Chapter 28
Listen To What I Have To Say
"General Brook, I'm not even sure who this 'Nimrod' is! He could have been providing us with information to win our trust and at the same time leading us down the so-called Garden Path!" The American, Colonel Spaatz, and current Commander of the Eight Air Force, remained staunchly planted in front of the General's desk.
"Nimrod can be trusted. That is all I will say on that!" The British General was firm with his assurance and crossed his arms, listening as the American Commander continued.
"You and I both know what Colonel Hogan is capable of. I think we should proceed with caution, but I don't think we should abandon communication. His organization is too valuable. The information coming out of Germany would be significantly less without them. They have delivered quite a blow to the German military machine." Colonel Spaatz studied the British General's face.
It was common knowledge that General Brook was without a nerve in his body. He always seemed to be on an even keel, alert and perceptive. "I'm glad to hear you say that. I agree, but we must consider the bigger picture. Colonel Hogan may be strong enough to withstand them, but your men as well as mine will face the firing squad, along with three to four hundred underground members, if we are wrong. We can't just go on blind faith. We need a plan of action, should we lose this wager."
Spaatz looked at the General and remained silent. His skin began to crawl as he waited for what he knew was coming.
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Krantz sat in the file room at Gestapo headquarters looking over the files of Hogan and the men listed as being suspect with him.
Hmm, four close companions. Certainly a possibility. Krantz pushed his chair back from the table he was sitting at and reviewed the information he had gleaned.
Looking at his watch, he stood and gathered his cap and coat.
Colonel Hogan may have some higher purpose for the Reich, but no one has said I can't talk to his men. Oberst Klink, Generals Kaltenbrunner and Burkhalter are all supposed to be at the hospital this morning, with Hogan, visiting Major Hochstetter. This may be a good time for me to pay Stalag 13 a visit.
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The German officers turned as the door to Hochstetter's room opened and the doctor attending to Hogan entered.
"Ah, Doctor Schmidt, I trust your patient gave you no trouble." Knefler commented already knowing the answer.
"He tried, but after I reasoned with him he straightened up."
"You reasoned with Colonel Hogan?" a questioning voice asked from the back of the group. As the group of officers turned to look at him, Klink blushed and added, "Uh, it's just that…well he…can be quite unreasonable at times." Klink's voice trailed off.
"You have a penchant for understatements, Herr Kommandant!" Hochstetter droned.
Kaltenbrunner turned back to the doctor. "Where is our prisoner?"
"He is coming, Herr General. I left my nurse to secure the dressing. The infection has a good hold. The surrounding tissue is inflamed and his fever is climbing."
What do you mean a good hold? He will survive, won't he? We have brought him too far to lose him now."
The doctor held up a syringe. "If you want him to recover I thought we would try this."
"What is it?" Kaltenbrunner questioned.
"It is the new 'wonder drug' the Allies have developed. I assumed, since my orders came direct from the Fuhrer to look after this man, that he was important. The information I received was that he had been in a bomb blast, wounded and pulled from a river. And, that the wound had been allowed to go untreated for several hours. It has a nice bacterial population in it, just as I suspected it would.
I brought this drug with me thinking he might be a good candidate. Doctor Morrell, The Fuhrer's personal physician and I have been working with other scientists trying to get access to some of the mould that produced this drug that I am holding. Unfortunately, we have not had much luck. In the meantime, we have confiscated some of the Allies' 'wonder' drug, but have not experimented with it yet. I thought, if you have no objections, we could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, and I could observe whether this is all they say it is."
"We are in the middle of our own study, and I don't want to do anything to disrupt it."
Dr. Schmidt remained calm. "Herr General, if we do not perform my experiment, there is little chance you will get to perform yours. The sulfanilamide drugs we have perfected have not faired well in the trials we have performed on combat wounds. Once the infection has progressed as far as this prisoner's, odds are high he will succumb to the infection."
Klink listened quietly. Why didn't you say something, Hogan? Sleeping on a lumpy mattress wasn't the only reason you looked tired this morning.
Kaltenbrunner's nostrils flared. "If Oberst Dozier had not died in the explosion on the bridge he would be under arrest for interfering with the Third Reich's agenda."
Knefler stepped closer and looked at the contents of the syringe. "This is penicillin, Herr doctor?"
The doctor looked at Knefler appreciatively. "Ja, Herr Oberst. You have heard of it?"
Knefler stiffened with indignation at the question. "I do work in intelligence. But I thought it was mostly propaganda, put out by the Allies. This is actually it?"
Knefler's curiosity was peaked. Looking at Kaltenbrunner, Knefler continued, "Herr General, this might be a good test. From what I saw during the picture session with the American Colonel, if we don't get this under control soon it will indeed be beyond reversal. This may be our only option"
Kaltenbrunner looked at the doctor, "Is that your opinion too, doctor?"
"Jawohl, Herr General. The American would be a good test subject. We already have an extensive medical history, accumulated since his capture. It would make sense to use him for this purpose. I have already taken a swab for culture. We will administer the drug every four to six hours and do another culture. If this is indeed the 'miracle drug' they claim it to be, we should see a change." Doctor Schmidt knew all he had to do was make a phone call and the Fuhrer would relieve the General of having to make that decision, but it would be easier if the General approved.
Burkhalter, who had been listening quietly, decided to speak. "It sounds to me like we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. If we do nothing we lose it all. If we try this…miracle drug of theirs, even if Hogan dies we will have learned that it is a hoax and if he lives, so much the better."
Klink, overwhelmed was trying to digest what was being said. What it all seemed to boil down to was they were going to subject Hogan to another test. But unlike all the tests before this, if the medicine is truly what they say it is, it would be for his good this time.
Klink found a chair and sat down. It felt like madness, but maybe this was the only sane thing that had been performed- that is if it wasn't an Allied hoax. I hope for your sake, Colonel, it is the real thing, or you may die as a result of your own countries propaganda and not Germany's.
The conversation stopped abruptly at the sound of a knock on the door. Everyone looked to Kaltenbrunner.
Kaltenbrunner nodded, "All right."
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Nimrod finished translating the message, Well, Colonel Hogan, I'll give you this, they believe in you. They will not abandon you-yet. But it looks like they are also concerned about the Nazis advances along the line of science and medicine. Britain has been studying mind control almost as long as Germany and knows of the strides being made by the Nazis.
Nimrod looked down at the note in his hands:
-Operation too valuable - Risk is noted-
-Elimination of package only on verification-before or after the fact-
-The eagle is watching-
I'll bet they are… and so am I!
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"Bring him in, guards, and hold onto him." Knefler ordered.
Hogan's fever was climbing and all he really wanted to do was lie down. But instead, he took a deep breath and was ready to convince his captors he felt better than he appeared.
The guards on either side latched onto his arms and ushered him into the room. Kaltenbrunner, Burkhalter, Klink, Knefler, and the doctor he had just had the pleasure of dealing with were all there. Hogan could feel the weight of their stares.
"You're wrong about me. My rescue of Major Hochstetter had nothing to do with my perceptions of the Third Reich and everything to do with decency and moral conscience. Ideals you're trying to take away." Hogan finished. It was quiet, too quiet. Why don't they say something?
General Kaltenbrunner smiled and broke the silence. "You are really bothered by this aren't you? That is good. It means you think you have something to be concerned about."
"The only things I have to be concerned about are these pictures you want to take. You've put out so much propaganda that..."
Kaltenbrunner's eyes hardened. Reaching out he grabbed Hogan 's injured side.
"Ugh!" Hogan clenched his teeth and tried to double over but the guards held him firm.
Klink clutched his swagger stick shocked. He thought Kaltenbrunner was concerned for Hogan's survival. He couldn't think this was helping!
Kaltenbrunner, still clutching the freshly treated wound, was staring into Hogan's eyes when the American Colonel brought his head up.
"You're going to require a lot of discipline." Kaltenbrunner growled and then smiling gradually shared,"You remind me of my favorite stallion. He had a lot of spirit, too. But a firm hand and the proper incentives tamed him. Now he gently nibbles sugar from my hand."
Hogan's eyes became moist with pain. He clenched his teeth to keep from crying out, as Kaltenbrunner's hand continued to hold fast. He was wavering on the edge of perception, wanting to fold himself into the blackness of unconsciousness, but knowing his survival could depend on his remaining awake. He relaxed slightly and stopped trying to pull away, in an effort to conserve his strength.
"That's better." The General remarked feeling Hogan stop his efforts to pull away. "See you can be taught." Kaltenbrunner released his grip and Hogan panted, but not with relief. The fire still lingered in his side and he lowered his head again to concentrate on gaining control.
"The doctor was just telling us you're not doing well." Kaltenbrunner placed his hands on either side of Hogan's head and lifted his face up, where he could observe the American Colonel's acceptance of what he was about to be told.
"You'll find I can be benevolent even if after your conversion, the Reich no longer requires your service, don't worry, I will look after you and see to your health as long as you are obedient."
Kaltenbrunner lowered his voice to what was meant to be a soothing tone. "I'm telling you this, Colonel, to make your transition easier. You don't have to fight it. You don't have to justify its worth. It is the way to a better world. One of order and purpose. The Fatherland and I will take care of you."
Hogan felt the fear he had been trying to deny rush in. He's insane!
Klink's thoughts were running much along the same line. The inflection in the General's voice had changed. It was almost that of a father talking to an unruly child. The love of the creator for his creation. Klink thought. He wanted to make sure Hogan knew his life was not his own it belonged to the Reich and then to him...or at least it would shortly.
General Kaltenbrunner stepped back and nodded at Schmidt and Knefler. "You may continue."
Dr. Schmidt looked at Knefler, "I'll inject him. Hold him still."
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Hochstetter straightened in his bed. He had a ringside seat and was eagerly waiting and watching the events about to unfold. He didn't want to miss one second of the fear and apprehension Hogan had to finally be feeling. Payback for all the times you left me in the lurch with my superiors! I don't care if you are guilty or not, I'm enjoying this!
Knefler stepped in front of Hogan and began loosening the prisoner's belt as Schmidt grabbed the alcohol soaked cotton ball off of the needle in preparation.
Hogan looked down surprised and began to comment in a voice that was fighting to remain calm, "What are you…" and then his eyes fell on the doctor with the syringe. "Wait a minute!" Hogan's voice projected a strength that was ebbing.
Knefler stepped closer, not giving Hogan room to move. "Turn him around and hold him against the wall." Hogan stiffened and resisted, gritting his teeth against the throbbing in his side as Knefler stepped back and watched. Even with his hands already cuffed behind his back, he offered resistance.
"Umph," Hogan groaned as the guards slammed him face first into the wall, and pinned his shoulders forward. Each guard placed one leg behind each of Hogan's legs effectively stopping any movement. Hogan rolled his cuffed hands into fists. "What's this all about?"
"This will only take a minute, Colonel," Knefler promised as he discretely exposed the upper outer quadrant of Hogan's left buttock and motioned Schmidt forward.
"Mm hm, somehow that doesn't make me feel better." Hogan had turned his head to the left to try and watch the officers. Panic gripped him, "What are you giving me?"
Hochstetter strained trying to see Hogan struggling against the inevitable, but his view was cut off by Knefler, Schmidt and the two guards as they encircled their target.
Knefler smiled, "Sorry about this, Colonel, but the doctor requires a larger muscle for this injection."
Hogan tried to think of something he could do or say to stop this. He was about to be injected with something, but had no idea what it was supposed to do. Are they trying to sedate me? No, not if they want pictures of me and Hochstetter. Maybe it's just supposed to make me docile.
Feeling the cold swipe of the alcohol soaked cotton wad as it prepared his skin for the injection, he tried to push back against the pressure holding him against the wall, and was effectively held tighter. He closed his eyes, as he felt the sting of the needle.
"Ow!" he complained more out of protest, than discomfort. Great! Hogan thought as he stopped struggling and relaxed. They'd won. He allowed himself to feel a moment of defeat before his sarcasm kicked in, disguising his anger.
"No wonder you wanted a larger muscle, your technique is terrible! Where'd you learn how to give 'shots'?" Hogan complained, as he tried to hide the apprehension building inside of him. Whatever was in that syringe, it's too late now. Calm down, stay rational.
The doctor stepped back and looking at Knefler, commented, "He's bold or maybe its fever-induced delirium, but he's been quite verbal during all of our interactions."
Knefler couldn't help smiling. Hogan's brazenness had always delighted him. "Nein, Herr Doctor, you were correct the first time."
"Colonel Hogan has never hesitated to offer his opinions," Burkhalter commented.
"But just try to ask him a question and see how far you get!" Hochstetter grumbled.
Looking at the guards, Knefler instructed, "You can let him go."
Hogan stepped away from the wall, turned toward Knefler, and looking him in the eye asked, "What was it?"
"Nothing for you to be concerned about, Colonel Hogan," Knefler answered with his usual air of superiority, before he reached out and grabbing Hogan's arm, turned him around to uncuff his hands. He would use Hogans anxiety to his advantage. It may unnerve him enough to take away some of his resolve later.
Knefler and his mind games, Hogan thought as he rubbed his recently freed right hand across his forehead. He was feeling even more tired than when he had started this day, and the day was still young. I'm going to have to pace myself. Kaltenbrunner's right about one thing, I'm not feeling well…can't afford to make a slip.
Readjusting his loosened belt, Hogan shot Klink a heated look. You could have warned me, Kommandant. At least I could have prepared myself mentally. I wish I knew what this drug I've got in me is supposed to do. Any misplaced hope he had that Klink would be of any help to him dissipated. I'm on my own…situation normal!
The Kommandant looked back with a pained expression. This unexpected event was not the one Klink had been dreading. There was still one more to come that would add fuel to their later confrontation when they returned to Stalag 13. And he had no doubt their would be a confrontation. He felt and was powerless.
Glancing at the floor, Hogan did a mental check to see if he was feeling any effects, but could detect nothing out of the ordinary. He looked again at the faces in the room to see if they were expecting a reaction from him, but he couldn't really tell. He was being watched but not constantly.
Kaltenbrunner broke the silence, "Well, now that that is done, let's get on with the picture taking, shall we?"