Chapter 44---Traps Are Set
"Trap? What trap are you talking about?" Hogan asked innocently, his mind racing.
"Don't play dumb with me, Colonel," Skyhawk snapped. "I was at the Hofbrau last night and overheard two Gestapo guards talking about a trap. Unfortunately, the conversation was interrupted when two young ladies arrived."
Hogan chuckled. "Oh, that trap. That trap isn't set to catch you. That's Hochstetter's trap set up to catch me."
"Explain, Colonel. And I'll know if you're lying."
Hogan then proceeded to explain how Hochstetter was determined to pin Metzger's murder on him and would interfere with them being able to meet later tonight, so he set up a meeting at the Hofbrau with the Gestapo Major to keep him out of the way.
"Besides," Hogan added. "Do you think I'd be stupid enough to do anything to endanger my men?" He waited as the silence on the other end was deafening.
"Very ingenious, Colonel Hogan," Skyhawk finally replied, admiringly. "But, what if Major Hochstetter finds out you've set him up?"
"I have a back-up plan for that as well," Hogan explained. He knew now was not the time to lie to Skyhawk; well, not completely anyway. "Hochstetter will not be a problem whatsoever. I want to get this over with. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned."
"I feel the same way about you, Colonel," Skyhawk replied coolly. "Very well. I believe you about Hochstetter. It's too bad I won't be able to enjoy watching his reaction when you don't show up at his meeting. Until later, Colonel. I will meet you at the appointed time. Exactly where will we be meeting?"
"I'll be waiting about a mile from the abandoned mine. From there I'll show you where we hid it."
"And the minute the collection has been loaded onto the truck, I will give you the photo and negative, and not before."
"Fine. Unfortunately, you're calling the shots right now," Hogan said with false anger in his voice.
"As long as you remember that, Colonel. Until later tonight then." The transmission ended. Hogan switched immediately to the white light.
"Kinch, get up as soon as you can," he said.
"On my way, Colonel," came the reply. Hogan switched off the microphone.
Slowly rising from his seat, Hogan felt a twinge in his side again and knew the effects of the morphine had worn off. He walked out into the common area. Grabbing a coffee cup from the window sill, he filled it with cold water and then walked to the table. Sitting the cup on the table, he removed the aspirin bottle from his jacket pocket and removing the top, shook two aspirin into his hand. He put them in his mouth and emptied the cup. He then replaced the aspirin bottle in his pocket. Hogan the proceeded to fill his coffee cup with hot coffee before sitting down at the table.
LeBeau and Carter, already seated at the table playing cards, exchanged looks before looking at their commanding officer. Newkirk looked down from his bunk.
"You all right, Colonel?" asked Newkirk from his upper perch.
Hogan glanced upward. "I will be once this day is over," he replied taking a sip of coffee. He looked up when Kinch stepped over the lower bed frame and into the barracks. The radioman slapped the hidden mechanism and watched the lower bunk drop down over the opening. He poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting down at the table.
"What happened with Skyhawk, Colonel?" he asked.
"He found out about the meeting in town with Hochstetter and thought it was a trap I had set for him. I had to do some fast talking to convince him that the trap was set for me and not him. Thankfully he believed me."
"But it's the truth," Carter remarked. "The trap in town is set for you, Colonel."
"Carter, the Colonel means he convinced Skyhawk that the trap wasn't set for him."
"Oh, now I get it," Carter replied.
"No you don't," said Newkirk with a roll of his eyes. "But that's all right."
Hogan ignored the exchange between the two men. He glanced around. "Is everything set for this evening?" he asked.
"Everything's ready to go," Kinch replied. "We've got all twenty-five boxes and crates of different shapes and sizes."
"And I've got six of the most beautiful bombs you've ever seen boy," Carter saw Hogan's expression. "I mean Colonel."
"And the truck's hidden in the bushes near the emergency tunnel."
"Good," Hogan finished his coffee. "After we store everything in the mine and set the timers, we'll keep the truck hidden near the emergency tunnel for later when we leave to meet with Skyhawk."
The evening roll call took place with nothing unusual occurring. Hogan, as usual, was dismissed from roll call, and Schultz had checked to make sure he was indeed in his quarters, which he was. Schultz reported to the Kommandant that Hogan was resting in his quarters as per Wilson's orders.
As soon as the men were dismissed, Hogan, Kinch, Carter, LeBeau, and Newkirk all changed into their blacks and with the exception of Kinch, smeared their faces with grease for camouflage, even though Newkirk needed some help because of his broken hand. Hogan took two aspirin before climbing out of the tree stump behind Kinch and Carter who was also carrying two bags over his shoulder; one with the explosives, the other with the timers. Carter put the bags on the ground as he and Kinch waited for LeBeau to raise a flat section of what resembled regular earth with foliage which was only used in extreme emergencies separate from the tree stump and located a bit further in the woods in order for him and Newkirk be able to pass the empty boxes and crates up from below. Both Carter and Kinch refused to let Hogan help with the boxes and crates, so the Colonel kept watch, armed with his pistol.
It was slow going, but eventually everything was loaded onto the truck. LeBeau and Newkirk exited the hidden compartment. LeBeau helped Newkirk climb into the back of the truck, and then followed himself. Kinch got in behind the wheel. Carter was about to climb into the back of the truck when Hogan's voice stopped him.
"Carter, didn't you forget something?" he asked.
"No, sir. I don't think so," Carter replied. He again started to climb into the back of the truck.
"Carter," Hogan said with a sigh. "Think real hard. Are you sure you didn't forget something?"
"I'm positive, Colonel. I can't think of a single thing."
Newkirk poked his head out the back of the truck. "Something that goes boom, perhaps, Andrew?" he asked.
Carter's face suddenly brightened. "The explosives!" he exclaimed with a wide smile. Hogan rolled his eyes and shook his head. Carter grabbed the two bags and put them over his shoulder. He then climbed into the back of the truck. Hogan climbed into the front passenger seat. He checked his watch knowing that by now Hochstetter was probably at the Hofbrau waiting.
"Let's go, Kinch," he said. "We're on a tight schedule. Besides, I want to get back to camp in time to see Hochstetter get arrested by Klink."
Hochstetter and Bluebird, in plain clothes each with a beer in front of him, were seated at a back table in the Hofbrau where they had a view of the front door. Also, ten armed guards, also in plain clothes, were strategically placed inside the Hofbrau covering all exits so there would be no escape for Hogan when he arrived. Hochstetter checked his watch. Hogan was twenty minutes late, and the Major was becoming edgy.
"Where is he?" he asked nobody in particular.
"He will come, Herr Major," Fuchs told him. "Besides, Papa Bear is probably being cautious. Be patient. He will be here. I have no doubt of it."
"I hope you are right, Captain," Hochstetter growled. "But every moment Hogan is late makes me suspect he somehow knows I have set a trap for him."
"I don't see how he could, Herr Major," Fuchs replied. "Everything was done according to your instructions. There is no way he could know there is a trap set for him."
"Bah! You don't know Hogan as I do. He is the most dangerous man in Germany and cannot be trusted. He probably has eyes and ears everywhere." He checked his watch again. "I will wait until about nine p.m. If he has not arrived by then, then he is not coming and I will have to put plan B into effect."
"Plan B, Herr Major?" Fuchs asked his curiosity now peaked.
"Ja." Hochstetter leaned close to his second-in-command "If Colonel Hogan somehow avoids the trap I have set for him here, I have a plan in mind to lure that empty-headed fool Kommandant Klink out of camp for one hour. And during that one hour, I will enter Stalag 13, arrest Hogan, and be gone before Klink gets back. Well, what do you think?"
Fuchs smiled coolly. "Brilliant, Herr Major," he said. "And knowing Klink as we both do, it shouldn't be too hard to get him out of camp."
"Exactly." Hochstetter replied with a smug grin. He and Fuchs took a sip of their beer.
Work at the abandoned mine was slow going. Hogan kept watch as before while his men stacked the boxes and crates in the mine. He checked his watch. It was going on eight-fifteen.
"The boxes and crates are all stacked, mon Colonel," LeBeau announced.
"Hogan looked around. "Okay." He looked at his explosives expert. "Carter, I want you to load the top six boxes with your explosives and set the timers for…" he looked at his watch. "…eleven-thirty. Have LeBeau help you."
"Yes, sir," Carter replied. He and the Frenchman went about planting the explosives and setting the timers as ordered.
"Colonel, isn't that cutting things kind of close?" asked Kinch, worried. "I mean, you're meeting with Skyhawk at eleven p.m. and the timers are set for eleven-thirty."
Hogan sighed. His side was throbbing again. "I know. By the time he and I meet, arrive at the mine, and I get him inside, I don't want there to be much time left. This way, he'll have no chance of escape before the explosives go off."
"But what about you, Gov'nor?" asked Newkirk.
"Don't worry about me, Newkirk," Hogan replied. "I have no intention of being caught in that mine with him when those bombs go off." I can't guarantee I'll get out in time, Newkirk, Hogan told himself. But if I don't, I'll die knowing Skyhawk is dead and you four and the operation are safe.
Carter and LeBeau approached the others. "All done, Colonel," the young Sergeant said. "At eleven-thirty, that entire mine goes ka-boom!" There was an excited look on his face.
"Carter…" Newkirk remarked, rolling his eyes in exasperation.
Hogan checked his watch. "Okay, let's go. Back in the truck. We have just enough time to return to camp and prepare for Hochstetter."
Hochstetter checked his watch as his face turned a deep shade of crimson. Fuchs could see his commanding officer was angry and getting angrier by the minute. It was ten minutes to nine.
"Somehow Hogan found out about the trap here. He is not coming. I know it." He banged a fist on the table so hard it caused the beer steins to jump.
"But how could he find out, Herr Major?" asked Fuchs. "I don't see how that is possible."
"With Hogan anything is possible. That man is a devil! A devil I tell you, Captain." Hochstetter snarled the last sentence.
"How much longer are we going to wait here, Herr Major? It's been nearly two hours now."
"I will wait until nine p.m. and then I will make a call to Gestapo headquarters, and have someone there contact Colonel Klink and lure him out of camp. You will wait here with the men until ten p.m. just in case. I want to cover all the bases."
"I understand, Herr Major," Fuchs' face remained impassive while knowing he would have to contact Hogan and let him know when Hochstetter was on his way to Stalag 13.