Chapter 9: A Chat With London
Carter stepped out of the barracks. "Halt!" cried an armed guard, rushing over, his weapon aimed at Carter. "You're under quarantine. Go back inside."
"But I need to see the Kommandant," insisted Carter.
"Impossible."
Corporal Langenscheidt came rushing up. "The Kommandant's ordered all of you confined to quarters. Now, don't give us any trouble."
"I'm not sick," Carter declared. "Colonel Hogan wants me to get Wilson to look at the others."
Langenscheidt aimed his rifle at Carter. "We're not going to argue," he warned. "Now, get back inside."
Hearing the commotion, Klink had come out to investigate. "What's going on?" he asked. "And what is this prisoner doing outside?"
"We're trying to get him to go in," replied Langenscheidt.
"Kommandant, Colonel Hogan thinks it might not be influenza, after all," explained Carter.
Klink was not convinced. "Oh, and I suppose next you're going to tell me it was just something they ate. Something that didn't agree with them."
"Exactly. You know, Kommandant, you're not as dumb as they think you are."
Klink frowned. "Dumb? Who thinks I'm dumb? Wait a minute. We'll deal with that later. Now, the men in your barrack are ill. Vomiting. The works. What makes Hogan suspect it isn't influenza?"
"No one's gotten sick after the initial onslaught. And the only ones affected were those who ate Newkirk's cooking."
"And Hogan expects me to believe your epidemic is just food poisoning or something?"
"That's what he wants Wilson to find out," Carter stated. "If it's not the flu, why do all of us have to be confined? What about our exercise periods? Its against the Geneva Convention, you know."
"All right. Tell Hogan we'll send Wilson over to have a look. Until it's determined otherwise, your barracks is still under quarantine. Now, back inside."
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir," said Carter, opening the door and stepping inside.
- - -
A short time later, Wilson came out of Barracks 2. Klink approached but stopped several feet short of where Wilson was standing.
"Well?" Klink wanted to know.
"According to the men, no one's fallen ill since late last night," Wilson replied. "And only those that ate the breakfast that Newkirk prepared yesterday morning seemed affected. I won't rule out influenza just yet. I'll remain here till tomorrow morning. If we've had no new cases by then, I'd say it was likely food poisoning. The quarantine can then be lifted."
"All right. See that everyone stays inside," Klink ordered. "I'll stop by after roll call tomorrow to check on the situation."
"Yes, Sir," agreed Wilson, just before re-entering Barracks 2.
Once Wilson was back inside, Carter asked, "Are you ready to look at the fliers now?"
"Lead the way," Wilson invited.
Carter opened the bunk entrance and he and Wilson went below. Newkirk and Baker were in the tunnel with the six fliers. They had two cots set up. Sullivan was lying on one, his injured ankle still in their makeshift splint. Travis was lying on the other, avoiding his injured hip.
Wilson removed the splint from Sullivan's ankle and put a cast on it first. Then, he examined Travis' hip. After some minor surgery, he removed a small piece of branch that was still inside, then cleansed and bandaged the area. Much to Travis' dismay, he hadn't been poked enough for one day. He also received a shot of penicillin and one for tetanus.
As Wilson was finishing up with Travis, Sullivan called Carter over. "You need something?" Carter wondered.
"No," Sullivan responded. "I just wanted to say thanks. The guys told me what happened out there. You and your crew did a terrific job in rescuing us."
"You're welcome," acknowledged Carter. "But I can't take the credit. It's not my crew, you see. We're Colonel Hogan's crew. He's the one that molded us into the fine unit we are today. We'd all appreciate it if you let the brass in London know once you get back."
Sullivan grinned. "You've got it. And this Colonel Hogan? Will we have a chance to meet him?"
"Something's come up that requires his presence elsewhere," replied Carter. "But when I see him, I tell him you're grateful."
"Thanks again. Any idea when we can be sprung from here?"
Carter gave Wilson a questioning look. "Probably in a couple of days," Wilson answered. "They'll have to take it slow and easy."
"All right, we'll arrange for the underground to pick them up near camp the night after tomorrow," Carter decided. "And we'll ask London to have the sub waiting the night following that."
- - -
The next morning, as promised, Klink came by to check on the prisoners in Barracks 2. He had Corporal Langenscheidt ask Wilson to step outside.
Once Wilson appeared, Klink asked, "Have you determined what it is yet?"
"Food poisoning," Wilson answered, giving the excuse Hogan had planned. "There have been no new cases and all the prisoners have seemed to recover. I think influenza can be ruled out and the quarantine safely lifted."
"All right, Langenscheidt. You heard. Take down the sign," Klink ordered. "Then, go inside and tell Schultz to report back for duty."
Langenscheidt removed the sign, then entered the barracks. A moment later, he returned, followed by Schultz. Hogan had come to the doorway, stopping just inside the barracks. Carter stood at his side.
"A word with you, Kommandant, if you please," stated Hogan.
Klink walked over and stopped directly in front of the two prisoners, remaining just outside the barracks. "What is it, Hogan?" he wondered.
"It WAS food poisoning," Hogan declared.
Klink shrugged him off. "I know. Wilson told me."
"This is your fault, you know."
"How so?" questioned Klink.
"You were the one that stuck our chef in the cooler. You were the one that left us to resort to Newkirk's cooking."
"I may have put LeBeau in the cooler, but I am not to blame for Newkirk's cooking. Your men could have all eaten from the mess hall."
"As if that would have been any better," Hogan remarked. "I don't think the Red Cross will be too happy about prisoners being subjected to food poisoning. One more case and I'm going to write them a letter protesting the whole situation."
"All right. Schultz, release LeBeau from the cooler. But he comes back here. He's confined to barracks till his thirty days are up." Klink waved his finger at Hogan, and added, "Both of you are. Satisfied?"
"It'll do," conceded Hogan. "For now."
"For the remainder of your sentence," insisted Klink, as he turned and walked away.
- - -
That night, to everyone's delight, LeBeau prepared a special dinner. Afterwards, Hogan and his crew sat gathered at the table. Hogan noticed that Carter appeared disturbed. "Something wrong, Carter?" he asked.
"It's been a week since London put me in charge," Carter replied. "They said it would be a week or so. We haven't heard anything yet."
"A thorough investigation takes time," Hogan declared. "I would like to be cleared."
Carter looked even more crestfallen. "And if you're not? Suppose they want us to send you back to London for trial?"
Hogan shook his head. "I don't think that's likely. Not without very good evidence. Enough for a conviction. Evidence they can't possibly have because there isn't any. Not if they dig deep enough."
"You mean there's nothing to worry about?"
"I didn't say that," Hogan warned. "They might not find enough to convict me. But if I'm not cleared, the operation may be finished. Or I may be, as its leader."
"That's not fair, Sir," Carter argued.
"Oui, mon Colonel," LeBeau told Hogan in support of Carter's statement.
"Wouldn't be the same with another leader," remarked Newkirk.
"I appreciate the support," explained Hogan. "But if I'm not cleared, how much confidence do you think they'd have in the information I sent? Or trust in our accomplishing the missions as ordered? There would always be that doubt as to my loyalty."
"Then, that settles it. They'll just have to clear you," insisted Carter. None of the group, however, seemed reassured by that.
- - -
Shortly after roll call the following morning, Kinch and Newkirk entered the tunnel. Not long after, Carter and LeBeau joined them. They had asked Baker to keep Hogan occupied in his quarters.
"We shouldn't be doing this, you know," Kinch advised them, when they had gathered around the radio. "Colonel Hogan would have a fit if he found out."
"And who's going to tell him?" wondered LeBeau.
Kinch shook his head. "Not me. That's for certain."
"We've got to do something," Carter stated.
"Right. Let them know where we stand," Newkirk agreed.
Kinch glanced at each of the other three. Each of them gave him a nod to go ahead. After raising the antenna, Kinch initiated contact with London.
Once they had made contact, the radio operator there put Colonel Wembley on. "Colonel Wembley here. Go ahead," he said.
"This is Sergeant A.C. I just wanted it to go on record that I have every confidence in the colonel's loyalty," Carter explained. "We live and work with him every day. If there was any reason to doubt his loyalty, we'd know about it."
Kinch was next. "Sergeant J.K., here. The colonel has an exemplary record. That should speak for itself. He is well respected--both here in camp and by the members of the Underground."
LeBeau continued their support. "Corporal L.L. of the French army. The ones who accuse him are either mistaken or liars. You should find out which. Don't destroy the reputation of an innocent man."
"Corporal P.N. Ask yourself why," suggested Newkirk, summing things up. "Don't prosecute the gov'nor. Prosecute those who are guilty of this outrage. Show some common sense, Sir."
Colonel Wembley did not seem too happy. "I'll overlook your last comment, Corporal. This time. It sounded a lot like insubordination to me. Don't let it happen again. As for this little chat, I'd like to make a few things clear. First, our investigators are trying to be quite thorough. One of the chaps from here even volunteered to assist. Most of us believe these accusations to be as bogus as you do. We'd just like to find proof. Your confidence in the colonel will be duly noted. You'd just better hope he doesn't find out about this. Don't worry. I won't tell. I'd hate to be responsible for your funeral."
"Sorry, Sir," Newkirk apologized.
"We were only trying to help," Carter declared.
"Just trust us to do our job," insisted Wembley. "We'll let you know when we've finished with the investigation ."