Berlin, Outside the Flat of Heidi Kaufmann
July 22, 1944, 1820 hours
"This is the building, here on the corner," Marya said, sticking her head out from the back of the truck and pointing.
Hogan looked at the building. "Hmm, right on the corner," he said. "That could be good and it could be bad. Are there two entrances?"
Marya nodded. "There is one main entrance in the front, and if I remember right, one from the basement in the back to the alley."
"Schultz, stop the truck right here," Hogan said. "And stay on the side of the building."
"Jawohl, Herr Captain," Schultz replied. Hogan could sense a little sarcasm in the Sergeant's voice.
"Relax, Schultz," Hogan said. "We'll be out of here and heading back to camp in no time."
"What now, mon Colonel?" LeBeau asked. "Do we go in and get him?"
"I think we should wait," Marya said. "Heidi will be working now."
"Heidi?" Carter asked.
"That's Teppel's girlfriend," Hogan replied. "At least I assume so if I read Freitag's note correctly."
Marya nodded. "You are correct," she said. "And we need to wait for Wagner to show up."
Hogan shifted in the passenger seat. "Well, I guess there's nothing to do but wait."
- - - - -
Gerhardt Lang peered through the binoculars at the truck parked next to the building. "I see two in the front and at least two more in the back – but that truck can hold many more than that," he told his men.
"And that is in addition to the two in the car?" one of his men asked.
"Yes, they are still there," Lang replied. "This will make it tricky if they make their move now."
"We need more men," his other man said.
"There is no time for that," Lang replied. "We will just have to make do." He adjusted his binoculars. "Wait – the ones in the car are heading towards the truck," he said excitedly. "This could be it."
- - - - -
Hogan spotted the two men as soon as they emerged from the car parked across the street from the building. "Uh oh, we've got company," he said softly.
"Colonel Hogan," Schultz whined. "What will we do?"
"You just sit there," Hogan said. He turned to his men in the back of the truck. "Be ready. I don't want to start any trouble, but if they won't leave, we might have to."
Hogan stepped out of the truck to meet the men. "Can I help you gentlemen?" he said amiably.
"I don't believe I know you," one man said. "You are new to Berlin?"
"Captain Hoganhoffer," Hogan replied, raising his hand in an informal Nazi salute. "We were called in to help round up the traitors."
"In a Luftwaffe truck?" the man asked. "And a Luftwaffe guard?"
"We needed a truck and well, beggars can't be choosers," Hogan quipped.
"Apparently not," the man said. "Why are you here?"
"I told you," Hogan replied.
"No, why are you stopped here in front of this building?" he said, sounding more agitated.
"We were given orders by Major Freitag to look for a certain officer," Hogan said. "We were told to wait here for a woman to come home."
The man eyed Hogan suspiciously. "You are looking for Major Hans Teppel and waiting for Heidi Kaufmann?" he asked.
Hogan nodded. "That's right," he replied. "How did you know?"
"Because we are watching this place," he replied. "We have our suspicions about Fraulein Kaufmann."
"You're watching her too?" Hogan said, clucking his tongue. "Major Freitag told us he called off the other teams to look for more promising targets. You see, we're the B-team."
"We received no such order from a Major Freitag," the man replied. "We take our orders from the Berlin Gestapo."
"Oh, didn't you know? General Schlesinger put Major Freitag in charge of things here in Berlin until all the traitors are arrested," Hogan said.
The two men looked at each other. "We were not informed of that," one man replied.
"You do know who General Schlesinger is," Hogan asked warily.
"Of course," the man replied.
"I hear that Major Freitag is his personal aide," Hogan said. "An order from Freitag is like an order from the General."
"We have received no such orders from either the Major or the General," the man said.
"I'll tell you what, we've got a radio here in the truck," Hogan said. "I'll just radio back and let you talk to Major Freitag." Hogan turned back to the truck. "Corporal, get Major Freitag on the radio. These men want to question his orders."
"Jawohl, Captain," Newkirk replied, picking up the radio.
The two men looked nervously at each other and then back to Hogan. "I don't think there's any need to bother the Major," one man said. "Since you are here keeping watch, we'll just return to Headquarters."
"Suit yourself," Hogan said. "Sorry about the mix-up."
The two men returned to their car and in a moment, drove away.
- - - - -
Gerhardt Lang kept looking through the binoculars. "The car just drove away," he said. "The truck is still sitting there."
"Did anyone go inside yet?" one of his men asked.
"No, not yet," Lang replied. "It is just sitting there … and we shall keep sitting here."
- - - - -
As the car drove away, the two SS men in it stared at the truck.
"Did you get the number of the truck, Karl?" the driver asked.
"Ja, I did, Dieter," Karl replied. "We can check on it when we get back to Headquarters."
"We are not going back to Headquarters yet," Dieter said. "We are going down the street a few blocks and keep an eye on the entrance to the building."
"You do not trust them?" Karl asked.
Dieter shook his head. "Since when does the Gestapo need help from the Luftwaffe."
"Good point," Karl replied.