Chapter 16

Vertigo overcame Hogan and his foot slipped off the beam. The guard grabbed his club, and responded with a crack across Hogan's shins, which took him to his knees. Before he could stand back up, he heard Schaffer's all too familiar voice.

"I see you're having trouble getting up this morning, too, Robert. My, my, you do look exhausted. Let's go in the Rec. Hall and have a seat, shall we?"

The guards reached down and practically dragged him inside and stood him in front of Schaffer.

"While the guards are getting your chair ready, I want to tell you how cooperative your men have been."

This statement pumped some life back into Hogan. Finally, my cue. This took longer than I had anticipated. The next time I tell my men to hold out and make it look good, I'm going to have to be more specific.

"I don't believe that!"

The guards came back, jerked him around to face them and removed the cuffs, so they could re-cuff him to the chair. Schaffer grabbed Hogan's arms and pulled them up to look at his mangled wrists. "That's got to be painful, Rob. Guards, let's, use the chest and upper arm restraints today. We'll get those taken care of in a little while."

Come on, you don't care about my wrists. What's your game, Corporal?

The guards secured Hogan to the chair and Schaffer began. "You'd like us to think that Strasser is a British agent."

That is precisely what I want you to think. Hogan looked quickly at Schaffer, and then just as quickly away again, giving the impression that he was surprised by that statement.

"The truth is you and some of your men, through an elaborate hoax got information from Major Strasser and somehow passed it to the underground. The Major explained how you approached him in the cooler and pretended to be his contact. I don't have to tell you these are serious accusations."

Ok, this is the line of questioning I had been expecting. The Colonel felt a little more secure about the plan he and his men had worked out, now that the line of questioning had switched to the right topic. Ok, it's show time.

Hogan looked perplexed, and pretended he didn't understand why Strasser would implicate fellow allies. You're fishing, but you're right. Now, let's see if we've convinced you that you're wrong, and that Strasser, being a British agent, was using us to protect his cover. A British agent planted in the German army would have much more worth than a bunch of POW's no longer making any contributions to the war. They would be expendable in the grand play of things, if it meant keeping that agent in place.

"That's what he told you?" Hogan's voice was barely a whisper.

"What did you say, Robert?"

"I said…nothing!" Another forceful slap stung his cheek.

Schaffer saw the troubled look that was only briefly allowed to rest on the prisoner's face. The American appears surprised, that he has been accused, by Strasser, of this trickery. There must be a contradiction in the accusation, he doesn't just feel angry, he feels betrayed. You almost have me convinced that you did not perform this charade.

Schaffer was reviewing the scene that he had just witnessed. Perhaps you are shocked by the accusation; if it is coming from someone you know to be an ally. He looked down at Hogan, who would not make eye contact with him. Grabbing the American's hair he pulled his head up and looked into his face. He demanded that the Colonel look at him.

"Now tell me how you knew that Major Strasser had told Kommandant Klink that he was a double agent." Still getting no response, he let go of Hogan's hair and grabbed his raw wrists.

"Uh," Hogan closed his eyes and concentrated on not screaming. He began sweating more profusely as the sounds in the room echoed in his ears. He was afraid he was going to pass out. Breathe, just keep breathing, slow and deep. he told himself. His head began to clear, but the sweat still dripped down his face. I knew you had an ulterior motive for not restraining my wrists. Ok, it's time to follow the same instructions I gave to my men. Don't make it look too easy.

As time passed, the Corporal became more relentless and forceful with his interrogation, keeping his prisoner battered both physically and mentally. It was time for answers.

Two hours later, Hogan had enough and decided to "give in" to the "Superior Race".

Schaffer had just retracted his arm for another blow, when Hogan said, "No…no more." He let his head droop. "Ok…"

Schaffer pulled up a chair and sat in front of Hogan. The German changed his approach from the loud abusive interrogator, to a soft-spoken listener. "All right, Robert, I'll stop. You have always been in control of how long this went on. We'll let you catch your breath." He motioned for the guard to bring the glass of water from the desk.

Hogan was actually having trouble staying awake. He was truly exhausted. He had almost gone too far with his acting, but he couldn't afford not to. The 'Operation', and the lives of the men in this camp, depended on this being done right.

"Here, Robert, drink this, its just water." Hogan drank. Afterwards the Corporal placed the cup on the floor next to his chair and leaned forward. "I'm listening, Rob."

The Colonel nodded and solemnly began. "Some of my men… heard Strasser's statement to Klink and told me about it. I decided to…" Hogan paused to catch his breath. "…discredit his story. My men had nothing to do with it. It was my idea. I take full responsibility." Hogan's head bowed once more.

Schaffer placed his hand under Hogan's chin, and gently raised his head, while asking, "How did you gain access to Major Strasser?"

Hogan wanted to close his eyes and sleep, but he forced himself to continue, "I told Schultz that the Kommandant was sending another guard to relieve him, and then had one of my men, in a borrowed uniform, walk onto guard duty, as I walked Schultz off his post." Hogan paused again, grimaced at the pain he was feeling, and rallied his strength. "I drove a truck in front of the cooler and slipped Strasser a mickey I put together from drugs I removed from the infirmary." Just a slight variation on the truth. But then, it is suppose to be a lie anyway. Hogan closed his eyes and thought, Done!

Schaffer looked at his stenographer and smiled. Then looking at the guard, he handed him a note he had hastily written, and said, "Give this note to Colonel Knefler at once."

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Colonel Knefler read the note that was sent to him, looked at his watch, and shook his head affirmatively. Almost twenty-one hours from Schaffer's start to finish, add in sixteen hours from the day before and we have thirty-seven hours without sleep and under duress, interesting, Colonel Hogan. I'll call our two doctors and let them know that he is ready for his follow-up. Knefler walked to the door of the outer office, "Helga, please let all of our interrogators know that I am going to Gestapo headquarters, in Berlin. I will return tomorrow morning and we will meet for our debriefing. I expect them to have their reports ready for me at that time."

Klink had looked up when Colonel Knefler opened the door to "his" office. He was still relegated to the desk across from Helga, which wasn't all bad.

"Kommandant, Colonel Hogan has surrendered his information. I will use the Recreation hall for my meeting with the interrogators. Please, have a conference table prepared for us by tomorrow morning. You are invited to attend of course."

Helga stopped what she was doing, when she heard the announcement about Colonel Hogan. She quickly returned to her work, not wanting anyone to notice her concern.

Knefler turned back to Helga, "Helga, please send for my staff car, I will be spending the night in Berlin."

"Jawohl, Herr Oberst," she replied.

Knefler turned and went back into the office to phone the doctors, before walking over to the Recreation building.

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Colonel Knefler invited Klink to accompany him on his walk. As they entered the building they saw Schaffer and the stenographer conferring over the notes. Both snapped to attention as the Oberst entered the room. Salutes were exchanged and their eyes drifted to the sagging American airman, still restrained in the chair.

"Exhaustion has taken over our prisoner, Colonel Knefler," the Corporal explained.

"So I see. I would rather he not be allowed to rest just yet. I want to preserve his present state until the doctors have finished with him. They are on their way from their lodgings in Hammelburg."

"In that case, we will take him to the showers, and clean him up before they arrive."

"I'm sure they would appreciate that. Carry on Corporal." Knefler turned and headed out the door to his staff car and Berlin.

"Klink knew that interaction with the prisoner by anyone but Schaffer was forbidden. So he stood his distance while Schaffer ordered the guards to release Hogan from the chair, and take him to the showers."

Hogan groaned at having his sleep interrupted, but was soon shocked into awareness as the guards grabbed his wrists to pull him to his feet.

"Ugh, what's going on?" Hogan asked, grimacing.

"You're going to the showers to get cleaned up," Schaffer replied.

The guards were lending their support to either side of Hogan, as they walked him past the Kommandant. Hogan looked at him and attempted a smile, while nodding toward the guards on either side of him.

"Sorry, Kommandant, I'm afraid my dance card is full," he said as they passed without stopping, and exited the building.

Schaffer looked at Klink and said, "He's got quite a mouth on him. I don't know how you do it, Kommandant. Frankly, I probably would have had him shot by now," Schaffer laughed. The Corporal looked as if he had had a "workout". He had removed his jacket and unbuttoned his sleeves and the top button of his shirt during the interrogation, and was only now re-buttoning them.

"Colonel Klink, would you send for a change of clothes for the prisoner and have them sent to the showers?" Schaffer asked, as he headed for the door slipping his jacket on.

"I'll send a guard for them right away," Klink answered. Well, Hogan, you seem to have survived, at least for now. It's good you don't know what lies ahead. We'll have to learn the result of these interrogations, as well as how strong willed you can remain, before we know the real outcome.

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