**Sorry this chapter took some time but I've been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and am scheduled to see an orthopedic surgeon. Hopefully it's been caught early and will not require surgery. But have no fear. As soon as I can I will continue this story.***

Chapter 26-A Gestapo of Any Color Is Still Gestapo

Hogan climbed back into the barracks followed by Kinch and Newkirk after they had searched every room below the barracks. Carter had been standing watch at the door and LeBeau was busy preparing lunch for everyone. Both men paused and looked at the three weary men as they collapsed onto the benches. LeBeau promptly poured a cup of hot coffee for each man.

"Did you find him, mon Colonel?" asked the Frenchman, concerned.

"No." Hogan took a drink of the coffee which for once, did little to ease his mind. "He's gone. And he couldn't have picked a worse time. Guthrie will be out of camp this evening, and unless von Herwarth returns before then, there's the possibility they could run into each other which is not what we need to have happen."

"Not to mention we don't know where he's hidden the journal," Kinch added. He looked at his commanding officer. "Where could be have gone, Colonel? And why did he leave the tunnels? He was safe here."

Hogan pinched the bridge of his nose with closed eyes. "I wish I knew, Kinch," he said. "Thing is, we can't go to try and find him; not in the daytime anyway. And if Guthrie discovers us missing we'll really have a problem."

Carter looked over his shoulder at the others. "Colonel, do you think he might have gone to get the journal?"

Hogan, opening his eyes, looked over at his young Sergeant. "I have no idea, Carter. I hope not. If he has, it was a stupid move on his part especially in broad daylight. And for once I have no idea how or where to find him. We can only hope he returns back here alive somehow, and hopefully with the journal. If not, when he does return, I am going to pound him into the ground."

Kinch, LeBeau, Carter and Newkirk all exchanged worried looks. They all knew their commander was angry right now. Angry that someone who had been hiding in the safety of their tunnels had made a stupid move and was now roaming around somewhere up above. And if caught, had knowledge of their operation that could endanger everything and everybody and lead to them being shot. And especially with a Gestapo officer who had a personal grudge with von Herwarth on the lookout for him.

Von Herwarth stayed away from the main road and kept to the woods as he made his way to where he was going. He knew the Colonel would be extremely furious with him when and if he made his way back to the tunnels. But what he had to do was extremely important and could be put off no longer. After everything Hogan had endured from Tice Guthrie because of him, the least he could do is get the journal on his own and bring it to him. This, to him anyway, would keep the Colonel from having to endanger himself further by going with him to get the journal. So, when everybody was upstairs in the barracks, he had made the decision to slip out of the camp and head to the place he had hidden the journal that only he knew the location of.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound in the bushes just behind him which caused him to freeze and crouch down behind a tree. He was glad he had taken one of the weapons and two clips from the arsenal the men had below before he left, but knew a single pistol wouldn't be of much use against a patrol. And as he didn't want to use up all his ammo, he decided to see who or what was out there. He didn't have long to wait as a Kraut patrol consisting of four men approached, stopped, and sat down in front of the tree behind which he was crouched. They were Luftwaffe. He gripped the weapon tighter in his sweaty hand while wiping the beads of perspiration from his forehead with the back of his other hand. Please don't stay here long. Please. Von Herwarth was afraid to even breathe out of fear he would be heard. He knew if he was captured he would be brought immediately to Guthrie who would show him no mercy solely because he had taken Christina from him and he knew the Gestapo Major would not forgive him for that. He wondered if Guthrie knew Christina was pregnant? If he did, von Herwarth knew his life would be over.

The patrol after a few minutes rest, slowly got to their feet and began to move on. Von Herwarth waited until they were out of sight before letting out the deep breath he had been holding. And he waited another few minutes before deciding it was safe for him to continue on to his destination.

After lunch was over, Hogan walked into his quarters and closed the door. He had informed his men he needed to think and was not to be disturbed unless it was important or von Herwarth had returned.

Now alone in his quarters, Hogan plopped down on the lower bunk with his head cupped in both hands with elbows resting on his thighs. He was still angry at what von Herwarth had done; and the longer the man was gone, the angrier he would become. With one stupid move the man had endangered not only himself and the mission, but Hogan and his entire operation. And the last item did not sit well with Hogan at all. But there was nothing he could do right now except hope that von Herwarth returned before it was time to lure Guthrie out of camp for a few hours. Hogan sighed. If there was something he could do, at the moment he had no idea what that was. Removing his crush cap and tossing it onto his footlocker, Hogan stretched out on his bunk with hands clasped behind his head and closed his eyes as a headache began. In a few minutes he was asleep and the dream came.

Hogan breezed through the additional 50 to 100 hours of basic pilot training in which he was trained on fixed wing aircraft, learned navigation, aerobatics, formation flying and instrument flying. He also did extremely well on the Army Flight Aptitude Exam. But it was being in a plane high above the clouds that captured Hogan the most. He could see why Lindbergh loved it so much. To be alone and as one with the heavens was exhilarating as well as exciting. Right now there was no place else Hogan wanted to or would choose to be. In fact, he never felt so close to heaven as he was when he was soaring high in the blue sky.(1)

After graduating third in his class from West Point in 1926 with a Bachelor of Science degree, now Second Lieutenant Hogan had been assigned to one of the Army posts in the United States to begin his active duty. Having become further excited about Army life by the guest speaker at his graduation, General Tasker Bliss, Hogan was more positive than ever that the Army was where he belonged and where his career would lie.(2) The branch of the Army he chose was Aviation and now that he had received his Transport pilot's license at the same time receiving his pilot's wings, he couldn't wait to be in the skies again with nothing but the clouds and the birds for company. (2)

Having graduated as a Second Lieutenant he was already aware that he was at the entry-level rank for commissioned officers, and would be expected to lead platoon-size of two or more squads consisting of sixteen to forty-four soldiers.(3) Hogan understood several things that, even as an entry-level rank, if he was going to advance in the Army, he would be responsible for completing demanding missions while ensuring the welfare, morale and professional development of soldiers entrusted to him. He would have to have the strength himself to inspire strength in others which was hallmark of a commanding officer. And finally, he would begin his Army service as a young leader, providing a blend of valuable skills and knowledge. And with self-discipline, motivation, confidence, and judgment, he would have to use his problem-solving skills to determine solutions and accomplish the mission.

Turning onto his side, Hogan snuggled beneath the blanket he unconsciously wrapped around himself in his sleep.

Hogan suddenly sat up in bed as an idea began to form as to how to be able to search for von Herwarth during the daytime. Getting to his feet he grabbed his crush cap off of his footlocker and put it on his head, pushing it back before leaving his room and entering the common room. He saw his team seated at the table playing cards. They looked up at the Colonel as he approached.

"We need to have a conference," Hogan announced. "I have an idea how we can look for von Herwarth without arousing Guthrie's suspicion at least until it's time for him to leave camp."

"What have you got in mind, Colonel?" asked Kinch.

Hogan grabbed his coffee cup and poured himself a cup of lukewarm coffee. Taking a drink, he sighed as he sat down at the table with his team.

"Newkirk, you're going to escape within the hour and I'm going to talk Klink into letting me go with Schultz to search for you and bring you back. You'll stay missing until it's time for evening roll call and then you'll return on your own and turn yourself in at the front gate. I want you here when Guthrie's out there."

Newkirk looked at his Colonel wide-eyed. "And just where am I going, Gov'nor?" he asked, puzzled.

"You're going back to where you first met von Herwarth and his wife and see if you can find him. I don't care if he has the journal or not. We need to get him back here before Guthrie leaves camp this evening."

"Blimey, Gov'nor. What if I can't find 'im before its time?"

"Then you come back here without him. I don't want you out there when Guthrie leaves this camp."

An hour after Newkirk disappeared down the tunnel Hogan hurried from the barracks and headed quickly to the Kommandantur. He bounded up the steps and inside. He knocked frantically on the door and opened it when he heard Klink's order of 'come in.' He opened the door and saw Klink look up when the door opened; he also noticed Guthrie seated at the table in Klink's office going over some papers. The Gestapo officer turned and looked at the American with disdain.

"Yes, Hogan, what is it now?" Klink asked, secretly grateful for the interruption from the tension of having Guthrie sharing his office.

"Kommandant, Corporal Newkirk's escaped. He's gone!" Hogan explained feigning a look of genuine concern and worry.

"WHAT!" Klink shouted jumping to his feet, stunned. "When? How?"

"I don't know how yet, but I'd say within the past half-hour. Right after Major Charm here scared him half to death with his little stunt." Hogan glared at the Major whose face was unreadable. But this bit of news seemed to interest him for some reason.

"Schuuuuuuultz!" Klink bellowed.

The door opened and Schultz walked in and immediately came to attention, saluting. "Sergeant Schultz reporting, Herr Kommandant."

"Schultz, there's been an escape. Call out the guards and release the dogs. I want Newkirk brought back here in chains if necessary."

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant." Schultz turned to leave when Hogan made his move.

"Request permission to accompany Schultz, Kommandant," said Hogan.

"What for, Hogan?" asked Klink suspiciously.

"To protect Newkirk from your trigger-happy guards. Schultz gets a little too excited when he's on the hunt. I don't want Newkirk to get hurt. I promise I will not try to escape from old eagle-eye here."

"One moment, swine," Guthrie suddenly said, amused.

"What do you want, Guthrie?" asked Hogan tensely. "It's because of you that one of my men is out there somewhere."

"Your concern for your men is most amusing, Hogan, but of no interest to me. But what is of interest to me is that you want to go with the guards and look for your missing man."

Hogan rolled his eyes. "Your point being?"

"You could be using this excuse as a means of meeting with von Herwarth for all I know."

Hogan shook his head and chuckled. "Oh sure," he said. "I'm going to meet up with this von Herwarth and bring German guards with me. That should go over real well with somebody looking to get out of Germany." Ignoring him, the American faced Klink again.

"Do I have your permission, Kommandant?"

"Permission granted, Hogan," said Klink. "But I warn you. If this is a trick and you try to escape, I will have you thrown in the cooler until the war's over. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," said Hogan with a smirk. As he quickly ushered Schultz out of the door, he looked back at Klink. "I knew I could count on your humanity, sir." Without giving Guthrie a chance to comment, Hogan shoved Schultz's large bulk out the door and pulled it closed behind him.

Guthrie got to his feet and walked toward the partially open window and, opening the window further, watched as Hogan and Schultz walked down the steps of the Kommandantur together. He sensed the American could feel his glare boring into his back. I know you can feel me watching you, swine. Soon, Hogan. Very, very soon, you will not be so arrogant when you are hauling stone slabs around. You will be taught to respect the superior race. You won't be so smug then.

Klink, although not able to see the major's face, had an idea of what he was thinking, and it wasn't good. He knew right there and then he had to warn Hogan what Guthrie had in mind to do to him and that it would happen in a matter of a few days. I have to find a way to warn you, Hogan, before it's too late. I can't let him remove you from here and send you to a labor camp. You wouldn't last more than a week, perhaps two. And even if you did somehow survive, your spirit would be broken. I can't let that happen. Someway, somehow, I must find a way.

Newkirk kept to the dense brush as he made his way to the ball-bearing plant where he and the others had waited for von Herwarth and his wife a few days ago. He felt he had been lucky as he hadn't run into any patrols so far. Nor had he run into von Herwarth. And what made things even rougher for the Englander was that he was unarmed as Hogan felt he should not have a weapon on him as he could never explain it to the guards at the front gate when he turned himself in if that's what he ended up doing. Nor could Hogan explain where one of his men had obtained a weapon from, so it was thought best if Newkirk was unarmed.

"Blimey, where do I even begin looking?" Newkirk asked himself in a soft voice. Think, Newkirk, think! If I was going to hide a bloody journal where would it be?

The Englander studied the area carefully. "If I was going to hide a journal, I would hide it somewhere close by to where I was waiting to be picked up," he said looking around. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed wearily. He looked at the remnants of the ball-bearing factory and a smile came to his face. The factory might be a bombed out hulk, but there were still plenty of places something small like a journal could be hidden. Newkirk knew he was taking a risk searching for the journal when the Colonel wanted him to search for von Herwarth. But something told Newkirk von Herwarth would be coming here. And if he guessed right, this is where the man would come, and he would be right here waiting for him and get them both back to the tunnel safely. But since he had a few minutes before von Herwarth was likely to show, Newkirk approached the burned out building and went inside to look for what appeared to be a suitable hiding place.

When he spotted an area in a far corner of the room that appeared promising, Newkirk headed straight for it and getting down on one knee brushed away some of the dust and dirt with his hands when he noticed what appeared to be a loose floorboard. He was about to try moving it when the sound of a gun being cocked behind him caused him to freeze.

"Was machen Sie dort?" a German voice asked.(4)

Newkirk slowly looked around from his kneeling position and saw two Luftwaffe guards standing just inside the doorway with their rifles pointed directly at him. He slowly stood up, allowing a scared smile to appear.

He chuckled. "Didn't see you there, mates. I was just passing by and saw this abandoned building and thought there might be something here I could use. Guess I was wrong so I'll just be on me way then." He started forward but the sound of the safeties being removed from the rifles stopped him instantly.

"Drehen Sie um und legen Sie ihre hande hinauf. Schnell!" One guard motioned with his rifle. The look on his face told Newkirk not to try anything as he raised his hands. He swallowed hard. This is just bloody great!There's gotta be some bleedin' way to let the Gov'nor know about this. The guard who spoke again motioned with his rifle and Newkirk slowly turned around, keeping his hands raised and in sight. (4)

He heard the slight jingle of a pair of handcuffs as one of the guards approached him from behind.

(1) License information courtesy of All-Experts site.

(2) General Tasker H. Bliss, born 1853 and died 1930. Biography courtesy of Wikipedia.

(3) Some of the duties of a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army courtesy of the US Army website.

(4) "Was machen Sie dort?" means "What are you doing there?"

"Drehen Sie um und legen Sie ihre hande hinauf" means "Turn around and put your hands up."

"Schnell!" means "Fast!"