Author's note: For authenticity this chapter contains rough language which may be difficult for some. Thank you to Lizzi0307 for help with the wording.
Kohl stood back several feet holding Newkirk, Fuchs, and an injured airman at gun point. "How long have you been in league with the Allies?"
Fuchs didn't answer, his mind working overtime. Unfortunately, he had to holster his weapon while he cut the American out of his parachute, and Newkirk's gun was slug at his waist. With both of them supporting the lieutenant, Newkirk wouldn't be fast enough to take Kohl out without them all being killed in the process.
"Come now captain, you're not usually this rude. You've been asked questions now answer them." Kohl taunted with an evil grin thoroughly enjoying himself. Fuchs stared him down. "You've got a lot of questions that need answers. Now you will be in the hot seat in the interrogation room you tried to force me into. That didn't work out so well for you. I promised Major Hochstetter I'd get the real scoop about you and bring him the proof. What better proof could I have than you aiding the Allies and fresh Allied meat to interrogate? But they'll have to wait for a while because I know the major will take his slow sweet time extracting everything you know about the underground and your treasonous acts out of you. I'll be standing next to him as his new second in command, watching you wither and scream in pain, while I'll savour every moment. You'll suffer tenfold for everything you've put me through. So I'll make sure you don't die quickly and then find that child of yours and the pretty wife. Don't worry, before she dies, she'll experience what a real man is like," Kohl licked his lips trying to bait Fuchs.
Fuchs kept his face unreadable but was fuming inside. Knowing Lilly and David were safely out of reach of this bastard helped him keep his calm. "Do you honestly believe that Hochstetter will ever believe anything you say after you've tried to kill him twice?"
"He'll understand when he realises his trust in you was misplaced. In fact, he'll be extremely grateful. There might even be a promotion in my near future. Now answer the question. How long have you been in league with the Allies?" Kohl was growing impatient as Fuchs refused to speak. "Perhaps if I start putting bullets low in the Englander your tongue will loosen."
"This is between you and me, it doesn't involve them," Fuchs said shifting the weight of Saunders a little more on to Newkirk.
"I'm a German soldier and they're Allied soldiers so of course it involves me and I've captured them. What you are remains to be seen, Schwein. Throw your weapons down now." Neither man complied so Kohl pointed his gun at Newkirk's left leg. "If you don't the first shot goes into the Englander." Both Fuchs and Newkirk reluctantly tossed their weapons to the ground.
"Why did you ditch the SS uniform? Was playing soldier more than you could handle?" Fuchs threw at him knowing which buttons to push.
Kohl turned red yelling, "Du verfluchtes Schwein! Ich hab' immer gewusst, dass du Landesverräter des Drittes Reich warst! Wie kannst du das Land und den Führer verrat'n?"
"Ich bin gar nichts Landesverräter! Du bist der Verräter und ein treuloses Schwein," Fuchs answered with anger in his eyes.
"Ich leg' dir das Handwerk, du verräterisches Schwein! Ich leg' dir das Handwerk und danach bring' ich dem Major dein'n Kopf aufm Tablett."
"Leider nicht, würde es dein'n Kopf sein, den zu Major Hochstetter bringen wird. Und er wird dich denn kennen, weil du spinnst, und ein treuloser Saukerl ist!"*
"We shall see whose head Major Hochstetter wants on a tray," Kohl declared. "Who is the Luftwaffe colonel who helped you kill Oberst Schmidt? Where is he stationed?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Fuchs answered, calculating his next move.
"I watched you kill my friend and then roll his body down the ravine. Who helped you?" Kohl spat out angrily.
"You must have me confused with someone else. The only Luftwaffe colonel in the area is Colonel Klink. Are you trying to tell me that Klink actually knows how to fire a gun?"
"You'll tell the truth before the night is over. What did you do with the file on Papa Bear? Hochstetter will see that today!" Fuchs broke out with a wide smile taunting Kohl. "What are you grinning about?"
"What do you think happened to the file?" Fuchs asked in a hushed voice.
"You retrieved it before the major reviewed it. But trust me when he sees that file it will only add fuel to your flaming body," Kohl was confident.
"Do you mean the file that the major returned this morning after reading it? He found nothing a surprise in the file. Major Hochstetter and I work very closely together and we have no secrets," Fuchs lied.
Kohl's eyes bulged out, he didn't believe his ears. Rage protruded from him. "You're a lying! There's no way Major Hochstetter is a traitor. He's as loyal a German as I am!"
"No we're not traitors, but we both will do whatever is needed to save our homeland. And you kept getting in the way. It was his orders to keep you out of the underground task-force. To prove your loyalty, first you tried to strangle the man you say you admire so much, and yesterday you tried to shoot him. Good thing you're such a lousy shot or you might have killed a good friend of mine," Fuchs answered calmly. He hoped Newkirk wouldn't show surprise at the lies he was telling, they were designed to throw Kohl off balance.
Newkirk looked back and forth from one Gestapo officer to the other bewildered. He was unsure how they'd get out of this mess. He knew better than to say anything that might make Kohl go off, but was having a hard time keeping his face straight at some of the things Fuchs was saying. Hochstetter in league with the Allies, hardly! The Gov'nor had told them to be careful and that warning would have been better listened too. The injured pilot was doing his best, but he was tiring and wouldn't be able to stand much longer. Something had to give or all three would end up on the ground in a rumbled heap. Newkirk leaned his head back stretching his neck to look for LeBeau up in the tree who wasn't visible and was afraid to look more in case Kohl became suspicious someone else might be around. But if they didn't get out of here soon German patrols would stumble upon them. He kept hoping that LeBeau would have a good angle on the Gestapo lieutenant taking him out.
LeBeau was hanging to the far side of the tree but didn't have an angle to shoot from without giving away his position. His gun was in his waistband and it was taking all his strength to stay in the tree. He needed to climb up another three feet to get to a good branch to stand on, or jump to the ground and try to shoot but the tree would be in the way. Either way, he'd need to do something soon because his arms and legs were begging to shake with the position he found himself in trying to stay in the tree.
"You're lying! Start walking, we're going to Gestapo headquarters and Major Hochstetter will see which one of us is a true loyal soldier," Kohl ordered moving his hand in the direction he wanted them to go.
The injured lieutenant moaned and slumped against Fuchs who kept him from falling. The two men's eyes locked and the American's eyes glanced downward for only a fraction of a second. Fuchs eyes followed his downward glance; for the first time noticed in the man's waistband was a revolver that Kohl couldn't see. Fuchs' eyes made their way to Newkirk's eyes telling him he was about to make a move. Newkirk helped the lieutenant to stand a bit more shifting his arm around Newkirk's neck.
"Move now Schwein," Kohl yelled with rage in his voice.
Fuch's right arm came around the front of the American as if he was going to help him stand straighter and then at the last second he grabbed the gun. Saunders let go of Fuchs as he and Newkirk tumbled to the ground with Newkirk shielding the injured man. Kohl stood shocked unsure what was happening until Fuchs arm came up firing the gun. Kohl shot back at the same time as both men fell to the muddy ground.