Chapter 8:

(Present Day: Stalag 13; Hammelburg, Germany)

Carter was shaking and fighting back from crying by the time he finished his story. Hogan was left speechless and stunned at what his sergeant had just told him. He could not comprehend why someone would commit such a brutal, disgusting, cold-hearted murder. And to top it, Walters had made Carter witness that cold-blooded murder.

Hogan's lip quivered and was finally able to make his head softly shake. He felt horrible for Carter. No one should have to carry around such a dark memory in secret because of a threat of killing one of their loved ones. He was disgusted by what Carter's old commanding officer had done to him.

"Carter," Hogan barely spoke. He could not find the right words to say. What the hell did you tell someone who had just shared this kind of news with you?

"Colonel, please don't die! Please! I won't be able to live if something happens to you!" The young man wept.

Hogan got to his feet and approached Carter slowly. He knelt down in front of the sergeant and looked at him with kindness and sympathy.

"Carter, look at me...please," he softly begged.

"I can't lose you, Colonel, I can't. I'll die without you."

"Carter...please look at me."

Carter sniffled, opened his eyes, then lifted his head to look into his commanding officer's soft, brown eyes.

"I promise, with every fiber of my being, I will not die. I'm gonna be just fine. So is Newkirk, Kinch, LeBeau, and everyone else in Stalag 13. Even Klink I promise will be alright," Hogan said kindly.

"Colonel, he'll kill you. He could be listening to us somewhere right now!" Carter whimpered.

Hogan got to his feet and sat down beside Carter on the bunk. He wrapped an arm around him, hoping it would make him feel less scared. He wished like crazy that he could take Carter's fear away from him, but he couldn't. All he could do was try to make his fear as mild as possible.

"If Walters is listening to us from somewhere, we'll figure out a way to stop him. We always stop the bad guys. Look at all those times we stopped Hochstetter. We've stopped him more than once. And other Gestapo, thieves, assassins-" Carter cut Hogan off.

"Hochstetter isn't like Walters, Colonel. Hochstetter has reasons he kills people. They're not good reasons, but he has 'em, Colonel."

"I know, I know. My point is that we're gonna stop Walters, and I promise that he's never gonna hurt you like that ever again. Not with me around here." Hogan gave a gentle smile at Carter, hoping it would make him feel better.

The young sergeant wiped away his tears and looked back into Hogan's face. He wondered how his commanding officer always knew what to say and do to make him feel less scared. With Hogan around, Carter felt like he could conquer a whole army of Hochstetters.

"Colonel," he asked, shaky. "Why is Walters so cruel?"

Hogan sighed. He decided it would be best to tell Carter what he and Kinch assumed was wrong with Walters. After everything he'd gone through, he felt that the young man deserved to know and to know first, too.

"Carter, Kinch and I believe Walters has sociopathy." (1)

Carter looked at Hogan perplexed.

"What's sociopathy, Colonel?"

"It's a mental disorder. It causes a man to act in the most violent, cruel, obscene ways possible for no complete reason. It's basically like turning on and off a switch at random, unexpected moments."

"He's sick?"

"I'm afraid so."

"How sick is he, Colonel?"

Hogan shook his head.

"I don't know. My guess would be pretty ill to have him act and behave the way he does currently. The way he makes you panic and shut down whenever he enters a room."

"Do Newkirk and Louis know...about Walters's condition?"

"Not yet. I wanted to tell you first. You deserved it after everything that man's put you through."

"I just can't understand it, Colonel. How can someone think that it's alright to act like that? I ask myself the same thing everyday I wake up and think about this war and Hitler. What makes them think that being mean is alright? Don't they know how much it hurts other people?"

"I'm afraid Walters doesn't have that ability. A part of his disorder is that he can't feel empathy or guilt. He feels nothing in a sense."

"So, he just thinks of morbid thoughts and ideas and believes that they're alright?"

"That's a good way of describing it, yes."

"But why?!"

Hogan shook his head.

"The only thing I know is that a part of Walters's brain doesn't function like ours does which causes him to behave the way he does. That's as much of an answer I can give you. I'm no psychiatrist nor am I a doctor, Carter."

"Will he get better, Colonel?"

Again, the American officer shook his head.

"No, he won't...in fact, he's only gonna get worse."

"Is it gonna kill him?"

"No, but it could make Walters act in some way that could get him killed."

Carter shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Boy, that's sure sad. No one, not even Lieutenant Walters deserves to go through that."

"It's very sad, but being ill doesn't make what he did to you, Corporal Wyatt, or Captain Fischer alright."

"But, Colonel, what if he tries…" Carter did not get time to finish his sentence.

"Walters isn't gonna kill me. He may try, but he won't succeed. I'm gonna be just fine, Carter. I promise."

"Cross your heart?"

Hogan smiled faintly.

"Cross my heart," he said softly.

Carter gave a soft smile back to Hogan.

"Good," he said.

There was a brief moment of silence between them, when the sergeant spoke again.

"Colonel, are you gonna tell Newkirk, Kinch, and LeBeau what happened with Walters?"

"Not unless you want me to, Carter. I won't reveal that information unless I have your permission to do so."

"I'd rather you kept it secret...for now, at least. I don't wanna risk putting you guys in danger. You're already in danger as it is."

Hogan smirked.

"Don't worry about me, Carter. I can take care of myself. It's my job to protect you guys. Not the other way around."

"You may think that, but we're still gonna do it anyway, sir."

Hogan silently chuckled and patted Carter's shoulder.

"Come on. I think the guys were setting up a game of gin before Walters interrupted everything. Once we get rid of him, you can help me make sure LeBeau and Newkirk don't kill one another."

"Sure thing, Colonel."

Both men left Hogan's quarters and closed the door behind them. What they did not know was that there was a shadow outside the colonel's window in the night, and it had heard every word exchanged between them.

Morning came around, and Hogan had ordered for Newkirk and LeBeau to meet in his quarters after roll call had ended. Kinch and Carter were socializing with Schultz outside the barracks, while the fluffy guard took his 'morning break'.

Newkirk sat on Hogan's lower bunk bed while LeBeau stood in between Hogan's desk and the bunks as they waited for their commanding officer to come in. Hogan was pouring himself a cup of coffee out in the main area before coming in.

"What do you think the Colonel wants, Pierre?" LeBeau asked.

"I don't know, Louis. He didn't seem to be upset with us for some reason. Doesn't mean he isn't." Newkirk answered, wondering the same thing as the little Frenchman.

"Do you think it has something to do with that filthy bosche of a lieutenant, Walters?"

"Why does that not surprise me?"

"He's lucky mon Colonel is around. If he weren't, he would've faced my wrath already. No one picks on André but us!"

"Sure would like to know what that Yank did to me mate Andrew that has him so terrified of him."

"You heard the Colonel: he's not telling us unless Carter gives him strict permission to do so."

"You think Walters knows Carter told the Gov'nor what happened?"

"I sure hope not, Pierre. The Colonel could be in serious danger, if he knows."

At that moment, the door to Hogan's room opened and the American officer himself walked in and closed the door behind him. He walked over to his window then turned around and faced the two men before him. Hogan took a sip of his coffee and continued looking at them.

"What is it you wanted to see us about, Gov'nor?" Newkirk asked.

Hogan glanced back to make sure his window was closed. Satisfied, he turned back to his men.

"I wanted to inform you two on the information London sent back to us regarding Lieutenant Walters. Kinch and Carter already know what it is, which is why I did not order them to come to this meeting." He began.

"What is it, Colonel?" LeBeau asked.

"Did you know that in 1935, Walters was admitted into a psychiatric hospital after his first military assignment?" Hogan questioned.

"No way!" Newkirk gaped.

"Is it true?" LeBeau wondered.

The colonel took another drink of coffee, then nodded.

"Yes. He was released a little while afterwards seeming that treatments worked. He was then assigned to Carter's bombing squadron," he said.

"Well, apparently their thoughts were wrong," Newkirk grumbled.

"What did they say was wrong with him?" LeBeau asked, interested in this latest news.

"They didn't, but they found a list of the symptoms Walters was suffering when admitted into the hospital. Kinch and I believe that Walters is suffering from a mental disorder called sociopathy."

Newkirk shook his head.

"I've heard of it. It's not something you wanna get diagnosed with."

"What is sociopathy?" LeBeau questioned.

"It's a mental disorder, as I said. As for what it does, it causes an afflicted person to act in deranged, bizarre, and horrific ways such as unexplained murders, extreme violence, and a lack of empathy towards others and ability to feel guilt or remorse." Hogan answered the little Frenchman.

"Is it fatal, Colonel?"

"No, but it might cause Walters to do something fatal to himself or others."

"Sacré chats!"

"We gotta get rid of him, Gov'nor," Newkirk said.

"But how do we do it?" LeBeau asked, worried.

"We have a couple options. We can get him transferred to another stalag camp, admit him into a psychiatric clinic here in Germany, or send him back to London and have them handle him," Hogan laid out.

"Sending him to London seems to be a bit more challenging than the other two." Newkirk remarked.

"Why don't we do one of the others, Colonel? It's less dangerous for us," LeBeau said.

"Perhaps, LeBeau. After all, we have no idea what kind of things this guy's capable of. The only problem is that we're gonna have to prove to Klink somehow that Walters is either a problem here in the camp or suffering from a severe mental illness and needs immediate medical treatment." Hogan added.

"It'll certainly be a challenge, sir," Newkirk said.

"LeBeau, get Carter and Kinch. I gotta meet with all of you to explain what we'll do further regarding this situation," Hogan said, before taking another drink of coffee.

"Oui, Colonel," LeBeau said, and hurried out of the room.

Schultz sat outside on the bench in front of barracks two with Kinch and Carter surrounding him. They were talking about an upcoming visit from General Albert Burkhalter, Klink's commanding officer from Berlin. Every time Burkhalter came around, Klink went crazy with trying to impress him and get on his good side. He was always hopeful that one day he'd be promoted to general, but so far it had proven wrong.

"Boy, Schultz. Why's Klink so nervous about General Burkhalter visiting? He's not this bad when Burkhalter's coming." Carter wondered.

"The Kommandant says that General Burkhalter knows of the new lieutenant in Stalag 13. He wants to meet him and see how he is compared to Colonel Hogan." Schultz answered, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"No one compares to Colonel Hogan...no siree," Carter said, proud. There was not a better commanding officer or man in his life than Hogan was.

"Why does he wanna compare the Colonel to Lieutenant Walters?" Kinch asked, concerned.

"That, I do not know. The Kommandant would not say," Schultz said.

"When's he coming out here, Schultz?" Carter asked.

"In another week or so. The General is currently in Kiel." Schultz answered.

"Kiel. That's quite a drive back to Berlin," Kinch said.

"You think Berlin's a long drive; it's even longer from Kiel to here," Carter commented.

Kinch nodded.

The barracks door opened, and LeBeau came outside.

"Mon Colonel wants to see you guys," he said.

"Did we do something wrong?" Carter asked, worried.

"No, mon ami. Nothing like that." LeBeau reassured his friend.

"Oh, okay. We'll talk to you later, Schultz," Carter said.

"You boys are planning some of your monkey business, I know it!" Schultz scolded.

"You wanna know what it is, Schultzie?!" LeBeau asked, faking excitement.

"Ha... no."

Kinch smirked and shook his head.

"Let me guess, Schultz. You know nothing?"

"I know nothing, noooooottthhhing!" Schultz cried.

Kinch shook his head again and followed LeBeau inside with Carter trailing behind. The three of them entered into Hogan's room and closed the door.

"What's up, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

"We need a plan to get rid of Walters. The longer he's here, the more of a threat he is to you guys and the operation," Hogan said, wrapping his arms around himself.

Carter gaped at the colonel and swallowed a knot down. He was starting to turn pale.

Hogan saw the young sergeant's reaction and gave him a kind smile.

"I'm gonna be fine, Carter. I promised, remember?"

The young man returned the same smile and nodded softly.

"What do we do first, Gov'nor?" Newkirk asked, ready for immediate action.

"I say we hand him over to Hochstetter and let him do the work for us." LeBeau hissed.

"I like it, Louis!" Newkirk agreed.

"Make that three." Kinch crossed his arms and grinned darkly.

"We're not turning Walters into the Gestapo," Hogan ordered.

"You're gonna let that bloody bastard go free after what he did to me mate, Andrew?!" Newkirk exclaimed.

"Hochstetter is a blessing for him compared to what I'd do to him!" LeBeau snarled.

"I know what he did to poor Carter, and I loathe the man for what he did, but no one deserves to be under the hands of the Gestapo." Hogan replied firmly.

Newkirk shook his head.

"You're a better person than I am, Gov'nor."

"Oui," LeBeau agreed.

"It's alright, guys," Carter said.

"It's not alright, André. That filthy bosche should pay for what he did to you!"

"And pay he shall, but not by turning him over to Hochstetter. We'll punish him in a humane way," Hogan said.

They sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, Gov'nor." Newkirk mourned.

"Oui, mon Colonel," LeBeau said.

"We'll go with your method, Colonel," Kinch said.

"Good," Hogan said flatly. "Now about Walters."

"Why don't we just send him back to London, Colonel?" Carter suggested.

"It's too dangerous for us and the operation, Carter, but normally I would do just that."

"We're certainly stuck in a rut we are with this one." Newkirk muttered.

"We either gotta get him transferred to another stalag or convince Klink that he's ill...but how?" Hogan wondered, as he began pacing his room.

"Just a question, Colonel," LeBeau said. "Do you think Walters knows that André told you...you know?"

"No, I don't. I was cautious and made sure no one else was around before Carter told me. Why?" Hogan answered.

"Just wondering was all."

"I sure hope you're right, Gov'nor, because if he does know, we're in a huge heap of trouble." Newkirk replied.

(1) I wanted to do psychopathy for Walters's mental illness, but I don't believe the term 'psychopathy' became aware to the public until later, sometime during or after World War II. Correct me in the reviews if I'm wrong, but I believe it used to be called 'sociopathy' in the 1800s' until then.