The Substitute

Chapter 5

Schultz was not happy. In fact, he was beside himself with worry, his nerves getting the better of him whenever a hut came down. So far, the new kommandant and his aides remained oblivious of any monkey business, but Schultz feared his good luck could not hold much longer. He noticed Hogan was unusually cooperative and compliant. In Schultz's addled brain, this could only mean one thing: The colonel was plotting, and if it backfired, his boys would be shot, and he and the guards would be off to another posting-one with a much colder climate.

To make matters even worse, many prisoners were separated from their friends, and the rank and file was becoming surly and testy. Although they were able to socialize a bit during the day, nighttime was fraught with tension.

LeBeau was no longer cooking and Schultz and his guards were losing bribery opportunities. He was no longer being paid in strudel to look the other way. The one small taste he had when Schnitzer was training the dogs was a painful reminder of what he was missing.

And so, that evening, a morose Schultz, off-duty and settling down in his quarters, answered the knock on his door. It was not unusual to see Langenscheidt standing there-the two were close-but to Schultz's surprise, accompanying Karl were five guards and two staff members. He raised an eyebrow.

Langenscheidt cleared his throat. "We would all like to speak with you, Sergeant. I hope this is not a bad time," he said quietly.

"No, I am not busy." Schultz stepped aside, allowing the group to file in and take up whatever space was available in the small room. Before the sergeant could utter a word, a note was passed to him by the motor pool sergeant.

Schultz quickly read it and said, "There is no need to worry about talking. Since he came, I have checked my quarters every night. So, what is this all about?"

Krauss, the motor pool sergeant, was the designated spokesman. "There are more guards who wished to come, but we know you can only fit so many in your quarters. Things are getting out of hand. Something needs to be done." He failed to mention his bribes had dried up since the new kommandant had taken over camp. Obviously, the prisoners were lying low and since the first time Werner went into town, Kinch did not need any transportation.

"I had enough trouble cooking for the staff when Klink was here," said Adenauer, the mess sergeant. "Now, the new kommandant has been siphoning funds from camp supplies to pay for this construction."

Schultz rubbed his stomach and sighed. "That is a good point."

"We know LeBeau hasn't been handing out treats," Langenscheidt added. "It's too hard to have much contact with the prisoners when the camp is divided."

"Everyone is getting edgy," claimed Bruno, the guard who was forced to fight Kinch in a boxing match. "And this business of locking the prisoners in at night. What if there was a fire or raid? I know they are our enemy, and there are regulations, but that is seriously wrong. It's making them mad."

He was answered by nods from the other guards.

"Why did he have to get rid of Hilda?" Weber whined. "And I was just beginning to understand baseball. Sergeant Fisher from my barracks was teaching me. He always gave me his chewing gum. Said it gave him heartburn. Didn't ask anything in return for it either. Now I barely have time to count the prisoners from Barracks 9 and lock them in at night."

"My dog is confused," said Langenscheidt, who when he was not handling clerk duties, patrolled the compound with Blümchen, a smaller female. "That one time chasing the three prisoners outside the camp did not make her happy. She's pining for something more."

"All the construction is bringing up too much dirt and dust and is affecting my sinuses." This complaint came from von Schmidt, a recent addition to the camp, sent in when two guards inexplicably deserted.

"Honestly, why do they have to raise the huts anyway? It's not like anyone ever escapes?"

"No one successfully escapes, Krauss," Schultz pointed out. They always return, he said to himself. And then he had a terrible thought. What if they decide to escape and don't come back?

"What if Burkhalter decides this guy is better than Klink and keeps him here?" Langenscheidt noticed Schultz seemed to be off in another world. "Sergeant...sergeant?"

Schultz stood up. "You all correct. We have to do something. And if Colonel Hogan is not going to fix this, we will."

Langenscheidt raised his hand. "Sergeant, I have an idea."

The next morning, Schultz presented himself to the new Kommandant with a request.

"Both Corporal Langenscheidt and I are due some leave. Seeing as the construction is delayed a few more days, we would like to pay a visit to Colonel Klink to see how he is doing, and to bring him these cards and letters from the guards. We will only be gone two days. While we are gone, Sergeant Krauss from the motor pool can handle my duties. He is very efficient and very strict. We will also check outside town to see if there is any possible work for our prisoner work details."

"Um, right now they are lounging around," Langenscheidt pointed out.

"You are correct. Hmm. Idle hands are the devil's workshop," Werner stated.

"Very good, sir." Schultz nodded in agreement. "We know the town and area very well. If we can get work details moving again, we can bring in more supplies, which will save time and money."

This was either something Klink normally handled, or requests came in from civilians, and now a nervous Schultz was winging it.

HhHhH

Colonel Hogan was seated outside the hut chatting with Wilson when Carter came out of the barracks.

"Sir, there's something you need to hear."

Hogan and Wilson followed Carter inside the hut and quickly entered his office.

Newkirk looked up. "We turned on the coffeepot while cleaning your office, Colonel. Looks like Schultz and Langenscheidt are up to something."

"You are willing to use your own leave to do this?" asked Werner.

"We will do what is necessary for the good of the Reich," Schultz responded.

"Very well then, Sergeant. You may take a car. Make sure you both have trusted replacements to handle all of your duties. Call me from town with any work arrangements."

"Absolutely," said Schultz.

The men filled Hogan in on the rest of the conversation.

"So they are going to visit Klink. Interesting," Hogan mused. "Let's see how this plays out." He smiled. "Schultz and Langenscheidt on a road trip together; Schultz offering to do some work, and get well cards from the guards and staff. Gentlemen, I do believe something is afoot."

LeBeau stepped forward. "Should we follow them, Colonel?"

Hogan rubbed his chin and got lost in thought for a moment. "Those two won't do anything to jeopardize their postings, or us for that matter."

"I can hitch a ride with them, sir," Olsen said.

"No. They told Werner they'll be looking for possible work details. Their trip to see Klink is more intriguing. But, right now, that's too far for any one of us to go." Hogan was frustrated by being an observer to all these changes; he was unfamiliar with this feeling, as he was usually the instigator and puppet-master. He felt like an actor waiting for script changes, or a marionette on a string. Not willing to alarm his men, he kept these concerns to himself.

About a half hour later, Hogan stood by the gate to the prisoners' compound watching for Schultz and Langenscheidt to head over to the motor pool. As soon as he saw them, he whistled loudly, gaining their attention. The two, both carrying overnight satchels, turned. Hogan whistled again, and motioned for them to come over.

"Where are you two going, Schultz?" Hogan asked through the fencing. "I'm not too happy with you both leaving us here, all by ourselves, with this new kommandant, and the mud, and well..."

"We will not be gone long, Colonel Hogan. Just two days. We both have leave," Schultz replied.

Hogan grinned. "A night on the town? Our trip to Paris together got the juices flowing, did it?"

"Colonel Hogan, I'm a married man. With five children."

That didn't stop you before. "Excuse me. My apologies, Schultz. So where are you going?" Hogan pushed two chocolate bars through the gap in the fence.

"We are going to see if there is work needed in town or just outside Hammelburg. We could spare a work detail while the weather clears up." As he mentioned that, a slight drizzle began.

Hogan zippered his jacket. "You don't need an overnight bag for that."

A concerned Langenscheidt glanced at Schultz.

"We are staying over," Schultz admitted. "We need a break."

"Don't we all." Hogan didn't press the subject. Schultz normally had a very loose tongue, especially when chocolate was involved, while Langenscheidt, a bit spooked by their adventure in Paris, was more disciplined.

"It's raining, Colonel Hogan. We need to move along." Langenscheidt placed the chocolate bar in his pocket and stepped away from the fence.

"Have a safe trip," Hogan replied.

"How come we didn't tell Colonel Hogan the full story?" Langenscheidt asked Schultz as they rode along the Hammelburg road towards town.

"Because, there is a good chance we would have discovered a hitchhiker in the trunk of our car, or company at lunch," Schultz explained. "They are sometimes up to no good."

"More than sometimes," Langenscheidt replied with a grin. But to his relief, since this new Kommandant arrived, the prisoners, while upset with the new arrangements, were mostly well-behaved.

Schultz looked at the young corporal. He is learning, he admitted to himself with some pride.

"Yes, there is always something up his sleeve, Karl. Always something."

Before reaching town, the two guards stopped at several farms, and one warehouse packed with clothes and rations for homeless civilians. One farm and the warehouse agreed to use POW workers, and Schultz, using the phone at the warehouse, relayed that information to the kommandant.

"Oberst Werner was pleased," he told Langenscheidt, who waited in the car for the sergeant to return. "And the work parties will receive some extra food at the farm."

"Good." Langenscheidt turned on the ignition and waited for Schultz to get settled. "He will be more inclined to trust us. Next stop."

The car passed several bombed-out facilities on its way towards town. The two guards gave the damage a quick glance, both being numbed to bomb damage after almost four years of war. However, as they wound their way through the streets of Hammelburg, they remarked that the town center was still pretty much untouched by Allied bombings.

"It's like they have someone guiding the bombers on the ground."

"Karl, this is a big area for the Underground," Schultz commented. "They could be working with the Allies. Remember that loony Hochstetter and his theories."

"Well, I have to say, it's good to feel safe in town...for the most part," Karl added. He turned his head. "Do you really think Colonel Hogan is this Papa Bear?"

"I am paid not to think," Schultz replied. "And I suggest you do the same." The guards drove past the town center and entered a residential area filled with smaller blocks of flats and homes. They pulled up to the sidewalk and parked.

"There's her building." Langenscheidt pointed to a building across the street. The guards left the car and crossed. They entered through a set of two doors and found themselves in a small foyer. "Second floor, flat 2A," Schultz noted. The stairs were straight ahead, and the two walked up to the second floor. There was no need to knock. The person they wanted to see was waiting outside her unit.

"Hans, Kurt. It's so good to see you." Hilda stepped forward and welcomed them warmly. "I saw you through the window. My living room looks out on the street. Please, come in."

Hilda stepped aside as the men entered her apartment. They walked into a small dining room which led off into a spacious living room. A hallway led to the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

"This is a nice place," Schultz told Hilda as he made himself comfortable in a large arm chair by the window. Langenscheidt sat down on the small sofa.

Hilda sat down next to the corporal. "I moved in when my great aunt passed away," she told them. "I was fortunate to be able to live in such a nice flat. And so far, I have had no requests to put up homeless civilians. Well, it was wonderful to get your phone call. I'm all ready to leave. My valise is in my bedroom." She reached over to the coffee table and picked up a piece of paper. "I even managed to get travel papers, just in case there is any trouble."

"We should not have any trouble," Schultz said. "But, it is good that you thought of, what is the Americans say? Covering all the bases."

"Yes. And I have some good news. I managed to find a trustworthy nurse for Kommandant Klink. She would love to make a bit of extra money. Her mother-in-law can watch her children when she is at camp. I'm sure Colonel Klink's private physician will make house calls. Our only issue will be at night."

"We will figure something out."

"Excellent, Hans. Then we can go." Hilda stood up. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to put a stop to this nonsense. It's not my job that is the problem; it's the terrible things he has done to that camp."

The terrible things being done to the camp, meanwhile, were no longer on hold. The Kommandant decided it would be necessary to continue working, even in muddy conditions.