Hammelburg Area, Farm of Erich Jonach
December 22, 1943, 2155 hours

The three men approached the clearing silently, having avoided several patrols in the woods since leaving camp. They crouched in the brush and looked at the barn alert for any signs of movement. They heard muffled voices in the distance behind the barn. Hogan motioned for Kinch and Newkirk to keep still and wait. After a minute, they heard rusting in the brush and three figures emerged into the clearing.

Hogan could tell that the figures were not Gestapo – it looked like two men and a woman, but in the dim light, he was not sure. The three walked around the barn, as if looking for the door. When they found the door, they opened it and entered.

"I didn't recognize them," Kinch said to Hogan.

"I didn't either," Hogan replied. "Schnitzer didn't say that there would be others at this meeting. I wonder what is going on?"

"I'm sure we'll find out when we get inside," Kinch responded.

"I don't like surprises," Hogan commented.

"I'll scout around out here while you two go inside," Newkirk said. "If there's anyone waiting in the woods, I'll find them."

"Good," Hogan replied. "Kinch, let's go."

---------------

Hogan entered the barn followed closely by Kinch. Both were conscious of having the door open too long for the dim light inside to escape. Hogan looked around and noticed the strangers in addition to Erich Jonach and Oskar Schnitzer. He had been right, there were two men and a woman - A young woman.

"Oskar didn't tell me we would have company tonight," he said to Erich Jonach. Kinch noticed the slight testiness in Hogan's voice. If Erich noticed it, he didn't seem to have a reaction to it.

"This is Hans Wagner, his brother Karl and their sister Ilse" Erich said, introducing the three to Hogan. Hogan remained silent, studying the Wagners.

"Is this the decision maker?" Hans asked Erich testily. Hogan looked over at Erich with a puzzled expression.

"Ja, it is," Erich replied. "But we will get to that in a minute."

Hogan was confused. He noticed that Hans was glaring at him, but he ignored the Wagners for the moment. "Erich, I don't know what this is about," he said. "I come here to get the information on the fuel depot."

Erich nodded and motioned for Oskar to relay the information he had gathered. Oskar told him the little information he had been able to obtain.

Hogan didn't bother to hide his displeasure. "That's all you found out?" he asked testily.

Oskar nodded. "We were not in the woods for very long when we heard two gunshots, and the Gestapo became very active," he explained. "We were spotted by the searchlights, and then taken to see Hochstetter. That's when we found that two of his men had been ambushed on the road leading to the facility and shot."

Hogan's eyes went wide. "Who would do a stupid thing like that?" has asked.

Erich motioned towards the Wagners. "They did," he replied. "And they were also responsible for blowing up the Gestapo automobiles not too long ago."

Kinch had been watching Hogan throughout the exchange and realized that he was very close to erupting. Hoping to prevent matters from getting to that point, he jumped in before Hogan could reply. "Didn't you realize what would happen if you started attacking the Gestapo?" he asked.

Hans looked at Kinch with an expression that Kinch could only describe as condescending. "And what do you care, schwartze?" he spat out.

Kinch was taken aback at the insult but plowed ahead anyway, still hoping to keep things calm. "The Gestapo has a habit of taking revenge on the townspeople for these kinds of attacks," he said calmly. "Or don't you care about your fellow citizens?" he added.

"We care about what happened to our sister," Karl blurted out.

"Karl, keep quiet," ordered Hans.

"And what happened to your sister?" Kinch asked.

"That is none of your business," Hans growled. He turned to Hogan and said, "Do you always let your schwartze talk for you?"

At this second insult, Kinch began to get angry. But he knew that the anger would not help this situation, so he kept quiet.

However, Hogan had had enough of Hans' insults. "That's enough!" he said loudly, his voice echoing around the small barn. "I'm not going to listen to any more of these racial insults."

"Colonel," Kinch said.

Hogan brushed him aside. "I don't care if you are so stupid that you believe that someone can be inferior because of the color of his skin," he seethed. "What you are doing is getting the Gestapo very angry, and sooner or later, one of my men, or one of Erich's men, or even some of the innocent people of Hammelburg are going to get killed because of it."

Hans glared at Hogan. "I will not stop," he said through clenched teeth. "And there's nothing you can do about it."

"Yes, there is," Hogan replied evenly. "We can put a stop to it."

Suddenly Hans pulled out the pistol he had taken from the Gestapo men and pointed it at Hogan. Beside him, Karl had the other pistol in his hand.

Ilse let out a gasp. "Hans!" she exclaimed. Hans ignored her and kept staring at Hogan.

"Where did you get those guns, Hans?" Erich asked. "Did you take them from the Gestapo men that you killed?"

Hans didn't answer. His eyes would not leave Hogan.

Hogan let out a chuckle. "If you did take them from the Gestapo," he said. "You don't want them."

"They seem to suit me just fine," Hans said.

"Look on the handle," Hogan replied.

Hans didn't move. "Karl, look at your gun," he ordered.

Karl looked at the handle of his gun. He noticed a small death's head logo etched at the bottom. He showed it to Hans.

"That's right," Hogan commented. "They mark their guns for easier identification. That makes it useless to you - if they find you with it, they will kill you.

"I can kill you right now," Hans said, a small smile appearing on his face.

At that moment, they heard a voice from the hayloft above the open area where they were standing. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the voice said. Everyone looked up to see Newkirk lying in the hay pointing his handgun directly at Hans. "I am rather fond of him."

Taking advantage of the distraction, Kinch moved quickly and took the guns from Hans and Karl.

"Nice timing, Newkirk," Hogan said smiling, taking the guns that Kinch brought to him.

"Thank you sir," Newkirk replied. "I heard the shouting and thought I should see if I could be useful."

Hogan looked at the guns for a second, and then removed the clip from each making sure that there wasn't a bullet in the chamber. He tossed the guns and clips onto the floor. "Erich, can you take care of those?" he asked. Erich nodded.

"So now what? You will have him shoot us?" Hans asked nodding towards Newkirk, still in the loft.

"No," Hogan replied. He looked at Ilse. "What happened to you that made your brother so angry?"

"Ilse, quiet!" Hans ordered. "You will talk to me not her!" he yelled at Hogan.

Hogan ignored Hans. He took a step towards Ilse, and then everything exploded.

Kinch saw Hans start to move towards Hogan, his hands balled into fists. He moved quickly to intercept, and buried a punch into Hans' midsection. Hans grunted and started to double over. Out of the corner of his eye, Kinch saw Karl throw a roundhouse punch at him. He blocked it easily with his left arm and threw and uppercut with his right that landed squarely on Karl's chin. Karl flew backwards into the wall and crumpled to the ground. Ilse screamed and ran at Kinch. "Stop it! Stop it!" she screamed as she wrapped her arms around Kinch and began to push him backwards.

The whole thing was over in a second, but it seemed like minutes to Kinch. He looked around and saw that Newkirk had jumped from the loft and was ready to help, and Erich and Oskar had moved to the Wagner brothers to help them up. Hans was still doubled over form the impact of Kinch's punch, and Karl lay on the ground rubbing his chin and glaring at Kinch.

Hogan had pulled Ilse off of Kinch and was holding her arms. She was crying now, and he was attempting to console her.

Newkirk walked over to Kinch and slapped him on the back. "Blimey, Mate," he said. "You looked like Joe Lewis taking on Max Schmelling there." Kinch tried to shrug it off as nothing, while flexing his right hand to ease the discomfort. But Newkirk could see a small smile on his face and knew that Kinch had enjoyed it.

After Ilse had calmed down a little, Hogan asked her again what had happened.

"I was attacked by two Gestapo men," she said softly.

"You mean?" Hogan asked solemnly. Ilse nodded. "And the two men that were killed were the same ones that attacked you?" She nodded again.

Hogan sighed heavily. "I'm very sorry, Ilse," he said to her.

She looked at Hogan with tragic eyes. "And when my father went to the Gestapo after the men attacked me, Major Hochstetter just laughed at him and called me names," she said.

Her statement shocked Hogan. "Your father did what?" he asked.

"He went to talk to Major Hochstetter to tell him what those two men had done," she answered softly. "And Major Hochstetter said that I had asked for it."

"Your father talked to Hochstetter?" Hogan asked her. She nodded slowly. He looked over at Hans, who had straightened up and was keeping an eye on his sister. "You really don't know what the hell you are doing," he said icily.

Hans stuck his chin out defiantly. "I was taking care of my sister," he said. "And punishing those men for what they did."

Hogan shook his head sadly. "You don't get it," he muttered. "When Hochstetter remembers that your father accused those same two men of assaulting Ilse, he will be punishing your father for what you did."

Ilse gasped. "What?" she asked.

Hans had a scared look in his eyes, but tried to not show it. "You don't know what you are talking about," he argued.

"Hans, it's time for you to stop your posturing," Hogan said. "You don't know what you have gotten yourself and your family into, and arguing with me will not help."

Hans glared, but remained silent.

"You will stop your activities directed at the Gestapo," Hogan said evenly. He paused to see if Hans would object.

"I will think about it," Hans said slowly, still glaring.

Hogan shook his head. "This stubbornness will get you killed someday," he said with a sigh. "I will give you some time to think about it. Meet me back here in one week, 2300 hours."

Hans shook his head. "Nein," he replied. "Not here. You come to my place."

Hogan didn't reply for a second. He looked at Hans, seeing the determination in his eyes. Hogan knew that determination – Hans had been bested here and he was looking for some small victory to save face in front of his family. "All right," Hogan replied. "Your place, 2300 hours in one week."

Hans nodded and then motioned for Karl to leave. "Ilse, let's go," he said.

Ilse started towards the door and then stopped to look back at Hogan. "Is it true what you said?" she asked. "Will Major Hochstetter come for my father?"

"If he remembers that your father talked to him, I'm afraid so," Hogan replied.

Ilse looked stricken. "Is there something you can do about it?" she asked.

Hogan looked at Erich, and Erich said, "If something happens, Ilse, please tell Johann. We will do what we can."

"Thank you," she replied softly, and turned and left the barn.

As Hans turned to leave, he looked at Kinch, who was standing like a statue beside the door. Hans could see the anger radiating from Kinch's glare. In a slow even tone, Kinch said, "Don't ever call me schwartze again."