Thank you for the reviews, everybody. I apologize for having kept you waiting for this chapter...

Kinch could not open his eyes. He wanted the world to stay black, to keep reality from being. If he only kept his eyes closed, everything would remain the same.

But as he heard the commotion around him, he realised that this childlike approach would not work.

If you can´t see the world, the world is still looking at you.

Preparing himself for whatever he might see, Kinch opened his eyes.

What he saw made his eyes widen in surprise and his heart jumped. A smile worked his way onto his face, together with new hope. Now he understood what the crash had been. It had not been the crash of a gun, but the crash of a staff car driving through the front gate, the closed front gate.

Out of the staff car jumped a man in a Gestapo uniform. Kinch peered towards the man and noticed that he wore the uniform of an Obergruppenführer.

Wachtelschneider!

The German rushed toward Hochstetter and shouted. "Major, what do you think you are doing? I was informed that the execution would not take place until about nine o´clock. Can´t you read a clock. It is now exactly fifteen past eight!".

Hochstetter was clearly taken aback by this sudden appearance of a man he´d never met before. But within seconds, he regained his stance and said in an aggressive voice.

"And who are you? I do not think that you should mess with the Gestapo or with my prisoners. This is my responsibility, this is my prisoner, this is my... my...".

Hochstetter suddenly turned pale as he recognised the uniform.

"Oh- ehm, Obergruppenführer, I mean, I did not mean to insult you, I was just-".

"Major, stop talking. I want an explanation for all this. And it´d better be a good one...".

Hochstetter nodded. "Yes, of course, Herr Obergruppenführer. We will go into Klinks office. I will show you my evidence and explain my charges against this man.".

He pointed to Hogan. Then he shouted to the guards. "Guards, bring him back to the cooler. He will remain there, until we return, and then...".

Then he looked straight at Hogan. "We are not finished with you, Colonel, believe me...".

Klink hurried over to them. "Herr Obergruppenführer, I am Oberst Klink, the Kommandant of Stalag 13. Do you need anything?".

Wachtelschneider turned to him and nodded. "Yes, Herr Oberst. I need your office and you and the major here. You will be my witness and above all, you will need to write a report about this, so you will need the information. Come with me.".

The three Germans walked towards Klinks office. Hogan looked questioningly at his men. When he noticed their smiles, he calmed down.

Wachtelschneider turned and said. "Klink, the American is coming with us. All other prisoners will remain here until we return.".

Klink nodded. "Jawohl, Herr Obergruppenführer. Guards, bring Colonel Hogan into my office.".

Inside the office, Wachtelschneider observed the men before him and said: "Ab jetzt wird nur noch Englisch gesprochen, meine Herren. (From now on, gentlemen, we will only speak English).".

Klink nodded, but Hochstetter looked taken aback. "I assume, all of you speak English. Colonel Klink? Major? We would not want our guest to think that we do not want him to understand us, do we?". Wachtelschneider remarked in slightly accented English.

Hochstetter turned red.

Wachtelschneider ignored him. "Have a seat, gentlemen.". All of them sat down, including Hogan. Hochstetter shot an angry look at him.

Wachtelschneider smiled. "Major, don´t be so bad tempered. I assume, that even our enemy´s are considered gentlemen, as long as they are not fully proven to be spies.". His voice was cold and Hochstetter nodded, embarrassed.

Then, Wachtelschneider turned to Klink. "Colonel, when exactly did this American come into your camp?".

"About one and a half years ago, December 1941. I think the 24th...",

Wachtelschneider chuckled. "A Christmas present? I did not know that the allies even bomb our city´s at Christmas eve.". The last sentence was spoken with a distinct tone of bitterness.

Now, Wachtelschneider turned to Hogan. "I think we know each other, Colonel? I could recite it in my sleep. You were quite a stubborn one, I remember. Let me see, Hogan Robert E., Colonel, Us Army AirCorps, 0876707, wasn´t it?".

Hogan nodded, silently. This guy was giving him the chills. Why had he remembered his serial number? Why had he even come here?

"Major, I want to see the proof, now.".

Hochstetter hurried to get a tape recorder. Then, he took of his cap and retrieved the tape from inside. Wachtelschneider raised his eyebrow, but choose to remain silent.

"This, Herr Obergruppenführer, is the ultimate proof, that this man here is the most dangerous man in Germany. And that this man", he pointed to Klink, "is the most incompetent person in the entire Reich. Every minute that he remains here costs the Third Reich about a hundred years. ".

Klink turned red, but Wachtelschneider cut Hochstetter off.

"Very well, major, but if this tape does not appear to be what you say it is, you will have to apologize for this insult against Colonel Klink.".

"Bah! It is a confession from an English Colonel, who had contact with Hogan and his men. He will know!", Hochstetter pushed the play button. The tape clicked and Hochstetters voice echoed through the room.

Hochstetter: Colonel, so you want to tell us something?

Crittendon: Yes, Major. I want to inform you, that Colonel Robert Hogan is actually a spy. He runs an underground operation from beneath Stalag 13. He´s got everything, German uniforms, a radio, false money, identity cards, everything. With the radio, he is in direct contact with London and the Underground network around Hammelburg. He alone is responsible for numerous actions against the Third Reich.

Hochstetter: Colonel, do you know if he has any help?

Hochstetter wore a grin from ear to ear, but Hogan paled.

Crittendon you have betrayed us, you have told them everything. What is going to be next? Names? Names of al the good people, that helped us? I should have never left him here. He should have gone back to London. I should have... I had to... I...

The tape continued:

Crittendon: The operation is something unknown to everybody in the camp, except for Colonel Hogan. He has kept it hidden from both the prisoners and the camp Kommandant.

Hogan wondered.

Why does he lie after all this accurate information? He knows very well that there are more people involved than me. What is he up to?