Chapter 3

Recap: Hogan ceased pacing and rested one foot on the bench and balanced on his other leg. He rested both forearms on his thigh with hands dangling over the sides. He suddenly felt very weary. "But if we can keep him on ice until London ends their radio silence, we can contact them and perhaps they can clear up this mystery for us."

"That's if they can clear it up, Colonel," Carter reminded him.

Sighing, Hogan looked at his young Sergeant with a shake of his head. "Carter, why must you always put a damper on things that are already bleak to begin with?"

"Sorry, Colonel," Carter replied trying to hide his head.

Hogan sighed and tilted his head just a bit. "Then again, nothing's ever simple where we're concerned. So why should this be any different?"

The man calling himself Robert Hogan lay on his back on the cot with his legs crossed at the ankles and his hands behind his head. He was staring at the ceiling and rehashing his earlier conversation with the other Colonel Hogan. Having always been a good judge of character, he had no doubt that the man he spoke briefly with seemed sincere in his beliefs and apparently believed he himself was Robert Hogan.

"I am Colonel Hogan," the man told himself. "I was assured I would be the only officer in this camp other than Germans, of course. Now what do I do?" He slowly sat up and placed his feet on the floor, arms resting on his thighs with hands dangling between his knees. He had to find out more about this other Colonel Hogan before he planned on what to do about him. After all, he couldn't afford to have him interfere with his orders.

But how was he to accomplish this while locked in solitary? That was the question. He had to find someway, or someone, to help him, or at least supply information. But who? Suddenly, his face brightened as he thought of the rotund Sergeant who had locked him in this cell; Schultz he remembered his name being. And despite their best attempt to hide it, he had seen this other Hogan slip the obese guard something to allow him to be alone with him for a few minutes. "Apparently this Schultz can be bribed," he told himself.

Then as if on cue, the guard in question appeared outside his cell carrying a tray in one hand while he unlocked the cell door with the other.

"The Kommandant figured since it was so close to lunchtime you might be hungry," he said wearily. Inside the cell now, Schultz grabbed the small stool and after placing it in front of the prisoner, sat the tray on it. He frowned at the food on the plate. "Believe me when I say it's not appealing but it'll do." He started to trudge away.

"Schultz?"

The guard paused and turned around. "Did you call me?"

The prisoner, picking up his fork, began picking at his food, and although he found it unappealing as promised, it was nourishing; and he now realized just how hungry he was. "Yes, I did. Got a few minutes? I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Schultz looked mystified that somebody would ask him questions, somebody other than Colonel Hogan anyway. He looked at the prisoner warily, then, he walked over and sat down beside him. "What did you want to ask me?"

The prisoner thought for a moment as he chewed his food slowly. "That man who was in the Kommandant's office when I was brought in. Who is he? How long has he been here?"

Schultz's eyes widened. "Colonel Hogan? He is the Senior POW officer here, and has been here nearly three years, and is in charge of the prisoners. He is a very nice man, so polite and courteous. Is never rude to the guards or the Kommandant." Schultz suddenly laughed out loud. "Sometimes I think Colonel Hogan runs Stalag 13 instead of Kommandant Klink. Most of the guards here think so too."

The prisoner raised his eyebrows. "They do? Why is that? The Kommandant seems like he's on the ball about what goes on here." He had already figured out the Kommandant was an incompetent fool.

Schultz placed his hands on his large stomach and laughed heartily. "That's funny. You think Kommandant Klink is on the ball. That is fuuuuuunnny. The Kommandant couldn't save himself from the Russian Front if it wasn't for Colonel Hogan."

"But this Colonel Hogan is an American and Colonel Klink is a German. Why should Colonel Hogan care what happens to the Kommandant?" He made sure to keep his eyes on the guard this time so he could see his reaction. He learned a long time ago you could learn a lot by just observing. He didn't have long to wait.

Schultz walked over to the open cell door and looked both ways before walking back to stand in front of the prisoner again. He leaned close. "Don't tell anybody, but sometimes I often wonder why Colonel Hogan keeps Kommandant Klink around because I, Schultz, could run the camp myself much better."

The prisoner raised his eyebrows. "Why do you think Colonel Hogan keeps the Kommandant around? Especially if he's as incompetent as you indicate?"

"That you would have to ask Colonel Hogan," the guard replied. "Me? I would have sent Mr. Big Shot to the Russian Front already."

The prisoner chuckled. "Sounds like this Colonel Hogan knows more about what's going on in camp than the Kommandant."

Schultz glanced over his shoulder making sure nobody was watching; he then turned back to the prisoner. "You're right."

The prisoner's eyes arched. "I am?"

Schultz leaned over bringing his mouth close to the man's ear. "But it's a secret, so don't tell anyone."

The prisoner smiled. "Don't worry," he said in a low voice. "Your secret's safe with me." This could be useful in figuring out how and why this other officer is here. He exhaled through his nose. "So, you're the head guard around here?"

"Jawohl," Schultz said proudly. "That is me. Sergeant Schultz. I am Sergeant-of-the-Guard, and barracks guard for barracks two."

"Barracks two?"

"Jawohl, that is where Colonel Hogan lives. It is right across from the Kommandant's office. If you stay here that is probably where you will live."

Having finished eating, the prisoner leaned back against the wall and put the foot of his unshackled leg on the edge of the bed and a hand on the bended knee. "Yeah, well, after tomorrow, I don't think I'll be moving anywhere except into a holding cell in Gestapo headquarters. I guess I wasn't that hungry after-all."

Schultz sighed and picked up the tray. "That is a shame. You seem like such a nice man." He looked at the leftovers longingly. "You did not eat all your lunch."

The prisoner smiled. "Thank you, Schultz. And you seem nice as well….for a German that is." He remembered the exchange outside the cell earlier. "You can have the leftovers," he remarked. He noticed the guard's face brighten immediately.

"Danke," Schultz said happily. Getting to his feet, the guard and started trudging towards the open cell door. As he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped and turned. "I just thought of something. You know my name but I don't know yours. What do I call you?"

"Easy," the prisoner smirked. "You can call me Colonel Hogan."

Schultz chuckled. "Very funny. Colonel Hogan. That's funny. We already have a Colonel Hogan and you aren't he, I mean him."

The prisoner arched an eyebrow. "You sure, Schultz? I mean, in the end, he may not be who he says he is. Think about it."

"Jawohl," Schultz said, somewhat confused by the prisoner's last words as he exited the cell, pulling it closed with a clang, behind him. Then, still confused, he decided he should report his discovery to the Kommandant and then to Colonel Hogan. Schultz quickened his pace unaware of the prisoner smirking in his cell.

"That should give you something to think about, Colonel, or whoever you are. I was sent here to do a job, and I'm not about to let a phony interfere with it." He lay back down on the cot with his hands behind his head again.

Newkirk, LeBeau, Carter and Kinch were seated at the table in the commons area each looking at the cards in his hand. In front of each of them were groups of different size buttons which were being used as chips for gambling. Each man's eyes shifted to his opponent as if gauging what the man opposite them would do.

Newkirk smirked as he looked shiftily at LeBeau seated opposite him. "You in or out, mate?" he said with a devious grin.

"I do not believe you," LeBeau protested. "You are bluffing!"

Newkirk smiled again. "It'll cost you to find out."

"Wait a minute," Carter said looking at the buttons in front of him. "I forget. Which ones are the five dollar ones again?" There was a collective groan heard.

"One last time, Andrew," Kinch said. "The large buttons are worth twenty dollars, the medium size ones ten dollars, the small ones five dollars."

"You straight now, Carter?" asked Newkirk.

"Yeah," Carter said as he grabbed one of the five dollar buttons and tossed it into the pot.

"I'm in," said Kinch tossing in some buttons.

"Me too," LeBeau said adding his donation to the pot.

"Thank you gentlemen," Newkirk said with a grin as he laid down his cards in front of him. "Gin."

There were groans as the others threw down their cards in disgust and watched Newkirk gather up the pile of buttons in the pot and dragged them towards him.

"Anybody ready to get revenge?" the Englander asked with a smirk.

"Only if we can play with someone else's deck," LeBeau muttered.

Newkirk's eyebrows arched as he began shuffling the cards. "Are you inferring that I cheat?"

LeBeau smirked. "If the shoe fits…." He snatched the cards from Newkirk and began re-shuffling.

Just then the barracks door opened and a winded Schultz hurried in. He looked around frantically before his eyes landed on the men at the table.

"Where is Colonel Hogan?" he gasped trying to gain his breath.

"Take a seat, Schultzie," LeBeau said without looking around. "We're about to deal the next hand if you want to sit in."

"I must see Colonel Hogan! Where is Colonel Hogan?"

"He's in his quarters," Kinch remarked without looking up.

"What d'ya want to see him about, Schultzie?" asked Newkirk as he leaned slightly back enabling himself to look at the obese guard as he collapsed onto the bench beside Carter.

"What are you, his secretary?" asked Schultz.

"We're just concerned prisoners," said Carter with a smile.

LeBeau, after dealing out the cards, glanced up at the guard. "You seem worried about something. Perhaps we can help."

"I brought lunch to the prisoner in solitary…." Schultz began. As soon as the words left his mouth, Newkirk was on his feet, the game forgotten, and rushed to the smaller room. Rapping on the door, he opened it, looked in and said something before backing out and returning to the table rejoining Schultz and the others. Moments later, Hogan emerged from the smaller room zipping up his leather jacket. Newkirk stood beside Hogan with his hands stuffed inside his pants pockets while the Colonel rested a foot on the bench facing Schultz, the fingertips of one hand on the table, his other arm across his thigh.

"Schultz, what's this about the new prisoner?" Hogan asked with eyes narrowing.

Schultz looked around the small group before coming to rest on Hogan's face. "As I was about to say, Colonel Hogan, I brought lunch to the new prisoner, and we began talking. He asked me questions about you and the camp."

"What type of questions?" Kinch asked.

"He asked about Colonel Hogan and how long he had been here," He said looking at the radioman; then, he turned back to the Colonel. "I told him what a nice man you were."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a real sweetheart, Schultz,'' Hogan said. "What else did you talk about?"

"I told him that while everybody thinks Kommandant Klink runs Stalag 13, some people believe you do. He then asked me about the Kommandant and what kind of man he is. I mentioned that without you around Mr. Big Shot would have been sent to the Russian Front a long time ago. Then he asked why would an American care whether or not a German was sent to the Russian Front."

"And you said….?" asked Kinch.

"I told him I did not know why," said Schultz looking again at Kinch. Then, he turned back to Hogan. "And that he should ask you."

There was a loud collective sound of groans as everybody turned away from Schultz; Hogan took his foot from the bench and with bowed head, covered his eyes with one hand and shook his head, his other arm wrapped around his waist.

"Oh Noooooo!" LeBeau gasped burying his head on his arms; Newkirk muttered under his breath as he fell against the post supporting the upper cot near the door; Kinch exhaled deeply as he shook his head. Only Carter didn't seem bothered. In fact, he seemed a bit puzzled as to what the problem was.

"Was ist los?" asked the rotund guard looking around, worry etched on his face. "Did I do something wrong?"

Hogan turned around and faced the guard again with both arms wrapped around himself this time.

"No, no. You did fine, Schultz," Hogan said. "Tell me something else. Did he tell you his name at all?"

"Ja. I asked him as I was leaving since he knew my name was Schultz that I should know his name as well. That's when he told me his name was Colonel Hogan."

Pursing his lips, Hogan rubbed his chin as his men looked at him.

"What do you think, mon Colonel?" asked the Frenchman.

"I'm not sure. Schultz, did you tell anybody else what he said his name was?" Hogan asked. He noticed immediately how Schultz bit his lower lip and looked away as he wantonly did when he was nervous about something; and he was doing so now.

"I think I hear the Kommandant calling me," the guard said starting slowly to get to his feet; but Hogan's hand on his shoulder forced him back down onto the bench.

"Just answer the question, Schultz," Hogan said. "Who did you tell?"

"I think I mentioned it to Corporal Langenscheidt and Sergeant Snyderman and…." the guard murmured avoiding all eye contact now.

Hogan brought his head close to the guard's. "Who else?"

"I told the Kommandant before I came here. But nobody else. I swear!"

Hogan bowed his head and sighed wearily.

"In fact," Schultz explained. "The Kommandant wants me to bring you to his office right away, Colonel Hogan. He is very upset." Then Schultz faced Hogan at a three-quarter view with wide eyes. "You are Colonel Hogan, aren't you?"

With an exhausted sigh, Hogan could only hang his head and shake it. He knew this was only the beginning of the questions to come and secretly hoped he could contain it somehow before it spread like wildfire throughout the camp.