Stalag 13, Tunnels Under the Camp
July 27, 1944, 2220 hours

Colonel Hogan hopped off the ladder into the common room of the tunnel below the barracks. "Is everyone all set to go?" he asked the assembled people.

"Hogan darling," Marya cooed. "You have come to kiss me goodbye again."

Hogan smiled. "Not hardly," he quipped. "Last time I did, look what happened. You came back, I had to go to Berlin to get shot at, and I have more hair on my head than you do!"

Marya wrapped her arms around Hogan's neck. "Hogan darling, it's not the amount of hair on the head – it's the amount of passion in the heart," she said playfully. "Now kiss me."

Hogan smiled at her. "Still trying?" he asked. "Don't you know a hopeless cause when you see one?"

"I know a challenge when I see one," she replied. As he opened his mouth to reply, she pushed forward and kissed him. When they parted, he playfully pushed her away and when she had turned, he patted her behind. She quickly turned back around, wagging her finger. "Naughty, naughty, Hogan darling!" she teased.

Hogan feigned a look of surprise. "Who, me?" he asked. The room erupted in laughter. When it died down, Hogan looked at his watch and asked, "Who's leaving first? They should probably get going."

"We will be leaving first, Colonel," Wagner said, extending his hand to Hogan. "Thank you for the help in getting us out of Berlin."

Hogan shook the man's hand. "Always glad to help a friend in need," he replied.

Marya and Wagner exchanged good-byes and accepted wishes of good luck from the rest of the prisoners. When they came to Teppel and Heidi, they stopped.

Teppel held his hand out to Wagner. "Kurt, good luck to you," he said.

Wagner accepted the hand. "Please, call me Gregori, Hans" he said. "Kurt Wagner is dead."

Teppel laughed. "In that case, Hans Teppel is dead," he replied. "Call me Robert."

"And call me a doctor, I think I am going to be ill," Marya said with a laugh. "Hansie, you'll always be Hans Teppel to me." She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss.

"Please, not in front of Heidi!" he exclaimed playfully.

"But Hansie, we were going to share you," Marya cooed, causing Heidi and Wagner to laugh.

"I think we're missing a lot being stuck here in this prison camp," Newkirk whispered to LeBeau.

"Oui," the Frenchman agreed. "You would think they were French!"

Marya hugged Heidi. "I wish you two all the happiness in the world," she said.

"Ha … I mean, Rob," Heidi said, still trying to get used to Teppel's real name. "Do you think Maria would be a good name for our daughter?" she asked.

"Daughter?" Teppel asked in surprised. "You mean …"

Heidi laughed. "I mean when we have one, silly!" she said.

"Morrison, you look a little shaken!" Hogan exclaimed with a smile. "Can I get you a glass of water or something?"

Teppel patted his chest. "Don't scare me like that!" he said. "I think I've had enough excitement for one week!"

With all the goodbyes said, Wagner and Marya turned to leave.

"Are you sure you don't want an escort?" Hogan asked.

Marya shook her head. "We will be fine, Hogan darling," she said. "You just make sure the happy couple makes it to England safely."

They all watched as the two disappeared down the emergency tunnel.

- - - - -

Teppel and Heidi sat relaxing in the common area of the tunnel. After Marya and Wagner left, Hogan had informed them that it would be a couple hours before they needed to begin their journey, and then he had discretely ordered everyone out of the tunnel to give the pair some privacy before they left.

Teppel looked at Heidi fidgeting as she sat. "Nervous?" he asked.

She nodded. "A lot has happened in the past few days," she said. "And I am still afraid of being caught."

Teppel nodded. "That would be bad," he said. "But Hogan and his men are good at this. We are not the first ones that they have sent out of here."

"I know," she replied. "I am just glad we'll be together. I do not think I could manage it on my own."

Teppel put his arm around her and squeezed. "You will be fine," he said. "And you are going to get to see England!"

Heidi smiled. "Before the war, I always dreamed about traveling to different countries," she said. "Will we go to America soon?"

Teppel shrugged. "Probably not until after the war," he replied. "They will want to keep me in London to use the knowledge that I gained in my ten years of being Hans Teppel."

"Ten years," she said softly. "You had to give up your life for that long … and for what - to send information back to the Allies?"

He smiled at her. "I am heading back with more than I ever imagined," he said, kissing her forehead.

She smiled back at him. "What will they think about me?" she asked. "What if they think I am a spy being sent back with you?"

Teppel laughed. "You should not worry about that," he said. "They will have some questions for you at first, but Colonel Hogan told me he would talk to them. He has a lot of connections back in London."

Heidi was silent for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "It is hard to believe I am leaving Germany forever," she said.

"Maybe not forever," he replied. When she looked at him skeptically, he continued, "The war will end someday, and Germany will need all of its people to help it get back on its feet. You could come back then."

"What about you?" she asked. "I do not want to leave you."

Teppel chuckled. "You will not," he said. "I have spent the last ten years living in Germany. It is more of a home for me now than Milwaukee."

"You would come back with me?" she asked.

"You are leaving with me now," he replied. "Do you think I could let you come back without me?"

They sat quietly with their arms wrapped around each other, enjoying the quiet moment. After a few minutes, they heard a rattling as the wooden stairs descended from the bunk of the barracks above.

"It must be time to go," Teppel said softly.

- - - - -

Hogan handed Teppel a small packet. "Here are your papers," he said. He and his men had gathered in the tunnel's common area to see the pair off to London.

Teppel opened the packet and scanned the papers. "These are perfect," he commented. He held one of the papers up to the light of the oil lamp. "You've got every little detail correct."

"We aim to please," Hogan replied smiled. "Newkirk's a perfectionist." The English corporal beamed proudly.

Teppel handed a set of papers to Heidi. "That's important in this line of work," he said to Hogan. "That helps explain your success rate."

Heidi had been reading her papers. "Now I am Hilda Kaufmeyer?" she asked.

Hogan laughed. "Just until you get to England," he said. "We wouldn't want your real papers to be checked. You're probably on a list by now."

Teppel nodded. "I'm positive of it," he replied. He looked at Heidi and smiled. "Which is why I'm Heinrich Teppelmann." Heidi laughed.

"I'm sure I don't have to remind you to act like a real German," Hogan said with a twinkle in his eye.

Heidi continued laughing. "I am sure I can handle that!" she replied.

Hogan extended his hand. "Morrison, I'll meet you in London after the war," he said. "I'll buy the first round!"

Teppel shook the Colonel's hand. "You've got a deal," he replied.

"Now, I don't care what you say, Morrison. I'm going to kiss the blushing bride here!" Hogan said. He walked over to Heidi. "Scared?" he asked.

Heidi nodded. "A little," she replied. "I do not know what to expect in London."

Hogan smiled at her. "Some people may look at you suspiciously because you are German," he replied. "But mostly you will be questioned about what you observed while in Berlin. I've already talked to London – they know you are coming, and they know you are with Rob. You'll be fine."

Heidi smiled. "Danke," she replied.

Hogan leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Now you take care of this troublemaker!" he said.

"Hey!" Teppel exclaimed.

Heidi laughed. "It will be difficult, but I think I can manage that," she replied.

The departing couple accepted good luck wished from the rest of the group before Newkirk and Carter escorted them down the Emergency Tunnel and out into the German countryside.