The chess board preserved the moves of their last game, the one they'd been playing before Hochstetter arrived. Klink solemnly moved his bishop into a kill zone to bait Hogan into leaving his queen unprotected. He played for the absent American, sure that he could predict the man's rash response. Mate was his within one move.
"Herr Kommandant." Schultz joined him, stood at attention. "Time for roll call."
"Ja. One moment." Klink contemplated the board, knocked over his own king. "Stalemate, Colonel."
"He would like that, Herr Kommandant." Schultz absently gathered Hogan's fallen pieces. "Do you suppose Major Anders is better at chess than Colonel Hogan?"
"I'll never know." Klink gathered his cap and his riding crop. " Let's get this over with."
"Jawohl." Schultz quickly returned Hogan's pieces to their own territory. "I'm coming."
Klink stomped onto his porch, where two of his guards fell into position beside him, rifles at the ready. As they marched across the compound to the formation of prisoners, Klink found himself trying to recall how and when he'd gotten so lax about security. Hogan had drifted in and out of his office, had been a frequent visitor to his private quarters, had even accompanied him into town on occasion. He couldn't recall his previous Senior POW having such carte blanche. He glanced at Anders, who returned a venomous stare. Certainly this man would never be allowed near him without an armed escort.
"All present and accounted for, Herr Kommandant." Sgt Kurtz saluted briskly.
"Dismissed. " Klink nodded at the burly guard. So many things --- large and small—had changed in the past few days. It surprised him how quickly Schultz had reassigned Langenscheidt from barracks two to Sgt Kinchloe's building. In fact, Schultz had quickly and efficiently shuffled all of the inexperienced, old or battle-fatigued guards to 'safer' positions and posted the most military soldiers around Anders and the office. Klink found himself wondering how long Schultz had been assigning only 'tame' guards to Hogan's barracks. And why he'd never questioned the personnel assignments before. But for the moment, he had more important matters to deal with. "Major Anders, you will report to my office after roll call."
Anders barely acknowledged him, didn't even deign to question the reason for the summons. Klink pushed away his anger as he continued to the next barracks. He was tempted to toss the man into the cooler until he learned some respect, but the camp was on the verge of exploding and he didn't want to be the one to light the fatal match. He inventoried the damage to the camp from the previous evening's riot – broken windows, graffiti, trash scattered about the compound. It could have been much worse, if Hogan's men hadn't ultimately broken things up. As far as he could tell, Anders had been amused by the whole episode.
How the riot had started, he still hadn't been able to discover, but it didn't surprise him. Arguments between the nationalities and the races had been constant since Hogan's departure. The cooler would soon be filled to capacity.
"Morning, Schultzie. Beautiful day, isn't it?"
"Shh. There's no talking in line."
Klink sighed as Schultz chided the airman like a kindly uncle. He would have to give his staff a lecture on fraternizing with the prisoners. It was time they became a military installation again. Beginning now. "Sgt. Carter."
"Yes, Kommandant?" The American smiled innocently at his captor.
"You seem very cheerful this morning." In fact, Klink noted, Hogan's young aide hadn't smiled since his leader's deportation. "Why is that?"
"Sir?" Carter glanced over Klink's shoulder at the next building. Sgt. Kinchloe's barracks.
Klink blocked the Sgt's view of his friend. "I asked you a question, Sgt. Why are you so happy this morning?"
Carter shrugged. "I don't know, sir. I guess it's just the sight of the sun on the barbed wire. You know, Colonel Hogan always said…."
Klink shook his head in frustration, dismissed the men. Carter's behavior was suspicious and warranted investigation, but he found he had no desire to delve into the matter. Instead he crossed to the Negro barracks. "Sgt. Kinchloe."
"Kommandant?" Kinch stiffened as the man approached.
"What do you know about the events of last night?"
"Events, sir?"
"Yes, Sgt. We had a riot here last night." Klink paced in front of the man. "What do you know about it?"
"Nothing, sir. Only that we did our best to break it up -- -Newkirk, LeBeau, Carter and me."
"Yes, you did." Klink considered. "Though I sent Schultz for you when the trouble first began and he couldn't find you."
Kinch shrugged. "He must not have looked in the right place."
"Let us hope that is the case." Klink glanced back at Carter, who was leaning against his barracks door. "I suggest you tell Sgt Carter to forget whatever he's planning. An escape attempt now would be futile. And lethal."
Kinch followed the German's gaze. "He won't give you any trouble, Kommandant. I'll see to it."
"See that you do." Klink wearily continued to the next barracks. By the time he finished his rounds and escaped back into his office, he'd had more than his fill of hostile stares and mumbled remarks. He'd also been reminded that Hogan's cook had once been tediously sullen and his personal scrounger had been the camp troublemaker. They had both slipped quickly into their previous roles.
He slumped into his chair and glowered at the stack of paperwork that'd been lurking on his desk since before…. He frowned. He was not going to spend the rest of the war thinking about one irritating prisoner. He reached for the newspapers that had been piling up and swore as a disfigured photo of the Fuhrer stared up at him. "Schultz!"
Schultz ambled into the room. "Herr Kommandant, you wanted to see Major Anders."
"I don't want to see him. I have to see him." Klink tossed the paper at Schultz. "Destroy this."
"What…?" Schultz chuckled, then wiped the grin from his face. "Oh, the Colonel was a very bad man. Such a troublemaker."
"One that you were supposed to be keeping an eye on." Klink growled as he caught sight of Anders. "Come in, Major."
Schultz took a protective stance behind Anders as the man plopped onto a chair. Sgt. Kurtz took a position by the door.
"Major Anders." Klink moved his WWI helmet out of Ander's reach. "What disciplinary action have you taken regarding last night's events?"
"None."
"I see." Klink fought for control. "What do you intend to do?"
"Nothing."
"Major Anders, it is your job to maintain order in this camp. Any…"
"Listen, Klink. Your little weasel may have licked your boots, but don't expect me to. I know the enemy when I see him."
"I see. In that case, we have nothing to talk about." Klink stood, gestured for Kurtz. "Take him to the cooler."
"Jawohl." Kurtz saluted and tugged Anders to his feet.
"Go ahead, Kommandant." Anders jeered as he pronounced each syllable of Klink's title. "You'll get yours when Patton shows up."
"Take him." Klink stopped Schultz as he moved to follow Kurtz. "There are going to be some changes around here, Schultz."
"Kommandant?"
"From now on we are a Luftwaffe stalag. There will be no more fraternization with the prisoners. There will be no more taking of bribes. There will be no more speaking English, French, or Russian except to give orders. Is that clear?"
"But, Herr Kommandant…."
"Is that clear, Sgt?"
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant." Schultz saluted and marched from the office.
Klink went to his window in time to see Kurtz lead Anders into the cooler, which he was free to call home for the rest of the war. And once the Allies surrendered, he could rot in a work camp until hell froze over.
Klink stomped back to his desk and tried to focus on his work, but an image haunted him. It was the end of the Great War, the one that had only been the prelude to the current chaos. He was on his knees in the mud, surrendering to the enemy. An enemy that delighted in heaping verbal abuse on him. An enemy that did its best to break and humiliate an entire country. He had vowed on that day that he'd never find himself in that position again. And for a time their Fuhrer had made them all proud to be Germans once more, until the Gestapo took power and the rumors began….
Klink shook his head. No, he would not be humiliated again. Certainly not by someone as crude as Anders. Perhaps, in the past, he could have surrendered to Hogan. He was insolent and annoying, but he'd never had cause to fear him. It was only around the Gestapo that Hogan had seemed like an enemy officer. And now….Klink sighed. After Hochstetter's brutal treatment, Hogan would surely hate all Germans. Any hope Klink had had of a dignified armistice had died when he'd seen the results of the Gestapo agent's 'interrogation.' Now his only chance was….
"Herr Kommandant…" Schultz came panting through the door.
"Not now, Schultz." Klink grabbed a file. "Can't you see I'm working?"
"But, Herr Kommandant…" Schultz gestured toward the door. "There is a car coming through the gate."
"Well, who is it? Never mind. I'll see myself." Klink hurried past his stammering guard. The way his week had been going, he expected the worst. He wasn't disappointed. A Gestapo staff car pulled through the gate and halted a few feet away. "Major Hochstetter, what a surprise…."
The man who stepped from the car saluted stiffly. "Heil Hitler, Kommandant Klink. I am Major Mueller."
"Welcome, Major. I'm sorry. I thought you were our local Gestapo agent. However, I'm always happy to see…"
"Major Hochstetter is missing. Presumed dead." Mueller scanned the empty compound. "Where are your prisoners?"
"They're confined to their barracks." Klink gestured at the damage from the previous night. "Punishment for being disruptive."
"Oh?" Mueller paced around Klink. "You had an escape?"
"Nein. Merely a fight that got out of hand. Of course, my men had the situation under control at all times…."
" I'm sure." Mueller gestured to his car. A pair of SS guards immediately joined him. "I will inspect your barracks, Klink."
"Of course. May I ask what you're looking for?"
"Evidence that your prisoners were involved in the kidnapping or murder of Major Hochstetter."
"Murder?" Klink paled . "I assure you my prisoners are completely cowed. There has never been a successful escape from …"
"Ja,ja. So I've heard."
Klink followed the man with trepidation. Of course none of his prisoners were involved. It was impossible. Hogan's men were fiercely loyal, but the idea of them leaving camp….during the riot….when Schultz hadn't been able to find them….Klink quickly dismissed the thought. Even considering the possibility was dangerous. For him and for Hogan's men.
* * * *
