The T.V. show Hogan's Heroes belongs to CBS and was a Bing Crosby Productions. No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred, and no infringement is intended

Chapter Eight.

Baum's Away

Klink moved to where Burkhalter was seated and handed him his drink before returning to pour one for himself.

Taking a sip, Burkhalter leaned back in his chair, and said. "So Klink, tell me what's been happening with Major Hochstetter."

"Well…"

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.!

Klink spun around and listened for an instant as the camp sirens began to wail before running out the door. The Kommandant looked up while listening for the drone of enemy planes, but was soon distracted by a bright glow and a growing mob of voices.

"What is going on, Klink?" Burkhalter shouted, from the porch.

"It looks like something blew up."

"I know that! I don't hear any planes. What was it?" Burkhalter demanded.

"I don't know, that's where Colonel Hogan and his men were working on the plumbing…"

"That's where Colonel Hogan was…" Burkhalter stopped mid sentence. "This may be an escape attempt! Get all the searchlights focused inside the fence!" Burkhalter ordered. Klink left to deliver his orders and Burkhalter headed for the fire.

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Newkirk reached Baum while the Germans were still stretched out on the ground protecting their heads from the debris raining down. The Englishman knelt beside Baum and quickly slipped the Nazi papers into Baum's pants at his waist, and tucked his shirt in over them. Then, lowering his voice, he whispered, "Its okay, you're going to be rescued on the way to the train, just stay quiet." He moved away from Baum unobserved, arriving at Hochstetter's side as LeBeau and Carter were helping the Major to his feet.

"Get your hands off me!" Hochstetter yelled, and immediately looked around. "Where is Colonel Hogan?" he bellowed.

Lieutenant Dresdner jumped to his feet, pulling Baum up with him.

Carter, Kinch, LeBeau and Newkirk turned to look around the compound.

"Gee, Major Hochstetter, he was just right here," Carter barely got the words out when the onslaught of prisoners washed over them.

"Hochstetter!" Burkhalter called. "What happened here?"

Kinch looked quickly at the approaching officers and motioned to Carter, LeBeau and Newkirk to move back into the crowd of prisoners.

"When did Burkhalter get here?" LeBeau asked.

"I don't know. Did you get your job done, Newkirk?" Kinch asked.

"Do me a favor, I could have done it blindfolded," Newkirk bragged.

Carter wide eyed, looked at his friends. "What if they search Baum?" Carter paused and another thought struck him. "What if the plans fall out of his pants?" Looking at his friends he began again, "What if…"

"Carter!" His three comrades called out in unison.

"Lets just deal with now, Carter." Kinch advised. "Spread out and keep everybody from getting out of hand. This is supposed to be a diversion, not an actual riot."

Hochstetter now standing with just his guards, Lieutenant Dresdner, and his prisoner, turned at the sound of Burkhalter's voice. "General Burkhalter, I did not know you were here."

"You didn't answer me. What is happening?" Burkhalter insisted.

"I suspect your Colonel Hogan has escaped," Hochstetter answered, already plowing through the throng of prisoners. Burkhalter and Klink followed in his wake.

"Impossible," Klink chanted back.

"Where are you going?" the General questioned.

"Hogan was standing over here somewhere!" Hochstetter growled back.

Schultz picking himself up off the ground came to his feet just as Klink, Burkhalter and Hochstetter got to him.

"Sergeant Schultz what happened?" Klink questioned.

'I…I…don't know, Herr Kommandant I was just urging the prisoners to hurry with their repairs when LeBeau tripped over the pipe that was being welded together and then boom!"

Prisoners continued to swarm over the German officers.

Burkhalter looked around, "Where is Colonel Hogan?"

Schultz turned, looking. "He was just here."

"Where are the other prisoners you were guarding, Schultz?" Klink asked.

Still trying to see through the sea of prisoners now in the compound, Schultz stuttered, "I…don't…that is…they were just here with Colonel Hogan!"

"Aha," Hochstetter, bellowed, cradling his fist in his hand, "I knew it! Colonel Hogan thinks Baum confessed to his being his contact and is attempting an escape!"

"Klink says you have no proof of that," Burkhalter hollered above the den of the panicked prisoners.

"I didn't until now," Hochstetter answered. "Why else would he run?"

"He's a POW, it's his duty to attempt to escape. This doesn't prove Colonel Hogan was Baum's contact. If anything this only proves Colonel Hogan is taking advantage of your being here to create mass confusion and attempt to break out."

Hochstetter suddenly had a revelation. "Or this is an attempt to free my prisoner!"

Burkhalter frowned and wondered, What if Hochstetter is right? "You had better get your prisoner out of here, just to be safe."

"Jawohl," Hochstetter agreed. The Major, now looking around at the burning truck, turned back to his prisoner, and ordered, "Guards, take the prisoner and wait in the back of the truck." He looked around again for Hogan. I should escort Baum to Berlin, but I can't leave here now! The Luftwaffe's search skills fall short of the Gestapo's and this is one prisoner that isn't getting away!

"If Hogan is attempting an escape, we need to get this anarchy under control and get a count," Hochstetter said. Looking back to where he left Baum, Lieutenant Dresdner, and his two guards, Hochstetter called out, "Lieutenant, tell the guards in the escort car to stay here and help secure the camp. Then get in the back of the truck and help escort the prisoner to Berlin. I will come along later."

"Jawohl, Herr Major," Dresdner answered, and moved out.

"Klink, get these prisoners under control!" Burkhalter commanded.

Klink turned to Schultz, "Schultz, get these prisoners back to their barracks and do a count. Find Colonel Hogan and bring him to my office!"

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant!" Schultz turned and began barking out orders to the guards.

"Everybody back to the barracks!" Schultz disappeared into the mob. "Colonel Hogaaan!" Schultz called. Where are you, Colonel Hogan?

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Private Edwards was directing prisoners into the spaces between the barracks and the maintenance hut, when Hogan came up behind him.

"Good job, Edwards," Hogan praised. His head ached but he was feeling a little steadier on his feet and the stars that had dotted his vision were clearing up.

"Thank-you, sir," Edwards automatically popped off a salute and Hogan reflexively returned it...sort of.

"Colonel?" Edwards focused on Hogan's hand. "You've got blood on your hand…sir!"

Hogan, looked at his hand and frowned, before putting his arm down to his side and out of sight. "It's nothing, Keep them coming, Private; we've got to keep Hochstetter busy." Hogan turned to continue on through the advancing prisoners.

"Yes…" Edwards paused as his eyes landed on the blood splattered on the back of the Colonel's jacket. "…sir."

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Hogan, descending from Barrack 9, reached the bottom rung of the ladder and while closing his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose. The day was catching up with him, "Mmm," he lightly moaned. It's been a long day. He looked at the blood on his hand and began to make his way toward the supply room below Barrack Two. I'll get some water and wash up, he thought. Passing the mirror outside the uniform room, he grabbed the earthen wall to steady himself and tried to look at the back of his head, without any luck. But he did see the blood on the back of his jacket. "That's just great!" he mumbled. "Ugh." His hand had again found his head injury. Of all the stupid…, he thought, angrily chastising himself for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then he had an idea. Hmm…maybe…yeah, it could work…I think.

"There you are!" Wilson approached from the direction of the radio room.

Hogan made a sudden turn toward the voice and cringed, both from the pain of the sudden move and the face looking back at him. "Wilson?"

"Anderson said Grimes told him to tell me you had blood on your hands." Wilson looked at Hogan who was still holding the back of his head with his right hand, while leaning against the wall. Wilson could see Hogan struggling to stay on his feet and grabbed his other arm.

Hogan lowered his hand to his side and looked at Wilson questioningly. "Grimes…told…Ander…" Anger flashed across Hogan's face, "Where's Edwards?"

"Edwards?" Wilson questioned, stepping closer. "You'd better let me have a look at that."

Hogan jerked free of Wilson and flattened out against the wall, "No, I've got plans for this."

Their discussion was interrupted by the filtering in of one of Hogan's men.

"It's working Colonel," Riley announced. "Baum left in the back of the transport truck with four guards and Dresdner. The guard truck that would have followed behind was ordered to stay. Schultz is looking all over for you. It's a mess out there, Colonel!"

"Good," Hogan pushed himself off the wall and moved into the radio room, followed by Wilson and Riley. Pulling up a stool he sat down. "So far so good."

Riley still high on adrenalin, failed to notice the paleness of his C.O..

"See, Carter, no problems!" Newkirk reassured, as they approached the small group.

Hogan felt a measure of relief when he saw Newkirk and Carter. Keeping his back to the wall and his bloodied hand hidden in the crossing of his arms across his chest, he said, "Well, since you're both here, I take it you made contact with Baum." Hogan leaned on the radio table as a wave of dizziness passed over him. Taking a deep breath, he held it for a moment to steady himself.

Wilson began edging his way behind Hogan.

"No problem at all, gov'nor. The whole plan ticked right along. Baum is on his way to rendezvous with the Underground,"

Carter smiled with relief. "I guess I just worry too much. But when I saw Burkhalter…"

"Burkhalter's here?" Hogan asked.

"Yeah, Colonel, I thought you knew?" Riley answered.

Wilson now directly behind Hogan, visually located the area of the injury.

"No, I didn't know. When did he get here?" Hogan asked.

"I don't know, Colonel," Kinch answered approaching from another branch of the tunnel. He crossed to Hogan's right. "He was with Klink when Klink came to see what had happened. I guess…" Kinch saw the blood that had run down the side of Hogan's neck and stopped. "What happened to you?" Kinch asked.

Carter and Newkirk looked from Kinch to Hogan. Still not seeing anything from their angle, they weren't sure what Kinch meant.

Hogan hesitated; he didn't want to say what really happened. He knew Carter would take it personally, even though it wasn't his fault, and blame himself for the shrapnel hitting him in the head. "I just got jostled a little bit by the crowd, and hit my head on the side of a building."

Newkirk and Carter moved around to look.

Now that it was no longer a secret, Wilson felt free to take a look.

But I think I can use this to make Klink and Burkhalter think I wandered off and passed out somewhere, which will explain why I was missing."

"Bloody 'ell, gov'nor! Why didn't you say something? Fix it, Wilson!" Newkirk rambled.

Wilson was already gently examining the gash.

"Hey, where did everybody go? I was still upstairs keeping an eye on things. Why didn't you tell me we were meeting down here?" Louis grumbled, as he entered the radio room.

"The Colonel's hurt!" Carter blurted out.

"You didn't miss anything, Louis, They were just filling me in," Hogan answered hesitantly. "Ow, Wilson, just leave it alone." Hogan ducked away from Wilson's hands.

"I'm just looking to see how bad it is! I'm not going to do anything else…right now," Wilson said.

Louis started to go around Kinch to see what Wilson was doing, when Kinch stopped him. "Whoa, Louis, the Colonel's bleeding from a gash on his head, and we don't have time for you to pass out on us."

"Mon Colonel, are you all right?" Louis asked.

"I'm all right. It's really a lucky break. It gives me an alibi," Hogan said, rubbing his forehead against the dull throbbing. "I'll just say I was dazed and came to …somewhere."

"How about the recreation building?" Kinch suggested.

"Yeah…" Hogan rubbed his eyes. "That should be good."

"Well, let's get you on up there, so you can be found and I can get that wound cleaned up before it becomes infected!" Wilson urged.

"How long has it been, Kinch?" Hogan asked.

"Almost a half hour since the first explosion, Colonel," Kinch said. "You should be good to go."

"They'll be rounding everyone up for roll call. You had all better get back in that crowd." Hogan stood up slowly.

"Colonel, protest all you want, but I'm helping you to the Recreation building," Wilson said. Not waiting for an answer, the medic grabbed onto Hogan's arm.

Hogan did not comment, but began making his way toward the tunnel leading to the Rec Hall "All right then, let's wrap this up."

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"Repoooort!"

Klink bellowed as he marched across his compound followed by Burkhalter and Hochstetter. The obvious vacant spot in the ranks in front of Barrack Two glared out at them. Hochstetter, both elated and worried, broke to his right as soon as it was obvious Hogan was missing and began giving orders to his men.

"You four men begin searching the compound. Start by looking for breaches in the fence then work your way through the buildings looking for tunnels." Hochstetter pointed out six more men. "You six take the dogs and grab a piece of clothing from Colonel Hogan's room to give them the scent. The rest of you will search on the other side of the wire, beginning at the fence." Hochstetter walked in front of his men looking at them intently, "I want him brought in alive. I will accept no excuses for his death." Hochstetter paced back in the other direction and loudly repeated, "No excuses!"

The men of Barrack Two shuffled back and forth on their feet, trying to stay warm in the cold night air.

Klink looked at them closely. "If you know where Colonel Hogan is, you will make it easier for him if you tell me now."

Nobody moved.

"Very well, all prisoners are confined to barracks. Dissmissssed!"

"Schultz, get the prisoners back in their barracks and begin searching the buildings. If I know Colonel Hogan, he's trying to get even with me for making him and his men work through the night." Klink prayed.

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant!"

Burkhalter walked up to Klink "I'm going to your quarters. You will go to your office and coordinate the search with Major Hochstetter."

"Oh, but General, we don't need Major Hochstetter. I can…"

"Klink!"Burkhalter bellowed. "If Colonel Hogan has gone under the wire…and it's beginning to look like a distinct possibility…the important thing is that we find him. Coordinate your efforts with Major Hochstetter!"

"Yes, Herr General," Klink answered, sourly.

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Louis poured another cup of coffee. "I'm ready for this to be over. I don't like mon Colonel lying out there bleeding."

"How long do you think it will take for them to find the Colonel?" Carter asked, as he took the offered coffee from Louis.

"I don't imagine it will take them too long, not with all the men they have searching," Newkirk answered.

Kinch took a sip of his coffee and said, "I just hope its Schultz that finds him."

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"I could hear you two bickering all the way into Klink's quarters!" Burkhalter announced as he came into the office. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Herr General, he is impossible to work with!" Klink criticized.

"Me! You're the one who thinks German shepherds can out hunt Belgian Shepherds! Anybody knows…" Hochstetter fumed, as Klink joined in the chorus of complaints, echoing off the office walls.

"Silence!" Burkhalter loudly ordered. Before the General could continue there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Klink answered.

"Herr Kommandant, we have found Colonel Hogan," Schultz quietly announced stepping just inside the door.

"Where did you find him, Schultz?" Burkhalter asked.

"In the recreation hut, Herr General."

"There you see, Major, he was right here in camp," Klink crowed.

"That doesn't mean anything except that he hadn't made it out yet!" Hochstetter corrected.

"Quiet both of you. Where is Colonel Hogan now Schultz?" Burkhalter asked.

"He is waiting in the outer office, General Burkhalter," Schultz answered.

"Bring him in," Burkhalter ordered.

Schultz hesitated.

"You heard the General, bring him in Schultz," Klink reaffirmed.

Hochstetter stood quietly listening.

"Is there something else, Schultz?" Burkhalter asked.

Schultz nodded, "He's been bleeding from a cut on the back of his head. That is how we found him, passed out on the floor of the Recreation building."

"But you say he is in the outer office now?" Klink asked.

'Jawohl, Herr Kommandant, he is awake now, but not feeling too good," Schultz answered.

Hochstetter had had enough and shouted, "Bah, I don't care how he feels! Get him in here!"

"Jawohl, Herr Major," Schultz turned and stepped outside the door. "Colonel Hogan, come in, the Kommandant will see you now."

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