Chapter 19

Hogan was awakened by the rattling of keys in his cell door and the guard ordering him to "Raus". Slowly, he sat up, his muscles protesting his every movement.

"All right, all right, I'm 'rausing'," Hogan muttered. What's the hurry?

Colonel Hogan was ushered out into the compound, where he saw a group of German officers standing talking. He tried to see who they were, but the brightness of the sun, after being in the cooler, was making it hard to focus his eyes.

The guards stopped Hogan in front of the group, and forced him to his knees with his hands on his head. Hochstetter wanted to make a point. The other officers watched this game of cat and mouse with interest.

"Well Colonel Hogan, it is good to see you again."

There's no mistaking that voice, Hochstetter Hogan blinked into the sun coming over the Major's shoulder. As his eyes adjusted to the light, the Majors features came into view.

"Oh, Major Hochstetter, it's you. Since you have me on my knees, I take it you're tired of being looked down on." The Major was shorter than Colonel Hogan, and Hogan knew it was a source of irritation for the German Major.

Hochstetter nodded to the guard who struck the Colonel across the shoulders with his club, capturing the American's attention. Hogan gasped but remained upright on his knees.

"You know what they say, Colonel, 'the taller they stand the further they fall'." Hochstetter stepped up to Hogan and placed his hand under his chin, moving his head up and to the side examining his earlier handiwork. Even though the bruise had faded significantly, it could still be seen.

Hogan attempted to yank his face out of Major Hochstetter's grasp, but the German held tight and ran his other hand over the outline of the bruise.

"Hmm, I told you I'd be back," Hochstetter said with a smile, and finally released his grip with a pat on the cheek.

Not sure what to make of this, Hogan looked at the other officers standing in the group. Knefler, Strasser, Schaffer and Klink were all looking down on him.

"We have an appointment to keep Colonel Hogan," Schaffer announced, as he studied the prisoner's reaction to his statement. "Major Hochstetter has been kind enough to offer his services."

Hogan had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. This was not the outcome he had anticipated from their little charade. They had thrown him another curve. "I've already told you what happened. What more do you want?" Hogan asked. They aren't willing to accept the obvious. Knefler is not easily fooled. I'm going to have another question and answer sessions, but with Hochstetter this time. Swell!

"We aren't quite convinced you've been telling us the whole story, Colonel. We think you could use some help remembering the details," Schaffer was trying to undermine Hogan's confidence, and in fact had succeeded to a small degree, when the sound of planes permeated the air.

All eyes looked up. It was Allied bombers. They quickly passed over and soon the sound of explosions could be heard. This seemed to restore the Colonel's former overconfident behavior.

They're taking out the small arms factory we sabotaged. Hogan smiled.

"Looks like the Fatherland is missing another factory, or air strip, or anti-aircraft weapon, or maybe all of the above." Hogan goaded.

Hochstetter turned back to face his prisoner and motioned to the guards to stand the prisoner on his feet. "Put your arms out in front of you, Colonel Hogan," Hochstetter ordered, while taking the handcuffs off of his belt. "You won't be so cocky, once I get you back to Gestapo headquarters."

The Colonel grimaced as the cuffs were tightened down over the bandaged wrists. Hochstetter grabbed the Colonel by his upper left arm, and began to lead him toward the waiting truck. The Major turned him over to the guards waiting by the truck, who assisted him up into the back of the vehicle and forced him onto the wooden bench, securing the chain between his wrists to the bench, assuring the prisoner could not stand. Hogan looked over at Barrack Two, wondering if his men were okay.

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His men were confined to the barracks, as was the rest of the camp, but they were watching what was happening through partially opened shuttered windows

"Well, there he goes, off to Hochstetter's House of Horrors," Newkirk said walking over to the stove for a cup of coffee.

Kinch was sitting on his bunk, starring at the floor, going over every detail of the last three days.

"Anybody hungry?" LeBeau asked, out of habit. Cooking helped him think and gave him an outlet for his nervous energy.

"How can you guys think of eating at a time like this?" Carter asked, with disbelief.

"We have to eat, Carter," Newkirk tried to act nonchalant.

LeBeau nudged Newkirk and pointed at Kinch, who was still sitting quietly on his bunk.

"Kinch….Kinch…hey KINCH," Newkirk finally got his attention.

Kinch looked up, "Just going over everything in my head, trying to figure out if we should know more from the events that happened. Newkirk, did you empty the bag you were using for trash when we policed the area this morning?"

"Naw, it wasn't full enough to bother," Newkirk answered.

"So, it's hanging in the supply shed?" Kinch continued.

"Yeah, why?" Newkirk was puzzled with Kinch's line of questioning, but then he realized what the Sergeant meant. "Nooo, you're not thinking…"

"Looking back on it, seems kinda strange, don't you think?" Kinch asked.

Everyone jumped up and started for the door. "Hold it; we can't all go running to the supply hut that will look funny not to mention we're confined to the barrack." LeBeau advised.

"You're right Louis, so I'll go." Newkirk volunteered.

His noble offering was, quickly, questioned by LeBeau and Carter.

"Hold it you guys, Newkirk's right, if he gets caught, he can just say he forgot to empty his bag. Go on Peter," Kinch ordered.

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Hochstetter, watched as Hogan was secured in the truck, and then returned to the group of officers, still gathered in the compound. Major Knefler was addressing Strasser and Hochstetter attempted to catch up with the conversation.

"….and frankly, Major Strasser, I'm not totally convinced of your innocence. However, Colonel Hogan's confession will serve our purpose. It has allowed us to place him under arrest. We are going to attempt to gain control of Colonel Hogan's mind. There have been advances in the methods used to accomplish breaking through the minds resistance to being reprogrammed. The new techniques are ready for trial and Colonel Hogan will be one of our test subjects."

"I knew we were making studies along these lines. Was Colonel Hogan a random pick?" Strasser asked.

The Nazi Colonel was aware that the depth of Strasser's own involvement had been kept from him, the limit of his knowledge was his fathers involvement in the program. That is if he were still a German Agent. "Colonel Hogan is a discriminate pick, brought about by the results of his interrogations at Dulag Luft. He has already participated in one attempt to brainwash him. I must ask you not to discuss this with him in any way. According to the Kommandant, Colonel Hogan has no memory of his second trip to Hohemark, which is where the first attempt was made. Nor does he remember his first few days at the Wetzlar transit camp, where he was kept until he had recovered enough for his placement at Stalag 13. I have decided to send you along with Corporal Schaffer and Major Hochstetter. Since I am unsure of your allegiance, Gestapo Headquarters in Hammelburg will be a good place for you, until we garner more information. You will be free to move about the interior of the headquarters, but you may not leave the building." We want to give you enough freedom to make mistakes. "Is that understood Major?"

"Jawohl, Herr Colonel," Strasser saluted, "but I assure you, I am loyal to Germany and the Third Reich." You have made life difficult for me, Colonel Hogan.

"Good, if there is no more business to discuss," Hochstetter stated, "let's be on our way." The Gestapo Major was restless and wanted to get started back to Hammelburg with his prisoner.

"Yes, Major, I know you are anxious to get started," Knefler acknowledged, "I will keep in touch. Kommandant, I will be leaving now also. When we are ready to begin phase three I will send for you. You have been responsible for the prisoner's safe keeping for the past year; I believe we owe you the opportunity to observe his 'transformation' into a member of the Nazi Party."

Salutes were exchanged and the truck carrying the prisoner, followed by the Staff car with the three officers, headed out the gate.

Klink watched the truck disappear and returned to his office. The camp felt strangely empty with the SS, the SD, the interrogators, and his senior POW Officer gone. Klink finally sat down at his own desk again. At least this feels right! He thought. I've got to get the camp back into a routine, and check with Sergeant Wilson on the condition of the men that were interrogated. How much do I tell the men about their Colonel? They're bound to know that Hochstetter came for him. I could almost see their eyes behind the cracks in the shuttered windows. Maybe I don't need to tell them anything. They all know what a trip to Gestapo headquarters entails. What they'll want to know will be- is he coming back? That's a good question, and an even better question is if he does come back who will he be.

Major Hochstetter followed behind the truck transporting Colonel Hogan. He wasn't going to let Hogan out of his sight, until he had him safely secured behind bars, and even that didn't make him feel at ease. Hogan had eluded his grasp to many times; Hochstetter was beginning to get paranoid. Not until they were actually behind closed doors together, for the purpose Colonel Knefler instructed, would he feel truly at ease.

Corporal Schaffer broke the silence, "Major Strasser, Colonel Knefler, suggested you might like to be present with Major Hochstetter and Colonel Hogan for some of the sessions that will be taking place. It was thought your presence might add some additional mental stress for the American." Actually, he thought it would give me an opportunity to observe your reactions and you a chance to give yourself away, if you are a British agent.

I would enjoy that very much, Corporal. I would like to see the American Colonel pay for the indignities he has caused me. I want him to see me enjoy his suffering."

The barrack door opened." Hey it's quiet out there," Newkirk announced. "It looks like they pulled out the SS."

"Yes, they did," Carter looked hopeful. "Maybe they did believe our story."

"Would you two quit talking about the SS?" LeBeau said, impatiently. Looking at Peter he asked, "Did you find anything unusual, Newkirk?"

Newkirk reached inside his coat and pulled out a folded crumpled piece of paper, and handed it to Kinch.

"Come on, Newkirk, what does it say? Carter asked.

Kinch read the unfolded piece of paper and his eyebrows raised, as a smile broke out across his dark handsome face. LeBeau, folding his arms, patted his left foot against the floor. "Well, is one of you going to say something?"

Kinch looked up, "It's written in code, but it's a radio frequency and a code word. Newkirk, watch the door. Carter, you take the position at the bottom of the ladder and LeBeau, you stand at the door to the radio room. I want to know if we are going to have visitors. I'm pretty sure they pulled the radio detection trucks, but let's not take any chances."

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Hogan let his head fall back against one of the support spines holding up the tarp on the back of the truck. He really didn't want to think about spending time with Hochstetter. His stomach was in knots from the dread he was trying very hard to hide. He glanced out the back of the truck at the staff car following behind.

What is all of this about? Why am I being probed and examined, not once but twice, by German doctors?

He was desperately searching his mind, trying to remember the periods of blank time at Dulag Luft. Knefler asked me if I remembered being injured when I was captured. I remember being injured, and I remember being at Dulag. It's the time in between I'm having trouble with. I know they treated me before taking me to Dulag, because I had sutures and bandages when they strip searched me. Hogan closed his eyes and tried to remember. I remember days of interrogation, severe hunger, dirty cells, no rest, voices, questions, beatings and… Hogan's eyes flew open. doctors, testing, probing, nightmares,..no worse…hallucinations…nothing made sense…I was lost.

Hogan had again broken out in a sweat. He hadn't noticed he was pulling against the handcuffs, which were secured to the seat between his legs. Fresh blood had saturated the bandages. It finally made sense; they were using him for testing but for testing what? He felt he had to get away. He looked around again at his two Gestapo guards, and the staff car of German officers covering the back of the truck. What are my choices? Or has my luck finally run out? Hogan could feel his uncertainty building and did what he always did when he felt he had lost control of a situation. He prayed. I'm afraid I'm in deep… you know what… again, Lord… give me strength to get through this… or if need be, courage to die honorablyOh, and if your archangel Michael isn't busy, you might send him my way… I could sure use somebody on my side.

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