Chapter 14:
"Herr Kommandant, all prisoners present and accounted for!" Schultz reported, with a goofy smile.
"Excellent, Schultz. Dismiss the men of barracks two!" Klink replied.
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant!"
Klink saluted his heavy sergeant of the guard, then he snapped on his heels and made his way back to his office.
Once dismissed, Hogan and his men entered back into the barracks. While LeBeau made breakfast, the colonel, Newkirk, and Kinch sat down at the table with their cups of coffee and began conversing with one another regarding their first assignment.
"You got an idea on how we're gonna get Schuerman out of here to London?" Newkirk asked.
"Not yet. I'm still trying to think of something. We've got to be clever and one step ahead of the Krauts, yet not make it too complex and difficult. I just can't think of an idea, though." Hogan answered, tossing and turning ideas through his brain. None of the ones he had thought of so far made sense or were too illogical to accomplish. Leading this team to success would be harder than it looked. He was ready for the challenge, but it was a whole new ball game to get used to.
"What if we disguised him as a Gestapo officer and snuck him out through the emergency tunnel?"
"No, Rick doesn't know enough German to do so. It would be a good idea, otherwise. If a Kraut pulled him aside, they would be able to detect he was a fake immediately." Hogan took another drink of his coffee.
"We could have Otto send someone from the underground as a Gestapo officer and have him escort Rick to the designated airfield we established with London." Kinch suggested.
The colonel let out a breath of air and nodded slightly.
"We're getting somewhere...there's no easy way to do this without getting caught."
"Blimey...I didn't think this business of ours would be such a sticky wicket," Newkirk said.
"A sticky wicket?" Hogan asked, confused.
"You know, Gov'nor. Like that saying you Americans say. Uh...tight situation or stuck in a rut."
The American officer nodded, it now clicking in his mind.
"What can we do, then?" LeBeau asked, cracking an egg into a mixing bowl.
"I'd like to give you that answer, LeBeau. I'm afraid to say I don't have a clue at the moment." Hogan answered.
There was a brief moment of silence, until a light bulb went off in Newkirk's head, and he snapped his fingers. He had the perfect idea!
"Hey! I got it! Klink's going out tomorrow night to Hammelburg for a date. What if we snuck Rick into the trunk of his staff car and once they got into the city and parked, an underground agent came for him disguised as a Luftwaffe officer and took him from there to the secret airfield?"
Hogan's face seemed to light up and grew a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. He gave a devious grin and turned to the Englishman.
"Newkirk, you're a genius," he said, sly.
The English corporal scoffed.
"Well...I wouldn't go that far, Sir," he said, blushing.
Hogan smiled and took another drink of coffee.
"What time does Klink leave for town tomorrow night?" The colonel asked.
"Right after evening roll call."
"Alright. We'll have Rick ready to go by then. As soon as Klink has us dismissed and the coast is clear, Newkirk, I want you and LeBeau to bring Rick through disguised as a POW and get him into the trunk of Klink's car as quickly as possible. We'll have to be quick if we're going to be successful in this assignment."
"What are you going to do, Colonel?" Kinch asked.
"I'll be distracting the guard that's guarding Klink's car. Who is it?" Hogan asked.
Kinch laughed.
"Schultz," he said, grinning.
Hogan returned the same smile.
"My job just got a whole lot easier," he said, with mischief. His face soon turned to an expression of confusion and turned to Newkirk again. "Wait a minute...how did you know Klink's going out tomorrow night?"
"You know that coffee maker in your office you never use?" Newkirk asked.
Hogan nodded.
"Yes," he said.
"It ain't a real coffee maker. It's a listening device connected to Klink's office. Whenever someone visits or we suspect something's going on, we use it to listen in on our beloved Kommandant to plan ahead."
The colonel shook his head, amazed with these men. They had this operation idea planned inside and out. They thought of just about every situation possible, and they had prepared and executed this plan to the tiniest detail. He was impressed, proud, honored to be commanding a small unit made up of the three smartest men, besides Rick and Berkman, he had ever met.
"You guys have this whole idea worked out, don't you," Hogan said, blown away.
"You better believe it, Colonel. We're determined to win this war." Kinch answered.
"And if you guys keep this good work up, we'll take Hitler and his Krauts up in flames."
"Wouldn't that be a beautiful sight to see," LeBeau said, grinning.
That got all four of them rounded up in laughter. Hogan had to grab his middle gently eventually, all the laughing making his abdominal scars ache.
Once they had all settled down, Hogan and his men ate their breakfast and continued discussing their plan on getting Rick out of Germany.
The big night soon arrived, and Hogan's men were both excited and anxious. This was the 'make it or break it' for their operation, and this assignment had to be a success in order for them to continue out with it. London would shut them down otherwise, and they had spent too many months now to be shut down.
Schultz had pulled up the car in front of Klink's office, and Newkirk was keeping watch at the barracks door. Once the car had come to a complete stop and Schultz had got out, the English corporal closed the door and made his way over to Hogan. The colonel was standing next to Rick, who was dressed as an ordinary POW. Kinch was down in the tunnels monitoring the radio, and LeBeau was handing Rick the papers he needed to show the man Otto was sending to meet him in Hammelburg.
"Schultzie got out of the car, Gov'nor. He just went in to get Klink." Newkirk reported.
"Alright, you and LeBeau get ready. You two know what to do," Hogan said.
"Right, Sir."
"Oui, Colonel," LeBeau said.
The two corporals gathered near the door, and Hogan turned to his best friend with a sad smile. The two would soon be separated again.
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay, Rob? I can go out in the woods dressed like this and be captured by guards nearby here." Rick suggested sincerely.
Hogan shook his head, though appreciated the thought. He could not have asked for a better best friend.
"I would love to have you stay here and help out, but London needs you more right now. There's six men there waiting for you to come back to them. They need you since I now can't be there."
The major seemed to tense at that.
"God, Rob...I've never been a commanding officer before. I've always been second in command, your assistant. Now I'm the one giving the orders and the military plans."
"You're gonna be the greatest commanding officer ever made. I've taught you all I can. The rest is up to you."
"Do you know which six made it back? What happened to the other two?"
"I don't know who any of them are, but one is in a POW camp in Northern Germany and the other one is MIA. I don't know anything other than that. I hope you can tell me who made it back once you get to London."
Rick gave a small grin.
"I'll let you know the minute I set foot on ground, Rob."
Hogan smiled back.
"I know you will," he said.
"I'll see you after the war?"
"You better believe it. We'll have to celebrate with a couple drinks when we get home to Cleveland."
"Got that right, man!"
Hogan and Rick gave each other a hug, then the major headed over towards Newkirk and LeBeau. He looked back at the colonel once more.
"Goodbye, Rob. Take care," he said friendly.
"You too, Rick."
After checking to make sure the coast was clear, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Rick snuck out of the barracks into the night and closed the door behind them.
Once they had disappeared into the night, Hogan closed his eyes and hung his head. He was separated from his best friend once again, and this time, it was definite that they would not see each other again for God knew how long. He would be at ease knowing Rick would soon be back safe and sound in London leading his old bombing squadron to victory, but the colonel would long for the rest of the war to see him again. To go home to Ohio and go out with him on Friday nights, ask him to be his best man at his wedding after proposing to Maggie. He missed the days before the war began, before Hitler took reign of Germany and started another world war. He wanted to go back to those days, he wanted to go home and see his parents, hold Maggie in his arms tight and kiss her, have a guys' night out with Rick and several of his other friends at a bar and laugh about stories they exchanged with one another. Would he ever get to do those things again? Would he survive through this war and get to go home again? No one had the answer to his questions besides God, and it made him feel like screaming out in agony and fear.
His emotions starting to take a hold of him, Hogan sat down at the table and buried his face into his hands. He gave heavy, shaking breaths in and out trying to calm himself, but it did very little.
Kinch emerged from the ground, closed the fake bunk, then spotted his new commanding officer looking like he was in distress. The sergeant made his way over and looked at Hogan with genuine concern.
"Are you alright, Colonel?" He asked softly.
Hogan struggled to speak. He was fighting with all his strength to fight back his emotions. He had to show his men he was strong and tough to get to. A military officer was invincible, tough skinned, wore a shield of armor. He would not give the impression he was weak. Men did not break down in front of others, especially military men.
"I'll be alright," he said, shaky, finding enough strength to finally speak.
Kinch sat down next to the colonel and immediately knew what was bugging him.
"You're gonna miss him, aren't you."
Hogan did not answer. He was hoping if he did not respond, the man would go away and leave him alone. He would not pour his heart out to another person. He tried to distract himself with other thoughts, but his worries always found their way back to him.
"Rick's gonna be alright, sir. He'll be in London before you know it," Kinch said, trying to find words that would comfort his new friend and commander.
No response. The sergeant began growing worried and tried again.
"Are you alright, Sir? There's more going on than just Rick that's bothering you."
"Kinch, I'd really like to be alone right now," Hogan said softly.
"Come on, Colonel. I wanna make you feel better. I don't like seeing you like this."
"There's nothing you can do, Kinch...no one can help me feel better about what I'm currently going through."
"Fear? Anxiety? Sadness? Like you may not wake up tomorrow and see anyone you care for again?"
Hogan lifted his face from his hands and looked at the man stunned. How in the world did he read my mind like that, he wondered.
"How did you…" Kinch cut the colonel off.
"I felt the exact same way when I first arrived, Colonel. I wanted to do nothing more than to get out of this place and go home. I wanted to see my parents and my older brother, my house, go back to work as a mechanic in Detroit, my friends, I wanted it all back...I still do, Sir."
"What stopped you, if I may ask."
"I met and became good friends with Newkirk and LeBeau. They told me what they wanted to do, and I wanted a part in it the minute they asked me to help them. The three of us have been perfecting our little operation ever since. We're determined to stop these Krauts regardless of the risks we'll be making, but knowing we're helping our countries stop Hitler in his tracks is uplifting. It's what gets us through some of our worse days besides one another. We stick together and help one another no matter what."
Hogan gave a small smile. The loyalty his three men had to one another, the friendship they shared with each other made him feel warm inside. He had never met more remarkable men in his entire military career. He hoped one day that he would have the same thing with these three men that had already became his friends.
"How is it you three have yet not cease to amaze me?" He asked softly.
Kinch laughed.
"You're in for a wild ride, Sir. After about another month, we're bound to drive you nuts," he said.
Hogan smirked. He then turned to the sergeant and smiled warmly.
"Thanks, Kinch...I needed that," he said.
"No problem, Colonel. What are friends for?"
The two exchanged smiles, then they began conversing with one another about what was in store for them if tonight worked in their favor.
Newkirk, LeBeau, and Rick silently made their way outside of the barracks and into the compound. They were quick to dodge the spotlight in the guard tower circling the entire camp.
The three made it to Klink's staff car and hid behind the back next to the trunk. After checking for any wandering guards, Newkirk turned to his partner in crime and the major.
"Alright, Louis. You know what to do," he said.
"Oui, Pierre. I get Monsieur Rick into Klink's trunk and come to get you inside after I have finished."
"Right." Newkirk turned to look at the major. "You ready to go home, mate?"
Rick sighed sadly.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he said.
The English corporal gave a friendly smile.
"Don't worry, Major. We'll take good care of him for yah."
Rick gave a small smile in return.
"I know you will. You men are alright. Good luck with your little…" The major paused, looked around for any guards standing by. Finding none, he turned back to the two corporals. "'Business' you guys have in mind."
"Go end this war, mate," Newkirk said, with a grin.
"I'll do what I can, Corporal," Rick said.
Newkirk turned to his little Frenchman and nodded.
"Good luck," he said quietly.
"Merci. You, too." LeBeau answered back.
The Englishman nodded and silently made his way inside the Kommandantur. Newkirk entered into Klink's secretary's office, Fraulein Helga, and saw no one around. He swiftly made his way across the room towards the door to Klink's office and opened it. He found Schultz talking to the German colonel, who was buttoning up his jacket, excited for his night out in town.
Seeing the door open, both Germans snapped their heads towards the POW.
"Corporal Newkirk," Klink bellowed, shaking his fist in the air. "What are you doing out of the barracks at this hour?!"
"Sorry, Kommandant. I had to ask yah a question, though."
"Save it for tomorrow! Now get out and back to your barracks!"
"But this can't wait, Sir. You're the smartest German I know, so I had to ask you before yah left for your evening out of camp."
Klink seemed to brighten up like a child on Christmas morning.
"You...you think I'm the smartest German you know?" He asked, bashful.
Schultz rolled his eyes, trying not to let his commanding officer see.
"Oh, brother." The big guard murmured.
The German colonel turned to the man and glared at him with icy blue eyes.
"Shut up, Schultz!" Klink ordered. He turned back to Newkirk grinning. "What can I do for you, Corporal?"
"Well, Kommandant, Corporal LeBeau and I are having a disagreement regarding something recently, and I knew you're smarter than anybody in this entire camp. I was hoping you would be able to settle and confirm who's right and who's wrong." The Englishman began.
"Which would be what?" Klink asked, now interested in what his prisoner had to say.
As Newkirk was about to speak, the door to Klink's office opened again, and LeBeau made his way inside. He seemed to look irritated and ornery.
"What part of 'don't walk away from me' do you not understand?" LeBeau spat, at his British companion.
"Since neither of us can come to an agreement, I thought I would ask Kommandant Klink to settle this for us!" Newkirk snarled.
"Why would a Kraut help us?"
"It involves them, does it not?!"
"What does? Speak now, and that's an order!" Klink demanded.
"Well, we're trying to determine who the stupidest guard here is, and we can't settle between whether Sergeant Werner or Private Mueller is. What do you think, Kommandant?" Newkirk asked.
The old German colonel glared at both men, irritated and frazzled that his two prisoners were bothering him with such a preposterous question.
"Corporal Newkirk! I refuse to speak ill of one of my guards in such a manner!" Klink finished putting on his jacket and started headed for his office door. As he was about to leave, he turned back around and looked at the two corporals. "It's Sergeant Werner. I've never liked that man." Without another word, the Kommandant left with Schultz waddling behind him.
Leaving LeBeau and Newkirk to themselves, they turned around to face one another.
The Englishman looked around to see if anyone was listening in on them. Seeing the coast was clear, Newkirk turned to face his little friend again.
"Did yah get Rick inside the trunk alright?" He whispered.
"Oui. Not a single thing went wrong," LeBeau said, confident.
"Alright, let's get back to the Gov'nor and let 'im know."
The two corporals made their way quickly back to the barracks and made their report to Hogan.