Stalag 13, Barracks Two, Quarters of Colonel Hogan
July 24, 1944, 1500 hours
Hogan sat in his office with Hans Teppel – or Robert Morrison, he had to keep reminding himself – going over their plans to get him back to London.
"London is happy that we managed to get you out of Berlin," Hogan said.
"It's nice to know somebody cares," Teppel said with a smile.
"We'll be able to get you out of here in a few days," Hogan said. "We'll get you on a sub and back home."
"Home was Milwaukee," Teppel replied. "But I suppose London is one step closer!"
"Do you have any big plans?" Hogan asked.
"For when I get back?" Teppel asked.
"For when you both get back," Hogan prompted. "You are bringing along a passenger, in case you have forgotten."
"No, I haven't forgotten," Teppel said dejectedly.
Hogan stood and began pacing. "Look, it's probably none of my business," he said. "But I haven't seen the warmest of feelings between you two."
Teppel sighed. "It's my fault," he said. "She didn't know anything about this until it all went sour. I think she's having a hard time with it."
Hogan leaned against the corner of his bunk. "That's understandable," he said. "One day she's happy with Hans Teppel from Berlin and then next day her life is in danger with Robert Morrison from Milwaukee."
"I've been thinking if I could have handled it differently," Teppel said.
Hogan shook his head quickly. "I doubt it," he said. "The less people who know about you, the safer you are. You couldn't have told her sooner."
"I know that, but …" Teppel said.
"She'll come around," Hogan said. "Give her time."
Teppel fixed his gaze on Hogan. "She's not just a wartime fling, Hogan," he said. "I love her." Hogan nodded silently. "And I think she loves me," he continued. "Or at least I thought she did."
"Look, Teppel … I mean Morrison," Hogan started.
Teppel laughed. "I've been Has Teppel for so long, I don't think it matters what you call me," he said.
Hogan chuckled. "Better watch how you phrase that," he said. He paused while Teppel laughed. "Morrison, put yourself in her shoes. She's just found out her boyfriend was not who he said he was, had her life put in danger, and has had to leave behind everything and everyone that made her who she is," he said. "How would you feel?"
"Mad as hell," Teppel said softly.
"Exactly," Hogan agreed. "Give her some time. I think she'll come around."
"And if she doesn't?" Teppel asked.
Hogan smiled. "She did come with you, didn't she?" he countered.
"She knew her life was in danger if she stayed," Teppel said.
Hogan smiled and shook his head. "She could have stayed and turned you in," he said.
Teppel thought about this for a moment. "But she didn't," he said softly.
"But she didn't," Hogan echoed. "That should tell you something."
- - - - -
Late that night when everyone was sleeping, Hogan ventured down into the tunnel to check on their visitors. He had commandeered the solitary confinement cell for them to sleep, figuring it would be quieter than the tunnels. He was surprised to find Heidi sitting at the radio desk with Baker drinking a cup of coffee. "Having trouble sleeping?" he asked her.
Heidi nodded. "A lot has happened in the past few days," she said, taking a sip of coffee.
Hogan chuckled. "All in a days work," he said.
"You do this every day?" she asked.
"A little of this, a little of that," he replied.
"Not every day is filled with chaos," Baker added.
Hogan chuckled again. "No, some days it's merely hectic!" he quipped.
The room grew quiet. Hogan poured himself a cup from the coffeepot. "Baker, why don't you go and get some sleep," he said. "I'll watch the radio tonight."
Baker nodded, correctly understanding that Hogan wished to talk to Heidi. "Thanks, Colonel," he said.
When Baker had climbed the ladder and closed the tunnel entrance, Hogan sat at the desk across from Heidi. "So how do you feel about all of this?" he asked.
"Angry," she replied. "Confused. Scared. And probably some other things that I cannot think of right now."
Hogan nodded. "I'm not surprised," he said. "I doubt that you ever imagined yourself sitting in a hole in the ground waiting to be shipped away from your homeland."
She smiled and shook her head. "No, that was not one of the daydreams I had as a child," she replied.
"This is more like a nightmare than a daydream," Hogan said. "When I wake up every day, I keep hoping that I am back home in my own bed with my wife beside me."
She nodded sadly. "Many times after my husband was killed I wished that I would wake up with him beside me," she said. "That is until I met …"
"Until you met Hans," Hogan finished for her.
"You mean Robert Morrison," she corrected him with some bitterness.
"Heidi, I can't tell you how to feel about this," Hogan said. "But I can tell you that Robert Morrison loves you just as much as Hans Teppel."
"Why did he not tell me?" Heidi blurted out. "Why did he have to tell me those lies?"
"The less you knew, the safer everyone would be," Hogan said.
"But I would not have said anything!" she cried.
"I know, Heidi," Hogan said softly. "But we are in a business where secrecy is very important." He looked at her kindly. "Do you think my wife knows what I am doing here?"
"She does not?" Heidi asked.
Hogan shook his head. "As far as she knows, I am just a normal prisoner of war," he replied. "And that's all she will ever know."
"You will not tell her when you get back home?" Heidi asked.
Hogan was silent for a long while. He knew that there was a lot he had to tell her eventually – all of the indiscretions he committed in the line of duty – but he still wrestled with how he was going to handle that situation. "For me it is a little more complicated," he said. She looked at him inquisitively. "I have had to do some things while I have been here that I am not very proud of," he said.
She nodded knowingly. "And your wife will be hurt when she finds out," she said. He nodded. "Then why did you do them?"
Hogan sighed. "There are times when you have to do things that will hurt someone you love … for the greater good," he replied.
She pondered this silently and took another sip of coffee. "And you think that is what Hans did?" she asked.
Hogan smiled. "Here is what I think," he said. "I think that Hans loves you very much. And I think that deep down, you love him."
She stared at her tin cup and nodded slowly.
"And I think that right now, you are trying to deal with the shock of the situation," he continued. "And eventually, when you have had a chance to really think about it, you will realize how you feel about him and everything will be fine."
Heidi looked at him and he could see her eyes moistening. "Thank you," she said softly.
He smiled. "All in a day's work," he replied.