Chapter 14:

After morning roll call, Kinch had gone down into the tunnels to get on the radio to talk with Otto. Carter and LeBeau were up in the barracks playing a game of gin, and Newkirk was down in another part of the tunnels working on fixing a dead light bulb in the sewing room that needed replacing.

Carter was shuffling cards for a new game, as he and LeBeau talked.

"Do you think Otto can help, Louis?" Carter asked.

"He's been able to help us before, mon ami. I just hope he can do it again." LeBeau answered.

Carter sighed.

"Sure wish the Colonel could've come home with us."

"Moi aussi," LeBeau murmured, as he picked up his hand. "But he made a good point. It's too dangerous if he was caught here in Germany. If the filthy bosche figured out he was here, the Colonel could be in more trouble than he already is."

Carter simply nodded. As much as it all made perfect sense, he still hoped there was a way to bring Hogan back to Stalag 13 and go back to how things were.

"When did this all happen, Sergeant?" Otto asked over the radio.

"A little over a week ago," the radioman answered.

"Does Papa Bear know?"

"Yes, he does; he's the one, actually, who recommended I consult in you."

"I don't know how I can help you, for the moment. They got Gestapo patrols all over this area currently."

"When are they pulling troops to look in another area?"

"Sometime in the next two days. I'll let you know what the situation is."

"Do you have any idea on how we can convince Major Hochstetter that the Colonel's 'dead'?"

"I'll have to sleep on it, Sergeant. For the moment, I have nothing, but I'll report to you the moment I think of something."

"Thanks, Night Hawk. You take care."

"Will do. Same to you and your men."

"Roger that; Papa Bear over and out."

The radio man ended the call and stood there thinking to himself for a moment. He began thinking of Hogan back in England. He wondered how he was doing and what he was doing at that very moment. He said he had the day off, so if he had to guess, Hogan was either reading a book, working on paperwork at home, or writing a letter back home to his loved ones. After coming out of his train of thought, he made his way back to the ladder. He climbed into the barracks and left the tunnel open, knowing that Newkirk was down there working on the light bulb. Olsen was keeping watch at the door, and Carter and LeBeau had finished their game.

Kinch put his foot on the bench by the little Frenchman and looked at both him and Carter.

"How'd your game go?" He asked.

"Louis won the last one," Carter said, putting away the cards.

"We got bored after about four games." LeBeau added.

"What did Otto say?"

"He said as of now, the underground has to stay low and needs to think of a plan. Apparently, wherever it is Otto's hiding out, they have Gestapo patrols all over the place. They won't be sent out to look somewhere else for at least another couple of days." Kinch replied.

Carter and LeBeau moaned.

"What are we supposed to do in the meantime? Sit here and do nothing?!" LeBeau exclaimed.

"Kinch, we gotta do something to stop Hochstetter in the meanwhile." Carter pleaded.

"I'm sorry, guys, but it's the only thing we can do for now. Until we get help from Otto, I have no idea on how to stop Hochstetter and convince him Colonel Hogan 'died' the night he was flown to London for medical treatment." The Senior POW said.

Both Carter and LeBeau sighed, then nodded.

"Yes, Kinch," the young sergeant sadly said.

"Oui, mon ami," LeBeau added.

Kinch sighed, sat down at the table, and rubbed his temples with his fingertips. He was beginning to see how stressful Hogan's job was as their commanding officer. Poor guy had enough stress to make anyone snap mentally.

LeBeau turned to Carter and began talking with him.

"When's your next practice for the tournament final, André?"

"Oh golly, Louis; I'm not really sure. You'll have to ask Newkirk when he comes back from changing that faulty light bulb in the tunnels." Carter answered.

The three men were about to discuss something, when screaming and a loud 'clang' was heard down in the tunnels.

"KINCH!" A voice wailed in agony.

Kinch, LeBeau, and Carter all shot from their seats and gaped at one another.

"Sacré chats! What was that?!" LeBeau wailed.

"Newkirk," Carter cried.

The three of them hurried down the ladder and started sprinting in the tunnels until they made it into the sewing room. There, on the ground next to a fallen over ladder, was Newkirk beside it and clutching his right arm moaning loudly. Kinch was the first to reach him and sat down besides him on the right. Carter and LeBeau soon joined by sitting down on the Englishman's left.

"Newkirk...are you alright?" Kinch asked concerned.

"Ah...oh...me arm!" He wailed.

"Can you move it, buddy?" Carter asked.

Newkirk barely moved his arm before he started screaming again.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh! Oh...I can't. I think me arm's broken." He moaned.

Kinch snapped his head to LeBeau.

"Get Wilson and hurry," the radioman ordered, trying to hide the panic in his voice.

"Oui, mon ami!"

LeBeau ran faster than he had ever ran before. Kinch watched LeBeau before he disappeared. The radio man turned back to Newkirk and tried comforting him.

"You're gonna be alright, Newkirk. Just calm down and try to relax," Kinch said soothingly.

Newkirk moaned some more. The pain was just downright unbearable. The poor Englishman could not remember anything else that hurt worse than what he was feeling now.

Kinch looked at the Englishman's shoulder and noticed it looked a bit strange. Something was off, but he could not determine what.

"Newkirk, try moving your shoulder," Kinch said.

Newkirk cried in agony and almost broke into tears just trying to move it.

"I can't move it, mate." He quivered.

Carter gently rubbed his best friend's left shoulder gently.

"You're gonna be okay, buddy. Wilson will be here soon," Carter said comforting.

After another minute of sitting and trying to soothe Newkirk, LeBeau had returned running with Wilson right on his tail. The camp medic hurried to Newkirk and knelt down beside him.

"What happened?" Wilson asked, as he gently touched his patient's arm for examination.

"I was trying to change that light bulb up there and…" Newkirk grimaced, as Wilson continued examining. He gritted his teeth until the pain subsided a little. "...the ladder started wobbling. I tried catching me balance, when...Eeerrrrrrrrrmmmm...I crashed to the ground."

"Where does it hurt, Newkirk?"

"All over, mate."

Wilson nodded and turned to Kinch.

"I've gotta get him to the infirmary. I think he's got a dislocated shoulder."

"What about the rest of his arm?" Kinch asked.

"I won't know, until I get him to the infirmary for x-rays. I think he may have a broken bone somewhere as well."

"That's bloody marvelous; now we'll have to forfeit the championship game," Newkirk moaned.

"That's alright, buddy. I'm sure we can reschedule it for when you're feeling better," Carter said, giving a small smile.

Newkirk tried standing up by himself, but screeched out in searing pain, as he put even the slightest pressure on his right arm.

"Help him up, Kinch." Wilson ordered.

Carter and Kinch both took hold of Newkirk gently and helped their friend to his feet.

"How are we gonna get him up the ladder?" LeBeau asked.

"Two of us will have to go up first while the other two stay down with Newkirk and help him get up on both ends." Kinch answered, leading Newkirk near the tunnel that would take them to the infirmary.

"Got 'cha, Kinch," Carter answered.

"LeBeau and I can be the two that go up. It'll give me a chance to prepare for x-rays," Wilson said.

Newkirk groaned.

"I gotta good feeling I'm not gonna like where this goes." The Englishman whimpered.