Author's Note:  This portion of this story contains elements from episode #89, "The Collector General" written by Laurence Marks.  Others own the Hogan's Heroes characters.

Beyond the End – Part 5

By Diane Maher

            Klink watched anxiously as the car was admitted as usual by his men at the gate.  He was amazed that any of them were still at their posts.  Perhaps they didn't believe what he had announced over the loudspeakers.  He asked, "Hogan...what will happen to me?"

            Hogan looked at Klink thoughtfully.  Glancing nervously around him, Klink noticed that the compound was empty except for the few of his guards still on duty at the main gate.  Just as Hogan was about to reply, the car stopped in front of the administration building.  Hogan shrugged and said, "Let's first find out who just arrived, Kommandant.  Just act like nothing unusual has happened."

            Klink nodded, put his riding crop under his arm and walked over to the car.  He opened the rear door of the car and hastily saluted the portly officer who emerged from it.  "What can I do for you? General…um, General?" stammered Klink.

            "I am General Metzger.  I was here for a short while last year," Metzger said.  "I see that you don't remember me."

            The general looked at Hogan and said in an icy tone, "You are Colonel Hogan? Perhaps you remember me? " Klink shrugged and glanced at Hogan for his reaction.

            Hogan looked at their visitor a moment before folding his arms across his chest and nodding.  "Yes, it's been a while, General."

            "What are you doing here, Herr General?" asked Klink weakly from behind Metzger.

            "Klink! Do you have any idea what is going on? What has happened in Berlin?" demanded Metzger as he whirled to face Klink.

            Klink shook his head silently and noticed that Metzger was becoming more irritated by the moment.  He wondered why as Hogan came to stand next to him.

            "I heard the announcement in the car on the way here.  The Führer is dead and Berlin has fallen to the Russians," Metzger replied, his eyes wild with fury.

            Hearing this, Klink and Hogan gaped in amazement.  Klink's tone was wary as he asked, "The Führer is dead?!?"

            Klink realized that it was only a matter of time before the Allies arrived to liberate Stalag 13.  His country was defeated, its cities were destroyed and he was now a prisoner in his own camp.  He felt depressed and wondered again what would happen to him once the Allies arrived at what was once his domain.  Hogan hadn't answered that question.  Recovering his senses, he asked, "General what are you doing here?"

            "I'm here to collect…" began Metzger.

            "So old scramble brains finally did himself in?" asked Hogan.  Klink noticed Hogan was as sarcastic as ever.

            Metzger glared at Hogan.  Klink noticed this and asked, "What is going on, Herr General?"

            "The last time I was here, Hogan stole my valuable property!" Metzger replied.

            Klink blinked, confused.  He looked first at Hogan and then at Metzger.  "What do you mean, Hogan stole your property?"

            "The last time I was here, if you recall, I was transporting some valuable ammunition which I stored in a nearby mine.  However, I believe that Hogan stole that ammunition from that mine and is hiding it somewhere in this camp.  I need that ammunition if I'm to make it safely to Switzerland."

            Metzger must be a raving lunatic, Klink thought.  How could Hogan – one of his prisoners – escape, steal ammunition and hide it in this camp, all under his very nose?

            "But Herr General, Hogan is a prisoner here! How could he have done these things?" asked Klink.

            With narrowed eyes, Metzger replied, "He did them with your help.  After all, it was your guards at the mine, so they would know what actually was inside.  They came back and told you."

            "Why would I do such a thing?" asked Klink.

            "Because you wanted it all for yourself! Perhaps that fat guard Schultz told Hogan and then he confronted you with his knowledge of the mine's contents.  Then the two of you plotted to make it look like a commando raid had stolen the paintings."  Metzger frowned as he realized his slip of the tongue.

            "You're mad," Klink stated flatly.  "There are no paintings in this camp.  I thought you said it was ammunition."

            "Perhaps I am mad, and it no longer matters that you know the truth of what it was.  But you will assist me in retrieving my paintings now, Klink."  Pulling out his Luger, Metzger pointed it at Hogan and shouted, "Colonel Hogan, I demand that you return them to me immediately!"

            "General, what are you doing?" asked Klink, terrified of what this lunatic might do to him.

            "I'm forcing Colonel Hogan to tell me where my property is and if he doesn't, he will be shot as an escaping prisoner.  You will verify that he was an escaping prisoner in your camp records."

            Klink looked around and saw how empty the compound was.  Prisoners had now replaced his men as guards at the gate and presumably in all the towers.  They were in complete command now.  Klink felt like a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders with this realization and relaxed for a moment before focusing his attention back on Hogan and Metzger.

            "You're not in a position to demand anything, General," Hogan said calmly.

            Metzger looked at Klink, confused.  Klink shrugged and said, "I'm not in command here anymore, Herr General."

            Metzger glared at Klink and then at Hogan before shouting, "Klink, you fool! What kind of soldier are you?" The gun remained pointed at Hogan.

            "I'm a soldier who's tired of this pointless war," Klink replied, his tone weary.

            This statement further enraged Metzger.  His face contorted into an evil grin. "Klink, I know that you're not following orders."

            "What do you mean?" demanded Klink, his eyes wide with fear as he took a step back from Metzger.

            Metzger laughed evilly, "I know that you are not killing the prisoners as the Führer ordered.  And since you're not, then I will!"

            At that moment, Kinch came out of the administration building.  Metzger turned and fired, hitting Kinch in the leg.  Stunned, Klink stood as if paralyzed.

            Enraged that Metzger had wounded Kinch, Hogan lunged for Metzger and knocked the gun from his hand.  Metzger brought up his fist and punched Hogan in the face.  Hogan staggered backwards a step, stunned.  He quickly recovered his wits.  Balling his hand into a fist, he slugged Metzger in the gut.  The fat general fell to his knees.

            Looking around, Klink saw the guards at the gate and in the tower were looking outside the wire for the source of the shot.  No one else was about to stop the two men from fighting.  He wondered why no one was running towards them.  Then he heard the sounds of celebration coming from the mess hall.  Klink looked over at Kinch.  The black American, his face twisted in pain as he held his injured leg, pleaded silently with his eyes for him to save his commander's life.  He didn't seem in immediate danger of dying.  Klink turned his attention back to the fight between Hogan and Metzger.

            Klink stepped back as the fight escalated.  He stood there dumbfounded and watched the two combatants throw punch after punch.  Something struck the sole of his boot.  Looking down, Klink saw the dull sheen of Metzger's gun.  Someone had kicked it toward him.

            Klink squatted down, picked up the gun, stood and fired one shot into the air.  The struggling men stopped and looked towards him.  Metzger took advantage of Hogan's distraction.  He shoved his hand into Hogan's jacket pocket, found the gun inside and pulled it free.  Hogan realized what Metzger was doing too late.  Metzger brought up his fist and punched Hogan in the face as Hogan stared helplessly back at him.

            Klink stared wide-eyed, frozen in place, as Metzger raised his gun and pointed it at Hogan's chest.  Then, he heard Kinch's indrawn gasp and moan as he vainly struggled to rise and go to Hogan's aid.  The spell holding Klink was suddenly broken.

            Klink swallowed his fear, raised the gun in his hand and said, "Herr General, I can't allow you to kill Colonel Hogan."

            Metzger turned his attention away from Hogan but kept the barrel of the gun pointed at the American's chest.  The demented expression on Metzger's face as he turned to face him was enough to convince Klink of the peril facing everyone in Stalag 13 if Metzger wasn't stopped.

            "Well, Klink?" Metzger interrupted.  He then noticed Klink holding the gun towards him and erupted in insane laughter.  Metzger sneered as he momentarily lowered his gun.  "What have we here, a hero? I don't think you have the guts for it, Klink!"

            Klink's gun wobbled violently.  He curled both his hands around the butt to steady his aim.  "Perhaps not.  With Hitler dead, there's no reason to kill these prisoners."

            "Klink, have you gone mad? These are Hitler's express orders! You aren't only defying me, you are defying Hitler!" cried Metzger in stunned disbelief.

            Klink stepped to within an arm's reach of Metzger.  "No.  Hitler's dead and the war is over for us.  I will not allow you to further harm any of my prisoners."

            Enraged, Metzger again pointed the gun at Hogan's chest once more.  His finger started closing on the trigger.

            Klink flung his left arm out and knocked Metzger's gun arm upwards.  The gun flew from the general's hand and landed well away from them.

            "KLINK!!!" shouted Metzger.  "I order you...!"

            Klink brought his gun to bear on Metzger and quietly but firmly said, "No, Herr General, I will not follow any more orders from you or any other German."

            Metzger's arm came back down and he took a step towards Klink.  Klink pulled the trigger of his gun to prevent Metzger from attacking him.

            The next few moments went in slow motion for Klink.  The recoil of the gun in his hand and the deafening sound of the bullet exploding from the gun were the most fearsome things Klink had ever heard and felt in his life.

            Klink saw Metzger's expression of utter disbelief as he watched his body slump to the ground.  The gun fell from Klink's shaking hand as he dropped to his knees.

            Klink watched life leave Metzger's eyes.  Then, he realized what he had done.  "Hogan?" Klink whispered before he slumped, unconscious, to the ground.