Stalag 13, Barracks 2
July 20, 1944, 1730 hours

Hogan slammed the door to the barracks as he and the men entered. "Damn!" he exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

"We just heard that Stauffen exploded the bomb," LeBeau answered.

"Yeah, Klink just got a message from Burkhalter," Carter added.

"But that's good, isn't it?" Newkirk asked.

"It would be if it had worked!" Hogan exclaimed loudly.

"But we don't know that it didn't, mon Colonel," LeBeau said.

"You heard the message," Hogan said. "It said that an attempt had been made to kill Hitler. You know that if it had been successful, the message would've said he was dead."

"I suppose you're right, sir," Carter replied.

"That's a bloody shame," Newkirk commented.

"It's worse than that," Hogan said.

"How do you figure, Colonel?" Baker asked.

"This was their one shot," he said. "Now that the attempt failed, they're never going to get another chance."

"Do you think they'd try again?" Carter asked.

Hogan shook his head. "I don't think they'll live long enough to think about it," Hogan replied.

"You think they'll be executed?" Carter asked.

"Carter, with the Gestapo full of men like Hochstetter, do you even doubt it?" Kinch asked. Carter shook his head.

"Do you think they'll get caught, Colonel?" Baker asked.

"In a minute," Hogan replied, snapping his fingers to show how quick. "And not only that, our lives are going to get much more difficult."

"Why?" LeBeau asked.

"The Krauts are going to be jumpy now," Hogan replied. "They'll be on the lookout for anything unusual. We're going to have to lay low for a while."

"How long?" Newkirk asked.

"I don't know," Hogan said with a sigh. "Until things quiet down. Kinch, get in touch with Erich and let him know – no more sabotage until we're sure things are quiet. Have him pass the word along."

"Right," Kinch said, rising from his chair.

"Oh, and Kinch – radio London and tell them the good news as well," Hogan said sarcastically. Kinch nodded and headed for the tunnel.

"It's a shame the General wasn't successful," Carter commented.

"It's more than just a shame," Hogan said. "It means that Hercules died in vain."

The men were quiet, thinking of the fallen agent who they had just buried in an unused portion of their tunnel system. After a moment, Newkirk rose from the table and threw his empty tin coffee cup against the barrack wall. "I hate this ruddy stinkin' war!" he exclaimed.

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Newkirk," Hogan agreed somberly.