A/N: Sorry for not being able to post this as soon as I wanted to. Blame it on Hurricane Irene, mandatory evacuation, and having to spend 2 days in a shelter without my laptop. But I am back, and hope this chapter is worth the wait.

Chapter 20

The minute Hogan entered his hut, he was immediately surrounded by the prisoners welcoming him back. He smiled and held up both hands.

"Thanks guys," was all Hogan said. Then Garlotti asked the question that was on everybody's mind.

"Colonel, what about those clowns that attacked you in the rec hall?"

The smile disappeared from the Colonel's face. He wrapped his arms around himself. "All I'm going to say about what happened is that the men involved in the attack on me will be punished to the fullest extent the military allows. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going into my quarters and lay down for awhile." He glanced around quickly. "Where's our friend?"

"He hasn't come back from being ordered into the cooler earlier by Captain van Kueren," replied LeBeau. He stared at Hogan. "Colonel, what about Newkirk? Are you going to get him released from the cooler?"

Hogan frowned knowing that question would be asked and that the answer he had decided on would not be popular with the men, "I'm afraid I can't do that, LeBeau," he said reluctantly. Seeing the Frenchman was about to protest, Hogan held up a hand stopping him before he could utter a word. "Hold it. If I get Newkirk released after he belted a possible superior officer, it'll make me look like the phony."

LeBeau's face became flushed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But Colonel…." he pleaded.

Hogan exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry. But I'm afraid this time Newkirk's out of luck. If only he hadn't attacked the guy I could talk Klink into releasing him." He arched his eyebrows. "Of course, once we prove the guy's a phony, then I can get Newkirk released. But until then…."

"Then let's tell Klink about Hogan number two having had plastic surgery. Surely that should convince the Kommandant that the man's a phony. That should enable you to then Newkirk released," Kinch protested.

"It won't work," Hogan said. Klink will just think we're pulling a con which is the exact kind of thing the phony would do. We need to prove it to him where there will be no doubts whatsoever. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'll be in my quarters resting. I feel a bit tired." Hogan turned and walked away, disappearing into his quarters, and closing the door behind him. He had felt the eyes of the men on him before the door closed.

"How could the Colonel do that?" fumed LeBeau, waving his arms around in frustration.

Kinch let out a weary sigh. He understood how the Colonel thought and felt whereas as good people as LeBeau and Newkirk were, they often were too hot-tempered and quick to anger to sometimes see the logic behind the Colonel's decisions which they might not agree with. And Carter, well, it was funny to Kinch to be thinking of Carter all things considered, but he was. The younger Sergeant was just sometimes too naive for his own good; and though he was brilliant with explosives and impersonations of German officers, the young man was perhaps a bit slow to see the necessity of some of the Colonel's decisions. But Kinch chalked that up to being naive about a great many things. But being level-headed as he was, Kinch himself might not agree with some of Hogan's decisions, but he respected the man enough not to challenge them. He looked at LeBeau.

Didn't you hear what the Colonel said?" he asked. "He's right. If he went to Klink right now tried to have Newkirk released, he might just look at that action and believe the Colonel is the real phony and possibly turn him over to the Gestapo."

LeBeau's eyebrows shot upward as his eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "How can you say that?" he raised his voice higher than normal. "Why would the Kommandant even do that? Even he would expect the Colonel to fight for his men. But instead, the Colonel is going to let Pierre sit in a cell for thirty days! I never thought he would ever do such a thing." He folded his arms and shook his head in disgust.

"LeBeau, just calm down and think from Klink's perspective," said Kinch. "We all know right now Klink isn't sure which Colonel Hogan is the real one. So, one of the men is locked in a cell for thirty days. If Newkirk was in the cooler for any normal reason, you can bet anything the Colonel would talk the Kommandant into releasing him. But this situation isn't normal. What do you think Klink would think if the Colonel came to him after Newkirk attacked a supposed officer and demanded his release?"

LeBeau shrugged his shoulders but seemed to be calming down a bit. "Klink would probably think the Colonel condoned Newkirk's behavior."

"Exactly," Kinch replied. "And we both know the Colonel never would condone that kind of thing. And if Klink thinks the Colonel is the real phony instead of this other guy, we could lose him to the Gestapo possibly for good. Also, if the Colonel got Newkirk released, the phony could just as easily use the same reasoning to get the men who attacked the Colonel released, thus putting the Colonel in danger again. Now, do you want that to happen?"

"Non. It would pain me to have the Colonel in the hands of the Gestapo. They're animals! But it would also pain me to see those filthy batards who attacked the Colonel free again," he spat. He sighed loudly. "I'm sorry, mon ami. It just distresses me to think of poor Pierre in the cooler alone. It's not fair."

"It hurts me also," Kinch replied. "And no it isn't. But between you and I, Newkirk's outburst did result in us finding out the guy's had plastic surgery to possibly conceal his true identity."

"Oui. There is that to be grateful for at least."

Just then, the door to the Colonel's quarters opened, and Hogan walked back into the common room, a serious look on his face as he stared at his radioman and French Corporal. "Kinch, London comes off radio silence tomorrow. I want you to contact them and ask for General Butler. Tell them I need to speak with him and it's urgent. Come and get me as soon as you have him on the radio."

Kinch nodded. "Sure thing, Colonel," he said. "But what about the radio detector truck in the compound? They'll pick up our signal."

"We'll have to disable it somehow," Hogan said as he wrapped his arms around himself, mindful of his aching hand.

"But how, mon Colonel?" asked LeBeau. "We can't set fire to it because we would never be able to get close enough, and we can't blow it up."

"That's what I need to figure out," said Hogan. "So far I haven't a clue as to how." Suddenly Hogan's eyes narrowed and he sniffed the air. "Something's burning in here."

"Sacre chats!" LeBeau cried out dashing to the stove where he had been baking potatoes to serve with the dinner he was making. Removing his potatoes from the stove, he examined them hoping they weren't burnt too badly. His face relaxed as a small smile appeared. "They are fine. Just a little bit singed around the edges. But they are edible."

Hogan's face suddenly broke out in a wide grin. "That's it! LeBeau, you're a genius."

"I am?" the Frenchman asked, puzzled.

Hogan looked at Kinch. "That radio detector truck isn't connected to any external energy source, is it?"

"No. It's parked some distance away from building nine so they aren't connected to the cable to draw any outside power from. Why? What have you got in mind?"

Hogan turned to the little Frenchman. "LeBeau, do you have any more raw potatoes on hand?"

"Oui, Colonel. Newkirk and I helped ourselves to a sack of them from the cook's supplies two days ago."

Hogan raised his eyes to the heavens and shook his head. Then, he again looked at LeBeau. "I want you to select a medium size potato and hide it."

"Potato, Colonel?" LeBeau asked looking at his commanding officer as if he had lost his mind.

"Just what do you have in mind, Colonel?" asked an equally puzzled Kinch.

"It's simple," Hogan replied with an amused grin. "We're going to sabotage that radio detector truck using a potato."

Kinch and LeBeau both looked at Hogan with concern. "Uh, Colonel," Kinch began. "You just got out of the infirmary. Maybe you should lie down and take it easy for awhile and rest."

Hogan simply smiled knowing he sounded crazy. "I'm fine other than being a bit stiff and my hand aches, but I swear I'm fine." Seeing the concern still on both their faces, Hogan sighed. "Okay, let me explain what's gonna happen. LeBeau, you and Kinch are gonna stick that potato in the exhaust pipe of the truck which, while it won't damage the truck, will keep it from starting also."(1)

Kinch suddenly allowed a slow smile to appear. "And if the truck doesn't start, then neither will the radio detector equipment inside."

Hogan nodded. "You got it. The truck will be disabled, and it'll take at least three days to get a new radio detector truck sent here. As soon as the truck is disabled, Kinch, get on the horn to London. Just keep in mind we may only have three days before a new truck arrives, so have yourself of somebody monitor that radio at all times if Butler has to get back to us."

"Will do," Kinch agreed. "But how do we get close to the truck during the day? I mean, the guards will see us."

"I know. We'll need a diversion to not only distract the guards, but our friend as well," Hogan said.

Carter, feeling dejected and lonely, wandered around the compound, hands in pockets, and head down. He occasionally kicked at the dirt as he did so. Word of his defection had spread through the camp like wildfire, and a lot of the men who were his friends in other barracks, were now avoiding him like the plague.

Not that he could blame them. "Heck," he told himself. "If I was them, I'd probably avoid me too." And it hurt…a lot. But he thought it best not to let it show exactly how much it hurt. But what hurt the most, was the treatment by those he thought of as family more so than friends: Newkirk, LeBeau and Kinch. And witnessing Newkirk's reaction to the other Colonel Hogan had stunned Carter beyond words. He had seen his best friend angry before, but this time the Englander was beyond angry; he was enraged enough to kill if he hadn't been prevented by the others. And Kinch and LeBeau pretty much shunned him altogether, only speaking to him when it was necessary.

And then there was Colonel Hogan. The one man Carter looked up to more than anyone in his entire life except for maybe his father and brothers. But the look of pain and betrayal he saw in the Colonel's eyes in the infirmary before he asked him to leave not only saddened him, but also broke his heart.

So absorbed in his feelings of isolation that he almost jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he spotted Hogan number two looking at him with a grin which more resembled a wince.

"You all right, sir?" Carter asked.

"My head still aches but I'll live, no thanks to that Englander," Hogan number two sneered. "That man's dangerous. Well, at least he's locked up for thirty days and can't do any more harm."

Carter looked directly into Hogan number two's eyes. "Newkirk didn't mean it," he said. "He just gets mad sometimes and…."

Hogan number two smiled and now had both hands on Carter's shoulders. "Carter," he said interrupting the younger man. "I admire your loyalty to your former friends. I really do. But Newkirk is a homicidal maniac and needs to locked up. So I'm gonna tell you this one time, and one time only. Don't ever let me hear you defend that man to me again. Understand?"

Carter swallowed hard. "Yes, sir," he said sadly.

"Look, I know you still feel you owe these former friends of yours something. But in reality, Carter, you owe them nothing. Especially the one who calls himself Colonel Hogan. And as soon as I become Senior officer here, I am going to see that Corporal Newkirk is transferred to another camp where he won't cause anymore problems for me."

Carter's eyes bulged and his jaw dropped. "Transfer Newkirk? Why for Pete sake?"

Hogan number two exhaled through his nose. "Because he will undermine me every chance he gets if I don't. He's trouble with a capital T. He can't be trusted. Besides, it's better this way."

Carter, hanging his head, shrugged. "I guess so," he muttered.

Hogan number two patted Carter's arm. "It'll be the first of several changes I'll be making here once I take over. Getting rid of Newkirk will be the first. But there are several others that will have to go as well. It's too dangerous for me to keep them here as they could cause a rebellion against me and I can't allow that."

"Get rid of?" Carter asked, dumbfounded, looking up this time. "Like who?"

"After Newkirk, I'll have Kinchloe and Baker transferred to other camps as well. There will be others, but they along with the Englander will be the first ones. As Senior officer here I cannot and will not have people under my command who will do anything they have to just to cause problems for me." He paused a moment before draping an arm over Carter's shoulders. "Do you know if the other Colonel Hogan is back in the barracks yet?"

"I guess so," Carter replied. "I mean, I think he was released from the infirmary this morning. Why?"

Hogan number two smiled and placed a hand over the pocket in which rested the vial he had been given by Captain van Kueren. "No reason," he said. "I was just curious is all." He then smirked and walked away leaving Carter staring after him wondering if maybe he had made the biggest mistake of his life.

Hogan had just explained his idea for the diversion to Kinch, LeBeau, Olsen and Baker when the door opened and Hogan number two walked in with a smirk on his face. He and Hogan number one stared hard at each other, each with disdain. Hogan number two looked at the other Hogan's wrapped hand as it rested on his bent knee. He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"You really ought to be more careful, Colonel," he said sweetly. "I'm appalled that you were attacked by your own men." He then smiled sickeningly. "Guess some of them figured out your game and decided to take the law into their own hands after all."

Hogan number one straightened up, his face darkening and his eyes flashing dangerously. "Cut the crap!" Hogan number one said in a raised tone. "You probably wished I had been killed because then I would be out of your way. But guess what? I'm still here, friend, and I have no intention of going away. So get used to seeing me every waking minute."

Hogan number two smirked. "I have no intention of going away either, Colonel, so you better get used to seeing me daily." He then walked straight up to Hogan number one and stood face-to-face with him. He put his hand over his jacket pocket again feeling the vial hidden inside his jacket. "And only one of us will come out on top. And that one will be me. You have been forewarned. Now if you'll excuse me." He smirked seeing the other Colonel struggle to control his temper before he turned and walked in the direction of the smaller room and disappeared inside, closing the door.

LeBeau muttered a string of French obscenities that nobody understood; and Kinch shook his head and looked at his commanding officer and saw a look of utter contempt on the man's face. Kinch knew it took a lot to upset the Colonel, and this guy was pushing all the right buttons trying to aggravate the Colonel.

Hogan number one took a deep breath and let it out through his nose before closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He then opened his eyes and sighed. "That guy, whoever he is, is not one of my favorite people. I'll be glad when we get rid of him." Hogan then lowered his leg and stood up straight. "I think I'll get Klink to let me see Newkirk."

"What are you going to say to him, Colonel?" asked LeBeau. "He is going to expect you to get him released."

"Yeah, I know," Hogan number one replied as he walked toward the barracks door. As his right hand gripped the doorknob, he looked back at the remaining members of his team. "And I hate to burst his bubble, but it's better that he know now instead of waiting for me to get him released." He then exited the barracks heading for the Kommandantur to see Klink knowing he'd be able to get the Kommandant to allow him to visit one of his men. And if he didn't, well, Hogan would do it anyway.

Hogan number two was searching through Hogan number one's room thoroughly, mindful not to disrupt or move things in a way to indicate he had been searching the room. He knew the Colonel had them somewhere because one night when Hogan number one thought he was asleep, he had seen the Colonel take out a pack of cigarettes and smoke one; probably to calm his nerves. He also knew Hogan didn't smoke but very rarely, and it was usually to calm his nerves if he wasn't in the mood for or have any alcohol available. Even when Hogan was with the 504th, he usually kept a pack of smokes in case one of the men needed a cigarette and didn't have any available. If he could just find them. He then searched through Hogan's footlocker and smiled when he saw the pack of smokes lying inside on top of several magazines. He quickly removed the pack and found it to be open. He quickly emptied the remaining cigarettes into the palm of his opposite hand, and noticed there was half a pack still available. He placed the cigarettes on the lower bunk, and then reached inside his jacket and removed the small vial on which was a label identifying its contents as liquid nicotine. Opening the cap, he picked up one cigarette and poured a few drops of the liquid nicotine into the tobacco watching it being absorbed by the tobacco. He then repeated the process with each of the other cigarettes until he emptied the vial.

With a satisfied smirk now on his face, Hogan number two replaced the tainted cigarettes back in their package, put it back in Hogan number one's footlocker where he had found them, and lowered the lid of the footlocker. He then slipped the empty vial back inside his jacket pocket and chuckled. Now he would just sit back, watch, and wait.

(1) The sticking of a potato in the exhaust pipe of a vehicle to keep said vehicle from starting, was used in a Columbo episode starring the late Peter Falk as Lt. Columbo in an episode called Death Lends a Hand, shown in 1971.