Klink, Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and Wilson arrived at the hospital after about a thirty minute drive from camp. Klink made his way to the receptionist in the lobby and began talking with the pretty lady.
"I'm Kommandant Klink of Stalag 13. I'm here with four prisoners, and we wish to see a Robert Hogan." Klink said, friendly.
"Mr. Hogan is on the 6th floor in the west wing." The receptionist said, a little shy and blushing.
"Thank you, Miss." Klink said, smiling. He turned to the four men and gestured them to the elevator. Before he let them approach, Klink stopped them and spoke. "If any of you try to escape, it'll be the cooler for all of you!" The five of them continued walking, took the elevator up to the 6th floor, and Klink sat down in a chair in the waiting room, as Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and Wilson walked down the hallways to Hogan's room.
When the four of them entered, they saw Dr. Klaussner writing down some diagnostics and updating Hogan's current condition, when the old man noticed his four friends standing there.
"Good evening, men; Joe, good to see you, again." Dr. Klaussner greeted, friendly.
"Richard," Wilson answered, smiling and nodding.
"Where's LeBeau?" Dr. Klaussner asked.
"He's back at camp maintaining order. We had to have one of us stay behind with everything going on, right now." Kinch answered.
Dr. Klaussner nodded understanding.
"How is he, Doctor?" Newkirk asked.
Dr. Klaussner sighed and shook his head.
"The same," Dr. Klaussner said.
"When are we gonna know something, Doctor; I don't care if it's just one little thing!" Newkirk exclaimed. He was sick and tired of always being told 'I don't know' and 'the same'. He wanted to know whether Hogan was going to live or die.
"I don't know, Newkirk. I'm doing everything I can for him, but I have no control over whether Colonel Hogan wakes up or not. He has serious injuries and an extreme head injury. He's also lost quite a lot of blood that's enough to kill a person." Dr. Klaussner answered, slightly irritated.
Newkirk sighed and closed his eyes. His guilt was starting to act up on him, again.
Dr. Klaussner looked at the Englishman and gave a sympathetic look.
"I understand your concern for your commanding officer; believe me, I'm praying every single night and day that he's gonna wake up...but I don't know anything more, until it happens." Dr. Klaussner said softly.
"Till what happens?" Carter asked, confused.
Kinch shook his head and patted his friend's shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, Carter." Kinch said, friendly.
"I'll leave you four to visit; besides, I need to see your Kommandant for further treatment options." Dr. Klaussner said.
The four nodded, and let the old doctor leave and silently close the door. Now by themselves, Newkirk sat down besides Hogan's legs, Carter sat down in a chair and put the flowers on Hogan's nightstand, and Kinch and Wilson stood behind the two of them. Hogan looked the exact same and nothing had changed except now he had a green button up sweater over his white hospital gown.
"Hey, Colonel...don't be scared, we're all here with you, now." Newkirk said, trying to sound comforting.
"I brought you flowers, Colonel...I hope you like 'em, when you wake up and see them." Carter softly said, trying to be hopeful. He even forced a smile to try and reassure himself that his commanding officer was going to wake up, again and talk to them, laugh with them, smile at them, again.
"Hey, Rob...remember me...good old Wilson?" Wilson spoke, smiling softly.
Hogan lay still and made no response. The only sound came from the beeping of the heart monitor hooked up to Hogan.
"I'm here, too, Colonel. LeBeau's back at camp holding down everything, until we return. I thought you would wish for one of us there with everything currently going on." Kinch said, giving a small smile.
"I miss you, Colonel...I wanna talk to you again, sir...I wanna hear your voice, again...I want my Colonel back, again." Carter said, starting to tear up, as he said the last part.
Kinch rubbed Carter's back gently, as the young sergeant wiped tears away from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.
"We could really use you right now, Gov'nor. You'd know what to do to get us out of this mess. None of us can think of brilliant, clever ways to solve a situation like you could, sir. We're running chickens with our heads cut off." Newkirk said, sighing. Seeing Hogan like this was more than torture to any of them.
"Rob, now listen to me. You're the most stubborn man I know alive. Every time you're sick, you always have some excuse as to why you can't see a doctor. Pretend that right now this is one of those times. We need you, Colonel...everyone needs you, for God's sake, even Kommandant Klink needs you! You've gotta wake up, sir." Wilson said, trying to sound like he was giving an order.
"I don't think giving him an order is gonna be enough to wake him up, Joe." Newkirk said.
"Please wake up, Colonel...I miss yah like crazy. No one else will put up with my stupid ideas; you always let me say whatever I want, and it doesn't bother you one bit...actually, it sometimes bothers you, but you get what I mean, Colonel." Carter pleaded.
Newkirk grabbed hold of Hogan's left hand and held onto it tight, squeezing it once and a while.
"Gov'nor, yah gotta come back to us, sir. I think I'll go crazy, if I have to spend another day without you here with us. I know you're probably enjoying all the sleep you're getting, and you deserve a rest, too, but I need you to come back to us...we all want you to come back to us." Newkirk quivered.
Nothing more then relaxed breathing was all Hogan did.
Newkirk sighed and looked up at Kinch, begging him to do something that might bring Hogan back to them. Kinch returned the same sigh and shook his head.
"It's up to him and God, Newkirk...not us, this time." Kinch said, softly.
"Don't you quit fighting, Colonel; fight as strong as you've ever fought, before." Wilson ordered, softly. A hint of fear was heard in his voice.
Newkirk squeezed Hogan's hand, tilted his head up to the ceiling, and closed his eyes tight. Please, God...let him come back to us...bring our Gov'nor back, Newkirk prayed silently.
A soft knock was heard on the door, and Dr. Klaussner walked in softly.
"I'm afraid your Kommandant wants you four to return back to camp, now." Dr. Klaussner said.
"Give us about five minutes, please, Richard?" Kinch asked.
Dr. Klaussner sighed.
"Alright, but I don't guarantee your Kommandant will be very happy with me." Dr. Klaussner said with a sigh.
"Tell him it's our fault." Kinch said, giving a small smile.
Dr. Klaussner nodded and left the room, again. The four returned their attention to their commanding officer and began to say their goodbyes.
"We'll be back soon, Colonel, I promise. This isn't goodbye forever, just for a while. Besides, you probably would want us to get back to camp and try to figure out a way to save the operation, anyways...see yah, Colonel." Kinch said. He patted Hogan's shoulder gently then headed towards the door and waited for his friends. It was Wilson's turn, now.
"Colonel, we need you to wake up, again...we need you to come back to us. Stalag 13 will go haywire, if you don't come back. You think anyone's gonna listen to that stuck up, arrogant clown we got back there waiting for us? You're the only Colonel we need...you're the only Colonel we want. You've got to come back, now, Rob...just hold on for a little longer." Wilson said. With that, Wilson walked over to Kinch and waited for Newkirk and Carter to say their goodbyes.
"Gov'nor, I'm gonna fix this mess we're in even if it kills me. I'm not gonna let Major Hochstetter lay a single hand on you. All you worry about is getting well and coming back to us. I, Kinch, Andrew, Louis, Joe, Schultzie, Olsen, Baker...we're all gonna make sure no one hurts you. I'll be back soon to bother you some more, Colonel, don't worry. Later, mate." Newkirk spoke. He gave Hogan a salute goodbye, then he rose to his feet and headed over to Kinch and Wilson. Carter was the last one to say goodbye.
"I need you back, Colonel...I miss you so much. Roll call just isn't the same without your wisecracks to Kommandant...nothing's the same without you, sir. Don't worry, I'll be back like the rest of the guys...I miss you, buddy...please come back, Colonel." Carter wept softly. He rubbed Hogan's shoulder gently, then he got to his feet and headed to the rest of his friends. Newkirk wrapped an arm around Carter's shoulders, as he silently wept. The four of them headed out the door, and Kinch closed it.
When Klink and the prisoners got back and stepped out of the car, the Kommandant gulped and shook in fear, when he saw who was approaching him. Burkhalter and Hochstetter were back, and they did not look happy. Klink immediately shot his arm up and saluted both of them. Wilson had headed towards the infirmary, but Kinch, Newkirk, and Carter stayed close by near the barracks to see what was going on.
"When did Hochstetter get here?" Newkirk asked.
"Must've had a surprise inspection, when we were gone." Kinch answered, trying to think of a logical answer.
"Why's Burkhalter here, then?" Carter asked, looking confused.
"I couldn't tell yah, mate." Newkirk said, as he and Kinch watched shrewdly.
"Klink, I want to see you in your office, now." Hochstetter snarled.
"But, but, but, but, but, but, but...Major Hochstetter...why are you and General Burkhalter here? I thought both of you weren't coming, until tomorrow night." Klink stuttered. His fear had kicked on.
"Klink, you will follow the gestapo's orders and discuss what we have to tell you in private inside your office." Burkhalter ordered.
Klink gulped.
"Yes, General Burkhalter." Klink tremored.
The three Germans headed up the steps of the Kommandantur and walked in, leaving Newkirk, Kinch, and Carter to themselves. Kinch quickly turned to face both of them.
"Come on; let's go get a cup of coffee." Kinch said.
"Got it, Kinch." Newkirk replied.
"Let's go," Carter added, and the three of them ran towards their barracks.
Klink was sitting at his desk, Burkhalter was sitting in a chair underneath a portrait of Hitler with his arms in his lap, and Hochstetter was pacing like a mad man. His face was red, which Klink knew meant something had upset the gestapo major, and that was something to be afraid of, even for a German.
"What's this all about, Major Hochstetter?" Klink asked, slightly timid.
"Major Hochstetter believes there's a tunnel hidden in this camp." Burkhalter replied.
Klink started laughing.
"Oh, Major Hochstetter; you must be joking. There isn't one single tunnel within this entire camp. After all, no one has ever escaped from…" Burkhalter cut off Klink.
"Klink, if I have to hear your spiel about no escape ever happening in this camp, you will be escaping off to the Russian Front!" Burkhalter snapped.
"Yes, General Burkhalter," Klink quivered and slid in his chair.
"I went into barracks two and heard people talking and a loud thud, when I entered. I suspect the bunk bed in the far left corner in the front is where it's located." Hochstetter sneered.
"Surely, you didn't see anything, Major." Klink said, innocently.
"Klink, I heard something, and I know it's a tunnel!" Hochstetter barked.
"I think we can all settle this by going to inspect the barracks ourselves." Klink said, clapping his hands together.
"No inspection is needed; General Burkhalter here believes me."
"Actually, Major, I want proof of this tunnel. If you can find it, I will give your idea of interrogating Hogan's men consideration." Burkhalter said, standing up.
Hochstetter wailed and shook his fist, then the three Germans left the office and headed towards barracks two.
"Kinch, he heard the tunnel!" Carter cried.
"I thought you said no one was in the barracks." Kinch said, looking over at LeBeau.
"I needed Olsen to come down and help us with something. Hochstetter must have came in, when we weren't looking." LeBeau said, hanging his head in shame.
"Aw, great; we're all gonna end up in front of a firing squad. Thanks, Louis." Newkirk hissed.
"Everyone, stop fighting. Now, we've concealed the tunnel once, and we can conceal it, again. So let's hurry, before Hochstetter, Klink, and Burkhalter get here." Kinch ordered, firm.
Carter put away the coffee pot, and the other three ran out to the main entrance of the barracks and started working on the fake bunk bed feverishly.
"I DON'T GET IT! IT WAS RIGHT HERE!" Hochstetter hollered.
Klink and Burkhalter were standing behind Hochstetter, who for the past seven minutes, had been banging the bunk all over trying to find a tunnel he was more than certain was there. Newkirk, Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau were standing over near the stove and the door.
"Lost something, Major?" Newkirk asked, innocently.
"Maybe he's looking for his missing swastika." LeBeau joked, looking at Kinch.
"I could help you, Major. I'm a great scavenger and finder of things, especially if they fall through the cracks. Why boy, this one time my aunt was over visiting and lost her earrings and…" Newkirk cut Carter off.
"Andrew...zip it," Newkirk pleaded.
"Major, it is obvious that what you heard is not in existence." Burkhalter said, unamused.
"But I heard them! That nit wit, Sergeant Carter, is a brilliant chemist!" Hochstetter barked, pointing at Carter.
Klink doubled over laughing.
"Oh, Major Hochstetter; Sergeant Carter, a chemist?" Klink continued laughing hysterically, until he saw the death threat in Hochstetter's eyes. Klink immediately stopped and began to shake with fear. "It's not funny." Klink quickly spoke right after the laughter had ceased.
"What are you guys looking for?" Kinch asked.
"Major Hochstetter believes there's a tunnel inside your barracks." Burkhalter stated.
"Well, we ain't got one of them. Would you like us to dig one, though?" Newkirk asked.
"Newkirk, that'll be enough!" Klink ordered, slightly quivering, as well.
Matthews then walked in after taking a nice evening stroll and saw all the people in the barracks. Puzzled, he turned to face Hogan's men and then stopped at the Germans.
"What's going on here, Kommandant?" Matthews asked, innocently.
"Major Hochstetter believes that there's a hidden tunnel in here somewhere." Klink replied.
"Which has been clearly proven to not exist." Burkhalter added, glaring at Hochstetter.
"What if they're Nazi spies?! They work for the gestapo! That idiot Colonel Hogan of there's is probably their leader!" Matthews exclaimed.
"Why you little," Newkirk threatened. Kinch and LeBeau held on tight to both of Newkirk's arms, holding him back from fighting.
"Enough!" Burkhalter ordered. The big general turned to face Klink and Hochstetter. "Gentlemen, let's continue this discussion elsewhere...perhaps even talk some sense into Major Hochstetter, here."
Hochstetter threw a dirty look at Burkhalter, then the three men walked out of the barracks and back to the Kommandantur's. After they were gone, LeBeau angrily walked right up to Matthews and looked him coldly in the eyes.
"One more word about the Colonel, and I swear I'll," LeBeau was cut off by Kinch.
"LeBeau," He snarled.
LeBeau looked back at Kinch, then at Matthews, again, and gave him one more dirty look before returning with the rest of his friends. They all continued staring harsh at Matthews.
"I can't believe it! You guys are traitors to the Allies! You work for some Nazi hog! Why, I wouldn't be surprised if Hogan wasn't Adolf Hitler himself in disguise!" Matthews spat.
"That did it, get over here!" Newkirk barked. He pulled against Kinch and LeBeau's grasp, but the two men were holding on for dear life.
"Newkirk, calm down! Get it together!" Kinch ordered.
"We're better than he is, mon ami!" LeBeau pleaded.
Newkirk relaxed, and the two men let go of him, but Newkirk gave probably one of the most evil, harsh, demonic looks ever to Matthews. The four of them walked off into Hogan's room to continue talking with each other, leaving Matthews by himself and the rest of the prisoners, who were in the barracks yet. Matthews gave a sinister smile and began thinking to himself. Don't worry, Major Hochstetter...I'll figure out what these guys are up to in no time for you, Matthews chuckled to himself.