Chapter 12

When Wilson walked inside barracks two, he was met by many prisoners all wanting to know how Newkirk was. Kinch and LeBeau managed to get to the medic first. Kinch ordered the other prisoners to step back and relax which they immediately did. Wilson rubbed the back of his neck.

"He's alive at least," he said wearily. He went on to explain the Englander's injuries and that Carter was sitting with him in the infirmary and refused to leave until Newkirk awakened.

"Will Newkirk be all right?" asked a worried LeBeau.

"He should be, LeBeau," the medic explained. "It looked worse than it was. But Newkirk must give himself the time to recover."

Kinch chuckled slightly. "You'd better keep him sedated then because when it comes to keeping still, Newkirk's a lot like Colonel Hogan." The radioman then sighed. "Have you told Klink yet?"

"No. I came here first. I'm heading to the Kommandantur next. I have no idea what I'm gonna tell Klink. He didn't believe us before when we tried telling him about the Colonel Hogan and Corporal Sanger. I've a feeling he's not gonna believe this either."

"He's gonna have to believe all the blood in barracks seven," Kinch replied. "Therefore, I suggest we tell him the truth. Whether he chooses to believe it or not is another thing. I'm coming with you, Joe. Let's go." Kinch opened the door and walked out of the barracks with Wilson beside him. The other prisoners in the barracks watched from the doorway as the two men walked across the compound, up the steps of the Kommandantur, and inside. The barracks door was then closed.

"I sure hope Kinch and Wilson can convince Klink this time about Sergeant Dietrich," Olsen told LeBeau.

"Oui, so do I, mon ami," LeBeau answered grimly. "If they can't we are going to have a bigger problem than we already have."

Kinch knocked on the office door and opened it when the voice on the other side bid him to enter. Opening the door, Kinch entered followed by Wilson. Closing the door, Kinch and Wilson saluted Klink who, looking at them both, saluted. He then noticed Kinch's sling. "Sergeant Kinchloe, what happened to your arm?"

"Ask your Sergeant-of-the-Guard," Wilson replied. "He dislocated Sergeant Kinchloe's shoulder because he talked back to him."

"When did this happen?"

"Right after Corporal Sanger was shot," added Wilson.

"What?" asked Klink with narrowed eyes.

"That's not important right now, Kommandant," Kinch interjected. "We've just come from barracks seven. Your Sergeant-of-the-Guard just beat up Corporal Newkirk who was protecting Sergeant Carter. Newkirk's blood is still in barracks seven if you want to see it."

"Corporal Newkirk is in the infirmary?" Klink asked Wilson, disbelieving. "What is his condition, Sergeant Wilson?"

"He has three cracked and one broken rib and a fractured right wrist, Kommandant," the medic explained. "Other than that he's very fortunate as when he was beaten, it was obvious Sergeant Dietrich intended to seriously injure him. He could've killed him."

"Do you have any proof Sergeant Dietrich did any of these things, Sergeant Kinchloe?" Klink asked.

"Kommandant, when he dislocated my shoulder he did it in barracks two in front of the other prisoners. He forced Sergeant Carter into barracks seven with the intent of doing who knows what," Kinch was rapidly losing his temper. "He was there when Newkirk came into the barracks to save him."

Klink appeared to have a smirk on his face. "Did he see Sergeant Dietrich attack Corporal Newkirk, Sergeant?"

"No, sir," said Kinch. "But Sergeant Carter did see Corporal Newkirk struggle with Dietrich. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out he did it. There was nobody else there who could have done it…sir," he added the last word with a hint of anger and sarcasm.

"I see," Klink went on; if he was miffed by Kinch's tone of voice he didn't give any indication. "So in other words, you have no proof whatever."

Kinch couldn't hide the rage that was building within him. What is it gonna take to convince you, damn it, that you have a maniac for a Sergeant-of-the Guard you imbecile?

"Kommandant," Wilson was exasperated. "Everybody in barracks two saw what he did to Kinch. How can you deny that?"

"Sergeant Wilson, I expect the prisoners to support one of their own. But that doesn't mean it's true."

Kinch, who had been watching Klink's responses up to now, looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Kommandant, is Dietrich threatening you?"

Klink, caught off-guard by Kinch's question, stiffened immediately and it was noticed by Kinch's observant eyes.

"What are you talking about, Sergeant?" Klink asked, pretending he was not troubled by the question. "Nobody threatens Wilhelm Klink. Not a prisoner and certainly not one of my guards. Why would you even ask such a question?"

Kinch smirked. "Oh, I don't know, Kommandant. Maybe it's because you seemed mighty nervous of late. Also, it's not like you to not check out something we tell you. And never mind the rest of us, but especially when it involves Colonel Hogan being injured and nearly killed. He must have you pretty uptight to make you willing to allow Schultz to be sent to the Russian front without trying to help him. So I ask again, Kommandant, is Dietrich threatening you?"

Klink, struggling to pull himself together, managed to put a tight smile on his face. "Sergeant Kinchloe, you are out of line. Diss-missed!" he replied saluting.

Kinch gave the Kommandant a lazy salute as did Wilson; then both men left the office. Klink watched them leave. The minute the door closed he pinched the bridge of his nose. It was moments like this that Klink wished Hogan was here. Hogan would know how to deal with Dietrich, he thought to himself. If only Hogan were here.

Kinch and Wilson walked down the steps of the Kommandantur. When they were far away enough from the office, Wilson glimpsed over his shoulder and then at the radioman.

"You really think Dietrich is threatening Klink?" Wilson asked.

"I wasn't sure before, but I am now," the radioman answered. "Besides, it's the only thing that makes any sense, Joe. Klink may be afraid of his own shadow, but one thing he never does is ignore the welfare of his prisoners, especially that of the Colonel. Klink won't admit it to anyone, but he needs the Colonel."

Wilson nodded in agreement. "I think you're right, Kinch. But what could Dietrich be threatening him with?"

"That we have to find out and fast. The sooner we find that out the sooner we may be able to stop it and get Klink to see the truth about Dietrich." The two men had now reached barracks two. Kinch, gripping the doorknob, glanced at the medic. "You'd better go check on Newkirk, Joe. And tell Carter to keep alert. I've a feeling that Dietrich may still want to harm him since Newkirk interrupted him."

"I'll do that, Kinch." With a wave of his hand, Wilson turned and headed in the direction of the infirmary while Kinch went inside the barracks. The radioman was immediately greeted by LeBeau and the other prisoners.

"What happened, mon ami?" asked LeBeau. "Is Klink going to do something about Dietrich?"

Kinch sighed. "No." He then went on to repeat the conversation he and Wilson had with the Kommandant and that he suspected Dietrich was threatening Klink as well.

"Mon Dieu!" exclaimed LeBeau. "Kinch, what do we do now?"

Kinch let out a deep breath. "Short of arranging a hit on the good sergeant, LeBeau, I haven't the slightest idea."

Sergeant Derrick had been keeping pretty much to himself since Corporal Sanger's death. Everybody, knowing how close he had been with the young Corporal gave him his space. Right now, Derrick was seated outside barracks ten watching some of the prisoners from different barracks involved in different activities. He had refused any and all invitations by several prisoners to join them in whatever they were involved in; not because he was still grieving for his friend which he was, but because he was planning his revenge and needed to work out the details in private.

Derrick had heard about what happened to Kinch when he returned to barracks two that day, and it made him angrier than he already was. Then, Newkirk had been nearly beaten to death by the brutal Sergeant while trying to protect Carter, and that, to Derrick, was the last straw. Carter was similar to Sanger, a sweet, innocent young kid who never hurt anybody. It just proved to him that he couldn't wait for Kinch to get rid of Dietrich. He would have to do it himself, and he would make sure Dietrich never hurt anybody ever again. But he needed to get his hands on a gun.

Meanwhile, Dietrich walked around the compound carefully eying the prisoners who were outside. He noticed Sergeant Derrick sitting outside his barracks watching him and smirked. He suspected the sergeant was planning somehow to get even with him for shooting that whiny little weasel, Corporal Sanger. Dietrich continued to smirk; little did Derrick know what he had planned for him. But that could wait because he knew Klink would not interfere with him in any way; not if he wanted to stay alive anyway. He chuckled to himself when he recalled Klink's reaction to his threat of having Major Hochstetter believe Klink had been involved with the Black Market and using camp funds for his shady dealings. The Kommandant was such a wimp, because he caved in almost immediately. He knew he had the Kommandant so scared he was willing to allow Schultz to be sent to the Russian front for shooting the Luftwaffe's prize prisoner, that being Colonel Hogan. In fact, Dietrich had plans for this evening in town at the local hospital. It's a shame that Colonel Hogan will succumb to his injury tonight. Really is a shame.

Baker was just emerging from the tunnel when Kinch entered the barracks nearly knocking over LeBeau who had been standing watch in the process. Baker struck the hidden mechanism and watched the ladder rise and the lower bunk drop down. He had a sheet of paper in his hand.

"Kinch, sorry it took so long, but I just heard back from London regarding this Sergeant Dietrich. It ain't a pretty picture." He handed Kinch the paper. Sitting on the edge of the table, Kinch read the information aloud while LeBeau kept watch at the door.

"Let's see what we have. Sergeant Karl Dietrich, thirty-two. Separated from his wife with two children, both boys who are members of the Hitler Youths. Was himself a member of the Hitler Youths at sixteen. Has one sister, Ilse, who is married to Luftwaffe General Ludwig Von Heidelburg. Dietrich joined the Luftwaffe at eighteen. Was wounded during bombing raid on Dusseldorf in early 1943. Rumored to have ties to the Black Market." Kinch's eyebrows rose as he continued. "Suspected of killing a Luftwaffe Colonel during an argument but was never charged. Also suspected of killing an American Colonel while on leave in Hamburg but disappeared before he could be arrested. In November of 1943 asked for reassignment and request was granted."

LeBeau looked around. "Reassignment? Reassignment to where?"

"Stalag 13," Kinch said looking back at him.

"Wait a minute," Olsen remarked. "You mean to tell me this bastard asked for reassignment to Stalag 13? Why would anybody asked to be sent here?"

"London didn't have any additional info," Kinch told him. "But London said Dietrich was rumored to have ties to the Black Market. I wonder if that's what he's using to threaten Klink with. If General Burkhalter or Major Hochstetter were to believe those accusations Klink would either be shot, or sent to the Russian front so fast he'd arrive before his luggage." He let out a deep breath before looking at Baker again. "What about Otto?"

"He'll be at the meeting place tonight with Dieter. He's the one impersonating the Gestapo officer."

"Good. LeBeau, you and Carter will go out tonight and bring them both back here."

"No problem, mon ami."

Kinch stuffed the paper in his jacket pocket. "Gentlemen, we have to tread very carefully with this Sergeant Dietrich. Apparently, killing is second nature to him and he has no qualms about doing it."

"Then Newkirk is lucky he wasn't beaten to death," said Baker.

"I don't think Dietrich intended on killing Newkirk. From what London said he could have done it very easily and yet he didn't. I think he spared Newkirk because he wanted to frighten Carter."

"And now we can add Corporal Sanger to his list," said Olsen sadly.

"And we almost added Colonel Hogan to that list as well," Baker reminded him.

"That's why we're meeting with Otto and Dieter tonight. I want extra underground members posing as Gestapo guards inside the Colonel's room in addition to the three posted outside. This way, if someone somehow gets by the ones outside, there will be guards inside as well."

"Good thinking Kinch," Olsen praised. "We can't let him add the Colonel to his list of dead bodies."

Judith and Jana entered Colonel Hogan's room at the hospital with Doctor Albert Szell. The guards posted outside, recognizing them as fellow underground members, allowed them to enter with no problem. Jana would assist Doctor Szell with checking the colonel's vitals, and then the nurses would give the colonel a sponge bath and change his position on the bed to avoid bed sores.

Szell smiled after checking Hogan's vitals and the saline solution bag and informed the nurses that everything was progressing as it should and it looked like Papa Bear should make a full recovery unless something unforeseen occurred. After Dr. Szell had left, Jana and Judith then proceeded with the sponge bath which, having heard of the colonel's reputation with the fairer sex, they knew he would probably enjoy tremendously; especially being administered by two beautiful women. They chuckled at their thoughts.

Just as they were finishing, the door to Hogan's room opened, and Alice looked in. She stared at Hogan with disdain. Her look did not escape the observant eyes of Jana and Judith.

"Are you almost finished with the American?" she asked with a sneer on her face. "You have other patients to take care of and can't spend all your time with this one."

"Dr. Prust said…" began Jana.

"I don't care what Doctor Prust wants. I am the head nurse here and apparently he has forgotten that fact. You will hurry up with this patient and take care of our loyal German patients instead of wasting all your time with one of the enemy." Alice was miffed that she was barred from entering Hogan's room for some reason, but the guards outside did allow her to look inside as long as she did not enter. And the guards were watching closely.

"Yes, ma'am," Judith replied exchanging glances with Jana; words didn't need to be said but their eyes spoke volumes between them. Alice backed out of the door and closed it. "She's gonna cause trouble for us and the Colonel. We'd better let Michael know first chance before Alice does something that might get all of us in trouble with the Gestapo."