Berlin, Gestapo Headquarters
July 22, 1944, 2120 hours
Karl and Dieter walked into the large Gestapo Headquarters building feeling very tired. It had been a long boring day sitting in the car and waiting for something to happen. Then when it did happen, it all happened so fast – culminating with their car being wrecked beyond drivability.
"What should we do now, Dieter?" Karl asked.
"I think we should try and track down that truck," Dieter replied. "There was something fishy about the whole situation from the start, and when they started to run away, that proved it."
"And what if we find out where the truck came from?" Karl asked.
Dieter shrugged. "I do not know," he replied. "We must find out first."
- - - - -
After two hours, Dieter hung up the phone and smiled. "I got it," he said.
"You do?" Karl replied. "Where?"
"Registered to one of the Luft Stalags – Stalag 13, near Hammelburg," Dieter said.
"They were a long way from home," Karl commented. "But now we know … what do we do about it?"
Dieter pulled out a small book and started leafing through it. "Here it is," he said, putting his finger at a spot on the page. "Hammelburg. A Major Hochstetter is in charge."
"Are you going to call him?" Karl asked.
"We cannot go investigate it ourselves, now can we?" Dieter said, picking up the phone. "Get me the Hammelburg Gestapo. I would like to speak to Major Hochstetter," he said into the handset.
"It is late. Do you think this Hochstetter is still in the office?" Karl asked.
"If not, there will be somebody there I can leave the information with," Dieter replied. He heard the phone connection crackle.
"Hallo, Hammelburg Gestapo. This is Sergeant Schneider," the voice said.
"This is Dieter Hess from the Berlin office," Dieter said. "Is Major Hochstetter in?"
"I am sorry, he is out until the morning," Schneider said. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Yes, I have some information that I would like to leave for him to investigate," Dieter said. He proceeded to relate the events of the evening to the Captain.
When he was finished, Schneider was quiet for a moment. "There, I think I have it all written down," he said. "You say this Luftwaffe truck was registered to Stalag 13?"
"Ja, we got a good look at the registration number and traced it there," Dieter said.
"All right, I will make sure Major Hochstetter gets the information," Schneider said. "Should he call you back tomorrow?"
"If he finds out anything about the truck, he can call us back," Dieter said.
"I do not think that will be necessary," a voice from the doorway said. Dieter and Karl both looked up sharply to see a Major standing in the doorway. "Gentlemen, I am Major Freitag and I have temporarily been placed in charge of this office by General Schlesinger."
Both men jumped to their feet. Dieter looked at the phone handset in his hand and quickly said, "Danke Sergeant. That will be all. Heil Hitler." He hung up the phone.
Freitag looked at the two men silently for a moment. "Maybe you would like to follow me to my office and tell me what you have been doing to interfere with my orders this evening," he suggested. Both men nodded their acknowledgement. "And then you can pack for your next assignment." Freitag smiled humorlessly. "We need a couple more men on the Eastern Front."
Dieter and Karl gulped nervously and followed the Major down the hall.