"What do you mean, he's huge?" Hogan asked. There had to be more to it than that for LeBeau and Klink to be so shaken.
"I mean he is the most enormous man I have ever seen in my life!" LeBeau insisted.
Newkirk snorted. "That's a fine thing coming from you, but what does that mean to us normal-sized people?"
"I know what I saw," LeBeau fumed, turning a little red. "This new guard could lift Schultz with one finger!"
Hogan cocked an eyebrow. LeBeau was prone to exaggeration. "All right, so he's big. The real question is: what makes him so important?"
"Well you heard what the doctors said: the Gestapo approved his transfer. Maybe Major Hochstetter sent him this way to keep an eye on us after that whole Berlin Betty fiasco," Kinch mused.
Hogan scowled. Major Hochstetter had been injured after he and Newkirk had infiltrated Berlin Betty's radio program, but as he had predicted, the ornery Gestapo man was back on the job within a week. Of course, he didn't find any evidence linking Hogan to the entire episode, but that only served to make him angrier. It would make sense that he would send a new, elite guard to cast a shadow over Stalag 13.
"Yeah, that makes sense," Hogan admitted. "All right, so what are we going to do about it?"
"Gee, do we have to do anything about it?" Carter asked. "Maybe he'll roll over for us. Maybe he'll be another Schultz."
"Right, and maybe there is a Santa Claus," Hogan said lightly. "No, if Hochstetter sent him here, you can bet your stripes he'll be a hard nose."
"I've got an idea," Newkirk drawled as he lit himself a cigarette. "Why don't we meet this beast before we start planning his funeral?"
"Seems reasonable to me," Kinch said with a shrug.
"All right, we'll sit on it for a while; feel him out," Hogan finally said. Pursing his lips, Hogan grabbed his elbows. "If Hochstetter did send this guy, he'll be sniffing around for anything unusual. Tell the boys to shut down all operations in the tunnel."
"All of them?" Kinch asked.
"Yeah. The machine shop, the printing press. All of it until we get a handle on this guy."
LeBeau let out a little whistle. "You are not taking any chances."
"Nope," Hogan replied. "We made Hochstetter mad." His comment was met with incredulous looks from his men. "I mean more mad than usual. So, yeah, I'm not taking any chances. Get going, Kinch." Kinch nodded and left the office.
"What should we do?" Carter asked.
"Just sit tight, Carter." Hogan checked his watch. "Schultz should be coming to get me any minute."
Sure enough, several minutes later, the rotund Sergeant arrived in the barracks and opened the door to Hogan's office. "Oh Colonel Hogan, there you are."
"Where else would I be, Schultz?" Hogan asked. "Klink confined us to barracks."
Schultz considered that for a moment before shaking his head. "Colonel Hogan, Kommandant Klink wants to see you in his office."
"Sure thing, Schultz, lead on." Hogan gestured to the door and Schultz turned and marched out. "Hang tight," Hogan said to his men before following. Schultz led him out into the compound and towards the Kommandantur. Hogan noticed that the car and truck were gone, which meant that the two doctors had probably left with them. Short visit, but then, they were only dropping off a guard- no need to linger.
"So what does the Bald Eagle want now?" Hogan asked as he went nimbly up the steps.
"I think he wants you to meet our new guard," Schultz explained.
When they reached the ante office, Hogan winked at Fraulein Hilda, who giggled and blew him a kiss. But then she glanced at Klink's office, looking concerned.
"Be careful, Colonel Hogan," she warned.
Hogan frowned. So, even Hilda was unnerved by this new guard. Hogan took a deep breath before giving Klink's door a quick knock before swinging it open.
"You wanted to see me, Ko-" Hogan's voice died and he lost his grip on the door handle, causing him to stumble forward a bit. His jaw practically hit the floor.
Despite LeBeau's report, and the reaction he had heard from Klink, Hogan wasn't quite prepared for what he saw. In front of him was the biggest man he'd ever seen. Clad in a corporal's uniform, the great behemoth turned and looked back down at him. Hogan couldn't do anything but stare. The man was huge- his muscles' muscles had muscles. In fact, this guy made Superman look like Tiny Tim.
"Boy, what kind of Wheaties do they feed you?" Hogan finally managed.
He could hear Klink chuckle and a moment later the Kommandant stepped out from behind the giant and clapped his hands together, rubbing them in delight. "Come in, Hogan, come in," Klink said, barely containing his laughter. "May I introduce you to our new guard- Corporal Weiss. He's been assigned here temporarily."
Hogan looked Weiss up and down. The guard was a Nazi's dream come true. Aside from the powerful build, he had blond hair, blue eyes, a strong jaw and perfect posture. A poster boy for the Reich's men of tomorrow.
"Please to meet you, Corporal," Hogan said. "Welcome to Stalag 13. It isn't much, but it's the only prison camp in town." Weiss just grunted. Hogan shot Klink a curious look. "Does it talk? Or did he trade all his brains in for brawn?" Weiss growled and clenched his fist. Hogan jumped back and held up his hands. "Down boy! Stay! Sit! Play dead!"
"Enough of your insolence Hogan!" Klink demanded, but there was an edge to his voice that made Hogan think that the order was more for his safety than anything else. "I warn you Hogan, I will not have you insulting Corporal Weiss."
"I will not have you insulting me," Weiss said darkly, his deep voice full of menace. Hogan found himself taking an involuntary step back before he pulled himself together and met Weiss with a cool look.
Klink cleared his throat uncomfortably. "From now on, security at Stalag 13 will be Corporal Weiss's duty. He will not be as forgiving as Schultz."
"Thanks for the warning," Hogan muttered. "May I go now? I gotta re-enforce all our tunnels before this guy steps outside."
Klink stomped his foot on the ground. "Diiiissss-missed!"
Throwing Klink a quick salute, Hogan gave Weiss one last glance before hightailing it out of the office.
Oh boy.