Chapter 18---To Catch a General
Kinch opened the barracks door when he heard Hogan shout; LeBeau and Carter were with him. Their faces became masks of horror when they saw Newkirk cradling his left arm in his right hand. Hogan had one arm wrapped around the Englishman's waist while with the other he was holding Newkirk's right arm. There were tear stains on Newkirk's cheeks.
"Colonel, what happ...." began LeBeau.
"Carter, go fetch Wilson. Don't come back without him. Go!" Hogan ordered.
Carter wasted no time. He squeezed past the two men coming in, mindful not to bump into his best friend's apparently injured left hand, and out the door. Hogan eased Newkirk into the common area and led him to the table where he sat down. Newkirk wiped one cheek against his shoulder. Hogan sat beside him, resting a hand on the Englishman's right shoulder.
"Newkirk, I'm so, so sorry. I can't say it enough." Hogan's looked stricken. He saw the Englishman look in his direction.
"Colonel, I wish you'd stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault and I don't blame you."
"Colonel, what happened?" asked Kinch, deep concern etched on his face as he and a frightened LeBeau sat down on opposite sides of the table, with Kinch careful to avoid Newkirk's left hand.
"Metzger had both of us handcuffed in the cooler. He then took a small hammer and brought it down on Newkirk's exposed left hand.
Kinch opened his mouth but no words issued forth, while LeBeau had no such trouble.
"Filthy Bosche General!" he muttered angrily.
Just then, the barracks door opened, and Wilson walked quickly inside, clutching his medical bag with Carter behind him. Kinch got up and stood behind Newkirk while Wilson took his seat, placing his medical bag on the table in front of him. He looked at Newkirk's injured hand and reached for it.
"This is gonna hurt a lot," the camp medic stated as he held Newkirk's hand in both of his own. "I'll try to be as gentle as I can."
Wilson bent Newkirk's fingers. The Corporal cried out in agony, gritted his teeth, and tried to pull away from Wilson. The medic released Newkirk's hand. Opening his bag, Wilson removed some bandages.
"It's definitely broken, Colonel," he replied as he bandaged Newkirk's hand. "I'll have to give him a pain killer after I finish bandaging his hand, and leave some pain killers with you for him."
"Thanks, Joe," Hogan replied getting to his feet. He rubbed the back of his neck as he began pacing back and forth. He was enraged over what Metzger had done as well as his own failure to protect Newkirk. He had underestimated Metzger. He wouldn't make that mistake again. He turned and looked at Wilson, having finished bandaging Newkirk's hand, give him an injection of a painkiller. Getting to his feet, Wilson then handed Kinch several syringes and a small vial. He handed Hogan a bottle with some pills in it.
"Kinch, see that he gets a painkiller every four hours for pain. And Colonel, as far as these sleeping pills go, only give him one should he have trouble sleeping. They're very strong. I'll check him again in a few hours. Have somebody come and get me sooner if something happens." He closed his medical bag and gripped its handles. Nodding to the others, Wilson walked out of the barracks, closing the door behind him.
Hogan handed Newkirk one of the sleeping pills, then went to the sink and filled a glass with cold water. He handed the glass to him as Newkirk placed the pill in his mouth. Taking the glass from Hogan, Newkirk emptied it. The painkiller was beginning to take effect and he could feel it.
Hogan gave the bottle of sleeping pills to Kinch and helped Newkirk to his feet. He led him over to Carter's bunk and saw that he laid down on it. He could tell Newkirk was becoming drowsy. Kneeling down, Hogan put a hand on Newkirk's shoulder. "Don't worry. He'll pay for what he's done to you."
When Newkirk finally fell asleep, Hogan got up and poured himself a partial cup of coffee. He took a sip of the hot liquid and ignored how it burned his mouth and throat. He noticed the other three men staring at him, concerned.
"Mon Colonel, what are we going to do about Metzger?"
Hogan sighed wearily. "I need to wait until everything is set up with London regarding the phoney plan to get Metzger's art collection back, and I want to get him convinced I'm doing everything I can to get it back for him. And once he is convinced that's what I'm doing, then I'll kill him."
"That reminds me, Colonel," Kinch explained. "I spoke with General Butler. He said to tell you he would get back to you within twenty-four hours regarding your request."
Hogan pursed his lips and smiled grimly. "Good." He glanced back over his shoulder at the sleeping Newkirk and then looked at the men. "I hope this shows you that you have to be cautious around Metzger. He's liable to do or try anything."
The next morning Newkirk appeared at roll call, but kept his hands behind his back to keep the bandages out of sight from prying eyes. His hand still hurt like hell, but all he could do was grin and bear it for now. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He glanced at his commanding officer who stood beside him.
"You all right?" Hogan asked in a soft voice.
"I'll be all right, sir," Newkirk replied as Sergeant Hans Schultz, the Sergeant-at-Arms at Stalag 13, continued with his counting of each prisoner. Newkirk let out a deep breath.
Hogan continued to look at him. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you receive a painkiller after roll call's over."
Newkirk glanced at his commanding officer briefly. "Thank you, sir," he said.
"Schuuuuuultz, repooooooort!" Klink's voice bellowed as he approached from the direction of the Kommandantur.
The rotund guard, rolling his eyes in exasperation, turned and saluted Colonel Wilhelm Klink, Kommandant of Stalag 13. Klink returned the salute.
"Herr Kommandant, all prisoners present and accounted for."
"Very good, Schultz. You may dismiss the men." He saluted again.
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant." Schultz saluted the Kommandant and then spun around and faced the prisoners. "All prisoners, disss-missed."
As the prisoners began to disperse, Klink's eyes fell on his Senior POW officer. "Colonel Hogan, a moment bitte."
Hogan, who was about to start towards the barracks, paused and looked back. "You called my name, Kommandant?"
Klink slowly approached Hogan. "Colonel Hogan, I must insist you accompany me to my office right now."
Hogan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?" he wanted to know.
"General Metzger wants to ask you some questions about some ammunition stolen from him a year ago. He insists you know something about it."
Hogan faked innocence and gave Klink his best 'Who? Little old me?' look.
"Can't do it, Kommandant. Don't have time right now. Maybe later."
"Hogan, General Metzger has ordered that if you refuse to come, I am to have you brought to him in handcuffs and at gunpoint. Now, is you don't have time what you really want me to tell him?" Klink looked at Hogan with pleading eyes.
Sighing, Hogan looked back over his shoulder at his men. Then, he faced Klink again and motioned with his arm for Klink to lead the way.
"Let's get this over with, Kommandant," Hogan replied, annoyed. The two men headed in the direction of the Kommandantur with Klink walking in front of Hogan.
The four men watched them leave.
"What do you think that filthy Bosche General wants with the Colonel now?" asked a disgruntled LeBeau.
"All I know is he'd better not lay a hand on the Gov'nor," Newkirk remarked in a tight voice. He was in so much agony. "'Cause if he does, broken hand or not, I'll kill the bloody bastard."
Carter had remained quiet up until now. He had both hands stuffed in his leather jacket pockets. "I don't think Metzger would try anything with Klink there," he said. Then he thought about what he had just said as the others looked at him. "But maybe I'm wrong about that."
"You bet you're wrong, Andrew," Kinch added. "Klink is scared of his own shadow. He wouldn't interfere with Metzger if he gets rough with the Colonel." Kinch then waved his hand. "I think we'd better listen in on the coffee pot," he said. "First sign of trouble we cause a diversion and get the Colonel out of there quick."