Author's Note: I don't own Hogan's Heroes. This is a fictional story any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.
"I spoke to Doctor Muller. He said he wasn't visited at all tonight." Klink said, looking at Voll, "So, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I...uh.." Voll floundered.
"Kommandant, he obviously came, because as a man of science, a possible yellow fever case was way too important for him to pass up." Hogan said, thinking on his feet.
"Hogan, this is none of your business." Klink said to him, sharply, "What are you doing here, anyway? You were confined to barracks." Klink turned his suspicion on Hogan.
"Kommandant, as Senior Prisoner of War Officer, it is my duty to ensure my men get adequate medical care." Hogan said, rather smugly, "That is, according to the Geneva Convention."
"I know what the Geneva Convention says." Klink snapped, "Doctor Voll, Muller assures me you are a competent doctor. However, Major Hochstetter of the Gestapo, is on his way to speak with the prisoners. I cannot allow you to leave until he is done with them."
Voll looked at Hogan, trying his best not to panic, "Kommandant, your prisoner is very ill."
"Yellow fever?" Klink asked, becoming alarmed.
"Nein, but he is quite ill." Voll stated, "I need to get him to my home, I have more equipment to deal with him there."
Klink shrugged, "I'm sorry, Doctor. Gestapo orders."
Hogan stepped forward, "Kommandant, please. Newkirk requires treatment."
"He can wait until Hochstetter leaves." Klink insisted.
"Come on, you know Hochstetter only wants to talk to me." Hogan said, "Let, the Doctor take Newkirk and I'll talk to Hochstetter."
"If Hochstetter knows I let the Doctor take Newkirk, he will have my head." Klink said, stubbornly.
Hogan shrugged, acting as if he didn't care, "Very well, Kommandant, but I won't be responsible." He walked to the door.
Klink grabbed Hogan's arm, "Responsible for what?"
Hogan sighed, "We'll miss you, Kommandant, be sure to write."
Klink gasped, "Hogan!"
"Doctor, is it fair to say Newkirk could die without treatment?" Hogan asked, continuing when Voll nodded, "If Newkirk dies, because of lack of treatment, the men will revolt. Mass escapes, riots, or worse."
"What could be worse?" Klink asked.
"The Red Cross will obviously investigate." Hogan shrugged, "Then General Burkhalter will find a scapegoat."
Klink looked at Hogan, "You mean me?"
Hogan nodded, "You don't think ole Hochstetter will save you, do you?"
Klink thought for a moment, "The chances Major Hochstetter will want to speak to Newkirk are thin. He always wants to speak to you." Klink turned to the doctor, "Doctor Voll, you may take Newkirk. Schultz, you will stay with him every second. Understood?"
"Jawhol, herr Kommandant." Schultz replied, dutifully.
"Thank you, Kommandant." Doctor Voll said, genuinely.
Klink waved it off, "Hogan, in my office."
Hogan nodded and followed him out the door, turning slightly to nod to Doctor Voll.
"Come, Sergeant Schultz." Doctor Voll said, motioning for Wilson and Schultz to follow him.
They carried Olsen, who was still laying on the stretcher, out to the truck and loaded him in. Voll climbed up beside him and Schultz settled into the driver's seat. Schultz started the truck and drove through the gates. They stopped briefly, about a mile outside the gates, to allow Olsen to jump down and make his way back to the emergency tunnel. Then they continued into Hammelburg.
1*********************************************1
Kinch sat at the table in the common room playing solitaire, waiting for Olsen to get back. He had sent LeBeau and Carter to bed, LeBeau was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Carter, on the other hand, kept tossing and turning. He couldn't get the picture of Newkirk out of his head. It should have been me. He thought. I was the one who volunteered. It should have been me. Giving up on sleep, he sat up and threw the thin blanket aside and grabbed his jacket. He stood and walked over to where Kinch sat, sitting down across from him.
"Thought you were going to get some sleep." Kinch asked, keeping his voice low to keep from disturbing the others.
Carter shrugged, "Can't sleep."
Kinch gathered the cards and dealt a game of gin rummy. "So, what's eating you?" he asked.
Carter picked up his cards and organizing them. "I don't know." he said, throwing down a queen.
Kinch picked up the queen and studied his friend for a moment, "It might help to talk about it." He tossed down an ace.
Carter picked up the ace and threw down a nine of clubs. He then paused, fidgeting with his cards, "It should have been me." he said, slowly, "I was the one who volunteered. I should've been the one to lead them off. I should have been braver." he finished, hanging his head.
Kinch sighed, setting his cards down, "Look at me, Andrew." Carter slowly met his gaze, "You are as brave as any one of us. Colonel Hogan chose you for this team because of your character. Because he trusts you." he waited, until his words sank into his friend. "Oh, and as for Newkirk, he doesn't blame you for what happened."
"He doesn't?" Carter asked, hopefully.
"Of course not, none of us do." Kinch said, pick up his cards, he snagged the nine, "Sometimes a mission just goes wrong. There's no one person to blame, it just happens. Gin." He finished laying all of his cards on the table. "You should pay more attention to your cards."
Carter stared at Kinch's hand, then laughed out loud, causing several of the men in the barracks to complain. He grinned sheepishly as he apologized. They played for about ten minutes talking quietly. Kinch had just finished dealing the next hand, when the bunk slammed up revealing a breathless Olsen.
"Olsen, what took you so long?" Kinch hissed.
Olsen took several deep breaths, before he could manage to get out, "I got turned around. Hochstetter just pulled up to the gate."
Kinch stood quickly, the game forgotten, "Wake up LeBeau." He made his way into Hogan's office, setting up the coffee pot.
Carter shook LeBeau's shoulder. The Frenchman startled, relaxing when he realized it was his friend, "What is it?" he inquired, sitting up.
"Hochstetter is here." Carter said, motioning for LeBeau to follow him into Hogan's office.
Olsen followed the two of them as they joined Kinch in listening in to Klink's office.
"What does he want?" LeBeau asked.
"Probably to question the Colonel about the rail line." Carter said.
"He can't put anything on the Colonel," Olsen said, "He was with the Colonel when the line exploded."
"Quiet down," Kinch commanded, "I can't hear what's being said."
They fell quiet, listening to what was happening in the Kommandantur.
1********************************************1
Hogan sat with Klink for about twenty minutes, finally he asked, "Did Hochstetter say what this is about?"
Klink glanced up from the report he was filling out, "No, he did not." he continued on with his report, saying, "It's probably about that explosion."
Hogan fidgeted with the items on Klink's desk, until he got reprimanded. He was about to argue, when the phone rang.
Klink snatched it up, "Yes? Of course, escort him to my office, Corporal." he hung up the phone, stood, and walked over to the door, "Major Hochstetter, this is a pleasure, three times in two days. Anything I can do to help the Gestapo." he said, smiling affably.
"Shut up, Klink." Hochstetter growled, then he noticed Hogan, "What is this man doing here?"
"I, uh, thought you would want to speak with him." Klink said, slightly confused, "This is about the explosion, right?"
Hochstetter didn't answer, instead he said to Hogan, "You have an Englishman in your barracks, around 1.7 meters, dark hair, blue eyes. Yes?"
Hogan tried not to flinch, "We have plenty of Englishmen in this camp."
"Corporal Newkirk?" Klink said, paling slightly.
"Ah, yes, Newkirk. That is the man, send for him." Hochstetter said, taking his gloves off and sitting down.
"Um...Well, I can't do that." Klink mumbled.
"Why not?" Hochstetter said, in a low, menecing voice.
"I...I...I..." Klink stuttered, helplessly.
"You can't question Newkirk, because he isn't here." Hogan said, simply.
"Where is he?!" Hochstetter barked.
"Hammelburg." Klink said, finding his voice.
"What is he doing in Hammelburg?" Hochstetter yelled.
"Receiving treatment, as he is due according to the Geneva Convention." Hogan replied.
Hochstetter's eyes lit up, "A sprained ankle, by any chance?"
"No, he's been sick." Klink said, "They thought it might be yellow fever."
"Yellow fever?!" Hochstetter said, incredulously.
"Don't worry, Major. We called a doctor immediately, he said it was most definitely not yellow fever." Klink said, smiling.
"What doctor?" Hochstetter asked, still not convinced.
Klink opened his mouth to responed when the phone rang, "Hello? Oh, yes, Doctor Voll." Klink said into the phone, "Oh, one moment please, Doctor." He turned to Hochstetter, "Would you like to confirm Newkirk's illness with the doctor?"
Hochstetter snatched the phone out of Klink's hand, "Hello, this is Major Hochstetter of the Gestapo, speaking." He said, "What is the status of the Englishman? Mhm, Doctor, would that man be well enough to sabotage the rail line in Hammelburg?"
Hogan stiffened, hoping that Doctor Voll had come up with a disease for Newkirk.
"Ja, very good, Doctor. I will tell him, auf wiedersehen." Hochstetter said, hanging up.
"What did the doctor say?" Hogan asked.
Hochstetter glared at him, "Your man couldn't have been responsible for the sabotage. Typhoid fever." turning to Klink, he said, "The Doctor wants to keep him for at least a week."
"I guess you'll have to look else where for your saboteur." Klink said, with a smile.
"Shut up, Klink." Hochstetter growled, turning on his heel, he left.
"Well, Kommandant, it's way past my bedtime, may I be dismissed?" Hogan asked.
"Yes, Hogan, roll call will be delayed until six." Klink said, sitting down.
"Thank you, Kommandant." Hogan said, giving him a sloppy salute.
1***************************************************1
Hogan was greeted by a happy crew when he got to the barracks.
He grinned, "I take it you heard?"
"Yes, sir." Kinch replied, "Everything has fallen right into place, almost like you planned it."
Hogan laughed, softly, "It wasn't my plan. You, Olsen and LeBeau should get some sleep. Carter, I'd like a word, in my quarters." he stepped passed his men and into his office, his sergeant followed him.
"Did I do something wrong, Colonel?" Cater asked, nervously.
"No, Carter. I want to make sure you understand something." He paused, searching for the right words, "Andrew, what happened tonight, was not your fault."
He would've said more, but Carter cut him off, "Aw gee, Colonel, I know that. Can I go to bed now?"
Hogan was surprised, "Uh, yes." he walked the youngest member of his team out to the common room and watched him climb into his bunk. He was about to turn back to his quarters when he caught sight of Kinch sitting at the table, writing in a notebook. Walking over to his right-hand man, he asked, softly, "What are you still doing up?"
"Just getting some thoughts down on paper. I'll put this in the tunnel, then be off to bed." Kinch replied, with a smile.
Hogan nodded, heading back to his quarters, "Oh, by the way, thanks for talking to Carter."
"Yes, sir."
"And, uh, thanks for my pep talk." Hogan said, before shutting his door.
"Just doing my job." Kinch whispered to himself, opening the tunnel and climbing down the ladder.
P.S. Hey, it's been a while! (: I hope you enjoy this chapter, I've got one more, in the way of an epilogue. So, stay tuned. Much love!