticed that too. I just hope the Colonel decides to tell us what's on his mind. Hopefully, sooner rather than later."

Inside his private quarters, Hogan sat at his desk facing his two men, who were sitting on his lower bunk. He had made sure that his door was closed, and he told LeBeau and Kinch not to open it without knocking first. Slowly he began telling his two men about the horrific dream that he had just woken up from an hour ago. By the time he was done telling them about it, exactly as he remembered it, he saw that their expressions had gone from curiosity to horror to sadness, and maybe a couple of emotions in between. He finished by telling them the questions that he had thought of upon waking.

"Sir, about your questions—would you want us to change you?" Newkirk asked.

"We wouldn't do it if you didn't want us to sir. I mean, we'd all be sad, but we wouldn't change you against your will." Carter added. Hogan could see that the thought of performing that action actually repulsed him a little bit.

"No, I don't want to become a vampire, but thanks anyway." Hogan replied in his usual sarcastic manner. He lowered his head before very quietly adding, "I don't want to become a, a…monster."

Hogan looked up to see that his two men were deeply hurt at what he had just confessed to them. They knew that he would have a hard time with their secret, but the fact that he would actually view two of his trusted men, men who had gone on countless missions with him time and again, as something less than human was beyond them.

Carter fought to hold back the tears as he could only ask his commanding officer, "Why sir?"

"I know it's wrong of me, but I can't help my feelings. You two drink blood to stay alive! You attacked Colonel Magerlein last night! I know you're still my men and that nothing can change that, but…Well, that's just it. You're not men, you're vampires!" Hogan had never considered himself a temperamental man, but he had never been faced with such a reality before. Very quietly he added, "Do you want to know the truth? I'm actually scared of you."

Hogan's admittance was his two men's breaking point. Just like in his commanding officer's dream, Carter began to cry real tears, and Newkirk could barely hold them back. They knew that they would have to do everything possible to convince their Colonel that things were still the same—that they could still be counted on 100%, and that they could still blow things up and pickpocket with the best of them.

"Like I said yesterday, we're not evil, and we're not monsters." Newkirk reminded Hogan through misty eyes. "What do we 'ave to do to make you believe us?"

Hogan could only sigh before adding, "I don't know Newkirk. I honestly don't know."

After a couple of seconds had passed, Newkirk thought of a plan and decided to put it into action. "Andrew, maybe we should 'ave gone to Gestapo 'Eadquarters last night instead of telling Colonel Hogan our secret. It might 'ave been a suicide mission, but I'm sure the Colonel would be a lot 'appier right now."

Carter, completely shocked at the words that Newkirk was speaking, asked, "Newkirk, why are you saying that? You know it would have been too dangerous with just the three of us."

"Yeah, I know that, but apparently the Gov'nor 'ere wants nothing to do with us." To clarify his actions, Newkirk thought to his friend Reverse psychology. Follow me lead. Newkirk was glad that Carter began to understand.

"I'm sure that the Colonel has a lot of things on his mind right now. But I mean it's better than being caught, or tortured, isn't it? I mean, we certainly don't respect or admire the Colonel, and we wouldn't protect him at all costs, would we? Even though you almost got killed last night and…" Carter stopped, as he saw that Hogan and Newkirk were both looking at him with wide eyes, and then at each other. The truth of what had almost happened the previous night was beginning to sink into both men's minds.

Simultaneously, both men remembered that Colonel Magerlein had been very quick with his gun—almost too quick, as a matter of fact. Carter watched as both pairs of eyes slowly looked down at Newkirk's heart, where Magerlein's bullet had missed it by mere centimeters. All three men had been too caught up in what had been going on to notice that Newkirk had barely moved out of the way just in time to avoid being killed.

"Blimey, I 'adn't thought of that." Newkirk looked over at Hogan, who remained quiet.

Newkirk almost got himself killed last night, just to protect me….Carrying out an attack on one Gestapo agent is certainly a lot easier than on the entire Gestapo Headquarters…Respect, admiration-Carter's right….But still.

However, the thoughts of all three men were interrupted when LeBeau knocked on the closed door, as he had been instructed. After hearing Hogan's permission to allow him to enter, he informed them that something had just happened to make the day go from bad to worse.

"Hochstetter's car's just arrived, mon Colonel. What do you think the Bosch wants this time?"

"I'm not sure. But get Kinch in here. It looks like it's already time for our coffee break," Hogan told his corporal, trying his best to put aside his feelings for Carter and Newkirk and to concentrate on this new development.

Inside the Kommandant's office, the usual meeting of the minds was taking place. Sitting at his desk, Klink said with a smile on his face "Major Hochstetter, what a pleasure it is to see you."

Hochstetter sneered while replying, "I wish that I could say the same thing for you."

Upon hearing those words, Klink's smile fell from his face, and he increasingly grew nervous. "Yes sir. What can I do for the Gestapo today?"

"First of all, you can stop quivering." Even though Klink hadn't been aware of it, he had started to slide back into his chair. "Second, you can tell Schultz to bring Colonel Hogan here. I have something the Gestapo needs to ask of him."

A short time later, Hogan was standing in Klink's office in front of his desk. He acted surprised about why he was wanted there as always, even though he had a pretty good idea he knew why.

Speaking to Klink, the Gestapo Major asked, "Klink, I understand that Colonel Magerlein was here to see you yesterday. I also understand that he was investigating the supply depot that was blown up a little over a week ago—and that he believes Colonel Hogan and his team were responsible for the attack."

"But that's impossible Major. Colonel Hogan has been here all along. May I remind you that there has never been a successful escape attempt from Stalag 13 and that…" Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted.

"Klink, shut up."

"Yes sir."

"Just now I found Colonel Magerlein's body in a ditch off of the road that leads into camp. Don't you think it's strange that he was the one investigating Hogan, and now he is dead?" Hochstetter quickly turned his head to look at Hogan, before giving his attention to Klink again.

"Don't look at me sir—like the Kommandant said, there has never been a successful escape attempt," Hogan replied, even though the question hadn't been directly addressed towards him. He saw Klink's eyes looking at him, as though they were pleading with Hogan not to cause any trouble with the Gestapo.

Klink's eyes grew wide upon hearing the news. "Colonel Magerlein—dead? But that's terrible! Do they know what he died of?" Even though Klink tried to act upset, he was secretly very happy, relieved in fact. He thought to himself There must be a reason why he only wanted to arrest Carter and Newkirk yesterday. And I think I know why. If that's correct, then this Colonel would have become a danger to myself as well.

"It appears that he lost control of his car, and that when he stepped out of it, either to get help or to walk back to his house, he was attacked by some animal. I found footprints leading up to and away from a bush, but the trail stops there."

"If it's an animal, then there's no way that Hogan or any of his men were responsible."

Hogan spoke up. "The Kommandant is right sir. After all, the last time I checked we're just as human as the Gestapo are. Well, give or take a little on their part."

Klink looked at his American counterpart, since he was annoyed as always. "Hogan!"

"Bah!" Hochstetter said, turning around to look at Hogan before turning back and replying to Klink, "I suppose you are correct Kommandant." Opening the door, Hochstetter looked one more time at Hogan before adding, "But I will be keeping my eye on you." With that, he slammed the door to Klink's office, walked over to his car, got in and left Stalag 13.

...

Back inside Hogan's quarters, Kinch and LeBeau looked at Newkirk and Carter with very surprised expressions. Even though they had a couple of questions on their minds, they only had to ask the one that was of the utmost importance.

"Neither the Colonel nor you two told us that Magerlein was dead." Kinch said.

"Well, we didn't think it was important," Carter tried to explain. However, Kinch and LeBeau just looked at him as if he had tried to convince them that two plus two made five.

"What do you mean, not important? You two have been acting very strange all week." LeBeau shot back.

Carter and Newkirk looked at each other, and Carter sent his friend a silent mind message, "Do you think we should tell them? I'm tired of lying to them, to our friends. It might be easier on us."

"It's not a good time Andrew. Our Colonel is 'aving enough trouble dealing with all this before we let Kinch and LeBeau know. And you KNOW 'ow important our secret is to us."

"Will it ever be a good time to tell them? Besides, you said yourself 'But if we have to tell them, we will.' I mean, I want them to know that we're not traitors or anything. You saw how suspicious Hogan was before we told him—don't you think that Kinch and LeBeau feel the same way?"

Newkirk sighed. He, too, was tired of having to skirt the issue, and he knew that his friend was probably correct that Hogan's two other men shared the same suspicion. He thought back to the radio message that he had received from Wings a little over a week ago. He knew it wasn't her fault that their offices had been broken into, but lately he had been wishing that he had never received the message from her at all. Even though he knew that Kinch and LeBeau wouldn't take their secret very easy—possibly even worse than how Hogan was treating it—he felt that if he and Carter continued lying to them things could only get worse. He silently replied to Carter, "Anne isn't going to like this, you know….But it's our secret, and I 'ave to agree with you. It's time."

Hogan arrived in his quarters in time to see a decidedly shocked Kinch and LeBeau, standing opposite a noticeably fanged-and-green-eyed Newkirk and Carter.