Chapter 2: Suspicions Confirmed

"Corporal." Maria pointed to a German that had just got a cut on his forehead tended to. She motioned for him to come over. The soldier went pail when he saw who was lying on the table. "Keep your fingers on his neck. Let me know if his pulse changes. Kinch find out what blood type the Kommandant is and then find a donor. Hang on Kommandant" Maria took off his tunic and tie and unbuttoned his shirt and started to get him ready for surgery.

A little while later, Kinch came back dragging LeBeau. "LeBeau is a match."

"LeBeau I cant force you to donate blood to Klink, but if you don't, he will die."

"This is war, people die all the time."

"What do you think will happen to you know what if he dies? Besides there is more to him than you know about. "

With a disgusted look on his face, LeBeau stated "I do this in protest. I hope they don't ever find out about this back in France."

Maria sat up a transfusion system. Quickly and carefully, Maria removed the wood and started to close the wounds when the corporal shouted, "I can't find the pulse!"

Maria checked herself and could not find one. "Oh no you don't Kommandant. Fight!" Maria started doing CPR trying to revive him. "Come on Klink. Don't give up. I'm not." Everyone watched in silence. "I am giving you an order soldier to fight and not give up. Do you want to disgrace your family by disobeying a direct order?"

"I found a pulse! I found a pulse!"

"Praise God! Good job Kommandant. Kinch have themget the truck going to the hospital ready to leave. He needs more medical attention than I can give him."

With out thinking, Kinch saluted and then left. On the way to get one of the German guards to get a truck ready he was wondering why he had just saluted.

Maria closed Klink's woundup the best she could and unhooked LeBeau from the transfusion.

"Maria, you don't look so good. Are you all right?"

"Oui Louis"

"I'm sorry I don't have any more pain medicine. You will just have to make do until we get some." Maria overheard Wilson tell a patient.

Maria pulled the bottle of pain medicine she had gotten at the hospital out of her pocket. "Hay Wilson catch." Maria threw the bottle to Wilson.

Wilson looked at the bottle then at Maria. "Are you sure? Don't you need these?"

"They need it worse than I do."

"The rest are minor cases. Why don't you rest?" Wilson suggested

Maria just nodded her head and started to hobble back to the barrack. 'Let me help you." they guard who helped Maria with Klink stated as he put her arm over his shoulder and helped her back to the barracks.

After everything had calmed down, Hogan had ordered all prisoners confined to barracks until in the morning. He mostly did that for their own good. The guards that were left were too tired to really guard. Besides Hogan's no escape order, everyone was too tired to even try. Hogan sat at the table in the common room drinking coffee with Kinch, Newkirk and Carter. Maria was in her room and LeBeau was lying on his bunk. Hogan just stared at the blood on his hands and uniform while talking. "What are the totals?"

"Ten dead, fifty-three critically injured, and a hundred and twelve with minor injuries.

"I assume that Shultz will be in charge until there is a replacement." Asked LeBeau

Hogan just nodded. I am going to get cleaned up. It has been along day. Everyone hit the sack.

The next morning, Shultz entered barrack two. "Colonel Hogan I want to thank you and your men for all the help. I called Colonel Beauman to come back." Shultz looked at the floor trying to hide his tears.

"It's okay Shultz. I will keep my men under control. If we escaped now, it wouldn't be playing fair." Shultz gave a brief smile "That's what I wanted to see."

Colonel Beauman arrived at camp that afternoon. When he got there, he saw the prisoners and guards removing the rubble and cleaning the compound up. "Good job Sergeant at making the prisoners work."

"I didn't. Colonel Hogan ordered them to"

"Why would he do that?"

"Don't know. You will have to ask him."

Beauman walked over to where the guard barracks use to be and up to Hogan. "Oh hi Colonel. You come over to help?"

"Are you forgetting something Colonel Hogan?"

Hogan narrowed his eyes "Don't get started Colonel. I am a bit busy."

"Why did you order your men to help clean up the camp?"

"We live here to you know. We don't want the neighbors to think we are a bunch of slobs."

"Always with the jokes." Beauman went into the kommandantur motioned for Shultz to fallow. Shultz informed Beauman of what had happened and what the totals are.

"Colonel, what will happen if… Well just incase he doesn't…" Shultz could not finish the sentence. The thought of one of his closest friends and CO not making it really bothered him.

"Klink is a strong man and a survivor." Beauman answered, " He will make it."

"If it wouldn't have been for Maria, Kommandant Klink would be…"

"A prisoner saved his life?" Shultz just nodded. "I would like to speak with her."

Shultz and Beauman walked over to barrack two. Hogan watched what was going on and didn't like the fact that Maria was in there alone with some one he didn't trust. "Relax Colonel. Shultz will take care of her."

Hogan turned around and stared at Kinch like he had just lost his mind. "Are we talking about the same Shultz?"

"I have a feeling when he wants to be, he can go from a teddy bear to a grizzle."

"I hope your right."

BARRACK TWO

Shultz knocked on Maria's door. "Come in"

"Hi Maria. How are you doing?"

"Been better, been worse."

"Colonel Beauman wants to talk with you."

"I here that you saved Colonel Klink's life. Why would a prisoner want to save their captors life?"

"Seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"Why did you and the rest of the prisoners escape when you had the chance?"

"For me that answer is a tad obvious. As for the rest of the prisoners, I guess it is because the escape committee did not pre approve the escape. Colonel Hogan's orders you know." She got a funny look for both Germans "How should I know? I don't know what is in the minds of everyone."

"So there are no other reasons that you would save his life?"

"What are you driving at Colonel?"

"Nothing." I wonder if she knows more than she lets on?

A few weeks later, Kommandant Klink returned back to Stalag 13. The prisoners were just about done with rebuilding the guard barrack. "Welcome back Kommandant." Hogan said cheerfully.

"Thank you Colonel. I want your men in formation in ten minutes. I want to address them."

Hogan went around informing everyone to stop what they were doing and get into formation. Ten minutes later, Klink stood in front of the men. " I want to say thank you for all of your help." Klink paused not sure what else to say. "As a reward, there will be no lights out tonight and morning roll call will be an hour later. However that is no excuse to walking around the compound tonight. Dismissed"

"That was nice of him.Ya know for a German officer isn't all bad." Carter commented.

Later Klink was sitting on his porch with Beauman resting. "Here comes Klink Cottontail, hopping down the Nazi trail. Hippidy Hoppidy, Hippidy Hop End of the war is on its way."

"Who said that?" Klink got up and went around the corner. All he saw wasNewkirk and Carter playing catch.

"What did you hear?"

"Oh nothing I guess."

"OOOh it is getting late. I must be going. Are you sure you are well enough to handle the camp by yourself."

"Yes Jason. I'll be fine. Thanks for coming."

"Good day my friend."

Maria started physical therapy for her knee and hip. Eventually she got to the point where she was using a cane instead of crutches to get around. "How are things coming?" Hogan asked

"Okay. There is still a lot of pain. Wilson said that I would probably always have to walk with a cane or have a limp."

"Why did you have to go and get on Hochstetter's bad side?"

"Does he have a good side?" they laughed for a while and then Hogan got a serious look on his face

"He might not have hurt you as bad."

"Do you really believe that Colonel?"

"No not really."

Later that day, Maria was walking around the compound singing to herself. When she got by the Kommandnatur, she started singing "Here comes Klink Cottontail hopping down the Nazi trail, Hippidy Hoppidy, Hippidy Hop, the end of the war is on its way.

Klink rushed to the window and saw Maria singing. "Maria was that you singing?"

"Depends. What was it you heard me sing?"

"Something about the end of the war is on its way."

"Maybe why?"

"No reason." Klink went back in and called for Shultz to get his staff car. While waiting for Shultz, Klink opened a secret compartment in his desk that housed his Lugar. He examined it and wiped the dust off of it. Then he checked the bullets in it and holstered it.

"You car is ready Herr Kommandant."

"Thank you Shultz. Please get Maria and bring her to the car. We are going on a little trip."

As Shultz turned to go out the door, he saw that Klink was wearing his side arm. His mouth dropped opened and stared wide-eyed at Klink. "Sergeant I gave you an order" Klink said sternly. Shultz left to do as ordered. Klink was sitting in the back seat when Shultz returned. "Maria, get in."

Hesitantly Maria got in. Hogan came rushing up to the car "What is going on here? Where are you going?"

Klink just faced forward "This doesn't concern you Hogan. Shultz drive."

As Shultz was driving away, Hogan was yelling after them"Kommandant!" I don't like this

"Kommandant, do you mind telling me where we are going?" Maria asked

"Why were you singing that song?"

"Does it bother you? If so all you had to do is ask me to stop singing."

"Why did you choose those particular words?"

"Okay Kommandant lets stop betting around the bush about this. I heard something some time ago about the possibility of you being Cottontail. I wanted to see if it was true. Different things you have done supported that theory."

"How long have you known?"

"For a few years. You forget that my husband and I helped the underground for a while."

"Have you told anyone else?"

"No."

"Shultz pull over. Maria get out." Both did as they were told. Klink also got out of the car. "Shultz stay here. Maria walk this way." Maria started walking and Klink was behind her. Shultz could see Klink pull out his Lugar. Klink and Maria walked into the woods. Klink pointed his Lugar at Maria and cocked it. The sound made Maria stop and her blood run cold. "Kneel down."

Maria turned around to face Klink. "I refuse to be shot in the back. Only cowards are shot in the back. I will not kneel, because I am not going to beg. You might as well pull the trigger."

"I liked you Maria. I don't want you to think that I am not grateful for you saving my life, but I am going to keep this a secret at all costs."

Shultz was sitting at the car thinking how could Kommandant Klink kill Maria. Maybe he is just going to scare her. Shultz jumped and was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Klink's Lugar discharge.