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 29
Lutz and Armin were putting their tools back into the truck. Armin was inside the truck taking the supplies from Lutz when Major Hochstetter approached and asked, "What are you doing?"
"We have finished our job and are packing up to leave. What is going on out here, Herr Major?"
"Just some partisan activity." Hochstetter looked into the truck at Armin. "We are looking for them now."
Armin saw the Major's gaze taking in the interior of the truck. "Nothing in here, Major," he gestured around him. "Feel free to come in and look."
The four POW's tried to shrink into the crevices around the plumbing supplies. Hochstetter put his foot up on the truck and suddenly stopped as one of his guards came running up.
"Herr Major, we have found one of the guard dogs asleep. He has been drugged."
"They would have had to put it in their food. That means whoever it is was from inside the hospital." Hochstetter removed his foot from the truck and turned around. "I'll take some men and search inside. Escort this truck off the premises and secure the area," Hochstetter ordered.
Armin and Lutz got back into the truck and the guard passed the order along to allow them to pass. Now, out on the road and away from the hospital, they began to breathe again.
"Did you get it Louis?" Kinch asked.
"Oui." Louis held up the film.
Everyone smiled, while exchanging nudges and pats on the back.
"How was the Colonel?" Carter asked.
"Worried about us," LeBeau grumbled.
Knefler was on his way out of Hogan's room when Major Hochstetter barreled past him and stopped. He looked at Hogan and back to Knefler.
"The Underground is at work. They set up an explosion as a diversion; we are still looking for them." He walked over and shook Hogan. "Hogan, what do you know about this?"
"Umm," was the only answer Hochstetter received, before the sleeping man again lay quiet.
"Don't pretend to be sleeping…" Hochstetter raised his arm ready to strike.
"Major, that isn't going to help. He won't be responding to your questions, at least not tonight. Did you see anything in addition to the explosion?" Knefler questioned.
Hochstetter lowered his arm and raised the Colonel's eyelids, checking the validity of Knefler's statement. "Bah! What…Oh yes," Hochstetter regained his line of thought. "The guard dogs have been drugged, which means someone had access to the kitchen. We are searching inside the hospital." The Major turned away from the bed and faced Colonel Knefler.
"I think you should get back to your search, Major," Knefler advised. "I don't want anything to interfere with tomorrow's test."
Hochstetter looked at the guard that had accompanied him. "You stay here, in this room, and guard the prisoner. I'm not taking any chances," he added, looking at Knefler.
Knefler nodded his approval and followed Hochstetter out into the hallway.
"Do you wish to join us, Herr Oberst?" Hochstetter waited for an answer.
"Not now; I have a phone call to make," Knefler took the elevator to the top floor, where the first test would be made in the morning. He entered one of the office rooms, closed the door, and taking a seat behind the desk, reached for the phone.
The truck carrying the six men pulled, once again, down the tree-lined lane of the farm belonging to Theo and his wife. Its occupants were reacting to mixed feelings of relief due to a job accomplished and the guilt that comes from leaving a man behind. I hope I've done the right thing, Colonel, Kinch agonized.
Kyle was immediately on the porch and watched as the men exited the truck, and climbed the steps to the front porch. Kyle turned and opened the door to the house, motioning them inside.
"Congratulations. I'm assuming, since you have made it back, that you were able to acquire the 'package'." Kyle looked hopefully at the four men.
"Oui, we have it," LeBeau said with a stern, unfriendly look on his face.
"Don't give it to him Louis, maybe we'll just hold onto it until the Colonel gets back." Newkirk glared at Kyle.
"Sounds good to me," Carter added.
Kinch looked at his three buddies, turned back to Kyle and said, "Maybe we'll just keep it a little while longer."
Kyle sighed, took a step in the opposite direction and rubbed his face. Turning back to face the men he said, "I know this stinks. If we could have thought of a better way, we would have done it. You don't know what is at stake here, it's not only the information on behavior modification…" he saw Carter's question, and clarified, "…brainwashing, but the Hun have also been working on a means of controlling the populace. There is a lot of information here that needs to get to the right people fast. Many people have risked everything to get it this far, including your Colonel. From what I know of Colonel Hogan, he wouldn't want to be the reason it doesn't reach its destination."
Kinch shook his head, "You present a good argument, and you're right, the Colonel wouldn't want that." Kinch turned around. Louis already had his arm outstretched to Kinch with the film laying in his palm for the taking. The Sergeant scooped it up and handed it to Kyle.
"Thank-you," he said quietly. "Now, you men need to get back to Stalag 13, and I need to get this out of the country.
"Hauptmann Cuyler, this is Oberst Knefler. How is everything at Stalag 13?"
"Everything is under control here, Herr Oberst."
"No escapes?" Knefler asked.
"Nein, Herr Oberst. Did you hear that there were?" Cuyler asked. The mission must have gone off. Have they been captured? Are they testing me? Well, no guts no glory.
"Nein, Hauptmann, but there has been some activity here and I wanted to eliminate the possibility of Stalag 13 being involved. Perhaps I should send you some reinforcements in case the underground is planning a mass escape," Knefler warned.
"Jawohl, if that is the plan I could use them." Cuyler felt his heart skip a beat. He would be found out if the Colonel followed through.
It was quiet for a few seconds and then, "I believe we can wait. I have no indication that the underground would be so foolish to try another escape attempt after this one obviously failed so miserably," Knefler decided. "Just double your guards. Heil Hitler!"
"Jawohl, Heil Hitler! Phew!" Cuyler dropped down in his chair.
Armin was sitting in the back of the truck with the four POW's, explaining what the Underground wanted to do on their way back to Stalag 13.
"Now would be a good time." Armin argued. "Their attention is focused somewhere else."
Kinch frowned, "But we haven't observed the coming and going of the construction workers so we don't know if they have moved the machinery into the building yet. An attack before they have the machines in place would be a waste."
They were discussing the new location of the small arms factory in a converted warehouse north of Hammelburg, and the possibility of taking it out before it started production.
"We are way ahead of you on that. While you were following London's orders to lay low, we did the reconnaissance. The Machines are all in place." Armin's eyes were pleading silently with the American Sergeant. "With Papa Bear out of the picture, right now, we have agreed to follow your direction. We may not have an opportunity like this again. Right now there are no workers in the building. They have not started up production, but they will in the next day or two. The raw materials are due to arrive today. There is one more consideration." Armin looked at the four men he was trying so desperately to convince.
"What is that?" Louis asked.
"There will be less loss of innocent lives, the towns-people that are forced to work there will not yet be in the building." Armin threw out what he hoped would be the clincher.
"Kinch, this probably will be the best time, mate," Newkirk added his support to Armin's plea.
"I'm all for not taking anymore lives than we have to," Carter agreed.
"Oui, you know we will have to do it eventually, when London finds out its back in operation. And the Colonel will be back…" LeBeau said with conviction, "… and he'll want to be a part of it whether he should or not. You know for yourself he would be impossible to keep down."
"Well logically, I guess now is the best time, if you're all in agreement," Kinch looked around at the nodding heads. "Then let's get it done. How will you get the word out to have the others meet us there with the explosives?"
Armin looked sheepishly at Kinch, "We already told them to meet us. They will get there at three a.m. and wait until we show."
"Pretty sure of yourself weren't you?" Kinch looked at Armin wryly.
"No, not of myself, but I was pretty sure of you!" Armin smiled.
Strasser had played his hand well. He let the Nazis see that he was no longer under their control. Now he was officially accused of treason. He would be taken back to Berlin and held until they decided what to do with him. They wanted to know how the British turned him around.
"Take Major Strasser back to his room. I will have him placed in restraints until we are ready to move him." Doctor Mahler scribbled a note out and handed it to the guard. "Give this to the nurse on duty."
"Jawohl!" the guard saluted.
The Germans now "knew" that Hogan was protecting Strasser's double agent identity, by placing himself in a position of being charged with espionage. They would use that knowledge as their test for the American Colonel. If he admits that Strasser is a British spy and that he was covering for him, they would know beyond a doubt that their "Truth Serum" worked.
"Colonel, stay awake and eat your breakfast," Emma was coaxing.
"I'm awake!" Hogan said through half closed eyes.
Nurse Eberly was changing the bed linen and secretly looking for the watch that Erika had left the American the night before. By the time Erika could get back to the Colonel, it was after 1:30 a.m. and he was "out" to the world. Now with the guard Hochstetter placed in the room, it was impossible to ask Hogan any questions.
Emma glanced back over her shoulder at Hogan who was sitting with his eyes closed still holding his fork.
"Colonel, open your eyes."
Knefler walked in and the guard snapped to attention. The Oberst paused in the doorway and observed the events in progress.
"Having a problem, nurse?" the Oberst asked.
"Just a little, Herr Oberst, I'm trying to change this bed and keep my patient from falling out of his chair," She smiled. "Colonel Hogan…"
"I'm awake! I told you, I hear everything you say." Hogan opened his eyes and looked over at Emma. His eyes landed on Knefler. "Oh, how long have you been here, Knefler?" Hogan rubbed his eyes. Oh brother, what was in those pills?
"Not long, Colonel." Knefler turned back to Emma. "Nurse we will need to have the prisoner ready for us at two p.m."
"Yes sir." Emma looked back at Hogan, who was leaning his head on his hand with his eyes closed. She turned around and grabbed the pajamas off the bed. "Maybe if I get him out of that gown and into these pajamas, it will wake him up."
"Well, I see he is still here," Major Hochstetter said, sticking his head into the room.
Knefler looked around, "Yes Major, he isn't going anywhere. I need to see you out in the hall."
"Yes, just let me release my guard," Hochstetter replied. Looking again at Hogan, he motioned to his guard, "Come, you're not needed here; go and get some rest."
"Jawohl. Danke, Herr Major."
The guard, Knefler, and Hochstetter left the room.
Once outside Hochstetter straightened with interest. "Is this about Major Strasser?" he smiled.
"Yes, he gave us his confession last night. I have the paper work ready for you. You are to take him back to Gestapo headquarters in Berlin. We don't want Colonel Hogan to know that Strasser confessed. We want to use that information as an indicator for the Truth Serum. It is information that Colonel Hogan has been guarding."
Back in the room, Emma walked over to Hogan and reached to the back of his neck to untie his gown. The tug on his gown brought the Colonel back to awareness.
"What are you doing?" Hogan pulled away.
"Doctor Becker said you could put these on." Emma held out the pajamas.
"Thank you, I will!" Hogan reached for the clothes.
"Colonel, are you sure you're awake enough to …" Emma was interrupted.
"I'm awake! Now if you will just turn around for a minute, I'll slip these on."
Emma smiled and turned her back."Colonel, now that we are alone where did you put the watch?"
"Where did I put the what? Oh, yeah, the watch, I forgot all about it. It's in the hem of the curtain over the window."
Emma turned to go to the window. Hogan had just finished tying the drawstring on his pants and was reaching for his shirt.
"Did you find it?" he asked.
"Yes, I have it. I need to get next door and get this back to Major Strasser, before they take him. I'll be back." She headed for the door, "Are you able to stay awake and eat now?"
"Don't worry, I'll stay awake. If I don't, you're liable to try and bathe me!" he grumbled.
Emma reached the door and turned around with a smile on her face, "Why Colonel, we've already done that. Don't you remember?" And she headed out the door, leaving a bewildered Colonel to wonder if she was kidding.
"She was kidding!" he said to himself as he rubbed his chin. Suddenly startled, he quickly put both hands on his face. He'd been shaved!
