Chapter 26---A Gestapo House Call

Wilson left Hogan's quarters with the Colonel behind him. Seeing their commanding officer approaching, LeBeau quickly got up and poured a cup full of hot coffee. He handed it to Hogan who took it gratefully. He offered to pour another for Wilson, but the camp medic refused. Hogan sat down at the table with his men.

"How is he, Joe?" asked Kinch, concerned.

"He'll be fine," Wilson replied. "He just tried to rush things too quickly and passed out is all. He needs to take it easy and rest for awhile." This last sentence was spoken as Wilson and Hogan exchanged stares.

"Joe, don't you have other patients to harrass?" asked Hogan innocently. "I have work to do. There's no time for rest right now."

Wilson rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Colonel, if you don't give yourself time to recover, you're going to end up flat on your back in a hospital. You're over-exhausted and pushing yourself. You've got to take it easy for awhile or you're going to make yourself ill. Do you understand me?"

Hogan took a drink of coffee. "Understood and I'll rest later."

Shaking his head, Wilson looked at the others for help. There was none forthcoming. Finally, it was Kinch who spoke up.

"Don't worry, Joe. We'll see that he rests often. He can't fight all of us at once."

Hogan gave Kinch a dirty look. "Don't bet on it," he muttered softly.

Wilson, still shaking his head at the Colonel's stubbornness, left the barracks.

Five minutes after Wilson had left, the door to barracks two burst open, and in marched Major Hochstetter with three armed Gestapo guards, followed by Klink and Schultz. The last two looked like they'd rather be anywhere other than where they were. Hogan looked up at Hochstetter, disinterested.

"Major Hochstetter, nice to see you again so soon. You'll have to forgive me for not coming to attention. I've been advised by the camp medic to stay off my feet."

"Hogaaannn!" Klink warned the American Colonel, nervously.

"You won't think it so nice when I'm through with you, Colonel Hogan." Hochstetter looked at the guards. "Tear this barracks apart until you find something!" he ordered.

The guards, handing their rifles to Schultz, promptly went about searching everywhere in barracks two. They pulled mattresses off the bunks, slit them open with pocket knives, ripped apart pillows, opened and dumped the contents of footlockers onto the floor. Hogan and his men watched what was taking place with interest, but nobody moved.

Hogan continued to calmly drink his coffee. He looked at the mess on the floor. "Y'know, Major. The place actually looks better than before you came in. I didn't know one could improve a sewer." There were smirks and guffaws from Hogan's men at their commanding officer's remarks.

After about thirty minutes of searching, one of the guards looked at Hochstetter and shook his head. Hochstetter then ordered them to continue searching. The guards next moved into Hogan's quarters. Hogan still didn't move and continued drinking his coffee as the sounds of destruction repeated themselves in his quarters. He wasn't worried. He had well concealed his private and confidential documents and papers. After about another twenty minutes, the guards reappeared, shaking their heads.

"That's not possible!" Hochstetter screamed. "There has to be something here! I know there's something here! Search again!"

The guards looked at each other. "But Major...." one of them began.

Hochstetter pulled his pistol from it's holster. "I said search again!" he screamed. He waved his weapon and the guards repeated their search of the barracks and Hogan's quarters. Again they reported finding nothing.

Hogan glanced up and saw Hochstetter's face turning red with rage. He smirked. "Satisfied, Major? I told you there's nothing here."

A low growl issued forth from Hochstetter's throat. He pressed the muzzle of his weapon under Hogan's lower jaw and tilted his face upward slightly so the two men could look in each other's eyes. "I know you are hiding something, Colonel Hogan. I know it and you know it. I know you have something to do with that missing Allied flyer who parachuted out a few days ago in this area."

Hogan, ignoring the weapon pressing against his lower jaw, smiled mischeviously. "Is that what this is about? A missing Allied flyer? Why didn't you say so."

Klink and Hochstetter exchanged looks. Then, Hochstetter looked at Hogan.

"You mean you know where he is, Colonel Hogan?" asked Hochstetter.

"No," Hogan replied innocently. "But I still would've appreciated you saying so."

With a snarl, Hochstetter backhanded Hogan across the face with his gun so hard Hogan thought his teeth would be in his hand instead of his mouth. He wiped the blood smear away with the back of his hand. Hochstetter marched past Klink and Schultz and out the door with the three guards following. "I will deal with you later, Colonel Hogan! Of that I promise you!"

Klink and Schultz started to leave.

"Kommandant!" Hogan called out. Klink and Schultz turned. Klink noticed Hogan staring at him.

"What is it, Hogan?"

"Kommandant, I expect new mattresses and pillows for the men by tonight. You can't expect them to sleep on feathers."

"Hogaaaannn," Klink muttered, shaking his fist at the American Colonel. He looked over his shoulder, and noticed Hochstetter heading towards barracks three. He looked around at the mess. "All right. Schultz, see to it that the men have new mattresses and pillows by this evening."

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant."

Klink looked at Hogan. "Satisfied?"

"For now." Hogan muttered as he rotated his lower jaw to make sure it still worked. "I'm sure something else will come to me later."

Klink shook his fist at Hogan before he and Schultz exited the barracks. The moment the door closed, Carter stood watch at the door while Kinch, LeBeau and Newkirk gathered around Hogan.

"Do you need to see Wilson, Colonel?" asked LeBeau, concerned.

Hogan shook his head. "I'm okay, LeBeau. Besides, I don't want to give Wilson another chance to come here and lecture me again." He glanced at the Frenchman. "How does it look?" he asked. The Frenchman was grim. "Looks like you've got a nice bruise forming, Colonel," he said.

Getting up, Hogan and the others looked around at the mess the guards had left behind. Hogan then glanced into his own quarters where he saw more of the same mess. He sighed. "Kinch, go below and have Noel come up here. I need to speak with him."

"Right away, sir," Kinch replied, heading in the direction of the double bunk bed.

Ten minutes later, Noel climbed up the ladder and stepped into the barracks, followed by Kinch. Jackman looked around at the destruction as the men were going about trying to clean everything up. "Gestapo?" he asked looking into Hogan's face.

Hogan hooked his thumbs into the side pockets of his bomber jacket. "They were trying out a new method of interior decoration. It's called early destruction."

Noel's eyes narrrowed as he noticed the injury to Hogan's mouth. "Does it hurt much?" he asked.

Hogan touched his lower jaw and winced. "No," he lied. Jackman sighed. "Kinch said you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah," Hogan led Jackman towards the table. The two men sat down on the long bench. "I want you to tell me what happened in Klink's office when you were summoned there supposing to be me."

Jackman ran a hand over his dark hair. "Well, when I got there, Klink told me I was to be questioned by Major Hochstetter and not to refuse."

"Did Hochstetter say what it was about?"

"Not at first. When we first met, he stared at me very oddly. Almost like he was suspicious about something. I asked what the problem was. But all he would say was that he needed to ask me some questions about an Allied flyer who parachuted out of a plane a few days ago in this area. I tried stalling as you would, Colonel, but Hochstetter just kept staring at me the entire time. I must say he made me very nervous."

"Do you think he knew you weren't really me?"

"I don't think so. At least he didn't say anything if he did."

Hogan sighed. "What else did he ask you?"

"Well, he kept asking the same questions over and over. Did I know anything about the Allied flyer who parachuted out a few days ago and then disappeared in the area of the camp. Did I have any idea who this flyer was? If this unidentified flyer was in this area, would I be hiding him anywhere?"

Hogan's eyes narrowed. "That explains the barracks search. Did he give you any idea who this unidentified flyer was?"

"No. But I got the idea it had to be either Dr. Praeger or myself. Because both of us parachuted in a few days apart recently."

"Yeah, but regardless, you and Dr. Praeger will have to remain in the tunnels until it's safe. We can't risk either of you being caught in the barracks. And as far as you're concerned, Noel, you'll impersonate me only if the situation warrants it. Otherwise, I'll be available to Klink and Hochstetter. I can't run the risk of Hochstetter finding out you're not me." Hogan then smirked. "He's awfully nasty when someone makes a fool of him."

Jackman put a hand on Hogan's arm. "Colonel, what about Dr. Praeger? He told me he wants to hold another session with you tonight."

"It'll have to wait until we figure out a way to get the Gestapo out of this camp."

"I would not recommend that, Colonel."

"It can't be helped, Noel," Hogan replied. "But it has to be."

"Perhaps your next session could take place in the tunnels. I could replace you up here while you're below with the doctor." Jackman kept his eyes on Hogan, carefully watching him. He saw Hogan shudder at the mentioning of the tunnels. Hogan fought to keep the panic from rising in him again. He swallowed hard and looked at Jackman. "Why did you ask me to go into the tunnels? You know I can't...."

"I know. That's why I said what I said. Colonel, if worse case scenario arises and you have to evacuate the entire camp, how do you propose to get out yourself if you can't deal with going below ground?"

Hogan sighed wearily. "Good point. All right. After lights out tonight, I'll have one of the men come and get both you and Dr. Praeger and bring you topside. Then, the doctor and I will have another session in my quarters. I don't think Hochstetter will cause any more trouble tonight."

"You're doing the right thing, Colonel. Believe me, the sooner Dr. Praeger helps you work through your problem, the sooner you will completely be back in control."