Chapter 11: Reunion

"What's the matter Kinch? Are the boy's in trouble? I knew I should have gone with them. " Hogan asked concerned.

"Its not them. I just heard from Cottontail that the SS have found Neblig and they are going to pick her up tonight. She is hiding in a barn north of camp."

"We have to help her!" Maria yelled as she started to run toward the ladder.

"How do you suppose we do that when we are chained together? You want to get caught also?"

Maria walked over to Newkirk's footlocker and opened it "You can't go in there. What are you doing?" Hogan tried to drag Maria away from the footlocker. Maria gave a hard jerk, forcing Hogan to come closer. "Found it!" Maria produced a small piece of material that was rolled up and opened it. It was Newkirk's lock picking tools. With speed that would make Newkirk stand in awe, Maria picked the lock to the shackles. "Now lets go."

Hogan and Kinch just stared. "You could have removed them all along?" Hogan asked, but he already knew the answer. "Why didn't you get them off sooner?"

"No time to explain. We have to help Misty." Maria disappeared into the tunnels. Hogan and Kinch followed.

Hogan and Maria snuck out of the tree stump and started to make their way north of camp. Hogan stopped walking and motioned for Maria to stop and get down. As they hid in a bush, an SS patrol walked by them. When they had gone, Hogan whispered to Maria "This isn't going to be easy. Be extra careful. There is a lot at stake." Maria not wanting to argue right now just rolled her eyes and nodded. A short time latter they came to the edge of the woods where they could see the barn. Hogan looked up at the sky. Why could it not be a new moon instead of a full moon? No place to hide if found. Hogan motioned for Maria to stay in the woods and circle to the right; he would go to the left.

When Maria got on the opposite side of the barn, she could see a guard standing outside the barn door. "Let me go you Nazi Nozzle!" Maria heard some one yell as another SS guard drug a woman out of the barn. There is only one person who would use the term nozzle, Misty.

"Go back to the car and radio the others that I have her." One of the men said. The other one left to do as ordered. Maria watched Misty struggle to get away. The man just laughed. Maria saw Misty get away from his grasp as start running toward the woods. While still laughing the SS man drew his pistol. Maria ran toward Misty yelling "Get down! Get down!" Just as the man pulled the trigger, Maria tackled Misty. Throwing them behind a piece of farm equipment.

"UGH!" Maria exclaimed. Misty didn't know who had tackled her, but she was determined to get away. Misty kept hitting Maria trying to get her to let go. "Would you stop hitting me young lady? What on earth do you think you are doing? I taught you better than that."

Upon hearing Maria speak, Misty stopped hitting and struggling and opened her eyes. "Mom is that you? Is it really you?" Misty started to hug Maria when they heard a ping. They were not out of trouble yet. The SS was shooting at them still.

Maria drew out her pistol "Run Misty. I will try and hold him off. You just get out of here."

"I don't want to leave you mom."

"I don't want you caught. Now do as you are told and start running as I start shooting."

Maria lay on the ground and over to the side of the equipment and fired a shot. Misty took off running and Maria kept shooting. A cloud covered the moon, helping Misty escape. Click…Click…Click… Oh no! I'm empty. I hope I gave her enough time to get away.

"Stand up! Did you think you could get away from the SS? Put your hands on your head." The SS put his gun to Maria's head.

Misty stopped at the edge of the woods and turned around to watch. Someone grabbed her arm. "Lets go. Don't let your friend die in vain." Misty looked to see Cottontail talking to her.

"She is more than a friend. She is my mother. We have to help her."

"It is too late." With that Cottontail dragged Misty into the woods to escape just as the moon was coming out from behind the cloud. As they were running away Misty and Cottontail froze as they heard a gunshot. Realizing the shot was not aimed at them, they continued running.

"What took you so long Colonel?"

"I have a feeling I just made us even." Hogan said as she stepped over the dead SS man.

Maria just laughed. "How long have you known that it was me that saved your life that night?"

"Since you shot that tire the other night. Where's Misty?"

"She ran into the woods. Lets go find her."

As much as he wanted to find Misty, time would not allow. "She is good at hidding. She will be fine. We cant risk missing roll call. I dont know if the others are all right. When we get back, I'll have Kinch radio the underground and have them to keep an eye out for her."

Maria knew that Hogan was right. "Ok. Lets go." Maria turned around and looked into the woods where she last saw Misty to see if she could see her still. But all she saw was darkness.

Hogan slapped Maria on her left shoulder to prod her along "Ouch, don't do that!" Hogan looked at Maria and then noticed there is blood on his hand.

"You're bleeding. How did you get hurt?"

"Shot. It's not bad. Lets get back to camp."

"Why didn't you tell me you were shot?"

"I am fine. I've had worse gunshot wounds.."

"Huh?"

"Later, now lets go."

STALAG 13

When Hogan and Maria got to the bottom of the ladder, they saw people running around everywhere. "It's about time you made it back. You had us worried. Hey gov'ner how did you get the chains off?" Newkirk asked as he was helping Wilson tend to the underground agents who were injured.

"Will explain later. Wilson, take a look at Maria's shoulder as soon as you can. She was shot.

Upon hearing about Maria getting shot, Carter rushed over to her "Are you all right? Here sit down. Wilson hurry up and take a look at her will ya, She's bleeding." Every one just stared at Carter. No one has seen him this work up before.

"Where's Misty?" Kinch asked concerned.

"She took off running in the woods. I assume she has gotten away and has gone back into hiding. Tell the underground to keep their eyes open for her."

"Carter will you stop fussing over me. I will be fine." They could hear Maria fussing.

"Roll Call in ten minutes Colonel." LeBeau shouted.

"Carter if you want to help me hand me my rifle." Carter handed Maria her rifle. She ejected a cartridge and handed the rifle and cartridge to Carter. "Now take the top off."

"Everyone upstairs for roll call. You, Carter and Maria get up there as soon as you're finished."

"Newkirk, before you go can I see your lighter? I'll give it back later" Newkirk looked at her questioningly, but handed it to her and went upstairs.

"Yes Sir" they said in unison

"Now Carter I want you to pour the gunpowder in the wound."

"How is that supposed to help?"

"I have to stop the bleeding. Even with Wilson patching it, blood can still leak through, and it will be tough explaining it to Klink."

Carter did as instructed. Maria handed him the lighter. "Now Carter I want you to hand me the bullet. Light the lighter and just barely touch the wound with the flame."

"You have to be kidding! That's going to hurt." Carter said as he started jumping around hysterically.

"Yes it is. But now you know where they get the saying 'bite the bullet" Maria put the bullet in her teeth and nodded to Carter that she was ready. Wilson just stared in unbelief. In all his years as a medic, he had never seen such a thing. Carter did as instructed with some hesitation.

"Oooooowwwwwwww!" Maria yelled.

"I'm sorry Maria. I must have done something wrong. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please…"

"You... did fine... Carter…Thanks."

Wilson quickly put a bandage on the wound. "I'll fix it after roll call."

Wilson and Carter hurried up the stairs, while Maria walked at a slow pace, using sides of the tunnel for support. Eventually she made it upstairs. "Could you cut it a little bit closer? Are you all right Maria? You don't look so good?" Asked Hogan walking up to her with the shackles.

"Fine. Lets get this over with."

"Ok fellas, go out and stall." The men want outside and stood inline. "Maria are you going to be ok with putting this back on?"

"Just don't go jerking my arm and we will be just fine. I have an idea. Lets go in my room. And remember you are an officer." Maria winked as she led Hogan into her room.

"Kinch, where is Colonel Hogan and Maria? They haven't escaped have they? It would be worth my life if they did." Shultz asked scared.

"Relax Shultz they did not escape."

"Yea mate they are inside still sleeping." Newkirk responded.

"Le Colonel and Maria had a long night." LeBeau added

"You know how the Colonel is when you wake him up before the sun comes up. Ya know you really ought to talk to Klink about…"

"REEEEEEEEEPOOOOOOORT!" Klink bellowed

"Um Sir…uh…"

"Where are Colonel Hogan and Maria?"

"They said they are still inside sleeping. Herr Kommandant."

"WHAT!" Klink went into the barrack and saw no one. He noticed Maria's door closed. He went over to it and threw it opened.

"Can you keep it down? There are people trying to sleep in here." Hogan said as he yawned.

Klink was astonished at what he saw. "Colonel Hogan, Sleeping in the same bed with a female prisoner is verboten! You know the penalties for touching her."

"What did you expect us to do? You told us to work something out and we did." Maria snuggled closer to Hogan and tried to pull the blanket more over her. "And besides Kommandant, it's warmer this way."

"Shultz, unlock them. Now I don't want to see you two acting like this again." In disgust for Maria and Hogan getting the upper hand and causing his plan to backfire, Klink and Shultz turned and left. The men came in the room laughing.

"That was a brilliant plan Colonel. You really got Klink this time." Newkirk commented still laughing.

"I can't take the credit boys. Looks like we have another manipulator in our midst. We are going to have to be on our toes. It was Maria's idea."

Every one stared at her. And she just smiled knowing that she had their approval.

"But then again, manipulating Klink isn't that hard." With Kinch's comment every one started laughing harder.

"Just don't got get use to being this cozy with me Colonel. I had to come up with something drastic to get Klink to let us go, and it looks like it worked."

"Kinch, how are things set for the pick up?" Hogan asked as they all headed down stairs.

"No problem. Sub will pick them up at the usual."

"Glad to hear."

AT COTTONTAIL'S PLACE

Standing alone and looking out the window toward the sky, Cottontail thought to himself. So Maria isMisty's mother. It is a shame that you two cannot be together, especially since you have been searching for each other for such a long time. But the less that know you two are related the better. For now Misty is safein hiding and Maria is safe at Stalag 13.If Misty is anything like her mother,if those twojoined with Papa Bear, Germanywouldn't stand a chance.