Chapter 8:

A few days passed by, and nothing much happened besides teams practicing for the championship volleyball game coming up.

Kinch and LeBeau were watching Newkirk, Carter, and their other four teammates as they continued practicing. Suddenly, a Gestapo staff car pulled up into camp and next to the Kommandantur. Kinch gently tapped LeBeau's shoulder, pointed to the car, and the two of them walked a bit closer to find out what was going on. The doors to the car opened, and Hochstetter stepped out followed by a young girl in a Gestapo uniform; it was Barbara.

LeBeau softly gasped, but Kinch gave him a warning glare to tell him to not make any sudden noises. The two of them returned their attention to the two of the Gestapo agents in front of them.

"I wonder what Barbara's doing here," Kinch pondered.

"And why is she wearing such a horrible outfit?" LeBeau asked smug, as he crossed his arms. He was disgusted that his beautiful lady was wearing such trash.

Carter and Newkirk saw the two Germans and made their ways over to Kinch and LeBeau.

"What's Barbara doing here?" Newkirk asked.

"We're wondering the same thing, Newkirk." Kinch replied, keeping his eyes fixed on Hochstetter.

Klink came out followed by Schultz. He greeted Hochstetter with his usual dorky smile, as he locked away his fear as best as he could. He saluted to the Gestapo major, who returned the same salute slightly irritated.

"Major Hochstetter, welcome back to Stalag 13," Klink said, with a corny smile.

"Klink, this is my niece, Barbara Wagner. She wanted to join me on my visit to see you," Hochstetter reported.

"You said this was the toughest prisoner of war camp in all of Germany, Uncle Wolfgang," Barbara said smug. Her arms were crossed, and she looked at Klink disapprovingly. She found the man a complete moron acting undercover and opinion wise. She wondered how Newkirk, Kinch, LeBeau, and Carter put up with such a booby prize for a Kommandant.

"This is unfortunately, dear," Hochstetter said sadly.

"I don't understand how a camp can be so tough with such a coward of a Kommandant." Barbara replied, looking Klink head to toe and back up again.

Klink forced a chuckle.

"She's lovely, Major Hochstetter," the Kommandant said, slightly worried.

"Come, Barbara...the sooner we get this discussion over with, the better." Hochstetter sneered.

"Agreed, Uncle." Barbara replied.

"Oh, Kommandant," Kinch called, as he and the others followed him towards Klink, Hochstetter, and Barbara.

"Sergeant Kinchloe, what do you want," Klink ordered.

"We're sorry for prying, sir, but we were just curious to know what's going on."

"And who's the girl?" Newkirk asked smug. He crossed his arms and looked disgusted with Barbara, as if he had never met her before.

"I would advise you to not speak so ill to my niece, Corporal Newkirk." Hochstetter hissed.

"I didn't know you had a niece, Major Hochstetter," Carter said stunned.

"Who are these eh...delinquents?" Barbara asked disgusted.

LeBeau, not being able to hide his love, broke first.

"Corporal Louis LeBeau. Serial number H1249…" Newkirk cut the little Frenchman off.

"Louis!" Newkirk snapped.

Barbara looked ill at all four of them and rolled her eyes.

"Uncle Wolfgang, get me inside the Kommandant's office...one idiot is enough." Barbara sneered, turning her attention back to Klink.

Klink began laughing, then it turned into fear.

"Right away, Miss Barbara," Klink quivered. "Schultz!"

"Yes, Herr Kommandant?" Schultz asked, reporting by his commander's side.

"Show Major Hochstetter and Miss Barbara to my office."

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. It shall be done!"

"I can make my own way to your office, Klink!" Hochstetter spat.

"Of course, Major," Klink said.

The four Germans disappeared into the Kommandantur. After waiting a few seconds, Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter hurried back to the barracks and to the small room to grab the coffee pot and listen in on what would go down in Klink's office.


Barbara stood near the door by Schultz. He did not bother her like Klink did. To Barbara, Schultz seemed like nothing more than a big teddy bear who was doing a job out of fear of his own country. For that, she secretly hid the fact of thinking that and acted like she was not pleased with his presence. She would find a way to make it up to him later. She owed the nice sergeant at least that much...especially when he had to put up with Klink 24 hours a day.

As for Hochstetter, he stood before Klink's desk as the old Kommandant took his spot in his chair.

"Now, Major Hochstetter; to what do I owe this pleasure surprise of you and your lovely niece visiting?" Klink asked, once again giving his goofy smile.

"Klink, you know very well why I am here," Hochstetter remarked, ornery as always.

"Of course, Major Hochstetter…" Klink paused. He had no idea why Hochstetter was here, let alone with his young niece. She looked, to Klink, no more than 24 years old. The old Kommandant gulped before speaking again. "Would you mind giving me a hint?"

Barbara, standing with her arms crossed, turned her eyes to the ceiling and faintly shook her head. How stupid was this man actually, she wondered.

"Klink! Colonel Hogan is why I'm here!" Hochstetter hollered, slapping his leather gloves hard on Klink's desk. It startled the Kommandant, making him jump a little in his chair. He swallowed another knot in his throat.

"Major...Colonel Hogan's dead...he died six months ago being transferred to Hadamar Psychiatric Center." Klink trembled.

"BAH!" Hochstetter yelled. "Klink, that man is alive, and I know it!"

"Obviously, he's resilient to believing so, Uncle." Barbara spoke arrogant, while looking at her nails. Making sure Hochstetter was not noticing, Klink gave a slight smug look to the young lady.

"Major Hochstetter, I was sent Colonel Hogan's death certificate and notified the night Hogan was shot and killed by the guards who had taken him." Klink stated strong, yet he was shaking just looking at Hochstetter's cold, dead eyes.

"Then explain where his body is, Klink." Hochstetter sneered.

The German colonel gulped.

"In the morgue?" He trembled innocently.

"KLINK!" Hochstetter hollered.

"I don't know, Major; you're absolutely right," Klink said, starting to break under Hochstetter. At some points, he wondered who scared him more: Adolf Hitler or Major Hochstetter?

"I currently have my men investigating the guards who escorted Colonel Hogan to Hadamar the night he was 'shot and killed'...and I know you have their names, Klink." Hochstetter growled, leaning in closer to Klink's face. The Kommandant simply shook violently.

"Yes, Major; I think I do remember their names, now that you mention it." He quivered, nodding slightly.

"Now, who are they?" Hochstetter asked.

"A Captain Gebauer with two sergeants: Hoffman and Schlacter." (1)

Hochstetter took notes down in a notepad, clicked his pen, then put the small book away in his coat pocket.

"Klink, I shall return after investigating the three guards you have told me of," Hochstetter warned.

The kommandant gulped.

"I shall be waiting sir, Major." He trembled.

Hochstetter turned to look at his niece with affection.

"Come, dear; let's get out of here," Hochstetter said.

"The sooner, the better, Uncle," Barbara said, glaring at Klink.

The two Gestapo officers walked out of Klink's office and headed back to their car. When they were gone, Klink shook his fist and moaned slightly, showing his aggravation of both Hochstetter and his disapproving niece visiting his camp.

Just as Klink was about to start on some paperwork, there was a knock on the door. It opened without waiting for a reply, and Kinch walked in and saluted Klink.

"Sergeant Kinchloe, I'm not in the mood." He hissed.

"Sorry to intrude, Kommandant. I was just curious to know what Major Hochstetter wanted," Kinch said.

"That's none of your business. Dismissed!" Klink replied, waving Kinch on.

"Sir, does General Burkhalter know about the investigation going on?"

Klink looked up at Kinch suspiciously.

"I believe Major Hochstetter said he had gotten permission from him to carry out the investigation...why," he ordered.

"Shouldn't he be aware of Major Hochstetter's visit today?" Kinch questioned innocently.

Klink sat there and thought about it for a while. Kinch did make a valid point. After a few more moments, Klink leaned over, grabbed his phone, and picked it up.

"Fraulein Hilda, get me General Burkhalter in Berlin. Priority call," he ordered. There was a moment of silence before what Kinch assumed was Burkhalter answering the phone.

"Ah, General Burkhalter; good to hear your voice again, sir...Klink!" The old Kommandant started. "General Burkhalter, I wanted to inform you that Major Hochstetter came by for his visit, today...what do you mean 'what visit'? Didn't you order him to come see me, sir...sir I...you mean you don't know?...General Burkhalter, Major Hochstetter told me that you granted him permission to investigate Hogan's death after he made valid arguments that made you grow suspicious of the night he was taken to Hadamar." Klink took the phone then away from his ear. Burkhalter could be heard screaming throughout the entire office. Kinch slightly eased away, hearing how furious the German general was.

Klink slowly put the phone back to his ear and tried to ease Burkhalter from his growing temper.

"General Burkhalter, I can assure you I had no idea of this whatsoever...you're coming out here?...now?...yes, sir...I understand, sir...wha...oh yes, Heil Hitler." With that, Klink hung up the phone and began rubbing his temples. A headache was starting to form.

"Everything alright, sir?" Kinch asked.

"General Burkhalter had not been informed of an investigation going on by Major Hochstetter or anyone from Gestapo Headquarters." Klink replied meekly.

"He sounded pretty angry, sir."

"He'll be even more angry when he finds out I've had a previous meeting with Major Hochstetter I didn't inform him about."

"You didn't call him then either, Kommandant?"

"I thought Major Hochstetter would have taken care of the call, and now I find out this."

"Sounds rough, sir."

"Sergeant Kinchloe, what am I gonna do? General Burkhalter coming here will just make the situation ten times as worse than it already is with just Major Hochstetter snooping around."

"Well, you could always try a trip to Stalingrad." Kinch gave a light chuckle, until he saw Klink snap his head at him with a frightening look on his face.

"Sergeant, that's not funny!" Klink spat.

"Sorry, sir," Kinch said innocently.

Klink sighed and placed a hand on his chin to prop up his head.

"I'm doomed, Sergeant Kinchloe...doomed." He whimpered.


(1) Captain Gebauer is the alias of an underground member disguised as a Luftwaffe officer that appeared in 'Lost in the Darkness' with two other agents to take Hogan to the secret airfield, where an airplane would take him London for proper medical attention. There were two other guards with him, but they were never specified by any names, so I gave them each a name for this story.