Chapter 29---Getaway

With hands on knees, Hogan was trying to catch his breath. As incapacitated as he was, he managed to turn his head upon hearing voices and footsteps outside the bedroom door.

Hogan knew he could not afford to be caught in Metzger's bedroom with a gun on his person, must less the body of a man he was known to hate. He hastily moved around the foot of the bed, and quickly crawled underneath it. He clamped both hands tightly over his mouth to keep silent while he had trouble breathing.

The bedroom door opened and the light switched on. Hogan, from where he was, was able to see four pairs of boots enter and suddenly stop just inside the room.

"He appears to be dead, General Burkhalter!"

Hogan recognized the voice as Klink's.

"I can see that from here, dummkopf," Burkhalter replied, stunned at the sight in front of him. "We must be certain before we proceed. Klink, go check and make sure he is dead."

"Me, sir?" Klink asked nervously.

"Your name is Klink isn't it?" Burkhalter asked, annoyed.

"Yes sir." Klink slowly approached the body and knelt down, mindful of the pool of blood around Metzger's head. He pressed two fingers against his neck while turning his head slightly so as not to look into Metzger's unstaring eyes. Swallowing hard, he pulled his hand away and closed the General's eyes before slowly standing up. He stood before Burkhalter. "He is dead, Herr General. His body is cool to the touch. It appears his neck was broken from the angle of his head. It also looks like he struck his head on something as there is a deep gash on his forehead."

Burkhalter glanced over his shoulder at the two guards. "Sergeant Schultz, get a sheet and cover the General's body. Corporal Pratt, I want you to stand guard outside this bedroom door, and nobody is allowed in or out of here. Langenscheidt will remain outside the guest quarters. Klink, we have no choice in the matter. The Gestapo must be notified." He stood aside when Schultz re-entered carrying a folded sheet. Shaking it out, he carefully covered the body. The pool of blood around Metzger's head soaked through the sheet immediately.

"Let's get out of here, Klink," Burkhalter remarked. "With a guard posted outside the bedroom door, and another posted outside the guest quarters, nobody will be able to enter or leave without being caught. Come, let us go to your office and contact the Gestapo." As they started to leave, Burkhalter suddenly put a hand on Klink's arm, stopping him.

"Wait. Before we contact the Gestapo, I need to know Colonel Hogan's whereabouts. Let us pay a little visit to barracks two first." They then left the room.

Waiting a minute after hearing the door close, Hogan quietly crawled out from under the bed and over to the window. He shakily got to his feet, still having trouble breathing. He knew he had to get back to the barracks before Burkhalter and Klink or he would be in deep trouble. He silently climbed out of the window, closing it behind him. Then, as quickly as he could, hugging the sides of the buildings and keeping to the shadows, Hogan ran as fast as he could, gasping for breath more with each step.

Heading for the barracks, Burkhalter suddenly stopped again and looked at the Kommandant. "Klink, before we enter barracks two, I want you to repeat what you discovered in the cooler when you caught Metzger with Sergeant Baker and Colonel Hogan. I want to make sure I have the facts right before I question Colonel Hogan."

"But Herr General, I told you everything over the phone," Klink replied nervously.

"Then tell me again, Klink. You may have omitted something the first time."


Hogan, barely able to breathe, burst through the barracks door, letting it close behind him. Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau and Carter, seated at the table, quickly got to their feet. Kinch and Newkirk caught the Colonel before he collapsed, and led him to the bench. Once seated, Hogan bowed his head trying to catch his breath.

"Carter, watch the door," Kinch ordered. LeBeau, worried, joined Kinch and Newkirk while Carter cracked the barracks door to keep watch.

"Metzger…dead…" Hogan managed to get out. "Klink…Burkhalter…here…" He started coughing and wheezing.

Kinch and Newkirk looked at each other. They thought they understood what their commanding officer was trying to tell them.

"Metzger must've done something to the Gov'nor before he killed him," Newkirk said anxiously. "And sounds like Burkhalter and Klink are on their way here to the barracks."

Kinch looked at LeBeau as an idea began to form. "LeBeau, go outside and create a disturbance. Try to get Klink and Burkhalter's attention and demand they get Wilson and have him come to barracks two. That should stall Klink and Burkhalter for a few minutes." He then looked at Newkirk. "Newkirk, we have to get the Colonel out of his bomber jacket and into his bathrobe. We have to make the Colonel appear to have been here the entire time. Go to his quarters, grab his bathrobe, and get back here fast."

"On me way, mate," replied Newkirk before Kinch could finish his sentence.

"Here comes Klink, Burkhalter and Schultz!" Carter announced anxiously.

LeBeau dashed out the door and into the compound with both hands raised. He began shouting at the top of his lungs for help. He hoped he sounded panicked enough. (1)"Nous avons besoin d'un docteur! Svp! Colonel Hogan a besoin d'un docteur! ll ne peut pas soufflé! Aide!"

Burkhalter, Klink and Schultz, approaching the distressed little Frenchman, looked at each other, puzzled. None had any idea what LeBeau was saying.

"What are babbling about, Corporal LeBeau?" asked Klink, annoyed. "And what's all this about Colonel Hogan?" Hogan's name was the only thing he understood.

"He needs a doctor right away, Kommandant! He cannot breathe! We got him into the common room to sit down hoping it would help ease his breathing, but it didn't. Please! We need Sergeant Wilson right away or the Colonel may die!"

Klink looked at Schultz, worried. "Schultz, go to barracks twelve and get Sergeant Wilson immediately. Tell him it's an emergency and that Colonel Hogan can't breathe! And hurry!"

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant!" Schultz replied anxiously as he ran as fast as he could while Burkhalter and Klink then entered barracks two with LeBeau behind them.

Klink and Burkhalter found Hogan, seated at the table in his bathrobe, gasping for air, his head bowed. His color didn't look too good either. Klink was deeply concerned, but couldn't show it in front of the General. He knew Hogan had been having breathing difficulties since being choked by Metzger. Burkhalter, meanwhile, studied Hogan for any indication the American was faking. He didn't find any.

Just then, the barracks door opened and Wilson hurried inside with and an out-of-breath Schultz lagging behind. Wilson put his medical bag on the table.

"Colonel, I need to examine you now."

Hogan shook his head. "Not here…quarters…."

"Fine," Wilson replied gripping Hogan by one arm. "I'll examine you in your quarters. Let's go."

As Hogan started to get to his feet, he staggered and started to collapse. Kinch and Wilson caught him before he hit the floor. Kinch gripped Hogan tightly around the waist with one arm, while his other held his arm. He slowly led the Colonel to his quarters with Wilson following.

Burkhalter and Klink started to follow, but Wilson held up a hand, stopping them. "I suggest you both wait out here while I examine Colonel Hogan in private. I'll let you know my diagnosis after I'm done." He turned and entered Hogan's quarters as Kinch walked out leaving the two men alone.


Alone in Hogan's quarters, Wilson had Hogan propped up in bed with two pillows. His breathing had eased slightly as the medic listened to the Colonel's heart with his stethoscope. He also checked Hogan's vitals.

"Your heart sounds good, and your vitals are all right, considering. But your breathing is labored, Colonel. You have to keep an ice pack on your throat and limit using your voice or you won't have a voice. If you don't, I will confine you to the infirmary for ten days to make sure you do what I tell you. Whatever you were doing irritated your throat and caused it to constrict even more causing you to have more trouble breathing."

Hogan's breathing has eased somewhat by this time. He gave Wilson a lopsided grin. "I was taking my before lights out ritual of running back to the barracks before Burkhalter and Klink got here."

Wilson rolled his eyes in exasperation. Whatever Hogan was doing, he knew better than to inquire. "I suggest you forgo your lights out ritual for awhile, Colonel."

Hogan didn't appear to be listening. His mind was still reeling from not only finding Metzger's body, but wondering which of his men was guilty. Whoever the guilty party was, he'd have to get him out of Germany. Would that also mean closing up shop? Would he have to evacuate the entire camp? Now he'd have the Gestapo to deal with, and that would mean Hochstetter. He would have to protect the guilty man from the Gestapo. Hogan's mind was on overload. He couldn't think straight right now. But one thought made its way to the front of Hogan's mind, and that was which of his men was guilty of not only committing murder, but disobeying direct orders and endangering the entire operation. Hogan pinched the bridge of his nose as a massive headache was forming.

Wilson looked at his commanding officer. "Colonel, perhaps it might be better if I do move you to the infirmary. Your color is not good and you don't look well. Plus, I'll be sure you'll be using the ice pack as I prescribe."

"No…" Hogan stammered. "Feel…okay."

Wilson sighed wearily. He knew it was a waste of time to argue with Hogan when he had made up his mind about something. "Colonel Hogan, I will give you one more chance to do what I tell you to do. And should I find you aren't following orders, you will be moved to the infirmary and will be confined there for ten days minimum. Understood?"

"Understood," was Hogan's shallow voice. He massaged his forehead.

"Headache?" asked Wilson, concerned.

"Yeah, and it's a beauty," Hogan replied, his breathing now nearly back to normal.

Wilson removed an ice pack from his medical bag as well as a syringe and a vial from his medical bag. He filled the syringe. "I'm going to give you an antibiotic because of the wheezing I heard. You might be developing an infection in your lungs and I don't want to take any chances. Then I'll give you some aspirin for your headache. Afterwards, I'll have one of the men get some ice for the ice pack." He rolled up Hogan's sleeve and jabbed the syringe in his arm, emptying its contents. Finished, Wilson grabbed the empty pitcher on Hogan's footlocker and the ice pack and headed for the door. "I'll be right back, Colonel," he said as he walked out, closing the door.

Wilson found Klink, Schultz and Burkhalter waiting along with Hogan's men. He handed the pitcher to Carter, ordering him to fill it will fresh water. He gave the ice pack to Schultz ordering him to fill it with ice. The guard looked at the Kommandant, questioningly.

"Do as Sergeant Wilson asks, dummkopf!" Klink replied, exasperated.

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant." Schultz quickly left the barracks to get the ice.

Carter returned momentarily with a pitcher full of cold, fresh water. He handed it to Wilson.

"Well, Sergeant Wilson…" stated Burkhalter with a seemingly smug grin. "…what is your diagnosis of Colonel Hogan's problem?"

"Colonel Hogan was choked as I'm sure you are aware," he said glancing at Klink. "The attack caused bruising and swelling both outside and inside his throat which, at times, causes him difficulty breathing, especially when he lies down."

"Tell me something, Sergeant Wilson," Burkhalter began. "In his present condition, could Colonel Hogan engage in an altercation with someone?"

Wilson knew where the General's question was leading. "General, you saw Colonel Hogan nearly collapse just trying to stand up. In my opinion, there's no way he could engage in anything without developing breathing trouble."

Just then, Schultz re-entered with the ice pack full of ice. He handed it to Wilson.

"Will Hogan be all right?" Klink asked, worried.

Wilson sighed. "If he follows my orders he should be. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I must return to my patient." Wilson didn't wait for a reply before turning and heading back into Hogan's quarters.

Watching the medic leave, Burkhalter turned to the Kommandant. "Klink, based on Sergeant Wilson's diagnosis, I would have to say Colonel Hogan can be ruled out as a suspect in Metzger's death."

Klink nodded readily. "Yes, sir, General. I agree 100% with you. And let me say that…"

"Klink, shut up, and let's head to your office. It's time to contact the Gestapo."

Watching the three men leave their barracks, LeBeau, Kinch, Carter and Newkirk all exchanged troubled looks. Only one thought was uppermost in their minds, and that was to protect Hogan at all costs.


(1) "We need a doctor! Please! Colonel Hogan needs a doctor! He cannot breathe! Help!"