No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred. Copyright belongs to others and no infringement is intended.

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Newkirk raced through the tunnel to where Kinch was waiting, on the other side of the wall of Hogan's cell. "It's time," he whispered breathlessly. "Burkhalter and Klink are on their way over."

Kinch nodded. "Good. The Colonel needs a break." In the last ten minutes he had heard much more than he wanted to of Hochstetter's "interrogation." At first, Hogan had seemed quite alert, and responded either in the negative to the German's accusations, or made some comment that angered his captor. Then Kinch had heard chains, which he feared were being used as a makeshift whip, and some terrible cries that, had he not known who was in there, he would not have been able to guarantee were human in origin. Now, things had gone quiet, at least on the Colonel's part, and Hochstetter's voice could be heard, but Kinch couldn't make out the words.

Suddenly they heard the door to the cell being opened, and Burkhalter's accusing voice boomed right through the wall. "Major Hochstetter, what do you think you are doing?"

"General Burkhalter!" Hochstetter sounded like he was trying not to appear annoyed with the intrusion. "I am questioning Colonel Hogan on suspicion of sabotage before shooting him by orders of the Fuhrer."

"And do you think the Fuhrer would approve of you putting your interests before his own?"

Hochstetter's response about being certain Hitler would want to know if the sabotage around the camp would stop when this prisoner was executed was drowned out by a gasp from Colonel Klink. "Major Hochstetter, how can you expect Colonel Hogan to answer your questions like this?" he asked, his voice strangled.

"In the end his answers do not matter."

"Hochstetter, you will come with me," Burkhalter said, in a tone that invited no protests. "We will discuss this in Klink's office, and then you will do what you came here to do."

Kinch and Newkirk exchanged looks. We'd better work fast!

Hochstetter's reply was somewhat subdued. "Of course, Herr General," he said. "I am sure you will understand my reasoning when you have heard all I have to say." Then, obviously speaking to his guards, he added, "Go and have your lunch. I will call for you when I am through talking with the General and the Colonel."

Newkirk and Kinch heard the door to the cell being closed and locked. Kinch counted to ten, then moved the stone out far enough to move back through with Hogan.

But when they entered the tiny room, they were horrified to find that Hogan had been left hanging by his arms from the ceiling, with manacles again cutting into his already raw wrists, and his feet not touching the floor, as he had tried to curl in on himself to protect himself from what would have been countless strikes from all sides.

Newkirk came around to face Hogan, both compelled to look at him, and repulsed by the whole scenario. The Colonel's eyes were open just slightly, but he showed no sign that he knew his friends were there. Newkirk looked closely—yes, Hogan was still breathing. But with nothing to support him, and having his arms stretched over his head, the breaths were coming in shallow, uneven spurts. "We're here now, gov'nor," Newkirk said in a gentle whisper. "We'll get you out of this." He noticed blood seeping slowly through Hogan's soaking, filthy shirt and looked at Kinch, devastated. "We'd better hurry."

Kinch, meanwhile, was examining the cuffs holding Hogan in place. A couple of quick tugs did nothing but cause Hogan more pain, and it quickly became clear that they weren't going to be able to simply pull the chains away from the cell and take them with him, to be cut off later on. They were well and truly attached to the ceiling, and there would be little time to figure out how to get through them. "We can't get these off," Kinch hissed. "We need the key!"

"Schultz'll have it," Newkirk replied. "Come on; we haven't got much time." The pair of them turned to go. Newkirk called gently, "We'll be back, gov'nor. Don't give up on us yet."

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Schultz suspected that the pair was up to something as soon as he saw them coming. He straightened and adjusted his rifle, then stood at strict attention outside the cell door. "What are you two doing here?" he asked, trying to sound his most military. "You know you coming down here is verboten."

Kinch took a chance; they didn't have time to waste dancing around the issue. "We can't get through the shackles in the Colonel's cell, Schultz. We need the key."

Schultz looked startled, then tried to recover. "What?" he asked.

"We can't get the Colonel out because of the handcuffs; we need your help."

Schultz shook his head and lost all pretense of military presence. "No, no, no!" he practically wailed. "You do not know what you are asking! Colonel Hogan is a prisoner, he is under the authority of the Gestapo; I cannot help you!"

"Come on, Schultz. Hochstetter and his goons have the Colonel strung up like a side of beef. They've hurt him real bad. Give us the key."

Schultz's features changed slightly from one of fear to one of sadness. "I know what they have done to Colonel Hogan. They have made me stand outside this room the whole time to keep anyone from coming in. And sound carries easily here."

Newkirk grimaced as images flashed in his mind. Then he pushed them away and continued. "Come on, Schultzie," he said in his most silky smooth voice, "the gov'nor's always been good to you, 'asn't 'e? I mean, 'e's always helped you when you needed it, hasn't 'e?"

Schultz started to crumble. "Ja, Englander, ja, he has."

Newkirk moved around so he was behind the guard and started to work his magic. His fingers very gently walked around Schultz's belt until he found a set of keys. Then, with the utmost caution, he removed the large ring from the man's belt, taking care that not a rattle was heard. "Well, then, Schultz, one good turn deserves another, doesn't it?" he asked. Schultz started to turn around toward Newkirk; the Corporal simply pushed his cheek back toward Kinch. "Keep facing Kinch, Schultzie; you don't want to see what's happening behind you."

Schultz started quivering. "I know nothing," he breathed in, closing his eyes in that slow, simmering fear he got whenever he was involved in something that he knew he shouldn't be, but somehow knew he had to be. "Nothing!"

Newkirk held the keys up so Kinch could see them. Without a second thought, Kinch reached out for them. Schultz trembled at the sound of them and turned away. "Thanks, Schultz. We'll make sure you get these right back. And don't worry, we'll make sure no one knows we've been here."

"Nothing!"

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Newkirk's normally steady hands were shaking as he put the key into one of the locks on the restraints on Hogan's wrists. Kinch was considering how to hold Hogan in a way that would cushion the fall when his arms were released without causing him any unnecessary pain. But he was having a hard time finding any part of Hogan's body that had not been ill-treated by Hochstetter, so he had to simply accept that it was not going to be an easy move and tried to grip Hogan around the waist. Hogan was still not responding to anything going on around him, so Kinch was hoping it would be a brief and somewhat painless transition.

"Got 'im, mate?" Newkirk asked, as he was about to release the restraints.

"Yeah, yeah—do it."

Newkirk pulled the shackle away from one of Hogan's wrists. The Colonel sagged and Kinch lost his hold. Hogan's other arm was now holding the burden of his body weight, and he moaned softly. Kinch shook his head as he realized what he had to do, and he quickly scooped up Hogan in his arms as Newkirk undid the other lock. Hogan's full weight now rested in Kinch's arms.

Newkirk looked at his companion. "That's it; let's go." He zipped around the cell, grabbing the clothing that had been strewn around, and tossed it into the tunnel ahead of them. Then he went through the opening, helping as Kinch gently lowered Hogan to the ground and handed him in and to safety. Once fully through, and with Hogan now completely unresponsive, Newkirk moved the stone that led to the cell back into place, and then raced ahead to make sure the keys were replaced before Burkhalter and the others returned. We've got you, gov'nor, he thought, with a sense of relief that nearly overwhelmed him. No one's ever going to do that to you again.

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Sergeant Joe Wilson took one look at Robert Hogan and bit his lip to stop from crying in sorrow and despair. Then he got down to business. "Okay," the medic said simply. "This is a bit worse than I thought. Grab that stretcher." He pointed to the corner for it to be brought over. "We've got to move him out of this cramped area and I want him disturbed as little as possible." He touched the back of his hand to Hogan's cheek and arm. Cool and pale, Hogan's skin was taking on a slightly bluish tint. "He's in shock; grab me some blankets. We'll have to get him warm and dry right away."

And so the slow process of moving Hogan to the part of the tunnel right under Barracks Two began.

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"If I understand it correctly, Major Hochstetter, the Fuhrer's order was quite clear: make sure the officers in the camps are executed. The order did not include torture beforehand, or disrupting the operation of the prison camps."

Burkhalter stood very straight with his arms behind his back in Klink's office, a position he used when wanting to seem his most menacing. Despite his general distaste for the American, seeing Hogan dangling from the ceiling after quite obviously being tortured bothered Burkhalter. He had never had a taste for the more aggressive methods of the Gestapo, preferring to get what he wanted accomplished by thinking clearly, or by throwing his considerable weight around. And Hochstetter's evident relish for the darker side of his job was something that also grated on the General's nerves.

"Begging the General's pardon," Hochstetter began with forced politeness. "An oil refinery and important truck convoy near this camp were destroyed the night before I arrived. It was clearly the work of saboteurs, and Colonel Hogan is a suspect. It would be considered important to find out if he is guilty, so we can determine if the sabotage will stop once he is executed."

"You can also find out simply by shooting him and then seeing if anything happens!" Burkhalter countered. "This long build-up is unnecessary, Hochstetter. You are prolonging this to indulge yourself, and it is disrupting the operation of this prison camp."

"Any disruption would probably make this camp run better," Hochstetter growled, with a severe look toward Klink. "I have never seen the prisoners so well behaved."

"Nevertheless, the running of Luftwaffe prison camps is none of the Gestapo's concern," Burkhalter persisted, bearing down hard. "You are to cease this unnecessary commotion and carry out your orders as handed down by the Fuhrer, with no deviation from them. Is that understood?"

"With all due respect, Herr General," hissed Hochstetter, "I also have orders from Berlin that have come from the Fuhrer—to put an end to the sabotage around this camp by any means I see necessary, and that includes questioning prisoners who are about to face the firing squad. I would ask you to confirm this yourself before you order me to stop doing my duty."

Burkhalter pursed his lips and rocked just once back and forth on his toes. "Very well, Hochstetter. But you will not continue until I have confirmed the correct procedures." He turned to Klink, who had been sitting at his desk, his head jerking from one man to the other like a ping pong ball as they debated in front of him, too stunned by the whole sequence of events that had led to this point, and still reeling from the vision that had confronted him when Schultz had opened the cell door. "Klink, tell Schultz to get Hogan down from that contraption Hochstetter has him tied to. Leave him there until this is all settled."

Klink bobbed his head up and down in answer to his superior. Then, pulling himself from his shock, he stood up hastily and said, "Of course, General Burkhalter. I will see to it myself right away." If nothing else, at least I can stop Hogan being tortured before he dies.

Klink practically ran from the office and toward the solitary confinement cell, unaware he was being observed by Hogan's closest friends. Le Beau closed the barracks door that he had opened just a crack and shouted down the bunk opening that led to the tunnel below. "Klink is heading to the cooler!"

"The moment of truth," Kinch whispered as he watched Wilson trying to settle Hogan gently on the cot used normally by the radio man himself, or prisoners in transit. "Newkirk, did you get the keys back to Schultz?"

"No problem, mate," Newkirk answered. "He wanted to know... nothing."

"Carter's down at the other end of the tunnel, listening at the cell."

"What's he doing down there?"

"Lookout, in case anything goes wrong. Besides," Kinch added, glancing only vaguely at the mess on the bunk that was Hogan, "I don't think he could take..."

His voice drifted off, as the same thought struck him as well. "I know," Newkirk replied. "I understand just how he feels. But if it were bloody Hochstetter instead," he sneered, "you wouldn't be able to stop me from laughing."

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"Open the door, Schultz. We have to get Hogan down."

Schultz reached around his belt, praying silently that his keys were where he hoped. He sighed inwardly when his hands felt the cold ring, and he drew out the key he needed to open the door. "Herr Kommandant, what is going on?" he asked.

Klink waved his arm dismissively. "Generals, Majors—all this arguing going on in my office. I don't want to get involved. General Burkhalter says Colonel Hogan is to be taken out of those shackles and left alone until he clarifies orders with Berlin." Schultz turned the key in the lock and held open the door for his superior officer. Klink continued talking as he went in, dreading the idea of seeing the senior POW in such an alarming condition again. But at least he could relieve some of the suffering, and so he steeled himself to the task, for compassion's sake. "Schultz, you will have to get the medic, and get some fresh clothes from the barracks for Colonel Ho—"

Klink stopped as he registered the emptiness of the cell. Disbelieving, he took a fast look outside the cell, then turned and looked back in and scanned the room carefully. "Schultz, did someone already come here and take Hogan?" he asked, astonished.

"No, Herr Kommandant," Schultz said, wondering if he sounded a bit too emphatic.

"B-But—but he is gone!" Klink went further into the room and turned around every which way. "Schultz, there is no place he could have gone without going through that door. Did you let anyone in here?"

"Of course not, Herr Kommandant!" Schultz answered. They let themselves in!

"Then someone has helped Hogan to escape!"

"Shall I call out the dogs, Herr Kommandant?"

Klink paused. Hogan would have to be moving very slowly if the way he looked was any clear indication of his condition. If the dogs came out now, Hogan would be caught, and Klink would be guilty of helping a monster like Hochstetter fulfill an order that he didn't agree with. If Klink didn't order them out, he would be accused of helping the enemy. Either way he played it, Klink wouldn't come out on top. Finally, he said, "Yes, Schultz. But first I want you to go get clothes for the Colonel, and bring them back here. Then you can sound the alarm."

"But Herr Kommandant, Colonel Hogan will surely get away!"

"Just do as I say, Sergeant. And in the order I have told you. Or I will be putting you on report!"