Chapter 2
There was stunned silence as Schultz's words reverberated throughout the barracks.
"You shot Colonel Hogan, Schultzie?" asked LeBeau when he able to find his voice again.
"Why?" asked Newkirk with an edge to his voice. "What did the Gov'nor ever do to you?"
"It was an accident," Schultz stammered, unsure at first as to how to proceed. "I was leaving the Kommandant's office and one of the guards who was going inside bumped into me and I dropped my rifle. It went off when it hit the ground. I'm sorry, boys. I would never hurt Colonel Hogan. You must know that." His face was pleading.
"I always knew you were a clumsy oaf, Schultz," Newkirk interjected. "But this is too much. You say it was a bloody accident. Are you still gonna say that if the Colonel dies? Answer me that!" the Englander found himself raising his voice. "You can call it a ruddy accident if you want, but I'll call it murder!"
"I never thought you could do such a thing, Schultzie," LeBeau agreed. "You always told us your rifle was unloaded. I suppose that was a lie."
"I never lied to you boys," the obese guard explained. "It was an accident! I swear it!"
LeBeau made a sound and turned his back on the guard while Newkirk walked away in disgust.
"I think you'd better leave," he told Schultz without looking at him. "You wouldn't want to hear what's on me mind right now."
"But…."
"Get out!" LeBeau shouted angrily.
Klink, who up to now had remained silent as Schultz refused to keep his mouth closed, refused to stay quiet any longer. He stared at his Sergeant-of-the-Guard knowing he had to do something to diffuse an explosive situation. "Schultz, I'm sorry to have to do this, but until further notice, I'm going to have to restrict you to your quarters while I look further into this matter."
"I understand, Herr Kommandant," Schultz answered in a voice just above a whisper.
"And I will have to report this matter to General Burkhalter and see what he wants to do. But before I do that, I will have to wait until I know what Colonel Hogan's condition is as I'm certain the General will have questions."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. I understand." Schultz chewed his lower lip to keep a tight reign on his emotions. "Am I excused now?" he asked looking at Klink with shiny eyes.
Klink swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "You're excused, Schultz. I suggest you report to your quarters and remain there until a decision has been reached regarding this situation."
"Jawohl," the obese guard softly replied turning and slowly heading towards the barracks door, the butt of his rifle dragging across the floor.
LeBeau glanced over his shoulder as Schultz opened the barracks door. "Some people shouldn't be allowed near dangerous weapons," he muttered loud enough to be heard. He saw Schultz pause for a moment. Reaching the doorway, Schultz looked back and saw the eyes of all the men in barracks two staring at him. He sighed.
"Tell Colonel Hogan I am very sorry, and that it was an accident."
"Yeah, we'll tell 'im," Newkirk sneered, glancing over his shoulder. "If he lives that is."
The guard didn't respond. He just trudged sadly out of the barracks, closing the door behind him.
Once Schultz was gone, Klink's eyes looked at the men in the barracks and then at the blood on the floor and stiffened.
"I meant what I said before," he repeated. "Whatever Colonel Hogan needs I'll see that he gets it. For now, I suggest you clean up the blood on the floor and nobody is allowed into the infirmary unless Sergeant Wilson requests it. And even then, the only ones allowed will be Sergeants Kinchloe & Carter, and Corporals Newkirk and LeBeau. I'm sorry this happened and believe me when I say the matter will be dealt with appropriately. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will go to the infirmary and see what Colonel Hogan's condition is." He abruptly turned and marched out of the barracks leaving behind a group of men who still couldn't believe what had transpired in front of their eyes.
"Bring him over here!" Wilson ordered as the men carrying the makeshift stretcher entered the infirmary. He pointed to the closest empty bed. Kinch was still applying pressure to the wound despite the entire front of the Colonel's shirt now practically soaked with blood. The men placed the board with the unconscious American on it on top of the bed the medic pointed to, then backed away.
"Okay, with the exception of Kinch, everybody else out!" Wilson saw the men hesitant to leave. "Look, every minute I waste telling you guys to leave takes away from my working on Colonel Hogan. So I'm ordering all of you to leave! Now!" He saw the men slowly head towards the door after turning and giving one last look at the injured officer. "Okay, Kinch, I need to get a better look at that bullet wound."
Kinch, grateful that Hogan had passed out again, gently removed his blood soaked jacket that barely had any green color left to it. The bleeding had slowed somewhat, but hadn't stopped. He kept his eyes on Hogan's face and saw how pale he looked compared to his black hair. He then looked at the slight rising and falling of his chest. At least he's still breathing, he thought, and that's the most important. Using the back of one bloodied hand, Kinch wiped his forehead again. Just continue to hang on, Colonel. We're gonna fix you up and you'll be just fine. Just don't give up. We need you. Just don't give up. Kinch, always believing himself to be a deeply religious man, found himself closing his eyes and silently saying a prayer for the Colonel to live. After he finished, he opened his eyes again and looked at Wilson who let out a deep breath and sat up straight.
"Okay, Kinch, I know your arms have got to be tired and aching, but I need you to reapply pressure until I can get a pressure bandage on the Colonel." He started to get up and head towards his medical supply cabinet.
"It's okay, Joe," Kinch replied. "I'm all right." The radioman kept his eyes glued to Hogan's face. "Just hang on, Colonel. You can do it. We're all here for you. Just hang on. You're gonna be okay." He raised his eyes at the sound of the door opening and spotted Kommandant Klink quietly approaching the bed. Klink's eyes studied the face of the unconscious American officer.
"How is he, Sergeant Kinchloe?" Klink asked.
"Not good, Kommandant," Kinch responded as if he had just heard the dumbest question in his life.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Yeah," Kinch looked up, anger burning in his brown eyes. "You can find out who did this to the Colonel and make sure he's punished, whoever he is. Don't try and sweep it under the rug, so to speak. Can you do that, Kommandant?"
Klink swallowed. "We already know who fired the shot, Sergeant," Klink replied softly.
"That was fast. Who was it?"
"That's not important now, Sergeant. What's important…"
"I said who was it?!" Kinch repeated, his voice more harsh than he intended.
"It was Sergeant Schultz."
Kinch was speechless for a long moment as both eyebrows shot upward. "Schultz? Our Schultz?" he finally asked.
"I'm afraid so."
"Did I hear you say Schultz shot the Colonel, Kommandant?" Wilson asked, coming in at the end of the conversation. "Why?'
"It was an accident."
"Some accident," Kinch muttered angrily.
"How is Colonel Hogan, Sergeant Wilson?" asked Klink, hoping to change the conversation.
"He's lost a lot of blood. And from what I can tell without an x-ray, the bullet seems to be in the area of his heart. And if it is, and it shifts in any way, it could enter his heart and kill him. But I can't do anything for him here, Kommandant. He needs a surgeon and he needs one now. You've got to get him to the hospital immediately if he's to have any chance at all."
Klink paled at the news. "I'll have an ambulance sent here immediately."
"That would take too long; nearly twenty-to-twenty-five minutes. He could be dead by then. Your best bet would be to have a truck take him. Besides, a truck would be better equipped to handle the rough roads. As I said, that bullet cannot be allowed to shift."
"I'll have one of the guards bring a truck immediately to the infirmary, Sergeant Wilson. Is there anything else you need?"
"Yes. I want to accompany Colonel Hogan to the hospital and I'll need someone to help me with the stretcher."
"Out of the question, Sergeant. If I let you and another prisoner go to the hospital, someone will try to escape. The guards can handle it."
Wilson stared hard at Klink. "And can your guards handle things if something goes wrong while they're en-route to the hospital? Will they know what to do?"
Klink's shoulders sagged in defeat. "All right. You can go with Colonel Hogan. Who else do you want to accompany you?"
Wilson looked at Kinch, but knew he couldn't take him despite wanting to. He looked into Kinch's eyes and saw the radioman understood. "I'll need Corporal Newkirk to go with me. I promise there will be no escape attempt."
"And to make sure I will assign Corporal Langenscheidt and two other guards to go with you. They will have orders to shoot to kill if either of you try to escape."
"Right now, Kommandant," said Kinch, "I wouldn't exactly use that term too lightly."
"We're wasting valuable time, Kommandant," Wilson insisted. I'm going to apply a pressure bandage to hopefully control the bleeding."
"I understand," Klink replied. "I'll have the guards get a truck ready and notify the hospital of your pending arrival.."
"Thank you, Kommandant," Wilson replied gratefully. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to apply this pressure bandage."
Newkirk sat at the table in the common room smoking a cigarette while a still angry LeBeau paced back and forth. The blood on the floor had been cleaned up, but the wood was discolored from where it had been spilled.
"I cannot believe it. How could Schultz shoot the Colonel? How?"
"What the hell are you askin' me for?" Newkirk asked a bit testily. "I'm not a bloody mind reader."
"I didn't say you were," LeBeau paused and stared at the Englander. "And don't get so high and mighty with me. You should be worrying about the Colonel."
Newkirk returned LeBeau's stare. "I am worried about the Gov'nor you whiny little Frenchman! Now go sod off and leave me the hell alone!" His face suddenly softened. "I'm sorry, mate. I didn't mean what I said." He allowed a small smile to appear.
"I too am sorry," LeBeau apologized. "I just can't accept that Schultz shot Colonel Hogan, accident or not."
"I know what you mean, mate."
Just then the barracks door opened and Corporal Langenscheidt hurried in. His eyes fell immediately on the Englander.
"Corporal Newkirk, you are to come with me," he said.
A look of panic suddenly appeared on Newkirk's face. "Why? What happened? Is it the Colonel?"
"Colonel Hogan is still alive. But he is to be rushed by truck to the hospital for immediate surgery. The Kommandant has permitted Sergeant Wilson and you to accompany Colonel Hogan to the hospital with myself and two others to go along as guards. Now please hurry!"
"Right behind you, mate!" Newkirk replied snatching his cover from the table and putting it on his head. He then followed Langenscheidt out the door.