Stalag 13
July 23, 1944, 0945 hours
Schultz drove the truck through the main gate of camp and brought it to a stop in front of the Kommandant's office. They had stopped on the road outside of camp to unload their passengers – Marya would take charge of getting everyone back into camp. Hogan had quickly gone over their story – which was unchanged from the story that got them out of camp. They had gone to Gestapo Headquarters in Berlin and were interrogated.
Klink emerged from his office as the truck came to a halt. "Colonel Hogan, Sergeant Schultz! I want to see you in my office immediately!" he shouted.
"Well Schultz, it looks like someone reported something back to the bald eagle!" Hogan quipped.
"Oh boy," Schultz muttered.
"Fellas, get back into the barracks and tune in," Hogan ordered. "I don't know what this is about, but I want you in on it."
The men scrambled out of the truck and hurried back to the barracks as Schultz and Hogan took their time getting to Klink's office.
- - - - -
"Now Hogan, you were supposed to be at Gestapo Headquarters being interrogated," Klink said. "That is where you were, isn't it?"
"Of course, Kommandant," Hogan replied. "They asked us all sorts of questions about our life in the camp. We all told them that it was great – a real home away from home."
"Hogannnn, that's not funny," Klink said.
"It's also not even close," Schultz muttered.
"Schultz!" Klink bellowed.
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," Schultz said, snapping to attention.
"You were supposed to be guarding the prisoners," Klink said.
"Oh I did, Herr Kommandant," Schultz replied. "They did not leave my sight the entire time!"
"Are you sure about that?" Klink asked.
"Yes, sir!" Schultz replied.
"What's this about, Kommandant?" Hogan asked. "Are you afraid we gave a bad impression of Stalag 13?"
"How can you give a bad impression of Stalag 13?" Klink asked. "My record speaks for itself!"
"Then why the third degree here?" Hogan asked.
"Major Hochstetter just called," Klink said.
"Why, did he run out of little old ladies to torture?" Hogan quipped. Schultz chuckled in amusement.
"Schultz!" Klink shouted. Schultz stiffened to attention again.
"For your information, Major Hochstetter received a report from two Gestapo agents in Berlin," Klink said.
"Is that a fact?" Hogan said.
"Yes, and they said that a truck registered to Stalag 13 and driven by a Luftwaffe Sergeant was seen at an apartment in Berlin where a conspirator was supposed to be hiding."
"Fascinating," Hogan commented.
"And that this truck sped away from them after taking that conspirator," Klink continued. "People from the truck even shot at them."
"No kidding?" Hogan said. "Boy, those guys ought to be writing movies in Hollywood. That sounds like a real exciting movie."
"Now Hogan. I want an explanation!" Klink commanded. "Can you explain to me why these men would tell Hochstetter a thing like that?"
"I could explain it to you," Hogan said.
"You can?" Both Klink and Schultz asked in amazement.
"But you wouldn't like it," Hogan finished.
"Why wouldn't I like it?" Klink asked.
"They're jealous of you, Colonel!" Hogan said.
"Jealous of me?" Klink asked incredulously.
"Jealous of him?" Schultz asked, just as incredulously.
"Schultz!" Klink yelled. Schultz once again snapped to attention.
"Of course," Hogan said. "It's your perfect record. Here they are trying to round up a bunch of conspirators, and you're sitting in this camp surrounded by ferocious Allied prisoners with nothing but a few measly under-qualified guards. And yet not once has a prisoner escaped from here."
Klink rubbed his chin in contemplation. "You know Hogan, I think you're right," he said. "They are jealous of me."
"Don't let it bother you, sir," Hogan said. "They can try to discredit you, but we all know the truth. Don't we Schultz?"
"Jawohl, Colonel Hogan," Schultz replied with a slight smile. "We do know the truth!"
"Oh, Major Hochstetter is coming here tomorrow," Klink said, almost as an afterthought. "He wants to talk to both of you about this story. Maybe he would be interested in hearing your theory."
"He's the last person you should mention it to, Kommandant," Hogan replied.
"Why?" Klink asked.
"Do you really want to make him feel inferior when faced with the truth about your success?" Hogan asked.
"Maybe you're right," Klink said. "I think it would be best if we didn't tell Hochstetter."
"You know best, Kommandant," Hogan said, saluting. He turned and left the office.
- - - - -
"Damn," Hogan swore as he entered the barracks. He looked around and saw that everyone had come up from the tunnel.
"We heard, Colonel," Teppel said. "Do you think Hochstetter will make trouble for Klink?"
"He'll try," Hogan said. "But as long as we stick to the original story, and get backing from Freitag if Hochstetter checks up on it, we should be fine. Hochstetter is just a big pain in the ass."
"Who is this Hochstetter?" Heidi asked, sipping on a cup of coffee.
"He's the local Gestapo," Hogan replied.
"You're not afraid of the Gestapo?" she asked in amazement.
"The Gestapo, yes," Hogan said. "Hochstetter, no."
"And you went through all this trouble for us?" she asked.
Hogan saw her glance towards Teppel. I wonder what's going on between those two. She wasn't exactly warm and cozy towards him on the trip from Berlin. He nodded. "In this business, you help out your friends when they need it the most," he said.