Chapter 19---I'm Watching You

Hogan followed Klink into his inner office where they both noticed Metzger seated in the chair facing Klink's desk with his fingertips together. There was a smug smile on his face. He didn't look up when the door opened. Hogan glared at him. Klink nervously removed his coat and hung it and his cap on the coat tree behind the door and sat down behind his desk. He swallowed hard and looked at the General. "General Metzger, Colonel Hogan is here," he said.

"I know, Klink," Metzger's eyes shifted to Klink and then, without looking at the American officer, he addressed him.

"Colonel Hogan, how good it is to see you again so soon," he smirked.

"Okay, Metzger, I'm here," Hogan replied bitterly. "What do you want?"

This time Metzger looked around at Hogan. He chuckled. "I suggest you watch you temper, Colonel. You don't want me to get angry, do you?"

Now it was Hogan's turn to chuckle. "You can go to hell for all I care," he replied. "After what you did to one of my men yesterday, I don't care if you drop dead right here and now."

"Hoooogaaaaan," Klink warned.

"In fact…" Hogan continued. "Why don't you do all of us a favor and do exactly that."

Kinch gave Newkirk a shot of a painkiller while Carter plugged in the coffeepot. They heard Hogan's last sentence come over the speaker.

Metzger chuckled again. "Colonel, I suggest you try and control your temper," Metzger remarked as he slowly got to his feet. He approached the American officer with hands clasped behind his back.

"I'm watching you, Metzger," Hogan replied, his anger growing. "You won't be able to change into your pajamas at night without me knowing it." His brown eyes flashing rage. Klink stared wide-eyed when he heard Hogan's statement, and promised himself that he'd inquire exactly what his Senior POW officer had meant when he calmed down.

The men then heard the sound of flesh connecting with flesh, and guessed that Metzger had struck the Colonel. There was a long moment of silence, and the men held their collective breaths.

Hogan had fallen in the chair after Metzger's backhand connected across his face. He looked up at the General, trying to control himself. Hogan knew his men were listening over the coffeepot. His eyes momentarily shifted to Klink who stayed seated with his mouth hanging open and looking horrified at what had just taken place in front of him. Klink could see Hogan was enraged; had been even before he entered the office. He wondered what Metzger had done to affect Hogan that way. And now knowing that Metzger had done something to one of Hogan's men only incensed the American even more. He sensed Metzger was toying with Hogan right now. But with Hogan's anger and Metzger's attitude, Klink felt he had to intervene before Hogan got hurt.

"General Metzger," Klink slowly got to his feet. "If you want to question Colonel Hogan, then question him. But I will not allow you to physically abuse my Senior POW officer."

"Attaboy, Colonel," Carter muttered with a grin. The other three looked at him blankly.

Metzger glared at Klink as he moved closer to Klink's desk. "You dare to tell me what I can and cannot do? I could have you transferred to the Russian Front if I want. I warn you, Klink. Don't you ever cross me again! Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," Klink replied in a small voice as he slowly sat back down. "I won't cross you again."

Kinch and the others looked up as the door to Hogan's quarters opened and Baker walked in quietly, closing the door behind him. He handed Kinch a folded paper. The radio man tucked the paper in his jacket pocket and looked at Baker. "Baker, stand by. You might have to go to Klink's office and get the Colonel out of there at a moment's notice."

"Just give me the word and I'm on my way," Baker remarked.

Metzer then turned his attention back to Hogan who now was on his feet. "So, Colonel, you are going to be watching me, are you?" He smirked. "Well, I shall be watching you as well. You won't be able to walk around the compound without me seeing you. But now, Hogan, I wish to ask you a few questions."

"About what? Your precious ammunition? The Kommandant told you last year it had been stolen by commandos. So why don't you just give it up?"

"Because I don't believe it was stolen by commandos, Hogan. In fact, I believe you know exactly what happened to it. Now, are you going to tell me all about it? Or do I have to beat it out of you?" He approached Hogan until he stood toe-to-toe with him.

"I don't know anything, General," Hogan replied, trying to keep his temper in check for now. "I have no idea…."

Hogan's words were suddenly cut off as Metzger's hands shot out, gripping him by the throat. He began to squeeze tightly. Hogan tried prying the General's fingers from around his throat without success. He was finding it becoming difficult to breathe. He sank to his knees.

Klink jumped up, horrified at Metzger's attack on Hogan, and hurried around his desk. "General Metzger, stop! You'll kill Colonel Hogan!"

Kinch looked up at Baker. "Go!" he ordered him. Baker raced out of the door towards the Kommandantur.

"I warned you not to anger me, Hogan," Metzger remarked with a cold, evil voice as his fingers tightened their grip around Hogan's throat. He was becoming excited watching the American struggle to get free. He didn't even feel Klink's hands on his trying to pry his fingers away from Hogan's throat before he killed the Colonel. "I suggest you behave yourself, Hogan, before I…." Everybody suddenly froze as the door flew open and Baker stood in the doorway, stunned at the sight greeting him.

"Colonel Hogan!" Baker cried out lunging forward, and gripping Metzger's other arm, he and Klink were able to pull the General off of Hogan. Hogan, who now lay on the floor coughing with his own hand clutching at his throat struggling to force air into his lungs.

Getting to his feet Metzger glared at Baker with disdain.

"Colonel," Baker said with concern while returning Metzger's stare as he knelt beside his commanding officer with a hand on Hogan's shoulder. He muttered something under his breath that nobody heard.

Metzger suddenly chuckled and jerked his arm out of Klink's grasp. He shoved past every body storming out of the office, slamming the door behind him. After he was gone, Baker and Klink each grabbed Hogan by one arm and got him to his feet, and guided him to the chair in front of Klink's desk.

Klink quickly went to his liquor cabinet, and poured a glass of his cheap Schnapps.

Hogan looked at his man, gratitude showing in his eyes. "Thanks, Baker," he replied slowly. "I thought he was going to kill me for sure."

"Are you all right, Colonel?" asked Baker with fire in his eyes.

"I'm okay."

"Are you sure, sir?"

Before Hogan could respond, he noticed Klink standing beside him holding a glass of liquor out to him.

"Drink this, Hogan," Klink urged him. "It'll make you feel better."

Hogan, accepting the glass from Klink, downed the liquor in one gulp. He thanked the Kommandant as he returning the empty glass to him.

"You're welcome." Klink sat the glass on the edge of his liquor cabinet and then slowly walked around his desk and sat down. He looked at Hogan with concern. "Colonel, are you sure you're all right?"

"I've been better," the Senior POW officer remarked. "But I'll be all right." He looked at Klink. "If you don't need me for something, Kommandant, I'll be heading back to the barracks." He slowly started to get to his feet with Baker's assistance.

"You're dismissed, Hogan," Klink replied giving him a salute. He didn't even object when Hogan failed to return his salute. Baker glanced at his commanding officer and then turned and gave Klink a salute. As they were in the doorway, Klink called out to Hogan, stopping him. Hogan turned and looked back, questioningly.

"You want something, Kommandant?" Hogan asked. Klink, from where he sat, could see the beginnings of ugly bruises and swelling forming on Hogan's throat as well as hearing the hoarseness in his voice. What Klink didn't know was that some of the bruising he was seeing was from the first time Metzger had his hands around Hogan's throat.

"Hogan, just what is it Metzger did to one of your men, yesterday? Can you tell me that?"

"Metzger was abusive to one of my men, Corporal Newkirk, Kommandant," Hogan explained, his anger returning. He wasn't going to tell Klink about Newkirk's broken hand. There was no reason for Klink to know that the 'missing ammunition' was indeed a stolen art collection. Besides, with what Hogan had planned for Metzger, if Klink knew about the art work, it would arouse suspicion, and Hogan didn't need any attention drawn to himself when Metzger turned up dead.

Kinch unplugged the coffeepot when they heard the door to Klink's office close.

"Think the Colonel's all right?" Carter asked, worried.

"You heard the Gov'nor," Newkirk replied. His hand had been reduced to a dull throbbing since the injection of the painkiller. "Did he sound all right to you?"

"Metzger hurt him again," Carter said. "Just because the Colonel says he's all right doesn't mean he is all right."

"Rest assured, Andrew," Kinch replied. "Hopefully Baker got there in time before Metzger could really hurt Colonel Hogan."

Carter swallowed the lump in his throat. "It's just that I'm worried about the Colonel."

"No need to worry, Carter," a voice answered. The three men turned as Hogan and Baker appeared in the doorway of Hogan's quarters. The men gathered around him.

Newkirk was the first to see the fresh bruises forming again on Hogan's throat. "Well, at least you won't have to cover these up this time, Gov'nor," he added.

"This is just something else I'll be adding to the list of things to pay Metzger back for before I kill him," Hogan replied, his voice sounding a bit scratchy. He looked at Newkirk. "You should be resting, Newkirk," Hogan remarked. "How do you feel?"

"I'm okay, sir. Kinch gave me a shot a little while ago. It's starting to take effect."

"Good. But you still need to rest. I want you to stay out of this, Peter. You're injured and I don't need to be worrying about what else Metzger might do to you." Hogan then turned his eyes to Baker. "Richard, I noticed how Metzger looked at you when you interrupted him when he was choking me. I will do what I can to protect you."

Baker smirked. "Don't worry about me, Colonel. I'll watch my back around the General. You have enough to worry about. But I promise you I'll be careful."

"That's not enough, Baker. I failed to protect Newkirk and looked what happened. I will do whatever I have to protect you, Kinch and Carter. Also, I have to protect Newkirk from further harm just in case he goes after him again. If necessary, I'll just have to kill him earlier than planned." He smiled grimly.

"Gov'nor, when are you gonna get it through that thick skull of yours that it wasn't your fault? You had no ruddy way of knowing what that bleedin' bastard was gonna do." Newkirk responded.

Hogan rolled his eyes, "When are you going to understand that you're my responsibility, and it's a responsibility that I don't take lightly?"

The men all looked at their commanding officer. Unbeknownst to Hogan or any of the others, one of the men didn't plan on letting Hogan carry though with his plans if he could help it. He figured Metzger would die, but not by the Colonel's hand.