Rickmans eyes flashed with anger as he returned to the solitary confinement. Kinch looked at him with a questioning look and then Rickman burst out in anger.
"You know what they did? Those miserable creatures? Hochstetter must have noticed that your wrist was broken! When I came into the camp hospital, it looked as if a herd of cows had run straight through it! They removed everything what even looked like it could support a broken arm.".
He breathed hard, his eyes flashed.
"How can I work when the Gestapo takes away my materials? This is just such a mean move, it is immoral to deprive a doctor of his materials. It is a crime, a crime I say.".
Kinch patted him onto the shoulder. "Rickman, calm down. Getting outraged won´t help anything.".
Rickman looked at the sergeant, nodded and then spoke again.
"Okay, when I noticed this, I went to Klink, but he said he did not have anything besides the things he has got in his first aid kit in his car. However, he gave me permission to use it, so lets see what´s i it. Maybe there´s something of which we could make use.".
A few minutes later, the contents of the first aid kit were spread out on the floor.
Rickman snorted sarcastically. "Wow, some wound plasters, some sterilized gauze, a disinfection spray. That´s not much. Let´s try if we can make something cast like with the sterilized gauze. First we need a stick or something to keep it secured.".
At this last words, Hogan sat up and pointed towards the corner.
"One of the Gestapo goons dropped his beating stick over there, maybe you cab crack it into two pieces and use that.".
Rickman walked over to the stick and picked up the two parts. "Colonel, it is already broken.".
"Oh reallly, I can´t remember that they broke it. Must have broken when they tried to smash my head in.".
With these words, Hogan rolled onto the bunk again. The pounding headache had returned and it got worse with every minute he was siting or standing. Allthough he hated it to show weakness to his friends, he missed the strength to endure the headache at the moment.
Rickman noticed it, but did not make any further comment. Then he said to Kinch "I think this stick will do and the sterilized gauge seems long enough so let´s go to work.".
"Colonel, can you extend your arm, just stay where you are, but we need to fix that wrist.".
Hogan growled again. How he hated it to be tended to like a little kid, but he did not protest and did as Rickman had asked.
A few minutes later, everything was ready. Rickman looked at it quite satisfied.
"That´s the best thing we can do for now. Colonel, anything else?".
"No thanks, I´m fine.".
Rickman shook his head. Stubborn to the end. He decided to keep it this way. Maybe later, but it´s enough for now.
When he left, he said to Hogan. "And Colonel, try to keep quiet, I think that blow on your head didn´t do you any good.".
Then he parted, leaving Kinch behind. Kinch wanted to say something, but the Gestapo guard made a movement, which signaled clearly: go away. Kinch nodded and then said: "Colonel, remember, the coffee´s waiting.".
He was not sure if Hogan had replied, but he thought that he had heard: "Be careful".
The door slammed shut, Hogan was alone.
The day after tomorrow, so it is like this to be sentenced to death. There´s nothing, nothing left.
His mind drifted away to his home. His mother, his father, who had died not so long ago, his two brothers, Jake and Tom. Jake would never return home, he was shot down with his plane and had not been able to get out in time.
Is it my turn now? Am I the next one who will never return home? But mom, she can´t stand to lose anyone else. She lost dad, she lost Jake and where Tom is, nobody knows. They think he is imprisoned in a POW camp, but he has been gone since three months and no letter has arrived.
He imagined his mother, how she would receive another official letter.
"We regret to inform you, that your son Robert E. Hogan was killed in action".
Killed in action. Which action? Killed in action. There has been no action for me in months, at least not the action mentioned in those letters. This action should mean flying. Flying, Goldilocks. How beautiful she was.
Faces of his crew shifted into his mind.
Farmer, Simons, Batcher, Jackson, Montgomery, Saunders, Johnson, Jamesson, Parker and Beckett. Where are they? Dead? POW´s? Why don´t I know? I am their commander, I am responsible!
Then he saw the others, for whom he was now responsible and fear came into his heart, stronger than before.
They are planning something, they want to save me. They are going to risk their lives, I know, they´re up to something dangerous. No, please, don´t let them die. It is my responsabillity to make sure they return home, to make sure that their parents don´t receive official letters. How could I live, if I knew, that one of them had died to save me?
He shook his head.
Stop thinking about dying. You are grinding yourself into melancholy, you need to be strong, you need to think clearly.
Coming back into the present, he felt the pain racing through his body. He tried to roll over, but did not succeed.
What´s the matter with you? Why don´t you just move? Stop complaining like a little child.
He rolled over and lay still. Breathing heavily, he realised that Hochstetters goons knew their job well. He looked at his wristwatch, but discovered, that it did not work anymore.
Either the battery is worn out, or the watch was demolished during my last meeting with Hochstetter. Fantastic. Now I´ll just decide it´s time to go to sleep.
He pulled the blanket over himself and fell asleep.
Carter, LeBeau and Newkirk ran through the woods. They had been on the mission to save Colonel Hogan, but somehow it had not worked. Now the Gestapo was close behind. They could hear the bullets from the guns smash the trees nearby. They ran and ran, faster as they had ever done in their lives.
Carter was the last one in line. Suddenly, LeBeau, who was second noticed, that he was not behind them anymore.
"Newkirk, Carter, he is gone!".
Newkirk turned around. "What! Where ´as he gone? Let´s go back, we need to find ´im!".
LeBeau nodded and they traced back the path where they had come from.
When they reached a small area without trees, surrounded only by bushes, they saw where Carter was. LeBeau nearly gasped in terror.
Carter had fallen over a treestrunk and had not been able to get up fast enough. Now he was surrounded by a group of Gestapo men. One of them stood in front of Carter, who sat on the ground. In an instant, LeBeau and Newkirk realised who that man was. It was Hochstetter.
Hochstetter laughed as he approached Carter, who still tried to get away. Two Gestapo guards walked up to Carter and pulled him up.
Hochstetter drew closer to him and Newkirk and LeBeau heard him saying: "Aha, aren´t you sergeant Carter, one of Hogans men? Trying to save your commander aren´t you?".
Carter did not answer. Hochstetter spat him in the face. Carter still remained silent, so Hochstetter said: "However, you are about to discover what happens to saboteurs and men who try to save saboteurs. Guards!". He made a gesture towards the guards who where holding Carter. They threw Carter to the floor again. Hochstetter reached for his gun and loaded it. With huge eyes, Carter looked up to Hochstetter, who aimed his gun at him.
LeBeau looked at Newkirk, Newkirk looked back and in an instant, the decision was made. There where ten Gestapo men and only two of them, but they won´t have Carter executed in front of their eyes. They looked once more at each other and that glance promised: loyal even into the death.
They grabbed their guns and began to fire at the Gestapo men. Two of them gasped and fell down, before they realised they were attacked. Then the rest of them began to shoot as well.
Within minutes, Newkirk and LeBeaus ammunition was gone and they were surrounded by the remaining Gestapo men. They were taken to Carter, who was still lying on the floor, horror-struck. Hochstetter circled them as a lion his prey.
"More of them? And all Hogans men, what a pity that you won´t see your commander again.". He laughed, a cold and heartless laugh.
Then he made another gesture towards the guards, who took hold of Carter. Hochstetter approached him and said: "Was it all worth it?".
Carter felt no fear. He knew the game was up. He shot one last glance at LeBeau and Newkirk and then said: "Yes.".
Newkirk and LeBeau closed their eyes as Hochstetter pulled the trigger. When they opened them again, Carter was lying at Hochstetters feet, dead. They did not have time to realise what had happened, beacause the guards took hold of LeBeau.
Again, Hochstetter posed his question: "Was it all worth it?". And LeBeau did as had done Carter. He looked at Newkirk and answered: "Yes.".
Newkirk could not look. He could not bear to see another friend being shot. And you´re next. A voice said in his head. And at the time he heard it, he realised that he was not afraid of dying, not when already two of his friends had died.
Hochstetter laughed, laughed his mad laugh and then approached Newkirk, asked his question. Newkirk had no one to look at, but in his head he looked at the faces of his friends and said: "Yes.". Moments later, all went black, they were gone.
Hochstetters men took hold of the bodies and threw them onto their truck. Ten minutes later, they reached Stalag13. Inside the camp, they threw the bodies onto the ground, at klinks feet who had come out to see what Hochstetter wanted.
In the solitary confinement, Hogan looked out of the window, straight onto the bodies of his men. He gasped with horror, the world began to turn, thoughts swirled through his mind and then...
"No!". Hogan shot upwards. A moment, he did not know where he was. His heart was racing, his mind filled with terror. He ran to the window and looked outside, neglecting the sharp pain in his head. Outside, the moon shone upon a quiet Stalag. No Hochstetter, no dead friends. Slowly, Hogan calmed down.
Just a dream Robert, nothing but a dream.
He looked out of the window again. Full moon.
But what if it won´t be a dream in the future?