The T.V. show Hogan's Heroes belongs to Bing Crosby Productions. No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred, and no infringement is intended.

Weaving A Web To Freedom

Book Three: Fliegerabwehrkanonen Spells FLAK

By Marty Miller Breedlove

Chapter 23

Hide and Seek

Three black clad figures wound their way quietly into Hammelburg. The town was draped heavily in darkness making their progression to the back of SS headquarters easier.

"If I remember correctly, Krantz's office is on the second floor in the back and the second office from the end. Newkirk, you're with me. Louis, you take look out."

Hogan had mixed feelings about returning to SS Headquarters. He could still smell the stench of suffering that surrounded him in his cell.

The men nodded and Newkirk crept over to the fire escape and jumped for the ladder. Pulling it down, he began his ascent with his commanding officer close behind.

Hogan's side was giving him more discomfort than he had anticipated, and he wondered if he would have been able to jump up for the ladder as Newkirk had done.

Once on the second story landing, Newkirk set to work picking the lock on the fire exit door. Hogan turned his back to the Englishman and checked the terrain for trouble. All was quiet. The lock clicked and Newkirk followed by Hogan vanished inside.

The hallway was quiet and well lit. Taking the lead, Hogan cautiously approached the door to Krantz's office and looking through the opaque glass in the top half of the door, saw that it was dark inside.

Pointing at the lock, he nodded to Newkirk. Newkirk set to work once again, while Hogan kept lookout down the hall. Within seconds they were inside.

It was a stark office with a desk across from the door. A large corkboard on one wall was brimming with papers hastily pinned in place waiting to be retrieved when needed. The opposite wall held a map of Hammelburg, Düsseldorf, and the surrounding area. Colored pins dotted its surface.

Hogan took out his flashlight, went to the desk, and began sifting through papers. Newkirk went to the filing cabinet and did a random search for any interesting bits of information.

The Colonel soon found what he was looking for. The large manila envelope was sticking out of a file labeled, "Prioritat". As suspected, it contained locations, and names of the officers that would be in command of the strategically placed Eighty-eights protecting Berlin.

Hogan smiled, What our planes can't get from the air, we'll get from the ground. He took out his camera, and began snapping pictures. Finishing quickly, he replaced the documents in the envelope, returned them to the file and put the file back in its place.

"Colonel," Newkirk whispered, holding up another folder. Hogan crossed the room to get a better look.

"What is it?" Hogan asked. His headache was back and he felt like he was looking through a haze.

Newkirk stepped beside Hogan and pointed. "Look at the size of this file, Colonel. All the other files are bulging, but this one has only a few papers in it."

"So?" Hogan wasn't getting the Corporal's message.

"See the name?" Newkirk pointed at the word, Kohnstein, on the tab. "It's underlined in red! And not just once, but three times! If 'Krantz the Kraut' was excited enough to underline it three times…"

"It could be important!" Hogan finished.

Newkirk nodded.

"Kohnstein? That name is familiar." Hogan said, searching his thoughts. "Isn't there a mountain by that name here in Germany?"

Newkirk thought for a minute, "You know, I think you're right, Colonel. I believe it's near Nordhausen."

Hogan was looking at the two pieces of paper inside the file. They were written in code with one word written at the top of each page, "Eingestuft". That's interesting! "I better get some pictures of these!" Hogan took the documents back to the desk, and standing with his back to the office door, laid them out to snap some photos. Newkirk continued to snoop through the filing cabinets.

Sweat ran down Hogan's temple, stinging his eyes, while he leaned over aiming his camera. He couldn't help thinking how just that very morning he was waiting in this room to do his "song and dance", hoping to save his life or at least prolong it. Maybe it's just my nerves but, boy it's warm in here. I wonder if it would be safe to open a window! Snapping the first picture, he paused long enough to use the arm of the black sweater he was wearing to blot the moisture from his face before sliding the second page into view.

Newkirk had just glanced over his shoulder at Hogan, when the door to the office opened allowing the light from the hall to shine directly on the Colonel's back. Almost as quickly, the barrel of a gun, pointing squarely at Hogan's spine, came into view, followed by a hulking German soldier.

cccccccccc

LeBeau had watched the window of the office as well as the parking lot behind the building. Except for the few flashes of light from the office window everything had appeared uneventful. It looks like they found what they wanted, he thought. Shortly after that a bright light momentarily glared out the window and he was sure they had opened the door to leave. LeBeau, leaned back against the building behind SS Headquarters, daring to relax a little, anticipating their imminent departure.

cccccccccc

"BOOM, BOOM,"

The night lit up!

"Come on Carter, let's go before those patrols start gathering!" Kinch pulled on Andrew's sleeve.

"Okay, Kinch!" Carter stood to leave, but couldn't turn his head away from the pyrotechnic display his bombs set off and tripped, landing in the large muscular Sergeant's arms.

"Move out, Andrew! The Colonel is expecting us to put the coffee on!" Kinch said, spontaneously, as he righted the young munitions expert and urged him along.

"I didn't hear him say that!" Carter said, surprised.

Kinch leaned into Carter's back and ordered, "Mooove!"

cccccccccc

"Halt! Raise your hands!" the guard ordered.

Hogan slowly and with dread raised his arms, desperately trying to think of his next move.

"What are you doing here? Put your hands on your head and turn around slowly…very slowly." the guard ordered, in a deep menacing voice.

Newkirk, standing just behind the open door, next to the filing cabinet, was waiting for an opening.

The guard reached over to flick on the lights, briefly taking his eyes off of the Colonel. That was all that Newkirk needed. Grabbing the wrist holding the gun, he yanked it down and spun the soldier to face him as he delivered a blow to the stomach, causing the guard to bend into Newkirk's knee as he brought it up into the German's face, knocking him toward Hogan. The Colonel turned around in time to see the guard hurling toward him. Hogan lowered his arms and caught the guard by the shoulders. Grabbing Hogan's right arm, the guard struck a blow of his own into Hogan's stomach using his elbow and spun around to face him. Hogan leaned into the guard's chest, brought his head up under the German's chin, and followed it with a second punch to the stomach, causing the guard to double over once again. Newkirk took him the rest of the way out with a blow to the back of the head.

"Good work, Newkirk!" Hogan panted. "Close the door." Hogan leaned on the desk with one hand, taking a few slow steady breaths.

"You okay, gov'nor?" Newkirk asked, as he turned back to see Hogan.

"Yeah." Pushing himself away from the desk, the Colonel cut the cord off of the window blinds and threw it to Newkirk. "Tie him up!"

Newkirk set to work tying the guard's hands and feet. Looking around, Hogan grabbed a scarf from the coat rack and used it for a gag. "Let's carry him behind the desk and get out of here!"

Grunting with the exertion, Newkirk commented, "Blimey, what does this guy eat for breakfast, lead?"

Hogan hurried back to the desk and snapped a second picture, before handing the file back to Newkirk.

"Put this back where you found it." Hogan cracked open the door and checked the hallway.

cccccccccc

LeBeau, still standing "look-out", checked his watch for the hundredth time. What's taking them so long, hurry up and get out of there!

cccccccccc

Hogan's attention was immediately captured by some activity at the other end of the hall. An SS officer and two guards were dragging a bloody prisoner out of an interrogation room. The same interrogation room he had visited earlier with Krantz. Realization hit him at how close he had come to being in that unfortunate man's place. He watched as they turned the corner and disappeared.

"Everything okay, Colonel?" Newkirk asked, becoming alarmed at his commanding officer's long silent pause.

Hogan nodded, and motioning Peter forward, the two stepped out into the hall. Quickly heading for the fire exit, they slipped out into the night.

cccccccccc

A shaft of light from the second floor fire escape captured LeBeau's attention. Finally! he thought.

cccccccccc

The cold air rushed past Hogan and Newkirk as they exited the building. They hoped no one would come by too soon and feel the cold air in the hall.

LeBeau watched his two companions reach for the ladder just as headlights from a staff car came around the corner of the building. LeBeau pulled back deeper into the shadows. Looking up, he saw that Hogan and Newkirk had dropped down and were doing their best to blend into the scattered shadows on the fire escape.

cccccccccc

The SS Corporal in charge of the sentries was all ready on his way to find out why the missing soldier was not making his rounds. Where is that private? He had better have a good explanation when I find him! The Corporal began climbing the stairs to the second floor.

cccccccccc

The staff car slowed and parked next to the building. LeBeau impatiently waited for its occupants to exit. What are they doing, baking a cake? A cigarette lighter flickered inside the car and then two SS officers got out and strolled together across the width of the building toward the side street, talking as they went.

cccccccccc

The SS guard opened his eyes and looked into the dark room. His senses were slowly coming back to him. He struggled to sit up and realized he was bound hand and foot.

Angry at having been overpowered, he began to squirm, trying to free himself, just as the German Corporal was making his way down the hall in search of his missing guard.

cccccccccc

Hogan, keenly aware of their predicament, watched from his position above, holding his gun ready. Come on; get out of here before they find that guard. The two SS officers eventually made their way around the corner of the building. Newkirk and the Colonel hurriedly started down the ladder.

A light unexpectedly glaring out of a second story window grabbed LeBeau's attention and he ran to the descending ladder, motioning frantically. "Hurry, a light just came on! Did something happen?"

Hogan and Newkirk cleared the ladder and looked up. "We're out of time! Move out on the double!" Hogan ordered, as the sound of a window being raised echoed out across the back of the building, followed by shouted orders to "Halt!"

"Go, go, go, go!" Hogan called from behind, he could hear alarms beginning to sound inside the building.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" LeBeau exclaimed.

They started running. The three quickened their pace as bullets shot past them, breaking windows in the buildings across the street. Turning the corner, out of the path of the bullets, they headed for the shortest route out of town.

The three cut down an alley and ran across the next street, dashing once again into an alley. Staff cars with sirens wailing could be heard weaving their way up and down the streets of Hammelburg. Still, the three saboteurs continued snaking their way out of town, moving quickly. LeBeau, leading the way, was about to run across another street, when he was yanked back by Newkirk

"What are you doing?" LeBeau asked, as he turned around. He didn't need to wait for an answer as his eyes drifted to his C.O.

"Just needed to catch our 'wind' a minute!" Newkirk answered, putting his hands on his hips and looking around at their surroundings. There's no place to hide here. Sorry, gov'nor, we've got to keep going.

Hogan listened to the sirens, trying to get a fix on their pursuers, at the same time he was trying to breathe. He was feeling the strain on his lungs, and his side was giving him fits. "Listen, you two go on ahead." –pause- "I'm going to end up slowing you…" – pause—"…down. I'll catch up" Hogan was bent over, his right arm wrapped around himself. He looked at the ground. His ears were ringing and all of the color had drained out of his face.

If we leave you now, you're not going to make it. Newkirk observed.

"That's an…" Hogan stopped to try and draw in some air, "…order!" Hogan knew what he was ordering would most likely result in his death and the end of the operation. But he weighed that possibility with giving his men time to evacuate.

Having all ready experienced the Colonel's death once; Newkirk and LeBeau were not willing to go through it again, if they could avoid it. "Sorry, Colonel, but you're coming with us…sir!" Newkirk answered, grabbing Hogan's left arm. "Come on gov'nor, you can make it!

LeBeau took Hogan's right arm, "Oui, Colonel, we're not leaving you. We've done what we set out to do and we're all going back."

Hogan knew arguing would only slow them down more and nodded. He was beginning to feel light headed. His throat was dry from trying to satisfy his body's efforts to get enough air to keep going. It must be all that smoke from the fire. I just can't seem to catch my breath. He was desperately trying to squelch the urge to cough.

A staff car screamed by and they were off again, knowing they had to hurry before their route was cut off. They were barely a step ahead of their hunters, when they cleared the last building separating them from the cover of the forest and immediately stepped back. LeBeau sneaked a peek around the corner, "It looks like a SS Lieutenant."

Hogan could feel the cough exploding up and out, but was powerless to stop it. He coughed knowing he was giving their position away. Acting quickly, he used the hand signals they relied on during their missions to indicate to LeBeau and Newkirk to go around the building and come up behind the German. After giving that order, he stepped out from their hiding place, hands raised, still trying to stifle his coughing.

The Lieutenant began to shout orders. Hogan, still attempting to gain control of his coughing, couldn't quite make out what the German was ordering him to do. I don't know what you're saying, but hopefully, in a few minutes, it won't matter anyway. Hogan, though the urge to cough had passed, continued to appear in distress in an effort to cover any noise made by his men as they crept up on his captor. Hogan dropped to his knees, as the German walked toward him, placing his hands behind his head, and bowing his head down in submission.

The German officer approached warily, keeping his gun on the suspect, and trying to look around the corner that his prisoner had emerged from. "Where are your companions?"

Hogan shot a fleeting look back to where he had walked out, still keeping his head bowed. The Lieutenant caught the action just as he was supposed to do.

Standing a few feet in front of his prisoner, the Lieutenant, leveled his gun at Hogan's head. "Come out, or I will shoot your friend."

Hogan had no doubt he meant it and hoped Newkirk and LeBeau would be able to come up behind the SS officer before he pulled the trigger.

"Kammerad, kammerad!" Newkirk hollered, in his best German voice, as he stepped out from behind the building.

Surprised, Hogan looked back at Newkirk. What is Newkirk doing? Why didn't those two do what I told them? I saw the look on their faces; they understood me! Now, what…? Hogan didn't know whether to be angry or scared as he tried to work out an alternative plan.

The Lieutenant motioned him forward and ordered him on his knees beside Hogan.

Hogan's thoughts were suddenly interrupted, as LeBeau jumped the Lieutenant from behind and Newkirk delivered a knock out punch. The gun had flown out away from the fracas, and Hogan, now on his feet, had picked it up ready to conk the German on the head, but instead his eyes came to rest on the still body already on the ground. Hogan and Newkirk looked at each other surprised to see the results of the punch. Newkirk quickly regained his composure and smiled.

"No need gov'nor…" Newkirk looked at the butt of the gun in Hogan's hand. "When I knock them down, they stay down!"

LeBeau, animated, ran up and started pushing them both along. "All right, all right, you can talk about Newkirk's 'lucky' punch later!"

"Lucky?" Newkirk grumbled before again falling silent, and joining his friends as they all headed into the woods.

Kinch looked at his watch, 0330 "Something's wrong! The Colonel and the guys should have been here. Carter, go up and keep a lookout, let me know if anything happens, I'm going to go down to the end of the tunnel and see if I can see anything or anyone!"

"Okay, Kinch," Carter answered and then pausing, asked, "Do you think something's happened?"

Kinch debated for a moment before answering, "Yes, Andrew, I think they would have been here, if it hadn't. But hopefully it wasn't anything they couldn't handle."

Carter took to the ladder leading to the barracks.

Kinch turned and walked to the branch of the tunnel leading to the tree stump. He tried to imagine different scenarios in his mind, but they all ended badly. He quickened his pace, working off the nervous energy his thoughts were generating, all the while praying he would meet his friends coming down the tunnel from the opposite direction.