Chapter 20

The remainder of the day went uneventfully except for the occasional glares from Sergeant Dietrich directed towards the men of barracks two during evening roll call which Klink decided to hold earlier than usual because he had an appointment in town and much to the men's relief, Dietrich would be driving him as Schultz normally would when he was Sergeant-of-the-Guard and Klink's aide. To the men of barracks two, they wouldn't have to worry about Dietrich bursting into the barracks unexpectedly, especially while Olsen, LeBeau and Carter were gone from camp.

Putting the faucet handles of the sink together, LeBeau looked through the faucets that connected to a periscope that rose from inside the water-filled barrel located outside barracks two. He watched the staff car parked outside the Kommandantur. Moments later, he saw Klink exit the building, walk down the steps, and pause momentarily as Dietrich held open the right passenger-side door; the Kommandant got inside. Closing the car door, Dietrich walked around the car and slid behind the steering wheel. LeBeau continued watching as the car drove through the front gates.

"They're gone," he announced to the others who were seated at the table. The Frenchman replaced the faucets back in their normal position. He then approached the table as Kinch, Olsen and Carter got to their feet and with LeBeau following, made their way to the double bunk in the corner. Kinch slapped the hidden mechanism, and after the lower bunk rattled upward and the ladder dropped, the four men climbed down into the tunnel and headed for the changing room.

"Okay, listen up guys. Olsen, you'll return to the hospital as Major Avery since you've already been seen there as him; LeBeau, you'll be Private Adler and Carter, you'll be Major Avery's aide, Lieutenant Gunter," Kinch explained leaning against the doorway of the changing room. "I'll contact the hospital and let Michael know you guys are on your way."

"I wish you were coming with us, mon ami," said LeBeau as he began to change clothes.

"I wish I could, too, LeBeau. But I already told you why I can't."

"I know you are right, but it is still not fair," the Frenchman added solemnly.

"The car is parked in the woods a few yards from the tunnel entrance. Just remember to come right back here after you see the Colonel." Kinch glanced at Olsen. "Who's with Alice?"

"Baker's watching her right now," said Olsen checking his watch.

Kinch wore a faint smile. "Good luck. I'll be in the radio room." He turned and walked away to make contact with the hospital.

Doctor Szell, Mara and Judith were in Hogan's room checking on their patient when Prust walked in with a smile on his face. He quickly relayed the information that Kinch had passed on to him and that three of Hogan's men were on their way to the hospital.

"How is Colonel Hogan?" he asked.

"His vitals are fine, Michael," Szell told him. "I believe he will make a full recovery if he takes it easy once he's discharged." He looked at Prust strangely when he noticed him chuckle and shake his head. "What is so funny?"

"You don't know Robert as well as I do," Prust explained. "He is a stubborn man who hates being inactive in any way. There have been times in the past I came close to sedating him to keep him still."

"I see," Szell said. "Well, he'll have no choice but to keep still for another week after we wake him up tonight because until the sedative works itself out of his system, he's going to be very drowsy for awhile." He checked his watch. "How long before they get here?" he asked.

"Shouldn't be long, Albert," Prust said. "Kinch told me they left awhile ago." The words had no sooner left his mouth than the door opened and three men in Gestapo uniforms, one a bit too short to be German, entered the room.

Prust smiled as he approached the men holding out his hand to each man. "Sergeant Olsen, Sergeant Carter, Corporal LeBeau. So good to see you three again." He introduced them to Doctor Szell and Judith. "Of course, Mara all of you know."

"You make a very convincing Gestapo officer, Sergeant Olsen," Mara said with a smile that affected all three of the men. Carter's cheeks turned red.

"Thank you, Mara," Olsen answered. "I'm just glad we were able to stop Alice before she harmed Colonel Hogan."

"How is the Colonel?" asked LeBeau as he came closer to the bed looking at his commander who was so still lying in the bed. If it wasn't for the rising and falling of his chest, he would have thought Hogan was dead.

"He should make a full recovery," Szell explained; he looked at Prust. "I guess we should proceed with waking Colonel Hogan, Michael."

"I agree," Prust said as he then turned to Hogan's men. "We have been gradually reducing the amount of the sedative we have been giving him for several days to make it easier to awaken him. But before we do that, you should be aware that he will not stay awake for more than five minutes if even that. He will be very drowsy and a bit incoherent for several days until the sedative is completely out of his system. So don't be concerned if he should fall asleep without warning or during a conversation. By the way, where is Corporal Newkirk? I thought he would want to be here."

Olsen paused. "Newkirk wanted to come, Michael, but he had to help Kinch with something and couldn't make it. But he sends the Colonel his regards as does Kinch."

Prust smiled and turned back to the prone figure in the bed. He nodded to Szell who leaned over the bed and gently began slapping Hogan's cheeks.

"Wake up, Colonel Hogan," he said. "Come on, Colonel, wake up. Time for you to open your eyes." Getting no response he slapped Hogan's cheeks a tad harder but still gently. "Wake up, Colonel Hogan. Time for you to wake up now. Open your eyes, Colonel."

"Ummmm," Hogan mumbled nearly inaudibly.

"Come on Colonel. Your men are here to see you. It's time for you to wake up."

Hogan shifted his position in the bed. "Ummmm," he mumbled again as he tried to slowly turn his head away. "Stop…" he whispered, his words sounding a bit slurred.

"Wake up, Robert," Prust ordered leaning over the bed as well. "It's Michael. It's time for you to wake up. Your men are here. They want to see you. You must wake up."

"Wake up, mon Colonel," said LeBeau. "Time for you to come back to us."

"Yeah, Colonel," Carter added. "You gotta wake up and see all these pretty nurses taking care of you."

"Carter…." Hogan mumbled as he fought to open his eyes. "Carter…"

Prust waved Carter closer to the bed. The young Sergeant stood beside the bed and touched the Colonel's hand. "C'mon, Colonel. We need you to wake up. Things haven't been the same without you, boy, I mean sir. Even Schultz and Klink miss you. Everybody does."

"Oui mon Colonel. It is not the same without you. Please Colonel, you must wake up and come back. Newkirk and Kinch both send their regards. Olsen is here as well, sir."

"LeBeau's right, Colonel," Olsen added. "I wanted to come and see you. Had to see for myself that you were doing all right. Please wake up Colonel."

Hogan's eyes slowly fluttered open ever so slightly. He looked upward at Prust although he couldn't focus on anything. "Michael…" he struggled to get the name out.

Prust smiled affectionately. "Yes, Robert. It's Michael and I'm here."

"We are here too, Colonel…" said LeBeau with eyes glistening.

A very faint smile appeared on Hogan's face. "LeBeau….Carter…Olsen…" his eyes slowly fluttered closed. "Where's….Newkirk…" he managed to get out.

"What happened?" asked a panicky Frenchman looking up at Prust.

"I told you he could fall asleep without warning. Right now he's sleeping which is good. The fact that he recognized all of you is a good sign. That is enough for tonight. We will try again tomorrow."

"Can't we just stay here a little while longer?" asked LeBeau.

"I'm afraid not, Corporal," Dr. Szell explained. "Colonel Hogan will probably sleep the rest of the night. He wouldn't even know you are here. But you are all welcome to come back and visit each day if you're able."

"If all goes well, Colonel Hogan will be discharged in a week," said Prust.

Standing close to the others, Olsen put hands on the shoulders of Carter and LeBeau. "We understand, Michael. We're just glad we were here when you woke the Colonel up so he at least knew we were here even if only for a few minutes." He looked at his friends. "C'mon guys. There's nothing else we can do here tonight. We might as well head back to camp." The others reluctantly agreed.

The drive back to camp was quiet; nobody spoke very much. Finally, Carter tried to lighten the mood.

"It's gonna be great when Colonel Hogan comes back to camp, isn't it?" he asked trying to lift the spirits of his two friends.

"Oui, it will," LeBeau agreed sensing what the explosives expert was trying to do. He let a slight smile appear. "I only wish he could have stayed awake longer."

"Well gosh, LeBeau. Doctor Prust told us the Colonel was gonna be sleepy until the sedative is out of his system."

"I know," the Frenchman replied. "I don't know why I was hoping the Colonel would talk a bit more than he did."

Olsen, who was seated on the front passenger seat while LeBeau was driving, looked at the little Frenchman. "LeBeau, I know it was frustrating to see Colonel Hogan that way, but just keep in mind that he did recognize us if only for a minute. I have faith in Michael Prust that he will get the Colonel through this so he can come home by the end of the week as he promised."

When the others descended into the tunnel after returning to camp, they found Baker monitoring the radio.

"Where's Kinch?" asked Olsen as he removed his uniform cap and began to unbutton his jacket.

"Babysitting our guest," Baker replied jerking his thumb in the direction of the other tunnels. "How's the Colonel? Did he wake up?"

"Yeah he did," Olsen went on to explain. "But only for about three minutes. Michael says he will keep the Colonel in the hospital for another week to allow the sedative to work it's way out of his system."

"And if all goes well, the Colonel could be discharged at the end of a week," LeBeau added. He still felt sad about Hogan not being awake longer but was beginning to feel better. He and Carter went into the changing room to take off their Gestapo uniforms and put on their Allied uniforms before returning to the barracks.

"That sounds pretty good," Baker told Olsen. "It'll be good to have Colonel Hogan back in camp again."

Olsen then looked seriously at him. "Has Klink and Dietrich returned yet?"

Baker checked his watch. "They got back about fifteen minutes before you and the others did, but Dietrich didn't come by while you were gone; at least not yet he hasn't."

"Anything change regarding Newkirk?" Olsen asked.

"All quiet there as well. I believe no news is good news?"

"That's what we say all right," Carter replied having walked into the radio room in time to hear Baker's last words. "I'm gonna stop by the infirmary before I return to the barracks. I want to let Newkirk know about Colonel Hogan."

"Carter, it's kind of late," Baker explained. "Don't you think you should wait until after morning roll call to do that. Newkirk's probably asleep and I'm sure Wilson wouldn't want you waking him."

Carter frowned. "You're probably right. I'm sorry. I'm just so worried about Newkirk and he wanted so much to know about the Colonel when he found out we were going to the hospital." He shrugged. "Okay, I'll wait until after roll call."

LeBeau soon joined them and while Olsen went into the changing room, Carter and LeBeau headed for the ladder leading to the barracks above and started climbing up. They were careful not to awaken anybody as they stepped off the ladder and into the barracks as sounds of snoring could be heard throughout. Carter sat down on his bunk while LeBeau climbed up onto his upper bunk which was above the one that covered their tunnel entrance and belonged to Kinch. Even in the dark, Carter looked over at the Frenchman and could barely make him out, but could hear him moving around.

"Hey, LeBeau?" he asked. "You still awake?"

"Oui," came the answer from the dark. "Something wrong?"

"Not really. I was just thinking is all."

"About what?"

"About Colonel Hogan and Newkirk."

Carter could hear LeBeau moving about again and assumed he was sitting up on his bunk. "What about, mon ami? You heard the doctor. The Colonel will be fine. And as far as Newkirk is concerned, we were told he would completely recover."

"Oh I know they will. It's just…well…I just wonder if they'll be the same people they were before they were injured. I mean, I've heard that after a traumatic incident a person sometimes isn't the same as before the incident."

LeBeau quietly hopped down from his bunk and sat down beside Carter. He nudged the young Sergeant. "What's wrong, Carter? What's troubling you?"

Carter shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know if I can even explain it. Besides, it'll sound silly and you'll just laugh."

"I promise you I will not laugh. Now tell me what's on your mind and what has you so worried."

Carter sighed wearily and, leaning forward, rested one elbow on his knee, his chin on his hand. "I guess I'm just worried that Newkirk might change after what Dietrich did to him. I mean, he might not be the same Newkirk we know once he recovers."

"And Colonel Hogan?"

"The Colonel's been through so much since he's been here at Stalag 13. Suppose what Dietrich did to him this time was more than he could handle and he can't bounce back from it emotionally this time? He might not be the same person either after this."

LeBeau thought and was silent for a long moment. Finally, he put a hand on his friend's shoulder. The young Sergeant turned his head towards him. "Carter, I want you to listen to me. As far as Newkirk is concerned, I believe he will be the same Newkirk we know. I don't think what happened to him will change him in anyway. He is very tough and can handle anything. You will see. Nothing will change Newkirk. I promise. As far as Colonel Hogan, he too, is very strong. But he has always managed to bounce back as you say from anything that's been done to him, and this will be no different. He will come back stronger than ever. Both of them will."

Carter allowed a slight smile to appear on his face. "If you say so, then I believe it."

LeBeau smiled. "Good. Now, I suggest we both try and get some sleep. We only have a few hours before roll call." He got up and headed back to his bunk.

"Goodnight, LeBeau. And thanks," Carter said as he laid down on his bunk.

"Goodnight mon ami. And you are welcome." The Frenchman climbed up on his bunk and laid down.

Both men were sound asleep when the bunk beneath LeBeau's rattled upward a short time later, and Olsen stepped into the barracks. Stifling a yawn, he struck the hidden mechanism and as the bunk rattled down over the tunnel opening, he walked over to his bunk and climbed up, stretching out on it and was asleep the minute his head hit the pillow.