Chapter 35---Hogan's Brought Up-To-Date

Kinch, climbing up the ladder, stepped over the bed frame and into the barracks. He spotted Newkirk and LeBeau seated at the table looking at him.

"Everything all right, mate?" the Englander asked. "Olsen said you were below."

"We have a problem," Kinch replied solemnly.

"More trouble?" asked LeBeau, eyes narrowed. "What happened now?"

Kinch struck the hidden mechanism and watched the ladder rise and the bunk drop over the opening. He then approached the table and sat down. "While you guys were gone, Skyhawk contacted us on the radio and demanded to speak with Colonel Hogan."

Newkirk chuckled and shook his head. "That bloody bastard has the nerve to contact the Gov'nor? What did you tell him?"

"I told him the Colonel was unavailable due to a run-in with the local Gestapo and had been injured, was unconscious, and in the infirmary for the next forty-eight hours."

"That was quick thinking, mon ami," LeBeau said, impressed.

"Yeah, well I don't think Skyhawk bought it completely. He insists the Colonel be available in thirty-six hours or else."

"Or else what?" LeBeau asked.

"Or else he'll send that doctored photo the Colonel told us about to the Gestapo and Major Hochstetter or to London."

"Blimey," Newkirk muttered. "This is turnin' into a ruddy mess, this is. We no sooner get rid of that bloody General, and now have to put up with this Skyhawk. I don't like it, Kinch. I don't like it one bloody bit. Are you gonna tell the Colonel?"

"Not right now I'm not. I want him to get as much rest as possible. When he wakes up, I'll have to tell him."

"I wish you didn't have to tell him at all," LeBeau added grimly.

"Enough about Skyhawk," Kinch said. "How did you guys make out?"

"LeBeau and I discovered something strange," Newkirk explained. "We checked every guard's file. All the guards who should be here are here."

"I don't understand then," Kinch replied. "If all the guards who should be here are here, then what's so strange?"

"Well, as we said, all the guards who should be here are here. But there's one guard that neither LeBeau nor I recall seein' since the day Metzger was killed," Newkirk said as he lit a cigarette.

"Which guard?" asked Kinch, curious.

"Corporal Reinhold," LeBeau chimed in. "He usually patrolled the gate. But Schultz pulled him to have him guard the door of the bedroom in the guest quarters when Metzger was under house arrest."

"Is he on leave maybe?"

"We thought that," explained Newkirk. "But there's no record of him being on leave or anything else."

Schultz's banging on the door of barracks two and bellowing the following morning awoke the prisoners who thought they had just fallen asleep. Grumbling, they quickly dressed and exited the barracks to stand in formation in the early morning. Schultz slowly began his counting. He stopped when he finished and began counting on his fingers. There were two prisoners missing. He glanced at Newkirk.

"Where's Colonel Hogan and Carter?" he asked in a low voice, nervously. "They are not here and should be here for roll call. Nothing is more important than roll call."

"The Colonel's in his quarters and Carter is sitting with him," The Englander replied. He patted the heavy guard's stomach. "Don't worry, Schultzie. They're both here."

"But they're supposed to be out here in formation. What do I tell the Kommandant when he…." He never got a chance to finish.

"Schuuuuuuultz! Repoooooooooort!" Klink's voice boomed as he approached the prisoners.

Schultz nervously turned and saluted the Kommandant. Klink returned it.

"Herr Kommandant, I beg to report…that is, I don't know how to…that is…."

Klink waved his arms in exasperation. "Just spit it out, Schultz. What is it?"

"Herr Kommandant, there are two prisoners missing."

"Oh, is that…whaaaaaaaat!" Klink suddenly bellowed. "Schultz, who are they? Which two prisoners? Why didn't you know about this?" Klink looked up and down the lines of prisoners until his eyes fell on the vacant space beside Newkirk, and knew immediately one of the two prisoners was Hogan. "I know about Colonel Hogan, Schultz. Who is the other prisoner?"

"Sergeant Carter, Herr Kommandant."

Klink's eyes fell on Newkirk. "Corporal Newkirk, where is Sergeant Carter?"

"Sergeant Carter is sitting with Colonel Hogan, sir."

"We'll see about that, Corporal." Klink looked at his Sergeant-at-arms. "Schultz, dismiss the prisoners and follow me inside." He marched towards the barracks.

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. All prisoners dismissed." Schultz then hurried to catch up with Klink who was approaching Hogan's quarters. The prisoners followed them.

Grabbing the doorknob, Klink opened the door of Hogan's quarters and noticed Carter seated in a chair beside the bed. He looked at him with surprise. Klink's eyes fell on Hogan. "How is he, Sergeant Carter?" Klink asked concern evident in his voice and face.

"Trying to sleep," a tired voice replied. Hogan slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Klink.

"I'm sorry, Hogan. I didn't mean to wake you. How do you feel?"

Hogan threw back the covers and started to sit up despite Carter's protests that he lay down. The twinge in the Colonel's side, however, did stop him. Clutching his side he lay back down, perspiration beading on his face from the attempt. Carter readjusted the covers.

"Just peachy, Kommandant," Hogan's voice was barely above a whisper, but the sarcasm was evident. "I highly recommend being kicked and beaten by the Gestapo." He glanced at the Kommandant with a smirk. "You oughtta try it sometime, Kommandant. Really gets the kinks out."

Klink ignored Hogan's sarcasm, understanding the American's anger at his mistreatment. He understood how Hogan felt more than Hogan realized. Klink looked at Schultz. "Schultz, let's go." He started out the door with the fat guard trailing behind.

"Kommandant."

Klink paused and slightly turned. "What is it, Hogan?"

The Colonel sighed wearily.

"Kommandant, I just want to say thank you for trying to stop Metzger."

"You're welcome, Hogan. Let's go, Schultz." Both Klink and Schultz exited the barracks. Once they had left, Hogan looked at Carter.

"Carter, help me get to my feet." He threw aside the covers again and struggled into a sitting position, gritting his teeth from the pain.

"But Colonel," Carter began. "Don't you think…" One look at his commander's face stopped Carter. "Yes, sir," he added. He gripped Hogan's arm with one hand and wrapped his other around the Colonel's waist.

Hogan, still clutching his side, gingerly slid his legs over the side of the bed, placing his feet on the floor. With Carter's help, he slowly stood up and edged his way to his desk. Carter quickly released the Colonel and, grabbing the chair, placed it behind the desk. Hogan slowly sat down.

"Carter, get Kinch, LeBeau and Newkirk. I want all of you in here for a meeting."

"Right away, Colonel," Carter replied, concerned. "Colonel, you gonna be all right in here alone for a few minutes?"

"I'll be all right, Carter," Hogan replied though clenched teeth. "Just don't take too long."

"Yes, sir." Carter hurried from the room.

Hogan pinched the bridge of his nose. His side was throbbing. Just then, the door re-opened and Carter, Kinch, LeBeau and Newkirk entered, followed by Wilson. Hogan glanced at the medic.

"What are you doing here, Joe?" Hogan asked. "I don't recall inviting you to this meeting."

"You didn't…" Wilson replied, placing his medical bag on the desk. He noticed Hogan's perfuse sweating and his holding his side. "I was on my way over here anyway. What are you doing out of bed?"

"I have things to do, Sergeant," Hogan replied. "Besides, I feel fine. Really."

"Uh-huh," Wilson replied. "That's why you're sweating as you are and holding your side. You're in pain, Colonel. I told you you'd have to take it easy for awhile to give your ribs a chance to heal."

"I don't have time to stay in bed, Joe," Hogan replied a bit more roughly than he wanted to. "My men are in danger and I can't just relax in bed twiddling my thumbs."

"At least let me give you a shot of morphine to ease the pain. You look like you could use it."

"No morphine, Joe," Hogan protested. "I need to have a clear head if we're going to find out who killed Metzger."

"Colonel, I don't think that's a wise idea," Wilson stressed seriously. "You are going to be in tremendous pain from those broken ribs. At least the morphine will make the pain tolerable."

"No. I can handle it." He stared at the medic. "I'm pulling rank on you Sergeant. No morphine. Save it for someone who really needs it."

Wilson shook his head disapprovingly before giving his commanding officer a stern look. "You are a stubborn man, Colonel. All right. But before I go, let me leave you with a warning. If I should see that you cannot handle the pain or are having problems, I will not hesitate to have you confined to the infirmary until further notice."

Hogan simply grinned at the medic. He knew Wilson was concerned. But Hogan knew he needed a clear head if he and his men were going to find Metzger's killer and get rid of the Gestapo permanently. He would withstand the pain which he suspected would become more intense as time wore on. After Wilson left the room, Hogan ordered his men to sit down. After everyone was seated, Hogan took a deep breath and winced at the intake of breath.

"I want to say thanks to you fellas for what you did for me when Hochstetter had me locked in the cooler," Hogan began. "I didn't think I'd make it out of there alive."

"You don't have to thank us, Gov'nor," said Newkirk. "We had no intention of leaving you in Hochstetter's clutches."

"Nevertheless, I just want to say thank you. Now, bring me up to date on what's been happening while I was out of it. Newkirk? LeBeau? Did you get to look through Klink's file cabinet at the guards' personnell folders?"

"Yes, sir," Newkirk replied. "All the guards are present, sir, with one exception."

"And who's that?" Hogan asked, curious.

"Corporal Reinhold," chimed in LeBeau. "Newkirk and I have not seen him since the day Metzger was killed. He was assigned to guard the outside of Metzger's bedroom door when the General was placed under house arrest. And he's not on leave either."

"It's like he's just disappeared, sir," Newkirk added.

"I see," Hogan replied letting out a deep breath. "Kinch?"

"I called Klink's office pretending to be calling from Gestapo headquarters in Dusseldorf and told Major Hochstetter we had picked up a suspect who might be involved in the death of General Metzger and could he come to Dusseldorf and interrogate to prisoner. He left immediately as did Burkhalter."

"There's something else, Colonel," said Carter. "Burkhalter told Hochstetter that he could no longer question you or come to Stalag 13. He left orders that if Hochstetter should get past the front gates, he's to be thrown in the cooler, and Klink's to call him in Berlin."

This piece of news made Hogan chuckle a bit. "Well, what d'ya know," he remarked. "I bet that didn't go over to well with our favorite Gestapo Major."

Carter smiled. "That's an understatement, Colonel," he added. LeBeau and Newkirk rolled their eyes in exasperation.

Hogan suddenly focused on his second-in-command. "Kinch, my gut tells me there's something you aren't telling me."

Kinch swallowed hard. "You're right, Colonel, there is," he commented. "There was a call on the radio from Skyhawk. He demanded to speak with you. I told him you were unavailable. He became angry and demanded that you'd better become available if you knew what was good for you, or he had a photo he could send to London or to Hochstetter. I told him you were unavailable because you had been injured by the Gestapo, was unconscious, and confined to the infirmary for 48 hours."

"How did he respond?" asked Hogan, eyes narrowing.

"He said you'd better be available within thirty-six hours or else."

"Looks like Skyhawk is gonna pick up where Metzger left off," Hogan said. "Something tells me he is going to want Metzger's art collection."

"What makes you think that mon Colonel?" asked LeBeau.

Hogan looked at LeBeau. "Would you pass up a chance to get your hands on a million dollars in art, LeBeau?"

"Could be worth killin' over as well," Newkirk added.

"You read my mind, Newkirk," Hogan remarked. "But if Skyhawk is our man, he could be more dangerous than Metzger. And we're gonna have to find a way to work him."