LeBeau hurried through the forest toward the camp. He would have sprinted the whole way, but the forest floor was too rough and he couldn't risk turning an ankle. He did take a diversion from the route Hogan had been taking though. LeBeau, like all of the others, had his own favoured path through this area and it was one that he knew like the back of his hand. Although it was a small distance out of his way, the Frenchman knew he'd make up the lost time when he was back on his own familiar trail.
The searchlights had already been switched off when LeBeau finally approached the camp. Dawn had hardly broken, but already the guards had deemed their vision good enough to turn off the powerful beams. Either that, or Klink had been called out for wasting electricity during wartime again. It didn't matter what reason it was, LeBeau wasn't complaining. It made his task easier, and besides, he didn't have the time. Roll call could begin at almost any moment and he still had to talk to Kinch before Shultz discovered that three of his prisoners were missing.
His eyes moving quickly from one guard tower to the others and then back along the guards at the fence, LeBeau waited patiently until he was sure it was safe to make a dash for the tree stump that hid the entrance to the emergency tunnel. It was only a few moments before he was sure none of the guards were looking, then he ran as fast as his legs would carry him.
Dropping down onto the ladder and pulling the trap door shut behind him, he jumped the last few feet onto the packed dirt floor of the tunnel.
"Where's Colonel Hogan?" a deep voice demanded.
LeBeau spun around to face the worried black man. "Sacre blue, Kinch!" the Frenchman declared, clutching at his heart in mock theatrical fashion.
"Sorry, LeBeau," he apologized. "But where are the others?" He was standing so that he blocked the doorway, his feet planted wide apart, waiting.
"They're still out there," LeBeau answered, waving his hand vaguely in the direction of outside. "Carter is hurt and…"
"Carter's hurt?" Kinch broke in, the creases on his forehead growing deeper, they looked almost as though they'd been permanently chiseled into his dark skin. He took a step toward the tunnel, almost as if he was going to go after them.
"We don't think that it's serious," LeBeau answered quickly, putting out a restraining hand to stop Kinch from bolting out of the tunnel in search of the other three. "But Newkirk and the colonel had to stay with Carter and the other airman."
"Other airman?" Kinch questioned, his body tensed and on alert. He knew that they couldn't afford to pick up random airmen. There was always a chance, a pretty big one, that it could be a German stooge. If it was a legitimate escaper from another camp, they would have had word to expect a package, but, tonight, no such word had come through.
"Oui, his bomber was shot down by the Germans near the railway siding."
"Roll call," came the shout down from above. Kinch and LeBeau started to move down the tunnel toward the barracks. They weren't done conversing yet, but they didn't have a choice.
"Where are they?" Kinch asked quickly, already jumping into a commanding role.
LeBeau shrugged. "Carter and Newkirk escaped during the night and Hogan went after them. Le colonel said he would worry about the other airman later." Kinch's gaze bore into the Frenchman and LeBeau shrugged again. "I left them about an hour ago and they were making their way here, but it will be slow."
Kinch nodded, lifting up his hat and running his hand over his dark hair. "It wasn't a bomber's moon," he acknowledged.
"Non," LeBeau answered, placing a foot on the bottom rung of the ladder leading up to the barracks. He hesitated for a second.
"Go on," Kinch said, smoothing his moustache and nodding up the ladder. "The Krauts are more insistent than your mother about being on time for things." LeBeau nodded and scurried up the ladder, Kinch only rungs behind.
LeBeau darted quickly for his bunk, hastily reaching for his beret. He knew that his hair was mussed from his hasty trip through the forest and that there were likely leaves and twigs caught in it that he didn't have time to dislodge before he was expected at roll call. With the escape of Carter, Newkirk, and Colonel Hogan, LeBeau didn't want to be noticed as being out of the ordinary. That happened enough as it was.
Kinch carefully closed and latched the bunk behind him, staring back at it longingly. It was his bunk that hid the tunnel entrance and he never seemed to make enough use of it in the normal way. It was always being used, but not in the way that it was intended. Sighing, and motioning for LeBeau to hurry, Kinch stepped over to the door.
The sun was up, but the day was still brand new. Some of the guards were as bleary eyed as the prisoners, but none had a choice about being there. Barracks Two, as always, was one of the last barracks to muster. The other barracks kept something close to normal hours and their occupants were slightly easier, although no more pleasant, to rouse.
On his way out the door into his normal position in line, Kinch tried to catch the attention of the officer standing at the head of Barracks Nine. He didn't want to catch the attention of the guards, but the officer had his back turned. Pursing his lips, Kinch started to whistle a tune, not loud, but enough so that the officer would hear the tune carry above the bustle of the compound.
It worked, and after only a few bars, the officer, his blue uniform as crisp as could be expected in a POW camp, turned to face the American. Catching Kinch's eye, the officer nodded. Kinch nodded back and let his whistling fade down a notch or two and switch into a popular Glenn Miller tune.
The gaps in the ranks of Barracks Two were obvious and the prisoners made no attempt to hide them from the guards. Kinch could have encouraged a scuffle or some distractions that would have made the absences less obvious, but if Carter was hurt somewhere out in the woods, it was to his benefit to have Klink call out the dogs for a full search of the area.
Standing loosely at attention, as was the custom, the camp waited to hear the story this time. Out of the ordinary had become the ordinary since Colonel Hogan had arrived and the prisoners had learned to be surprised at little. The German guards were a different story though and one was worried confronting Kinch, glancing backwards over his shoulder for the kommandant as he spoke. "Where is Colonel Hogan?" he begged, clutching his clipboard in his large hands. "Is he still asleep in his quarters?" he asked hopefully, stepping the direction of the barracks.
Kinch stepped forward to block his path. "He's not here, Shultz."
"He's not here," Shultz repeated desperately. "What do you mean he's not here?"
Kinch shrugged in response. "Some of the boys went out last night…" He let his voice trail off a little knowing full well that he would be interrupted.
"Went out? Last night?" The guard's eyes rolled upward. "Please, do not tell me what you are going to tell me."
"You'll still get your strudel, Shultzie," LeBeau said, leaning over to whisper to Shultz from his position in line. "I haven't forgotten."
"Cockroach?" Shultz questioned, eyebrows rising in surprise. "But who…" He stopped himself as the kommandant emerged from his office.
Rushing forward as quickly as a man of such girth could, Shultz came to attention in front of Barracks Two, clipboard held in front of him, almost as if to provide a shield from the kommandant's wrath. The kommandant tucked his riding crop more securely under his arm, reached up a hand to adjust his monacle, and yelled, "Report!"
"Herr kommandant," Shultz started hesitantly, "I beg to report that two prisoners are missing."
"Three," LeBeau hissed from behind him.
"Three?" Shultz said, surprise evident in his voice. "I beg to report that three prisoners are missing?"
"Was that a question, Sergeant?" Klink responded, striding forward.
"Nein, herr kommandant," Shultz answered quickly, trying to stand up straighter and shrink down to nothing at the same time. It was quite an accomplishment for a man his size. "I beg to report that three prisoners are missing."
"Missing?" Klink demanded. Shultz nodded desolately. "Sound the alarm!" As his shout carried across the compound, the bells started to ring and the dogs began to bark eagerly. "And bring Colonel Hogan to my office immediately." He turned to stride back to his office, muttering about his perfect no escape record.
"Herr kommandant," Shultz started hesitantly.
"Is there some part of that you are unable to understand?"
"Nein, herr kommandant, but…"
"Would you be able to understand better from the Eastern Front?" Klink turned to menace Shultz with his riding crop.
"Nein, herr kommandant," Shultz answered miserably, "but Colonel Hogan has escaped."
"What do you mean Colonel Hogan has escaped?"
Kinch stepped forward out of his position in line. "Carter and Newkirk went over the wire last night. Colonel Hogan found out about it and went out after them, to make sure that they didn't get hurt."
"Carter and Newkirk," Shultz started to repeat. Klink waved a hand dismissively and Shultz's voice trailed off.
"When was this?" Klink turned to Kinch, waving his riding crop angrily.
"Last night, after lights out," Kinch answered calmly.
"Why didn't the guards see them?"
Kinch shrugged at the kommandant's question. Shultz stepped forward eagerly. "Herr kommandant, the searchlight on Tower Three was broken last night. The moon wasn't bright enough for the guards to see all the way to Tower One."
"It wasn't a bomber's moon," Kinch whispered beneath his breath.
"What was that you said, Sergeant?" Klink asked, spinning on his heel to face the American.
"I said it wasn't a bomber's moon," Kinch repeated in a louder voice.
"Yes, yes, your bomber's moon," Klink said dismissively. "I suppose that is your excuse for being here in the first place. Shultz, have the guards start the search near Tower Three. And have that searchlight fixed by tonight. There will be no repeats of this little escapade. We have never had a successful escape from Stalag Thirteen," Klink continued, waving his riding crop again, "and you would all do well to remember that. All prisoners are confined to the camp until the three escapers have been located."
He pivoted again, this time making it back to his office without being interrupted. "Well," LeBeau said, "I suppose that means that we have been dismissed."