The T.V. show Hogan's Heroes belongs to Bing Crosby Productions.

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 MLM 13

Chapter 12

Colonel Hogan made it back to his cot and was met by Wilson.

"…been getting myself to bed for 35 years…."

"Ok, let's see you reach down and untie your shoes."

"Smart-aleck. …be a private by morning…." He mumbled.

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The next day passed according to routine. Klink checked on Hogan's progress. The guys kept Hogan informed of their progress. Hogan was able to get close enough to his shoes to tie them and Sergeant Wilson somehow managed to retain his rank, despite the fact he kept a tight reign on his patient's activities.

The following morning the "Red Cross" arrived in Klink's office.

"According to your report, you have charges pending on one of your prisoners, a Colonel, I believe. The Red Cross Representative pulled out the report and read, "A Colonel Robert Hogan."

Klink hurriedly explained, "Those charges have been dropped."

"Oh?"

"Yes, they were unsubstantiated."

"I see. Your report also stated some minor injuries were incurred during his arrest requiring some first aide."

"That is right. I had the prisoners' medic tend to him."

"May we see the prisoner?"

"What?" Klink's heart sped up. "Well, you see he is in the camp hospital at the moment recovering from…a concussion."

"A concussion? You did not mention that in your report, Kommandant."

"It happened later, after my report."

"After…? How?

Klink groped for an answer. If he told them the truth there would be an investigation and General Burkhalter would have even more trouble with the Gestapo, which he would blame on Klink for not keeping his mouth shut. So, he fell back on Hogan's lie.

"He said he fell down!"

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"Colonel Hogan these people are from the Red Cross. I had to make a report to them of your injuries and the charges pending against you. At that time you had not yet had your …accident."

"Accident?" Hogan questioned from the cot he remained glued to every time Klink was around.

Klink looked at him wide eyed. "Yes, your accident when you fell down in the cooler and hit your head. Remember?"

Klink looked at the Red Cross Representatives, "He has been having some trouble remembering."

Hogan finally got on board. "Oh yes, my accident. Yes, Kommandant, that's right."

"So they will be taking you into town to the hospital for verification of your condition before they complete their investigation. I warn you Colonel Hogan any attempt at escape will be dealt with severely. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly, Kommandant."

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As the truck carrying Hogan and the phony Red Cross Representatives left camp Kinch walked up to the Kommandant, who was still standing in the compound watching the truck disappear.

"Was that Colonel Hogan, Kommandant?"

"Yes, the Red Cross is taking him to be examined before they conclude their report."

"Nobody said anything to us about taking the Colonel away."

"It was just decided…" realizing he was making explanations to a prisoner Klink stopped.

"I am still in command here Sergeant; I don't have to tell anybody anything."

"Yes sir!" Kinch stepped back and saluted.

Klink saluted. And Kinch turned around to go back to the barrack, smiling. Good luck, Colonel!

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"You can get up now, Colonel Hogan." Erika, the female "Red Cross representative" dropped the canvas on the back of the truck.

"Thanks, any problem convincing Klink?"

"No problem." Armin the agent playing one of the Officers spoke up. "She just flashed her baby blues at him and he was putty in her hands."

"That's why I specifically asked for a woman. Our Kommandant, considers himself quite the 'lady's man'."

Hogan looked around, "Did you get my uniform?"

"Ja, here it is," Erika handed the uniform to Hogan.

Erika graciously turned her back and Hogan began to change.

"I'm going to talk while you're changing Colonel," Armin began. "We will be meeting with Lutz in a few minutes. He will pose as your driver. At the same time we will pick up Roland, who will pose as you. The doctor meeting us at the hospital is one of our agents. He will 'examine' Roland, alias you, and keep him over night for tests. We will be leaving the hospital tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. and will meet you and Lutz back here for the switch. You'll stay with some of our agents tonight. Have you got that Colonel?"

"Got it."

Within minutes they arrived at the rendezvous point and made the switch.

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"So Colonel, do we have a plan or are we winging this?" asked Lutz.

"We have an outline." Hogan briefed Lutz as they drove to the camp.

They pulled up to the gate and Lutz handed the guards the forged paper. The Guards scanned the documents and waved them through.

Hogan exhaled. So far, so good

It was about 2 p.m. and the camp was fairly quiet. There were a few groups of men outside. One group was practicing charging a building and another group, just off to the right in the exercise field, appeared to be practicing methods of subduing prisoners.

Lutz got out of the car and opened the door for Hogan.

Hogan, alias Major Pfizer, walked up the steps and through the door without hesitation. He approached a young lieutenant at the desk and handed him his orders.

"Do you understand those orders, Lieutenant?"

"Jawohl, Major, you are to have access to the records of the men that are in training."

"Very good, Lieutenant, I will mention your efficiency to your Commanding officer."

"Danke, Herr Major, come this way and I will take you to our records."

They walked to Hogan's right and through a doorway leading to a long hall. As Hogan followed the Lieutenant, he glanced into the rooms on either side of the hall. They contained new recruits in classroom environments. Some of the topic appeared to be psychology and anatomy if the charts being used were any indication. Hogan pulled his hat down and his collar up, just in case he should see Captain Steffan.

They arrived at the Records Room and the Lieutenant introduced Major Pfizer to the clerk and left.

"I am looking for the records of a Captain Steffan." Hogan boldly informed the clerk.

The clerk looked through the alphabetized list of names.

"I'm sorry, Herr Major, we have no recruits here by that name."

Hogan surprised asked, "Are you sure? Look again."

"I am quite sure, Herr Major."

"Well then let me see the files of the recruits that arrived here yesterday."

The clerk took Hogan to a table to have a seat and returned with an arm full of folders.

"These are all of the folders for the recruits who arrived yesterday, Herr Major."

"Danke." Hogan looked through the folders and found no folder for Captain Steffan. Becoming uneasy he stood put his cap on and thanked the clerk for his time.

Hogan began the long walk back down the hall. Several of the rooms opened up and the men poured out into the hallway, slowing his pace.

The young clerk in the record room picked up the phone and called the base commander, Colonel Klein.

"Colonel, a strange thing just happened, a Major Pfizer just came looking for one of our recruits, but the name he asked about is not on our roster. He asked to see the charts of the men that arrived yesterday. Jawohl, Colonel, at once."

The clerk hit the alarm at the desk and went running out into the hall.

Hogan hearing the alarm go off quickened his pace through the hallway and entered the front lobby. He reached the door to the outside just as he heard the young Lieutenant at the Lobby front desk yell.

"Halt."

Hogan froze.

The Lieutenant ran up behind Hogan and ordered, "Put your hands up and turn around."

Hogan did as he was told, smiling cordially as he looked down the barrel of the gun pointed at his chest. "What is this all about Lieutenant?"

Hogan, acting quickly, looked past the lieutenant and bluffed.

'Ahh, Major…"

The Lieutenant averted his eyes for just a second, but it was long enough for Hogan to clip him on the chin, sending him flying across the floor. Throwing a smoke bomb, Hogan turned and quickly sprinted through the door.

"Lutz, get in the car and head for the gate!" Hogan jumped in the backseat.

"What happened?" asked Lutz.

"I'll tell you later, for now just drive."

As they approached the gate Hogan shouted,

"Don't stop, floor it!"

They burst through the guard arm and passed the guards just as they stepped out and lowered their guns, firing at the back of the car.

Hogan returned fire out the window. "Go, go, go!" Hogan ordered.

Lutz went tearing through the countryside, whipping through back roads only a "local" would know.

"I don't see anyone behind us, I'm going to pull over and let you drive, Colonel." Lutz's voice was strained. "I've taken a bullet in my arm and I'm starting to get light headed."

Lutz pulled over and Hogan jumped behind the wheel.

"Lutz, can you stay with me long enough to tell me where we're going?"

"Go 4 more kilometers down this road and…turn east on the …lane...there will be a white farm house. Tell them you…grew up in a farmhouse just like this and ask to spend the …night…"

"Lutz…Lutz?"

Hogan looked over at Lutz, he was out. "There's the lane, I hope that was all the code."

Hogan could see the white farmhouse looming up in front of them. He rolled the car to a stop. Out front was what appeared to be an elderly farmer. Hogan got out of the car and turned on the charm.

"Guten Abend"

The farmer looked at Hogan in his Gestapo uniform and said, "Guten Abend, Major."

"You have a lovely farm here. I grew up in a farmhouse just like this. Do you have a room you would rent out for the night?" Hogan said delivering the code that was given to him.

The farmer looked at him as if waiting for more.

Hogan looked at the elderly man and said, "Look, if there is more to this code I don't have it. Lutz is in the car, he's been shot."

"Lutz?" the man said as he ran up to the car.

He opened the door and leaned in to see Lutz. Hogan had gone up behind the man and just as he was going to ask if he could hide the car somewhere, he heard,

"Halt, Put your hands in the air!"

Hogan stopped and "put his hands in the air", for the second time.

Somebody from behind him grabbed his arms, pulled them behind his back and tied them.

"Keep quiet or I will shoot you!" the voice ordered from behind him.

Hogan did as he was told and watched as the farmer, he had first spoke with, drove the car into the barn.

"Ok, Major, walk toward the house." The voice again ordered.

Hogan started walking toward the house, taking in the activity at the barn. Lutz was being carried into the house.

Hogan was marched into the Kitchen. The man behind him pushed a chair up to Hogan and said,

"Sit!"

Hogan was just starting to explain when a gag was thrust in his mouth and a rope around his chest tying him to the chair. His ribs protested the tightness of the rope.

"Just sit there quietly until we decide what to do with you." The man stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the hall. His gun remained in his hand.

Hogan could hear commotion going up and down the stairs. A little over an hour later the farmer came into the kitchen.

"Sorry, Colonel Hogan, we had to be sure who you were. Lutz has told us you can be trusted." He said as he removed the gag and untied him.

Hogan rubbed his wrists trying to get some feeling back in his fingers.

"How is he?" Hogan asked.

"The bullet passed through, the Doctor says he will be fine. He is sleeping now."

"I'm sorry I scarred all of you. Lutz couldn't get all the code out before he passed out."

"Your lucky you did as you were told, Colonel, we would have shot you without hesitation" the old man said. "Lutz is our youngest son and his brothers are very protective of him."

Hogan swallowed and nodded at the man who had been guarding him.

"Go put your gun up Eric, this man is a friend."

Eric hesitated just for an instant as he looked Hogan over, and then he walked up and offered his hand. "I'll bring you back some clothes so you can get out of that uniform."

"Thanks." Hogan breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't know how much you know, but I need to meet some of the underground tomorrow morning at about 9 a. m. I can't miss that rendezvous."

The old man nodded his head. "You must be hungry."

Hogan spent the rest of the night eating, talking, and finally finding an overstuffed chair in the parlor to take up his vigil.

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Hogan woke with a start the next morning. He was surprised to find he had nodded off. Normally he would have stayed awake all night and kept an eye on everything, the fact that he hadn't bothered him.

A sudden noise in the kitchen caught his attention. As he listened he recognized the voices from the previous night. Stiff and still a little sore he pushed himself out of the chair and went to join them.

"Good morning!" Lutz father, Abram, smiled and offered him a cup of coffee. "I hope you slept okay. I didn't have the heart to wake you and offer you a bed. I've slept a few nights in that chair myself and knew you would be fine."

"Yeah, it was more comfortable than I realized." Hogan took a sip of coffee, it warranted a second gulp. "Mmm, good coffee."

"How about an egg to go with it?" Abram was already in the process of cracking the shell.

The smells were that of home and Hogan devoured them. And then just as quickly set them aside. "How's Lutz?" he asked, putting things back into perspective.

"He's resting; he'll be fine." Abram slapped the egg between two slices of bread and handed it to Hogan.

As Hogan ate, Eric came into the kitchen through the back door.

"They are searching for you in town. I think we can still get you safely to your destination; you look like a farm hand in those clothes, we'll use that. You'll have to leave your uniform here it's not worth the risk of being caught with it."

Hogan nodded, "What about the risk of you getting caught with it?" he asked, while hungrily shoving the last of his sandwich into his mouth.

"Don't worry we won't. Lutz will get it back to you later when he's recovered." Eric grabbed a quick swig of coffee. "We should go now!"

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Hogan followed Eric silently across the field and into the woods. After about 30 minutes, Eric stopped.

"You wait in the brush over there. A car will come along and stop. The driver will get out and look at the front right tire. You will go over and get in. Nothing needs to be said."

Eric was a big man of few words. He left Hogan with a slap on the back and a gentle shove in the right direction. Soon a car came to a stop and the driver got out and checked his tire. Hogan walked up and got in the car. The driver got back in and they drove away.

The man behind the wheel looked over at him, "Its ok, 'Papa Bear', you're safe."

Hogan studied the man's face. Something about him was familiar. "Do I know you?"

"We've talked on the radio a few times when you have called our underground base. Names aren't important. It is nice to get to meet the famous 'Papa Bear'. You're doing a lot to help us gain our Germany back, thank-you."

He brought the car to a stop. "This is your pickup spot. I can see the truck over there in the trees."

Hogan looked and saw Rolland coming toward the car. Hogan got out and passed the man who had pretended to be him.

Rolland smiled. "Your physical went fine."

"I owe you one." Hogan answered as they passed each other. Reaching the truck, he climbed into the back.

"How are you?" Erica asked, handing Hogan his clothes.

Hogan nodded. "It was full of surprises."

"So I heard," Erica answered. She took the clothes Hogan changed out of and placed them in the box that had earlier held the Gestapo Uniform.

Hogan looked at her surprised. "You heard?"

"Come now, Papa Bear, we haven't stayed in business this long without being able to stay on top of things."

Before Hogan could say more, Armin interrupted, "You better get back on the stretcher, we're almost there." And then offering his hand, added, "Good luck, and keep in touch."

"Thanks, I think we're going to need all the luck we can get."

As the truck passed back through the gate at Stalag 13, they resumed their roles.

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"Everything checked out all right, I trust?" Klink asked, as he watched the gurney carrying Hogan back to the camp hospital pass by.

Erika answered, "He had been badly injured but he is recovering. I will finish my report stating you have followed the terms of the Geneva Convention."

Klink visibly relaxed.

The two men with the "Red Cross" team entered the camp hospital and set the stretcher down. As they departed Hogan's men entered. The underground had informed them by radio about the excitement at the Gestapo training camp and they could hardly wait to get some details.

Kinch was the first to speak, "Glad you made it back in one piece Colonel. What did you fine out?"

Hogan took Wilson's out stretched hand and stood up off the stretcher. In doing so his sleeve slid up revealing the rope burns from his brief period of confinement to the chair.

"What's this?"

"That's nothing."

Hogan looked at his men.

"We've got a problem!"