Chapter 25---Life-Threatening Conditions
Wilson was waiting with a stretcher when he saw the truck pull to a stop outside the infirmary. He had suspected Colonel Hogan was being brought back into camp, and that was why the prisoners were confined to barracks, and his services were required because the Colonel had been injured or was ill. He would have a better idea when he saw him. But at least, Wilson thought, he was alive. And that, to him, was the most important.
The driver got out of the front of the truck and hurried around the back and climbed inside. Taking the stretcher from Wilson, he opened, flattened and locked it. Then he and Fuchs carefully placed Hogan on the stretcher. Fuchs jumped down and eased the stretcher forward until he and the guard had the stretcher out of the truck. Wilson was appalled by what he saw. The unconscious man on the stretcher bore little if any resemblance to the man he knew. He hurriedly led them inside the infirmary to an empty bed in the middle of the room. Between Fuchs and the guard, Hogan's body was carefully placed on the bed. Wilson, still stunned, sat down on the edge of the bed with his stethoscope. He began checking the Colonel's vitals.
Fuchs looked at the guard. "You may leave us. I will report the doctor's findings to the Major."
The guard saluted Fuchs. "Jawohl, Herr Captain." After Fuchs returned the salute, the guard turned and walked out the infirmary. Fuchs watched him go. After the door closed, Fuchs turned his attention to Wilson.
"How is he, Sergeant?" he asked, concerned.
"His pulse is a bit fast and his blood pressure is high," Wilson began. "He's sweating profusely and has a high fever. He's also malnourished and seems to be dehydrated. I need to get fluids into him immediately." He looked at Fuchs. "Help me get him undressed. I need to check the rest of him, and start a saline solution." As the two men proceeded to remove Hogan's clothing, Fuchs glanced over his shoulder again. "Sergeant, Colonel Hogan's been injected several times with a drug although I don't know what yet. Also, several of the puncture sites are infected."
Fuchs heard Wilson gasp when he saw Hogan's right arm. "We need antibiotics to fight this infection, but I only have a small amount of penicillin left. I'm going to need a lot more plus more saline solution." Pulling a sheet up to Hogan's chest, Wilson asked Fuchs to stay with the Colonel while he went to get the only bottle of saline solution he had. As Fuchs sat on the edge of the bed, he noticed General Burkhalter, Major Hochstetter, and Colonel Klink enter. Both Klink and Burkhalter swallowed hard at the sight of the man lying on the bed.
Just then, Wilson returned with a saline bottle, a vial and a syringe. He noticed the visitors.
"How is he?" asked Burkhalter.
"Very ill, General. Hopefully, I can keep the infection he has from spreading into his blood. If that happens, he could be dead in seventy-two hours. I'll have a more precise diagnosis for you later once I do a thorough exam."
"Is there anything you can do for him?" asked Klink.
"The main thing right now is to get fluids into him as well as antibiotics to help fight the infection. Unfortunately, I only have this one bottle of saline solution and enough penicillin for one or two shots."
Burkhalter glanced at Hochstetter but spoke with Wilson. "Sergeant, you will make up a list, and give it to Major Hochstetter. He will see that you get whatever you need. Won't you, Major?"
"Jawohl, Herr General," Hochstetter replied reluctantly.
Wilson glared angrily at Hochstetter. "What did you do to him?!" he shouted catching the Major off-guard. "What did you give him?!"
The Major appeared insulted. "What did I…? How dare you accuse me of…."
"Both of you will cease this bickering at once!" Burkhalter ordered. "Major, you will see to it that you get an analysis of that vial as soon-as-possible. Once you have the analysis, you will bring the report and any documents relating to this technique the Gestapo section eight invented to me here at Stalag 13. I'll be here for several days until Colonel Hogan is out of danger. And Major, when I say all documents, I mean all. Is that understood?!" he said his last sentence with anger directed at the Major.
"Understood, Herr General," Hochstetter replied nervously.
"Help me," a weak voice was suddenly heard. It was Hogan. " I hurt all over. You promised me. I need it. Please. Give it to me." Hogan's hand rested on Fuchs' arm. He began tossing back and forth restlessly. "I must have it. Need to feel better."
"What is he talking about, Captain?" asked Burkhalter.
"He's addicted to whatever he was given," Wilson replied with disgust, still glaring at Hochstetter as he filled a syringe with penicillin and injected it in the Colonel's hip. He then inserted a needle into the Colonel's left arm and hung the IV bottle from a nail on the wall above the bed. "This will keep him going for awhile."
Hogan began thrashing about on the bed.
"Hold him down before he hurts himself!" Wilson ordered grabbing Hogan's left arm. Fuchs immediately grabbed his right arm. He looked at Wilson. "We're gonna have to tie him down," Wilson explained. "He's apparently going through withdrawal from whatever he was given and combined with the fever, it would be safer to restrain him." He looked at Klink. "Kommandant, I'm going to need you to hold him down while I get the restraints."
"Is this absolutely necessary?" a horrified Klink asked as he replaced Wilson on the bed and held down Hogan's left arm.
"Yes," the medic replied, returning quickly with strips of cloth. He quickly tied Hogan's ankles securely to the bottom of the bed frame; then, he did the same with the American's left arm but kept it straight because of the IV. He handed the final strip to Fuchs who secured the Colonel's right arm, keeping it straight also. Hogan strained against the restraints and moaned, trying to curl up into himself.
"I've got to get his fever down," Wilson told them. "But I can use some help here."
"Help?" asked Klink. "What kind of help, Sergeant Wilson?"
"Somebody to help me with Colonel Hogan and from time-to-time allow me to take a break while not leaving the Colonel alone. Someone like, perhaps, Sergeant Kinchloe."
"Out of the question," Klink protested. "All prisoners are confined to…"
"Granted," Burkhalter interrupted, ignoring Klink.
"That's what I meant," Klink hastily added. "All prisoners are confined except Sergeant Kinchloe."
Burkhalter rolled his eyes towards the heavens. "Klink, shut up."
"Yes, sir. Shutting up, sir."
Burkhalter turned to the Kommandant. "Klink, you will see that Sergeant Kinchloe is assigned to assist Sergeant Wilson." He then looked at the others. "Gentlemen, I suggest we return to the Kommandant's office and let Sergeant Wilson do what he has to do."
Fuchs looked up. "Herr Major, I request to remain to assist the medic until Sergeant Kinchloe arrives."
"Permission granted, Captain," Hochstetter replied. He turned and followed Klink and Burkhalter from the infirmary.
Alone, Fuchs looked at Wilson. "What are his chances, Sergeant?" he asked, worried.
"If we can't get his fever down, he's going to be in serious trouble. As I said earlier, I have to keep the infection from spreading into his blood or he'll be dead. Do you have any idea what they may have injected him with?"
"It could be any number of things. The Major found a list of possible drugs. It could be any of them or something completely different. I'll try and let you know as soon as the Major has the analysis done on the sample."
"Stay with him Captain," Wilson said. "I need to get a basin, some cold water, and a cloth."
As Fuchs sat alone with Hogan he became aware of someone entering the room. Looking up, he saw Kinch standing before him, his eyes glued to his commanding officer.
"What…what happened to the Colonel?" he asked Fuchs in a strained voice. "Klink had one of the guards come and get me and tell me I was needed in the infirmary immediately."
Wilson returned carrying a basin. Placing it on the table beside the bed, he wrung out the cloth and gently patted Hogan's forehead and face with the cool water. He looked up at Kinch.
"The Colonel's suffering from dehydration, malnutrition; he has a raging infection and a high fever."
"Infection?" It was then Kinch's eyes fell on Hogan's right arm and the numerous punctures, some of which he could see were red and inflamed.
"Oh my God!" Kinch cried, covering his mouth with one hand as his entire body shuddered. "Is he…is he…" he couldn't finish the sentence.
Wilson and Fuchs exchanged troubled looks. It was Fuchs who broke the silence. "He's been given something, Kinch, that's all I know," Fuchs told him. "I have no idea at this point what it is."
"But is he addicted to whatever he was given?"
"I'm afraid so," Fuchs explained softly. "I'm sorry."
"I'm gonna kill Diels when I find him!" Kinch remarked, anger on his face. "There won't be anywhere he could hide." He looked at Fuchs. "Did you find Diels?"
"Diels is dead. I had to shoot him. It was necessary," Fuchs explained.
Kinch let out a deep breath. Even though he was glad Diels was dead, he was sorry he wasn't the one to have killed him. But that wasn't important right now. He approached the bed.
"What can I do, Joe?" he asked the medic.
"I need you to bathe his face with cool water right now while I make a list of what supplies I need." He dropped the cloth into the basin and got up to allow Kinch to take his place. Wilson glanced at Fuchs. "No offense, Captain, but I don't trust Major Hochstetter to get what I need to help save Colonel Hogan. The way he feels about the Colonel, I'm sure he wouldn't care if he died."
"I understand how you feel, Sergeant," Fuchs responded. "But the Major is under orders to see that Colonel Hogan gets whatever he needs to survive."
"That may be, Captain," Wilson replied as he began writing out his list. "But I don't trust the man and never will." Having finished with his list, he ripped it off his pad and handed it to Fuchs. "Captain, you'd better go before Hochstetter becomes suspicious."
Taking the list from Wilson, Fuchs tucked it into his jacket pocket. But as he got up, he motioned for Wilson and Kinch to join him in a corner of the room out of earshot of where Hogan lay tossing and turning.
"This is only a suggestion," Fuchs said in a low voice. "But I recommend that for the Colonel's protection, nobody should know anything except he was injected with an experimental drug no matter what the analysis shows. And that includes the Colonel. He must never know exactly what was used. We must agree on this because it's vital to Colonel Hogan's recovery and to protecting his reputation. And when I say nobody, I mean nobody." He gazed at Kinch. "I'm afraid that also includes the other members of his team as well."
"I'm afraid Newkirk already has a suspicion," Kinch explained.
"In that case, you must make certain it goes no further than the four of us."
Wilson and Kinch exchanged looks before looking at Fuchs.
"Agreed," Wilson said. His eyes shifted to Kinch who nodded.
"I realize it will be difficult keeping it from the others," Fuchs explained sympathetically. "But it's important that it be done." He sighed wearily. "I'd better leave now. I will try to inform you what the analysis reveals." He turned and started to walk away.
"Captain," Kinch called out. Fuchs stopped and turned.
"Two thing before you leave. One, thank you for finding the Colonel and bringing him back. And two, do you know if the Colonel disclosed anything while under the influence of whatever he was given?"
Fuchs hesitated as he recalled what he had heard outside the bedroom door before he broke in and shot Diels.
"I can honestly say the Colonel held out and didn't reveal anything and Diels was quite angry. However, until the file on this is officially closed, I would keep your men ready in case an evacuation is necessary. And now, I really must go." He turned and walked away leaving Kinch and Wilson alone. Wilson glanced at the radioman for a brief moment.
"Kinch, I made out a duplicate list." He handed a paper to Kinch. "When you get a chance, radio London and have them make an airdrop. I don't trust Hochstetter."
"You got it," Kinch replied taking the paper and tucking it in his jacket pocket. He then returned to the bed and, sitting beside Hogan, resumed mopping his face and forehead with cool water. Wilson rubbed the back of his neck as he stood nearby watching. Kinch looked up at the medic.
"Joe, be honest with me. What are the Colonel's chances?"
Wilson let out a deep breath. "Kinch, I won't lie to you. He's extremely weak; and even with the antibiotics and other things I need, with the infection, the addiction, and the fever, his chances are not good. I'd have to say you should be prepared for the possibility."
Kinch nodded slightly and turned his full attention back to Hogan. He couldn't even imagine life at Stalag 13 without the Colonel. Hogan's bubbly personality and watching in awe how he manipulated Klink and Schultz; his wild schemes when they had missions from London, his friendship, his leadership. How would they survive without him?
No! Kinch told himself. I refuse to believe the Colonel will die. You're gonna survive, Colonel. You will. And we're gonna do everything we can to make sure you get well no matter what Diels did to you.