Chapter 2

Hogan sat tensely staring at Klink.

Colonel Klink's regard for the man in front of him had been forged over the past fifteen months. Since Hogan's incarceration, life at Stalag 13 had been eventful, but with a chaotic order that always ended in Klink being proven a superior "Camp" Kommandant, a fact that pleased Klink even though he sometimes wondered if the end justified the means. And that insufferable smile the American flashed on that innocent conniving face of his, had somehow become a comfort—a sign that all was as it should be. Yes despite the fact that Hogan was his prisoner, he found himself thinking of the man as a kamerad in a common goal to survive. And did he dare think it, an equal confidant whom, had they met under different circumstances, might have even become a friend. But for now, Hogan was his "charge" and at least for the moment, under Luftwaffe protection. Klink's face turned to one of concern as he addressed his prisoner.

"Major Hochstetter will be here any moment. He has to have proof of wrong doing to remove you from Luftwaffe custody. It will be easier for both of us if you tell me what this is about."

Colonel Klink studied Hogan's face as he waited for his answer.

Hogan, now enraged at the thought of having to deal with Hochstetter, began his all too familiar litany of denial. "How should I know? You're the one who talked to Hochstetter. Our friendly neighborhood Gestapo officer is a nut! I haven't been anywhere except right here in this camp. You know that!"

Hogan was going over, in his mind, if any slip-ups could have been made...lately.

"Yes, I do know that, but the fact that you weren't in your quarters doesn't look good. Why were you out for air at this hour of the night?"

Hogan, who had been glaring back at Klink, looked away. His thoughts drifted back to those few minutes of solitude in the motor pool. He couldn't explain why he had been so uneasy tonight. But now, he was beginning to wonder if something that had been said by one of the transient prisoners they had helped out of Germany these past few nights, had subconsciously triggered an alarm in his head.

"Bad timing, I guess, but I needed to get some air…to be alone for a few…to try and…"I'm stumbling over my words. Relax...don't act suspicious. "I can't…" Ok, just stop talking!

Angry with himself, he did what he did best. He turned the tables as his eyes again fixed on the German's face.

"Don't tell me you have never felt the need to be alone. I've seen you walk the compound by yourself late at night when you thought no one would notice."

Klink's mind flitted to those solitary walks. A small slice of time without demands or responsibilities in an otherwise crowded war. A time to allow himself to be vulnerable to his own wants and needs before again tucking them away for another day.

"I know what you're trying to say, Hogan, but leaving the barracks after lights out was the wrong thing to do." Klink leaned across his desk. "You're correct, it was "bad timing".

As if on Queue, Sergeant Schultz burst into the office. "Major Hochstetter is here!" Throwing a concerned glance at Hogan, Schultz stood waiting next to the open door, wishing he could stop what was about to happen.

"Aaah, Major Hochstetter," Klink sputtered. As he went to greet the Major at the door, two Gestapo guards burst past guns raised and trained on Hogan, who had risen to his feet.

"Will you explain what is going on here?" Klink stammered.

One guard slung his rifle over his shoulder and spun Hogan around, while giving him a firm shove into the Kommandant's desk.

"Ugh!" Hogan landed palms down on the desk top, and quickly pushed himself up, only to be slammed down again. Before he could react a second time, his feet were briskly kicked apart as the guard began roughly frisking him.

"Gladly, Herr Kommandant." Hochstetter's tone was patronizing, his stance arrogant, as he watched Colonel Hogan being subdued. "We have finally got your Colonel Hogan!"

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The men in Barracks Two were bent over the crude wooden table in Hogan's room, listening anxiously to the voices coming through a listening device disguised as a coffeepot. The "bug" planted in Klink's office picked up every word, as well as a lot of movement and shuffling of feet.

"What's going on in there?" Carter demanded, looking at his friends.

"I dunno, but whatever it is, it doesn't sound friendly," Newkirk rubbed his face still trying to wake up enough to understand what was happening.

LeBeau and Kinch emitted a unison, "Sssssh," as they continued to stare at the coffee pot and listen.

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Hochstetter's guard, finished with the frisk, pulled Hogan's hands behind his back and roughly cinched handcuffs down uncomfortably tight over his wrists. As he was turned back around and presented to Hochstetter, Hogan's hat was torn from his head by the second guard, and tossed on the bookshelf in the corner of the room.

"Well, Colonel Hogan, would you care to make a statement?" Hochstetter moved to within inches of Hogan's face.

"About what, Major?" Hogan straightened, as he looked down on Hochstetter. "You still haven't told me what you are accusing me of."

The uncomfortable silence that enveloped the room as the two men squared off in front of each other was suddenly broken as the door to the outer office opened letting in a wisp of cold night air. Hochstetter whipped his head around ready to attack the intruder, but instead, his eyes brightened.

"Aah, Hauptmann, come in, come in. Colonel Hogan, this is Captain Steffan, he is the one who notified us of your involvement in the escapes from Stalag four."

Captain Steffan had great aspirations of rising in rank. Woe to any man who stood in Hauptmann Steffan's way. The Captain was eager to please anyone who could help get him there. And right now, Major Hochstetter was the one most likely to see his worth.

Captain Steffan saluted and looked Hogan up and down. Hogan, he thought, would be one more "paving stone" on his road to greatness. "Colonel Hogan," Steffan brought his hand back down, "I've heard a lot about you."

"Captain," Hogan nodded, "I'd return your salute, but I'm a little tied up right now." Hogan responded sarcastically.

Hochstetter turned back to face Hogan with disdain.

"Guards, get Colonel Hogan a seat. We have a lot to discuss, and he might as well be...comfortable." As the guards approached him, he noticed the various "tools" of their trade dangling from the belts around their waists. The shorter of the two had a coiled whip smartly displayed in a loop hanging from his belt. The other, slightly taller and noticeably more muscular, had a black club that lay snugly against his right leg, obviously not your standard uniform. No, these were their work clothes. Hogan was slammed down into the chair he had vacated only moments earlier.

"Mmm," He groaned as his knuckles cracked against the wooden seat encouraging him to lean forward slightly to allow room for his cuffed hands at his back.

The two Gestapo guards stepped back from the chair giving Major Hochstetter room to interrogate his prisoner. The guards had worked with the Major many times and obviously knew the procedure. As Hogan watched their hasty retreat, the realization struck him that Hochstetter had come prepared.

Hochstetter sat in Klink's chair, a disgusting smirk firmly planted on his face.

"Colonel, Captain Steffan has learned from ...a reliable source, that the men who escaped from Stalag 4 were in route to Stalag 13, more specifically to you. We have troops combing every inch of ground between here and Stalag 4. We will find them and when we do your days at Stalag 13 will come to an abrupt end. You can avoid the rest of this ...discussion by voluntarily telling us of your roll in all of this or..." Hochstetter drove his right fist into his left hand, "we will help you find the words".

Hogan gave a confused look back in response. "Major, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. I know nothing about the escape from Stalag 4." A bead of perspiration inconspicuously made its way down Hogan's neck as he fought to uphold his innocence.

"Good! I was hoping you'd say that," Hochstetter jumped to his feet, stormed around the desk, and grabbed the front of Hogan's shirt with his left hand, his right hand was poised to strike the first blow when Klink sprang to life.

"Major Hochstetter, I must protest this treatment of my prisoner. You have produced no evidence to support your claim. Without that, Colonel Hogan is still under Luftwaffe jurisdiction." Klink approached the two men as he spoke.

"Stay out of this, Kommandant. Your rank will not protect you if you interfere with a Gestapo investigation." His concentration was broken, for the moment, and his eyes slowly left Hogan and locked on Klink.

Klink set his jaw, his eyes brightened. "Let us see what General Burkhalter has to say about your lack of evidence." Klink reached for the phone.

Hochstetter released Hogan and yelled in frustration. "You obviously had to squelch an escape attempt before I arrived Klink. Your guards and dogs were still in the compound. Hogan knows why I'm here or he wouldn't have tried to escape."

"An attempted escape is not evidence of conspiracy in an underground movement!" Klink shouted back.

Oh great! Thanks Klink, now Hochstetter thinks I was trying to escape. Hogan looked at Klink, and though not pleased that he implicated him in an escape, he was pleased at his intercessor's rage and aggression. Are you saving my hide or yours Kommandant? Hogan dropped his eyes and shook his head, Stupid question!

The Major turned back to his captive and ran the back of his black gloved hand down Hogan's left cheek, while looking with cold anticipation into Hogan's eyes. Hogan pulled his head away, escaping the caress, only to encourage a smile from Hochstetter.

"I will have your evidence soon enough, Kommandant. And when I do, I will have Colonel Hogan and we will have our discussion." Hochstetter remained motionless an instant longer his eyes still locked with Hogan's as time shuddered to a stop. Finally, closing his eyes, Hochstetter shook his head as if coming out of a hypnotic trance. "Until then Klink, he had better not get away. I want him locked in the cooler with a 24 hour guard. No visitors!"

Looking at the two Gestapo guards, who had been watching with guns ready, Hochstetter ordered, "Take Colonel Hogan to 'the cooler' and don't take your eyes off of him for any reason!"

Acting in unison the guards positioned themselves on either side of Hogan and raised him out of the chair. Shaking himself out of their grasp, Hogan announced, "I can walk."

Then, looking at Hochstetter, he added, "Major, you're making a mistake, I have been here under guard the entire time. If I were half as clever as you say I am, I would have left 'Casa Klink' long ago and escaped from the cruelties this man inflicts."

"Cruelties?" Klink repeated somewhat offended, before recovering in the presence of the Gestapo and countering, "No one ever escapes from Stalag 13, Colonel Hogan."

Hogan allowed all expression to drain from his face, and looking Klink squarely in the eye quietly said, "I'm painfully aware of that, sir."

Painfully aware is right. How many times had he enabled others to escape while he and his men stayed behind?

"Raus mach schnell!" The guards gave Hogan a firm shove in the direction of the door, causing him to stumble slightly. Quickly recovering, and with hands still firmly cuffed behind his back, he marched out of the room.