Chapter 6
Recap: "Do not worry, Colonel. The Underground knows who you are and trusts you explicitly. Don't ever doubt that."
Hogan smiled. "Thanks. I needed to hear that. LeBeau, escort Otto out, will you?"
"Oui, Colonel." The Frenchman gestured towards the tunnel entrance. Once they had left, Kinch studied the Colonel's face and thought he saw a weariness he hadn't seen before, and something else although he didn't know exactly what.
"Colonel, is there something you're not telling us?" he asked.
Hogan sighed. "You know as much as I do. We just have to wait to see what the Underground finds out. I'll be in my quarters. I need to think."
"Yes, sir," Kinch said watching Hogan walk away in the direction of his quarters and go inside. Then, he turned to Newkirk who also had been watching Hogan's back. "The Colonel's withholding something he either doesn't want us to know or is trying to deal with alone. I just wish he would let us help him."
"I agree with you there, mate," Newkirk replied, worried. "I just hope it isn't something that's gonna get all of us killed in the process."
The following morning, Schultz entered barracks two waking the occupants in what seemed only like minutes after they'd all gone to bed. The morning brought no relief for Hogan especially as he and his men trudged outside of the barracks and stood in two rows of formation in the chilly early morning air. There had been no word from Otto last night which Hogan didn't really expect. And he hadn't revealed the threat to his life with his men and didn't know if he even would. He just didn't want to worry his men more even though they normally worried about him anyway. Still, the evening conversation with the prisoner disturbed Hogan enough to deny him a peaceful night's sleep. Hogan, therefore, stood in his customary spot beside Newkirk in the front row with hands behind his back and watched Schultz begin his count. He exhaled deeply.
"Morning, Schultz," Hogan said tiredly as the obese guard came to him in his count.
"Morning, Colonel Hogan," Schultz said eying the American officer curiously. It was as if the guard was looking for something specific.
Hogan was not in the mood for games right now. "Schultz, what are you staring at?" he asked a bit harsher than normal.
"I wasn't staring….I, I, I was just looking at….I mean, I was just wondering…."
He had just finished his count when a loud voice boomed, "Schuuuuuulllllltz, repoooooooooooooorrrrrrtttt!" Schultz nervously turned and saluted.
"Herr Kommandant, all prisoners present and accounted for," the guard replied as Klink stood before him.
"Excellent, Schultz," Klink replied with a brief glance at his Senior POW officer. Then, with one hand behind his back, the Kommandant faced the prisoners. "Now prisoners, undoubtedly you are aware that a new prisoner, an American officer, was brought into camp yesterday."
"C'mon, Kommandant," Hogan said, annoyed and hoping to keep the information about his namesake from going further that just he and his team. "Everybody knows there's a new prisoner in the cooler. Nobody cares as to who he is."
"That's where you're wrong, Colonel Hogan, or whoever you are," Klink said with a smirk as he stepped closer and stood directly in front of the American. "I feel the men should know that the new prisoner is claiming he is Colonel Hogan and that you may not be."
Hogan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Now all the men in the camp are going to know," he told himself.
"Don't you agree, Colonel?" asked Klink.
Hogan was so absorbed in thought he missed the Kommandant's words.
Klink became angry and found himself staring at his American counterpart. "I said don't you agree, Colonel?"
Sighing wearily, Hogan looked around at the men standing in formation with him, and saw some of them eying him with curiosity; others with confusion. He shook his head before looking at the Kommandant with an accusatory look.
Just then, a black staff car with it's Gestapo flags flapping in the breeze, roared through the front gate and pulled to a halt in front of the Kommandantur. Schultz waddled over as fast as his legs could carry him, opened the back passenger-side door, and promptly saluted as a blond-haired man about six feet two inches tall, and one-hundred ninety pounds got out. The man returned the salute. He found himself facing Klink who had just arrived and saluted the Kommandant who found himself looking into the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen.
"Welcome to Stalag 13, Captain," Klink said with a nervous smile. "I am Colonel Klink, Kommandant of Stalag 13."
"Danke, Klink. I am Captain Kueren of the Gestapo. I am here to question the prisoner you have in solitary." His eyes fell on the prisoners still standing in formation. "Have I interrupted roll call?"
"Not at all, Captain," said Klink. "In fact, we were just about to dismiss the prisoners."
"I see," Kueren replied as he walked towards the prisoners with hands clasped behind him. His eyes fell on Hogan. "And who might this be?" he asked standing in front of Hogan.
"Captain Kueren, this is Colonel Hogan, Senior POW officer."
"Ah yes, the famous Colonel Hogan," Kueren snickered. "I've heard quite a lot about you."
Hogan smiled charmingly. "Can't say the same about you, Captain. I so seldom get friendly with any Gestapo. Major Hochstetter gets kind of jealous if he finds out I was talking to any other Gestapo instead of him."
Kueren smirked. "Klink, dismiss your prisoners and let's begin with the interrogation."
"Yes, Captain. Schultz, you may dismiss your prisoners." Klink eyed Kueren. "If you'll follow me, Captain."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," Schultz replied before dismissing the prisoners as the Kommandant and the Gestapo officer walked in the direction of the prison cells. As some prisoners dispersed, others gathered around Hogan and his men.
"What's going on, sir?" asked one prisoner, confusion in his face.
"What did Klink mean by the prisoner claiming he's you?" asked another.
Hogan exhaled through his nose as he wrapped his arms around himself knowing that to lie now would only make things worse.
"The new prisoner is an American Air Force officer who's claiming to be me," he began. "At least that's what he says. So far we suspect he's a phony and are trying to find out what his game is."
"But why would a prisoner say he's you, sir?" asked a prisoner.
Hogan shrugged. "That's another mystery we have yet to solve," he replied.
Seeming to be satisfied with the answers they got, the gathered prisoners dispersed leaving the Colonel and his team alone. They were looking in the direction Klink and Kueren had disappeared.
"What do you think, Colonel?" asked a worried LeBeau.
"I honestly have no idea," was the American officer's reply. "But I have a feeling once this Captain Kueren finds out our friend's name, I just might be having a sit-down with him."
"But what if this Kueren decides to take you and the prisoner to Berlin with 'im?" asked Newkirk. "I mean, what do we do then?"
"First, if that happens, Kueren will have to get written authorization ordering Klink to turn me over to the Gestapo, and Klink will then contact Burkhalter both of which should buy us some time. Until then, all we can do is wait and see." Hogan shook his head sadly. "I'm gonna take a walk around the compound for a few minutes if anybody's looking for me. I need to think." He started to leave then stopped. "Kinch, let me know the minute you hear from Otto."
"Sure thing, Colonel," was the radioman's reply.
The men then watched their commander turn and walk away, a grim look on his face.
"What do you think, mate?" Newkirk asked Kinch as Hogan's figure got further away.
The radioman stuck his hands in the pockets of his pea-green jacket. "I wish I knew," he said. "But I have a feeling if this Gestapo Captain gets authorization and Burkhalter permits the Colonel to be removed from camp, we're gonna have a hard decision to make."
Hogan slowly walked around the compound with arms wrapped around himself, taking in the various activities of the prisoners enjoying the sunny morning, and thinking at the same time. Now that word about the phony was known by all of barracks two, Hogan wondered if he could keep it from spreading throughout the rest of the camp. But with Schultz admitting he had told two of the guards, he wondered if that was even feasible now. He figured the prisoners who had been in Stalag 13 nearly as long as or longer than he, would be more likely to doubt the new prisoner's claims than those who were recent arrivals. But Hogan was more concerned about the few new prisoners in camp as they didn't know him that well, and would be more likely to believe the claims than the others. And Hogan had to wonder exactly what he was going to do if and when that time presented itself and threatened everything he had accomplished here.
So absorbed was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice one of the prisoners, a Corporal named Todd Blessings, who had only been at Stalag 13 for one month, hurrying towards him.
"Colonel Hogan, would you like some company?" he asked shyly, slightly winded.
Not wanting to be rude, Hogan nodded at the young man. "Let's talk while we walk," he said with a smile. The two men had only taken a few steps when Hogan glanced at the young man. "What can I do for you, Corporal?" Hogan asked.
"Is it true?" Blessings asked gently.
"Is what true?"
"That there's a prisoner saying he's you, sir?" Blessings green eyes looked into Hogan's brown ones.
"There is," Hogan admitted. No sense in lying about it.
"Is it possible he's a spy planted here to find out about the operation?"
Despite the situation, Hogan's face remained unreadable. "We're looking into that possibility, Corporal. Now I realize you haven't been here very long, but if this guy remains in camp, he learns nothing about the operation. Understand?"
"Yes, sir." Blessings saw the worry lines etched around the Colonel's eyes. "Try not to worry, Colonel. The prisoners know who you are no matter what this phony says."
Before Hogan could respond, he felt a hand on his arm and turned to find himself looking into the dark eyes of Sergeant Joe Wilson, the camp medic. Wilson smiled at the Colonel.
"I overheard one of the guards talking, Colonel," Wilson said gently. "Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?"
"I'm fine, Joe," Hogan replied. As far as what can you do to help, I'm afraid there's nothing right now. But thanks anyway."
"Just out of curiosity, Colonel, where did this guy come from?" asked Wilson. "I mean, where'd the Luftwaffe find him?"
"That's the first mystery we're trying to solve," Hogan explained. "That and a few other things which make no sense."
Wilson chuckled. "Well, sir, if anybody can figure it out it's you. But if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."
Hogan allowed a smile to appear on his face. "Thanks both of you. But I really need to be alone right now."
The two men understood and let Hogan continue with his walk around the compound.
"The Colonel's worried," Wilson said to Blessings as they watched Hogan's receding back. "He might not show it, but he's worried."
"How can you tell?" asked Blessings.
"I've known the Colonel for awhile, and he is very good at hiding his feelings because he doesn't like people to worry about him. But with this, he's worried."
Blessings was confused. "But what is he worried about? The prisoners all know he's Colonel Hogan."
"That's just what's got him worried, Corporal," Wilson noticed the Corporal's confusion. "If this guy, whoever he is, ends up staying here, he might try to undermine Colonel Hogan's authority with the prisoners which could lead to trouble."
Hogan continued walking around the compound thinking. Other prisoners saluted him as he passed by and he returned their salutes as he continued walking. For the first time, he began to wonder how he would feel if he were to lose everything he accomplished here in Stalag 13. He had to admit it was something he had never given any thought to, but now felt he had to as it was a distinct possibility.
The other Hogan sat up on his bunk after hearing footsteps in the distance coming in his direction. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his legs, folded his arms, and waited.
He saw a different guard, Klink, and a man with blond hair wearing a black coat and assumed he was the Gestapo Captain he had been told about the day before. It's show time, he thought.
The guard, after unlocking the door, stood aside to allow the Kommandant and Kueren to enter, then closed the door, looking at his Kommandant.
"That will be all, Sergeant," Klink said.
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," the guard said saluting before standing aside to get far enough to be out of hearing range of any conversations, but within distance should the two German officers inside need assistance.
"Kommandant, how nice of you to come and see me again," the other Hogan remarked cheerily. "And I see you brought company with you. Always nice to meet new people."
"This is Captain Kueren of the Gestapo," Klink said nervously. "He is here to ask you a few questions."
The prisoner smiled. "Ask away," he said. He looked at the Captain curiously. "But just so you know, I'm kinda shy around new people until I get a feel for them."
Kueren smirked. "The Gestapo will soon relieve you of your shyness, I assure you," he said coolly, his blue eyes cold as ice now. "But let us start with something simple such as who are you?"
"That I can answer," the prisoner said glancing briefly at Klink seeing his nervousness before again looking at the Captain. "My name is Hogan, Robert E., Colonel, serial number 0876707."