Chapter Fourteen

The Aftermath

"Here Andre, let me help you get those clothes off. At this rate you'll still be changing when roll call is over." Louis tugged on the black shirt, pulling it over Carter's head.

"Here, what's this, are you offering valet service?" Newkirk wisecracked as he caught up with his friends.

"Carter just needs a little help. He'll be all right." LeBeau explained.

"No, I won't," Carter mumbled. "It was my bomb! The one I planted in the middle of the bridge that killed the Colonel! The one I put together with these hands." Carter looked at his empty hands.

"Carter, you didn't kill the Colonel. The Nazis did that. You had no way of knowing the Krauts would take Colonel Hogan over that bridge. You're no more to blame than we are for not going in and getting him, like I suggested."

"Are you trying to say he would still be alive if we had rushed them?" LeBeau cried out in disbelief.

"HOLD ON, HOLD ON, EVERYONE!" Kinch arrived just as the tension was finally being released. "We're all overcome with grief right now. No one is at fault. We've been lucky up until now. The Colonel knew, just as we all do, that each mission could be our last. There was nothing we could have done any differently, and the Colonel would be the first one to tell you that. Everything went off as planned. The mission was a success. He would have been proud of all of you.

"Now we have to decide something. I need to call London and they'll want to know if we feel the operation can continue? Do I tell them no? It's only a matter of time before they trace him back to us. His presence in Dozier's camp will surely be investigated. Or do I tell them we can handle it and we stay and finish what the Colonel started?"

Three pairs of eyes stared back at him. They had never anticipated having to make this decision. Their minds were rebelling, not wanting to focus on the reality just laid out before them. Do they abandon all the work and good they had done together?

Carter was the first to speak.

"What kind of a question is that? The Colonel thought this operation was important. We've sent a lot of our guys back to England and saved a lot of Allied lives with our sabotage. I feel I owe it to the Colonel to see it through." Carter paused and looked down. "If I walked out now, I don't think I could live with myself. I'd feel like I let Colonel Hogan down."

Newkirk and Louis were speechless. They both stood staring at their normally shy, partner. Newkirk put his arm around Carter's shoulder. "Thank you Andrew, I couldn't have said it better myself."

"Oui, what kind of a tribute to Colonel Hogan's memory would it be to give up."

A bittersweet smile played at the corners of Kinch's mouth. "Thanks, guys. I'll wire London in a little bit. I just need a few minutes to…" Kinch cleared his throat, "…get the wording right."

Newkirk swallowed and lowered his head. He felt drained. Kicking at the dirt, he looked back up.

"And you're right, Kinch. It was that lousy Kraut Colonel's fault for taking the Colonel there! We did what we could." And then looking back at LeBeau and Andrew mumbled, "Sorry mates, I…" Clearing his throat he turned back around, unable to speak.

"Oui, me, too." Louis patted Newkirk on the back and then turned to Carter. "Come Andre, let's go up to the barracks. It will soon be time for roll call."

Carter sucked in his grief as best he could. Why couldn't I have made a dud, just this one time?

Newkirk followed behind Carter and LeBeau. Looking back he asked, "You coming, Kinch?"

"Yeah, I'll be up in a minute. I'm going to try to get Tiger on the radio and let her know…the mission was a success."

"You want me to stay?" Newkirk asked. He knew that wouldn't be an easy call to make. Tiger was more than fond of Colonel Hogan.

"No thanks, Newkirk, I'd rather do this alone," Kinch answered.

Peter nodded and climbed up the ladder.

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His body tensed as he regained consciousness and reality began to assert itself once again. The freezing temperature began to register. Water was lapping at his right ear. Opening his eyes half way he could see in the moonlight a muddy bank and dry weeds. Opening his eyes wider, he raised his head trying to put things into perspective.

Where am I? Using his hands to push up, he felt then saw the handcuffs.

Explosion…on the bridge.

Rolling onto his side, he struggled up on one elbow and looked down the river to where the bridge once stood.

Good job men, I knew you'd get it done.

Inching himself forward out of the water's edge, he shivered.

I'm going to freeze to death if I don't get moving. The Germans will be coming to check the damage. Unfortunately, I'll have to take my chances with them if I'm going to survive. I've got to get closer to the wreckage it will take too long for anyone to find me here. These wet clothes are a death sentence.

He pushed himself up grunting against the pain.

"Ugh-" A particularly sharp pain grabbed his left side and he clutched at it. Staggering to his feet, coughing and hissing through clenched teeth, he began to stumble back up stream.

Got to keep moving, almost there, he thought, as the wreckage became more dense.

His eyes began to water and his teeth chatter from the cold air whipping around him. Ice crystals were forming on the surface layers of his clothes and hair.

I'm not feeling the cold as much now. What was it they taught us about hypothermia? I can't think, that can't be a good sign…running out of time.

The cold was barely noticeable now, and all he really wanted to do was to lie down and go to sleep.

Got to stay awake just a little longer.

Blindly starting up the side of the ravine, he tried to grab the dead grass and rocks, with hands too cold to offer much support. Twice he slid back, losing ground, before making it to the top.

Can't go any more. Is that…light…is it a fire…heat…so…tired.

Stumbling his way toward what he saw only as light, he fell to his knees unable to go on. But the light continued to get closer. The headlights from the truck carrying SS soldiers kept him in their beam.

Staring blankly his eyes no longer saw what was in front of him. Instead, he reached out to grab an invisible hand that only he could see and listened to a voice only he could hear.

"It's time to rest, son."

"Home," he whispered, barely audible, and smiled, sitting back on his legs.

"Halt!" the SS Captain called.

With guns raised, he and two guards approached, the man they saw next to the bombed out bridge.

"Put your hands on your head."

Hogan did not move to comply and a shot was fired into the ground in front of him.

"Put your hands on your head!" The order was repeated and the guard took aim. This time to bring his target down.

Suddenly the Captain put his hand on the rifle and pointed it down. Captain Krantz could see the man was wet, battered and appeared to be talking incoherently.

"Nein, I think he is a survivor from the explosion." But as Krantz drew closer, he began to recognize the uniform shirt with the Eagles on the collar as American, and then he saw the cuffed hands. Drawing his pistol, he took aim, pointing his gun at the Allied soldier's head.

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Hochstetter was reviewing the facts relayed to him over the phone. He had ordered more patrols to expand the search.

Those saboteurs have had time to make their escape. They set up a diversion and my men fell for it. I'll ask Dozier what he knows when they catch up with him. They say he was heading for Hammelburg with Colonel Hogan. I wonder what that was all about.

His thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing once again.

"This is Major Hochstetter…ja, ja, Heil Hitler!" he answered, waving his hand limply in the air.

"What do you mean the bridge is GONE? Were Oberst Dozier and Colonel Hogan on the bridge when it blew up?" he asked his mind racing. "Well, check the roads between the bridge and Hammelburg and if you don't find them…no wait, send more troops out to start patrolling the river bank. If you find them have them brought here, dead or alive. And have the patrols look for any evidence the saboteurs may have left behind…What? Oh, ja, ja, Heil Hitler!"

I wish there was some way to get in touch with Captain Voss.

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Klink and Schultz could see small fires as they approached the bombed out bridge. Wooden planks lay burning all across the landscape. The staff car stopped at the rivers edge. Their headlights glared out across the expanse as another set of headlights shines back, lighting the ground in front of the SS truck like a stage.

Herr, Kommandant, there is someone on the other side."

The watched as a man stumbled toward the SS Captain and dropped to his knees.

"Herr, Kommandant that is Colonel Hogan!"

Klink jumped out of the car and yelled, "This is Kommandant Klink from Stalag 13. That man is my prisoner."

The SS officer on the other side of the bridge, his gun still pointed at Hogan's head, held his fire.

"He is my prisoner now, and about to be executed for sabotage."

"Captain, the Fuhrer's General Staff will be here tomorrow to see him. I suggest, if you don't want to spend the rest of your life marching a post in the snow, that you keep him alive. He is of extreme importance and not your saboteur." Klink held his breath. Would his threat work?

Schultz stood in shocked disbelief next to the staff car, his eyes glued to the scene occurring on the opposite bank.

"Did you say the General Staff?"

Klink exhaled.

"Ja, but this is not the time to discuss it. Put him in your truck and head for the Düsseldorf Bridge, we will meet you." Klink waited. Finally, the SS officer slowly brought his arm down to his side.

Schultz closed his eyes and swallowed.

"Come, Schultz, we must hurry."

On the other side of the ravine, the SS Captain had the prisoner placed inside the truck and climbed inside to look him over. The prisoner lay shivering at his feet. He bent down to get a closer look.

"What were you doing at the bridge?" he asked.

Hogan was in and out of awareness. SS…what…name…rank… "H…Ho…ga…gan…C…Col…onel…" This was as far as he got his body began to shake more violently and delirium overtook him.

Krantz had seen men die from hyperthermia and realizedthis man would never make it unless they started getting him warm.

"Get those wet clothes off of him. You'll have to rip his shirt off. I don't have keys for the handcuffs"

The SS troops in the back of the truck began removing Hogan's freezing clothes as the truck headed for the next bridge.

The Captain noted his prisoner's multiple contusions, no doubt obtained during the blast. But there wasn't a lot of bleeding which he chalked up to being half frozen.His curiosity was peaked. If this man was not a saboteur, what was he doing at the bridge? Taking off his overcoat, he handed it to his men.

"Wrap this around him and move him to the middle of the truck. Lay him flat and sit around him to keep the wind off of him, perhaps it will be enough to keep him alive, until Colonel…what was his name…Kink?... explains!

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"This is Captain Voss, Gestapo. He hasn't been very talkative, but we think he may know what happened to Black Paw," Armin explained, as they turned their prisoner over to Kregg, the man who would take Captain Voss to his next rendezvous.

"I don't see how he could be very talkative with that gag in his mouth and his hands tied behind his back. Has he been giving you any trouble?" Kregg asked.

"There were a lot of patrols out after we finished our work. We couldn't take any chances." Lutz answered, sullen faced.

"Is there something else going on here? You two look like you just buried your best friend," Kregg observed.

"We lost 'Papa Bear' tonight," Armin said quietly.

Kregg stared at the man bearing that news for a moment before asking, "Does London know?"

He shook his head no. I don't think there's been time," Armin said, as he looked at Voss. "Guard this one well, he knows a lot."

"Where he's going it will do him no good," Kregg answered, while taking Voss by the arm. "Come on, Captain, we've got a nice boat ride and a question and answer session waiting on you." Kregg and his men turned and disappeared into the forest.

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"You still haven't convinced me this man had nothing to do with tonight's activities. You said yourself he wasn't handcuffed the last time you saw him. But until I learn more, I'll leave him in your safekeeping. You say General Kaltenbrunner is arriving tomorrow? What is the importance of this prisoner?" the SS Captain questioned.

"Ja, the General will be here tomorrow, if you have any questions take them up with him! I can't tell you any more, its classified information and I don't want to walk a post in the snow either."

Klink paused to watch the SS soldiers place Hogan in his staff car.

"What does he have on?"

Hogan was cocooned in the Captain's coat. His arms, still cuffed, were buttoned inside.

"My coat! I will be by for it later." The Captain turned as one of his men approached with what was left of Hogan's wet clothes. He took them and thrust them into Klink's hands.

"I kept him alive for you! But if you've lied to me, I'll be back to collect on that debt."

Turning, the Captain ordered his men, back in the truck and left to join them.

Klink turned and walked back to his staff car.

"Is he trouble, Kommandant?"

"Have you ever known the SS not to be? Get in the car, Schultz. We've got to get Hogan back to camp."

Klink climbed into the backseat.

Hogan was shivering violently and trying to move his arms which were restrained under the coat. Opening his eyes, he looked around the car apprehensively. He could make out a German helmet in the seat in front of him. The last thing he remembered was the SS officer.

"Colonel Hogan? Can you hear me?" Klink asked.

Hogan turned his head in the direction of the voice and nodded. With slurred speech, he mumbled something incoherent, his teeth began to chatter as his body shook more violently.

"Cold," he whispered, before closing his eyes and slipping away again.

"I know," Klink answered.

"Schultz, we need to get something warm inside of him. Stop back at Dozier's camp. Maybe we can find some hot coffee or something. If I'm remembering my first aid right, we need to start warming him from the inside out."

"Jawohl, Kommandant…Herr Kommandant is he going to be all right?."

"I don't know, Schultz. With hypothermia the body temperature continues to drop for a short while even after you get them someplace warm. That's why we need to get some warm fluids down him."

Schultz stepped down on the gas.

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"…the truck was in pieces, there were no survivors, Major Hochstetter."

Hochstetter took a moment for the news to register. There would be no answers coming from Dozier and Hogan. He searched his mind for his next step. "Did you find any remnants from the explosives? Anything that would give us a clue what they used? Were they military issue or homemade. German or Allied, did you learn anything at all?"

"Nothing, Herr Major, at least not yet."

"Keep looking! There has to be something! What about the soldiers at the artillery site? Have you questioned all of them?"

"Nein, they were busy with their casualties, Herr Major."

"Then go back and get started. Question every man! Someone had to see something!"

"Jawohl, Herr Major! Heil Hitler!"

"Heil Hitler! Bah!" Hochstetter ended the call.

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Smoldering pieces of metal and glowing embers scattered the ground where Dozier's artillery once stood. Both the SS and the Gestapo were converging on the site.

"Are you telling me you had the American Colonel in your truck and you turned him over to Oberst Klink! What are you an idiot?" The Gestapo Lieutenant questioned.

"You are talking to a Captain in the SS, Lieutenant Dresdner, I would suggest you watch your tongue!" Captain Krantz SS was not accustomed to being treated disrespectfully and would not tolerate it, especially from somebody with lesser rank! "At least I found him, which is more than you can say!"

"I am speaking for my commanding officer Major Hochstetter, who is in the hospital and appointed me his adjutant. So it is a Major's voice I use. And the Major wants the American brought to him dead or alive!" Dresdner demanded.

"You are still a Lieutenant, I outrank you here, and the American Colonel is, or soon will be, the property of the SS. We will pick him up and take him in for questioning. Have your Major get in touch with the SS." The Captain turned and stormed out of the command tent.

Things were calming down outside. First aid had been given to the wounded and those needing additional care, were on their way to the hospital. The Gestapo was combing the woods looking for partisans. Captain Krantz could see nothing more he and his men could contribute here.

It was time to take his troops and retrieve the American and… Suddenly Krantz's eyes fell on the Sergeant from Stalag 13 coming out of the tent being used for first aide.

Klink turned as the car door opened and looked at Schultz. "Did you get some coffee, Schultz?" he asked.

"Herr Kommandant, Captain Krantz wants to talk to you," Schultz answered, as he stepped back to allow Krantz to look in.

"Kommandant Klink, I told you I would be back if I learned any new information. The Gestapo Lieutenant tells me that Major Hochstetter has issued an order for the arrest of your prisoner on suspicion of sabotage," Krantz informed Klink.

"Whaaat? That is ridiculous, he has been with either me or Dozier all night!" Klink protested.

"That is where I come in. Since Colonel Hogan is under suspicion and the cannons were blown up while Oberst Dozier and Oberst Hogan were together, then Oberst Dozier is now under suspicion by association, but since we cannot find Oberst Dozier we will question Oberst Hogan. Please step out of the car, Kommandant." Krantz took a step back to give Klink room to exit the staff car.

Klink stepped out of the car enraged. "This is preposterous! General Burkhalter will not be happy about this!" Klink shouted, shaking his fist.

"Because of the condition of the prisoner, I am taking your car, it will be warmer than the truck." The SS Captain motioned for one of his soldiers to enter the car from the other side while he slid in past Klink. Another soldier slipped into the driver's seat and started the car. Krantz took the coffee Schultz was holding and closed the door.

"What do we do now, Herr Kommandant?" Schultz asked innocently.

Klink headed for the Command tent and a phone. "What a mess! And it's all because I didn't say 'no' to Dozier."

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"Hello, this is Major Hochstetter," The Major answered picking up the phone on the first ring.

"Heil Hitler!" Dresdner answered. "This is Lieutenant Dresdner, Major! I have…"

"Have you finished questioning the soldiers present at Oberst Dozier's camp?" Hochstetter interrupted. Being away from the action that was occurring in the field was taking its toll on him. He felt like he was going to explode. Without personally being present to take control, he believed everything had been handled wrong from the beginning.

"No Major, but I have some good news," Dresdner paused savoring the moment he knew would finally please his commanding officer.

Hochstetter waited a heartbeat and then gruffly asked, "Well, What is it!"

"Colonel Hogan has been found and is on his way back to Stalag 13 with Kommandant Klink."

"Colonel Hogan has been…" Hochstetter was momentarily speechless. "Why is he…Is he alive?"

"Ja, he's alive, but Captain Krantz said he has been exposed to the cold and is unable to talk."

"Bring him to me! I'll get him to talk." Hochstetter hissed. "And then the name Krantz registered. "Who is Captain Krantz?"

"SS," the Corporal answered.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone while Hochstetter considered the SS involvement. I guess that makes sense, considering the guns were a prototype.

"Jawohl, Herr Major, I will…" Dresdner was once again interrupted. Only this time by Klink, who had entered the tent in time to hear the Lieutenant's announcement to Hochstetter.

"You're wrong, Lieutenant, Captain Krantz has taken Colonel Hogan and my car! I need to use the phone to call General Burkhalter!"

"Hello…hello…What's going on, Lieutenant? Answer me!" Hochstetter placed a "strangle hold" on the phone.

There was a pause and then, "Uhh, Herr Major, Kommandant Klink just entered and said that the SS has taken the prisoner."

Dresdner held the phone away from his ear to save his hearing. And still the voice could be heard loud and clear. "GO GET HIM!" And then in a somewhat calmer voice, "Did you hear me Lieutenant?"

"Jawohl, Herr Major! But…the SS will not release him to me without orders."

"Just get started, I'll make some calls."

"Jawohl, Heil Hitler!" The only response Dresdner received was a loud click of the receiver.