Chapter 13 -- Freedom

Newkirk and LeBeau continued waiting in the truck. Newkirk lit what he guessed was his fourth cigarette. At least he thought it was his fourth. He looked at LeBeau, concerned.

"What could they possibly be doing in there?" he asked. "I bloody well hope nothing went wrong."

"Then don't think it," LeBeau answered trying to sound more confident then he felt. He didn't want to tell Newkirk he was just as or even more worried than him. Plus, he was worried about Colonel Hogan. Was he all right? Was he even alive? He sighed wearily.

"Y'know, Newkirk..." LeBeau remarked as he adjusted his seated position inside the truck. "I was thinking. When we get Colonel Hogan back to camp, I wonder if he'll stay or leave."

"What are you talkin' about, LeBeau? Why would the Colonel be leaving?"

LeBeau shrugged. "Everybody thinks Colonel Hogan is dead. So instead of having to explain him being alive to Klink and Schultz, we could just contact the underground and London and the Colonel could make arrangements to go home."

He and Newkirk exchanged looks. The Englander knew what LeBeau said was true. Neither of them liked the thought of Hogan possibly leaving,but it would be a chance for him to go home and not have the Krauts looking for him.

Newkirk sighed and took a long drag on his cigarette. "I have to admit, LeBeau, that the same ruddy thought occured to me, too. I suppose we'd have to discuss it with the Gov'nor after he's had a chance to recover from his ordeal."

Just then, LeBeau caught a movement out the corner of his eye. Turning, a broad smile broke out on his face. Excited, he playfully poked Newkirk's arm. The Englander turned to look and also broke into a wide smile.

They watched Colonel Hogan make his way out of Abwehr Headquarters walking between two underground members with Carter and Lancelot ahead of him and the other four underground members walking behind Hogan. The Colonel spotted Newkirk and LeBeau eyeing him. He smiled warmly and nodded slightly at them.

Hogan climbed into the back of the truck with the guards, Lancelot and Carter. Newkirk started the truck and pulled away from the sidewalk heading to the safe-house to pick up Kinch before going home to Stalag 13.

It was about an hour after they had left Abwehr headquarters the truck pulled to a stop outside the safe-house where the gang picked up Kinch before switching to the Stalag 13 truck. Lancelot ordered three of his men to dispose of the truck they had abandoned and take off as they presence wasn't needed. One of the guards got behind the wheel of the Stalag 13 truck so that Newkirk and LeBeau could join the others in the back with the Colonel.

LeBeau grasped both of Hogan's hands in his, a wide smile on his face. "We thought we'd never see you again, mon Colonel!" His eyes were wet with unshed tears.

Newkirk gripped the Colonel's shoulder. "Bloody good having you back, Gov'nor!"

Touched, Hogan's eyes misted over. It took a moment for him to compose himself before he spoke. He looked at each of his men. "I'm so proud of you guys," he said. "You were able to pull off a rescue I honestly didn't think was possible." He paused and collected himself. "For a long while I thought it was over." He then glanced at Lancelot. Hogan shook his hand. "Thank you, my friend," he said.

Lancelot smiled warmly at the Colonel. "Having you back is enough thanks, Colonel Hogan. Your men refused to give up once they knew you were alive."

Hogan turned to his men. He raised an eyebrow that disappeared into his black hair. "Just how did you guys figure out my death had been faked?"

"It was a lot of little things, Colonel," Kinch replied. "I mean, we had our suspicions the day after you supposedly died. The underground told us they never sent anybody to meet with you, plus they didn't have anyone with the code name of the Snowman. So we had Newkirk and LeBeau sneak into Klink's office and get a copy of your death certificate and the medical report of your last physical and we compared them. The descrepancy was the death certificate showed you died from heart failure, but your last exam showed you to be in excellent health. Also, Morrison filled in a couple of missing details for us. He actually was the one who came up with the plan to get you out of Abwehr headquarters."

"And Lancelot here was bloody brillant!" Newkirk continued. "You should've seen him! He and his men came into camp and scared the lot of us to death as this Major Von Stossel. I mean, the four of us as well as Klink and Schultz were never so scared in our bleedin' lives."

"Oui," LeBeau added. "When he called our names and said he was taking us to Gestapo headquarters, we didn't know what to think. We were afraid it was for real and that we wouldn't have the chance to...to..." LeBeau paused to swallow the imaginary lump in his throat. "We were afraid we wouldn't have the chance to find you before you disappeared for good."

"But..." added Newkirk solemnly, "If that had happened, we would have continued searching until we found you no matter how long it took,Colonel."

"By the way, Colonel," said Kinch suddenly, "What happened with Frolichman and Heinman? I mean, Morrison told us they both know about our entire operation."

Hogan's eyes narrowed. He looked at Kinch,stunned. "How did they find out?"

Kinch shrugged his shoulders. "Morrison said they sent an operative into camp and that this operative disclosed our entire operation to them. He also said Frolichman then killed the operative so he wouldn't tell anybody else. He also said that was why you were grabbed to begin with."

Lancelot then explained that Frolichman was shot and killed by Doctor Erlichman just as Frolichman was about to shoot Hogan and that the Major's shot went wild, hitting and killing Heinman instead. He also told them that after Kinch's phone call as the Fuhrer, Frolichman apparently decided that the Colonel must die, and by the time they got to the prison cell, Frolichman had the Colonel, back against the wall, ready to execute him. And that it was Carter who stopped Frolichman from pulling the trigger with his tirade.

Everyone looked at Carter who, up to now had been strangely silent.

"Carter?" asked Hogan, concerned. "Are you all right?"

At hearing his name, Carter looked up and into Hogan's eyes. He smiled weakly. "I'm okay, Colonel. It's just that..." he paused.

"Just what, Carter?"

"Well, are you gonna stay or leave?"

Hogan was confused. He looked at the other three and saw from their expressions that they knew what Carter was talking about. Finally, Hogan turned to Kinch. "What are you not telling me, Kinch?"

Kinch hesitated for a long time before replying. He licked his suddenly dry lips. "It's like this, Colonel. You have a unique situation. Y'see, everybody already thinks you're dead. So, if you decide to, we figure you could make arrangements to go back home to the states without the Krauts looking for you. That is if that's what you want to do, sir."

Hogan could only stare at Kinch, speechless. Home? I have a chance to go home? Hogan looked into the faces of his men. From their expressions, he could tell what they were hoping his decision would be.

"Don't make any decisions now, Colonel," Newkirk said softly. "Just think about things for a few days before you speak with London."

"Newkirk is right, mon Colonel," LeBeau chimed in, eyes brimming with tears. "We'll back whatever decision you make."

"We just wanted to let you know how we all felt, Colonel, that's all," Carter said, eyes bright with unshed tears. "I hope I didn't make you feel guilty or anything?"

"You didn't, Carter," Hogan replied. He ran a hand over his black hair. "Well, all of you have given me something to think about. And I promise you I will definitely think over everything and let you know what I decide." He felt the stubble on his face. He smirked. "One decision I've already made is to use a razor when I get back to camp. This stubble is making my face itch."