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
Chapter 4
By ML Miller Breedlove
At sunrise the next morning, the woods outside of Stalag 4 was a bustle of activity. Major Hochstetter wasn't wasting any time. He began on the west side of Stalag 4 and was moving in the direction of Stalag 13. Nothing was to be missed. Any paraphernalia, depressions in the grass, broken twigs, that could indicate traffic heading toward Stalag 13 would be collected and used as evidence.
"Was ist das?" Hochstetter asked, bending down to look closely at a shoe print.
"No defining marks," he half mumbled. "But this is a good indication that the escaped prisoners came this way. Keep searching." He ordered.
Two more hours passed before he was summoned to a thicket where one of the soldiers found a small opening leading into a slightly larger clearing where twigs and stones had been moved aside and the vegetation smashed down.
"Someone made this burrow; animals do not move twigs and rocks to make a clearing." He looked at the soldier who found it. "Good work."
Hochstetter paced the perimeter and examined the center of the cleared area. There was nothing tangible proving the prisoners had been there. It would not be enough to convict Hogan. He looked around at the soldiers combing the woods.
"Twelve men could not have passed through here without leaving evidence of their passing. I want everybody to double his efforts. I will give a reward to whomever finds good solid evidence that will prove the escaped prisoners were moving toward Stalag 13."
Hochstetter stared out into the woods as his men continued searching. He could envision the escaped prisoners darting in and out of the shadows as they made their way toward Stalag 13. His mind was working overtime as he tried to pick the exact route they would have taken. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement.
"Hauptmann Steffan, I am surprised to see you here. I thought you would have resumed your 'cover' by now."
"I have time. As far as the other prisoners know, I am still at Gestapo headquarters in Berlin enduring intensive interrogation concerning the escape."
"So, Major, how is the search coming? Have you found anything of interest?" Steffan looked around at the men searching the woods.
"Nothing I can sink my teeth into yet, but we still have a lot of ground to cover. I am confident we will find what we are looking for, it is just a matter of time."
Steffan, smiled. "Good! And in the meantime, I have come to bring you more good news. There has been another escape."
"That is good news?" Hochstetter growled.
"It is for you, Major," Steffan's smile changed to a smirk.
"I have met with all of the Kommandant's of the camps in this area during the past year and advised them on what to look for when anticipating escape attempts; consequently, I know a few of them quite well.
Major Weiss, Kommandant of Stalag 3 notified me this morning of an escape from his camp. He wanted to know if I could offer any suggestions for the search. I suggested he begin his search to the west of the Stalag, in the direction of Stalag 13, without giving him any specific reason why.I didn't want to give him any ideas about saving information for his own glory.
There were eight men who escaped from his camp and from what the Kommandant of Stalag 3 has learned his prisoners escaped around 11 p.m. after the last bed check. We didn't make our move to arrest Colonel Hogan until after midnight last night. The escapees would already be in route, so even if Hogan's men have someway of alerting the underground, the escaped prisoners would have already been gone. They would not have been alerted to alter their route."
Hochstetter's eyes widened. "You told Weiss to search West of the Stalag, that would be in the direction of Stalag 13 wouldn't it?"
"Indeed it would, Major." Steffan waited as the implication began to take shape in Hochstetter's mind.
"Very good, I will go there at once!" Hochstetter adjusted his belt and glanced up at the Captain, "Would you care to come along, Captain?" Hochstetter's face took on a sinister look. "If all goes well and we find a second group of prisoners heading for Stalag 13, there could be a promotion in this for you and maybe an appointment to Gestapo Headquarters. I am always looking for good men to present to my superiors."
Steffan straightened. The invitation was encouraging. A transfer to the Gestapo was one of things he wanted.
"Danke, Herr Major. Yes, I would like to go with you. And I would like to see you present your evidence to Kommandant Klink when the time comes."
Hochstetter grinned menacingly, "And I will like seeing Colonel Hogan's face when I present him on his knees to the Fuhrer, bloodied, beaten, and broken, and ready to be dragged off to be hanged after I have exposed him as the leader of the underground unit in Hammelburg."
Hochstetter fought to contain his excitement. It would be a fitting end to the underground that has caused him so much embarrassment. But there was still work to do before that could happen.
Hochstetter clenched his fists. "Come!"
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That same morning while Major Hochstetter was in the field leading his search, General Burkhalter received a phone call from the Kommandant of Luft Stalag 3.
"Heil Hitler! Herr General,
"Heil Hitler. Weiss? Is that you?"
"Ja, Herr General." The nervous voice of Major Weiss began his explanation. "I'm afraid there has been an escape. Eight of my prisoners escaped last night. We have begun a massive search in the woods west of the Stalag. I also have a lesser number of troops searching to the east and south."
The General listened quietly and then asked, "Major, why have you concentrated your heaviest search efforts to the west of Stalag 3? Is there some indication that the prisoners went in that direction?"
"Not at this time, General, but in planning my strategy I thought to call Captain Steffan, as he has a great deal of experience concerning allied escape attempts. The Captain suggested starting on the west side. I didn't think to question his advice, since his past knowledge and guidance has proven very helpful in preventing escapes."
"I hope you have learned enough from the Captain to recapture your prisoners, or you will find yourself on the way to the Russian Front along with your 'advisor'. Do you understand, Weiss?"
"Jawohl, Herr General!"
General Burkhalter could not afford to have one of his Stalags report escaped prisoners. His superiors in Berlin were already fuming over the escape from Stalag 4, which was General Reichmann's responsibility. General Reichmann's current predicament was not one he wanted to share.
"I will be by later this morning to see how your search is progressing. Good-by, Major!"
General Burkhalter slammed down the phone and leaned back in his chair thinking.
Captain Steffan, that is twice in less than 5 hours I have heard your name and both times it was in regard to escaping prisoners. Judging by Klink's report earlier this morning, it would appear you and Major Hochstetter have targeted Stalag 13 as your sacrificial lamb and me with it. ~
For General Burkhalter, Hogan's involvement was non-existent and merely a way for Hochstetter to implicate Stalag 13 as a poorly run Stalag, which would implicate the General as an inept officer. It was no secret Burkhalter and Hochstetter were at odds over Stalag 13's involvement in the sabotage in the area. Hochstetter was desperate to find and stop them and it was the General's belief that he had targeted Stalag 13, through Colonel Hogan, as a smokescreen. Even if Hochstetter was wrong he would have diverted the heat over the underground activity in the area, and bought himself more time to locate the underground operation. What Hochstetter was not aware of was Hogan 's role in the Third Reich's plans for the future. Plans that were classified as a priority.
The General was determined not leave the investigation of the escapes to his subordinates. This was too personal, a direct attack by Hochstetter on his character, his competency, his ability to command. This matter required his personal attention.
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Later that day at Stalag 13, Kommandant Klink sat at his desk deep in thought. His eyes fell on the Crush cap that had been removed unceremoniously the night before when Hochstetter was preparing to interrogate Hogan.
"Cuckoo!"
Klink's eyes darted to the clock on the wall as the bird in the clock retreated inside.
"Coward," he mumbled. And then admitted, "I wish I could crawl in behind you."
He checked his watch. The bird was right. It was one o-clock in the afternoon.
This waiting is nerve racking. I can only imagine how Hogan must feel waiting for Hochstetter to get back to interrogate him.
Just then the phone rang nearly knocking Klink out of his chair.
"Stalag 13, this is Kommandant Klink, Heil Hitler!
"Good afternoon, Kommandant!" Hochstetter, chirped at the other end.
"Major, how good to hear from you" Klink lied.
"How is my prisoner today? I trust he rested well last night." Hochstetter's snide and mocking voice continued without waiting for an answer. "I have a message for you to give to Colonel Hogan. Are you listening Klink?"
Klink reached for a pencil, "I am ready, Major. What is your message?"
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Hogan's men were waiting to hear from the underground. It had been 12 hours since Kinch placed the call and explained his idea. The details took a little longer to work out, but Kinch had faith in the underground's ability to pull it off. They had extensive contacts and had been in operation long enough to be experienced.
"Hey Kinch," Carter called as he left barrack two, "Baker sent me to get you." Lowering his voice to a whisper, he added, "He's got the underground on the radio."
Kinch got up from the bench where he had been sitting watching for any activity in either Klink's office or the "cooler". "Ok, Carter. You stay here and keep an eye on things. Let me know if there's any activity and I mean - any- activity."
Carter shook his head and took Kinch's spot on the bench while Kinch disappeared into the barracks.
Kinch couldn't help glancing at the door to Hogan's room as he passed through the common area. He wished he could have just five minutes with his commanding officer to bounce this plan off of him. He punched the side of the bunk hiding the entrance to the tunnels. The mattress raised and the slats holding the mattress lowered to connect with the ladder leading to their extensive tunnel system.
Newkirk met him as he left the last rung of the ladder, "Kinch, if this doesn't work..."
"Newkirk, if this doesn't work, we follow the Colonel's standing orders."
LeBeau, who had been standing further down the tunnel, quickly came forward. "I will not leave Colonel Hogan to the lousy Boche. He would not leave us!"
Kinch firmly answered them. "We will follow orders! Look you guys, I don't like this any better than you do. The Colonel put this 'Emergency Evacuation' plan in place to save lives and we will carry it through. It will give him peace of mind to know that his men are safe. It will be the last thing we can offer him, peace of mind. We will honor his orders!"
~ It would be the only thing they could offer him, Kinch thought. Because once we're gone, it'll be over for the Colonel! And there will be no placating Hochstetter, short of the Colonel's death. A slow painful one I'm sure. ~
Newkirk and LeBeau froze. The wind had just been knocked out of them. Leaving the Colonel behind was the topic Kinch was trying not to think about much less talk about.
"Kinch, will you hurry up!"
It was Baker, sticking his head out of the radio room looking to see what the hold-up was about. Sergeant Richard Baker was Kinch's back up. He was not quite as muscular as Kinch, a college graduate, and confident enough of himself to take on the challenge offered to him by Colonel Hogan when Kinch was ill and could not man the radio. He proved to be quite capable and so maintained the position of "relief radio man".
Kinch broke into a sprint and disappeared down the tunnel. Newkirk and LeBeau starred at each other stunned.
Newkirk reached out and put his arm around Louis' shoulder. "Com'on Louis, lets go hear what the underground has to say." Louis mumbled something inaudible and moved toward the radio room.
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Kommandant Klink entered the cooler and descended down the stairs into the bowels of the depressing structure. One small window allowed light into the cell area which only made it feel more foreboding. The cold and dampness accosted him about half way down the stairs and he pulled the collar of his coat closer to his neck. Rounding the corner to the block of barred cells, he saw the two Gestapo guards starring into the cell in front of them.
"I have a message to deliver to Colonel Hogan from Major Hochstetter, open the cell."
Hogan was jarred awake by the sound of the keys clanging against the bars of his cell.
Disoriented he struggled to sit up. The nauseating pounding in his head forced him back down, jarring his ribs and sending a surprise jolt of pain up his injured side.
"Mmm." A small moan escaped before he could do anything about it.
Turning his head to see who was coming for him, he was relived to see Klink.
Colonel Klink stepped into the cell and the door squealed shut behind him. Surprised, Klink turned in time to see the lock being turned. The guards offered no explanation and moved back to their original positions.
"Their not taking any chances that I will escape. Hochstetter must have them scared."
Klink immediately turned back to face Hogan. "He should have you scared, too, Colonel Hogan." Klink stepped closer. "He wants me to give you a message."
Hogan slowly placed his legs over the side of the bed and began to sit up. His body protested from the activities earlier that morning and he grimaced slightly as he asked, "Oh yeah, what's Super-Kraut up to now?"
Klink scowled, as he always did when Hogan showed disrespect toward a German officer.
"Sorry, Kommandant, but I'm getting tired of being pushed around by that egomaniac."
Seeing the bruising on Hogan's right jaw and the scrape on the left side of his face, Klink sat down on the bunk next to him.
"Hogan, you're a mess, do you need a doctor?"
"No, I'm fine. What's the message?"
Klink pulled out a folded piece of paper. Clearing his throat, he unfolded the paper and read.
The Major called and said "more evidence had been uncovered" and he was on his way to "pick it up". He wanted me to "apologize" to you for the "delay" in his resuming his "discussion" with you, but that he would "make it up to you later."
Hogan shook his head and feigning a smile, replied mockingly, "That Hochstetter, always the practical joker."
Klink's face changed from concern to puzzlement. "Colonel Hogan, do you realize the seriousness of this situation. If he produces evidence - real or not- I have to turn you over to his custody."
Hogan stood slowly and faced Klink.
"Do what you have to do Kommandant. But you and I both know I haven't left this camp so there is no real evidence to be found out there. There is nothing more I can say."
He turned sharply to walk away and felt the pain radiate out from the lump on the back of his head overriding the jab coming from his side. He stopped in his tracks, his head dropped and his hand instinctively went to rub the pain away. When he opened his eyes, Klink was standing at his back shaking his head.
"You're not fine!" Klink hissed, as he reached to inspect the wound. "Rifle butt?"
Hogan wanted to move out of reach but was too dizzy. Instead, he nodded and wished he hadn't.
"You've got quite a knot and the skin is broken, an infection could set in. I'll send Wilson to clean it. Have you been nauseated?"
"No more than normal."
Klink ignored Hogan's glibness. "You could have a slight concussion. You need to rest."
Hogan looked at Klink incredulously. He was tired, but sleep was elusive. It came in short fitful doses haunted by large men in black coats with skull and cross bone insignias.
"It's getting colder in here. The temperature must be dropping," Hogan complained, as he wrapped his arms around himself with a shiver.
Klink had seen men in shock during the Great War and he recognized those signs now.
Hogan turned to go back to the bunk and stopped. Looking up at Klink he lowered his voice and whispered, "Thanks for the Schnapps, Kommandant, it helped."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Klink lied.
"Thanks anyway." Hogan shivered again.
"How long have you been without your coat?"
"How long have I been in the cooler?"
The surprised look on Klink's face turned into a Scowl as he headed for the cell door.
"Guards, I am ready to leave."
As he left the cell, he reprimanded the guards and informed them that he was sending an American medic to look after Hogan's head wound to prevent infection.
"Major Hochstetter will hold me responsible if the prisoner should die before he is finished with him. Give him back his jacket. That's an order!"
Klink spun around landing his riding crop under his arm with a snap and stormed out.
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Carter came running into the radio room panting. "The Kommandant just went into the cooler!"
Newkirk turned toward the tunnel leading to the 'cooler', "Come on," he called out as he broke into a run.
The four arrived at the branch of the tunnel leading to the west side of the cooler. There were no lanterns in these tunnels. They had to remain dark to not give away any of the entrances or observation posts that lead into the cells. Flashlights equipped with a cloth covering to dim the light and aimed at their feet were the only illumination.
The tunnel system around the cooler was one of their first and biggest accomplishments. Since Klink only used the "cooler" if he was really angry, he would generally utilize the isolation cells. Therefore, they were the first to gain entrances. The barred cells were still a work in progress and only a few had entrances. These entrances made being "committed" to the cooler a little more bearable, except, when one had the misfortune of being under 24 hour guard.
Hogan's men soon reached a spot where the floor of the cooler emptied into a corner drain. The area under and behind this drain had been widened to allow space for standing. From this position one could see through a twelve-inch wide drain that stretched 4 inches up the wall. It was large enough for one observer and gave a view to the "barred cells".
"Quiet!" LeBeau demanded as he entered the observation post and poked his head into position.
Once in the observation post there was no talking. The screen covering the drain made it difficult for anyone to see into it from the cooler but voices would still drift out. Louis was straining to make out the words coming from Klink. The others could hear voices but were unable to make out what they were saying. A smile started across LeBeau's face. Before long he was grinning ear to ear.
~ Enough of this. ~ Newkirk thought and drug LeBeau out into the tunnel.
"What are you smiling about?"
Kinch stayed behind as the others moved out. He made his way closer to the drain opening until he could see Hogan standing facing Klink who was sitting on the bunk. The Colonel turned abruptly and stopped, grabbing the back of his head. He watched as Klink stood and raised his hands to touch the back of Hogan's head.
~ Something's wrong. The Colonel would never allow Klink to be that close. - That personal. ~
Carter after hearing what Louis had to say, went back to see what was keeping Kinch and got there just in time to hear Klink's exit speech. Kinch motioned for Carter to move back out into the tunnel.
Carter turned to look at Kinch, "Do you think he's hurt bad, Kinch?"
"I don't know. At least he was moving on his own."
What Kinch didn't share was how tired the Colonel looked which added to the urgency he felt that their plans unfold quickly and put an end to this.
LeBeau and Newkirk, who had been rejoicing at the information Louis heard, stopped talking and stepped closer to Carter and Kinch.
"What's up?" Newkirk asked.
"Klink's going to send Wilson in to see the Colonel." Carter offered.
"Good, the guard hit him pretty hard." LeBeau grimaced at the memory.
"So what were you smiling at Louis?" Kinch waited for LeBeau to answer.
"Hochstetter sent word that he had additional evidence."
Kinch took in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, prayed, "I hope it is the evidence we wanted him to find."
"Check. With any luck, Mate." Newkirk put his hand on Kinch's shoulder.
Suddenly, Kinch exclaimed, "Wilson!" The lights went on in everyone's eyes.
Without another word they all took off down the tunnel, racing to get to Wilson before the Kommandant.