A/N: Alright, first of all, my deepest apologies for the long delay. My goal was to get this done before Christmas, but that plan fell through. This is partly why I've outlined a new system on my profile page where I'll only post completed stories, to minimize long delays in updates like now. But, for the time being, I am working on finishing this and another story suffering from neglect. I'm combing for consistencies, so minor changes may occur in the next few days, but I didn't want to wait any longer. Thank you for your patience.

"Alright, ease him down… careful now… watch the rung!"

Hogan and the others heard the small commotion and responded hurriedly to the base of the tree trunk. They arrived to see Kinch and Newkirk pulling a strange man down with them. He appeared to be unconscious.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hogan interrupted firmly.

"Colonel, this man needs help," Newkirk reported.

Carter and LeBeau almost rushed past to assist but Hogan's arms suddenly blocked them. "Is he sick?"

"What?"

"Is he sick?" Hogan demanded. He gestured the discoloration on the man's face and hands. "We don't have the materials to inoculate the whole camp if he's got the pox."

Frozen, Kinch and Newkirk frantically looked him over. "I don't think so, Colonel," Kinch ventured carefully. "At least not with smallpox. When we found him he was raving about getting away and not letting murderers catch him."

"We think he escaped the Gestapo, sir."

Hogan was tempted to point out that that didn't necessarily mean the man wasn't sick. There were always rumors of biological warfare… but that was neither here nor there. "Carter get Wilson, LeBeau find some water will you? Let's get him to the cot."

As they pulled the dead weight through the tunnel Hogan grilled them on the details of their mission. The plan had gone through smoothly, and it was only later that this fella showed up. He found it a strange contrast that the stranger had previously been adrenalized to the point of delirium when faced with his stillness now.

They got him to the cot and had LeBeau lay a wet rag on his forehead as Wilson and Carter returned. The medic cautiously overlooked him before frowning.

"Well?" Hogan asked. "Is he sick?"

"I don't think so," Wilson replied. "He's not matching any symptoms of an illness that would worry me. In fact, he's not matching any symptoms of anything I'm familiar with."

"New drug, Colonel?" Carter suggested from his seat. "If he did escape the Gestapo, that is."

"Could that be it?" Hogan asked.

Wilson had crossed his arms as he contemplated the patient before him. "My first guess was an adrenaline overdose, but his heartbeat's way too fast." He mulled it over some more. "We've got splotchy coloration, rapid heartbeat, delirium, fainting, prolonged unconsciousness and a fever. I'd hazard it's blood related, or tied to his cardiovascular system. A drug could mess with that."

A quiet lull befell the tunnel. LeBeau cleared his throat. "So, the Gestapo is testing new drugs now? What a mess."

"Anything else we can do, Wilson?" Kinch asked quietly.

"Without knowing exactly what it is I'm dealing with, my hands are largely tied." The medic let out a frustrated sigh. "Best thing is to keep him cool and calm- that resting heart rate should scare anyone. And, if it is a drug, we pray his system flushes it out naturally."

"Thank you, Wilson," Hogan finished. "If you're able to make it down here to check up on him we can rotate you with Kinch's schedule." Medics were precious in a prison camp and if it came down to it Hogan would treat his men before a stranger.

"That would work- I want to make sure a surprise infection doesn't creep it."

He guided the medic out and stood for a moment in silence. What a crazy night. And now this on top of everything else. After taking a moment to collect himself, he returned to the radio room.

Carter and Newkirk were hovering by the cot, discussing quietly. "Where do you think he got those clothes?" "Must be a new prison uniform."

Hogan clapped his hands once for attention. "Okay, grab a corner; let's move the cot away from the warm equipment further out in the tunnel- it's cooler there. 1,2,3- up!"

The man didn't even twitch as they complied.

Roll call the next morning was brutal. Sleep deprived and cold, the men filed out of the barracks and stamped their feet. Kinch shivered with the rest of the men as he tried to warm up. A quick look towards Barracks 3 revealed that Grayson was the only person who wasn't moving in the face of the weather. Another set of chills shook him after that. The man was just a little too abnormal.

After Klink left and everyone filed back away Kinch nabbed a bit of coffee from LeBeau and departed for the tunnel per his usual radio check. The tunnel had chilled from last night, but wasn't dangerously cold. The bite of the wind was the main factor, which was lacking down here. He glanced over at the cot on his way to the radio and stopped.

It was empty.

Keeping still, he listened for any audible clues to their guest's whereabouts before stepping towards the cot to investigate. He frowned. When had this guy awakened?

"Oh sir…"

The ragged voice startled him and he turned to see their stranger partway down the tunnel, leaning timidly against a support. He looked like he'd been through hell; exhaustion was apparent on all his features and his shoulders sagged heavily. "That coffee, it just… it smells wonderful."

Kinch set his cup down and carefully approached the man. "I'll give you some if the doc okays it."

"That… that sounds great." Kinch saw the man's arms shaking and caught his elbow just as his grip on the post slipped.

"Come on," he tugged gently. "You look like you need to lie down before you try any coffee."

The man swayed as they walked and dipped his head against his shoulder. "I can't, I have to keep moving… I can't let 'em find me," he mumbled.

Kinch paused. "Who?"

"Them… from the ship…" The man dropped heavily onto the bed and Kinch couldn't tell if he had passed out or simply fallen asleep. He tucked him in, replaced the rag, and retrieved his coffee.

No names, but at least it was a little information that he could tell Hogan.

Spock had succeeded in bribing Schultz and was now tactfully playing a card game with Kirk. The captain had been pensive, and he could tell that Kirk had been thinking hard about their situation and was on the verge of a full plan.

"Convincing Klink to let me out early won't do any good," he said mildly, playing a card. "Hogan's the one pulling the strings."

"I agree." Spock played his next hand, waiting for what Kirk had to say.

"He seems to run the camp through extreme persuasiveness," Kirk continued. "Have you studied his technique?"

"Exactly that, Captain," he replied. "Extreme persuasiveness. He is quite convincing when he so chooses to be."

"And it certainly helps that Klink and Schultz are so gullible." He paused after playing his turn and drew his hand across his chin. "Spock," he said. "I still want to go for the direct approach, so let's expedite things. Tell Hogan I want out of the cooler today or else I will escape."

Spock knitted his brow. "You believe that to be an adequate threat, Captain?"

"Of course. Spock, we've determined that Col. Hogan is the one basically running this camp. An American colonel is in control of a Nazi POW camp. Yet the escape record is nil. I don't know if it's by defection or other means, but somehow that man is keeping everyone from escaping. I threaten to shatter that, I threaten something far bigger."

Spock conceded the point. "How will you be able to instigate your escape should he not accept your ultimatum?"

Kirk waved him off. "I've studied this cell for days. It's easy, really. We've both escaped prisons before, even Nazi ones. That's another point that's bothered me- the fact that it's so easy to get out and yet no one does."

"There could be something preventing them which we have not encountered yet," Spock cautioned.

"Then I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Spock- I don't expect to actually go through with the escape. Deliver my ultimatum to Hogan, and then watch. I have a hunch I'll be released before sundown."

"He's running from someone, sir. He mentioned men from a ship."

Hogan considered the information. "What ship?"

"Didn't say," Kinch replied. "Certainly nothing around here."

"Do you suppose he's got some kind of top secret information that would warrant dragging him all the way out here?" Newkirk suggested. "Could be a valuable prisoner."

"Maybe." Hogan started to pace slowly across the width of the barracks. "Maybe," he sighed grimly. "It could also mean that he defected from one of our ships."

"Colonel, you don't think-!"

"I don't know what to think yet," Hogan cut Carter off. "All I know is we have an American man on the run in the middle of Germany from people on a ship." He pinched his brow. "Without anything more like a name or otherwise I don't want to risk a contact to London- too many people go missing every day. Carter, fetch Wilson. Maybe he can bring him around for a few moments. Kinch, why don't-"

LeBeau whirled around from the door. "Grayson is making his way here!"

The men glanced around sharply to make sure no items relating to the operation were lying about. Hogan sat down his coffee and put one foot on the bench of the table as the Frenchman moved away and nonchalantly to the stove. When the door opened, they were all the perfect picture of casual.

Grayson stepped once towards Hogan and rested at attention. "I have come to deliver a message on behalf of Captain Kirk."

Hogan looked around his men before returning his attention to the stiff officer. "And what would that be?"

"He wishes to speak with you sir, directly and out of the cooler. If you will not comply, then he shall escape tonight."

A little chuckle wove around the room. "Escape?" Hogan repeated. "Doesn't he realize that 'no one escapes from Stalag 13'?"

Grayson raised an unamused eyebrow. "He realizes many things," he said flatly.

Hogan's demeanor turned serious. "I suppose I can bribe Schultz into letting me talk to him."

"He wants you to get him out of the cooler, today."

"What makes you think I can do it?"

Grayson eyed him shrewdly. "Aside from being the one to land him in the cooler," he began, causing Hogan to narrow his eyes. "You are the unofficial man in charge, here. I believe we all know that you can get him out."

"Before he escapes it," Hogan drawled. "With you helping him, naturally."

"Actually, he would not need my help." Grayson looked at him. "The captain is quite capable."

The other men shifted.

"Very well, Commander Grayson," Hogan said. "I'll see what I can do. It must be very important news he has to discuss with me."

"I assure you, it is," Grayson said stiffly. He saluted, and after the return dismissal exited the barracks.

"We can't trust them, Colonel," Newkirk said immediately. "We still don't know why they're here."

"I know," he replied. "But whatever story Kirk will spin for me we can match with London. We've got two mysteries, but a chance to learn more about one of them. Carter, go get Wilson. Alright, I'm off to see the commandant."

Klink was fussy as usual, though a tad extra persnickety over the excess paperwork that had recently befallen him. Hogan patiently let him rant before easing into his own topic.

"Kommandant," he began, interrupting another tirade over the scrupulousness of inventory. "As much as I love these little chats, I do have some worrying news."

"Worrying?" Klink's previous headache was swiftly forgotten. "What do you mean by worrying?"

"I mean a psychological state of cabin fever so intense that it precedes mania," Hogan dangled the hook expertly before him.

"Cabin fever? Mania? What are you talking about?"

"The man in the cooler, Captain Kirk! Oh boy, commandant, have you done a number on him. This is why men never doubt the effectiveness of your punishment." Hogan eased off the hinges of the cigar box on the desk as Klink perplexedly looked out the window.

"Why, what's happened to him?"

"I told you," Hogan said, closing the box. "Cabin fever. Gotta light?"

Klink jumped up with his lighter as Hogan puffed the cigar, still glued to the story. "Yes, but you mentioned mania. How does cabin fever equate to that?"

Hogan blew some smoke in a decisive fashion, back to business. "Colonel, for some men, confinement is worse than other punishments. Days cooped up in the same small cell with the same four walls drives this kind of man to a snarling, rabid, wild beast!" He slammed his hand on the desk to punctuate his statement, causing Klink to jump.

"Not even the cooler can hold such an explosive mix," he finished.

"Not even the cooler? What are you suggesting?" Klink's jaw dropped as it clicked in his brain. "Do you think the mania has affected Kirk to the point where he would attempt an escape?"

"Not yet, but we don't have much time. His friend Grayson says he could snap any moment. Certainly it'll happen before tomorrow, even."

"We can't have that!" Klink cried, rushing up from his chair. He flit nervously around his office, wringing his hands for a few paces before drifting back to Hogan. "What can be done?"

"Well, you can let him out," Hogan suggested. "The wide open spaces of the compound should allow him to cool off."

"I can't do that!" Klink objected. "The man was assigned 30 days in the cooler and 30 days he will get!"

Hogan sighed dramatically. "Then by the end of tonight he'll burst like a bullet all the way back to England."

Klink froze. "We can't have that!" he said again.

"So you'll let him out, commandant?"

Klink wagged a finger at him. "You really think that will help?"

"Of course. Movement and socialization can do a lot for a man. As it is, right now the pressure is only building… building… building…"

"Alright!" Klink cried. "He's released from the cooler!" He hastily scribbled a note of the fact before handing it to Hogan. "Make sure he doesn't fire his way out of here!"

"Of course," Hogan gave him a sloppy salute as he grabbed the doorknob.

"Oh, Hogan!" Klink peered at him, once again seated behind his paperwork. "Why do you care so much about the state of this individual?"

"Sir, if and when he bursts there's no telling what he'll do," Hogan replied, eyes wide open in concerned innocence. "A man that unpredictable could hurt one of my men. It's much safer to let him blow off steam in the compound."

"Right, right," Klink trailed. He came back to himself and shooed Hogan away. "Now out! Before he explodes!"

Hogan smirked as he closed the door.

Kirk leveled his gaze with Hogan as Schultz led him out into the daylight. He gave a short nod before walking with the man across the camp.

"So Grayson said you had something to tell me," Hogan began casually.

"Yes," Kirk answered. "If you know somewhere private where we can have this discussion, that would be best."

"I do."

Spock met them at the entrance to Barracks 2, and Hogan only glanced between them before leading the way inside. The entire barracks was cleared save for Hogan's usual men. Oddly enough, Carter was missing.

Kirk and Spock hovered by the stove as Hogan propped a foot up on the bench of the cramped table. "Alright," he said without preamble. "Start talking."

So Kirk did.