Chapter 51---It's Finally Over
Wilson, leaving Hogan's quarters, found the others nervously waiting at the table for him. The fear on their faces was evident. He poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting down.
"He should be fine," he told them.
He heard the collective sighs of relief from them. Kinch asked the question that was on all their minds.
"What happened to him?" he asked. "He was fine earlier, than gradually he began having problems with dizziness, breathing, and pain. I didn't know what had happened when he asked me to get you, but I figured it must've been something serious because the Colonel never asks for medical help for himself."
"From my examination, his shoulder looks fine and there's no further damage to his ribs. For days the Colonel's been living on adrenaline and pushing himself because of everything's he had to deal with, so he really didn't feel the full effect of how much pain he was really in. But now the adrenaline rush is gone, and his body is feeling it and starting to shut down because it can't take anymore. I gave him a shot of morphine and an antibiotic, so he should sleep for several hours."
"But Colonel Hogan will be all right?" asked a still worried Carter.
Wilson nodded. "He'll be fine if he gives himself the time. By the way, maybe one of you can tell me something. I wanted to give him a sedative so he would sleep throughout the night but he refused. Kept asking me to give him tonight. Any idea what he meant?" he looked at the men collectively.
"Yeah," Kinch began. He went on to explain the Colonel's plan to the medic.
Wilson slowly sipped his coffee as he mulled over what Kinch had told him. "I had originally agreed to give him tonight. But after what you guys have just told me, I need to rethink my decision."
"What do you have in mind, Joe?" asked Kinch, sensing what the medic planned to do.
The medic smiled innocently. "You'll find out when he's due for his next shot of morphine."
Kinch grinned mischievously. "You're gonna slip in a sedative, aren't you?"
Newkirk chuckled. "Oh, the Gov'nor's gonna snap his twig when he finds out what you did."
Wilson shrugged. "I expect he will. But where his health is concerned, I outrank his eagles."
The men all joined Wilson in laughter; something that felt good after so many days of not being able to.
The rest of the day was uneventful. When LeBeau sneaked a peek into the Colonel's quarters, he reported to the others that the Colonel was still sleeping peacefully. Of course, another shot of morphine along with a sedative given by Wilson played a part in it.
Kinch checked his watch. It was 1930 hours. He looked at the others sitting around the table. "Okay, we're gonna move ahead with the Colonel's plan right after evening roll call," he said. He turned to the Englander. "Newkirk, go below, get on the switchboard, and contact Bluebird. Relay the message the Colonel wants you to and let him know the meeting will be set for 2100 hours tonight at the Hofbrau."
"You got it, mate," the Englander replied rising from the table.
"Carter," Kinch looked at the young Sergeant. "Is the explosive and timer ready?"
"Sure is," Carter replied enthusiastically.
"Okay, once everything is set with Bluebird, you're gonna go out dressed as a Luftwaffe Sergeant, LeBeau, you'll be a private, and park the truck just on the outskirts of town. You'll set the timer for fifteen minutes after nine. Bluebird will make certain whatever men he brings with him to the fake meeting think that the person who called him and set up the meeting was killed by Major Jaeger."
LeBeau grinned. "And if everything works out as the Colonel planned, everyone will believe this SS Major killed Metzger over black market business, and killed the only witness who could identify him and then vanished into thin air…."
"…with nobody ever suspecting he's dead and forever buried in an abandoned mine," Kinch added.
Carter grinned. "And that should close the book on everything and allow things to get back to normal around here," he said.
Kinch chuckled. "I couldn't have said it any better, Andrew," he agreed.
Captain Fuchs sighed with relief after Major Hochstetter had stormed out of his office before leaving Gestapo headquarters. Alone in his office, he allowed a wide grin to appear because to him, what happened to his boss was funny as he brought it on himself with his obsession with the Colonel. He shook his head in amusement when the phone rang. He picked it up.
"Captain Fuchs."
"Captain, you don't know me," said a gruff-sounding German voice. "But I have information on who killed General Metzger." To him it sounded like an older man.
Fuchs suspected the caller was one of Hogan's men. "What kind of information?" he asked, grabbing his pad and pen.
"I sometimes worked with SS Major Karl Jaeger in the black market. Jaeger and General Metzger were partners in the black market together before I came along. They always split the profits equally. They then would pay me."
Fuchs was busily taking notes.
"What is it you're trying to tell me?" he wanted to know.
"A few weeks ago Major Jaeger found out that the General was cheating him regarding the profits by skimming off the top before telling Jaeger how much had been collected. Jaeger told me he planned on killing Metzger for cheating him."
Fuchs pretended to be interested in this news. "And did he say how he planned to kill the General?"
"Ja. He had been following Metzger until he saw him go into a POW camp; Stalag 13 I think it's called. Anyway, he slipped in disguised as a guard and killed him, then escaped the same way."
"Do you have any proof of what you're telling me?"
"Jawohl. I have papers and secret documents I stole from the Major's secret files. Problem is, Captain, the Major found out about me and my life is in danger. I need to get this information to you as-soon-as- possible. Can you meet me tonight at the Hofbrau at 2100 hours?"
Fuchs checked his watch. "Ja, I can do that. How will I know you?"
"I will be wearing a Luftwaffe uniform. I will find you, don't worry. Oh, one more thing, Captain. If I don't show up tonight, it will only be because Major Jaeger has killed me. Auf wiedersehen." The line went dead.
Fuchs hung up, and mulled over his next move. He picked up the phone again. "Lila, get me Gruppenfuhrer Freitag's office. Priority call." He only had to wait a few short minutes.
"Gruppenfuhrer Freitag, Captain Fuchs. Fine, sir. And you? Glad to hear it, sir. Herr Gruppenfuhrer, I just received a strange telephone call." Fuchs then proceeded to repeat the info he had been given by one of Hogan's men. "Ja, Herr Gruppenfuhrer, I believe it to be genuine. I want to know if you object to me following up on it?" A wide smile suddenly appeared on Fuchs' face. "Danke, Herr Gruppenfuhrer. Danke. Yes, I will keep you informed. Auf wiedersehen. Heil Hitler!" He hung up his phone. Fuchs figured he would take four armed guards with him to the Hofbrau.
Evening roll call came and went with no problems. As soon as the prisoners returned to the barracks, Carter and LeBeau, disguised in Luftwaffe uniforms, left through the emergency tunnel. Soon as they left, Kinch quietly opened the door to Hogan's quarters and looked in. He could see the Colonel was still sleeping. He closed the door.
"How's the Gov'nor?" asked Newkirk, lighting a cigarette.
"He's sleeping. And frankly, I'm glad. He needs the rest badly."
Newkirk took a long drag on his cigarette before he spoke again.
"I still can't believe the Colonel fell for Wilson telling 'im he was giving 'im a shot of morphine when he really gave him the sedative first followed by the morphine."
"I don't think the Colonel was fooled as much as his body hurts so badly right now he's not thinking straight."
"You're probably right, mate. But I'll tell you one thing. If there's anything lower than private the Gov'nor will find it and bust Wilson down to it when he finds out what he did." Newkirk couldn't help but laugh.
Carter and LeBeau, wearing Luftwaffe uniforms parked the truck just on the outskirts of Hammelburg. Getting out, LeBeau made sure he had the dynamite and the timer. Carter looked around; there was nobody. Checking his watch, he saw it was nine p.m. exactly. He and LeBeau both knew Bluebird would be inside the Hofbrau, waiting for his anonymous caller. Taking the dynamite and timer from LeBeau, Carter got down on the ground and crawled under the truck. He wrapped black tape around the explosive as he taped the dynamite to the gas tank and then set the timer for fifteen minutes while the Frenchman kept watch.
"Hurry up, Carter!" LeBeau said in a loud whisper. He looked down as Carter suddenly crawled out from under the truck, stood up, and brushed himself off.
"Boy, I sure hope this plan of the Colonel's works," Carter said while continuing to brush himself off.
"Of course it will work," LeBeau replied. "Have you ever known any of the Colonel's plans not to work?" He saw Carter about to open his mouth and put a hand over it, stopping him. "Let's get out of here and back to camp."
With a final look around, the duo disappeared into the dense brush and headed back to Stalag 13.
Bluebird glanced at his watch as he sat at a back table with a beer stein in front of him. He had his eyes focused on everybody coming in the front door despite knowing nobody was going to show. It was nearly ten minutes after nine. He glanced at one of the guards, a Sergeant, who shared his table.
"Herr Captain, do you think this man will show? He is already late."
"I wish I knew, Sergeant. He did say if he didn't show it's because he is dead. Perhaps he is just being extremely careful. He did say this SS Major knew about him and that his life was in danger."
"You are probably right, Herr Captain. It's just that after what happened the last time we were here waiting for Papa Bear, well, I just hope this isn't another, what do the Americans say, a wild goose chase?"
Fuchs grinned. "Regardless, I will have to contact Gruppenfuhrer Freitag and explain it to him. He will not be happy if our man doesn't show at all." He checked his watch again; and took a small sip of beer.
Suddenly a loud explosion rocked the Hofbrau causing one of the windows to shatter from the vibrations. Jumping to their feet with guns drawn, Fuchs and his men raced outside. People were running in all directions, women were screaming, children were crying. But in the distance, the smoke and flames could be seen. Fuchs grabbed the arm of a man who he saw coming from that direction and was going past him. He recognized him as Oskar, a member of the Hammelburg underground.
"What happened?" he asked.
The man seemed frightened. "A truck blew up," he said in a shaky voice. "I saw it blow. There was a man inside at the time." He then yanked his arm out of Fuchs grip and continued running away.
Fuchs looked at his guards. "I've a feeling that was our contact," he said sadly. He then led the others in the direction of the fire.
Kinch looked at his watch. "Hopefully Carter and LeBeau will be back soon." Both he and Newkirk had heard the explosion and knew the truck had blown on schedule. Immediately following the explosion, Kinch had checked on the Colonel, and found he was still asleep even though he had slightly shifted his position in bed. Kinch then closed the door quietly and sat down at the table where he and Newkirk now were.
"The rest is up to Bluebird now," Kinch explained. "Hopefully he can get this case closed and then the news gets passed on to Burkhalter who will then inform Klink.
"Yeah, well," Newkirk took a long drag on his cigarette. "It's gonna be the waiting that gonna drive me bloody crackers."
"Unfortunately, we have no choice but to wait. Bluebird will try to wrap up everything as quickly as he can. He'll get in touch with us before the Gestapo contacts Burkhalter. So we'll have a heads up before anybody."
Just then, the lower bunk rose and Carter's head appeared. As he stepped into the barracks, LeBeau was seen. Both men had changed back into their uniforms.
"How is the Colonel?" the Frenchman asked, concerned. He slapped the hidden mechanism and watched the bunk drop over the opening.
"He's still asleep," said Kinch. "How'd everything go?"
"Like clockwork, mon ami," LeBeau replied enthusiastically. "We ran into Oskar, one of the underground members in the area after we had parked the truck. He decided he would make certain Bluebird knew there had been a man in a Luftwaffe uniform in the truck when it blew just to make the story more believable."
"Hopefully," Kinch said with a sigh. "When Colonel Hogan wakes up tomorrow, we can tell him it's really over." He checked his watch. "Right now, we'd better get ready to turn in. It's gonna be lights out soon."