Chapter 6: Hands Off
Colonel Hogan dropped his coffee cup and ran into Maria's room with the other men in tow. "Look Colonel." Carter exclaimed. Maria's eyes were opened and she moved her head to look at all the men standing around her. She looked tired, confused and scarred.
"Praise God!" Hogan exclaimed. "Maria, do you remember me? It's Colonel Hogan. You're at Stalag 13. For now you are safe."
"Why is everyone in here? Did you not hear me yell roll call? Now everyone raus, raus, raus!" Some of the men ran outside to stand in formation. Shultz was then able to get close enough to see what the gathering was about. "She's awake!"
When Maria saw Shultz, she tried to back further into a corner. Newkirk turned to Shultz and pushed him out the door. "Do you mind Shultz? You're scarring her."
"Me? Scary?"
"What is going on here!" Klink bellowed as he entered the barracks.
"Herr Kommandant, it's Maria. She is awake."
Klink went into Maria's room before Newkirk or Shultz could stop him.
When Maria noticed him, she just stared and tears started coming to her eyes. Hogan looked at Klink. "Do you mind?"
"All of you should be out there for roll call not in here. And incase you have forgotten Colonel, this is my camp, and I can do what I wish."
It might be your camp, but I am going to regain control. "Alright men lets get this over with. Everyone out. After you Kommandant."
"Men I have an announcement to make." Klink paused while the grumbles died down. We have a new prisoner here at Luft Stalag 13. Her name is Maria Crockett." Klink paused while the whistling ceased. "However I am instating a new rule. Maria will be in a hand off status unless otherwise stated by me. Anyone, guard or prisoner, caught violating this rule will spend 30 days in solitary confinement. Conceder this your warning. Dismissed."
Hogan and his men hurried back into the barrack. "LeBeau can you…" Hogan started to order, but was interrupted by LeBeau "I am ahead of you Mon Colonel." LeBeau got together the ingredients to make a nice cup of beef broth with extra vitamins.
"Madam, I am Corporal Louis LeBeau. I have brought you some beef broth. I know you must want some real food to eat, but it has been a while since you have eaten, and must start off slowly." LeBeau walked closer to Maria and set the cup on the desk. "You need to sit up." LeBeau held out his hand for Maria to take if she wished him to help her. Hesitantly she took LeBeau's hand. He pulled her up and helped her scoot back. He then held the cup in his hands and took a spoon and dipped it in the cup. He put it close to her mouth. She shook her head and took the spoon from LeBeau. LeBeau smiled and handed her the cup. "I will leave you alone while you eat. If you need anything just let me know."
"Lights out!" Shouted Shultz as he walked in the door. "Hay, Colonel Hogan, how is she doing?"
"She had some broth and went back to sleep."
"Danke. Good night boys"
"Good night Shultzie" all the men said in unison.
"Jolly Jokers."
Next morning after roll call, when the men went back into the barracks, they saw Maria standing in the common room looking around. When she saw the men come in, she got the deer-in-the-headlights look and went back into her room. "LeBeau can you make her some more broth please. Kinch get on the radio withthe underground to see if there are suppose to be any troop movements in the area. I have a bad feeling about this mission, and I don't know why. If we dont blow that bridge a lot ofallies will die.Carter make sure we have enough explosives."
"Yes Sir" theysaid and left to do as ordered.
LeBeau knocked on Maria's door, she opened it without a word. LeBeau handed her the cup of broth and a spoon then left to see if anyone else needed any help. Maria was listening to all Colonel Hogan was telling the men about tonight's mission. She too had a feeling of dread about the mission.
That night after the men left for the mission, Maria snuck out also. She had grabbed a rifle and fallowed far behind them. They had stopped atthe bridge and started placing the explosives where Carter had told them. Maria climbed up in a tree where she could get a good view of them. Just as they finished setting the explosives, SS men started coming out of the woods with their guns pointed at them. There was no way of getting out of it. Hogan ordered his men to lay down their weapons and do as the Captain ordered. The Captain motioned for the men to move away from the bridge, while the other SS menstarted to remove the explosives. When they got a good distance away, the Captain motioned for them to kneel down. He went up to them and checked their dog tags. "Ah American. You have been found guilty as spies and will be executed immediately." The Captain pulled out his Lugar and put it to Hogan's head.
Maria knew she had to act fast. She took the riffle and aimed it at the bridge. She put the sights on one of the bundles of explosives and pulled the trigger. The blast from the bridge exploding threw the Captain and the rest of the SS to the ground. However the Captain recovered quickly and pointed the gun at Hogan again. When Hogan heard another gunshot, he flinched as if he was the one who had been shot. The Captain fell over dead. Hogan ordered his men to move out and return home.
Maria climbed down out of the tree and hurried back to camp. She knew that she would be back in time, because the men would make sure they were not being fallowed. By time they got back, Maria was asleep in her bed.
"Colonel, what do you think happened back there? Who fired those two mystery shots?" Newkirk asked. "Whoever it was saved our bacon."
"I don't know. Kinch, contact the underground and see if anyone was in the area tonight and find out why the SS were waiting on us."
"Colonel, no underground in the area last night. And they don't know why the SS was there. The contact at SS headquarters said he didn't know of an SS activity in that area. You don't suppose they happened to be in the right place at the right time?"
"We have to assume there is a traitor in the underground. Inform London of our suspicions and that we will look into it. Get some shut eye, we will try and figure out this mystery tomorrow."
When you stare down the barrel of a gun twice in one night, it has a tendency to get the adrenalin running and makes it hard to sleep. I think I'll check on Maria. Hogan walked quietly into her room. She was sleeping peacefully. "Don't suppose you have any answers to help me figure things out?" he asked in a whisper not really expecting an answer. "Didn't think so." As Hogan turned to leave her room, a smile appeared on her face. Your welcome Colonel she thought.
The next afternoon as the men were sitting around the table talking, Maria came out of her room and sat down at the table. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" LeBeau asked.
Maria looked at him and nodded her head. Everyone looked at Colonel Hogan to see if they should continue talking about last night's mission. Hogan gave a slight nod.
"Neblig said she saw Buttons talking to the SS yesterday afternoon." Kinch informed them. When Maria heard Neblig, her ears perked up and stared at Kinch, but said nothing.
"What is it Maria?" Hogan asked. She still said nothing. Just stared at them like she had a question to ask.
"Do you want to write the question down?" Newkirk inquired as he turned to get a piece of paper and pencil. Maria started crying. Could it be? she thought. Neblig is Misty in German. Could after searching for her for four years, I find her in Germany during WWII. Could the same thing that happened to me have happened to her? When Newkirk handed her the pencil and paper, she just looked down and shook her head. It might be safer if no one knows.
"If you change your mind, just let us know." Hogan said sympathetically . He had a good idea of what she has been through and didn't want to push her sinceshewas making progress.
Over the next couple of weeks, Maria mostly staid in the barracks. She never said a word to any one. Hochstetter started hanging around the gate at roll call trying to rattle Maria. He would be patient and wait out side of the camp because of the restraining order he had to obey. But in two days, he would be allowed access to his prisoner again. This time she would really pay for this humiliation.
After roll call before Klink dismissed the prisoners. "Maria, I would like to speak to you in my office when you are dismissed."
Maria knocked on the door and waited for Klink to ask her to come in. "Please have…Hogan I did not ask to see you."
"According to the Geneva Con…" Hogan started
"This is not an interrogation Hogan so please leave or I will have you removed."
"I will be right outside Maria if you need me." Then Hogan left the office.
Klink walked over to the wall that had the Fuhrer's picture on it. He put his hand on the wall and leaned against it. Was it just coincidence or on purpose, that his hand should be covering the hidden microphone. " Maria we both know what is coming in a couple of days. I want to give you some advice. I can't help but notice that in the past month, you have not said one word and kept mostly to your self. That tells me that Hochstetter still has controlover you. Just because you are a prisoner here, doesn't mean that you cant be free. As long as your mind is free, you will never be a prisoner. I don't know about you, but for me, freedom is worth fighting for. However that does not go for trying to escape from here."
Maria just stared at him and nodded her head. "You're dismissed. Sorry I can't help you."
Maria left and went back to her room.
"Gov'ner isn't there anything we can do to help her?" Newkirk asked hopping Hogan had finally come up with an answer.
"Nothing we can do but wait and pray."
KOMMANDANTUR
"General Burkhaulter, I was wondering if you have had a chance to look at my proposal from when I was in Berlin…You have good. And…. Wonderful! When can I expect the paperwork? A personal carrier? Thank you General. Heil Hitler" Klink was so excited when he got off the phone with General Burkhaulter, that Shultz came running in wondering what was wrong. "Nothing wrong Shultz. For once, good news. Maybe we can get this camp acting in a normal fashion. Well as normal as it can."
The next day at roll call, Major Hochstetter was outside the gate again taunting Maria. After Klink had dismissed the prisoners, Maria started walking toward Hochstetter. A big evil grin came across his face. Hogan thought he better go observe things and run interference if need be. Klink noticed this and stopped to watch. Maria stopped on the outside of the warning wire. Hogan got a worried look when he saw the guards aim their guns at her. Maria started to walk over the wire, keeping her eyes glued on Hochstetter. The guards and Hogan looked to Klink to see if he would give the sign to hold fire. Klink got a smile on his face and raised his hand up. Hogan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Why Maria it looks like you have recovered nicely. I look forward to tomorrow."
"So do I Major." Maria said confidently. Hogan and the rest of the prisoners that had gathered stared at her. "I have had a lot of time to think. Let me tell you something Major. You are no longer a threat to me. I no longer fear you. I have survived what you have done to me in the past. Now you listen good you Nazi nozzle. Do what you want to me. I am not going to make it easy for you. You will have the fight of your life on your hands. If you want me, I give you one shot. Winner takes all deal. Just you and me. No weapons and no guards. If I win you leave this camp alone. If you win, I will let you do what ever you want to me."
"Ha! I will still do what I want with you. And I promise you it will not be pleasant either."
"I promise you I am not going to make it easy either"
"We shall see if you have the same attitude tomorrow. Until then."
"Bring it on Major. You know where to find me."
Hogan could not believe the conversation he just heard. Has Maria lost her mind provoking Hochstetter like that?
"Close your mouth Colonel. You're going to catch flies." Maria said as she turned to walk away.
"What are you thinking? You do know he will be able to take you out of camp tomorrow right? It is not nice to provoke a man like that."
"Some one gave me some good advice and said that freedom is worth fighting for. As long as I fear him, I will always be his prisoner."
"Maria can you come here please?" Klink asked.
"Sir if you don't mind, I have some things I need to do for tomorrow."
"I hope escaping isnt one of them. This will just take a minute."
Maria walked with Klink into his office. "I see you took my advice. Feel better?"
"I'll let you know after tomorrow. If I can. Kommandant if you don't mind, I need to do some praying and meditation."
"Are you a religious person?"
"I am a born again Christian."
"Explains a lot. I figured you would tell him off a lot worse than you did. Here take this." Klink pulled out of his desk a book and handed it to Maria."
"A Bible?"
"Sorry it is in German, but I am sure you can find some one to help you translate it. You're dismissed"
"Thanks Kommandant."