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"Any more of this and I'm gonna find another war to fight," Hogan complained as he stood outside Barracks Two with Kinch. Wincing, he put a hand to his sore temple. "That Hochstetter's quite a guy."

Kinch ignored the gesture, as he knew he would be expected to do. "What happens now, Colonel?"

Keeping an eye out around the compound, Hogan answered, "Hochstetter expects me to escape tonight through the fence near the guard's tower. He's arranging a blackout at 2300 to accommodate me."

"Pretty impressive," Kinch admitted.

"Then he plans to take me out to the bridge where I will be caught with explosives red handed. And I'm supposed to take his word for it that I won't get shot on sight."

"Right," Kinch said, whistling under his breath. "This one's pretty touchy, Colonel."

"Don't I know it," Hogan answered. "We're damned if we do and damned if we don't in this one. It's a fine line we're walking, and it's a shaky one at that." Hogan thought for a minute. "Okay, Kinch, here's the plan. This afternoon I'll have a word to Klink, let him know that I'm tired of being used for Hochstetter's personal workouts, and I'm not going to let him take me again. I'll make him think I might be planning to escape. We'll have to make sure I get caught before I get out. This makes Klink look excellent, and throws Hochstetter off the trail."

"Do you think that'll be the end of it?"

"No, not really. If Hochstetter's on the level, and really wants to get Klink, he'll keep trying. We just have to keep foiling him till he gives up and leaves Klink alone."

"How long do you think that will take, Colonel?"

Hogan rubbed his sore ribs. "Not long, I hope." He tried to grin offhandedly.

The pain in Hogan's eyes wasn't lost on Kinch. He wondered how much punishment Hochstetter would deliver to the senior POW before this operation was complete. Quietly, he said, "Sir, Hochstetter is using this arrangement as an excuse to get at you. It may get a lot worse before this is over."

Hogan straightened, his body hurting from his "appointments" with Hochstetter and his goons. "I think he's counting on that." He gave Kinch a pat on the arm. "Spread the word about tonight. I'm going to go take a hot shower."

Kinch nodded, then watched thoughtfully as Hogan disappeared inside.

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"I sincerely regret what is happening here, Colonel Hogan," Klink was saying. "But surely even you can see that when it comes to the Gestapo my hands are tied."

Hogan wasn't listening to Klink, not really. He was here to help set up the evening's plans, but his mind was miles away, stuck in a dark and forbidding office in Hammelburg. I wonder if they bothered to wipe my blood off the wall, he wondered uselessly. His brain, prompted by his aching body, was replaying the beating he had received the day before. But when Klink expressed his powerlessness in the face of people like Hochstetter, Hogan exploded. "Aw, come on, Kommandant," he snapped, his dark eyes flashing. "You're the one in charge of this camp, and that means you're responsible for the well being of your prisoners. Well I'm a prisoner, and I don't feel like being used as Hochstetter's punching bag any more." Hogan was surprised by his own vehemence. He had intended to sound indignant, but here he was sounding downright belligerent. Clearly he was more disturbed by the incidents than he had admitted, even to himself.

Klink, too, seemed taken aback by Hogan's outburst. This man is normally quite unflappable, he thought. Hochstetter must really be hurting him. "I will continue to speak out on your behalf, Colonel Hogan. But I regret to say that I cannot guarantee that the Major will not come back here if he feels your unorthodox behavior warrants it." Klink sat down heavily. "Meanwhile you may refrain from taking part in camp activities until you have recovered. You do not have to carry out a charade to hide your injuries from me. I know how disagreeable a visit with the Gestapo can be."

"Do you?" Hogan spat sarcastically. "I doubt that very much, Kommandant."

Klink found that he could not meet Hogan's eyes. "You are probably right," he admitted. "Hogan, what have you done to get Hochstetter so angry at you?"

"I was born in a free country, and I've made no secret of the fact that I don't like the Fuhrer's idea of a Master Race. That's more than enough for people like him. And that's not going to change, so I can't see Hochstetter easing up any time soon. I'm getting out of here, Colonel. By hell or high water I won't be here for him to abuse the next time he shows up."

"Careful, Hogan, that is sounding very much like you are planning to escape."

"Maybe I am. Maybe that's not a bad idea at all," Hogan said. "Maybe I should head out tonight, just in case he's planning another visit tomorrow. That'd be three this week. I'm growing accustomed to his face. And I can't say I like the picture."

"Colonel Hogan, you aren't thinking clearly," Klink said, trying to bring his senior prisoner under control. "If you are found outside the wire you can be shot."

"And if I'm kept inside the wire I can be tortured at the whim of some madman who casually decides who lives and dies. Nice choices. Make no mistake about it, Colonel: this time Hochstetter's pushed me too far. There's only so much a man can take."

Klink sighed, both understanding of Hogan's dilemma, and troubled by Hogan's uncharacteristic temperament. "Colonel Hogan," he said, coming around the desk and putting a hand on Hogan's shoulder. Hogan flinched painfully, and Klink quickly pulled his hand away. "You are not yourself today. Get some rest. See that the medic changes your dressings. And stay away from the fence. Don't make a bad situation worse."

Hogan dropped his eyes in a gesture of acquiescence. "I can't prove something that isn't happening," he said. "I won't be able to stop him." He paused, then added quietly, "He'll kill me one day, Colonel. One day, Hochstetter's going to take me, and I won't come back." Hogan wasn't sure how much of that was said for show…and how much was his real, deep fear.

Shaken by this admission, Klink took a minute to respond. "Go back to the barracks, Colonel Hogan," he said softly. He didn't know what else to say.

Hogan nodded, saluted absentmindedly, and left the office. Klink went to the window and watched him cross the compound. I'll have to increase the fence patrols tonight, he thought. I'm sorry I cannot protect you from Hochstetter, Colonel Hogan. But I won't let you get yourself killed trying to escape.

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Hogan was introspective for the rest of the day, spending much of his time in his room. Though more tired than he could remember in a long time, sleep eluded him, and he longed for the comfort of an adequate blanket and soft pillow to take him away from this hellhole. What would it be like to be in the sky again, not to have to plot and plan?...Just drop your load and go home. Never have to look the bastards in the eye, and watch them plotting to destroy you…. Hogan sighed wearily and tenderly rubbed his face. He'd turned down any strong pain relief from Wilson, knowing he needed to be alert to everything right now, especially now. He regretted the necessity as he opened the door to his room and knew the eyes of his men would be on him, looking for reassurance when he wasn't sure he could offer any.

The solicitousness that greeted him as he approached the bunk over the tunnel almost drove him back to his quarters. Saying little, he gingerly eased himself down the ladder, where Kinch was working by the radio. "Does London know what's going down?" Hogan asked.

Kinch nodded, still writing, and held up a hand to signal Hogan to wait. "Papa Bear over and out," he said. Then, replacing his headset, Kinch looked up from his paper to his commanding officer. "London says to proceed as you feel necessary, Colonel. But they said to remind you that the Gestapo is no organization to double cross lightly."

Hogan grunted a derisive response. "They're not even nice to their own side," he said ironically.

Kinch waited for more from Hogan, but got none. So he said hesitantly, "Everything all right, Colonel?"

Hogan continued to stare into space. Look at that clear blue sky…. You can't see anyone down there. Not even Hochstetter….

"Colonel?"

"—Yeah. Yeah, Kinch. Everything is just dandy. Look, we don't know what's going to happen tonight, so make sure you keep things running smoothly, okay?"

"Sure thing, Colonel."

"No heroics, no displays. Klink's bound to stop me tonight. I'll make sure he does. But just in case something funny happens…no monkey business. I want everything to run as per normal."

"Yes, Colonel." Kinch paused. He knew Hogan only spoke like this when he was worried.  If he was so confident about tonight, why did he keep harping on someone else making sure the operation continued? "Colonel—sir—it'll all be okay," he offered, feeling inadequate to take some of the burden from his friend. "It'll happen the way it's supposed to."

"Thanks, Kinch. I know you fellas'll keep it all under control." Hogan smiled weakly, but Kinch noticed none of the worry left his eyes, and found himself once again relieved that he didn't have command of the operation. Ashamed of what he saw as a selfish thought, Kinch nodded reassuringly, then suggested Hogan get something to eat before the night's excitement began.