Anders was awake the instant his door squeaked open. He listened as the fat guard made his way through the darkness and leaned over the top bunk. "Major. Wake up, Major."

"It's not even sunrise. What the hell do you want?"

"Oh. You sleep down there." Schultz bent over the bottom bunk. "Colonel Hogan always slept on the top bunk, unless he was sick then…"

"Did you wake me up to tell me that?"

"Nein." Schultz drew to a military stance. "The Kommandant wants to see you immediately."

"Alright. I'll be out in a minute."

"Nein. I'm to escort you."

"Ok. If you get your kicks out of watching men dress." Anders flipped back the covers and mumbled as he pulled on his slacks. "Guess this is the perfect job if that's what you're into."

Schultz' replied in curt German, but stood firmly by the door until Anders was ready.

"Ok. Let's go." Anders stomped out of the barracks, Schultz doggedly at his heels. He quickly scanned the area for signs of a trap. Guards stood in front of each barracks, the doors of which had been latched from the outside. As Schultz herded him away from his own building, Sgt Kurtz efficiently slid a board into position across the door. He would be the last to leave Barracks Two – at least via the door. "Alright, what's going on here?"

"The Kommandant will tell you." Schultz gestured to Klink, who waited outside his office.

Anders approached cautiously. As he drew nearer to Klink, the gates slowly opened and he could hear the rumble of approaching trucks.

"Major." Klink nodded formally. "I regret waking you at this hour."

"I demand to know what's going on here." Anders glanced from Klink to the four trucks that were pulling into the compound. "We don't have room for that many new prisoners."

"I regret, Major, the trucks are picking up prisoners, not dropping them off. Your incessant bombing raids have destroyed several miles of railroad track. The Wehrmacht needs workers to repair the damage and restore our supply lines."

"If you think Americans are going to…"

"The workers will be Russian." Klink followed the trucks as they rumbled to the far end of camp. "The Soviets do not adhere to the Geneva Convention, therefore their airmen are exempt from its protection. I regret that is the case, however…"

Anders shook his head. "You got me out of bed to wave bye-bye to a bunch of commies?"

"Col…" Klink cleared his throat. "Your predecessor objected to the work transfers. I'm glad you're more realistic. It took Hogan several trips to the cooler before he accepted that the situation was out of his hands. And mine."

"I'm responsible for the Allied prisoners. Uncle Joe can worry about his Reds."

"Very sensible, Major. I won't bother to wake you in the future, unless Americans are directly involved."

Anders ignored the icy sarcasm. The day would come when Klink would be on his knees before him, begging for mercy. And he would have to beg.

He watched abstractly as the Reds were dragged from their barracks and herded into the trucks. They were good fighters, he'd give them that. The Wehrmacht boys had to knock more than one of them around before they managed to get them under control.

"Herr Kommandant." Schultz pointed at one of the prisoners, who was taking on two soldiers on his own.

"Ja. I see." Klink raised his voice. "Hauptmann, that man is my interpreter. If you could leave him…"

"Jawohl, Herr Oberst." The captain shoved Sasha Pasternak onto the snow. The Russian was on his feet and wading back into the fray a moment later.

"Schultz…" Klink exhaled loudly.

Schultz was already signaling for Luftwaffe guards to help him drag Pasternak away from the Wehrmacht.

"Put him in the isolation cell until he calms down." Klink shook his head as Schultz and two other guards manhandled the cursing Russian towards the cooler. "If he calms down."

"Hate to meet that one on the battlefield." Anders laughed as Schultz finally managed to subdue the volatile prisoner. "Why keep him around?"

"He has been of some assistance in the past, though I doubt we'll be able to control him now."

"Let me guess. Your weasel could control him." Anders took Klink's glare as an affirmative.

Klink pushed past him and gestured his guards to his side. The Wehrmacht had gathered their quota of prisoners and the remaining Russians had to be herded back into their barracks and locked inside. Once that end of camp was secure, the guards cautiously removed the latches and released the non-Soviet prisoners. Anders shook his head as he assumed his place in line for roll call. Much ado about nothing.

* * * *

The tunnel was amazing. Each time he traveled it, Anders found some new bit of contraband. Explosives, a two-way radio, counterfeit money, stolen art, German military maps, a wine press. The scope of the operation was mind-boggling. That a weasel like Hogan could have pulled off something this audacious was beyond belief. He had to have been a wolf in weasel clothing. It was the only explanation that made any sense. Definitely one of FDR's ilk though – the man clearly had no idea why God made races and classes.

"Major!" Marsden shouted down the tunnel entrance. "The four stooges want to see you."

"Let them wait." Anders flopped onto the cot by the radio, deliberately waited for ten minutes to pass. Then he nonchalantly climbed the ladder. Hogan's ex-staff drew to attention as he closed the trap door. "What's this all about?"

"Sir." Kinch's tone was properly deferential. "We wanted to speak to you about Sgt Pasternak."

"Who?"

"The Russian who was sent to the cooler this morning."

"Oh. Is that his name?" Anders lit a cigarette, perched on the edge of the table. "Well? What about him?"

"He's been sent to the isolation cell."

"So?"

"So it's a bloody nasty place to be." Newkirk scowled. "Even for a Red."

"Colonel Hogan wouldn't…"

Kinch silenced Carter with a look. "The isolation cell doesn't have bars or windows, sir. There's no cot or plumbing. The Kommandant doesn't normally keep prisoners in there very long, but Schultz says Sasha won't calm down."

"Again. So?"

LeBeau mumbled in French.

Kinch took a breath and plowed on. "I think I could get him to settle down enough to at least be moved to a regular cell if I could just talk to him."

"How does this involve me, Sgt?" Anders scowled Kinch's friends into silence.

"Only the Senior POW can talk to the Kommandant. Without Klink's permission, I can't get past the cooler guards." Kinch looked at the officer hopefully. "I thought you might talk to Klink."

"I might." Anders considered the men before him. "But first I want the answers to some questions. "

"Whatever we can tell you, Major." Kinch met his eyes warily. "Just ask."

"Alright." Anders blew a smoke ring at his visitors. "When I radioed London, I got an urgent message to maintain radio silence for 48 hours. Why is that?"

"That's not unusual." Kinch's voice was perfectly neutral. "We often have to maintain radio silence."

"Uh-huh." Anders considered the black sergeant skeptically. " I know you operated the radio and the Brit here was Hogan's thief, but who was the explosives man?"

"That was…" Kinch paused as Carter began shaking his head furiously. And very noticeably.

"Sgt." Anders shot Carter a malicious smile. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"No, sir." Carter stared at his feet. "Not really."

"I'm the demolitions man." LeBeau spoke up. "Anything you want blown up, just call me. Voila. It's gone."

"Uh-huh." Anders tossed his cigarette on the floor, ground it out with his heel. "Is that the case, Sgt. Carter?"

"I…"

"We all took turns blowing stuff up." Newkirk grinned. "It's more democratic that way."

"Sgt." Anders stepped directly in front of Carter. "For the last time, who handled the explosives for Hogan?"

"I did, Major." Carter refused to look at the officer, concentrated instead on yanking his zipper up and down.

"Good. Then you'll retain your position. As soon as we…"

"No, sir." Carter was barely audible. "I can't."

"Carter!" Kinch hissed a warning.

"I beg your pardon?" Anders turned on the young man. "Did you just refuse an order?"

"No. I mean, I really can't sir." Carter glanced up hopefully. "Unless you promise to only hit military targets."

"What? You dare to tell me what action I can take?" Anders' voice seethed with anger. "You're bucking for a court martial, Sgt."

"You've got to excuse my mate Carter." Newkirk laughed nervously. "It's battle fatigue. He's finally cracked."

"Sgt." Kinch grabbed Carter's arm. "Major Anders is in charge of the operation now. If he orders you to make bombs, you make bombs."

"I won't." Carter shook off Kinch's hand. "I know my bombs kill people, but Colonel Hogan promised he'd never order me to blow up a civilian target. I won't kill little kids. Not on purpose. So I won't make bombs for Major Anders unless he promises…"

"Listen to me you insubordinate little coward." Anders towered over Carter. "If I order you to blow up an orphanage, that's exactly what you'll do. Is that clear?"

"No, sir." Carter bit his lip. "I won't."

"Andre…"

"That's it. You may have been able to pull this crap with Hogan, but you're not going to do it with me." Anders yanked Carter towards the door.

"Major." Kinch tried desperately to intercede. "Let me talk to him. I can…"

"Out of the way." Anders shoved Carter outside. "Now, you little bleeding heart, you're going to stand at attention. And you're going to stay that way until hell freezes over."

"Yes, sir." Carter drew to attention, fixed his vision on a spot on the horizon.

LeBeau shot a string of angry French at Anders until Kinch succeeded in muffling him with a hand over his mouth.

"Why you…" Newkirk growled as Kinch yanked him back by his collar.

"Major…" Kinch shoved Newkirk and LeBeau away from the officer. "You're right, sir. Colonel Hogan did let Carter off his leash too often. I can get him back under control if you…"

"Too little, too late." Anders raised his voice for the benefit of the prisoners who were gawking at the spectacle. "It's about time you people realized that Hogan is gone. Things are going to be run my way from now on. When I give an order, it will be obeyed."

"Carter." Kinch implored. " The Colonel wouldn't want you to be court-martialed."

"Andre, you have to obey the Major." LeBeau drew close, dropped his voice. "At least until we escape."

"Right." Newkirk spoke in hushed tones. "Tell the blighter you'll work for him and we'll be out of here tonight."

"Major Anders! What is the meaning of this?"

Anders glanced up to find Klink stalking towards him, flanked by his guards. "This is Allied business, Kommandant. It doesn't concern you."

"This is my camp. Anything that happens here is my concern." Klink broke through the ring of spectators. "You are a prisoner here, Major. If I ask you a question, you will answer it."

"Begging the Kommandant's pardon, sir." Anders spoke through clenched teeth. "I'm disciplining an insubordinate sergeant. My understanding, sir, is that you allowed Hogan to dish out his own punishment to his own men." Anders gestured at his staff. "These men in particular."

Klink considered the sullen prisoners lurking behind Anders. "I've thrown most of these men into the cooler for brawling. If Hogan disciplined them, it was indoors – not out in the snow, not in front of the whole camp."

Anders shrugged. "I have my own technique."

"Not in my camp."

"Why are you so interested in this loser?" Anders circled Carter, who still remained at attention. "Is he a turncoat as well as a coward?"

"I suggest you remember your position, Major. You're a prisoner, existing at the sufferance of the Third Reich. You will treat me with respect or you will suffer the consequences."

Anders scoffed loudly.

"Very well." Klink gestured for Schultz.

"Back to the cooler?" Schultz sounded almost gleeful.

"Ja." Klink ignored Anders' string of abuse, paused beside Carter. "You're confined to your barracks until further notice, Sgt. I don't want to see any more trouble between you and the Major."

"No, sir. I mean, yes, sir. I mean, thank you, sir."

Anders cursed at Klink's back, then switched his anger to Hogan's men. "This isn't over. By the time I'm through with you four, you'll wish you'd never met your great Hogan."

"Yes, sir." Kinch shoved Carter towards his barracks as Schultz yanked Anders towards the cooler.

"Give our regards to Sasha." Newkirk called. "He'll be the maniac making all the noise."

"Oui. I'm sure you will find his company very comforting."

Court martials. Anders promised himself as he was led away. Each and every one of them was going to rot in prison just as soon as he got back to London.

* * *