No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred, (except for the 7 new characters introduced in this story) and no infringement is intended.
Weaving a Web to Freedom,
The Truth is What We Make It
By MLM13
Chapter 3
Major Hochstetter watched, contentedly, as Hogan was paraded out of the room. A feeling of satisfaction settled over him as he calmly turned to address the Kommandant.
"Klink, when I return with the evidence, I will have complete charge of the prisoner and you will arrange for me to have privacy while I resume my discussion with him." The Major grabbed his cap and continued with his instructions. "I will have some final details to address and I don't want to loose my concentration."
Hochstetter stopped at the door to Klink's office and turned to look at him. "Do we understand each other Kommandant?"
Klink's response was simple. "Perfectly, Major Hochstetter, if you return with the evidence."
"Don't worry Klink," Hochstetter smiled. "I'll be back!" Placing his hat on his head, the Major strutted out the door.
"Good riddance," Klink sighed, as soon as the door clicked closed. Walking over to the filing cabinet, he reached for the decanter of Schnapps and poured himself a drink.
As a jailer, he had occasionally had to use the underground cells Hogan had just been taken to, to give a prisoner a chance to cool off or…in some instances…work through his stubbornness.
Absent mindedly, Klink paced, and soon found himself standing in front of his office window staring at the cooler. How many hours had he stood in this spot deciding the fate of the men under his authority? And how many of those same hours had he wondered about their fears and how being committed to the cooler, or solitary, would affect them? It shouldn't bother him. After all, these men were the enemy and he was only doing his job…his duty…to his country…and to his Fuhrer. But it did bother him. As a career officer, he believed there were certain inherent rules of War that were to be followed, and one was respect for a fellow soldier—enemy or not. Where along the way did that change?
Klink shook his head and downed the remainder of his Schnapps in one gulp before turning to close the door to his office.
Cuckoo-Cuckoo
"Stupid Bird!" Klink hissed, as he looked at the clock on the wall and gulped, "Two a.m"
He was going to have to call General Burkhalter. Those were the General's own orders to all the Kommandants of Luft Stalags under his command. If anything happened out of the ordinary routine, he was to be notified immediately. There were too many surprises occurring among the ranks of the German army and the General hated being surprised.
Arriving at his desk, Klink picked up the phone and dialed. Barely had his finger left the rotary when there was a soft rap on his door.
Now what? - "Come in."
The drawn, tired, face of Sergeant Schultz peaked through the door.
"Are you all right, Herr Kommandant?"
"Come in Schultz and close the door," he quietly ordered, before snapping to attention to address the voice on the other end of the line.
"Good morning Herr General." Klink squinted, and momentarily pulled the phone from his ear, as he was verbally assaulted by an unhappy, freshly awakened, Luftwaffe General.
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"Oh, Blimey!" Newkirk dropped onto the bunk behind him.
Kinch looked at him with a calm he didn't feel. "Don't panic. They don't have any hard evidence yet. If they did, the Colonel would be on his way to Berlin."
Kinch unplugged the coffeepot, turned, and paced toward the window next to Hogan's bunk. His mind was racing trying to make sense of what he had just heard.
"Or worse," Newkirk finished sarcastically. "That's what I like about you Kinch, you can find something good in every bloody disaster!"
Newkirk stood from the bunk he had been sitting on, and ran his hands through his hair as Carter entered the room.
"Hey, they just took the Colonel into the cooler," Carter exclaimed, returning from his vigil at the window in the front of the barrack.
"I'm afraid the gov'nor's got a long night ahead of him," Newkirk answered, as he looked around for LeBeau. "Where's Louis?"
The Frenchman had gone to the window with Carter when they heard the Colonel being removed from Klink's office. Now, he was nowhere to be seen.
Carter shrugged, "I saw him go into the tunnel, right after we saw the Colonel cross the compound. He's probably gone down to see what cell they put him in. He was saying something in French that I couldn't understand."
Newkirk sighed and rolled his eyes, "A fat lot of good that's gonna do. The Colonel's got a twenty-four hour guard on 'em. And those Gestapo boys don't blink! We won't be able to get near his cell." Lighting a cigarette, Newkirk turned as Kinch sprinted toward the door and the larger room beyond, where the entrance to the tunnel system was hidden.
Carter's eyes opened wider. "Where are you going?" Carter had already turned to follow.
Hogan had made it clear that whenever he was gone, Kinch was in command and his orders were to be followed. Kinch silently dreaded these times. The responsibility was daunting.
Without stopping Kinch answered, "I've got an idea!"
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As the guard opened the cell door, Hogan replayed what had just happened and tried to sort it out in his mind. Ok, somebody is leaking information. Hochstetter seems too sure of himself to be bluffing.
"How about taking these handcuffs off, bitte?" Hogan flexed his hands. They were beginning to go numb.
The guard, after opening the door to the cell, simply raised his gun to join his partner and motioned Hogan inside.
Hogan stiffened, staring at the guards in anger for ignoring his request, and then deciding not to cause any trouble, entered the cell. Not that it was a big decision. There wasn't a lot he could do with his hands cuffed. His eyes took in the all too familiar sight of the stark cubicle. His first few months in camp, it seemed he was in the cooler more than he was out. His obstinacy was something Colonel Klink had intended to break.
Hogan stopped walking and was facing the back wall of his "new" private quarters, hoping the guards would now remove the cuffs, when—crack—his head seemed to explode and everything went black!
A rifle butt had made contact with the back of Hogan's head, knocking him unconscious.
LeBeau's anger swelled up inside of him as he watched, from behind a grate in the wall, his commanding officer fall hard onto the cold stone floor with a thud. He continued watching as the guards immediately bent over him, checked the pulse in his neck, and then proceeded to take the handcuffs off, followed by his jacket and watch. It was all LeBeau could do to keep from bursting into the cooler.
"Filthy Boche!" Louie whispered to himself.
The guards left the American Colonel lying where he fell and locked the cell door.
LeBeau waited a few minutes, hoping the Colonel would wake up, but he didn't. Meanwhile, the guards, glancing over at the unmoving figure on the cell floor, laughed and began walking through the cooler acquainting themselves with their surroundings. Eventually, they chose a cell in a direct line with their prisoner's cell, and the shorter of the two guards took his turn at sleeping. It appeared, to LeBeau, that they would guard the Colonel in shifts, so that they literally would never have their eyes off of him!
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Hochstetter and Steffan left the Kommandant's office and headed for their staff cars.
"If you don't mind me asking Major, are you planning to go to the search area tomorrow?" Steffan inquired.
"Ja, I will supervise the search myself and I will find the evidence I need to assume custody of Colonel Hogan and resume where I left off as quickly as possible" Hochstetter said with confidence.
Steffan shook his head in agreement, "I have to admit I was disappointed that we had to leave without interrogating him."
Hochstetter laughed softly, "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, my guards will make sure his night is less than restful. They will confuse his sense of time and inflict pain to diminish his physical comfort."
"You gave your guards these orders before you arrived at Stalag 13?" the Captain asked.
"Nein. It is part of my standard interrogation technique. The guards know what to do. Wearing prisoners down and disorienting them makes them much more receptive to the more intense interrogations that will follow."
"Interrogations? More than one Herr Major?" asked Steffan.
"Ja, you should always allow time for the pain to argue with the prisoner between visits. It makes them more…responsive to questioning."
The Captain, who had been looking at the ground ahead of him as he walked and listened to Hochstetter's Methods, stopped and looked at the Gestapo officer.
"I have much to learn from you, Herr Major." Steffan smiled and turned to go to his staff car.
Hochstetter his ego enlarged by Captain Steffan's admiration grinned as Steffan's moved toward his staff car.
Hmm, this man interests me. He may be a good protégé for me to mentor. It never hurts to have men around who think the same way you do, as long as they remember their place. But for now I will keep my eye on you, Captain.
Hochstetter climbed into his staff car and disappeared into the night.
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LeBeau left the branch tunnels that wound through the cooler and caught up with his three comrades as they were entering the radio room.
"Where'd they put the Colonel, Louis?" Carter questioned.
His face red with anger, LeBeau broke into French, and spewed out his rage.
"Whoa, LeBeau, in English. What happened?" Kinch asked, in as calm a voice as he could manage. He knew something must have happened to get Louis this upset.
"They knocked the Colonel unconscious and left him lying on the floor! But before they left him they took his coat! He'll freeze before morning!" LeBeau crossed his arms in front of him and stood silently for a moment before adding, "They stole his wristwatch too!"
"He won't freeze, but he's going to be mighty cold," Kinch confirmed. "Was he moving at all when you left the cooler?"
LeBeau, looked at Kinch with soulful eyes, shook his head in the negative and said, "Not even a moan!"
Carter stepped closer. "Why would they take his coat and wristwatch?"
"To make him uncomfortable and take away his sense of time; they're trying and wear him down," explained Kinch, his brow furrowing. "This idea of mine had better work. The Colonel and our whole operation depend on it."
Newkirk shook his head, "I told you the Colonel had a bloody long night ahead of 'em!"
Kinch turned and headed into the radio room, "Come on guys. We've got some planning to do."
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Hogan woke to the sound of his own moaning. He felt his body shake involuntarily at the same time he realized he was cold.
He pushed himself up to his knees. Oh, my head! What happened, where am I? Something warm was running down his left cheek. Putting his hand up to wipe it away, he felt a burning sensation where his cheek had slid along the floor as he fell. The back of his head was throbbing, and a quick pass of his hand over the bump told him why. He withdrew his hand and found it bloodied. Another chill shook through him. Climbing to his feet with the help of a nearby wall, he crossed his arms to help contain some warmth and noticed his jacket was missing. His senses returned to him as he looked around at the cell.
Hochstetter- I'm in 'the cooler.' I guess my guards are trying to teach me the meaning of the word "Cooler! And I expect they'll be turning the 'heat' up soon.
He stumbled over to the cot opposite the cell door and sat on the edge of the bed. Looking up he saw a large muscular guard starring at him smiling. Hogan dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck where his blood had run down and soaked into the collar of his shirt.
How long was I out, he wondered. He looked for his watch and found it missing.
Hochstetter never misses a trick. The anger he felt in Klink's office just moved up a notch.
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Kommandant Klink hung up the phone and looked up at Schultz.
"General Burkhalter is in complete agreement with my stance against Hochstetter, without substantial evidence, Hogan will not be turned over to the Gestapo."
"Do you think Major Hochstetter will find his evidence, Kommandant?"
"I don't know what to think. Hochstetter seemed very sure of himself, but not sure enough to continue with his atrocities against Colonel Hogan tonight. When General Burkhalter's name came up Hochstetter stepped down. I didn't realize the Gestapo had that much respect for the General. Or is something else going on here that I am not aware of." Klink had been thinking out loud and suddenly realized it.
Changing the subject he asked, "How are Hogan's men taking all of this?" Without giving Schultz a chance to respond, he continued. "They are fiercely loyal to him. I don't want any problems from them."
Again voicing his thoughts, he continued, "I thought about increasing the guards around the camp, but I don't want the prisoners to think things are so bad that we fear a riot." After a moments thought he added, "No, it would be better to keep things as normal as possible."
The portly guard starred at the floor and shook his head in agreement.
Klink stared at Schultz, "Schultz, why don't you take some coffee to the guards in the 'cooler,' they must be cold by now."
"You want me to take coffee to them?"
"Yes Schultz. The 'cooler' gets very cold on nights like this, I'm sure he's..." Klink corrected himself, "They are feeling it by now." The slip of the tongue didn't escape Schultz. The Kommandant was concerned about the well being of his senior POW officer. The "bully boys," as Shultz referred to the Gestapo, were not known for their gentle treatment of prisoners.
"Yawohl, Herr Kommandant," Schultz answered.
Klink removed a flask from his pocket and setting it on the desk, slid it closer to Schultz. "I'm always misplacing this. I've even accused Colonel Hogan of borrowing it from time to time. I think I'll set it here on the desk. I'll probably forget where I put it by morning," he finished by pushing the flask even closer.
Schultz eyed the flask with understanding. Before the war, he had built the biggest toy industry in Germany. He wasn't brainless. But in today's Germany it didn't always pay to let that be known.
"Goodnight Schultz, I'm going to bed." Klink took his overcoat off the coat stand by the door. "Tomorrow is shaping up to be a long day."
"Jawohl! Good night, Herr Kommandant."
Klink slowly turned and left the office, heading for his quarters.
Sergeant Schultz quietly stepped to the Kommandant's desk and slipped the flask into his pocket.
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"Halt!" The Gestapo guard currently on duty confronted Schultz.
"It is only me, Sergeant Schultz. I'm bringing you some food and some nice hot coffee."
"Oh, danke, Sergeant"
The guard called to his partner resting in their chosen cell. Carl wake up, they have brought us some food. Karl turned his head to look at Schultz and got up to go over and investigate.
"There is a table around the corner, why don't you go sit down and eat. I will guard the prisoner" Schultz encouraged, trying to get them far enough away from Colonel Hogan's cell to allow him to speak with the prisoner undetected.
"Nein, we are not to leave him alone."
"He won't be alone. I will be with him."
"Come on Karl," the guard who brandished the gun earlier, encouraged his partner. "We will be gone only a few minutes. And I am cold and hungry."
Hogan, who had been quietly sitting on the bunk with his knees drawn up and arms wrapped around them trying to keep warm, watched as the two Gestapo guards left.
Schultz waited a minute before turning back toward the dark cell. "Colonel Hogan?"
"Hi Schultz, what are you up to? Don't you know your not suppose to feed the animals?" Hogan quipped.
"I am bringing you a little Schnapps. The Kommandant sent it. Quick, drink it down and give me back the flask before the guards come back. It would not be good if they found this on you after they have already frisked you."
As he handed the flask to Hogan, he noticed the bloodstained shirt.
"Colonel Hogan!" "What happened?"
"I tripped."
"Colonel Hogan, you did not trip!"
"I tripped, Schultz, leave it at that."
"And where is your jacket?"
"I don't know. But I have a pretty good idea."
Hogan's memory was a little foggy. He remembered leaving Klink's office and starting across the compound, but it got a little blurry after that until he woke up on the floor of his cell.
Hogan took a good long swig from the flask." Thanks Shultz! It always gets colder in here at night."
Ja, one light bulb doesn't give out much heat." Schultz looked up. "What's the matter with the light in your cell?" Shultz wondered out loud.
"Hogan looked around, "What light? I don't see any light."
"The one..." Shultz stopped and looked at Hogan.
Hogan smirked. "The guards want to make sure there is as little heat in here as possible. They're doing a good job."
He took another long drink and grabbed the back of his head as he tilted it back to finish off the flask. A moan escaped his lips and his eyes closed for a few seconds as he waited for the throbbing to die down. He saw Schultz looking at him questioningly as he handed back the flask.
Hogan shrugged. "I must have hit the back of my head when I tripped."
Schultz lowered his head and in a long low growl said. "You did not trip!"
Hogan absent-mindedly looked at his wrist where the missing wristwatch had been, "What time is it?
"And your watch is gone too? Schultz pulled out his pocket watch and said, "It is a little after 4 in the morning."
"I guess its true, time flies when you're having fun," Hogan answered sarcastically. It was the only defense he had at the moment.
Just then the guards could be heard returning.
"Good night, Schultz. Thanks for bringing the Schnapps."
Hogan slowly made his way back to the bunk. The throbbing in his head was lessening as the Schnapps made its way through his body.
In less than a minute the guards returned and looked to see that their prisoner was still where they had left him.
"Danke, Sergeant. It was good!"
"Ihr Willkommen," Shultz answered with a sigh, "Auf Wiedersehen."
Schultz lumbered up the stairs and exited the cooler shaking his head. "'I tripped,' he says." Schultz headed to barracks two to do a bed check.
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Hogan watched as the larger of the two guards unlocked the cell door and walking over stopped in front of him.
Now what? Hogan stood and drew himself up straight looking the guard in the eye.
The guard made a motion with his hand indicating Hogan should turn around.
Oh no, Hogan thought, I must have turned my back to you once before and ended up with a crack on the head. What ever you want we'll do it face to face.
The guard reached out to turn him forcibly and Hogan stepped to one side. That brought the second guard into the cell, which diverted Hogan's attention long enough for the first guard to remove the club from his belt and firmly plant it in Hogan's side. Hogan grabbed the wrist holding the club just as guard two swung and made contact with his jaw sending him back face first, into the wall, where he was pinned by the guard who started the confrontation. He found himself being roughly frisked again. And with a final jab to his ribs was released.
The guards left.
After giving himself a moment to regain his balance, Hogan pushed himself away from the wall, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and supporting his injured side, slowly walked back to the bunk.
"Ogh!" Perspiration broke out on his forehead as throbbing from this new injury bit into him. Gingerly lowering himself to his bunk, he realized everything was progressing according to plan…Hochstetter's plan.
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"Hey Schultzie, have you seen the Colonel?" a voice asked from the dark as the barrack door closed.
"I had a feeling you boys would be awake." and then a long sigh. "Ja, I just came from the cooler." He was trying to decide how much to tell them. He didn't want to get them stirred up. The Kommandant was already worried about a riot breaking out.
The pause caused Newkirk to speak up. "It's ok Schultz, we know the bloody krauts knocked him out."
"Oui, and that they took his jacket," LeBeau added.
"And his watch. Have they done anything else, Schultz?" Carter asked.
"Nein, everything was quiet when I arrived and when I left. How do you boys know what happened in the cooler earlier?"
"Gypsy blood," Kinch answered.
"Oh, very funny, you and Colonel Hogan joking at a time like this. You Americans are crazy". Schultz concluded.
Kinch rolled up on one elbow. "Not crazy Schultz, just worried."
"Ja, that is why I came to check that you were in your beds and not up to some funny business, like trying to sneak into the cooler. Now keep it this way, we've got enough trouble right now and the Kommandant will not be lenient if you cause any trouble."
"Yeah, Yeah, good night Schultzie," they all said as their favorite kraut headed for the door and exited.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I can't sleep" LeBeau confided.
"Yeah, it's going to be a long night." Newkirk stated and rolled over to face the wall."
"G'night fellas," Carter whispered, while starring at the bottom of Newkirks bunk.
Kinch was silent. The knot in his stomach was growing larger.