Chapter 10---Battle of Wits
The intrusion of Sergeant Weber the following morning into barracks two had the men grumbling, but none more so than Kinch, Carter and Newkirk who felt as if they had barely closed their eyes only a few minutes ago.
"Cor blimey," Newkirk grumbled rubbing his tired eyes. "This war's gonna be the death of me if I don't get me beauty sleep."
"There isn't enough sleep you could get that would improve your looks, mon ami," a familiar voice said causing Newkirk's eyes to pop open. He stared in stunned surprise as did all the men in the barracks.
"LEBEAU!!!" everybody shouted simultaneously as the men, jumping up and down from their bunks and gathering around the little Frenchman slapping him on the back and asking questions at the same time. With a small smile, LeBeau held up both hands indicating one at a time.
Hogan, attracted by the commotion, walked out of his quarters and with a smile on his tired face, joined the others in welcoming back the feisty little Frenchman. He gripped LeBeau by both shoulders with a wide smile. "LeBeau, what are you doing here? You didn't escape did you?"
"Non, mon Colonel. I really don't understand what happened. All I know is that Sergeant Weber came to my cell this morning, unlocked the door and told me I was free to leave. So, here I am."
Hogan looked up into the face of Sergeant Weber, as if to verify what he'd just been told. The Sergeant, seemingly just as mystified as the American Colonel, could only offer a small smile. "What the Corporal says is true, Colonel Hogan. Major Guthrie came to me this morning before roll call and ordered me to release Corporal LeBeau. Said to tell you it's a onetime only gift for last night." His eyes narrowed. "What did he mean, Colonel 'for last night'?"
Hogan feigned innocence. "Who knows Weber," Hogan replied. "I gave up long time ago trying to figure out psycho Gestapo agents. Comes from having dealt with Major Hochstetter too many times."
Weber chuckled. "You'd better have your men fall out for roll call, Colonel," Weber suggested. "That Major Guthrie is there with the Kommandant again."
Hogan made a sweeping motion with his arm toward the open barracks door. "You heard the man, gentlemen, everybody outside. Raus." He waited as the men filed past him before he exited himself. The men quickly formed two lines and waited. Hogan found Guthrie glaring at him with his hollowed-out eyes. Hogan merely smirked in response.
Quickly finishing his count, Sergeant Weber turned and saluted both Klink and Guthrie. "All prisoners present and accounted for, Herr Kommandant."
"Excellent, Sergeant," Klink replied. His eyes lit on Hogan. "Colonel Hogan, I trust you will have that work detail for me before the end of the day?"
"You have my word, Kommandant. Anything for the Third Reich," he said sarcastically all the while maintaining eye contact with Guthrie. His remark brought a few snickers from the other prisoners. He noticed Guthrie smirked devilishly.
Klink's eyes shifted between his senior POW officer and Major Guthrie. He wondered if Hogan was deliberately trying to bait the Major for some reason of his own. He also wondered if Hogan knew what a dangerous game he was playing.
"Excellent. Sergeant Weber, you may dismiss your men."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," Weber replied with a salute.
"One moment, Sergeant," Guthrie said. Time stopped as everybody froze in their places.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Klink looked at the Major. "Is, is something wrong, Major?" he stammered.
Guthrie continued sneering. "Sergeant, after you dismiss your men, I want you to escort Colonel Hogan to the cooler where I will interrogate him again."
Hogan raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Can't it wait until after breakfast, Major? I don't answer questions well on an empty stomach."
A chill went through Klink's body as Guthrie chuckled. "It'd be hard to eat breakfast without teeth, Colonel," he remarked before turning and walking away. With a final glance back at Hogan, Klink turned and hurried to catch up with him.
Dismissing the prisoners, Hogan's team gathered around their commanding officer.
"Blimey, Gov'nor, what do you think he wants with you now?" asked a worried Newkirk.
"My guess…" Hogan replied wrapping his arms around himself. "…he wants to discuss what happened, or should I say didn't happen last night."
"Want us to create a diversion of some kind for you, Colonel?" asked Kinch.
"I don't think so," Hogan said. "I'll be all right." Out of the corner of his eye Hogan saw Weber approach. "I'm ready whenever you are, Weber," he said.
"I'm really sorry about this, Colonel Hogan," Weber said holding a dangling set of handcuffs. "But I must ask you to turn around and put your arms behind your back." Hogan complied willingly and looked at his men as he felt the cold steel of the handcuffs clamped on his wrists.
"Bring LeBeau up to speed," Hogan said. He then smiled at LeBeau. "Louie, hold breakfast for me," he quipped as Weber, gripping one of Hogan's arms, led him in the direction of the cooler.
"We have to stop him," LeBeau was beginning to panic as he frantically looked at the others. "Major Guthrie will hurt the Colonel or worse! We must do something!"
Kinch put a comforting hand on the Frenchman's shoulder. "Settle down, Louie," he said softly and calmly. "The Colonel knows what he's doing. Besides, there's a lot you don't know." God, please don't let me be wrong.
Hogan stood patiently waiting while Weber unlocked the door to one of the cells and holding the door open, stood aside allowing Hogan to enter. Slamming the door shut, he locked it behind the American.
"I'm really sorry, Colonel," he repeated.
Hogan grinned slightly. "No need to apologize, Weber. I don't blame you."
The Sergeant smiled before he quietly walked away leaving Hogan alone. Sitting down on the only bunk in the dank cell, Hogan wondered if this was one of the cells they had a tunnel entrance in. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Looking up, he saw the sneering face of Major Guthrie leering at him through the bars with a nervous Weber beside him.
"You may unlock the door and then leave us, Sergeant," Guthrie ordered coolly.
"Jawohl, Herr Major," the guard replied. Unlocking the door, Weber again gave Hogan an apologetic look, then turned and walked away. Stepping inside the cell, Guthrie stared at the still seated Hogan who calmly looked up at the man.
"Visiting hours already?" asked Hogan with an innocent look on his face. Guthrie smirked as he continued staring down at the handcuffed American seated on the bunk.
Suddenly and without warning, Guthrie grabbed Hogan by the front of his shirt and roughly jerked him to his feet, bringing him close enough so that their faces were a scant few inches apart. "What happened last night, Hogan?" he growled. "I want you to tell me why we spent two hours at a burnt out refinery and von Herwarth never showed."
Taken momentarily by surprise, it took a few seconds for Hogan to gather his wits. "How the hell should I know?" he snapped. "Maybe the guy was scared off by something. Maybe he was testing me to see if I would show up. Maybe he changed…"
Hogan never got to finish his statement as Guthrie roughly shoved him backward onto the bunk with such force, the American fell sideways. The Colonel watched as Guthrie slowly opened his flowing back coat and unbuckled his belt. Pulling it from the loops on his trousers, he slowly swung it in his hand, the buckle at the end whipping back and forth.
"Now, Colonel Hogan, let's try this again shall we?" Guthrie growled swinging the belt, Hogan's eyes never straying from the buckle end.
"Major, if you're trying to convince me you're on our side you're going about it all wrong," he said. "Doing your Gestapo routine isn't going to endear you to me I assure you."
"I beg to differ, Colonel. You see, how I justify myself as a Gestapo officer if I do not bother to interrogate you or any other prisoner? I do have a reputation to protect with the Gestapo. Now, Colonel, let's start with something simple. Why don't we start with why you have an Irish-sounding name yet you are Jewish?"
Hogan licked his suddenly dry lips; he felt it best not to lie right now. "My father was Catholic," he said warily.
"Interesting," Guthrie said coldly. "And he married a Jewish woman, correct?"
"Yes." Hogan's eyes darkened. "What is the purpose of these questions, Major?"
"Simply a getting to know you session, my dear Colonel. I told you I would find out how a Jewish prisoner ended up with an Irish-sounding name. He then reached inside Hogan's shirt and stared at the Star-of-David in his hand. He smirked. But instead of ripping the chain from around Hogan's neck, Guthrie simply replaced the small pendant back inside Hogan's shirt.
Hogan was by now, totally confused by the actions of Guthrie. The man's questions had no specific order or continuity. And he was certainly like no other Gestapo agent he had ever met; providing he really was one. And if he was an Allied agent as it appeared he was, his current behavior wasn't exactly endearing himself to Hogan.
"Now, Colonel, let's go back to last night, shall we?" Guthrie's face darkened giving his skull-like face a more ominous look. "What happened at the refinery and why didn't von Herwarth show up?"
"I don't know, Major. And that's the truth."
"I believe you do know and I won't ask again, Colonel."
Hogan let out a deep breath knowing he was in a bit of trouble right now. "Major, I really do not know what you want me to say. I have no idea why von Herwarth didn't show up. I'm telling you the absolute truth."
"Perhaps this will change your mind," Guthrie snarled as he drew back his arm and brought it forward. Hogan, seeing that belt buckle coming towards him turned his face hoping to shield his eyes from the prong. As the belt continued striking his shoulders and back, Hogan suddenly felt a stinging sensation in his cheek and then something warm trickling down. Suddenly Guthrie stopped lashing out and again roughly grabbed Hogan, jerking him up off the bunk and onto his knees on the floor. Dropping the belt on the floor, he began slapping him repeatedly across the face. Finally, he drew back his fist.
"MAJOR GUTHRIE!!!" a voice bellowed from behind the Gestapo officer. Turning, he saw an infuriated yet scared Colonel Klink standing in the doorway with a somewhat contrite Sergeant Weber just off to the side behind him. Klink hoped he looked more menacing than he actually felt. "You will release Colonel Hogan at once!"
Smirking, Guthrie amusedly looked back at the Kommandant, but did lower his arm. "Or you'll do what, Klink? Have you guard here shoot me?"
Klink's eyes met those of Hogan's and saw the sudden weariness and pain in them. He also saw the blood running down Hogan's cheek, from his nose and the corner of his mouth.
"Major, you told me you were going to barracks two and question Corporal LeBeau before you questioned Colonel Hogan. You know a Luftwaffe officer must be present during all interrogations. Instead I find out you lied to me. If you do not release Colonel Hogan this instant I will be forced to contact both General Burkhalter and Major Hochstetter."
Guthrie stiffened haring Hochstetter's name. As they both were the same rank, he knew Hochstetter outranked him on date-of-rank and would not appreciate him stepping on what he considered 'his territory,' and that's what he considered Hogan. With a fierce snarl, Guthrie snatched the dropped belt off the floor, let Hogan fall to the floor and strode past Klink and the guard and out of the cell. The minute he was gone, Klink let out a deep breath as his body sagged momentarily. But just as quickly remembered his Senior POW officer and hurried inside the cell. Klink knelt down beside Hogan and gingerly helped him into a sitting position on the floor. He looked around. "Weber, give me the keys to these handcuffs and then get a stretcher. We must get Colonel Hogan to the infirmary at once."
"No," Hogan weakly said through clenched teeth. "No infirmary. Want to go…back…to barracks. Help…me up…"
"Hogan, don't be a fool," Klink said sternly, unlocking the handcuffs. "You need medical treatment. You're injured and you're bleeding."
Hogan shook his head despite the pounding in his head. "No infirmary…barracks." He gripped Klink's arm while the Kommandant, with one arm around his counterpart's waist, gripped an arm and draped it around his shoulders. He slowly helped a shaky Hogan stand; then he looked at Weber.
"Get Sergeant Kinchloe and have him meet us halfway to barracks two, and then find Sergeant Wilson and have him come to barracks two as well. Tell him Colonel Hogan's been hurt."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," Weber replied racing out of the cooler.
"We'll take it slowly, Hogan," Klink said gently.
"Thank you, Kommandant," Hogan uttered taking a few tentative steps. "Owe you…one."
"You don't owe me anything, Hogan. I'm only sorry I believed that maniac when he said he was going to barracks two first before he saw you. I'm truly sorry."
Hogan took a painful deep breath. "No need…apologize. Didn't know…."
"That's no excuse." Klink felt Hogan stumble a bit. "Take it slow, Hogan. I've got you."
The rest of the walk was in silence until they had just reached the doorway leading to outside the cooler. Klink looked up and saw Kinch hurrying towards them with Newkirk just behind him. Klink relinquished his hold on Hogan to Kinch and Newkirk and watched the three men slowly walk away. As he watched he thought about facing the wrath of Major Guthrie; but he couldn't allow the man to seriously injure his American counterpart or worse without good reason. Klink shuddered as he slowly headed back to his office prepared to face whatever would come his way.
"Take it slow, sir," Newkirk said as Hogan's knees began to buckle as he started feeling dizzy.
"Newkirk, go on ahead and tell LeBeau and Carter to stand by." As Hogan began to slump Kinch scooped his up in his arms and carried him the rest of the way as Newkirk hurried away. "Just take it easy, Colonel," he said looking down at the man in his arms. "We're going to take care of you." He saw Hogan weakly look up at him and then close his eyes. Kinch reached barracks two about the same time Wilson and Sergeant Weber did. Weber opened the barracks door to allow Kinch and Wilson to enter.
"I hope Colonel Hogan will be all right, Sergeant Wilson," the German guard said. "He didn't deserve what Major Guthrie did to him." He handed Wilson the Colonel's crush cap.
Wilson thanked him for the cap, nodded, and closed the door.
LeBeau and Carter stood by the open door to Hogan's quarters with worried expressions. Newkirk was inside turning down the blanket on the lower bunk when he spotted Kinch and Wilson. He stepped back as Kinch entered the small room and gently laid Hogan out on his lower bunk and stepped back to allow Wilson room to work. LeBeau and Carter had quietly followed the duo inside. Wilson moved beside the bed resting his medical bag on the edge of the bed. He quickly looked around.
"Kinch, get me a pan of warm water and a clean cloth. The rest of you out. I'll let you know how he is when I'm done." As Kinch left the room to do what the medic wanted, Wilson noticed the others were hesitant to leave. Reaching in his bag, Wilson removed his stethoscope. "Please, I can't help the Colonel with you guys getting in the way. I promise I'll let you know how he is."
"You…heard 'im," Hogan murmured, with barely open eyes, just loud enough to be heard although his voice was weak. "Don't…make me…pull rank." He closed his eyes again. Wilson waited for the others to reluctantly leave nearly running into Kinch carrying a pan of warm water. As he listened to Hogan's heart, he motioned for Kinch to sit the pan on the footlocker beside the bed. Moments later he put the stethoscope back in his bag.
"His heart and respiration sound good. Kinch, clean the blood from his face so I can see how badly he may be hurt."
Both men noticed Hogan's eyes crack open as he struggled to keep them open. "Joe… Mrs. Von Herwarth…"
"She and the baby are both fine and seem to be healthy, Colonel. She should have no problems." He was about to say something else but noticed Hogan's eyes had closed again and assumed the Colonel had more than likely passed out.
Wringing out the clean cloth in the warm water, Kinch proceeded to gently wipe the blood from Hogan's face all the while telling himself Guthrie, Allied agent or not, would be made to pay for what he had done to the Colonel.