Colonel Hogan marched out of his office just in time to see two hulking SS guards burst into the tiny barracks. He made eye contact with LeBeau who nodded ever so gently. Hogan acknowledged and put on a surprised face.
"Hey, hey, hey! What's going on here?" Hogan demanded of the two guards. They ignored him and immediately set to work tearing the prisoners' humble abode apart. "Hey! We just made our bunks!" he cried when one guard overturned a few mattresses. "You wouldn't have to make such a mess if you just told us what you're looking for!" One guard shot him a dirty look, which was promptly returned, before going back to his task. A dark smile played on the guard's lip when he kicked over the basket holding firewood.
"I am looking for this," he sneered smugly, as he raised a small radio triumphantly.
"Well, I'll be. Where'd that come from?" Hogan asked innocently, rocking on his heels.
"Silence," the SS guard barked. "You will come with us!"
"Thanks, but no thanks; I should help my men clean up the mess you made."
The guard was not amused. Without saying a word, he motioned to his partner, who grabbed Hogan by the arm. Clutching the precious contraband and their prisoner, the two guards left. Anderson followed them to the door and made sure it was tightly shut before turning to Hogan's men. He looked around the room and pointed to LeBeau.
"You, Shorty, get over here."
LeBeau grimaced slightly at the nickname, but did as he was told and came up beside the captain. "Oui, Capitan?"
"Get down in that tunnel of yours and get me some explosives. They need to be small enough for the colonel and me to carry around without anyone noticing. Preferably time delayed if you can swing it. And get me a small tool kit too that I can put on my belt."
"What's the plan, Captain?" Olsen asked.
"Well, that colonel of yours has cooked up a real humdinger. You men are to stay here." There's no point in them getting killed as well, he thought as he reflected back on Hogan's plan. "Hogan and I will infiltrate the radio station and see what we can do." He glanced at LeBeau. "Get going, I don't know how much time I have before the Krauts come for me too."
"Oui! I will go get Carter and see what we can find for you." Throwing the captain a salute, the French corporal ran out of the barracks in search of the group's demolitions expert.
Colonel Hogan knew from the moment he walked into the tiny room that he had to tread carefully.
Doctor Kunze was sitting at Klink's desk, a heavy folder in his hands, nonchalantly reading the papers within. He didn't even glance up as he motioned Hogan to sit and dismissed the guards.
Hogan hesitated and sat down, watching the German doctor carefully. He was smart, he knew that. And that made him dangerous. A wave of nervousness washed over the American colonel. He'd been dealing with incompetent enemies for so long, he briefly wondered if he could handle a worthy opponent for once.
He quickly pushed the thought aside. Of course he could handle it.
Most Germans fell into three groups. The first was made up of those too gullible or stupid to know they were being manipulated- Klink was a happy member of this group. The second group were those who wanted to defect or co-operate. The third included Doctor Kunze. It was a rare group. These Germans were smart. But their intelligence brought a fatal weakness- arrogance.
Yes, arrogance would be Doctor Kunze's undoing. He'd boast and brag about how superior he was and how his project would bring an end to the Allied efforts. Then he'd give Hogan the opportunity to see how great he and his project was. Hogan smiled as he saw the whole scenario play out in his head. It'd had happened to many a Germans before- General Biedenbender came to mind- and it would happen to this one as well.
But that didn't mean Hogan could get cocky too. He had to be careful, very careful. Kunze didn't know that he knew about the radio broadcasts and he couldn't afford to give Kunze any reason to think otherwise. Time and time again, he had told his men not to pad their parts. Hogan had to follow his own advice now.
Kunze knew what messages had been sent over the radio. Hogan couldn't just spout off Nazi dogma to make Kunze believe he had been affected. If none of the messages had contained that sort of tripe, then Kunze would know he was faking and then he'd be in trouble. It was best to just stick to the truth. If Kunze asked, Hogan would tell him how the broadcasts had really made him feel- guilty. Guilty for bombing all those innocent civilians. Guilty for hurting or killing people whose only fault was speaking a different language, living in a different country and who, unfortunately, had a psycho running the government.
"Major Hochstetter seems to have an unhealthy obsession with you Colonel Hogan," Kunze remarked, a slightly humorous tone in his voice. He still didn't look at the colonel as he gazed at the papers in his hand.
"Well, we're old friends," Hogan replied wryly.
Kunze grunted. "He was kind enough to show me his 'little' dossier he has compiled on you. Seems he carries it around with him wherever he goes. " That was a little unsettling. Of course, Hochstetter was crazy. "He has many interesting theories about your activities as a POW."
"Really?"
"Seems a hidden radio is the least of your transgressions."
"In theory."
"Yes, yes, in theory." Kunze threw the folder onto the desk and for the first time, looked at Hogan. Hogan fought the urge to squirm under the doctor's keen eyes. The urge grew when he saw the doctor smirk. Damn, he hated smart Germans.
"I am a scientist Colonel Hogan. And that means I explore every avenue, every hypothesis, before I rule it out- the scientific process." He glanced back at the dossier and smirked. "I have already ruled out many of Major Hochstetter's accusations- they are far too ludicrous to be true." It was Hogan's turn to smirk, though he hid it. Ludicrous maybe, but probably close to the truth considering all the things he had accomplished as Papa Bear. "But until proven wrong, I am not going to disregard everything in here.
"You are a very smart man Colonel Hogan-"
"Thanks!" Hogan said brightly, trying to defuse his own unease. Kunze ignored him and grabbed the dossier, looking over it again. There were a few minutes of silence.
"And if even half of this is true, then it would be safe to assume that you have contacts with the outside. And if you have contacts, then it's also safe to assume that you know exactly who and what I am."
"Don't flatter yourself doctor." You conceited S.O.B.
Kunze ignored the unspoken insult that was flashing in Hogan's eyes. "How do you feel about being a POW, Colonel Hogan?"
"What do you mean?" Hogan asked cautiously.
"Well, it says here, you were the commander of the 504th bomber division. It must be very frustrating now to be so helpless when you once commanded such an important outfit." Hogan said nothing, waiting to see where Kunze would go with this.
"Annoying- those day-light bombings of yours. It's enough to make someone go insane… Being bombed by day and bombed by night."
"We aim to please," Hogan smiled.
"I remember one time, we had to evacuate my lab. Came out into the street and the orphanage across the way had been bombed." Kunze smirked when Hogan visibly paled. "Fortunes of war I suppose."
"We don't target civilians you know," Hogan protested, his stomach knotting at the thought.
"Of course you do. You don't really think that you can bomb a city without killing civilians. Have you ever thought that that's what you did- killed innocent civilians?"
Hogan shrugged, feeling decidedly sick. "Not until recently, no. I was just doing my job."
"And what made you sudden attack on conscience?"
"I suppose being here, getting to know you Germans is part of it… But… I don't know. Recently, I just feel, guilty about everything I've done."
"Interesting." Kunze paused and briefly looked back on the folder. "Tell me, on that secret radio of yours, what did you listen to?"
"Oh, the usual. We catch the BBC when we can- but being homemade, our radio doesn't have the greatest receiver. Sometimes we have to settle with local stations."
"Local stations? You speak German?"
"Only enough to get my face slapped. Not all stations here are in German though. Axis Annie and Berlin Betty, they're in English."
"I am well aware of that. Do you listen to them often?" Hogan shrugged in reply. Kunze studied him thoughtfully for a moment. "I think you have."
"And what makes you think that?" Hogan asked.
Kunze just waved his hand in the air and quickly changed the subject. "What do you think of Captain Anderson and his crew?"
Hogan tensed. He had to be careful here. Truth. Stick to the truth Rob ol' boy. You can't afford to pad your part with this guy. "He's a traitor, of course… but at the same time, I understand why he did it."
"Really? And why did he surrender?"
"You'll have to ask him that. But from what he told me, he couldn't go on dropping bombs on civilians. I can't say I blame him."
"And if you were still flying, would you follow his example?"
Hogan pretended to mull it over in his head. He had to make this sound realistic, or Kunze would never believe him. "No. If I were still flying, I'd still be the commander of the 504th. I could do more good there than I could here. Perhaps ensure that heavily-populated cities weren't bombed… something. Of course, if I'd never been shot down, never got to know you Germans, I probably wouldn't have even thought of it."
"Fair enough. But in your present situation, would you be willing to help stop the slaughter of innocents?"
"If I could, yes. But I don't see how."
"The radio, Colonel Hogan. You could broadcast to your men in England over the radio."
"Gee, really? That'd be swell!"
Kunze grinned. "Yes, that would be 'swell' wouldn't it." His grin broadened and became a laugh. "Oh Colonel Hogan, you are too much." Hogan just raised his eyebrow. "Hogan, I told you, I don't believe half the stuff in Major Hochstetter's file on you. But I can't ignore all the strange occurrences that have happened around this camp- including the unfortunate deaths of many of my scientific colleagues."
"I don't see what this has to do with going on the radio."
"I did not get where I am by being stupid and careless with security. Berlin Betty and every other radio program are very important to the Fatherland and our efforts. To put it simply Colonel, I don't trust you-"
"What? With this face?"
"And because I don't trust you, I am not letting you within a mile of my project and my radio station."
Hogan's face fell. Well… that was… unexpected. It was official. He definitely didn't like Doctor Kunze. "A suspicious lot, you Krauts."
"Yes, perhaps. But that is why we're winning the war."
"Well, if you change your mind about using me, you know where to find me! Can I be excused now?"
"Of course, Colonel. Kommandant Klink is in the outer office. I am sure he would like to have a word with you about your hidden radio."
"I can't wait," Hogan grimaced as he stood up and left the office. Just as Kunze had said, Klink was waiting in the outer office. "Kommandant," he greeted with a sloppy salute.
"Hogan!" Klink yelled.
"Yes? Something wrong Kommandant?"
"Yes there is something wrong! What were you doing with a radio?!"
"It was a birthday present from my great-grandma. I couldn't bear to part with it."
"Silence! I warn you Hogan, I will find out where that radio came from and when I do, the consequences will be severe! 30 days in the cooler for you!"
"30 days! That's a little harsh! I just spent time in the cooler!"
"Humph! You're lucky you didn't get shot! Believe me, Major Hochstetter wanted to shoot you. If General Burkhalter hadn't been here, he would've and I wouldn't have been able to stop him!"
"Wouldn't have been able to stop him?! I'm your prisoner, Kommandant! You can't just let the Gestapo come in here and take over!"
Klink took that in with a nod. "You're right. You are my prisoner. Schultz!"
"Ja, Herr Kommandant?"
"Take Hogan to the cooler! 30 days!"
"Thanks a lot!" Hogan pouted as Schultz led him out. Anderson was being led to Klink's office by two SS guards. Noting the sour expression on Hogan's face, Anderson raised an eyebrow and glanced at his escorts.
Hogan clenched his fists. He needed to talk to Anderson, but that didn't seem likely considering the two hulking SS guards flanking him. What he really needed was a diversion. Now!
In answer to his prayer, a fight suddenly broke out nearby. Hogan glanced over to see a big group of prisoners engaging in a fist fight. Kinch was standing nearby and nodded to the colonel. A few of the camp guards, including Schultz, ran over to put a stop to it, but they were sucked in. As the ruckus grew, Anderson's escorts stopped and hesitated. Then they also went to join the fray. Hogan took the opportunity and ran up to Anderson.
"I heard most of your conversation Colonel. What's going on? Are you getting into the station."
"No!" Hogan snapped.
"What?! You said it was fool-proof. How'd you goof it up?"
Hogan shot him a look that would give the devil pause. "I didn't goof up! Listen, we don't have time to argue! You're going to have to go at it alone."
"What?! I don't even know what the hell I'm looking for!"
"That makes two of us. Listen, it'll be simple-"
"Oh sure! Just like your plan to manipulate Kunze and that was a total bust."
"All right, calm down Captain, and that's an order. I'll try my best to get out of the cooler and follow you. But if I can't I need you to do it or else we'll have bomber crews surrendering right and left."
"And what makes you think Kunze will let me go on the radio?"
"Because, a bona fide traitor like you is too golden to pass up. Besides, he knows we aren't very fond of each other-" he indicated his still black eye- "so there's little chance you're in cahoots with me as far as he's concerned."
"All right, I'll do it. But this better work. So far, you haven't exactly been batting a thousand."
"Don't remind me."
Suddenly, gunshots filled the air. Hogan's chest tightened as he whirled around to face the other prisoners. Relief washed over him when he saw the guards' guns pointed into the air and not at his men. "Hey, hey, hey!" he yelled, running over. "Be careful with those things! You could shoot someone's eye out!"
"Silence! Everyone back into their barracks! No more fighting!"
"You heard the Kraut! Back in your barracks!" Hogan ordered. The crowd murmured but complied with their commanding officer. The two SS guards went back to Anderson and hauled him into Klink's office. Hogan watched him go and threw him a reassuring look. Anderson just grimaced. Hogan let out a deep sigh and turned to Schultz. "Come on Schultz, I've got 30 days to serve. The sooner I start, the sooner I'll be out."