Chapter Ten: Eye for an Eye

Doctor Frakes came into his office and locked the door. He picked up his telephone speaker. He had been waiting for this particular call all day long. "König! It was about time. What happened?"

"It's wearing off."

"Side effects?"

"None, apparently. The subject seems to be doing well."

Frakes nodded. "Interesting." He sat at his desk and played with his pen. "How about his memory?"

"From what I heard, he doesn't remember his stay at the hospital. But he's having nightmares about it."

"I foresaw that. We'll correct the flaws immediately." The silence at the other side of the wire was eloquent enough. "You don't approve, Herr König?"

"Do you think that's absolutely necessary? We already know what we needed to know-"

"Shall I remind you that our sponsors want results too?" Frakes had to make an effort to keep his voice down. "We were hired to corroborate Major Hochstetter's suspicions. We still have to do that. Unless..." he made a small pause. "Unless you have already learned something. Have you, Herr König?"

More silence followed the question. Then, there was a long deep breath. "No, sir. I haven't seen anything suspicious yet."

"In that case, we'll do it our way." Frakes reached for a small notebook. "Our informant says that these men operate around the area. We're in a good position to see that first hand, don't you think?"

"Listen, I don't know what you've planned, but I don't think we should-"

"Well, I think we should! I'm not going to argue with you. I suppose you remember that I'm the only one between you and that glorious army of yours. One word on my part and you'll be wearing that nefarious guard uniform in the Russian front. Has anybody recognized you yet?"

"I don't think they remember me. Maybe Colonel Hogan, but he hasn't seen me yet."

"Good. Don't let him see you, then. Keep an eye on our subject and that's all. Don't make contact of any kind. Things will go as planned." He hung up. He rattled his pen on the desk while thinking of his next move. He dialed a number on the phone. "Are you ready?" he asked as soon as he heard a voice at the other side. He grinned. "Good, eight thirty, tonight."

HHH

"It was like a dream within a dream... within a dream..." Newkirk said, staring at his mug of tea. "And when I was finally awake... it turned out I was still asleep."

Hogan blinked and shook his head. He could barely follow the story that his corporal was telling him. "But you weren't sleeping all the time. You must've seen people, talked to someone."

Newkirk sighed and rubbed his temple. "That's the funny part of it. I'm not sure... For a while, I thought I 'ad been interrogated and yet..." He looked at Hogan. "The war isn't over. Carter never signed the cast on me leg and-" he frowned suddenly.

"And what, Newkirk?"

"I never received news from me sister." He lowered his eyes. "It actually felt good reading about 'er..."

Hogan clapped Newkirk's hand across the table to snap him out of the trance. "It's all right. There were moments when we thought you'd never come back."

"There were moments I thought I 'ad come back but I didn't."

Hogan smiled, although inside he was still wondering what had happened. He was convinced that the story was longer than this but he would not torment Newkirk with asking any more questions. His corporal was back; everything else could wait. He stared at him. Besides a slight tremble in his hands, Newkirk seemed to be doing fine. "Are you all right?"

"I think so," Newkirk smiled, with just a tinge of relief showing. "I 'ad this pounding 'eadache... or I dreamed I'd got one... but it's gone now... now that I'm sure I'm actually back."

"Good..."

"You don't think it was a dream, do you?"

"Newkirk, in our line of work, nothing happens by chance, you know that." Hogan turned to the trapdoor. Kinch was coming up. "Are Carter and LeBeau here yet?"

"No. I was at the radio with one of our local contacts. They have more information concerning Klondike's mission." He produced a piece of paper and handed it to Hogan. "They will meet one of us at the Hofbrau tonight at twenty hundred and thirty hours."

Hogan looked at his watch and shook his head. "Klink expects me in twenty minutes for a game of chess." He turned to the trapdoor and sighed. "I hate last-minute changes."

"What is it?" Newkirk asked.

Hogan chuckled. "I've run out of men. I don't have anyone to send..." He looked at Kinch, but both shook their heads.

"I couldn't come up with an excuse for me to be there" Kinch shrugged.

"I'll go," Newkirk said.

"No, you can't," Hogan pointed at his injured leg.

"Sure I can," Newkirk insisted. "I'll just dress like an old man, cane and all, walking very slowly. Nobody will notice a thing."

Hogan shook his head. "You can't walk all the way to town; it'd take you ages to get there."

"We can take Klink's sidecar. It's in the motor pool, I saw it." Newkirk got up. "Kinch can drive me there, I'll get a drive back, 'ave done it before."

Hogan turned to Kinch, hoping for a good excuse to call things off. The sergeant shrugged. "We just cleaned it this morning."

"That's it, then," Newkirk smiled. He looked at Hogan and tilted his head. "C'mon, Gov'nor, for good ol' times' sake." He patted the colonel on the arm.

"All right. Kinch will drop you near town, and he'll pick you up at the same place thirty minutes later." He stared at both of them. "No detours, no welcome-back celebrations, no nothing. One minute late and I'll personally release the dogs on you two."

Newkirk laughed. He was just glad, feeling that he was finally home at last. Kinch stared at him while he descended down the ladder.

"We just cleaned it up this morning?" Hogan narrowed his eyes. "Thanks for nothing."

"I'm sorry, I was just carried away by his enthusiasm," Kinch apologized. "It's like he just came back alive."

Hogan had to smile too. He nodded. "Yeah, he looks like same old Newkirk, right? Let's hope that we don't have to regret this later."

HHH

Hogan let Klink set out the preparation of the table and the pieces for the game. With some luck, the Kommandant would play awfully as always, and the game would end within an hour. If not, he would personally play awfully and end the game within an hour, anyway.

"You must be in a better mood now that your man is finally back," Klink said.

"Certainly, your people took their time with him." Hogan stared at the pieces.

Klink pushed his chair forward and leaned his elbows on the table. "Well, you're welcome."

"Come again?"

"I know you're not going to thank me directly, so I'll spare you from the embarrassment." Klink smiled widely. "You're welcome, Colonel Hogan."

Hogan looked at him. The man had done all in his power, so to speak, to return Newkirk to them. He did not even know how much that meant for Hogan and his men. He deserved some recognition, although Hogan suspected that his participation had been staged from somewhere else. It's as though he's a token in another game board. Hogan chose his pawn and moved it forward. "I'm grateful, Colonel. Your good deed was quite unexpected."

Klink studied his pieces and moved his first pawn. "Just because we're enemies, doesn't mean that we can't be gentlemen." He shrugged modestly.

Hogan made another move. Something simple, the perfect play. Only a couple more of those, and even Klink would win the game. The Kommandant looked at the board, frowning and leaning back in his chair. Hogan looked at Schultz who rolled his eyes. Even the sergeant had figured out the next move. The colonel smirked. Maybe this game would take a little longer than he had reckoned.

HHH

Newkirk left Kinch waiting in the side car. He could feel the sergeant's concern as he leaped away. It would take some time for things to be going back completely normal. Even Newkirk still had his doubts. Maybe it was too soon... But he had the urge to shake the last few days off his mind. Although he would keep himself away from beer and other spirits, a change of air would be always welcomed.

He entered the bar and no one turned to see him. He grinned. The disguise of his old man impersonation was his masterpiece. He walked slowly toward an empty table, when something got his attention. He saw that a woman was sitting alone, and that she was playing Solitaire. He immediately recognized the Klondike rules.

"I still don't know what I'm doing wrong," the woman said when he got closer.

"Try to play with seven cards," Newkirk said absently. He frowned. That was not what he wanted to say. In fact, he was not supposed to engage in conversation with any stranger. He made an attempt to walk away.

The woman looked at him and smiled. "Why, Corporal Newkirk, aren't you going to sit with me?"

Newkirk held his breath. He looked around to make sure no one was watching. He sat in front of her. "I know you," he whispered. "'Ow do you know me name?"

"Take a closer look, Peter."

Newkirk blinked, feeling dizzy all of a sudden. "Lydia? Or Heide Sommer?"

"Lydia," she said. "Who's Heide Sommer?" she asked with genuine puzzlement.

"Never mind," Newkirk shrugged. "Just another dream, I suppose." He leaned forward. "What are you doing 'ere? 'Ow did you recognize me?"

"I came to meet someone. I was hoping that it would be you," she replied with a warm smile.

"Me? You're-?"

"Surprised?" She gave him an innocent look. "I took care of you in the 'ospital. I thought you 'ad inferred my role in all of this... You look like a clever man."

Newkirk felt sheepish. He still did not have a clue about what was going on. "But I was dreaming, wasn't I? What role? Aren't you a nurse?"

"So many questions," she giggled before hardening her expression. "We need to talk. It's really important. It's about your mission." She took one card and gave it to him.

"Knave of 'Earts?"

"Knave of Hearts," she repeated.

Lydia's voice was low and soothing but it pierced Newkirk's brain like a knife. He gasped. "W-what's this?" He struggled to keep focused on the card.

"Headache?" She pushed her glass toward him. "Drink some of this." She noticed his wary look and smiled. "It's only water. Alcohol makes me sleepy."

Newkirk drank without thinking. He looked at her again. "Why are you showing me this?" His words came out slowly all of a sudden. He began to feel his mind drifting away.

Lydia kept a deep look on him. She touched Newkirk's arm but he did not move. "The King of Hearts beat the Knave full score..."

"The Knave of 'Earts vowed 'e'd steal no more..." Newkirk completed the rhyme in an almost dream-like whisper.

Lydia leaned forward. "We found your father's murderer, Peter."

Newkirk shook his head, struggling to stay awake. "What? Me father's what?"

"His murderer." Lydia turned for just a brief moment to make sure they were not being watched, before turning back to Newkirk. "Your father worked hard for the underground. He went out one night to warn Klondike about an infiltration in our lines... The impostor killed one of us and took his place... He knew about your father and killed him before he could talk. Now the impostor is waiting for Klondike. You must stop him before he kills again." She reached into her purse for a picture. She made sure that Newkirk was still looking at her. She showed him the picture. "This one is the killer, Peter. He killed your father. You must stop him before he kills again."

Newkirk grabbed the picture. He tried to fight the dizziness and the fog clouding his mind. "No, you've got it wrong... This makes no sense...'E would never do that kind of act!..." Newkirk fought hard to try to make sense of what Lydia was telling him, but it was rapidly becoming of no avail.

"There's no doubt. I'm sorry, I wish it wasn't so, but this is the truth." Lydia's voice was still soothing, but it was now tinged with sadness. "You know this man. Say his name, Peter."

He shook his head. "L-Lydia..."

"His name, Peter. Who is this man?"

Newkirk could not hold control of his thoughts any longer. "C-Colonel Hogan..."

"What did he do?"

"'E k-killed my father..."

"Good, we're getting somewhere at last," Lydia smiled triumphantly. "What are you going to do about that?"

"I... I'm going to... kill 'im..."

HHH

LeBeau walked for a couple of minutes until he realized that he was alone. He turned and sighed. "Carter," he whispered. "Are you coming?"

"I'm right behind you," he said. "I can't walk any faster. I'm carrying Klondike, remember?"

LeBeau rolled his eyes. "You said we wouldn't talk about that anymore."

"Sorry, I'm just saying that it's hard walking with a-"

"Encore une fois. [1] It wasn't my fault that that thing was already on the ground and I stepped on it."

"No one is blaming that on you. Klondike is fine, see?" Carter opened his coat and showed him a handsome white pigeon peeping through. "I wonder how the magicians do it. Walking around with a pigeon in your clothes isn't easy."

"Who would've thought that our super secret agent was a pigeon?" LeBeau smiled. "Mon Dieu! This is going to be a joke for days to come."

"That will be good. We need some laughs after this last week" Carter replied while warmly petting the bird.

"At least, we won't have to bother about thinking of a way to get him out of here. He will fly home all by himself." LeBeau scratched the pigeon's head. "Qu'il est mignon, n'est-ce pas?" [2]

"So, we just push him out and he will fly all the way to England? It's a long way, isn't it?"

"Don't get too attached, Carter. You know what the colonel says about fraternizing with our contacts. Klondike will cross the Channel with the message. He's trained for that. If not," LeBeau said with a grin, "we still can have a nice pigeon à l'Orange."

Carter hugged the pigeon against his chest. "Shh! He can hear you." He caressed the pigeon. "Don't mind him, Klondike; he's just a bad joker."

"Anyway, I don't think Felix would get along very well with him," LeBeau pointed out.

"You're probably right about that," Carter replied, agreeing with his friend's statement.

HHH

Hogan entered the barracks, only to find that it was empty. He did not like that. He was late from his chess game and his men had not come back from their missions yet. Kinch met him right when Hogan came down the ladder. The sergeant did not look happy. Hogan sighed.

"What happened?"

"Actually, sir, I don't know." Kinch pointed at the radio room. "He hasn't talk to me since we came back."

Hogan turned to see Newkirk at the other side slowly taking the makeup off his face. "Did he make contact with the agent?"

"I think so. But when he came back, he was too quiet. I've tried to make him talk but he only answers with yes and no."

"Carter and LeBeau?"

"Nothing yet. They must be closer now."

Hogan sighed. For once, he would have liked to have a simple mission that went smoothly all the way through, without him having to worry about his men. Too late for that at the moment he thought to himself. He entered the radio room and sat at the table right in front of Newkirk. The corporal was behind a hand mirror wiping off the last traces of his old man makeup.

"Everything went okay?" Hogan asked. "No difficulties?"

"Did you expect any?" Newkirk's voice was neutral but intentionally cold.

"Did you make contact? What did they want?"

"Nothing much," Newkirk said. He took his wig off and brushed his hair. "They were concerned about some things."

Hogan frowned. Suddenly, he was not just confused, he was getting angry. "What things, Newkirk?"

Newkirk glared at him. "You're a real piece of work, aren't you?"

"What?"

It was at that particular moment that Carter and LeBeau were just arriving back in the tunnels. Their voices were loud enough to interrupt anything else. Hogan was unable to ask any other questions.

"... and what do pigeons eat, anyway?" Carter asked.

"Colonel!" LeBeau ran toward him. "You won't believe what happened."

"Did you get to the rendezvous point on time? Where's Klondike?" Hogan stood up and looked around.

"He's right here-"Carter was about to show him the bird under his coat when Newkirk sprung off his chair.

"Going to kill 'im too, bloody bastard?" he asked angrily, his voice rising.

His outburst took everybody by surprise. Newkirk's sudden move made LeBeau step backwards and fall over Carter and Kinch.

"Mon Dieu! Klondike!" LeBeau rolled over thinking for the worst. "Did I-? Is it-?"

"What is it?" Kinch asked at the same time that Hogan turned to Newkirk.

"What's with you now?" the colonel asked. "Why are you acting like we're the enemy again?"

Carter sat up and patted his coat. "He's gone!"

"Who's gone?" Kinch asked again.

"Nobody moves!" LeBeau yelled.

"The bloody 'ell I won't!" Newkirk said, quickly jumping up to grab Hogan by the neck. "You know perfectly well why I'm acting this way. You're a dead man, Colonel!"

[1] One more time

[2] He's cute, isn't he?