Chapter 20

March 30, 1945

Good Friday

It was dawn when the plane circled over the Hammelburg township.

"The field is that — " Klink began

"We're not going to the field," Hogan said in a harsh voice. "We're going to land next to the airfield. I radioed the camp to have someone meet us with the staff car and a jeep. Schultz, and some of men have already picked up the jeeps and the motorcycle from the other field." A glance at Klink's face. "Objections?"

"No," Klink said.

"Good."

The plane landed on the road next to the ruined airfield.

Lt. Townsend was there with the staff car, a jeep and several armed guards.

"Welcome back, Colonel," Townsend said cheerfully.

Hogan didn't respond. Instead he nodded, went over to the jeep and brusquely told Klink to climb in. As soon as Klink was in the jeep, Hogan set off in the direction of Dr. Bauer's clinic.

Townsend stared after the retreating jeep. "What the hell was that about?"

"It's a long story, Lieutenant," Kinch said. "You can hear it back at camp."

He and the rest of the men pulled the camouflage net over the plane.

"McMartin and Spencer will watch the plane," Townsend said. He turned to the guards. "We'll spell you in a couple of hours."

The two men nodded and walked over to the plane.

Hogan's men and Townsend got into the staff car and headed back to camp.

The jeep stopped in front of a stately mansion, one Hogan had visited a couple of years before when it was the residence of the long departed Baroness von Krimm(1).

"Out," Hogan told Klink.

With a silent sigh, Klink got out of the jeep.

"After you." Hogan gestured, holding the door open.

The receptionist who had just opened the office looked at them curiously. "Colonel Hogan! Herr Kommandant!"

Hogan went over to the desk, smiling at Greta Kuhn. "Guten Morgen. I know it's before office hours, but do you think Doctor Bauer could see us?"

Greta, as usual, responded to his smile. "Of course, Colonel."

"Danke schön."

Hogan turned back to Klink as the receptionist left the room. "You, sit down and don't move," Hogan ordered.

"You are enjoying this," Klink said mildly, complying with the order.

"No, I'm not!" Hogan snapped. "Not one damn bit!"

After a minute, Greta came back into the room. "Bitte, Colonel Hogan, Herr Kommandant, follow me."

Greta led the way to Bauer's office.

Doctor Ernst Bauer, seated behind the desk in the mansion's former library, stood as they came into the room. "Guten Morgen, Colonel Hogan," he greeted. "Kommandant Klink." His eyes took in the two men. Neither man was in uniform, both looked tired, and the Kommandant was absolutely filthy. "You wished to see me, Colonel Hogan?"

"No," Hogan answered. His thumb gestured at Klink. "He does."

"Oh?" Bauer looked at the Kommandant.

"Just ask him to remove his shirt," Hogan said in a harsh voice.

Bauer looked startled. "This way, Herr Kommandant."

With a glance back at Hogan, Klink followed the doctor into the next room.

They were in the old drawing room on the ground floor, now a private examination room.

"Please remove your shirt, Herr Kommandant," Bauer said."

The jacket was slipped off; the buttons were slowly undone.

"Wait," the doctor said, catching sight of the back of the shirt. "I think perhaps I should do it."

Klink sat passively on the examination table as Bauer carefully removed the stained shirt from his back.

Bauer sighed silently. Klink's barely healed back was again torn. Long lash marks that had once congealed and been ripped open now lined Klink's back. There were also bruises discoloring his body.

Bauer slipped on his stethoscope. Silently, he examined the patiently sitting man.

"May I ask what happened, Herr Kommandant?" Bauer said after a few moments.

"It has nothing to do with the camp," Klink said in a calm voice.

"I see." Bauer didn't. "How much sleep have you had in the last forty-eight hours?"

Klink shook his head. "Nine, ten hours. I do not know."

"Perhaps I should ask how much sleep you have had in the past seventy-two hours," Bauer said dryly. "Lie down on your stomach, bitte, Herr Kommandant."

Klink did as he was told as Bauer went into the adjacent washroom.

Bauer brought over a small basin filled with water, a towel over his arm. He put the basin next to Klink. Then he brought over antiseptics and bandages. "This will sting."

Klink nodded, bracing himself.

Bauer carefully cleansed the torn back with water first. "What else did the Gestapo do to you?" he asked softly.

A wan smile at his guess. "It was the SS. They have an interesting device for causing pain without inflicting much physical damage."

"Electric current?"

A nod.

Bauer had to suppress a shudder. "How long?"

"I do not know. Twelve, fourteen hours, more."

This time the doctor did shudder as he glanced at Klink's tired face.

Bauer went over to the sideboard and picked up a small bottle. He inserted a needle into it and extracted some of the bottle's contents. He walked back to the examining table.

"This will help the pain," he said, gently swabbing a spot on Klink's arm.

A painless injection. Bauer watched as Klink's eyes closed. He smiled. He had not told the complete truth. The shot would ease the pain. It would also put the Kommandant to sleep for at least eighteen hours.

Then, with a sigh, he went to work on Klink's torn back.

Pacing restlessly in the office, Hogan stopped as Bauer came into the room..

"The Kommandant is sleeping, Colonel. He should sleep until tomorrow morning."

Hogan managed a grim smile. "He's going to be annoyed with you."

A shrug. "That is his prerogative. Mine is ensuring that he gets the rest he needs."

"His back?" Hogan asked.

A sigh. "I have done what I could. It will heal in time. But his back had barely healed from the last time. I think he will retain these scars for the rest of his life."

A grim nod. "How is he doing otherwise?"

"Exhaustion. I suspect he has residual pain from the current they used on him. And, of course, pain from the whipping."

"Damn him!"

"I take it he said nothing to you," Bauer said.

"Not one word," Hogan said in the same angry voice.

"He is a stubborn man, Colonel. I would think you know that by now."

Hogan stayed silent.

"He should be awake by seven or eight tomorrow morning, Colonel. You can take him back to camp then."

A grim, "I'll be here."

And Hogan stalked out of the room, the door slamming behind him.

(1) "My Favorite Prisoner"