Chapter Two: Fall

"Roll Call! Everybody out! Out! Roll Call!"

Hogan yawned as he stepped out of his office and spotted the exasperated guard attempting to convince his men to stop dragging their feet and go outside. It didn't matter how many years he had spent at Stalag Thirteen, some things never got old.

"Come on, Schultz," Carter whined as he rolled out of bed.

We're moving, we're moving," Baker said as he shuffled slowly past the guard.

"Jolly jokers," Schultz said before following the prisoners outside.

Hogan yawned again and joined them in line. Newkirk smirked at him and asked, "Tired, sir?"

LeBeau snickered. "He's been dreaming about Granny."

Hogan grimaced at the thought. "It's been a long time, but not long enough for that."

Carter said, "You really don't expect us to believe Granny is a little old lady, do you?"

Kinch shook his head. "Not this again."

Hogan chuckled. He was in a no win situation. No matter what he said, his men wouldn't believe him. So instead, he turned his attention to Klink, who looked more tired with every passing day. Their illustrious Kommandant had stopped giving reports about the war weeks ago when the Allies had closed in on the Rhine and the Russians marched across Poland. Klink looked like a man who knew that Germany was losing the war but was too afraid to admit it aloud. Then again, Hogan couldn't complain, it made for much shorter roll calls.

"Report!"

Schultz saluted. "All present and accounted for."

"Dismissed!"

Hogan turned to head back inside when Kinch caught his attention. "Colonel, the gates."

Hogan looked back just in time to see two cars drive into camp. A familiar face stepped out of the lead vehicle. "What do you think Hochstetter wants?" LeBeau asked.

"Not sure," Hogan said. "Things have been pretty quiet for the past couple of weeks."

Baker agreed. "No escaped prisoners or downed airmen."

"It's been forever since we've blown anything up," Carter complained.

Newkirk frowned. "Well, he looks happy about something."

"Nasty happy," Hogan agreed as he watched the Gestapo officer berate a guard over some minor issue. "Well, put on some coffee while I figure out what our friendly neighborhood goose-stepper wants this time." Then, with a swagger in his step, Hogan walked straight into Klink's office where Hochstetter was berating Klink while Schultz tried to fade into the corner. "Kommandant, I have a complaint..."

Hochstetter turned toward the newcomer. "Good, just the man I wanted to see, Papa Bear."

Hogan laughed. "This again. Really, Major, you'd think with Germany about to lose the war, you'd have bigger concerns on your plate."

Hochstetter growled, "I have a witness who swears that Papa Bear met with an Underground contact at the Hofbrau last night."

Hogan's smile didn't even flicker as he lied, "That may be true, but it wasn't me. I was in the barracks all night. Ask Colonel Klink."

"No one ever escapes from Stalag Thirteen," Klink said, right on cue. "I assure you; Colonel Hogan remained in his barracks where he belongs."

Hochstetter turned to his guard. "Bauer, bring in the witness."

Wheels turned in Hogan's head, brainstorming ways out of this potential mess. Things sounded bad, but they had gotten out of worse straits before. He would have to discredit the witness, and with Hochstetter's well-known obsession with finding Papa Bear, that shouldn't be too difficult.

Then the door opened and Granny walked through.

Hogan forced himself to not react. This was bad, very bad. How had they grabbed her? Rage boiled within him at the thought of Hochstetter's goons threatening an old lady. He had to protect her and there was no way he was going down without a fight. "That is your witness? Can she even see without a pair of glasses?"

Hochstetter's tone betrayed a surprisingly gentle side as he ignored the American and asked the woman, "Frau, is this the man you met last night?"

"Yes. It is him."

"Major, even for a member of the Gestapo, this is low. Threatening an old woman in order to gain a partner for your baseless accusations."

Granny wagged a finger at him. How different she appeared from the frail woman of last night. "He didn't threaten. I am proud to help catch the man who murdered my son."

The anger in Granny's voice shocked him. This was no giving in under pressure but a carefully planned betrayal. But was this a hatred of enemy flyers or something more? "Murder? Lady, I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm a soldier; it's just my job to fly the plane, I don't pick the targets. And I haven't bombed anything for years."

Major Hochstetter looked confident as he said, "Colonel Hogan, we aren't referring to explosions from the sky, but from the ground. There have been more acts of sabotage in this part of Germany than anywhere else. Trains, factories, bridges blown up and the blood of the men who died in these barbaric acts is on your hands."

"I joined the Underground for one reason," Granny said. "To meet Papa Bear. To find the man who killed my child. And now, at last, my boy can rest in peace." Then looking up at her escort, she added, "My job is done. Take me home, soldier."

Hochstetter held open the door. "Danke, Frau. Take her home, Bauer."

The soldier saluted and followed the woman, whom Hogan knew only as Granny out the door. He wanted to be angry with her but he couldn't. He felt no regret over his actions that may or may not have led to the death of her son. Yet, even though her betrayal could lead to the death of every man in this camp, he didn't blame her. In her shoes, he probably would have done the same thing.

"Now, Klink," Hochstetter spat. "I order you to release Colonel Hogan to me. We have a lot we need to discuss."

Klink shook with fear, but somehow managed to summon up a backbone and said, "Major Hochstetter, I agree that this report is upsetting. But I can't release a prisoner without written authority."

Hochstetter's eyes gleamed and Hogan knew in that moment that the round was lost. The major had his permission and so it was no surprise when he whipped out signed orders from General Burkhalter allowing him to take Hogan into Gestapo custody.

Klink's face turned white as he read the orders. The man may have been an idiot but he was no fool. And the Klink's expression told Hogan that his Kommandant knew full well that Burkhalter's signature signed not just Hogan's death warrant but also his own.

"Colonel Hogan, you are under arrest."

Hogan held out his hands. "Very well, Major, I'll play along. I'll be Papa Bear. Schultz can be Little Jack Horner and Klink, well, he's a perfect Wee Willie Winkie."

"Hogan!"

Hogan grinned. Klink's protest gave him confidence that he was on the right track. For he had nothing left to lose and a camp full of people he needed to save. Referring to Granny, he continued, "You found your Goldilocks and I'll admit that you do make a convincing Big Bad Wolf - all huff and puff and bluster."

"Bah!"

Gesturing toward the picture of Hitler, Hogan said, "And Ole Scramblebrains here is Humpty Dumpty and it is only a matter of time until he has a great fall."

"HOGAN! How dare you insult our Fuehrer!"

Hochstetter stepped closer and snapped a pair of handcuffs around his prisoner's wrists. "Don't bother, Klink. Colonel Hogan will be singing a different tune very, very soon. I promise you."

Kinch barely breathed as he listened intently to every word that came out of the coffee pot. How could this be happening? They had been doing so well, they were winning the war and the Allies would cross into Germany any day now. Their whole operation had seemed invincible and now the word of one old lady was threatening to bring it all down.

"Very well, Major, I'll play along. I'll be Papa Bear. Schultz can be Little Jack Horner and Klink, well, he's a perfect Wee Willie Winkie."

What was Hogan doing? He wasn't confessing, was he?

"Hogan!"

"You found your Goldilocks and I'll admit that you do make a convincing Big Bad Wolf - all huff and puff and bluster."

Understanding dawned as Hogan continued his litany of fairy tale names and Kinch braced himself for one he both knew and feared was coming...

"Bah!"

"And Ole Scramblebrains here is Humpty Dumpty and -"

Kinch pulled the plug as soon as he heard those fateful words.

"Hey!" Carter protested.

Newkirk jumped up. "We can't just -"

"You heard the Colonel," Kinch interrupted. They didn't have time to argue.

"Humpty Dumpty," LeBeau whispered. Then jumping out of his seat, the Frenchman flung open the office door and shouted at the men in the other room, "Humpty Dumpty! Humpty Dumpty!"

The barracks burst into motion at that shout. There was no time for shock and as Newkirk and Carter raced for the door, Kinch turned his attention to his job. He quickly grabbed a blanket off Hogan's bed and spread it on the floor. He threw the coffee pot on it and any papers and other incriminating evidence he could find. Once he had removed everything he could, he bundled up the goods and moved into the main room.

The barracks were empty expect for Newkirk, who was grabbing more contraband, and LeBeau, who was emptying the cupboards of food. The rest of the men would be racing through the tunnels, passing on the word to the other barracks...

Humpty Dumpty - total operation failure. All men into the tunnels and prepare for evacuation.

Kinch ignored his friends and descended into the tunnels. Already they were filling up with men, but everyone moved to the side as he raced through. He had one last job. One that, if he knew Major Hochstetter, would seal his CO's fate. But his orders were clear.

Throwing his bundle to the floor, Kinch turned on the radio and adjusted the dials faster than he ever had before. "Papa Bear to Mama Bear. Come in, Mama Bear."

"This is Mama Bear. Go ahead, Papa Bear."

"Situation Humpty Dumpty. I repeat, Situation Humpty Dumpty." Then throwing his microphone down, Kinch reached for the master switch and shut everything down.

Schultz stood quietly in a corner, trying to calm his trembling hands. He wanted to know nothing, to hear nothing about the things his boys had done. He had warned them to stop their monkey business, but they never listened! And now everything was ruined.

Klink's door slammed open, causing Schultz to jump. He picked up his fallen rifle as a Gestapo soldier rushed inside and announced, "Herr Major, we picked up a radio signal coming from inside this camp!"

Hochstetter grinned. "Where?"

"It was too short to tell, Herr Major. Less than thirty seconds."

"Klink! Are there any radio operators in Hogan's barracks?"

Klink gulped. "Sergeants Kinchloe and Baker."

"Well, don't just stand there. Bring them to me!"

"Schultz! You heard the man, go get them!"

Schultz squirmed, uncomfortable with the all the eyes looking at him. "Yes, Herr Kommandant. Right away, Herr Major." He quickly raced outside, but while he was glad to be out of the office, his fears only grew stronger as he walked across the camp.

What would happen to him? What would happen to his boys? What would happen to his guards? He had tried his best to know nothing but it was impossible not to know that Stalag Thirteen held many secrets about which it would be best if everyone knew nothing. But now Hochstetter knew and if he figured out that Schultz knew what he had tried to not know, it would be worth more than his life. Oh, why was this happening?

Pushing open the door, Schultz opened his mouth to holler, only to freeze at the sight before him. The barracks looked like a tornado had passed through with stuff turned over, belongings scattered and other items missing. Then a noise caused Schultz to turn and he spotted his favorite prisoner, standing where no prisoner should be.

LeBeau was holding a bulging sack as he stood on the top rung of the ladder that descended into the tunnel that Schultz had done his best to forget existed. But there was no denying it now. The tunnel was real and LeBeau was about to escape...

The Frenchman's eyes met his, but he did not say a word. Schultz knew that he should call out to his men. He should arrest LeBeau and order his guards to explore the tunnel, but when he opened his mouth only one word emerged, "Cockroach."

"Goodbye, Schultz." Then as if knowing the guard would do nothing, LeBeau climbed down the ladder and closed the tunnel entrance.

Schultz stared at the bunk that now blocked the tunnel from sight. He stepped forward. He could still call out. He could announce that he had discovered the tunnel. It might be enough to save his life...

He touched the wood of the bunk and found the button he had known was there, but he couldn't bring himself to press it. Then backing away, he said, "I see nothing. I hear nothing. I know nothing."

Then turning on his heel, Schultz hurried back to Klink's office to announce that there had been an escape.