Chapter 8:

Morning soon came, and after roll call had ended, Hogan and his men ate breakfast, then met Kalina and Dorsey in the tunnels to start their plan.

While Newkirk fitted Dorsey in his Gestapo lieutenant uniform, Kalina stood to the captain's right teaching him simple German. She could not help but giggle every now and then when he flubbed up in his pronunciation of words.

"Javo," Dorsey said.

"No, Captain. Jawohl," Kalina said, grinning wide.

"Jawohl, Her Kommandant."

The response he got was Kalina giving a silent laugh. Her eyes sparkled with genuine glee and joy. It made him remember just how he had fallen in love with her in the first place. Reminding himself that their relationship could never be, he frowned internally, but physically gave a small smile.

"Think of the English word 'hair', mate. It sounds almost exactly like that," Newkirk said, offering a few pointers.

"Oh, that's much easier to remember. Jawohl, Herr Kommandant!" Dorsey remarked, speaking his German strong and with authority.

"Nice. Sehr schön," Kalina said.

"Wait, what does that mean?"

The kommandant's daughter turned her eyes to the ceiling and shook her head, all the while smirking and trying to stifle a laugh.

Hogan chuckled, standing out of the way, then approached the three.

"Everything in order, Newkirk?" The colonel asked.

"Yes, Sir. Papers, money, uniform all in check," the Englishman said.

"Good." Hogan turned to Dorsey. "Captain, you ready to go home?"

The young man nodded.

"Yes, Sir," he said.

"Alright. Now, there's a car the underground parked a little ways down the road east of here. You're to drive it here to camp, report to both Klink and Hochstetter that a Captain Dorsey of the USA Army Air Corps was found burned to ashes by his dog tags. If he keeps insisting on seeing evidence, pull out that bag of soot we gave you and your dog tags in your left pants pocket. Don't stay any longer than you have to. Get in, make your report, then head on to meet with an agent waiting for you at the Hofbrau. He'll guide you to underground leader, Otto Heidleman." Hogan briefed.

"Yes, Colonel. I mean jawohl, Colonel Hogan!"

The American colonel merely smirked.

"Brechen Sie ein Bein, Hauptmann," Hogan said.

"Brecca what?" Dorsey asked.

Newkirk shook his head and guided the captain to the emergency exit, leaving Hogan and Kalina to themselves.

When seeing the sad expression on the girl's face, Hogan wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

"He'll be alright, Kalina," he said, with certainty.

"I love him, Colonel Hogan," she said, with innocence.

"I know, I know. I saw the way you two looked at one another."

"He wanted me to go to London with him."

"I'm assuming you told him 'no' by the look on your face."

"I have work here to do still. I can't leave my Papa either."

"One of those 'star-crossed lovers' situations I see."

Kalina gave a heavy sigh.

"Why does love have to hurt so much sometimes?" She asked, looking up at the colonel's warm, brown eyes.

"We wouldn't know how much we love someone if it didn't hurt otherwise," Hogan said, rubbing Kalina's back gently.

"I guess."

Hogan gave a gentle smile.

"Why don't you go see your father. I know he always makes you feel better. I'll come join you guys later when Dorsey comes back into camp," he spoke gently.

The response he got was Kalina giving a small grin and nod.

The colonel escorted Kalina to the tunnel leading to her father's quarters, and they waited for their plan fall into action.


Kalina walked down the steps of her father's quarters onto the compound. It was a nice, warm day for it being in the middle of March. When she spotted Schultz sitting and asleep on a bench next to one of the barracks, she smirked. He was still the same man she knew as a little eight year old: loved to eat, sleep, and not do much exercise.

The kommandant's daughter continued making her way towards her father's office, when she paused in her step and became distracted. Kalina looked a bit to her left and made a wide grin. She saw Langenscheidt 'healthy' again and doing his routine morning patrol around camp. At the moment, he had paused in his walk to observe a few prisoners playing a game of football.

Excited to see her friend as if he had been sick for real, she sprinted towards the corporal and gave him the biggest hug she could, taking Langenscheidt by surprise. Seeing who it was, Langenscheidt gave a silent laugh, then wrapped his warm arms around Kalina. Once their hug had ended, the corporal escorted Kalina to her father's office. They made it inside and stopped at Klink's office door, when the German colonel's daughter turned around and saluted Langenscheidt. The soldier's response was a smile and a gentle hug. Langenscheidt waited until Kalina was safely inside the kommandant's office, then went back outside to carry out his duties.

Kalina silently closed the door behind her, hoping to not disturb what appeared to be her very busy father. Instead of announcing her presence, she stood quietly by the door with her arms behind her back and waited for Klink to take notice in her.

The kommandant sat at his desk quietly flipping through paperwork and reading over each document carefully. He was halfway through his current one, when he sensed someone had entered the room. He looked up and gave a big grin at who was his visitor. He received the same thing in return from his guest of honor.

Klink rose to his feet, and Kalina ran towards her father with open arms. She soon reached him, and both embraced one another.

Klink leaned forward, gave his daughter a soft kiss on the top of her head, and ran his fingers gently through her hair.

"How did you sleep last night, süßling?" The colonel asked.

"Surprisingly well. I never imagined beds in a prison camp to be comfy. What about you, Papa?" Kalina responded, using all her strength not to laugh at the last part.

"Like a baby. I don't know what it was last night, but I got the best sleep I've had since the war started. Why, I even feel a little refreshed of energy."

Kalina smiled in response, fighting back a laugh filled with mischief. She could only imagine what that thing might have been.

"Now," Klink said, rubbing his hands together. "What would you like to see today?"

"Hmmmmmm," the girl said, pondering her thoughts. She was beginning to think of an activity to do, when the door to her father's office unexpectedly opened, and Schultz entered without permission.

"Schultz! What are you doing in here?! You're supposed to be guarding the building!" The kommandant bellowed.

"Herr Kommandant, I beg to report that a Lieutenant Dasler is here to see you," the sergeant said, shaky.

"A Lieutenant Dasler, I've never heard of him. Send him away," Klink said, with the wave of his hand.

"He's with the Gestapo, Herr Kommandant."

Klink's body began to stiffen, and the color in his face was draining.

"Well, don't just stand there, send him in!" He remarked, with as much authority as possible.

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant." Schultz answered.

The fluffy man saluted a man in black clothing and hat, then left the two officers in private. It was not until after Schultz left that the Gestapo officer turned to face Klink. Unknown to the colonel's knowledge, it was Dorsey in his disguise.

"Colonel Klink?" He asked, an expressionless look on his face.

"Yes, Lieutenant. Might I say welcome to Stalag 13?" Klink asked, grinning like an idiot.

Dorsey remained emotionless, causing the kommandant to clear his throat and lose the smile.

"How can I assist you, Herr Oberleutnant?"

"I am aware that a Major Hochstetter is stationed here with some of his men. A stakeout might I call it," Dorsey said coolly.

"Jawohl, Herr Oberleutnant. He is looking for a saboteur that destroyed a bridge not too far from here. One of his men were killed in the explosion."

With her father's attention on Dorsey, Kalina turned to the undercover captain and gave a shy smile. Even in a Gestapo uniform he looked handsome.

"Ah yes, the Hermann Goering Bridge. Was caused by enemy subversion, was it not?" Dorsey questioned.

"No, Herr Oberleutnant, you're absolutely correct." Klink answered.

The captain turned to look at Kalina, as if he had just noticed her and feigned a perplexed expression.

"Who is this?" He asked, with suspicion.

"Ah, Lieutenant Dasler, this is my daughter. She won't repeat another word of this meeting to anyone, I can promise you that," Klink said, wrapping an arm around her protectively.

"I would like to see Major Hochstetter at once, Herr Kommandant. I have important information regarding the saboteur."

"You know where the saboteur might be?"

"I do know where he is. I would prefer to share my insight with Major Hochstetter present."

"Yes, Sir. I shall have him notified immediately." Klink made his way to his office window and leaned out slightly. "Langenscheidt! Bring Major Hochstetter in here immediately!"

While the colonel's attention was diverted, Dorsey gave a grin and wink at Kalina. His response was a silent giggle and blushing cheeks.

The three did not have long to wait, for Hochstetter was inside Klink's office before any of them knew it. At his arrival, the kommandant gave a strong salute. All he got was a dirty look in return.

"Klink, what is the meaning of this; don't you know I have a saboteur to catch?" The major growled.

"Major Hochstetter, this is Lieutenant Dasler. He was sent here to report some new information on the saboteur you're looking for," Klink said, gesturing towards Dorsey with his hand.

Hochstetter's eyes seemed to grow slightly in size and turned to the 'lieutenant'.

"You know where the saboteur might be, Lieutenant?" He asked.

"I do know where he is...dead," Dorsey said, completely flat.

"See, Major Hochstetter? I told you that the man guilty would be found in n...dead?" Klink gasped, his expression growing in horror.

"Very dead." The lieutenant answered, never leaving his eyes on Klink.

The colonel swallowed a growing lump in his throat, wondering if Dasler himself had killed the man.

"And just exactly how did he die, Lieutenant?" Hochstetter questioned, his suspicions on high.

"Burned alive. I was on patrol, and one of my men caught the man responsible for the destruction of the Hermann Goering Bridge. Out of anger and temporary insanity, the man that caught him set him on fire. A Captain Gary Dorsey from the United States Army Air Corps." Dorsey explained.

"Captain Dorsey...that was the man shot down a few nights ago over Hammelburg...he's the one that sabotaged the bridge?" Hochstetter asked, surprised.

"We suspect he purposely tried to get his plane shot down in order to crash into the bridge and sabotage it before parachuting out of the aircraft. I am not aware of anyone finding any plane parts near the area, so whether that suspicion is true or not in not in my knowledge."

"And where is Captain Dorsey's body now, Lieutenant?"

Dorsey pulled out a bag from his pocket and dangled it in his fingers. Inside it contained black and gray powder that nearly filled the entire bag. Klink's reaction was losing all the color in his face, and Hochstetter's was his eyes widening in shock. Was that the remains of the captain's body, they both wondered.

"Is that Captain Dorsey?" The kommandant asked, looking like he had just seen a ghost.

"What's left of him, that is," Dorsey said, flat. The eerie chuckle he made afterwards only made more chills run up and down Klink's spine.

Hochstetter took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Whether he was angry or annoyed was beyond anyone's knowledge.

"That man was to go under intense questioning and consequences. I demand to know the name of this officer!" The major growled.

"The one that killed Captain Dorsey?" Klink asked.

"Yes, you dummkopf; that officer!"

Dorsey seemed to tense at the question and tried to think quickly on his feet.

"I...I...I don't remember, Herr Major," he finally said.

"What do you mean 'you don't remember'?" The short major asked, growing frustrated.

"I don't remember his name, Major. He was from another headquarters, I'd never seen him before until that night."

"Which Headquarters?"

It was at that point that Dorsey could not answer. He had no knowledge of where Gestapo headquarters were located or who worked where. His muscles tensed, sweat started dripping down his back, and his skin faded a bit in color.

Seeing her crush start to crack under pressure, Kalina licked her lips and tried to think of something she could say to help the man. If she said something, though, Hochstetter would then question where she had got that information from. It would put her, her uncle, Colonel Hogan, and most of all, her father in grave danger. She was stuck and powerless at that moment, and it frightened her. It was usually easy for her to walk out of trouble situations when on a mission; this one, however, was something she could not find a backdoor out of.

As if answering their unsaid prayers, the door to Klink's office opened, and Hogan made his way inside. Seeing the colonel, both Dorsey and Kalina gave silent breaths of relief. If anyone could save them, it was Colonel Hogan and his clever psychology skills.

"I'm sorry, Kommandant, did I come at a bad time?" Hogan asked, acting surprised at Klink's visitors.

"Hogan, this is a private conversation!" The kommandant bellowed, shaking his fist.

"I just wanted to ask if the men could have a ping pong tournament." The American colonel turned to Dorsey, as if he was not expecting his presence. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met. Colonel Hogan, Senior POW Officer."

"What is this man doing here?!" Hochstetter hollered.

"Just wanted to give a proper greeting, Major." Hogan answered.

"Colonel Hogan, Major Hochstetter and Lieutenant Dasler do not need any proper greetings from you. They are here on important business regarding the saboteur." Klink argued.

"Saboteur...the one that blew up that bridge?"

"That one, Colonel uh...what was it again?" Dorsey replied.

"Hogan, Sir."

"Ja. That would be the one, Colonel Hogan. The saboteur was burned alive by a captain I was working with the night we found him. Nothing but ashes remain of him; a Captain Gary Dorsey from the United States Army Air Corps."

"Have you heard of him, Hogan?" Hochstetter prodded.

"Can't say I have, Major. The name's not familiar to me. Burned alive you said?" Hogan responded, crossing his arms.

"Jawohl, Colonel Hogan. My partner was consumed with blinding madness and lit the guilty party on fire with a match. I'm trying to remember what headquarters he came from for Major Hochstetter's records, but it's a blank to me," Dorsey said.

"Well, if I remember correctly from what Major Hochstetter said, I think he said units from both Gössenheim and Schweinfurt."

"Schweinfurt! That was the place! A captain from Schweinfurt."

"Does that mean the investigation is over, Herr Oberleutnant?" Kalina asked, shy.

"The saboteur is dead. I think that is a good enough reason to close this case, Fraulein," Dorsey said, his face again emotionless.

"I will find that captain if it's the last thing I do," Hochstetter declared.

"How will you find him, Major?" Kalina questioned, stepping closer to her father's side and leaning her head against him. The response she got was Klink wrapping a gentle arm around her and holding her close.

"Same way he found the saboteur: through someone else," Hogan said. The response took all of Kalina and Dorsey's strength to not laugh.

"BAH!" Hochstetter barked, then stormed out of the office with the door slamming behind him.

Klink held his daughter tighter to him, but the young girl could not fight back soft giggles. Though a Gestapo officer and someone she feared deeply, she found the banter between Hochstetter and Hogan kind of funny.

"Colonel Klink," Dorsey said. "I think I shall take my leave now."

"Yes, Lieutenant Dasler. Whatever you wish to do, I give you my full cooperation," the German colonel answered, smiling goofy.

The undercover captain frowned, and his face seemed to darken.

"Stop your smiling, Colonel. You look like an imbecile," he said, cold.

"Yes, Sir," Klink said, his facial expression turning quickly to one of timorousness.

Dorsey glared at the kommandant for a bit longer, then slowly turned on his boots and left the office in silence.

When the door gently shut, Kalina looked off in the direction Dorsey had disappeared into. It was official: he was gone, and she had no idea if they would ever see one another again. She let out a silent breath of air and frowned. He had not been gone for three seconds, and she already missed him with an aching heart. The expression on Kalina's face caught her father's concerned attention.

"Darling, what is it? What's wrong?" Klink asked.

"Nothing, Papa...he was just kinda cute is all," the girl said, looking in the direction of the door.

"Cute! You thought that Gestapo lieutenant who just barged in here was cute?!"

"He had such pretty eyes, Papa."

"Now Kalina, you can like any guy you want, but not one that works with the Gestapo."

"Ah, Papa."

"Well, I guess this is my cue to leave. Oh, Kommandant; about that ping pong tournament..." Hogan never got to finish his sentence.

"OUT!" Klink bellowed, pointing a finger to the door.

Hogan gave a sloppy salute, then made his way outside of the office with the door closing silently behind him.

Once the American had departed, Klink shook his fist in the air and moaned. Kalina's reaction was a soft giggle and the shake of her head. Stalag 13 had certainly grown on her. In fact, it was more than her father's workplace or her assigned base for missions; it had become her home away from home.