Hammelburg, Gestapo Headquarters, Office of Major Wolfgang Hochstetter
November 3, 1943, 2230 hours
Hochstetter slammed his fist on his disk. "THREE CARS BLOWN UP!" he screamed. "WHY?"
"I don't know, Major," Captain August Dorfmann replied stoically.
Hochstetter glared at the Captain. Dorfmann had been assigned to him after Captain Herber was arrested for sabotaging four trains in the area. Hochstetter had hoped that he could blame Klink for those and be done with the dimwitted Colonel, but it turned out that a member of his own staff had been responsible. There had been no reason to doubt the capability of the new young officer, but for some reason Hochstetter didn't feel comfortable with him. Ah well, at least he doesn't click his heels every time he hears his name.
"And what are you doing to find out?" Hochstetter growled at him.
"We have patrols all over town, sir," Dorfmann replied. "And we are checking the locations that we suspect to be underground meeting places."
"Do you think the underground is responsible for this?" Hochstetter asked.
"It's a possibility, Major," Dorfmann said.
"The underground blows up factories, bridges, and trains," Hochstetter retorted. "Why would they waste their time on small things like automobiles?"
"We are expending resources to investigate the explosions, sir," Dorfmann replied.
"So you are suggesting that this could be a diversion to keep us occupied while another target is attacked?" Hochstetter asked.
"That is also a possibility, Major Hochstetter," Dorfmann replied blandly.
"It seems, Captain, that you have a lot of possibilities," Hochstetter said angrily. "Do you have anything you are sure about?"
"I am sure that three Gestapo automobiles were blown up in Hammelburg tonight," Dorfmann replied.
"Of course you are sure about that," Hochstetter screamed. "You saw the burning wrecks yourself. Even an idiot would be sure of that."
Captain Dorfmann opened his mouth to respond, but thought better of it. Yes, Major Hochstetter. Even you would be sure of that.
Major Hochstetter paced around his office like a caged tiger. Someone would pay for this blatant attack on the Gestapo. He didn't even care if the people that paid for it were the people responsible. Someone had to pay.
Suddenly he stopped pacing. "Captain, call that idiot Klink at Stalag 13," he said. "Order him to call an immediate roll call of his prisoners. I want to know if there is anyone missing."
Dorfmann fought the urge to roll his eyes. Oh no, another rant about Colonel Hogan, he thought. Even though he hadn't been assigned to the Hammelburg Headquarters for very long, he had heard enough about Colonel Hogan and the preposterous idea that a prisoner was responsible for all the sabotage in the area.
"And then what, sir?" Dorfmann asked.
"He is to call me back immediately and tell me if anyone is missing," Hochstetter replied. "Tell him that if he doesn't, I will pay him a visit myself."
"Jawohl, Major," Dorfmann replied.
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Baker was startled by the sudden activity on the switchboard. It was his night to man the radio room in the tunnel, and keep an ear on the Stalag 13 switchboard tap. He plugged into the switchboard and put on the headset to listen.
"Heil Hitler, Stalag 13," Klink said sleepily.
"Colonel Klink, this is Captain Dorfmann at Gestapo Headquarters in Hammelburg," Dorfmann replied.
Baker could picture Klink bounding out of bed to stand at attention at the mention of the word Gestapo. Baker would have bet that Klink would even put his monocle in just to be more German.
"Good evening Captain. What can I do for you?" Klink asked.
"We have had some trouble in town tonight," Dorfmann said. "Three Gestapo automobiles were destroyed by explosion. We are looking for the people responsible now. Major Hochstetter wants you to call a roll call of your prisoners immediately."
Baker couldn't believe his ears, three Gestapo cars blown up? He didn't remember Colonel Hogan ordering something like that. A he knew that Erich Jonach, the leader of the Hammelburg underground wouldn't do something like that without telling the Colonel.
"Whaaaaat? A roll call at this time of night? Impossible!" Klink said belligerently.
"Colonel Klink, the Major said for you to have your roll call and call him back to let him know if anyone is missing," Dorfmann replied. "Or he will pay you a visit tonight personally."
Baker heard Klink let out a heavy sigh over the phone line. "Yes Captain, I will call a surprise roll call and then call you back." Klink said.
Baker took the headset off as the line clicked dead. He climbed up the ladder as fast as he could to warn the Colonel before Schultz showed up with his Raus, Raus.
As he climbed out, he roused the rest of the men, telling them of the impending roll call. He walked over to Hogan's office door, knocked and went in.
"Colonel, wake up," he said. "Klink's going to call a roll call any second."
Hogan yawned. "A roll call at this hour?" he replied.
"Hochstetter's Aide just called," Baker explained. "Someone blew up three Gestapo cars in town tonight, and Hochstetter wants Klink to call the roll call. You know how he suspects us of everything."
"Three Gestapo cars blown up, you say?" Hogan asked. "I wonder who would do that? Erich wouldn't have done something like that without letting me know." It didn't feel right to Hogan. Erich Jonach had been very good about coordinating his activities with him from the beginning of the Stalag 13 operation. Erich was glad to allow Hogan, as Papa Bear, shoulder the burden of being in charge of all of the activities in the area. So Hogan wondered if he would go off and do something as inconsequential as blowing up Gestapo vehicles. All that would do is make Major Hochstetter angrier than usual.
Just that moment, they heard the outer barracks door open, and Schultz began to bellow his familiar call, "Raus, Raus, Everybody, roll call. Everybody up!"
There was a lot of grumbling as the men filed out into the chill of the night.