A/N: A big thanks to GSJessica who has been beta reading my story, and to all who are reading. I appreciate your comments. Has anyone discovered who the traitor is yet?
Chapter 5: Accusations
When Hogan went into the barracks he saw Christopher sit down at the common table with Hopper, LeBeau, Kinch, Knox and Newkirk and join in on their conversation. Everything seems to be pointing to Christopher. I have no other choice but to suspect him. I will notify London to send the plane for tomorrow night.
Hogan walked over to the bunk that led to the tunnels. Without turning to face his men he said, "I am going to be talking to London in private. No one comes down." Then without another word, he opened the entrance and descended.
HH HH HH
After the bunk closed, Newkirk looked at Kinch. "You are closer to the gov'nor than any of us. You mind explainin' what is goin' on?"
Carter laid his comic book down he had just picked up."My guess is it has something to do with this secret mission of his."
"I wonder what is so secretive about it we cannot be included? We have been on plenty of top-secret missions with the Colonel before. What makes this one so different?" LeBeau asked as he mended a pair of his socks.
"Ya know, I haven't seen him really do anything abnormal. He hasn't been out of camp, and the only time he was in Klink's office is when Klink asked for him." Carter interjected.
"'Ay, that's right. I 'aven't seen 'im do anythin' different then he normally does. I wish I knew what this mission is of 'is," Newkirk commented.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Kinch said, pretending he didn't really know what was going on.
HH HH HH
Christopher motioned for Carter to join him at the table. Since Carter had already read his comic more times than he can remember, he decided to Christopher wanted. "Hey Carter, you know how to play rock, paper, scissors, bomb?"
At the word 'bomb' Carter got all excited "No, but it sounds like fun. Do I get to blow something up?"
Christopher shook his head and laughed at the enthusiasm. "Not really."
"I might regret this, but mind if I join in. I am so bored, I am about to read Carter's comic book. My cards can't even entertain me any more." Newkirk put his cards away and listened to the instructions.
"More the merrier." Others joined them at the table to see what they were doing. "You hold your hand out flat for paper, make a fist for rock, fist with your thumb up for bomb and your fingers apart like this for scissors. The thing to remember is scissors cuts bomb's wick and paper, paper wraps rock, rock breaks scissors, and bomb blows up rock and paper…"
HH HH HH
"Papa Bear to Goldilocks. Come in Goldilocks." Hogan said into the radio half-heartedly. The only thing he hated worse than turning in one of his men was writing a letter to one of his men's family members letting them know the person had died.
After a moment of static, "This is Goldilocks, go ahead Papa Bear."
"Found package. Have bird waiting at pick-up point Beta at 0100. Papa Bear out." As soon as Hogan signed off, he heard a sound coming from behind him. He turned quickly thinking someone was disobeying orders, but didn't see anyone. It was probably just a rat running around down here. Everyone is upstairs…I think. Hogan tried to remember if he saw everyone. To the best of his knowledge, everyone was upstairs doing something.
Hogan laid the headphones on the table as he tried to figure out how he was going to explain Christopher's disappearance and get him to the pick up. I guess I'll have the guys start a fake tunnel from one of the buildings, then collapse it. After all, Klink is expecting us to be digging a tunnel anyway. I can tell him Christopher died in a cave-in while trying to escape and request to leave him buried. I am not looking forward to this. Why did it have to be Christopher?
Tears started to form in Hogan's eyes as he thought about the escapees who were recaptured and executed. However, those tears quickly disappeared, as his emotions soon grew hard with anger at being fooled by him. With determination to make Christopher pay for his betrayal, he made his way back upstairs.
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Carter was so predictable. Every round he chose the bomb, so Christopher always chose the scissors. Newkirk, who sat out after playing a couple of rounds asked, "I have heard of rock, paper, scissors before, but bomb?"
"We got bored playing rock, paper, scissors, so we added bomb to make things interesting." Christopher explained.
All heads turned when they heard the bunk open and close.
Everyone noticed the determination in Hogan's eyes as he addressed his men. "Fellas, I can use your help now. I need you to start a tunnel from one of the buildings, say the Cooler since it is close to the fence. Have it go down six feet then out about ten feet, and stop."
"Sure thing." The men answered and started off to work on the tunnel.
Christopher started to get up but Hogan stopped him. "I think there are enough people working on it"
"I don't mind helping, Colonel,Christopher said, trying again to get up.
"I said 'no' and that's it," Hogan snapped. He was so livid with Christopher there was no hiding it. Hogan thought it best to take a short breather before the anger, which burned inside of him, took control and he did something he would later regret.
He figured it was safe to leave Christopher by himself, and went into his room. He closed the door and knelt at his footlocker. After a moment of staring at it, he opened it and removed the contents as well as the false bottom. Hogan studied its contents for a moment before removing what he was looking for and hid it under his jacket. He replaced everything and went back into the common room where he waited for the guys to return.
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The men had dug so many tunnels; they had gotten digging down to a science so it didn't take long to get the job done. A few hours later, the men returned. "Tunnel is completed as ordered, Sir," Wright said as he made his way over to the sink to wash up.
"Thanks everyone," Hogan said not looking at anyone. He got up from the table and stared out the window.
Kinch could sense it had to do with how he was going to explain the prisoner's disappearance and how to take the traitor into custody. He knew Hogan had made up his mind who the traitor was, and now he wasn't looking forward to taking care of it. At moments like this Kinch was glad he wasn't in command.
While still looking out the window Hogan asked as calmly as possible, "Christopher, can you join me in the tunnel please."
"Sure, Colonel." Christopher walked over to the bunk and started to go down the ladder, when he noticed Hogan hadn't moved. "Coming, Sir?"
"Go ahead, I'll meet you in the clothing room." Christopher shrugged and continued going down into the tunnel.
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With a heartbreaking look, Hogan gave Kinch a slight nod to let him know not to let any one down. Kinch gave him a nod back in acknowledgement. When Hogan bent over to go down the ladder, his jacket came up enough for Kinch to tell Hogan had his gun with him.
HH HH HH
Christopher stood in the clothing room looking at the different uniforms they had and thought about how he had made some of them. He wondered why Hogan had singled him out, but he had a feeling his question would soon be answered.
Hogan silently snuck up behind Christopher and put the gun to his head. Christopher froze when he heard the unmistakable sound of the gun being cocked.
Christopher started to turn around "Don't. Continue to face forward and put your hands behind your head," Hogan ordered in a hard, cold voice.
Christopher was in shock. He had never expected this kind of behavior from Hogan. "Colonel, you mind…"
"Shut up and do it!" Hogan yelled. Christopher did as ordered. "Now get down on your knees."
Christopher hesitated, but complied. What is going on here? Why is Colonel Hogan acting like this? His heart pounded so hard, he was sure it would come out of his chest. Beads of sweat started to form on his brow as he tried to figure out the reason for Hogan's actions. As far as he knew, he hadn't done anything to warrant this kind of treatment.
"Put these on behind your back." Hogan took out a pair of handcuffs and carefully handed them to Christopher.
"Colonel, can't…" Christopher tried to ask.
"I said shut up. Just do as I tell you and don't make any sudden moves. I will not hesitate to pull the trigger," Hogan ordered.
Christopher slowly lowered his hands, put them behind his back and put the handcuffs on. Think William. What could this possibly mean?
"Make them tighter," Hogan ordered through gritted teeth.
Christopher tightened them and started to turn his head around. "What…"
"I'm the one asking the questions. How long did you think you could get away with it?" Hogan almost growled.
"Get away with what?" Christopher asked. Remember to never volunteer information, just in case it is the wrong information.
"Don't play dumb with me." Hogan holstered the gun and grabbed Christopher by the arms, lifted him up and shoved him against the wall. "It is one thing to betray your country, but when you put the lives of my men, those of the Underground and many other countless lives at risk, it is a whole different ball game."
Christopher looked at Hogan in shock at the implication of his statement. "Betray my country? But, Colonel…"
Hogan grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against another wall "So was getting me to trust you and have you on the Beta team with Hopper, Wright and Baker all part of your assignment?"
Christopher shook his head in bewilderment at Hogan's line of questioning. "What assignment?"
"Was everything with the Gestapo all part of the act to get me to feel sorry for you so I would trust you and to let you get close to the organization so you could gain information about the Underground to give to the Nazis?"
"Colonel, I don't know what you are talking about." Christopher defended himself. He had never seen Hogan this irate. Fear started to slowly paralyze him. His mind raced back to his time in the Dulag Luft and how he was treated because he didn't give them the information they wanted.
Given Hogan's current state of mind, he wondered how far he would go to get satisfactory answers. Christopher wondered what Koch might have done to Hogan to cause his erratic behavior. Lately, it appeared Hogan had given up the fight against the Nazis and now he couldn't help question his loyalties.
When Christopher saw Hogan's fist come up, he instinctively flinched. So many thoughts ran through Christopher's mind, he couldn't think of anything to say to calm Hogan down. All he could do was brace himself for the pain that would soon come. He only wish he knew what this was all about.
Hogan hesitated a moment then grabbed Christopher by the collar and threw him to the ground. "I don't take kindly to being lied to, or to traitors. I saw you give Muller information for goods. How could you betray us like that? What was it they gave you to get you to turn traitor?"
The paralyzing fear quickly left him at the implication. His expression turned to anger. "Traitor? Traitor! You think I'm a traitor? Do you want to know what I got for the information I gave Muller?" Christopher yelled back at Hogan.
Hogan picked him up by the collar and shoved him against the wall. In a low menacing voice he said, "Yes. I want to know the price of your loyalty."
Christopher stared at Hogan reflecting the same anger. "I'll show you. I hid it down the abandoned tunnel that keeps collapsing."
Hogan took the gun out and pointed it at him. "Walk. Remember no sudden moves."
As Christopher walked down the tunnel with Hogan, he tried to rationalize how Hogan could even consider him to be a traitor. He remembered Hogan saying he had seen him and Muller talking and realized how that could make him look guilty. If he hadn't lied to Hogan the entire time, he wouldn't be in the position he was in now. He stopped at a footlocker lying behind a support beam. "It's in there."
"Kneel down over there and face the wall" Christopher did as ordered. Hogan opened the footlocker and only saw a homemade quilt. "You sold us out for a quilt?" Hogan asked not expecting his price to be so cheep.
"Happy Birthday, Colonel." Christopher said. "Would you like to know what information I traded for the batting I used to make the quilt?"
Hogan walked over to Christopher and put the gun to his head again "I already know the information, London told me everything."
Christopher looked astounded at Hogan. "Oh, so they told you about all of LeBeau's recipies I gave Muller."
"Wait a minute. The information you gave Muller was recipes and not information about the Underground?" Christopher nodded "You traded the recipes for material to make a quilt for me? For my birthday?" Hogan asked in shock.
Hogan leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Christopher turned around and sat down next to Hogan.
"How could I have been so wrong?" Hogan asked out loud. "I don't know what to do now? Maybe London is right and I am not well enough to run this operation any more."
Christopher sat there stunned, listening to Hogan open up and talk about his self-doubt. He didn't know the exact reason why Hogan would be so open with him, but he knew Hogan was in need of understanding and help at the moment and not chastisement.
"Colonel, it is a mistake anyone could have made. I don't blame you; I blame myself for not being honest with you. I probably would have come up with the same conclusion if I were in your shoes. I don't hold anything against you and you shouldn't hold it against yourself. You have been through a lot lately, but don't second-guess yourself. You are a great CO. You and your men have accomplished the impossible. You have to have faith in yourself again," Christopher said, praying he was saying the right words.
Hogan looked over at Christopher. "Thanks for the kind words, but I am not so sure. I don't think I can do this any more. In this line of work, I cannot afford to make these kinds of mistakes. What if London's orders were to kill the traitor instead of send him to London? You would be dead right now and the real traitor would still be running free."
"I would hope, Colonel, if that was the case, you would here my side of the story before killing me, Christopher commented, hoping to get through to the old Hogan.
Hogan shook his head. "You don't understand. All the suspects have given me a plausible story proving they are innocent. How do I even know the story you gave me is the truth?"
"Do you really think anyone could come up with an excuse this stupid?" Christopher asked with a smile. Hogan shook his head in response. "Besides, I think your gut would tell you who to believe and not."
Hogan let out a sigh. "I wish I was as positive about it as you. Do you know how close you came to me shooting you and telling London you were shot while trying to escape?"
For the first time, Christopher saw the war raging within Hogan. The old Hogan was trying to gain control again, but the new Hogan prevented it from happening. Hogan's erratic behavior was not because of some brainwashing attempt by Koch to get him to betray his country, but to implant self-doubt so he, being Papa Bear or not, could never be a threat to Germany again.
The only way Christopher could think to help Hogan with this struggle was to keep his mind focused on the problem of finding the traitor and not himself. "I do now. Colonel, if you unlock these handcuffs, I will help you look for the real traitor." Christopher turned to the side, exposing the handcuffs.
Hogan smiled and holstered his gun. As he took out the key and unlocked the handcuffs he asked, "After what I just did to you, why do you still want to help me?"
Christopher smiled back knowing his plan was starting to work. "I want to know who I was mistaken for. Now, who are your suspects?"