Chapter 13: A Drop From London
It was Schultz, who lay on the ground, an ugly, red stain spreading across his chest. Wilson arrived, knelt down, and started to examine Schultz. Hogan, meanwhile, turned his attention back to the guards, who were their prisoners.
"Take those men back to their quarters," Hogan ordered the POWs, who were now guarding them.
Corporal Langenscheidt stepped forward. Immediately, several guns were aimed at him. "Please, Colonel," he begged. "I'd like to stay with Schultz. We're concerned about him. Many of us."
Most of the other Germans nodded in agreement.
"I don't want any more trouble," declared Hogan. "Give me your word that there'll be none."
"You have my word," Langenscheidt promised. "There will be no more trouble."
"All right. I'll trust you," Hogan decided. "You may come with us and act as liaison between us and the former guards." Hogan motioned for the POWs to allow Langenscheidt to pass. "Now, escort the rest of the guards back to their barracks."
The former guards were herded at gunpoint back to their barracks. Meanwhile, Wilson had finished his examination.
"We need to get him inside. He needs immediate attention," Wilson stated.
LeBeau ran into Barracks 2 and returned with three blankets, for them to use as a makeshift stretcher. They stacked them together on the ground, then lifted Schultz onto them. Then, the heroes and Langenscheidt, one on each corner, the other two taking a position on each side in the middle, carried Schultz to the Kommandant's quarters. Wilson, bag in hand, went ahead and opened the door.
They took him to the Kommandant's bedroom and lay him on the bed. "I'm going to need some more light in here," Wilson told them.
"The strobe lights we use for photographing our fake papers? Will they work?" Hogan asked.
"They should do nicely," Wilson replied.
Hogan was about to send someone for them, but LeBeau and Newkirk were already on their way out of the room.
"I've got alcohol but I could also use some boiling water for sterilization," Wilson said.
"You've got it," Carter promised, heading for the kitchen.
Langenscheidt cast a very worried look at Schultz. "He will be okay, won't he?" Langenscheidt wondered.
"I don't know," Wilson truthfully answered. "I think the bullet may have missed any vital organs, but the wound does seem seriously deep. He should be in a hospital."
"That's not possible," Hogan confirmed. "You'll have to manage as best as you can."
"I know," Wilson agreed. "I just hope my best is enough."
A short time later, Newkirk and LeBeau returned with the lights. They were quickly set up and other preparations for surgery were made. After what seemed like hours, but was actually a short time, Wilson announced, "Okay, I'm ready to begin. I'll need Baker and Newkirk to stay behind to assist. The rest of you, wait outside." Sensing there was about to be several objections, Wilson added, "It's not open for discussion. The sooner I get started, the better his chances are."
Somewhat reluctantly, the group left the room as ordered, with only Newkirk and Baker remaining with Wilson. The concerned group went to the living room to wait.
Time seemed to drag on. Finally, Hogan started pacing the floor.
"He's going to make it, isn't he, Sir?" asked a worried Carter.
"I wish I knew," answered Hogan.
"He has to," Langenscheidt insisted. "He doesn't deserve this."
"One more lousy thing to credit to the war," observed LeBeau.
Much later, Newkirk finally peered out of the Kommandant's bedroom. "Wilson says you may come in now," he declared.
In no time at all, the group had regathered in the bedroom. "How's he doing?" Hogan inquired.
Wilson shook his head. "He made it through surgery," he explained. "But he's not out of the woods yet. I was right. The bullet did miss his vital organs, but he is still in critical condition. The longer he holds on, the better his chances are. I did what I could. It's out of my hands, now."
Realizing what the medic was saying, Langenscheidt knelt beside the bed, placing one hand on Schultz's arm. It had been so long, the language seemed so foreign to him, now. The last time he had prayed had been years ago, when the Nazis were gaining in popularity, shortly after his bar mitzvah. His mother had been a Jew, who had married a gentile, much to her parents' distress. The man had been an agnostic, one who would later join the Nazi party. During his early years, Langenscheidt had been allowed to attend the synagogue with his maternal grandfather. But he hadn't seen his grandparents in years. They had fled the country, one step ahead of the Nazis. After that, his father had forbidden any form of worship, an order Langenscheidt willingly obeyed. Now, in desperation, he began speaking in the Hebrew tongue, pleading with the God he had almost forgotten.
"I didn't know he was Jewish," stated Newkirk.
The others in the room seemed surprised, as well. After a moment, Carter went over and knelt on the floor beside Langenscheidt. Grasping the corporal's free hand, Carter started saying a prayer of his own, like he'd done when he'd attended church back home in the States.
Hogan came over and stood behind them, placing one hand on each man's shoulder, to join in with his own prayer. As he did so, Hogan could hear the others behind him, joining in, in their own language and according to their own beliefs. For the moment, all barriers of nationality, religion and social standing had fallen away. They were a group of men concerned about the recovery of an injured comrade.
- - -
The following day went by uneventfully. When Berlin called, per Hogan's instructions, Hilda told them Carter was unavailable, that he was busy making preparations for the closing of the three stalags. That seemed to satisfy them for the moment.
Schultz continued holding his own. Wilson spent most of his time there, at his bedside, along with Corporal Langenscheidt. The heroes, especially Carter and LeBeau, dropped in frequently.
Wilson was running low on penicillin, so Hogan had Baker contact London about arranging a drop. They had one scheduled for that night. Hogan sent LeBeau and Newkirk out to get it. Now, Hogan and Baker were waiting in the radio room for the return of the two men.
Finally, Newkirk entered the room, carrying the box of penicillin. "Where's LeBeau?" asked Hogan, noticing the absence of the little Frenchman.
"He's right behind me. With the other package," Newkirk replied.
"What other package?" Hogan wondered. "We didn't order anything else."
"I realize that, Sir," Newkirk answered. "But London decided to send it anyway."
Hogan was curious. "All right, what did they send?"
Newkirk smiled. "Let me put it this way, Sir. It's bigger than a breadbox…definitely." Then, raising his voice a bit, Newkirk called, "Okay, LeBeau, you want to bring in that package, now?"
"Oui, mon ami," LeBeau responded, as he entered along with Frau Linkmeyer.
Hogan did not seem too pleased. "Frau Linkmeyer!" he exclaimed. "Have the people in London lost their minds? What idiot okayed your return?"
Frau Linkmeyer seemed undaunted by this outburst. "Colonel Hogan. It seems we do meet again," she remarked.
"You would have been safer in London," Hogan declared.
"Since you've taken control of the camp, I convinced them to let me return," Frau Linkmeyer explained. "My place is with my brother and my people. I've helped London all I can."
"Suppose we can't hold onto the camp?" snapped Hogan. "Carter is stalling for now. They believe he's still in control. But that could change at any minute."
Frau Linkmeyer would not be swayed. "The POWs here far outnumber the guards. And the camp is well-fortified. I'm confident that you can hold onto it."
"Well, I'm not that certain," returned Hogan. "Suppose your military discovers what happened and sends tanks? Or decides to bomb the camp? What then?"
"But you're holding eighty of their guards as hostages," Frau Linkmeyer insisted.
Hogan frowned. "Since when has that ever mattered to the German High Command?"
"Maybe. But London and I are also hoping that you're not that high on their priority list. You, Colonel Hogan, are the only Allied officer here. All the rest are noncoms. We're hoping the prisoners in the Oflags will maintain their greatest interest. Both them and the advancing Allied troops--yours, across the Rhine, headed this way, and the Russians towards Berlin."
Hogan sighed. "Let's hope you're right. Regardless, you're here, so I guess we'll have to make the most of it."
"I'd like to see Albert, if you don't mind," Frau Linkmeyer said.
"In the morning," Hogan insisted. "He'll be asleep now. We'll take you to one of our guest rooms for the night. For now, it will be safer if you remain in the tunnels. I'd prefer to limit the number of people who know of your presence."
"Whatever you say, Colonel Hogan," Frau Linkmeyer agreed.
Hogan had LeBeau take Frau Linkmeyer to one of their guest rooms. As he watched them go, Hogan hoped the woman would remain that co-operative in the future.