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Weaving A Web To Freedom

Book Three: Fliegerabwehrkanonen Spells FLAK

Chapter 26

Time to Go

The door to Barrack Two opened and Sergeant Schultz ambled in. "Where is Colonel Hogan?" Schultz asked, as the lingering odor of breakfast made him turn toward the pot bellied stove.

"In there," LeBeau pointed at Hogan's door.

"You're not taking him already are you, Schultz?" Kinch asked.

Schultz smacked his lips, "I think so. The Kommandant sent me to bring him to his office."

Schultz paused on his way to Hogan's door to lean over LeBeau's now empty skillet and smell the remains of the eggs the Frenchman had scrambled earlier.

"Mmmm, it smells so good! I wish you would reconsider and teach my wife to cook, LeBeau!"

"Come on Schultzie," LeBeau patted Schultz's stomach. "By the looks of you, she is doing all right!"

"What are you making there?" Schultz pointed at the saucepan Louis was stirring, expecting to learn of another delicacy the Frenchman was cooking.

"It's for Colonel Hogan."

Schultz bent closer and smelled. Wrinkling his nose, he looked backed at LeBeau with a frown on his face. "He eats that?"

Louis shot a glance at his friends, before looking back at Schultz, "You don't eat this. It's a poultice."

"A what'ice?" Schultz asked.

"A poultice. It's for Colonel Hogan's injury."

"Oh!" Schultz took another sniff and scrunching his face remarked, "It smells bad enough to work!" Schultz turned, walked to Colonel Hogan's room, and tapping on the door, waited for a response.

Nothing.

He knocked again and called out, "Colonel Hogan!"

Still no response.

Schultz looked around at the men in the barrack. "Are you sure he is in there?"

"He's there Schultz, but he can't go yet. Wilson needs to see him first to change his bandage. He was waiting until after breakfast." Kinch explained.

"Tell Sergeant Wilson he will have to take that up with the Kommandant."

Schultz looked back at Hogan's door and cracked it open to peek inside.

Hogan was standing in front of the window. He had heard Schultz knock the first time, but couldn't bring himself to answer. He was dreading this trip more than he should, and wasn't sure why.

Turning, Hogan quickly wiped the uncertainty off of his face, replacing it with a broad grin.

"Hi, Schultz! Time to go?" he asked, turning on the charm.

"The Kommandant wants to see you first." Having caught the brief look of apprehension on Hogan's face, Schultz slowly opened the door the rest of the way and apologized, "I'm sorry to interrupt."

"Hmm? Oh, that's okay Schultz." Hogan picked his jacket up off of the top bunk and carefully slipped it on.

"What's the Kommandant got on his mind this morning?" Hogan asked, swinging his cap onto his head, where it landed in its customary tipped back position.

Schultz sensed Hogan's desire to change the mood. Winking, the German Sergeant smiled and answered, "Not much!"

Hogan continued his, devil may care, charade. Laughing, he poked the overweight guard in the stomach.

"Good one, Schultz!" Hogan squeezed past and, zipping his jacket, headed for the door with his usual air of confidence.

"Colonel?" Carter took a step forward. "When will you be back?"

"It shouldn't take too long. A few pictures, some boasting by the Brass, a snide remark or two from Hochstetter, and the days done!" Hogan played it down with a shrug. And then more seriously, he looked at Kinch, "Any word on the pick up?"

"Tonight, Colonel."

"Good!" Hogan nodded, and unzipped his jacket. He glanced at the stove trying to decide if the fire was stoked too high.

"Wait, wait, wait, what pick up?" Schultz questioned, as he looked from man to man.

"Oh, we found us a nice little wash lady to do our laundry!" Newkirk joked "We're sending it into town with Schnitzer when he comes to change the dogs."

Schultz looked at Newkirk for a brief second with his mouth agape until he noticed the other POW's snickering.

"Jolly joker!"

"Well, you asked!" Newkirk laughed.

Hogan looked from his men to Schultz with a genuine smile on his face. "You walked into that one, Schultz. You know you don't really want to know what we're doing!"

Schultz looked at Hogan for a second, before adding, "I hear nothing!"

The bulky Sergeant then waved Hogan on toward the door. "Let's go, Colonel Hogan, the Kommandant is waiting."

As Hogan and Schultz walked across the compound, Hogan decided it would be a good time to find out what happened the night the cannons were blown up.

"Hey Schultz, I hear you and the Kommandant were at the bridge when I was picked up."

"Yes," Schultz shook his head, "You were almost shot by the SS. If the Kommandant hadn't intervened…" Shultz shook his head again.

Hogan paused to look at Schultz's face trying to judge how serious the situation really was. "Why did…What made Klink come to find me?"

"He said it was because the General Staff was coming to see you, but I think…" Schultz leaned in closer and lowered his voice, "…he was worried about you."

Hogan frowned and continued walking.

"Worried about me?"No, Hogan decided. It was probably more like worried what would happen to him if something happened to me. He had to have known Kaltenbrunner was on his way.

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Allied Headquarters, London

Office of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS)

"General?" The aide crossed the room with an envelope in his outstretched hand. "This just arrived for you"

The General took the envelope and read the outside. He looked back at the aide worriedly and tore the envelope open. The General's expression changed from a question, to surprise, and finally to anger as he read:

-Urgent - Stop

-Hitler's General Staff convened for top secret meeting two days ago- Stop

-Operation Monarch has been revived - Stop

-Subject: Colonel Robert E. Hogan - Stop

- Suggest you suspend contact - Stop

-Nimrod -Stop

General Brooke looked up at the aide. "Call a meeting for 1200 with Colonel Spaatz" The General ran his hand over hishead and onto his neck, where it lingered. "And pour me a brandy."

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"Have a seat, Colonel Hogan." Klink leaned back in his chair, looking at his prisoner.

"For the amount of sleep you've had, you don't look very well rested." Klink observed.

"I've been trying to sleep on a half inch of wood chips. What's your excuse?" Hogan quipped, noting Klink's extra baggage under his eyes.

"Colonel Hogan…" Klink stalled.

"Yes?"

"Colonel Hogan…" Klink began again and paused. Standing he walked around his desk and stood in front of Hogan, looking down on him with a strained look on his face.

"Kommandant, what's on your mind?" Hogan's brow furrowed, with Klink's uneasiness.

"Hogan, you must… cooperate today…do as you're told. It will make things a lot easier. And...we can put this day behind us."

Klink turned and paced away from his senior POW.

"Easier for whom? I have to tell you Kommandant, I'm not thrilled about these propaganda pictures. They're going to create all kinds of problems for me after the war! But I don't see anyway to avoid them right now! And believe me, I've been trying to come up with something!"

"You're assuming the Allies are going to win. The Glorious Third Reich is a long way from being defeated!" Klink shot back. "You could come out of this a national hero for the Fatherland! Not a bad position to be in."

"Over my dead body!" Hogan didn't like the direction this conversation was taking.

"Hogan, I'm warning you, they will get what they want with or without your cooperation! Make it easy on yourself!"

Klink paced back to his desk. I can't believe I'm saying this! If we can strip away a man's identity, how long before we use it on our own people? I can't help feeling this is dangerous not just for Hogan, but for us, too!

Klink grabbed his cap off of his desk, and looked at the handcuffs he had concealed there. Burkhalter had told Klink to make sure the American was cuffed. General Kaltenbrunner was a stickler for regulations. Trying to keep the manacles from rattling, Klink turned to face Hogan.

"It's time to go, Colonel." Klink decided there was no good way to offer an apology for what lay ahead without arousing suspicion. He was about to order Hogan to hold out his wrists when the tension was broken by a knock on the door.

Klink sighed, glad for the interruption.

"Come in."

"Your staff car is here, Herr Kommandant," Schultz announced.

Klink nodded. Looking at the handcuffs, he recalled looking at Hogan's wrists on the drive back to camp and rebelled. Slipping them into his pocket he thought, I can't do this. His wrists are already badly bruised. They can do their own dirty work.

"Take Colonel Hogan and place him in the car. I will be right out."

"Jawohl," Schultz answered, and tapped Hogan on the shoulder. "Come, Colonel Hogan."

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"You're standing there telling me that three men slipped into the woods and left no signs of their whereabouts? So in other words, you're saying no one entered the forest! Because I know if they did, they would have left a trail! Or maybe it is just that you are blind, Corporal!"

Krantz walked around his desk and stood directly in front of Reimers.

"Herr Hauptman, we have called for the Gestapo to bring their dogs in. They will pick up the trail!"

The Captain inhaled deeply through his nose and blew the air out his mouth in a sigh. The problem with being a genius was that he had little tolerance for the incompetence of others.

"All right Corporal, keep me informed. You are dismissed."

My prey know their craft well.

Krantz walked to the map hanging on the wall and stared at it. It had been an eventful 24 hours with one disappointment after another. His mind wondered.

Funny how everything always seems to happen at once…or is it! Kaltenbrunner didn't want a confession from the American Colonel. The General was playing with him, deliberately wearing him down, but not for a confession. No, the General wanted to see if the American could stay on his feet. Krantz turned rubbing his chin as a thought crossed his mind.

"Hmm!" Krantz grabbed his cap and coat and headed out the door.

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"Where is she?"

"Where she has been for the last twenty-four hours, in there!" The young underground agent pointed at a door on the opposite end of the room.

Kirk walked to the door and turned the knob.

"Close the door…please!" The voice was soft and strained.

It took a moment for Kirk's eyes to adjust in the darkened room.

"Before you say anything, I'm okay. I just needed some time. I'm ready to continue our fight. Nothing has changed," she assured.

There was a pause and then Kirk answered, "Something has changed. Papa Bear is alive! You can come out of your lair now. There is still time, Tiger!"

There was a rustle as the dark silhouette turned to face the man bearing the news. "What…? Are you sure?"

"It has been confirmed," he answered

A tear of relief slid down the pale cheek.