Chapter 28

"How's it going, Kinch?" Newkirk asked from his post just ahead of the Sergeant. Newkirk was keeping his eye on Carter, who was posted at the bottom of the basement stairs, and Carter was watching Louis, who was standing at the top of the stairs that led outside of the building. They had gone to the basement to disconnect the fire alarm and flood lights that were attached to the pull down ladders on the fire escapes. They needed to use them to gain access to the roof.

"That's got it. Move out," Kinch ordered. They picked up the other two members of the foursome as they worked their way back up the stairs and out to the east side of the hospital. They separated into groups of two. Kinch and LeBeau started up the fire escape, while Carter and Newkirk headed for the perimeter on the west side of the hospital.

Strasser's little show of resistance won him a pair of handcuffs and a gun to his back as he was taken to meet with Doctor Mahler.

"Well, Hans, what have we here?" Mahler asked, pointing at the cuffed wrists. "Come and sit down. We must have a talk." Hans sat at a table across from Mahler.

"What are you doing here, Doctor Mahler? I haven't seen you since my father's death."

"Hans, they tell me that you may be an agent for England. I have come to speak in your defense," Mahler began as he took out a match to light a candle on the table.

"What can you tell them? It has been a long time since we have seen each other. I was just a Leutnent in the Luftwaffe," Hans lied. Strasser was supposed to be under Mahler's control. Mahler would call Strasser with his trigger phrase and then give him his hypnotic suggestion.

The match hit the end of the wick and a flame began to dance above the wax. Strasser watched it intently and fell silent.

Carter and Newkirk waltzed in and out of the shadows cast by the trees and worked their way to the west edge of the property. Newkirk nearly tripped over a large sleeping Belgium Shepherd dog that had found a spot among the bushes where it felt safe, when the sleeping powder took effect.

"Carter," Newkirk whispered. "move on down a ways before you set your charge."

"Why?" the American Sergeant asked.

"It's too close to that sleeping guard dog." Peter pointed behind him.

"Oh, right." Carter moved on down the perimeter. Carter thought nothing unusual about Newkirk's concern for the animal's safety, since he would have automatically done the same thing. It was one trait these two had in common, love of animals. Newkirk first showed this side of himself, when Carter brought back to camp a chimpanzee after a bombing raid let loose the animals from a nearby zoo.

Carter moved further away from the animal and got to work. They were only going to set one charge. No sense in wasting ammunition. They merely needed to have a simple diversion ready in case it was needed. They would run the wire along the ground and hide a safe distance away.

Kinch and LeBeau made it to the roof undetected and had set the rope anchor, Kinch fastened the hook on his end of the rope to the ring on his harness. LeBeau did the same. They had counted off the windows just as they were shown on the diagram Kyle had provided. Looking at their watches they waited in silence. Soon the guard appeared on the sidewalk below, walking his rounds just as anticipated. As he passed around the corner, LeBeau slipped over the side of the building and repelled down past the sixth and fifth floors to the fourth floor window.

Hogan sat on the single wooden chair and glanced, again at the watch, on the floor, between his feet. He was using the thin stream of light coming into the room from under the door to make the face of the watch visible. twenty two forty hundred hours. he thought as he waited. He was sitting on the edge of the chair both for comfort and speed. He would need to quickly get back in bed should someone approach his door.

The Colonel turned his head suddenly when he heard a tapping on his window.

What the… He stood andwent to the window and opened it.

"You called for a pick-up, Mon Colonel?" Louis quipped in a whisper.

Hogan smiled and helped the French Corporal into the room.

"Louis, what are you doing…? Are the rest of the guys here? Are you all okay?" Hogan quietly bombarded LeBeau with questions. "I couldn't get any answers from the Krauts. I didn't know…"

LeBeau smiling quickly reassured his Commanding Officer, "Oui, oui, we are all fine. But you are not," Louis said, looking his Colonel over.

"I'm much better now." Hogan grinned. "So what's the plan?"

"We are supposed to obtain whatever it is you have for us and get it out of here."

"Is that the whole plan?" Hogan asked.

"Oui, Colonel. You are supposed to stay here and not let them brainwash you," Louis said sarcastically.

"Ask a stupid question…" Hogan started.

"I told them we needed to get you out of here!" LeBeau whispered angrily.

Hogan thought for a minute, "No, Louis, whoever is calling the shots on this operation is right. If I disappear they'll have patrols on every road and snail trail in Germany. They'd never get this information to England. I'll just have to finish playing the hand I've been dealt. You'd better get going."

"Colonel, what will you do?" LeBeau pleaded for an answer.

"Don't worry Louis, I have a few ideas. Now get going." Hogan pushed Louis toward the window.

LeBeau stepped up onto the windowsill and slipped outside.

"Colonel…Colonel," LeBeau whispered as he stuck his head back inside."

"Yeah, Louis?" he asked.

Louis held out his hand, "The package?"

"Oh yeah," Hogan slipped the film out of the hem of the window curtain and slipped the wristwatch back in its place.

"Here." Hogan handed LeBeau the film and then patted his shoulder. "You men are doing a great job. Tell the guys I'll catch up with them later."

"Oui!" Louis tried to sound positive.

"And, Louis, all of you be careful."

Hogan's experiences over the past few days had given him a greater appreciation of what being caught by the Gestapo could entail. He realized Hochstetter had been restrained from working all of his "magic". They needed him alive for the rest of their scenario.

Louis nodded, saluted and disappeared.

Hogan closed the window, turned around let out a breath and simply said, "Swell!" Now let's see if I can come up with those ideas I don't have!

LeBeau tugged twice on the rope, which was Kinch's cue to start pulling him in. But nothing happened. LeBeau tugged again. Still nothing happened. Louis dangled next to the building and looked up.

Kinch was crouching in the shadow of the vent next to where Louis had gone over the side of the building. A guard and a nurse had picked this time to have a quiet little rendezvous and enjoy the starlit night. Kinch felt the tug from LeBeau but couldn't respond. Taking the flashlight off of his belt he shone it over the side of the building in two short flashes.

Newkirk, who was positioned in a line with the east side of the building, moved out and signaled Carter to set the timer.

Carter quickly had it done and joined Newkirk. They both then headed back to the plumber's truck. They had just about reached the dock area when the explosion went off.

The guard on the roof went into action as the blast lit up the dark courtyard. He looked out across the hospital grounds and then headed back into the stairs followed by the nurse.

Kinch swung around and started hauling in on the rope as fast as he could, and Louis scaled back up the side of the building. LeBeau arrived back on the roof, and they both silently and quickly unhooked the rope from their harnesses gathered their equipment and rapidly disappeared down the fire escape.

"Where are you going, Newkirk?" Carter asked, grabbing his partner's arm as he started past the truck.

"I'm going to see if Kinch and LeBeau need any help," he panted.

"We are supposed to meet here at the truck," Carter said.

"You wait here, I'll be right back." Newkirk turned and started to move out.

"Heck no," Carter replied, and ran to keep up.

They hadn't made it very far when Kinch and LeBeau rounded the corner of the building.

Newkirk motioned for them to keep coming and he and Carter covered their retreat. As Kinch and LeBeau ran past, Newkirk and Carter fell in behind and they all quickly climbed into the back of the truck.

Colonel Hogan was on his way back to the bed when somebody approached the door.

No time to make it to the bed. He quickly sat in the chair and resumed his "drugged" performance.

The nurse came through the door followed by Knefler and the guard. The light from the hall shown across the empty bed and the German Colonel quickly turned on the light.

All eyes rapidly went to the chair where Hogan had his head bowed shielding his eyes from the light.

The nurse approached and, pulling Hogan's hand down, tried to look into his eyes.

"What are you doing in the chair, Colonel Hogan?" Knefler asked.

"Hmm? I'm sitting." Hogan looked down at the chair and then closed his eyes again.

"He doesn't know where he is, Colonel Knefler," Lisa said.

"I know where I am. I just don't know how I got here," Hogan mumbled.

She looked at the guard and said, "Help me get him back to bed."

The guard grabbed Hogan by the arm and roughly escorted him over to the bed. Hogan stood facing the bed without moving.

Lisa moved in and gently guided her patient back under the blanket.

Knefler was observing the interaction. Are you as confused as you appear to be or are you still looking for a way out? No matter, we'll take care of that now.

"Colonel Hogan it's time for some more medicine," Lisa said, as she went to the table where she had set the water and paper cup containing the two pills and brought them back to the prisoner. Knefler stepped up and took the pills from the nurse, emptied them into his hand and held them out to Hogan.

"What time is it?" Hogan asked.

Knefler ignored the question. Disorientation to time was all part of the strategy. "Take these, Colonel Hogan." Knefler ordered.

"What are they?"

"Just take them," Knefler said without taking his eyes off his prisoner.

Hogan looked at the pills and then up at Knefler before taking the pills one at a time and putting them in his mouth. Great! I knew it was just a matter of time before I'd have to swallow these things. Lisa handed him a glass of water and instructed, "Drink all of this water down. Good," she said, as he handed back the empty glass.

"Good night, Colonel," Lisa said as she turned to leave.

"Wait a minute; check his mouth and make sure he swallowed the pills," Knefler commanded.

""Colonel, open your mouth. Okay, now lift your tongue. That's fine." Lisa turned back around to Knefler. "They're not in his mouth, Colonel Knefler."

"Very well…" An explosion interrupted Knefler. "What …?" He turned to the guard and said, "Find out what that was. I'll stay here with the prisoner. Nurse, you may go and care for your patients."

What's going on out there? A knot formed in Hogan's stomach. Keep them safe, Lord, please!

"I see you heard that, too, Colonel Hogan."

"I may be drugged but I'm not deaf," Hogan answered.

Knefler pulled the chair over closer to the hospital bed and sat down. "What do you think it was," Knefler asked, "somebody coming to get you out?"

"No one knows I'm here," Hogan answered slowly, as if his reaction time was slowed. "Maybe somebody's coming for you!" Hogan threatened. His eyes flashed defiance and he smiled slightly. "How long do you plan on keeping me here? Whatever it is you're up to? You won't get away with it."

Knefler looked more intently at Hogan. "Colonel Hogan, I think maybe Major Hochstetter was right, you don't know when to give up. You can't win. Eventually you will surrender your information to us."

"Is that what this is all about, my submitting to answering your questions? Why? Any military information I have is over a year and half old. It can't be of any value now." Hogan began to feel light headed.

"You have information about Herr Strasser, Colonel," Knefler reminded him.

Knefler's voice began to echo in Hogan's ears.

Yes; Strasser. How do I use that? Don't want to think…why should I…I must think…must concentrate…I feel like I'm floating…the drugs are hitting…be careful.

Knefler could see that Hogan was losing his concentration. He watched as the prisoner's eyes drifted away from him and looked at the open door leading to the hallway and then to a spot across the room. You're measuring the change in your vision, feeling euphoric aren't you?

"Something wrong, Colonel Hogan?" Knefler questioned.

"What are you giving me?" Hogan asked.

"Just something to relax you, it won't cause any permanent damage."

"Are my men okay?" I shouldn't have asked that. Why not?...It's a logical concern…bad timing after the explosion…No, that's why I asked…did they get caught... Watch it…you're messing up. Just shut up.

Knefler looked at the confused look on Hogan's face and wondered what the American Colonel was thinking. He glanced back over his shoulder at the open door. Are you hallucinating, or are you referring to the interrogations at the camp, or perhaps you are referring to the here and now?

"What do you mean, Colonel?" Knefler was trying to get more information from Hogan, who now had a "far away" look in he eyes. That's it, Colonel, just relax and go to sleep.

Keep quiet… can't think straight… why worry about it…starting to feel relaxed…I'm in danger…my men are in danger…are they safe…ask…no, go to sleep. Sleep is safe…can't make a mistake if I sleep…escape.

Hogan closed his eyes and sunk back on the pillow. He no longer heard Knefler's voice, nor felt the pain of his weight on his tender back. He had escaped everything…for now.