The T.V. show Hogan's Heroes belongs to Bing Crosby Productions.

No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred, and no infringement is intended.

Weaving a Web to Freedom, Undoing the Past

By Marty Miller

Background information, for this story, is from the HH Episode "The Meister Spy"

Chapter 25

The orderly recognized that the drug had taken hold and began unbuttoning the Colonel's shirt. In a matter of minutes they had him undressed and soaking in the warm soapy water of the tub. Hogan would occasionally moan as the orderlies scrubbed the grime of the past five days away, but when they began to clean his back it momentarily revived him and he wanted to get away from whatever was causing his discomfort. Whether it was the medicine or his brain refusing to accept any more pain, he suddenly quieted down, his eyes again closed, and he became completely oblivious to his surroundings.

Nurse Eberly, who had been gathering up the prisoner's clothes and putting them in a bag, assured the guards he was not attempting to escape, but only reacting to the pain.

"He won't remember any of this," Emma, said as she approached the tub to get a better look at the source of the Colonel's hurting. "Umm, that has to be painful," she sympathized on seeing his back. Some of the deeper lesions were bleeding slightly, causing red swirls in the water. "Don't scrub, blot the lesions. We don't want to disrupt the healing that has already started. Then when you stand him up, and before you get him out of the tub, rinse his back with clean water, making sure to rinse all of the soap off. I'll see that Doctor Becker knows about this. Emma turned to leave and continued giving instructions as she grabbed the bag containing the prisoner's soiled clothes, and headed for the door. "Make sure you wash his hair and shave him, oh…" she turned to the orderlies and added, "…and blot his back dry; don't rub!"

"All present and accounted for, Herr Captain," Schultz announced.

"Excellent," Cuyler said, and continued, I will be here while your Kommandant is away. Do not think because Kommandant Klink is gone it will be any 'easier to escape'. Any attempt at escape will be dealt with severely. I hope I have made myself clear. Dismissed!" Cuyler turned and marched on to the next barrack followed by Sergeant Schultz.

The men of Barrack Two broke rank and filed back into the barrack. Once the door closed Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter made their way to the tunnel entrance.

Kinch looked at McLaughlin, who was anxiously watching their departure, and said, "Mike, if anybody asks, keep them thinking we're somewhere in camp for as long as you can. Cuyler will do the rest after we miss the next roll call. If everything goes according to plan, we will be back by tomorrow midnight. Don't wait too much longer than that, if you don't see us, to start evacuating the camp."

Mike nodded, "Good luck guys. We'll keep it together until you get back. Just don't be stopping at any beer halls."

Kinch grinned and followed the others down into the tunnels. McLaughlin was willing to do whatever he could from within Stalag 13, but he wanted no part of going out beyond the wire. An earlier escape attempt from another POW camp had turned out disastrous, and Mike was haunted by the memories. The war would have to end before he would venture beyond the machine gun towers without an escort. It made his being stationed at Stalag 13, from which "there had never been a successful escape", a logical place to fight the remainder of the war.

The four made their way through the woods and along the edge of the swamp. Kinch was making sure everyone was keeping up, when he looked back and noticed Carter was hopping up and down like a rabbit. Kinch frowned and silently motioned to Newkirk to look behind him. It wasn't long before Newkirk was trudging back to his bouncing comrade.

"What are you doing, Andrew?" Newkirk demanded.

"I lost my boot in the mire," he exclaimed.

"Oh blimey, where at?" Newkirk was looking behind Carter. "Never mind; I see it." The top fourth of the boot was sticking out of the mud, while the inside was slowly filling with goop oozing in around the lacings.

Peter plucked the shoe out of the "soup" and pouring the mud out with a flare handed it back to Carter, who was trying to balance like a crane and reinsert his foot.

Peter looked up to motion the two ahead of them to move on and was met with a Frenchman standing with his hands on his hips and a black Sergeant shaking his head with his hand over his eyes.

He looked back in time to grab Andrew before he toppled over into the mucky swamp.

"Are you ready now?" Newkirk demanded.

"Yeah, thanks, Newkirk." Carter said, quietly.

"Come on, you walk in front of me," Newkirk said, playfully hitting Carter with his hat. "I'll keep an eye on your shoes!"

General Burkhalter and Kommandant Klink arrived at the hospital later that morning. They walked past the checkpoints as they entered without stopping. The guard on duty stood at attention and saluted.

The General approached the front desk and ordered, "Inform Colonel Knefler that I am here."

"Also tell him that Colonel Klink is here," Klink added.

Burkhalter looked down his nose and added, "Yes, you had better warn him that Klink is here. He still has time to get away," the General grumbled. Burkhalter had made taking verbal "shots" at Klink a hobby.

Klink had no choice but to smile and pretend to be amused, while taking his anger out on the end of his swagger stick, which he squeezed and twisted with his left hand.

"Jawohl, Herr General, Colonel Knefler left word for you to join him on the fourth floor. You may take that elevator," the receptionist said, as she pointed behind her.

Colonel Knefler had been notified of the General's arrival and met the two officers as they exited the elevator. The three then joined Becker and received an account of the time Hogan spent with Hochstetter.

"Major Hochstetter and Corporal Schaffer have worn him down physically," Knefler commented. "I know his history after his capture and before Stalag 13, but tell me how was he when he arrived at the camp?"

Klink answered without pause, "Weary, angry, unsure of himself and from what I later came to learn, he was uncharacteristically quiet."

"Tell me, Colonel, when he was quiet, did it appear that he wasn't hearing or seeing you?" Knefler inquired.

Klink brought back the image of the 'Colonel Hogan' that arrived at his door on that day almost a year and a half ago. Why did he not want to answer that question? Why was his first thought 'how will this be used against Hogan'? This is dangerous thinking. I must answer the question. "I…"

The General interrupted, "I brought him in my staff car from Wetzlar transition camp to Stalag 13, Colonel, and no I don't think he was always aware, he sat quietly staring, his jaw was set, his teeth clenched, and his cuffed hands were in a fist," Burkhalter stated.

"You brought him, Herr General?" Knefler asked, surprised.

Burkhalter took exception, not to the question, but to the inflection in which it was asked. "Yes, Colonel Knefler, I brought him. Apart from being curious about the man who had been wreaking havoc across Germany and gave no information during a Gestapo interrogation…" The General paused and looked over at the unconscious prisoner, "…it was a military courtesy extended due to his rank."

"Very good, General, I meant no insolence." You may not want to admit it, but it sounds like there is respect mixed in with that 'military courtesy', Herr General.

"I'm just trying to get a more complete picture of how he is coping. We have been measuring his physical state at each stage. I'm trying to get a bearing on his mental state. You might say, I'm looking for the crack in his armor."

"Do you have anything to add, Kommandant?" Knefler looked back at Klink.

"Ja, just one thing more, after three months time he appeared to be recovered," Klink responded.

Burkhalter looked at Hogan's back and scowled, "I imagine this was inflicted by Major Hochstetter personally."

"Yes General, so I was told," Becker confirmed.

Burkhalter nodded his head. Good, now that he has had his fun, maybe he will leave my Luft Stalags and me alone.

"Will his weakened physical state allow the drugs to push him over the edge?" the General asked.

Becker replied, "We don't have an answer to that. What we are looking for is progress. Any advance is a step in the right direction. The last attempt yielded nothing of significance." The doctor paused and smiled, "At least nothing of military significance. He clung to his belief of good and evil, right and wrong; those dogmas we didn't get past."

"I understand that Chief of SS Intelligence General Kaltenbrunner has brought you into the fold, Herr General. You will join the German General Staff for a presentation by Doctor Strughold this afternoon. Your questions will be answered then," the doctor assured.

Klink was still silently watching the doctor. He felt angry. "How can he sleep through your debridement and suturing of those wounds? It has to be painful," Klink asked. If this is any indication of your five day ordeal, Colonel, I can't imagine how you could have any mind left.

"He's been medicated. He should sleep for several hours." Becker said looking at the Kommandant. Noticing Klink's pallor he smiled and asked, "Do you need to sit down, Colonel?"

Lutz and Armin were waiting by the truck, checking the time. "Here they come." Armin spotted the four men making their way through the underbrush to the truck.

"Did you run into some trouble?" Lutz asked.

"Ask Laurel and Hardy." LeBeau gave a nod of his head toward Carter and Newkirk.

"What?" Lutz asked

"Forget it. We just got off to a slow start," Kinch answered.

They climbed into the back of the truck, followed by Armin, while Lutz jumped into the drivers seat. The truck was filled with plumbing supplies. It was felt this would be a safe cover. Not many soldiers would want to confiscate bathroom fixtures.

"We will be staying just outside of Hohemark for a few hours on a farm. We'll eat, go over the plan and rendezvous with Underground members who will have information for us about what is happening at the hospital. In the mean time I suggest you get some sleep now, while you can." After giving that bit of advice, Armin found himself a spot in the bouncing truck and closed his eyes.

The four POW's kept their eyes open. They didn't like surprises. Sleep would wait.

LeBeau watched Armin find a spot to lie down. Looking back at his friends he asked, "So we are not going to try to get Colonel Hogan out of there?" He thought maybe if he asked again the answer would change. "I don't see why we should leave him at the hands of the Boche." He brooded. Louise had been caged the longest and had been beaten often when he was first incarcerated, He had watched his comrades come and go from Gestapo interrogations over and over again until eventually some didn't come back at all.

"Louis, we've been all through this." Kinch ran his hands over his hair. He appeared strained as he looked into the anxious faces in front of him. I know you don't want to leave the Colonel there. Neither do I. But the goal we set with the Colonel is still the goal we hope to attain. He's been through too much to give it up now. Colonel Hogan wants to maintain the operation we have here. That was the original plan, and as far as I can see that hasn't changed."

"What if he's changed his mind, Kinch?" Newkirk uttered.

Kinch thought for a minute, then he shook his head negatively, "He's always been willing to risk it all; that's what has made this operation a success; attempting and doing the impossible. You don't really think he would change now?"

"Nurse, where is Doctor Becker? It's almost one o'clock," Doctor Dering demanded.

"He is finishing with the American prisoner in the exam room, Doctor," Emma said. "Do you need him?

"I need someone to assist me in my preparations on the sixth floor," Dering ordered.

Erika watched as Emma hurriedly put her chart down and jumped to attend to the doctors demands. "Do you need a nurse to assist you, Doctor?"

"Do you see a patient here yet, Nurse? If I needed a nurse I would have said so. I said 'someone', anyone will do," Dering said sarcastically.

Looking around her eyes lit on Erika. "Anna," Emma called.

Oh no, please don't send me with him; he's pompous and rude.

Emma continued, "Please go with Doctor Dering, he will instruct you as to what he needs done."

"Yes Nurse Eberly," Erika said with resignation. She followed the doctor into the elevator.

Schultz entered Barrack Two and looked around at the quiet room. This is unusual, he thought, there's usually one of Colonel Hogan's men here. Where are they? Schultz walked back outside with a worried look on his face. McLaughlin was sitting on the bench outside of the door.

Mike was the first man from Barrack Two that Schultz ran into. "Hey, Mike, where are Carter, Newkirk, LeBeau and Kinch?"

McLaughlin smiled, I hope you have your running shoes on, Schultzie. You're about to get the "ole song and dance".

Doctor Dering had kept Erika busy helping him set up the room where they would begin their experiment. Doctor Becker had joined them a short time ago and they were just about to finish up. Erika had been handed a tray with some glass syringes on it and told to set them on the Mayo stand. As she started across the room, Doctor Dering turned and knocked the tray out of her hand.

"Clumsy girl!" he hollered. "Can't you do anything? What a mess. That's it; you're out of here." He grabbed Erika by the arm and proceeded to march her out of the room.

He took her down the hall still scolding her for her actions. Anyone who was nearby took off in the opposite direction. Everyone knew Doctor Dering had a temper and they wanted to stay clear.

"Of all the incompetent things…"

Dering grabbed Erika's hand and shoved a roll of negatives into it. "The color is blue. Get this to Major Strasser," he whispered quickly and resumed his tirade.

"I will speak to Nurse Eberly about you. Now go back down to the fourth floor and report to her."

Erika quickly recovered from her awed stance. Doctor Dering is my contact? "You do that, doctor. I will tell her how you knocked the tray out of my hand and acted like it was my fault! I don't appreciate being treated this way, and don't ask me to assist you again!" Erika spun around and headed for the stairs. She wasn't going to stand and wait for an elevator with a roll of negatives in her hand.

Doctor Dering watched, dumbfounded, as the girl held her head up and marched away. Not bad 'Anna', not bad Dering went back to the testing room and Doctor Becker.

After she was on the stairs, Erika placed the negatives in the pocket of her dress. She stopped to breathe, and to comprehend that the obnoxious Doctor Dering had just handed her the negatives of the information they were after. Kyle had briefed her the night before that she would be passed the information, and that her contact would give her the next step. After that her part would be done. She would be discharged the next morning for some made up reason. She continued her descent to the fourth floor. That little show ought to be a good enough reason to dismiss me tomorrow. She would have liked to have stayed and kept an eye on Papa Bear, but she knew the only way to keep ahead of the Gestapo or SD was to get in and get out, before they found out anything.. Now to get this… She patted her pocket. …to Strasser.

The truck carrying the escaped POW's arrived at the farm.

"Follow me," Armin directed.

The men were ushered into the farmhouse and down to the cellar. It was arranged comfortably with a table, chairs, blankets and food. The men would stay there out of sight and wait for their next contact.

Erika arrived back on the fourth floor and was looking for Nurse Eberly. She almost ran into her as she stepped out of one of the rooms reserved for the two new arrivals. "Oh, I'm sorry Nurse Eber…Emma," she said. "I was just looking for you to tell you I was back and that I had a little run in with Doctor Dering," Erika, said, as she observed the German soldier standing at the door to the patient's room.

"Emma looked at Erika surprised, "Oh you did? And you have lived to tell about it?" she smiled.

"I'm sure he will tell you all about it," Erika said. "He was very rude." She was curious as to who was in the room that Emma had just exited.

"Have the new patients arrived?" Erika looked toward the guard standing outside the closed door.

"Yes, Major Strasser is in this room. The American Colonel is in the other room," Emma explained.

"Is the American dangerous?" Erika pretended to be concerned.

"No Anna. I told you there is no need to be afraid of them. They will be heavily medicated and will not hurt you. Now come we have work to do."

Emma talked as they walked, "Anna, we are going to be short staffed tonight. I am going to go home early and get some rest so that I can come back and work tonight. You go ahead and get the clean linen passed to the rooms, and then you can help feed some of the patients. The other nurses will tell you if they need anything else done." Emma turned and walked over to the nurses' station.

" Wilson!" Schultz huffed and puffed as he entered the infirmary, "Mike McLaughlin said Carter and LeBeau had come to talk to you. Where are they?"

"Oh they left here about 10 minutes ago. I think they were going to the Motor Pool to meet Kinch and Newkirk."

Schultz sighed, and slowly lumbered out the door on his way to the Motor Pool.

Wilson snickered. Poor Schultz! He's going to have a long afternoon.

Anna was passing out the linen, the guard to, Colonel Hogan's room, opened the door to let her in. The guard stood in the door way as she went in and laid the linen on a small table next to the head of the bed. She looked at Hogan as she passed him. He was still deeply asleep. The papa bear, in nature never sleeps deeply. He is always alert, just like our 'Papa Bear' is normally. Don't worry Colonel; I'm keeping an eye on you. She hurried back past the guard on her way to the next room.

As she approached Major Strasser's room, the guard looked at her debated silently for a minute and then decided to let her pass. She entered and found the Major in a bathrobe looking out the window smoking a cigarette. She froze for an instant. She was expecting him to be in bed and not so…mobile.

"Good day, Herr Strasser," she began.

Strasser did not turn around, but continued to look out the window without saying a word.

Hans was reviewing his earlier meeting with Nurse Eberly. Emma said I would have to hold the negatives temporarily. Hogan would not be coherent enough to understand for a few more hours. Dering is suppose to get it to me. He's taking a big risk.

"The color is blue," Erika said softly. Strasser did not answer. He was deep in thought.

Oh for goodness sake, he's not going to bite me. Erika cleared her voice and walked closer to Strasser. "I said, Herr Strasser…"

Hans turned at the sound of his name and faced the girl that was walking toward him and was surprised to see "Greta" the waitress who had passed him the note at the restaurant. He quickly recovered. So we meet again.

"…the color is blue," Erika announced. She saw the recognition in his eyes but he remained silent.

Erika had been shocked when she was briefed about her mission and learned that Strasser was a British Agent. I hope they're sure about their information. She thought

Strasser held out his hand, Erika took the roll of negatives out of her pocket and placed it in his hand. He quickly shoved his fist and the negatives in the pocket of his robe and turned back to the window.

"What is your name?" he asked as he continued to look out the window.

"Anna, Herr Major."

"Thank you for the towels, Anna."

Erika continued her rounds.