Chapter 14

The doctor had been right. Hogan hadn't stirred the slightest since they'd left, Maisie keeping a close watch over her beloved Papa as they kept moving towards Duesseldorf. Please be alright, Papa, she kept begging over and over, stroking his black hair gently. The truck lurched, bouncing through a pothole, and she had to grab a hold of the side to steady her. After a moment, it became smoother again, and she looked back at Hogan. Even that jolting hadn't stirred him.

For his sake, she was thankful that he didn't know what was going on. That he wasn't conscious of the pain. When he woke up, though, she knew it wasn't going to be pretty at all for him. At least if they got him to a hospital, they'd be able to take care of him. He'd be safe there. He'd get better. Hopefully.

The ride was seeming to take forever, but she knew in reality only an hour or so had passed. With the roads in the condition that they were, they couldn't afford to go any faster. Especially with Hogan as injured as he was, they didn't want to hurt him further. Every single blanket that had been folded away in the truck she'd placed over him, tucked around him tightly. Flicking on the torch once more, she checked him over, her breath misting away in the light. It was freezing, the teen shivering again as a cold wind blew in under the covering. She gently tucked the blankets in around him once more, then felt for his pulse. It was weak, but steady, and she turned the light off once more to conserve battery.

The truck slowed after a time, rolling to a stop, and she could hear German shouting. Checkpoint, she realized, after a moment. Their first for the trip. The sound of footsteps came closer, and she turned away, focusing her attention on Hogan.

'Attention!'

Maisie's heart skipped a beat at the order, turning around to blink in the bright light as the guard shone the light in the truck. 'Do you mind?' She hissed, in German. 'I don't need to be blinded, thank you.'

'Your papers.'

'Here-' She pulled them from her pocket, handing them to the officer, then turned her attention back to her 'patient'.

'Everything looks in order,' he said, after a moment, handing them back to her and shouted they could continue.

Her heart slowly resumed its normal pace the further they got from the checkpoint, letting out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. You are never going to believe this story, Papa- she thought, a little giggle escaping her as she tenderly ran her fingers through his matted locks. Never in a million years are you going to believe that your little bear would help break you out of Gestapo Headquarters.

She'd never thought she'd have been capable of that, either, but here she was. Not only would Hogan not believe her, the rest of the men wouldn't, either. I bet they're going to be horrified when they find out that Colonel Hogan is alive.

By the time they reached the final checkpoint before Duesseldorf, Maisie was exhausted. The trip had begun to catch up with her, the stress and the lack of sleep taking its toll. Her eyelids kept threatening to slam shut, but she willed herself to stay awake a little longer. It wasn't much further, now. Then she could rest-

'Maisie, quickly put these on,' Wolfgang said, tossing her another change of clothing once the truck had stopped in the back carpark of the hospital. 'We're here.'

The teen lost no time at all changing into her former clothes, handing the uniform to Wolfgang to hide. As she climbed out from the truck, he hid them back in another bag in his car. 'Papa will be safe here?'

'Your Colonel Hogan will be just fine.' He assured her, with a kind pat on the shoulder. 'Dr. Bergmann and his nurses will take good care of him.'

'And they can be trusted?'

He smiled, the girl's continued concern for the colonel touching, to say the least. 'I'd trust them with my own life. They will make sure that Colonel Hogan receives the best care.'

'Can I quickly say goodbye to him?'

'Make it quick, we have to go. Hans and Erich can look after things here. We need to get checked into a hotel room.'

'I won't be long.' She promised, climbing back into the truck. 'I've got to go now, Papa-' She whispered gently, as she knelt beside him. 'But General Klink promises that you'll be in good hands.' She placed a kiss on his cold cheek. 'I love you, Papa. I love you more than you could ever know.'

Giving him one last kiss, she hurried out, Wolfgang waiting with the back door of his car open. Tears filled her eyes as she climbed in, the general getting in beside her, and she looked longingly at the truck as the car pulled away. I'll be back to see you soon, Papa. I promise.

'Have you heard anything about Colonel Hogan, yet?' Maisie questioned over breakfast in their room the next morning. 'Anything?'

Wolfgang shook his head, swallowing a mouthful of his food before he replied. 'Nothing yet. I'm sure when there is word, we'll hear about it.'

'I guess so.' She didn't sound convinced at all, pushing her food around on the plate with her fork.

The general frowned, taking notice of how she was struggling to hold the fork. 'You hurt your hand, Maisie?'

She looked up, realizing she'd drifted back into her old habit of using her right hand for her meal, when she normally used her left if she wasn't wearing her glove. 'No, old injury.' She placed the fork down, demonstrating her lack of strength as she tried to make a fist. 'It's getting better, but I can't use it properly. Papa made me a special glove so I could hold things like pencils and such, but I can't wear it right now. Someone might spot that it's American.'

'How did it happen?'

'Chasing down a double agent-'

The general coughed. 'What?'

'A few months back, there was a person working in the Underground who was selling members out to the Gestapo. She trapped Papa, and a Major Kahn was with her. Papa got beat up pretty bad, but she didn't get away. She's in London now.'

His eyebrows raised. 'You caught Valentine? On your own?'

She shrugged, pushing her plate away. 'It was no big deal. I just didn't want her to get away. I was angry, at the time. I reacted without thinking. She sold out my Uncle and his family, and I wanted revenge and to make sure she wasn't responsible for any more deaths. I got hurt pretty bad-' She rolled up her sleeve, uncovering a long scar. 'The camp medic patched me up as best as he could, but I still can't use my hand properly. He said there were muscles that were damaged.' She frowned as it dawned on her that he'd known the woman by name. 'You knew Valentine?'

'I heard about it. The woman vanished into thin air. The records that were filed had written down that she murdered Kahn and his men before fleeing the country.'

'Let's leave it at that, then, shall we?'

'Fine by me. However, if anyone notices that injury, just say it was an ice skating accident.'

'Understood.' She stood, going over to the window and looked out. 'What do we do, now? Can we go see Papa?'

Wolfgang wiped his mouth and got up, joining her at the window. 'Would you like to go to the hospital?'

She nodded. 'Please, if that is alright.'

'It's alright, I understand. Go get ready, and I'll ring Stefan and let him know we're going to head over.' He went to the phone, placing the call as she left the room. A little while later, she returned, and he took her coat off the rack to hand to her. 'Stefan has the car ready out front. Let's go.'

'You go sit with Hogan. I want to go have a chat with the doctor,' Wolfgang said, as they stood at the door of his room a little while later. 'If anyone asks, he's your Uncle.'

Maisie nodded, the general leaving to go to the office down the hallway, and she took a deep breath before stepping into the room. She quietly slipped in, closing the door behind her, and took a seat in the chair beside his bed. 'Hey, Papa. I'm back, like I promised.' She whispered softly, waiting for some kind of response, but none came except the gentle rise and fall of his chest. She sighed softly. She'd hoped that perhaps he might have been awake, but that didn't appear to be the case. It's alright, Papa, I can wait. You need to rest.

Her eyes wandered away from his battered face, looking at the IV line running into his hand. On his other arm was a heavy plaster cast, and she guessed from the way the blankets were around his leg that he had another one on his ankle. What about the rest of his injuries, though? No one had told her a word about how he was. Not even last night. They really went over you. Worse than that horrible Major Kahn. It's a good thing that Langer isn't alive any longer. I'd have tracked him down and strangled him with my bare hands if I had to. No one hurts my Papa and gets away with it.

Her attention returned to Hogan's face, a few dressings covering the cuts he had on his cheek and neck. 'You look so much better with that beard gone,' she said softly, a sad smile on her face. 'I don't think having a beard suits you.' She moved the chair over closer to his bed, resting her elbow on the mattress and gently began to run her fingers through his hair. 'I'm so sorry, Papa. I should have done something. Anything. I thought you were dead…' Her voice broke, and she had to stop a moment to regain her composure. 'I'm so sorry I didn't get to you sooner. It's all my fault. I should have tried to find out what had happened weeks ago...I shouldn't have waited…'

Hogan gave no response, no indication that he'd heard what she said.

She kissed his cheek, leaning down next to him as she kept running her fingers through his hair. 'Please get better, Papa. I need you. We all need you. Newkirk, Kinch, Carter, LeBeau. Heck, even Schultz and Klink are missing you, you old grizzly bear. You've just gotta get better. Please.'

The sound of the door being opened caught her attention, and she looked around as Wolfgang entered the room. He walked over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. 'Can I have a word with you outside?'

Maisie nodded, as she stood and followed him out of the room. The general closed the door behind them and motioned for her to go with him. 'What is it?'

'I asked Dr. Bergmann if he'd have a word with you.'

Her heart sank. 'Papa's not good, is he?'

'I'll let the doctor explain to you.'

Silently, she continued following him down another hallway till they came to an office, Wolfgang knocking on the door before they walked in.

'Dr. Bergmann-' He motioned to the teen. 'This is Margretta Dietrich, Little Bear. Alias, Annika Klink, my step-daughter. Maisie, Dr. Bergmann.'

She forced a smile onto her face at the introduction.

'Nice to meet you, Maisie. I do wish it was under more pleasant circumstances, however.' The doctor motioned for them to take a seat, and they both did so. 'How close are you to Colonel Hogan, Maisie?'

'I think of him as a father, Herr Doktor.' Maisie replied, her tone of voice able to be interpreted as being cold and uncaring to an unknowing observer, but it was just her way of keeping her emotions in check around strangers. 'How bad is he?'

'I'm afraid it's not good-'

'Just tell me if he's going to live or die, Doctor.'

The doctor was caught off guard for a moment at her bluntness, noticing that the general had lifted an eyebrow. 'If he were to live-' He started, trying to think of a way to break it to the girl softly. 'It wouldn't be because I'm a great doctor. It would be purely divine intervention and not on my own part.'

She nodded soberly, her face hard and set as concrete. 'What are his injuries?'

'Multiple broken ribs, trauma to the lungs, broken arm, broken ankle, burns, cuts, bruises and internal damage. He was in surgery for six hours last night to fix both his arm and ankle. I estimate that his arm had been broken for about a week, his ankle for about three days. In addition to those injuries, he's been starved ,and that has greatly reduced his strength. Some of his wounds are already infected, and he's started to run a fever.'

'What can you do for him?'

'Nothing, other than to keep him comfortable. You have my word we've done the best that we can for him. We're giving him IV fluids and the highest dosage of painkillers possible.'

'Is there anything else you can do? Anything at all?'

He shook his head. 'I'm afraid it's out of my hands. Besides, with everything that he's been through, he might not want to live.'

Maisie swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing her expression to remain emotionless. No, you're wrong. Papa can't die- 'Will he regain consciousness?'

'I don't know.'

'How long will we have to wait to know if he'll live or not?'

'I can't say that, either, but unless there's some kind of improvement in a couple days or so, his chances aren't good.'

No, no no- 'Thank you for telling me, Doctor. Is that all?'

He nodded. 'I'm sorry I don't have better news for you.'

'I understand. I appreciate what you've done for him.' She stood, turning to the general. 'I'd like to go back and stay with him for a while, if you don't mind.'

'Of course.' Wolfgang agreed, as he got up to leave. 'Thank you for your time, Doctor. If Hogan's condition changes, you can reach me at the Kaiserhoff.'

Maisie ignored the rest of the pleasantries exchanged between the general and the doctor, her mind too full of worry and concern to be bothered listening to them. No, Hogan couldn't die. He just couldn't. She'd come so close already to losing him, fate would be cruel to take him from her now. Just keep it together a little longer, she ordered herself, feeling that she was on the verge of breaking down again. She lifted her chin, her jaw set as she followed the general back out of the doctor's office and down the long hallway again.

When they reached Hogan's room, Wolfgang stopped at the door, placing his hand on the teen's shoulder. 'Maisie, I'm going to leave you here with Hogan for a couple hours so you can have some time with him. Afterwards, we're going to have to go to Stalag 13. Hogan's men need to be told, but I won't tell Wilhelm until we know one way or the other how his condition will go. Do you think you are up to telling them?'

She nodded. 'I'll be fine. When they see me arrive in camp, one of his team will make contact with me somehow. Will I be able to come back and see him, though?'

'Of course. I'll just tell Wilhelm that we're going shopping or something when you want to come in. His men won't be able to see him until we know what's going to happen, but we'll find some way of getting them here.'

'And if he's going to die? What are you going to tell Wilhelm?'

'Nothing. He doesn't need to know, otherwise. The men will have to sneak out of camp and come visit in secret.'

'And if he's going to be alright?'

'I'll tell Wilhelm what's happened. The version he needs to hear, that is. I'll also inform General Burkhalter as to what has happened. In those circumstances, I'm sure Wilhelm will arrange for the men to be able to come visit him himself. Either way, you'll still be able to see him.'

Her eyes glistened with tears. 'Thank you for everything, Herr General.'

He patted her shoulder. 'I'll be back in a couple hours.'

The general left, the girl standing at the door for a moment to gain her composure. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped back into the room, closing the door behind her and returned to the chair beside his bed. Hogan hadn't moved since she'd left, the only sound in the room that of his shallow breathing. The silence was deafening, tears coming into her eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair again. 'I'm back, Papa-' Her voice was shaking and soft, her heart breaking. 'And I've got something to say to you. Don't you dare give up now, Colonel Robert Hogan. You've made it this far, don't you dare throw in the towel now.'

Three hours slipped by, both feeling like an eternity and just a few minutes at the same time. Hogan hadn't stirred the slightest the whole time, the only movement that of his chest rising and falling. Nurses had come and gone to check on him, change the empty IV bag to a new one or administer more medication to him. She ignored them, and they left her alone, her focus only being on Hogan.

Papa, please, you've just got to be alright, she begged in her mind, one hand holding onto his hand, her other stroking his hair. It felt weird to sit in silence, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. She just wanted him to know how much she loved him. How much she adored and looked up to him, but she couldn't get it into words. You're my whole world, Papa. If I lose you, what am I going to do?

The door opened, a hand being placed on her shoulder after a moment, and she looked up to see the general. 'It's time?'

He nodded. 'You can come back later, but we need to get you moved into your new home, and meet your new Uncle.'

'Alright, I'll be out in a moment.' She agreed, Wolfgang leaving her alone with Hogan once more. 'I've got to go, Papa. You're not going to believe it, but I'm going back to Stalag 13 as a general's step-daughter and niece to your Kommandant Klink.' No response from Hogan, however, a little smile came to her face. 'Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, doesn't it? Me, the step-daugher of a Gestapo general, but Wolfgang feels it's the best way to keep me safe if everyone believes I'm his daughter and Klink is my uncle. Almost sounds like one of your crazy schemes, Papa. Almost as nuts as the time we kidnapped that general then bombed the refinery with his own plane.'

Maisie giggled softly, then her expression sobered. 'I have to go now, but I'll be back. I promise. Wolfgang, that's the general, has been taking good care of me, so you don't need to worry. You just focus on getting better, okay?' Nothing, though she hadn't expected any kind of response. 'We need our Colonel back. Things just aren't the same without you around.'

She stood, hating that she had to leave, but knew that she had to. She lingered a little longer, holding onto his hand gently. 'I love you so much, Papa. I just wish there was some way you could know that.' Leaning over him, she pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. 'Don't you dare give up, Colonel. You didn't give up on me, and I'm not about to give up on you. The Colonel Hogan I know doesn't let anything keep him down for long, and I know you can get better if you have a mind to.'

'Maisie-'

'I'm coming.' She replied, giving Hogan one last kiss, then picked up her coat from the chair and left the room.

'I'm sorry I had to take you away. I know you want to stay-' Wolfgang apologized softly, as they made their way out of the hospital again. 'But we need to be on our way.'

'I understand, Herr General.'

Silence fell upon them, neither of them speaking, Maisie staring blankly out the window of the car as the driver pulled out of the carpark in front of the huge hospital. Don't give up, Papa, please.

'Hey-' Carter breathlessly rushed

into the radio room, Kinch and Newkirk looking up from the message they were receiving as he came in. 'Gestapo. Coming through the gate.'

'Great. Now what do they bloody want with old Stalag 13?' Newkirk was less than thrilled at the news the sergeant delivered. He patted Kinch's shoulder as he started back out to go see for himself. 'Turn off the radio when you get that message through. I'll go see what they're here for.'

'Right, Newkirk.'

Carter hurried back through the tunnel, Newkirk following from behind, and they climbed back up into the barracks, the sergeant closing the entrance behind them. LeBeau was at the door watching, and he joined him as the car came through the gate. 'Any idea who it is?'

'Someone who sure isn't welcomed.' LeBeau replied, with disgust, looking back at him. 'Klink wasn't to have any visits from the Gestapo today.'

'Since when do they announce their visits?' Newkirk remarked. None of them would forget the way Major Langer had barged into the barracks that day and arrested Hogan right under their very noses, all of them helpless to do anything to stop him. That was the last time they'd seen Hogan- 'Kinch got the coffeepot working again?'

'Tested it this morning,' Carter said. 'It's working in tip top-' The car came to a stop out the front of Klink's office, and he squinted to see who was in the car. After a moment, the driver got out, opened the door on the opposite side, and someone they didn't recognize stepped out.

'Oh great, it's a bloody general-'

'Looks like there's someone else with him.' LeBeau interrupted.

Carter gasped, recognizing instantly who the third person was. 'That's Maisie! Hey, what's she doing being with the Gestapo-'

'That's what we're about to find out.' Newkirk turned, striding into Colonel Crittendon's office with Carter and LeBeau in tow.

'I do declare-' Crittendon looked up in shock at the three men who walked in. 'What are you doing?'

'Going to make a ruddy pot of coffee-' Newkirk pulled the coffee pot from its hiding place and dumped it on the table on top of the papers Crittendon had strewn about. 'What else?'

'What's going on?'

'Maisie just turned up with the Gestapo.' LeBeau handed the corporal the wire to plug into the pot.

Crittendon looked fit to have a heart attack. 'She what? Gestapo, German girl, I smell trouble-'

'Shut up, Colonel,' Newkirk interrupted, as the speaker crackled into life. 'We can't hear over your senseless chattering.'

So this was the rest of the camp. Maisie looked around in amazement as the car came to a stop in front of one of the buildings she recognized as being the one Hogan would go to when the Kommandant called him in. It looked bigger than she'd imagined. She'd only seen the camp from the windows of Barracks Two or from beyond the wire. Newkirk is going to have a heart attack when he realizes that I'm here. They all are, she thought, as the driver opened the door. The general stepped out, then invited her to go with him.

Her heart was racing as she followed Wolfgang up the stairs, looking around the room they'd walked into.

'Can I help you?' Hilda questioned, as she looked up from her typewriter. 'Oh, General. I'm sorry, I didn't realize-'

'It's alright, Fraulein. No harm done. Is the Komanndant in?'

'He wishes not to be disturbed, but I can ask. Who shall I say is here?'

'Wolfgang.'

'Wolfgang?'

'He'll know who I am.' Eyebrows raised, the woman stood up and disappeared behind another door.

'That's Hilda. She's Klink's secretary.' Maisie explained softly, after they were alone in the office once more. 'Schultz should be around here somewhere, too. He's the only other one here who will recognize me.'

'Schultz?'

'Sergeant of the Guard.'

'The Kommandant will see you now.' Hilda announced, as she returned, leaving the door open. 'You can go in.'

'Thank you, Fraulein.' The two of them walked into the office, Klink standing up behind his desk to salute. 'At ease, brother, this isn't a formal visit.'

~Brother? Hogan's men raised their eyebrows. Klink had a brother who was a Gestapo general?~

Klink sat down again, motioning for them to both take a seat. 'It's been a long time, Wolfgang. Twenty-three years, to be exact. What brings you here to Stalag 13 now?'

'Can't a brother drop in to see his brother while he's on leave?'

'You never just drop in to see me.' Klink eyed him suspiciously, and the uniform that he wore. 'You look like you've done well for yourself, General.'

'And you look, well.' Wolfgang replied, then looked down at the teen seated beside him. 'Wilhelm, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Annika.'

~If Hogan's men had been surprised before, now they were struck dumb with shock.

'Daughter?' LeBeau questioned, after a moment. 'Maisie's father is a Gestapo general-'

'The bloody little liar.'

'Hey, don't either of you go jumping to any conclusions now,' Carter interjected. 'Remember what happened last time?'

'What just happened?' Crittendon questioned, trying to figure out what on earth was going on. 'Does anyone care to explain?'

Newkirk's only answer was a motion to be quiet as the speaker crackled into life again.~

'Daughter?' Klink questioned, with surprise, looking the girl up and down. 'She doesn't look like you at all.'

Maisie giggled. 'What Father means to say is that I'm his step-daughter, but we prefer to leave the 'step' part out of it.'

'And your wife?'

'She passed away a little while ago in an air raid.'

'I'm sorry to hear that.' Klink replied, sounding genuine for a change. 'We certainly do have a lot to catch up on, then, brother. How long are you planning on staying here for?'

'A few days. A week, perhaps. I've had leave coming to me for sometime, so when Annika returned back to Berlin from her boarding school, I thought what better chance to come visit you and see how you're getting on. And give you the chance to meet your niece, too.'

'Herr Kommandant-' Schultz said, as he walked into the room. 'I beg to report-' His eyes fell on the girl seated beside the Gestapo general, and his eyes almost fell out of his head.

'Schultz, I'd like you to meet my brother Wolfgang and my niece, Annika.' Klink introduced, with a smile. 'They're going to be staying here for a few days. I want my quarters prepared spotless, do you understand?'

'O-of course, Herr Kommandant.'

'Father, do you mind if Schultz gives me a tour of the camp? I've never been somewhere like here before.'

'Oh, I don't know if a pretty girl like yourself would want to look around a prison camp-'

Wolfgang caught the little motion she made with her eyes and understood she wanted to have a chance to speak to him. 'If that is what you wish, go right ahead, my dear. Unless of course-' He turned back to his brother. 'You have a problem with that?'

'No, no, of course not.'

Maisie smiled as she stood. 'Thank you, Uncle. Shall we, Sergeant?'

'O-of course, Fraulein Klink. If you'll come this way-'

~'Well, how do you like that?' Newkirk questioned, as Maisie's voice cut off from the speaker, only Klink and Wolfgang's voice being able to be heard. 'What do you make of that?'

'I say she's been a traitor all along-' Crittendon offered, then abruptly shut up at the death stares being shot in his direction by each of the men. 'Wrong answer? Okay-' He made a motion of zipping his mouth shut. 'Shutting up now.'

'If she's here and this man says she's his daughter-' LeBeau mused out loud, after a moment. 'Then she must have a pretty good reason.'

'Yeah, but what?' Newkirk walked over to the window, watching as Schultz and Maisie stepped from the office. 'What's her game?'

'If we're meant to know, she'll let us know.' Carter replied, surprisingly the voice of reason for a change. 'I think we just wait. At least we know now that she's alright.'

'Carter-' Newkirk quickly turned to him as a thought came to mind. 'When you met up with Maisie, you mentioned she said something about a trip to Berlin.'

'Yeah, that's right. Said she didn't know when she was going to be back.'

'Did she say anything at all about what she was going there for?'

He shook his head, looking at LeBeau. 'She didn't say anything, did she?'

'Not a word, Pierre.' The Frenchman shrugged. 'We tried to get some more information from her, but her mouth was shut. She didn't say a word.'

Kinch, who'd only just come in on the conversation, spoke up next. 'What do you make of it then, Newkirk? Do you think she's a traitor or she's playing along-'

'I have no idea.' He replied, as he sat down again to think. 'Somehow, we need to make contact with her without tipping anyone off. Any ideas?' Crittendon raised his hand after a moment, quickly retracting it with the look he shot at him. 'Anyone else?'~

'Maisie, what are you doing here?' Schultz questioned, glancing around to make sure that no one was able to hear their conversation. 'What are you doing? That man isn't your father-'

'Schultz-' She stopped, looking up at him. 'I know what I am doing. Trust me.'

'But if Colonel Klink finds out-'

'Colonel Klink thinks that I'm his niece, and we are going to keep it that way. Okay?' He nodded after a moment. 'Good. I'm glad that we have that sorted out.'

'But, Maisie, what is going on?'

The teen raised an eyebrow, her stance mirroring Colonel Hogan to an absolute T. 'Do you really want to know?'

Schultz thought for a moment, then shook his head decisively. 'No, no I do not. I think it's in my best interest to know NOTHING!'

'I thought you might say that.' She replied, with a smile, the two of them walking on again, and he pointed out what a few of the buildings were before they returned back to their conversation. 'Come on, Schultz, at least now you don't have to worry about slipping up. I'm up here, Colonel Klink thinks I'm his niece, what can go wrong?'

'I don't want to think about what could go wrong.'

'Do you think you could give Newkirk a message for me?'

'Maisie?' He gasped. 'You want me to give Newkirk a message? From you?'

'Oh please, Schultz. I haven't seen him for ages. There might be a chocolate cake in it for you, too.'

'Chocolate cake-' He repeated, thinking of the last delicious cake she'd made for him. He could almost taste it just at the thought- 'Oh Maisie, I don't know... '

She smiled as sweetly as she could, turning on the charm. 'Please?'

How could he resist that smile? 'Alright, alright. I'll give the message to Newkirk. What is it?'

The teen looked around, then flipped a little note out from her sleeve and handed it to him. 'No peeking. It's wrong to read other people's mail.'

He sighed as he placed it in his own pocket. 'Alright, just because it's you, I won't peek. What do you think I am, though; a soldier or your personal message boy?'

Maisie laughed again. 'Oh, Schultz, I have missed you.'

'You have?'

'You come out with the funniest things.'

'I do?' He questioned. 'Yes, I do.'

She giggled again. 'So, how have things been while I've been gone? What have I missed out on? Can you bring me up to speed on the news around here?'

'Colonel Klink wants to transfer Colonel Crittendon out of here on the next train bound for the Eastern Front, but don't let anyone know that I said that.'

'Old Crittendon is still here? I thought everyone would be sick of him by now.'

'Sick of him? Yes. Still here? Yes. Transfer out of here? No.'

'I'm surprised there hasn't been a mass escape already just to get away from him.'

The guard laughed loudly. 'Mass escape, we'd be going along with them so we didn't have to put up with him, too.' They stopped at a door, and he opened it for her. 'These are Kommandant Klink's quarters. You can go into the guest bedroom.'

Perfect. From memory, they had a tunnel that came out into Klink's quarters, though she didn't know for certain where exactly. She looked around, trying to find a hint of where the entrance would be, but nothing stood out. I wonder where they hid it.

'It's probably not as fancy as what you are used to-'

'Schultz, I've been in worse places.' She interrupted with a sad smile. 'Believe me, this is the Berchtesgaden compared to where I have been. It will be fine. Now, I'd like a little time alone for a bit. Would you mind getting that message to Newkirk now? Please?'

'Alright, but you stay put, you hear! I'm watching you-' he shook a finger beneath her nose. 'No, and I mean no monkey business from you, young lady. Do you understand?'

'Just a little monkey business?'

'No. No monkey business at all.'

'Alright, alright. I'll behave.'

'Good.' he started for the door. 'It would be worth my life if you got up to mischief while I'm watching you.'

Maisie couldn't help but have a little giggle after the guard left. Oh Schultz, you have no idea. No idea, at all