Chapter 30

Klink, putting another signed paper into a separate stack, looked up from the huge stack of remaining papers in front of him upon hearing the opening of his office door. Even without looking up he had a pretty good idea who it was; but just to make sure, he looked up anyway. His frown turned into an annoyed expression when he saw Hogan number one walk casually into his office, without having knocked, and close the door behind him. He gave Klink a sloppy salute then hooked his thumbs in the side pockets of his jacket. His eyes noticed the two stacks of papers which held no interest for him from what he could tell from their contents despite them being upside down to him.

"Busy, sir?" he asked sarcastically.

"Hogan, can't you see I'm busy with all this paperwork? State your business and get out."

"Sheesh. Can't a guy come by for a visit with his favorite Kommandant?"

Klink continued to stare at Hogan. "That's just the problem. You don't simply visit. Visiting means you leave after awhile. You never leave unless I have you thrown out."

"Well!" Hogan replied in a huff, appearing miffed as he turned and grabbed the doorknob preparing to leave. "This is the last time I come in here with information of a possible Gestapo spy in the camp." He opened the door and started to leave.

"Wait a minute," Klink replied holding up a hand all the while suspecting he was possibly going to regret asking. "Come back here." He waited until Hogan had closed the door and approached his desk again. "What are you talking about? What Gestapo spy?"

Hogan crossed his arms across his chest. "You're fooling me, right sir?" he asked, then laughed. "You gotta be kidding me. You honestly have no idea about a spy in our camp?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be asking you, now would I?" Klink asked, exasperated. He noticed Hogan shrug his shoulders. "Now, just who is this supposed Gestapo agent that's in my camp and how do you know this?"

Hogan looked to the right and then the left as if making sure nobody was around before leaning forward, palms flat on Klink's desk. He leaned close as Klink leaned forward to hear.

"Corporal Gower, sir," Hogan said in a low voice. "He works for the Gestapo, and I bet it's for Major Hochstetter."

Leaning back in his chair with eyes wide, and jaw dropped, Klink stared at his Senior POW officer. "Corporal Gower? How do you know this?"

"I have my sources," was the American's reply.

"Hrmph. You and your sources. Unless you have some definite proof of your accusations I suggest you keep them to yourself. Now get out and leave me alone."

Hogan stood up and wrapped his arms around himself. "Kommandant, let me ask you something. Have I ever caused you trouble before?"

Klink smirked. "Yes. Several times."

"Then you know what to expect from me. But have I ever done anything that shocked even you?"

Klink mulled over the question. Even he had to admit Hogan had never done anything that really shocked him since he'd known him. "Not really. But what has this got to do with Corporal Gower?"

"I've noticed he's been kinda friendly with my namesake since he's been here," Hogan explained. "Almost like they know each other." The wheels suddenly started turning in Hogan's mind as a new thought was beginning to come to him. But first things first.

"So what?" Klink said, gesturing with his arms. "You're friendly with Schultz."

"True, sir. But it's a different kind of friendliness."

"Different kind?"

"Yes, sir. Their friendliness has that Gestapo feel to it if you know what I mean."

Klink slammed his palms down on his desk and got to his feet. He pointed to the door. "Hogan, get out!"

"But sir…."

"I said out! Before I have you tossed in the cooler with Corporal Newkirk! Now out!"

Hogan shrugged. "Okay. But don't say I didn't warn you." He gave Klink a sloppy salute and exited the office with the corners of his mouth curling upward. All he had wanted to do was plant the seed of doubt in Klink's mind about Gower and felt he had succeeded. He winked at Hilda before he exited the Kommandantur.

Klink was busy reading the report in his hand but found his mind wandering, and knew it was because of his recent conversation with Hogan number one. Quickly dismissing the American's words, Klink resumed his reading, but after reading one sentence, he again found his mind wandering. Putting down the report he had been reading, Klink closed his eyes and began massaging his forehead as a headache formed.

He couldn't forget what Hogan had indicated about one of his guards. Could he be right about Gower? Even Klink had to admit to himself that there was something about the Corporal he didn't like, but that didn't make him Gestapo. And Hogan had no evidence of any kind; just accusations. Klink knew he should just go ahead and dismiss the accusations; yet found himself hesitant to do so. Damn the man! Klink thought to himself. Why does Hogan have to be such a pain by putting thoughts in my head?

Just then, he looked up at the sound of a gentle rapping on his door. "Come in," Klink ordered. The door opened, and the man in question, Corporal Hans Gower, walked into the office, closing the door behind him. Klink found himself staring at the man as if seeing him for the first time. The man looked different.

"Yes, Corporal, what can I do for you?"

Gower appeared stricken; his face looking sad and his eyes bright with unshed tears. "Kommandant, I…I know I haven't been here very long, but I need a twelve-hour pass for today. I have received terrible news from home."

"What is this terrible news, if I may ask?"

Gower looked down at his hands as he picked at his nails. "It is the worst possible news, Herr Kommandant," he said quietly hoping the fool of a Kommandant would buy his act. "My mother is very ill. They do not know if she will survive the day. I need to see her in the event of…you understand."

The Kommandant rubbed his chin as he listened. Then Hogan's accusations reverberated in his mind. Gower certainly didn't act like a Gestapo agent, and Klink admitted to himself that the man had been a good guard since he was assigned to Stalag 13. He decided then and there that Hogan probably had probably been unable to 'tame' Gower and therefore wanted to get rid of the man.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mother, Corporal. But with Sergeant Mueller ill I am already one guard short."

"Then will an eight-hour pass be all right, Kommandant? I must see my mother for what may be the last time."

Klink quickly reached a decision and opened his upper desk drawer, removing a document. He quickly filled it out. "Very well, Corporal. I will grant you an eight-hour pass. But you must be back here at twenty-one hundred hours this evening. Is that understood?" He signed the pass and handed it to the Corporal who accepted it with a smile.

"Danke, Herr Kommandant. I will leave within the hour. And I will return on time." He started towards the door and grasped the doorknob.

"Oh Corporal, be sure to give your mother my best wishes for a speedy recovery," said Klink.

"I will, sir," Gower replied opening the door. "I will also tell her what a compassionate man I work for who made it possible for me to be with her in her hour of need." He knew Klink fell for praise and compliments and he would heap them on the man. He could see the Kommandant's chest puff up from the praise and the corners of his mouth curled upward.

"Danke, Corporal, for your kind words, but they're not really necessary. I always look after the men in my command."

"And so modest as well, sir." Gower looked at his watch. "Danke again, sir." He exited the room.

Watching the Corporal leave, Klink smiled and returned to his paperwork, Hogan's accusations now forgotten.

Having seen Hogan number two out in the compound with Carter, Hogan number one immediately ordered Saunders to keep watch at the barracks door, and ordered LeBeau, Kinch and Olsen into his quarters after having been informed by Garlotti that Gower was seen entering Klink's office. Now, after listening in on the conversation, Hogan pulled the plug from the coffee pot on his desk, sighed, and put both palms flat on his desk.

"I thought for certain Klink would buy the tale you spun him," said Kinch.

LeBeau shook his head in disgust. "Klink is so desperate for praise only he would fall for lies like that from another Kraut." He made a clucking noise with his tongue, annoyed.

"I must be losing my touch," Hogan explained wearily. "I was sure Klink would have some doubts about Gower after I planted the seed in his mind."

"Too bad we haven't got any proof to present to him," Kinch remarked. "He'd have to believe you then."

"I know," Hogan answered. "We had his room searched thoroughly shortly after he got here and found nothing. The only thing we have is that discrepancy in his personnel file, and I can't tell Klink that. We need something, anything, to be able to prove that Gower is Gestapo. Only then can I get the Kommandant to take action and have Gower removed from camp."

"You still think Hochstetter's behind all this?" asked Kinch as he put the coffeepot speaker back together.

Hogan's eyes shifted to his radioman. "When it comes to Gestapo, my money's always on Hochstetter," he said. Then, with eyes narrowing, he tilted his head toward Kinch. "Kinch, what do we know about van Kueren and Gower anyway? And I mean things that weren't in his file. "

"Bluebird told us a month ago both men were transferred to Hammelburg from Berlin at the request of some Field Marshall boss of Major Hochstetter. I think he said the Field Marshal's name was Gunter."

"Now why would a Field Marshall who happens to be one of old Hochstetter's bosses transfer a lowly Gestapo Captain and Corporal to Hammelburg?" Hogan asked nobody in particular.

"Maybe van Kueren's gonna help Bluebird while he's acting for Hochstetter?" asked Olsen. "Maybe Klink needed a guard to replace Mueller who's been ill?"

"I don't think so," Kinch said. "Bluebird's extremely capable of handling things himself. And as far as we know, Klink didn't ask for a new guard. But with the Krauts, anything's possible." The radioman then narrowed his eyes as he looked at his commanding officer. "Colonel, I know this might sound crazy, but hear me out. What if this van Kueren is what Olsen suggested because that is the impression he's suppose to give to fool everybody including Bluebird."

Straightening up, Hogan crossed his arms across his chest as he, Olsen, and LeBeau all looked at him. "What are you getting at?" asked the Colonel.

Kinch stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pea green jacket. "What I'm saying is that we know whenever Hochstetter comes after you, he always comes himself or he comes with Bluebird. But instead of Bluebird coming out here just to keep up appearances with Hochstetter under the weather, this Captain van Kueren comes out and seems to concentrate on the phony more than you. I'm just wondering if perhaps Bluebird doesn't know anything because Hochstetter purposely didn't tell him anything this time."

Using one hand, Hogan rubbed his chin as he mulled over Kinch's words. "You might have something there. How about this. Hochstetter comes up with a new plan to expose our operation, but this time doesn't tell his second-in-command anything. Instead, he gets van Kueren and Gower to come to Hammelburg to carry out this plan of his to expose us."

"You think Hochstetter's pulling the strings, Colonel?" asked Olsen.

"I do. But only in terms of implementing the plan. The plan itself is too complex for even Hochstetter to organize by himself, and he would need the permission of his superiors in Berlin to carry it out. After all, plastic surgery isn't cheap. Only the big boys in Berlin could spring for something like that. And Hochstetter being out ill is the perfect cover for him to claim innocence if found out. He would deny any involvement yet reap the benefits if we were found out."

"But wouldn't that mean somebody in Berlin would have to believe his claims about you being Papa Bear to agree to this plan of his?" asked Kinch now folding his arms.

Hogan nodded. "It does. And it doesn't really matter to us who in Berlin believes him because there's nothing to back up his claims whatsoever. We always make sure of that," said Hogan. "So the Major found another way. And if he's successful, this entire camp and everybody in it could be sanitized."

"But who is this phony, and where did the Gestapo find him, mon Colonel?"

"That we still don't know. My guess? Whoever he got is somebody who apparently knows me to come into camp posing as me hoping to replace me as Senior POW officer and/or uncover our entire operation. And I say it has to be somebody I would recognize instantly else why the need for plastic surgery?" Hogan explained. "I also believe Gower was probably assigned here to aid our friend with his orders."

"So he starts out by trying to turn the newer prisoners or those who don't know about the operation against you which nearly got you killed in the rec hall," said Olsen grimly gesturing to the Colonel's still wrapped hand.

"Then he tried poisoning you with tainted cigarettes but made Pierre very ill instead, Colonel," LeBeau reminded Hogan and the others. Then the little Frenchman's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Mon Dieu!" he cried.

"What is it, Louie?" asked Hogan, worried.

"Mon Colonel, do you think Hochstetter has decided to kill you instead and gave that order to the phony, and that is why he has tried twice?"

Before Hogan could respond, Kinch answered the question. "I have a feeling the Major doesn't know about the phony's plan to kill the Colonel. Besides, the Major wouldn't want anybody to have that pleasure except him. Sounds more to me as if our friend has decided it's too big of a risk to keep you alive any longer, Colonel," Kinch pointed out. "He's probably afraid by you being alive there's a greater chance of discovering who he is."

"Yeah," Olsen agreed. "And the Gestapo don't tolerate failure well," he added.

Hogan, his hand still on his chin, tapped a forefinger against his lips. "I know. That tells me gentlemen, that our friend is probably concocting another plan to kill me because obviously I am in his way of taking over this camp, and Klink has been hesitant, in his opinion, of accepting him as me and turning me over to the Gestapo. And since Klink told me the Gestapo is coming here this Saturday to remove both of us, it's a sure bet I won't be the one to return here."

"And now Gower has a pass from Klink to go into town," said Kinch. "How much do you wanna bet he's going to meet with van Kueren?"

LeBeau smiled slightly. "Pierre wouldn't even take those odds, Kinch," he said. There were chuckles among the men, even Hogan.

"Okay," the Colonel began exhaling through his mouth. "Whatever this phony is gonna do obviously has to take place before Saturday because that's when the Gestapo's coming out here. Gower probably has gotten word to van Kueren as to what is needed and used his pass to meet him in town to get whatever it is, and will be back no later than 2100 hours. This is Monday; that means we have maybe four days to find out what the plan is and stop it, expose Gower to Klink so he'll order him out of camp permanently, and then get rid of our friend."

LeBeau folded his arms. "Colonel, do you think this phony is a filthy Bosche like Gower and van Kueren?"

Hogan pursed his lips and shook his head while deep in thought. "Either that or one of our boys gone bad."

Kinch exhaled deeply. "Colonel, have you come up with an explanation just in case the phony misses me after lights out tonight while I work on the antenna?"

Hogan looked directly at him and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I have. And this is what we're gonna do." That said, Hogan began to explain how they were going to cover Kinch's absence from the barracks for three days.

Fuchs looked at his watch and saw it was about seventeen-thirty hours before entering the Hofbrau through the back door and cracking open the door of the back room to look out at the people in the restaurant to see if van Kueren was present. Not seeing him, the Captain opened the door a bit wider, and gestured to the bartender who saw him to come closer. Looking to make sure nobody was watching, the bartender, one of several people who worked with the underground, asked one of the waiters to tend bar for a few minutes. He then quietly walked towards the door of the back room and closed it behind him. Fuchs smiled at the underground operative.

"How are you, Karl?"

"I am fine, Bluebird. And you and your family?"

"I am fine as are Lilli and David."

Karl smiled. "Good. But why did you come through the back door? If it's for dinner you could have entered through the front door."

The Gestapo Captain frowned. "I'm not here strictly for dinner, Karl," he replied grimly. "I'm here because another Gestapo officer named van Kueren is meeting somebody here planning to expose Papa Bear's operation."

Karl's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "We must warn Colonel Hogan of this danger immediately so precautions can be taken."

"I intend to, my friend," Fuchs replied with the corners of his mouth turning upwards. "But first I must find out their plan if I can. But regardless, after I leave here I will head to Stalag 13."

"Why can't you just radio him? It would save time in the long run." He saw Fuchs shake his head.

"This van Kueren, with Major Hochstetter's approval I believe, has a radio detector truck parked in the camp. The radio would be useless." He looked at his watch again. "The Captain will be here for dinner and I need to be able to see who he is meeting and hear what is being said."

Karl nodded his understanding. "His name doesn't ring any bells, but then, a lot of Gestapo eat here. However, I think I can help. What does this man look like?" He listened carefully as Fuchs gave him van Kueren's description. He shook his head. "I have seen everybody who is here tonight and there is nobody fitting his description. But now that I think about it, I believe I noticed his name scheduled for six-thirty this evening. But come, I have an idea." He exited the back room with Fuchs following and led the Captain to a table on the opposite side of a criss-cross type partition which was high enough to enable a person to see who was on the other side without being seen themselves, yet had a good view of the front door without the person entering seeing them. "On the opposite side is the table I will give this van Kueren and his guest. As you can see both tables are somewhat isolated from the others. And I will make sure you are not approached by any of the waitresses or waiters."

Fuchs smiled. "Excellent. Just bring me a cup of coffee black and some dinner."

"Right away," Karl said. He started to leave when Fuchs called out to the man. Karl paused and looked around.

"Is there something else you need?"

"Yes. When the Captain's guest leaves, I will need someone to distract van Kueren allowing me to slip out the back door. And lastly, whatever you do, act normally around this man and do not make him suspicious. He is a dangerous man and I believe would not hesitate to kill."

"Understood," said Karl. He turned and hurried away to carry out Fuchs' requests.

Later on, Fuchs had finished his meal, and was enjoying a second cup of black coffee, his eyes periodically on the front door. He checked his watch and noticed it was a minute past eighteen-thirty hours when the door opened, and in walked van Kueren in his flowing black Gestapo outer coat. The man took off his coat and cap and hung them on a nearby coat tree as Karl hurried forward with a menu.

"Good evening, Captain," he said with a forced smile. "Do you know what you'd like, or would you prefer to see a menu?"

Sitting down, van Kueren smiled at Karl. He sat the package on the table in front of him. "I will see a menu, Danke. But I will take a pitcher of beer. Also, I am expecting a guest to arrive soon. Show him to my table when he arrives. My name is van Kueren."

"Yes, sir. Will he be staying for dinner also, sir?"

Van Kueren shrugged. "I somehow doubt it, but one never knows."

"Very good, sir. Oh, how will I know him when he arrives?"

Van Kueren looked around. "I see no others wearing the uniform of a Luftwaffe guard, so he will be easy to recognize."

"Very good, Captain. I will see to your order and have one of the waitresses bring you your pitcher of beer right away."

"Danke."

Once Karl had departed, van Kueren held the package in his hands and looked it over with a smirk, unaware Fuchs was watching him intently. "Yes, Colonel Hogan," the man said so softly Fuchs had to strain to hear. "You will be dead by Friday night if everything goes according to plan. And the naive Sergeant Carter will be your executioner. How ironic will that be."