Chapter 23 --- Schemes & Monkey Wrenches

Major Brendel was nervously pacing in his office. He had not heard from the assassin or from Von Strasser for quite awhile and was impatiently wondering what was happening. Was Hogan now dead? All he could do was hope so. Perhaps neither man had a chance to contact him yet. Perhaps that was it. So absorbed in his thoughts about Hogan he didn't immediately hear someone knocking on his door. The knocking got louder.

Brendel stopped pacing and sat down behind his desk. "Come in!" he snapped. The door opened slowly.

Eight armed guards followed by General Brennan walked in. Brennan's eyes flashed angrily at the Major. Brendel was starting to feel uncomfortable for some unexplained reason.

"General, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Brennan glanced at four of the guards who drew their weapons and pointed them at Brendel. The Major swallowed as he looked at them before shifting his eyes back to the General.

"General, what's going on?" Brendel slowly got to his feet. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Major Thomas Brendel....or should I say SS Major Karl Heisler, you are under arrest for espionage, murder and attempted murder."

Newkirk was still keeping a vigil outside the Kommandantur watching Klink pour one drink after another. He sighed, exasperated. "Blimey," he muttered under his breath. "You'd think he'd pass out considering how much he's consumed already. Where the hell's LeBeau and Schultz."

As if right on cue, he saw LeBeau and Schultz heading towards the Kommandantur. Newkirk hugged the wall beneath the window which, gratefully, was deep in the shadows. He silently crept along the porch and disappeared around the corner of the building, but peeked out to see what was happening. He noticed LeBeau lead Schultz to the window where he had just been, and point inside.

"See, Schultzie, just like I told you. The Kommandant needs someone to get him to his quarters right away. He shouldn't be alone drinking like that. You've got to do something."

"Schultz is here now, cockroach. I will see to the Kommandant. You get back to the barracks."

"Whatever you say, Schultzie. We're worried about the Kommandant."

"Get going, cockroach! Back to the barracks before I put you on report! Schnell!"

LeBeau threw up his hands in annoyance. "All right, all right. I'm going. Try to do something nice for someone!" He started back to the barracks. As soon as he spotted Schultz disappear inside the Kommandantur, he changed directions and spotted Newkirk waving to him. He ran over and joined him.

"What took you so bloody long?" Newkirk asked impatiently. "I thought for awhile you weren't gonna show up."

"I almost didn't. I had to promise Schultz I'd make him an apple strudel tomorrow before he would even agree to come." He shook his head and muttered something in French that Newkirk couldn't understand. "The things I do for my country," LeBeau finally said.

One of the guards clamped the handcuffs on Major Brendel's wrists and started leading him past General Brennan. Brendel paused and looked at the General. "You have this all wrong, Alex," he said innocently. "I am innocent of whatever you think I've done."

Brennan stared daggers at Brendel. "That's General Brennan to you. And to answer your question, you are not innocent. Your man in Germany, Major Von Strasser confirmed your identity before he died. So don't tell me you're innocent."

Brendel did his best to mask the shock of hearing about Von Strasser's death, but his reaction didn't go unnocticed by Brennan. He watched as Brendel was led to the open door. However, Brendel stopped again, turned, and looked at Brennan.

"Just out of curiosity, General. Who gave you this information and said that this Von Strasser confirmed I was with the SS?"

Brennan smirked coldly. "It was Papa Bear, Major."

Brendel could only nod as he let out a deep breath before allowing the four guards to lead him out of his office leaving Brennan and the other four guards there. Brennan looked at the guards with narrowed eyes.

"I want you men to tear this office apart if you have to. Major Heisler had documentation on Papa Bear, his organization, the underground, and other things. We need to find it."

Schultz quietly opened the door to Klink's office and entered, closing the door behind him. He studied his Kommandant seated behind his desk with a half empty bottle of liquor in front of him, and a full glass in his hand. He noticed Klink looked at bit glassy-eyed.

"Herr Kommandant? Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

Klink put the glass to his lips and emptied it. "Schultz, what are you doing here at this hour?" he said, his voice slurred. He reached for the bottle, but Schultz grabbed it before he could get it.

"I think you have had enough, Herr Kommandant. It is time for you to go to bed."

"No it's not, Schultz. It's time to have another drink. C'mon, have a last drink with me as your Kommandant." Klink staggered to his feet and reached for the bottle, but Schultz pulled it further out of his grasp.

"Herr Kommandant. Colonel Hogan said he could help you get out of this mess. You must give him the chance to help."

Klink waved his hand at his fat Sergeant and fell back into his chair. "Hogan. What can Hogan do for me? He can't bring Von Strasser back, can he?"

"No, Herr Kommandant. But I believe him when he said he could help you. And you must believe him also. Now c'mon, Herr Kommandant. It is time to go to your quarters and try and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a better day I believe." Schultz put the liquor bottle back on the cabinet, and then helped Klink to his feet.

"Perhaps you're right, Schultz," he said, slurring his words. "Perhaps I should have faith in Colonel Hogan. After all, Hogan has never let me down before, has he?"

Schultz gripped Klink's arm tightly and led the unsteady Kommandant towards the door. "No he hasn't, Herr Kommandant. But believe me when I say things will look better tomorrow. Of that I am positive."

Schultz opened the office door and slowly led Klink out into the waiting area.

Newkirk and LeBeau were impatiently waiting. Newkirk looked at his watch. "What's taking so bloody long?" he asked LeBeau. "What are they doin' in there? Having a farewell drink?"

LeBeau put a hand on Newkirk's shoulder. "Look," he whispered. As both men watched, Schultz led an unsteady Klink out of the Kommandantur and down the steps and in the direction of Klink's quarters. Once they were far enough away, Newkirk quietly moved across the porch to the window, motioning with his hand for LeBeau to follow.