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Weaving A Web To Freedom

Book Three: Fliegerabwehrkanonen Spells FLAK

Chapter 18

Just the Facts

Hogan was left standing in the hall with his two guards while Hildebrand disappeared. He shifted his weight trying to find some comfort. He ached all over and his headache was getting worse. What's going on? Are we just going to stand her until they're ready for me? Within a few minutes Hildebrand appeared at the end of the hall and motioned for the guards and Hogan. They followed the Lieutenant around the corner. This looks familiar…oh I remember…this is…wait a minute! Hogan slowed his steps as they approached an open door, until finally, he stopped walking all together.

"No! What did Krantz tell you?

Hildebrand stopped at the doorway and turned back toward Hogan. He looked at the guards on either side of the prisoner and nodded. Hogan resisted but was ushered in anyway. The doctor looked up from where he was laying out the instruments he would need and nodded, "Lay him there.

"I don't …" Hogan stopped as he was grabbed from behind by the two guards and wrestled over to the exam table.

The German doctor stopped what he was doing, looked at Hildebrand and gave him a questioning look.

Hildebrand sighed, "There is no time for this!" With Hildebrand's help, Hogan soon found himself secured on his right side, his hands still cuffed behind his back.

"Okay doctor take a look." Hogan heard Hildebrand say from behind him.

Pulling the Colonel's shirt up he removed the towel and exposed the wound. The bleeding had almost stopped but the wound was red and swollen.

"I'll have to cut the tract open that the bullet hollowed out on entry. River water and debris will be trapped in it." He began to draw up a syringe.

"What are you doing?" Hildebrand demanded.

"I'm going to knock him out for a little bit. I don't feel like operating on a struggling patient."

Gretchen's hands came in contact with Hogan's skin as she placed towels around the wound for the doctor's surgical debridement.

"The skin is warm,Herr Doctor. He already has a fever."

The doctor felt Hogan's exposed skin, "Ja, infection is setting in," The German doctor agreed.

Hogan pulled against the restraints when he saw the syringe. "Like you said before, we…you, don't have time for this Lieutenant! Just take me to Krantz's office like you were ordered."

Ignoring the prisoner's protests, Hildebrand stepped forward and stopped the downward stroke of the doctors syringe filled hand. "Nein, you can't knock him out. He has to be able to talk to General Kaltenbrunner in a little while."

"Kaltenbrunner? General Kaltenbrunner is here?" Pointing at Hogan he asked, "Who is this man?"

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Kaltenbrunner summed up the information gathered.

"Colonel Klink, you say Dozier came to Stalag 13 asking to see Colonel Hogan and then invited you both to dinner, after which, he dropped you back at camp and drove off with Colonel Hogan.

Lieutenant Dresdner says the soldiers at Dozier's camp confirmed that Dozier appeared angry at the American and was asking him questions between punches.

Does anybody know why Dozier and Hogan were in a truck on the bridge when it exploded?" The General waited, but there was no answer.

"No? Maybe it is time to bring the prisoner in," The General suggested.

"Herr General, I have one thing to add."

"Well, lets here it, Captain!"

Krantz pulled the Petri dish out of his pocket, removed the slug and handed it to the General. I removed that from the prisoner earlier this morning. Klink and Burkhalter leaned in on the table to see what had been handed to Kaltenbrunner.

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Closing his eyes, he rested for a second waiting for his heart to quit pounding in his ears. The gauze covered tongue blade, provided to help cope with the pain, was still in his mouth, but not clutched as tightly as before.

"He's done, Colonel Hogan." Gretchen said, tugging on the "home made" bite block until Hogan was focused enough to let it go. The nurse wiped the perspiration from the Colonel's face with one hand as she passed bandages to the doctor with the other.

"I cleaned and debrided it well, but it should be examined and cleaned for a couple of days to make sure it is going to heal. I mean if anybody cares!" the doctor added, while putting the dressing on. "There, he's yours!" the doctor said.

"Thanks for making it quick. I've got to get him to Krantz's office before they send for him.

Hogan was pulled off the table as Hildebrand finished telling the doctor what little he knew about the prisoner and his situation.

"We don't know why the General Staff wants him. But I wouldn't want to be in his shoes!" Hildebrand finished with a smile. And then motioning to the guards ordered, "Escort the prisoner to Captain Krantz's office."

The guards whisked Hogan out of the room.

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The General rolled the slug across his palm. "Where was the prisoner hit?"

"In his left side, Herr General," Krantz answered.

"What…" Kaltenbrunner stopped, "Get the Doctor that took this out, I want to talk to him."

"I took it out, Herr General," Krantz knew what the next question would be, so he offered his answer up. Placing his hand on his dagger sheath, he said, "With this."

Klink's mouth dropped open as he looked through his monocle at the SS Captain, unsure whether to believe him.

"Well, Captain, the American is still alive so I must assume you are either a brilliant surgeon, or the bullet was not deep. I say that it was not deep." The General looked again at the flattened irregular shape and commented, "My guess would be a ricochet."

"Jawohl, Herr General. It entered about here," Krantz pointed at his left side. "It didn't have enough momentum left to break through the skin again so it skidded along to the back left side and lodged.

Klink sat back and folded his arms, concentrating on what the SS Captain was saying.

Kaltenbrunner nodded thoughtfully. "Was there gunfire exchanged at the gun sight before the explosions?"

Lieutenant Dresdner entered the conversation, "Nein, Herr General, but some say a man approached from the woods, and talked for a length of time with Oberst Dozier, after which both Obersts left in the troop truck. The American Colonel had to have been shot after leaving Oberst Dozier's camp. If they were working together, they could have mined the bridge, been caught by the guards guarding it, and been fired on, preventing them from clearing the bridge before it blew up. That would explain the American's wound."

Kaltenbrunner smiled and answered, "That would be one explanation. But then you're saying the beating inflicted on the American was staged. And if all of this were true, it sill leaves us with how he escaped the explosion on the bridge?"

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Being man-handled back to Krantz's office, Hogan commented, "You fellas are developing quite a skill for after the war! I happen to know a little bar not far from the Base that could use your expertise!"

Hildebrand stopped outside of Krantz office, and looked at the American, "Shut up!"

Hogan shrugged his shoulders with indifference.

Motioning toward the door leading into the Captain's office, the Lieutenant ordered , "Take him in there and wait for me."

Hogan watched the German officer disappeared down the hall as he was dragged inside Krantz's office. His eyes fell on the desk cluttered with papers and he wondered how he could get close to the desk and take a look. Knowing better than to try and walk straight to it he took an unsteady step and sank to his knees, hung his head and fell forward to the floor. He found this didn't take any acting ability at all. it was just a matter of giving in to his fatigue.

"Nein," The guards reached down and pulled him to his feet. He remained limp and they sought out a chair to put him in. Preferably one with arms to help keep him in it. They headed for the desk chair, just as Hogan had hoped, pushed him up to the desk and let his head fall onto it.

Hogan remained motionless letting the guards think he had passed out. Not a difficult assumption, considering. He lay for a few minutes and then moaned a little and feigned recovery, pulling his head up and plopping back in the chair with his eyes closed. He watched the guards through barely opened eyes, when he was sure they were not paying any attention to him, he began one of his favorite pastimes, reading the tops of German officers desks. He had gotten quite good at it. He could read upside down and sideways almost as quickly as right side up.

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"Then, it was right after this 'mystery man' left that Oberst Dozier and Colonel Hogan left together in the truck. It sounds like the American Colonel holds the answer to several questions. Is there anything more anyone wants to add?" Kaltenbrunner asked.

Everyone remained silent.

"Very well, then bring the prisoner in and lets see if we can get to the bottom of this!

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A train schedule …A shipment of MG – 42's…passing through Hammelburg. Hogan continued to scan the desk and read the stamp on the outside of a large envelope. Confidential! Hmm, I wonder what's in that. It's going to be a little difficult to find out with my hands chained behind my back!

The door suddenly opened and Hogan let his eyes close and appeared to be resting. His body grabbed at the moment hungrily. Krantz stopped abruptly, looked at the position of his prisoner and then back at the guards.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "Why do you have the prisoner sitting at my desk?"

"He collapsed, Herr Hauptmann!" the guards answered.

"So you put him in front of confidential information that could be leaked out! I'll deal with you later! Krantz growled.

Hogan opened his eyes as if the commotion had awakened him and the Captain approached. "They are ready for you now, Herr Oberst. We want some answers! And if you know what is good for you, you'll give them."

"Captain, I had nothing to do with the sabotage activities. If you don't believe me ask the Kommandant. He'll tell you…" Hogan was cut off.

"I know, I know, there has never been a successful escape from Stalag 13! I've heard it! General Kaltenbrunner will get the truth out of you! Get up!"