Author's Note: Others own the Hogan's Heroes characters.

Beyond the End – Part 2

By Diane Maher

            In the split second before Klink fired the Luger that he had pointed at Hogan, a look of sheer astonishment crossed Hogan's face.  Although Klink would never admit it, he was a terrible shot.  But at this short distance, he knew he couldn't miss the target.  In that brief instant, Klink's arm began to shake as though he had the palsy.

            "What the…???" were Hogan's last shocked words as Klink pulled the trigger.  Hogan felt a brief, searing pain as the bullet tore into his chest.  The sound of the weapon discharging brought Klink's mind back to reality.  The next few seconds were an eternity.  His gaze was transfixed on Hogan's face and he watched as the American fell to the floor.  It all happened in slow motion.  The thud of Hogan's body as it struck the floor sounded like a bomb hitting its target.  The sound of the air released from Hogan's lungs was like the whoosh of an explosion's shockwave.

            All this happened in the instant after Klink pulled the trigger.  His gaze moved to the gun in his right hand; he quickly dropped it as though it was white hot.  It fell to the floor with a clatter and skidded across the room, finally resting under the curtains that covered the window and hid his deed from the prying eyes of the world.  Then, he moved around the desk and saw Colonel Hogan's body on the floor.  The dark, scarlet patch on Hogan's chest was growing as the wound bled more.  When Klink saw the gushing blood, his eyes widened in shock and he found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from Hogan.  He then watched as Hogan heaved a last sigh and died.  He knelt next to Hogan's prone form, placed his hand on the American's neck to feel for a pulse and found none.  He finally realized the horrible truth that Hogan was dead.  "Oh my God, what have I done?" Klink whispered hoarsely.

            While Hogan was in Klink's office, the rest of the prisoners had fallen out for roll call.  As Schultz finished the count and stood in his usual place next to Kinch, he thought it was odd that the Kommandant hadn't come out of his office yet.

            "Where's Colonel Hogan?" asked Kinch, curious.

            "He's in the Kommandant's office," replied Schultz just as a gunshot was heard.

            "Did that come from Klink's office?!" asked Kinch, afraid.

            "I don't know, wait here, I'll go find out," replied Schultz, shocked as he headed for Klink's office.

            "Wait here? You've gotta be joking!" Kinch said and followed Schultz.  He noticed that the other prisoners were looking anxiously around for the source of the shot.  As Kinch and Schultz entered the office building, they noticed the door to Klink's office was closed.

            "Schultz!!!" they heard Klink bellow from inside the office.

            Schultz went in and saw the body of the American on the floor with his jacket covering his head and torso.  He couldn't believe his eyes.  Confused, he asked, "What happened, Herr Kommandant?"

            Kinch squeezed through the door behind Schultz and looked at the floor.  He was horrified when he recognized Hogan's bomber jacket covering the still form lying in front of Klink's desk.  Kinch fell to his knees; he then slowly uncovered Hogan's face and gently closed his CO's lifeless, staring eyes and took his dog tags.  When the cold metal of the tags finally registered in his mind, Kinch felt a burning hatred for their captors.  Nothing would stand in his way until Hogan's death was avenged.  Hogan was one of the few people in this world who didn't care what color his skin was, who treated him as an equal and now…Hogan was gone.

            "Oh no…Noo!!!!!" Kinch shouted.  He stood and ran from the room without even waiting for an explanation of why Hogan had died.

            Schultz stood at the window in Klink's office and his eyes were wet with tears as he asked, "Herr Kommandant, what happened? Why did you shoot Colonel Hogan?" He paused as he pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the tears away and blew his nose before crying out, "What did Hogan ever do to you to deserve to be killed in cold blood?!?"

            Klink tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't support him and he collapsed into his desk chair.  His reply was barely audible, "I…I was only obeying our Führer's order."

            "What order?" demanded Schultz as he looked out the window at the dawning day.  This was his commanding officer he was speaking to, not some crazed Hitler worshipper.  He couldn't hold back his tears anymore and wept for Hogan.

            "To start killing all the prisoners in camp," replied Klink dejectedly.

            A blanket of silence descended upon the office.  Klink ordered, "Call out the guards and their orders in case of a riot will be to shoot to kill.  Is that understood?"

            "Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," replied Schultz quietly.  "Is there anything else?" he asked, staring blankly at Klink.  His only thoughts were to get away from the Kommandant.  How could he have done such a horrible thing? Schultz thought.

            "No, Schultz.  Deploy the men," Klink ordered.

            When Schultz left the office, Klink once again thought about the horrible thing he had just done.  How could he live with himself? Klink walked over to the window and stared out at the lightening sky.

            Klink then heard the sound of machine guns firing on the other side of camp.  The prisoners were rioting.  He stared out the window and made no move to leave his office to supervise his guards.  He realized then that the guards had never had to cope with anything like this.  He'd always hoped there would never be a riot, not in his camp.

            "Why is this happening?" Klink asked angrily as he looked over at Hogan's body.  "Can't you stop the prisoners?"

            For an instant, he thought that Hogan would get up, go outside and stop the riot.  Klink swallowed nervously as he looked back out the window.  He saw Schultz standing on the porch; the Sergeant's gaze was transfixed on the compound.

            Klink continued to watch from the window and was stunned as the prisoners ruthlessly gunned down Langenscheidt and several of his other guards.  The prisoners were fighting for their lives now that their protector was dead.  He saw the bodies of his men littering the compound as well as those of many fallen prisoners, including Corporals LeBeau, and Newkirk who fell dead just below his office window.

            "AHHHH!!!" Klink shouted and jumped back from the sight of their blank stares from the ground.

            Klink watched as the POWs fought valiantly against his men.  The amazing thing was that the prisoners were winning.  More and more of his men fell, some even because of friendly fire from the guard towers.  And all this was happening because he had killed Colonel Hogan.  Again, he lamented, "Oh my God, what have I done?"

            Outside the window on the porch, Klink heard Schultz's frightened voice as he asked, "Kinch, what are you doing?!?" and then the sound of the gunshot which heralded Schultz's death.

            "Oh God, NO!!" Klink whispered in anguish as he watched Schultz's body fall dead on the porch.  Then, out of habit, he straightened his uniform as he turned from the window to face the door.  The door to his office slammed open and Kinch pointed the gun towards him.

            Klink saw the anger in Kinch's expression and watched every move he made.  Kinch slowly pulled Hogan's chain with the dog tags and ring from his pocket, looked briefly at them and angrily cried out, "This one's for you, Colonel Hogan! I will personally see that your death is avenged!"

            Klink stared blankly at the black man as Kinch pulled the trigger.