Chapter 12
True to his word, Schultz was able to keep the acting Kommandant away from barracks two for several hours enabling the men to continue rotating the crews going below. But when evening came, Saunders, who had been keeping watch at the barracks door, suddenly turned and glanced at LeBeau and Carter.
"The Kommandant's coming!" he shouted.
LeBeau, who was about to send another team below to relieve the men who had been digging for several hours, struck the hidden mechanism and watched as the lower bunk dropped while Carter had some of the other men hide their picks and shovels under mattresses and in footlockers. Carter laid down on the bunk that covered the tunnel entrance and opened a magazine while Olsen quickly ducked inside Hogan's quarters and donned the bomber jacket and stretched out on the lower bunk and covered his eyes with the crush cap.
The door opened and Olberman walked in followed by Schultz. He looked around.
"Where is Colonel Hogan?" he asked coldly of LeBeau who was seated at the table playing solitaire.
LeBeau looked up innocently. "He's in his quarters. Where else would he be, sir?"
Ignoring LeBeau, Olberman glanced at Schultz. "Wait here, Sergeant," he said. "I shouldn't be long."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," Schultz replied standing in front of the barracks door. He watched Olberman walk over to Hogan's quarters and open the door without knocking. He closed the door behind him. Schultz looked at LeBeau.
"What's happening?" he asked. "Have you gotten them out yet?"
"Not yet, Schultzie," LeBeau replied. "I have a crew below now that need to be relieved. I was about to do that when you and the Kommandant came in."
"I'm sorry," Schultz apologized. "I tried to keep him away from the barracks but he was insistant on speaking to Colonel Hogan. I couldn't stop him."
"It's okay, Schultzie," LeBeau replied. "We appreciate what you've done so far and are still doing. When this is all over, I'll make you some nice strudel as a reward. I promise." He patted the fat sergeant's large stomach playfully.
Schultz closed his eyes momentarily and sighed contentedly. "Apple strudel. I love it. I can't wait!"
"You deserve it, Schultzie," LeBeau said sincerely.
Schultz glanced at the door to Hogan's quarters for a quick moment. "Is there anything else you need to get them out?"
"I don't think so. We'll let you know if we do."
Schultz licked his dry lips nervously. "Cockroach, I don't want to ask this, but I must. What if...."
LeBeau held up a hand, stopping him from finishing. "Don't say it, Schultzie. Don't. We can't allow ourselves to even think it. Until we know for sure, we believe they are still alive."
Schultz nodded slowly.
Olsen raised the crush cap and looked at Olberman standing inside the door staring at him in a way that made Olsen nervous. "Can I help you, Kommandant?" he asked with a slight grin. He slowly sat up on the lower bunk.
"Colonel Hogan, I just wanted to see you and let you know that I've been watching you since roll call. You seem different from the way Colonel Klink described you to me. I have to wonder why that is." He folded his arms.
Olsen got up from the bunk, pulled out the chair from Hogan's desk and sat down. He pushed the crush cap back on his head. "Different? In what way, Colonel?"
"I can't put my finger on it exactly," Olberman replied studying Olsen. "Colonel Klink told me you are a devious, cunning and wisecracking individual and an eye should be kept on you constantly. Yet, I have seen none of these things."
Olsen shrugged innocently. "I'm still recovering from my illness, Kommandant. I don't exactly feel devious, cunning and mischevious right now. Nor to I feel like wisecracking either. Just give me some time. I'm sure I'll be back to my old self by the time you leave and Colonel Klink gets back."
"You act almost like a different person, Colonel," Olberman replied. "Still, you are Colonel Robert Hogan."
"That's what my dog tags say, Kommandant," Olsen said with a smirk similar to Hogan's. "Now, is there anything else I can do for you? If not, I'd like to go back to resting. Sergeant Wilson would have my hide if I didn't."
"But you outrank the sergeant, Colonel," Olberman remarked.
Olsen grinned. "Try telling that to a camp medic when you're ill. Joe feels he outranks everybody when that happens. Including me."
"Then I shall let you get back to your resting, Colonel," Olberman said as he opened the door. "However, let me advise you that I will continue watching you."
"Whatever turns you on," Olsen replied as he closed the door in Olberman's face. Leaning against the closed door, Olsen let out the deep breath he had been holding the entire time.
On the other side of the door, Olberman stared at the closed door for a long moment before finally turning away and walking towards Schultz. "Sergeant, we're leaving."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant." Schultz followed Olberman out the barracks door with Schultz giving LeBeau a look before closing the door. Baker hurried to the door, cracked it, and looked out watching. After a minute or two, he looked at LeBeau and nodded.
The Frenchman jumped up as did Carter and LeBeau banged on the hidden mechanism. The lower bunk rose and the ladder dropped. Carter helped the first man to climb up the ladder, step over the bedframe and into the barracks.
"Sorry for the delay," LeBeau explained. "The acting Kommandant was here." He glanced at Carter who continued assisting the other men up the ladder and into the barracks. "How's it going below?"
"I think we're getting close, LeBeau," the young corporal replied, dusting off his clothes and mopping his sweaty brow. "I can't be sure about that, but it's just a feeling."
"Have you heard any sound from Colonel Hogan, Kinch or Newkirk?" asked Carter as he approached the duo.
The young corporal shook his head. "We called out to them several times, but there was no response. But I have a feeling a couple of more hours and we should be able to break through."
LeBeau checked his watch. "We have less than forty-eight hours to get them out or it'll be too late," he said solemnly. He looked around. "Next team, get below and continue digging. We must break through and soon."
The men retrieved the tools from their hiding places and quickly climbed down the ladder into the tunnel. Carter hit the mechanism and watched the lower bunk drop. Just then, Olsen emerged from Hogan's quarters. He sat down at the table, tossing Hogan's crush cap on the table. he ran a hand over his dark hair. LeBeau and Carter sat down and looked at him with concerned expressions.
"Are you okay, Olsen?" asked Carter. "What happened in there with you and Olberman?"
"I can't be sure," Olsen explained. "But he let me know that he found Colonel Hogan acting differently from the way Colonel Klink told him Hogan noramlly acts and that he feels the Colonel is acting like a different man."
LeBeau and Carter looked at each other. "Did you think he knows you're not Colonel Hogan?" asked Carter, eyes narrowing.
Olsen shook his head. "I don't think so. I told him I was still recovering from being sick and didn't feel much like wisecracking and being my old self, but that I would proabably be back to my old self by the time Klink returned."
"You think he bought it?" asked LeBeau.
Olsen shrugged. "I'm not positive. I think so. But he reminded me he would be watching me."
Down below, Private Saunders who had been using a pick to chip away dirt, suddenly yelled out for everone to stop as an opening appeared near the top of where he had been digging. The opening was not wide enough for someone to get through. He looked through the opening and then down at the others.
"Do you see them?" asked another prisoner.
"No, but I can see some of the other side. Let's see if we can widen the opening a bit more so we can get through to the other side. He looked down again at Walters. "Walters, go back upstairs and tell LeBeau and Carter we're about ready to break through to the other side any moment now."
"Right. On my way." Walters dropped his shovel and hurried back in the direction of the ladder and started to climb.