Chapter 22

March 31, 1945

Holy Saturday

News of the Day:

"The American Seventh Army has entered Heidelberg. The Germans retreated from the city, leaving several hundred wounded in the city's hospitals. There was minimal resistance and the ancient university is undamaged.

"Thousands of bombers, aided by hundreds of fighters, from the 8th Air Force and the 9th have attacked port and oil facilities in major cities in Germany and Austria with few casualties. A number of submarines were also sunk in their berths.

"The Ruhr continues to be squeezed by troops of Simpson's Ninth Army and Hodges' First Army. The Germans under Bayerlein and Model continue to resist; there are reports that German forces are hoping to link up near Kassel as Patton's 6th Armored Division is pushing slowly toward the city. It is rumored that the 6th is only five miles from the city of some 200,000.

"Thousands of refugees are pouring into German cities and towns, fleeing the armies of both sides. Some cities such Alhen, which holds thousands of wounded, surrender to the advancing Americans. Others fight to the bitter end.

"The French First Army is beginning its first major assault with its crossing of the Rhine near Speyer.

"Along with thousands of ordinary Joes killed by the war, the war also claimed the life of one of our best commanders, Major General Maurice Rose of the Third Armored Division not far from Paderborn.

"A reminder: at 2 a.m. Easter morning we will be on double summer time. Remember to advance your clocks forward yet another hour."

Doctor Ernst Bauer smiled a greeting at Robert Hogan. The American, now back in uniform, had driven in alone.

"How is he?" Hogan asked.

"More rested. He is having breakfast now," the doctor said. "Would you like some?"

"No, thank you."

"Some coffee, perhaps?"

A shake of Hogan's head. "I'd like to get him back to camp as soon as possible."

The doctor hid his surprise at Hogan's brusqueness. But observed, "You are still angry, Colonel."

Hogan met his eyes. "Yes."

A sigh. "Colonel, I do not wish to intrude but I do not think your anger will help matters."

"Then don't intrude," Hogan snapped.

Bauer stiffened. "Despite your anger, Colonel Hogan, the Kommandant is still my patient. He is tired, though he would never admit it, physically and emotionally. And still in pain. I will not let him out of here if you intend to fight him over what happened."

His harshness startled Hogan. And cooled some of the anger.

"I'm not going to browbeat him, Doctor," Hogan said, his voice softening. "And believe me, he's going to rest. But," his eyes met Bauer's, "he owes me an explanation. And I intend to get one."

"All right, Colonel," Bauer agreed with some reluctance. "I think a man capable of defying the SS can deal with an angry friend. But just remember, he is a friend, and not one of the enemy."

"Believe me, Doctor," Hogan said. "I'm never going to forget that as long as I live."

Bauer nodded. "This way, please."

Hogan followed him to the back kitchen.

It was a nice day, Wilhelm Klink thought as he looked outside the car window. At least it was outside the car. Inside, it was chilly. A glance at Hogan's set face. Cold in fact.

They'd just crossed the river when Hogan pulled off the road and stopped the car.

They sat in silence for a while, staring at the wooden bridge across the river.

Finally, Klink broke the silence. "Are you going to say anything? Or are we going to sit here all day?"

"The truth is I'm not sure what to say or ask." Hogan said in a harsh voice. "I thought we were finally beyond secrets. At least where we were concerned."

"If I had said anything, what would you have done?"

"Gotten you to a doctor. Brought you back here."

"And that is why I didn't say anything. What had to be done was too important."

"Wolfgang would have gotten them out," Hogan said, looking at Klink for the first time.

A shake of his head. "Mama is one of the most stubborn people I know. It would have taken him far more time to convince her. Time they didn't have. Time I didn't have."

"Schmitt was right," Klink said after a short silence. "They would have used the family. And I would have told them everything. The family has always been my Achilles' heel. Perhaps with my brothers, I could have stayed strong. But not if they started on the children or my mother. The threat I used with Hochstetter or for Hamlet, I could never have used if it had been them. If Hochstetter had not been so revenge-minded, he would have realized that."

"They've always been at risk," Hogan said softly.

A nod. "Yes, but I have been able to protect them a little. There has always been someone keeping an eye on them. Unless they were arrested clandestinely, they could have escaped with a moment's notice."

"Then why not use that system?"

"Because it was meant to be an emergency measure. Not an organized escape. I had to give them at least that much consideration. And," a deep breath, "the truth is I wanted to see them one last time in our home." A glance at Hogan. "Not a very logical wish. But an all too human one."

"It's nice to hear you admit you're human once in a while," Hogan said.

"I never denied I was human, Robert," Klink said.

"No," Hogan matched his tone. "But I did." His eyes met Klink's. "Is that why you never told me who you were?"

Klink turned away.

"That's it, isn't it?" Hogan persisted. "Because I thought of you like that. And treated you like that."

"Would it make you feel better if I said yes?" Klink asked.

Hogan stayed silent. After a moment, he reached for the starter.

Klink's hand stopped him. "Robert, all I ever wanted you to do was accept the incompetent Kommandant as a human being. Maybe a rather stupid and foolish man but a man nonetheless. And, in the past, there were times," his eyes met Hogan's, "when I thought you did. But always, when I thought you had finally accepted the surface Kommandant Klink, something would happen. Something that made me think I was seeing something that didn't exist."

Hogan turned away from his gaze.

"Something that would once again reinforce how worthless you thought Kommandant Klink was as a person. And the truth was, I didn't expect that from you."

His hand dropped from Hogan's.

"If you hated me, then so be it. But you denied even that emotion. And left me nothing. Your indifference was worse than hate. It made me utterly useless. And it hurt me more than anything else you could have done. By the time, Martinelli showed up, I was too tired, physically, emotionally, to try any more. After he died, I gave up expecting anything from you. I thought the best I could hope for was that there would be no more incidents to force me to get rid of you. What happened between us in the cave was far more than I ever expected. Far more than I had a right to expect." A pause. Then, "At first, I thought I had imagined what had happened. I was afraid to believe it had."

A soft, "I know. I'm glad you did."

"I did because you made me believe it, Robert."

A companionable silence in the car.

Then Klink yawned.

"Still tired?" Hogan asked.

A nod. "I am beginning to wonder what was in the coffee this morning."

Hogan smiled. "The doctor's making sure you get enough rest."

Klink returned his smile as Hogan started the car.

"Wilhelm," Hogan said as they drove toward the camp, "I'll make a deal with you. I won't interfere in any future excursions, no matter how dumb I think they are, provided you don't keep any more secrets like this last one. Deal?"

Klink managed a faint smile. "Deal. But believe me, I am not planning any excursions of any kind. I am getting too old for them."

A snort. "Kommandant, I defy most of the so called younger men in camp to keep up with you."

Klink smiled faintly and yawned again, his eyes closing.

By the time, they drove into camp, Klink was almost asleep.

"Schultz!" Hogan called as he opened his door.

The large sergeant hurried over to the car.

"The Kommandant could use some help." Hogan opened Klink's door.

Schultz leaned in and helped Klink out of the car.

"I am all right, Schultz," Klink protested in a weak voice.

Schultz glanced at Hogan, who smiled. "I think Doctor Bauer slipped him a sleeping pill."

Schultz smiled faintly and half carried his groggy Kommandant to his quarters. Up the stairs, into the living room. Then the bedroom.

Klink sighed as he was placed face down on the bed. In moments, he was asleep.

Hogan watched as Schultz efficiently stripped the clothes off his sleeping Kommandant. Schultz hesitated when he came to the bandages on Klink's back.

"Same treatment as before, Schultz," Hogan said quietly as Schultz looked at him.

Schultz nodded soberly and left the bandages alone for now. He picked up the dirty clothes and, followed by Hogan, carried them out. He deposited the clothes in a basket and walked back to the living room.

"You look like you could use a drink, Schultz," Hogan said, pouring one for him.

Schultz took the drink. "Danke." And sat down heavily. "When will it stop?" he asked after a short silence.

"I don't know, Schultz," Hogan said, sitting across from him.

"I had hoped that after he surrendered the camp to you, he would rest and stop his activities."

A thin smile. "I was just glad he didn't decide to leave."

"I suppose. Well," Schultz looked grim, "he will have to rest now. Whether he likes it or not."

"If it's any consolation," Hogan managed a small smile, "he said he's not planning on doing anything this dumb again."

"Unless he is forced into it," Schultz said in a pessimistic voice.

"We'll make sure he's not," Hogan said firmly. "That I promise you."

Schultz smiled faintly and drained his drink. He stood. "I think I will ask LeBeau to make him some soup. He will not be very hungry for a while."

Hogan nodded. "This is getting too familiar, isn't it?"

"Ja. I just pray this is the end of it. This war has to end soon. It must."

"Not until someone tells those fools in Berlin," Hogan said.

Schultz nodded wearily and left the room.

Hogan stayed where he was, a glum look on his face.

Stage . . . Stage . . . Klink!

Hochstetter? Hochstetter was dead.

Dead, Klink? What makes you think I am dead?

Stage! Klink!

A man in the darkness. A man with a rifle. NO!

You will scream and scream and scream . . .

A great deal to fear, Klink. A very great deal.

Darkness.

A thing. A rack. A man on it. Screaming.

Stage! Save yourself pain, Stage. Tell us . . .

You will beg to tell me . . .

No. A whimper. A sob.

You will scream, Klink . . .

Save yourself pain . . .

Scream, Klink . . .

Pictures.

Scream, Klink . . .

Blood.

Scream, Klink . . .

Hold on, Kommandant. Hold on . . .

Save yourself pain . . .

Hold on, Kommandant . . .

I HURT!

Hold on, Kommandant . . .

Robert? Where are you, Robert?

Scream, Klink . . .

Robert!

It was dark. He was alone. Abandoned. Alone . . .

A scream welled up in his throat.

They were coming. Hochstetter. Reiner. Randall. Haas.

His heart was pounding, his breath raspy.

They were coming.

They were . . .

The door opened.

Run. He had to run. He had to . . .

"Wilhelm!"

He had to . . .

"Wilhelm!"

He was trapped. They were there. They were . . .

Something touched his arms. A sob broke from him.

He jerked awake, panic in his face, his eyes.

SCREAM . . .

"Wilhelm!"

Something had him. Held him close.

"Wilhelm! It's all right. It's all right!"

"No," he whimpered. "No. Don't hurt me. Please, don't . . . "

"Wilhelm."

That gentle voice broke through the panic, the fear.

"Robert?" A childlike whisper.

"Yes. It's all right."

"Robert."

His head was cradled against a chest. Arms held him close, safe as he cried. His eyes closed.

There were tears in the eyes of Robert Hogan as he held his sleeping friend close.

Oh God, he prayed, let this be the end. Let it be the end!