Chapter 7
Recap: "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."
Klink's eyes closed as Kueren's eyes widened.
"What did you just say?" he asked warily.
The other Hogan exhaled deeply. "I said my name is Hogan, Robert E., Colonel, serial number 0876707. Next question."
Grinding his jaw in building anger, and his face turning crimson, Kueren turned to Klink who was laughing nervously. The Kommandant could tell the Gestapo Captain was not amused.
"Klink! What is the meaning of this?" he hissed. "Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, the Gestapo doesn't not appreciate being made a fool of!"
"Let me assure you, it's no joke, Captain," Klink stammered. "He has been saying his name is Hogan since I questioned him. He insists he is."
Kueren clasped his hands behind his back. He looked far from pleased. "Kommandant, I was led to believe the prisoner had refused to say anything. And now you're telling me he's been claiming to be Colonel Hogan?"
"Yes, Captain."
"My superiors will not be satisfied to hear this news that you withheld information from the Gestapo."
"C'mon, Captain," the other Hogan explained innocently. "You can't blame the Kommandant for not telling the Gestapo my name was Hogan. I mean, would you believe it if I had told you?"
Kueren looked from Klink to the other Hogan and back to Klink who smiled nervously. "He's right. I figured it would be better if the Gestapo obtained the information from him as he could be lying to me."
"Perhaps, Klink," Kueren responded. He again looked at the prisoner. "Tell me, if you are really Colonel Hogan, then where have you been all the time the Luftwaffe believed they had Colonel Hogan?"
The prisoner chuckled in amusement. "Sorry, Captain. Hogan, Robert E., Colonel, serial number 0876707."
Klink felt a shiver run down his spine when he saw the Captain's face. The expression scared him.
"Captain, I can have one of the guards bring the other Colonel Hogan to a cell for interrogation as well if you prefer."
"That will not be necessary," Kueren replied coolly.
"But Captain, I think you should…."
Kueren turned on the Kommandant this time; his blue eyes boring right through the German Colonel. "I am not interested in what you think. Klink, you will prepare the prisoner and the other Colonel Hogan to leave camp immediately. I will be taking both of them with me to Berlin for more, shall we say, intensive questioning. One of them is lying and the Gestapo will find out which one, I assure you. Therefore, as neither of them will be returning, you may want to consider finding a new Senior POW officer."
Recalling the prisoner's earlier comments to him, Klink swallowed and gathered what little courage he could find.
"Captain, as Colonel Hogan is the Luftwaffe's prize prisoner and General Burkhalter saw to his incarceration in the toughest POW camp in all of Germany, and the fact that the Luftwaffe captured this prisoner makes both of them Luftwaffe property. I therefore suggest you get written authorization to remove both of them from camp. I will also inform the General of your intentions in this matter. Therefore, I must deny your request at this time."
Kueren's face turned a deep crimson as he ground his jaw again, both men unaware of the prisoner's interested observation of the proceedings.
"Very well, Klink. But be forewarned that I shall return with authorization to remove both prisoners, and you had better hope the authorization doesn't include removing you as well." He then angrily spun around and stormed out of the cell leaving Klink alone with the prisoner who seemed totally at ease right now.
"Nicely done, Kommandant," he said with a smirk. He winked at the German who scowled at him.
Klink shook his fist at the prisoner. "Harrumph!" he muttered before turning to catch up with the Gestapo Captain. Watching him leave, the prisoner simply chuckled at what just happened knowing a seed had been planted and he just needed to wait and see what grew from it.
Hogan, who was heading back to barracks two just then, paused as he noticed Captain Kueren storming in the direction of the Kommandantur with Klink hurrying to catch up. He noticed the Captain stop suddenly and throw a harsh glare in his direction from across the compound before he abruptly turned and marched up the steps; Hogan sensed the Captain was not a happy man at the moment. He was about to enter the barracks when he saw it and knew his job just became that much harder. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Klink had seen it also as he paused on the bottom step of his office to look.
A radio detection truck was driving though the front gates. Hurrying inside, Hogan looked around.
"Where's Kinch?" he asked anxiously.
Newkirk, Carter and LeBeau who were all seated at the table drinking coffee, looked up and saw the alarm on Hogan's face.
"He's in the tunnel monitoring the radio waiting for Otto's call," Newkirk said. He began to worry when he and the others saw Hogan race across the floor and bang on the hidden mechanism. Not waiting for the ladder to drop completely after the lower bunk rose, he climbed over the bed frame and started down with the others wondering what was wrong, following behind him. Hogan ran the entire length of the tunnel until he reached the radio room. Kinch, hearing the approaching footsteps and sensed something was wrong, looked up, surprised to see his commanding officer.
"Colonel? What's…."
"Shut down….radio. Now!" Hogan gasped between breaths. He fell against the table trying to catch his breath as he watched Kinch shut the radio down completely. Looking over Hogan's shoulder, he spotted the others who had just arrived and saw LeBeau shrug his shoulders to Kinch's questioning look.
After a few minutes, Hogan had managed to somewhat get his breathing under control. "A radio detection truck just pulled into camp," he said. "They haven't set up yet so there's no way they could have picked up our signal. Didn't mean to frighten any of you, but there was no time."
"But Colonel," Kinch licked his lips before continuing. "We still haven't received word from Otto. What happens when he gets the information about Stalag 9 you wanted?"
Hogan sighed. "We'll have to find another way. I don't want this radio used until further notice. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
Hogan nodded. "Good." He shook his head and stuck his hands in his back pockets. "We're being boxed in all around," he said solemnly. "Seeing as we can't use the radio, all we have left is…." His face suddenly brightened and he snapped his fingers. "That's it," he exclaimed.
"What's it?" asked Carter, puzzled.
Hogan turned and looked at the little Frenchman. "When does Schnitzer come in to change the dogs?' he asked.
"He should be here tomorrow, mon Colonel. Why?"
"Let me know when he gets here," Hogan explained. "When he arrives, I'll need a diversion to give me a chance to speak with him and let him know we're on radio silence and ask him to pass on Otto's information to us when he gets it."
"It'll be done," LeBeau answered smiling. His smile suddenly faded. "Colonel, what happened with this Bosche's interrogation of our friend?"
"I have no idea except if I had to venture a guess, he gave Kueren name, rank and serial number same as any of us would. I did, however, see Kueren storming up the steps of Klink's office, and he looked mad as hell to me. He did, however, stare at me before going inside."
"What do you think it means, sir?" asked Newkirk.
"I'm not exactly sure." Hogan wrapped his arms around himself as he pursed his lips and knitted his eyebrows. "I thought by this time I would have been brought in at least for questioning by Kueren, but seeing as he didn't, it could only mean either our friend, or Klink, said something that changed the good Captain's mind. But there's something else that troubles me which I didn't realize until I spoke with him last time."
"And what would that be?" asked Kinch.
"When we were talking in the cooler, my namesake showed no concern that the cooler may have been bugged. He was quite open about why he was here and about his orders. Now why would someone talk that freely in a new place they had never been before and not seem worried about being overheard?"
Kinch understood more quickly than the others. "He wouldn't unless he already knew the cell wasn't bugged."
"Right," Hogan concurred. "And there's no way for him to know that unless he'd already been informed of same."
"Incroyable," LeBeau exclaimed.
"And that means somebody sent that ruddy bastard here to begin with," said Newkirk with hands stuffed in his pants pockets. "But who could it be, sir? I mean, the logical choice would be ole Hochstetter. That nasty Kraut's been after you since you arrived here."
"I know. He's my first choice as well," Hogan said. "But he's not the only one who's wanted to catch me in the act."
"What I don't get…." Carter began slowly. "…is how does he know so much about you personally. I mean, he knows stuff the Gestapo probably doesn't even know."
Hogan shook his head. "That worries me as well, Carter. Believe me when I say that has been troubling me from the beginning. For him to have that kind of information about me he would have to know me from somewhere. But for the life of me I have never seen him before….anywhere." He sighed wearily. "We'd better get back upstairs. Kueren could send for me at any minute."
Captain Kueren was just finishing up on the telephone when Klink entered his office.
"Jawohl, Herr Major." Kueren's eyes glanced over at Klink at the sound of the door opening. "I understand, Major. Ja. You heard me correctly. The prisoner says his name is Colonel Hogan, the same as the American Colonel already in Stalag 13. I understand. I will return to Berlin immediately. Heil Hitler. Auf Wiedersehen." He hung up the phone as Klink was hanging up his outer coat. He watched the Kommandant walk hurriedly around his desk and sit down; he looked more nervous than he did earlier.
"Did I overhear you speaking with your superiors in Berlin, Captain?" Klink stammered, his stomach twisting into a knot.
"That you did, Kommandant. Needless to say they were not amused when I told them the prisoner's name. I have been ordered to return to Berlin immediately to obtain written authorization to removed both Colonel Hogans from camp. I suggest, Klink, that you keep the new prisoner in the cooler for now and not to say anything to the other Colonel Hogan. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Captain. Anything for the Gestapo. Oh, by the way, why is there a radio detector truck in the camp may I ask?"
"There was a radio transmission in this area yesterday but we failed to get a fix on it. Oddly enough it seems to coincide with the arrival of this prisoner. Therefore, it will remain here until further notice."
Klink slowly got to his feet with his mouth hanging open. "You don't suspect the prisoner may have gotten access to a radio while in the cooler? Let me assure you…."
"Assure me of nothing, Klink. I said the transmission was in this area not in the camp." He smirked in a way that chilled the Kommandant's blood. "But regardless, I will return tomorrow morning. Heil Hitler," Kueren replied before he turned and left the office without waiting for Klink's reply.
Hogan and his men breathed a collective sigh of relief hearing the door to Klink's office close knowing that the Gestapo Captain had left empty-handed, but knowing he would be returning eventually. They were also grateful they had returned upstairs shortly after Kueren made his call to Berlin to hear the conversation between him and Klink.
"Good riddance to bad trash, I say," Newkirk muttered.
"Oui. Au revoir, filthy Bosche," LeBeau agreed.
"Hold it, hold it a minute," Hogan ordered as something else came over the speaker.
"Fraulein Hilda, get me General Burkhalter's office, priority call."
A few minutes of silence was heard before a click was heard on the opposite end.
"General Burkhalter? Colonel Klink here. Yes sir, Klink."
"What is it, Klink? And it better be important."
"Believe me it is, sir. Herr General, we have a problem here at Stalag 13 that requires you to come out here right away."
"Do I have to? Can't you handle your own problems, Klink? Or is this problem above a child's comprehension?"
"That's very funny, Herr General. There's that famous sense of humor of yours that we all know and love."
"Klink, stop babbling and tell me why you're calling."
"Yes sir. Well, it seems yesterday an American officer was found in the woods outside of camp and he says….he says his name is Colonel Hogan."
"Klink! I should have been told about this immediately! You Dummkopf! Sometimes I think you're the reason we haven't won the war yet. Perhaps you need a change of scenery? Maybe a trip to the Russian Front will give you a fresh perspective." There was a pause. "Then again, maybe you should just stay where you are. Things are bad enough at the Russian Front as it is."
"Yes sir. A Gestapo Captain named Kueren was just here. He says he will be returning tomorrow morning with written authorization removing both the prisoner and Colonel Hogan from camp and taking them to Berlin."
"Klink, you Dummkopf! Why wasn't I informed of this before now?"
"Well sir, I thought I could handle things and inform you later. But the prisoner managed to withstand my rigorous interrogation and…."
"Klink, a child could withstand what you call interrogation. You say this Kueren is returning tomorrow morning?"
"Yes sir."
"I will be there as well. If this prisoner is indeed telling the truth, then we must find out who the man is who's been in Stalag 13 all this time. It is a Luftwaffe problem."
"Yes sir, it is a Luftwaffe problem. And just let me say I shall look forward to seeing you tomorrow. And just let me add how pleased I will be to….yes, sir, Heil Hitler."
Hogan unplugged the coffee pot and sat on the edge of his desk with arms wrapped around himself and sucked in his lower lip while thinking.
"You called it exactly, Colonel," said Kinch with a smile. "You said Burkhalter would come out here."
"And he'll probably quash any attempt by the Gestapo to remove either of us from camp, written authorization or not. He's not gonna want the Gestapo to get credit and having the Luftwaffe embarrassed when the you-know-what hits the fan," Hogan said finally. "That will buy us some time. I also have a feeling Burkhalter will probably order Klink to assign our friend to this barracks, so we have to make certain everything is well concealed so he can't find it." The other Hogan's warning suddenly came back to mind.
"What's wrong, Colonel?" asked LeBeau worriedly.
Hogan sighed knowing he couldn't hide the threat any longer, especially if there was a good possibility his namesake was going to be assigned to their barracks.
"I wasn't going to tell you guys this, but you have a right to know. If he moves into our barracks, it could become dangerous and you'll all need to be on guard," Hogan said.
"Dangerous how, Gov'nor?"
"One of the last things my namesake told me was that if I tried to interfere or didn't stand aside, he would eliminate me." He held up a hand at the loud protests he got with his admission. "I'm only telling you because if something happens to me, you'll need to watch yourselves even more."
"Not unless something happens to him first," LeBeau said drawing a forefinger across his throat to emphasize his meaning.
"And me pencil sharpener is nice and sharp, Colonel," added Newkirk. "Between me and Louie, there won't be anything left of our friend to cause any problems, sir."
Hogan looked at his men and saw the concern and worry in their eyes and he appreciated how they felt. But he shook his head.
"Nobody's killing anybody," he said sadly. "We need to find out what's going on. Besides, his death might cause even bigger problems. So as I said, if anything happens to me, protect yourselves, and the operation. And that's a direct order I want obeyed."