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

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

"Colonel Klink, we need your help."

The Kommandant sat on his cot in the tunnel, having spent the better part of the week contemplating his future and his past, looking up in surprise at the young Sergeant before him. "My help?" he asked. "It would not seem your standard practice to ask when you need my help, Sergeant. You just manipulate me however you need to."

Carter shifted from foot to foot. He knew the Kommandant was right. But he didn't like the way it was obviously intended to reflect on Colonel Hogan. He avoided answering while he debated how to say what he wanted to say. In the end he just blurted out his thoughts. "Colonel Hogan only ever did what he had to do. He couldn't do what London ordered us to do without getting around you. And no matter how nice a guy you are, Kommandant, Colonel Hogan had to follow orders. And he follows orders even if it gets him in trouble. That's why he's in trouble now. I mean, you told him to get out of camp, and he wanted to get out, too, I mean he was scared to death, you could see it—but London wanted us to blow up that refinery, and so he stayed and did that first, because he thought it would be too dangerous for the rest of us—and then look what happened. I mean if it weren't for the Germans, he wouldn't even be in this kind of trouble. Heck, he wouldn't even be in Germany." Carter faltered to a stop, slowly letting out a breath and taking in the startled expression on Klink's face. "So don't talk bad about Colonel Hogan, Kommandant," Carter finished. "He doesn't deserve it." Then he added, "Sir."

Klink blinked silently for a moment, taken by surprise by Carter's heartfelt defense of his commanding officer. Once again his mind pricked at his conscience—Could you inspire such loyalty in your own men? It looks like you could have learned a lot from Colonel Hogan. "I appreciate what you're saying, Sergeant," he answered at last. "And I am learning to accept what Colonel Hogan has told me about what you have all been doing down here. But you must understand that I follow orders as well. And to find out that you have been operating under my nose—under my feet!—all this time, and using me when it suited your purpose—my enemy's purpose—comes as a bit of a shock." Carter said nothing, still recovering from his own outburst. "I respect that Colonel Hogan is a fine soldier. Please tell me what it is you need to know."

Carter cleared his throat and tried to remember what he had come here for in the first place. "We need to know about Captain Eichberger."

Klink snorted. "What about him?" he asked.

"Well, he started out being really nasty to everyone. But now he told Colonel Hogan he's on our side. I mean, the Allies'."

Klink couldn't stop a sarcastic laugh from slipping out. "Oh, really? How do you know this?"

"Colonel Hogan told Sergeant Wilson when he went down there to take care of him."

Klink heard the slight change in Carter's tone of voice, and for just an instant he worried. "Take care of him?"

"Oh," Carter said, trying to sound dismissive but failing miserably, "well, you know, Eichberger had taken off all the Colonel's bandages, and he got an infection."

"And you think this man might be on your side?" Klink asked, incredulous.

"People have to do all sorts of things they wouldn't normally do when they're under cover, Kommandant," Carter explained. "Anyway, the Colonel wants us to see if we can find out anything about Captain Eichberger, to prove his story."

"Well, you won't find out anything from me," Klink said, resigned. "I don't know much about the man, except that he was quite anxious to take over my spot when I was arrested."

"Had you ever heard of him before?" Carter asked.

"Oh, here and there," Klink said, waving a hand lightly as though to show the uselessness of his information. "A bright spark, some upstart who came in from nowhere a few months ago, very aggressive about wanting to move up the ranks." Klink shook his head. "Major Hochstetter will know all about him."

"I don't think he'll tell us much," Carter mused.

"No, I doubt he will," Klink answered.

"Well, thanks, Kommandant." Carter paused. "You know, you're not a bad guy, I mean for a German. I know it might seem confusing right now, but don't worry. Sometimes it's confusing to me, too, but Colonel Hogan always comes up with something, and then it's all clear again." He straightened as though to firm his resolve. "And he'll come up with something this time, too."

Klink nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry you can't go back upstairs," Carter said. "But we'll make it as easy for you as we can. We don't treat anybody bad, honest."

Klink nodded again. It had been playing on his mind quite a bit lately that he would not get to say a proper goodbye to the people he cared about or worked with. And the question of what would happen after he was away from Hogan had also been uppermost in his thoughts. But so far, Hogan's men had been fair, almost kind, to him. And he could only hope that Papa Bear's influence would travel all the way back to London. "You have been very fair-minded with me, considering the situation," Klink acknowledged. "Do you know how long I will be here?"

Carter shrugged. "It depends on what we find out about Eichberger. And on what Colonel Hogan says he wants us to do. Captain Eichberger gave him thirty days in the cooler, so we've gotta wait and see what happens. The Underground is lying low because of all the Kraut activity in Hammelburg right now, so we have to figure out how to get you out, and London's not helping—we think."

Klink had cringed at Carter's choice of words. "Your London doesn't seem very helpful," he observed neutrally.

"No." Carter screwed up his face, the closest he could come to anger. "Y'know, sometimes they make me so mad. Colonel Hogan works really hard for them, and they don't understand what it's like down here—they ask for the impossible, they forget we're prisoners." Carter put on a lopsided smile. "But the Colonel always manages anyway. He doesn't like to send back a message that says we've failed."

"You're very loyal to Colonel Hogan," Klink said.

"Oh, yes, sir," Carter said, suddenly enthusiastic. "We'd just be ordinary prisoners of war if it weren't for Colonel Hogan. Gee, he took command of the unit when London asked him to, even though he wanted to leave, and that wasn't easy, not after the way the Krauts had been hounding him—oops, sorry, Kommandant. But it's true. And he's never let us down, boy, not ever. I mean he won't even let us go out if he thinks there's trouble, and he didn't let us go out the night that London wanted us to blow up that refinery, no, sir, and look at the trouble it got him." Carter smiled sheepishly. "I—I think I already said that."

Klink couldn't think of anything to say in the face of such devotion. "You did," he stated lamely.

Carter shifted feet. "Anyway, Kommandant, that's what I think of Colonel Hogan. And all the other fellas feel the same. So when I tell you that he's going to do the right thing, you can believe it."

Klink nodded. "Yes, Sergeant, I think I can."

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

Hogan grimaced, eyes still closed, and tried to pull away as he felt a sharp prick in his upper right arm. But a firm hand held him in place, and he blinked himself fully awake to see Wilson easing a needle out of his arm. "You could have warned a guy," he grumbled, using his left hand to rub his eyes.

Wilson put away the syringe and helped Hogan to sit up. "I've been here for ten minutes," he said. "You weren't going to wake up if a brass band played next to you. Besides, you still need your sleep."

"I've been getting it. Why didn't you come yesterday to tell me what you found out?"

"I did. But you still had a fever and you didn't wake up then, either." Hogan was silenced. "Your temperature's down today; how's the pain?"

"A lot better." Hogan tried to obliterate the memory of the last few days, no, make that the last few weeks. "Thanks a lot, Joe. I owe you, big."

Wilson smiled. "I'll just add it on to your tab. Now, how's your thinking? Are you clear enough to remember everything I tell you today?"

Hogan shot Wilson a look, then decided not to pursue the issue. The fact that he hadn't woken up when the medic had visited told him more than he wanted to know. "Yeah, I'm sure I am," he said simply.

"Kinch spoke to London yesterday. They say there was an agent sent in to infiltrate military intelligence in Germany about a year back—code name Black Forest. They said you know the recognition code."

Hogan furrowed his brow, thinking. "Yeah, I do."

"They lost track of him a few months back. They said they were afraid he might have gone to the other side, but they never found him again, and there were no repercussions to your operation, so they presumed he was simply undercover and had not contacted them out of fear of being exposed. They say this might be him, but they're making no guarantees."

Hogan frowned. "Physical description?"

"Matches, Colonel. But there are a lot of men that look like Eichberger, and without a photograph it's impossible to tell if he's the right guy."

"There's one way," Hogan said.

"And there's another thing, too."

"What's that?"

"Klink says Eichberger's a fairly recent acquisition. Made himself known when he joined the ranks, wanted to move up the ladder pretty quickly. Said all the right things to all the right people. Made a lot of friends, and fast."

"Sounds like he could be our man." Hogan shifted on the cot. "Tell the boys to keep watch on Eichberger, but don't let him in on anything—anything—until we're sure we've got the real McCoy—and until we know he hasn't turned traitor."

"That won't be a problem. He hasn't made a lot of friends in his time here."

"I don't think that was one of his objectives."

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

"Let me handle Colonel Hogan, General Burkhalter. He is just beginning to relax around me."

"I cannot see why he would feel comfortable with you around, Captain Eichberger. Are you coddling someone who has escaped from the camp?"

"Of course not, Herr General. But if I can get Hogan to trust me, I might be able to get more information out of him. Something Major Hochstetter could not do with all his more... primitive methods."

"Hochstetter is not known for his bedside manner," Burkhalter admitted. "Has he been back to camp since you reported Colonel Hogan's return?"

"No, General, but he has called. He wanted to take Hogan back to Gestapo Headquarters for questioning over this sabotage business. However, as there has been some continued sabotage activity since Hogan first disappeared, I explained that as the camp Kommandant, it is my responsibility to deal with the prisoners, and since the Fuhrer had withdrawn his order of execution, the Major had no right to remove Hogan again. From what I understand, his accusations of espionage are merely a front to continue his campaign against the American. And that will simply disrupt this camp, again."

"So you are suggesting that I not see Hogan either?" Burkhalter asked.

Eichberger hesitated. "Well, yes, Herr General. Since you were the one who passed on the Fuhrer's order in the first place. Perhaps it is best if you do not see Hogan. At least for now."

Burkhalter nodded. "Very well, Eichberger. I will trust you on this." He replaced his hat and headed for the office door. "But keep me informed. I want to know if Hogan tells you anything about where he was when he was out of camp. And if he knows anything about where Klink might be. I am willing to let you do this your way, Captain, because I know that Hogan will not slip away from you as he did from Klink."

"No, General Burkhalter. Hogan will not get out of camp again—at least, not alive."

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

Hogan raised his eyes quietly to Eichberger's face as the German entered the cell again two days later. "So, Hogan, have you thought about what we talked about the other day?"

Hogan shrugged. "There's nothing to think about. You must have mistaken me for someone else."

"I told you, Colonel Hogan, I do not lie." Eichberger nodded the guard away from the cell and moved in closer. "Have your men not checked out my story?"

"When have I seen my men?" Hogan retorted.

"Come now, Colonel—the medic has been here; I have allowed him in. Surely you have passed on some information to the men in your unit to check me out."

"I've been asleep when he comes; we haven't talked."

"What can I say to make you believe me?" Hogan remained silent. "If I was on the side of the Germans, would I keep everything I know a secret? Would I tell you that I know you are Papa Bear?"

Hogan shrugged. "Maybe. If you were trying to trap me. That is, if there was anything to your story. I don't know anything about this Papa Bear you keep going on about. You're talking out of your hat, Eichberger. You've got nothing on me. And Hochstetter's got nothing on me. This is just a different way of approaching the same old thing. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Eichberger paused. "But the ground is hard and unyielding."

Hogan waited, then said slowly, "So the apple rolls down the hillside."

"And is then fit for nothing but pie. Now do you believe me, Colonel?"

Hogan was tempted. But something still held him back. "Nice little poem you made up there," he said.

Eichberger shook his fists in frustration. "Colonel, that is the code I have been taught. You know that is true. I am Black Forest!"

Hogan's stance didn't change. "Hogan, Robert E., Colonel, US Army Air Corps. 0876707. Nice to meet you."

Eichberger nodded, understanding. "You are cautious. Angry, perhaps, because I have had to act like one of these Nazi pigs in order to infiltrate them. Because I must maintain this charade, and that includes keeping you in here, and treating you this way. But surely you must know what it takes to remain safe in the midst of the enemy. And so do I." Hogan didn't look at him. "General Burkhalter was here yesterday. He wanted to see you, but I sent him away. And Major Hochstetter has been swarming around, asking questions, wanting to take you back to Hammelburg. But I have kept him also at bay. Why would I do this, if I were not on your side?"

Hogan said nothing.

"Very well. You have time to consider. I must keep you in here or risk being exposed to my superiors." Eichberger let out a short bark of a laugh. "Superiors. That's a joke. Those fools cannot see past the ends of their noses." He crouched down to speak more softly near Hogan. "Please, Colonel. I am doing all I can to help. If I wanted to, I could have exposed you by now. You would have been dead instantly."

"Not if Hochstetter had anything to say about it."

Eichberger shook his head regretfully. "No. Not if Hochstetter had anything to say about it. He is a madman, and you have suffered greatly because of him."

"And you."

"And me. I am sorry, Colonel Hogan. To be thought of as one of them, I must act as one of them."

"Maybe you are one of them."

"I am not. My actions will prove my innocence."

"They haven't proven a lot so far."

"I promise you, I am here to help. Please. Please see for yourself."

"I don't have a lot of choice. I've got another twenty-one days before I can even think about life outside this hole. You can do whatever you want, Eichberger. I have no place to go."