Chapter 25

Kinch, Carter and LeBeau were seated on the bench outside the barracks. Hogan, his arms wrapped around himself, was leaning against the barracks wall. They were watching Burkhalter's staff car drive through the front gates. The car stopped in front of Klink's office. Schultz opened the passenger door and saluted Burkhalter as he stepped out of the back seat. He then marched up the steps into Klink's office. Hogan motioned for his men to follow him into his office where LeBeau plugged in the coffee pot.

Klink, smiling nervously, got to his feet and helped General Burkhalter out of his coat. He hung up the general's coat and cap. "I'm glad you could come, General Burkhalter."

"This better be important, Klink," Burkhalter growled. "I cancelled a lunch at Berchtesgarden to come here."

"It is, Herr General," Klink said nervously. "The acting Senior POW officer, Sergeant Kinchloe, says that Colonel Hogan insisted on speaking with you and that it was important."

"Have you confined Hogan to the barracks, Klink?" Burkhalter asked, eyes narrowed.

"Yes, sir," Klink lied. "I did it right after roll call this morning. By the way, Herr General, have you reached a decision about Colonel Hogan and Corporal Newkirk?"

"Yes, I have, Klink. I have decided that both Hogan and Newkirk are to be shot by firing squad three days from today."

Hogan and his men were stunned into silence at what they heard. LeBeau, Carter and Kinch all looked at their commanding officer who seemed to turn pale at the news.

"But Herr General, is that really necessary?" asked Klink. "I mean, what is to be gained by shooting the two of them?"

"Only that afterwards, this entire mess can be put behind us finally."

"But Colonel Hogan insists he wants to speak with you."

Burkhalter chuckled. "Why not? It might prove interesting to hear Hogan beg for his and Newkirk's lives before they are both shot. Have him and Sergeant Kinchloe brought to your office at once, Klink."

"Yes, sir," Klink replied nervously. "Schuuullltttzzz!"

The door opened and upon entering, Schultz saluted. "Herr Kommandant. Herr General. Sergeant Schultz reporting as ordered."

Burkhalter looked at the heavy guard with an amused face. "Schultz, I want you to bring Colonel Hogan and the Acting POW officer, Sergeant Kinchloe, to Klink's office at once!"

"Jawohl, Herr General!" Schultz replied, saluting. He spun around and exited.

Carter unplugged the coffee pot. He looked at his Colonel. Hogan pinched the bridge of his nose as a headache was forming. Finally, after a long minute, Hogan sighed and looked at his men.

"Kinch, be ready to come to Klink's office with me. This plan has to work or Newkirk and I are in serious trouble."

LeBeau sighed. "Colonel, we discussed this before you were released from the hospital. We decided if it came to this, we, Carter, Kinch and myself, would get you and Newkirk out of Germany and then close up shop and follow right behind you."

Hogan swallowed the lump in his throat. He let out a deep breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "LeBeau, if this plan doesn't work, get Newkirk out of the cooler and then all of you get yourselves out of Germany quickly. I'll buy you as much time as I can."

"Don't ask us to leave you behind, Colonel," said Carter, upset. "We can't and we won't do it."

"Carter's right, mon Colonel," said LeBeau. "If you stay, we stay. If we go, you're coming with us. And that's final."

"Look, I don't have time to argue with you. You're to follow my orders if it becomes necessary. Understood?"

LeBeau sighed wearily. "Oui, Colonel. We understand."

Just then the door to Hogan's quarters opened and Schultz walked in.

Hogan glanced at him. "What do you want, Schultz? We're kinda busy."

"Busy? Busy doing what?" asked the rotund guard.

"You interrupted a meeting of the escape committee," Hogan replied innocently.

Schultz chuckled. "Jolly joker. Colonel Hogan, you and Sergeant Kinchloe are wanted in the Kommandant's office by General Burkhalter right away."

Hogan sighed wearily. He patted his inner jacket pocket. "Let's go, Kinch," he said. As he, Kinch and Schultz left, Hogan glanced over his shoulder at LeBeau and Carter. "Remember what I said," Hogan remarked. He closed the door behind him.

Carter looked at the closed door for a minute before he glanced at the Frenchman. "What do we do if the Colonel's plan doesn't work. I mean, he did give us a direct order."

LeBeau shook his head. "I don't care what order he gave. We almost lost the Colonel when that Bosche shot him. If worst comes to wost, I'll drag the Colonel out of Germany on my back."

"You mean you'd disobey a direct order?"

"Carter, we just got Colonel Hogan back. I'll be dammed if we're going to lose him again, perhaps permanently, to a firing squad."

Schultz opened the door to Klink's office with Kinch and Hogan following. Schultz saluted. "Herr Kommandant. Herr General. Colonel Hogan and Sergeant Kinchloe reporting as ordered."

Klink and Burkhalter both saluted the rotund sergeant. "Thank you, Schultz," Burkhalter said. "You are dismissed."

"Jawohl, Herr General." Schultz saluted again and left the office quickly.

Hogan and Kinch both saluted. "Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, General. Kommandant," said Hogan. "Uh....before we begin, can I ask if you've reached a decision regarding your investigation, General?"

"Yes I have," Burkhalter smirked. "Hogan, both you and Corporal Newkirk are to be shot by firing squad in three days from today. However, I will enjoy listening to you beg for your life and for the life of Corporal Newkirk."

Hogan sighed. "May I sit down, General? Kommandant?"

"But of course, Hogan. Please have a seat. Whatever you want," said Burkhalter, still smiling evilly. "Now Hogan, what did you want to speak with me about?"

Hogan let out a deep breath. "Well, for one, General. You might want to change you mind about the firing squad for myself and Newkirk."

"And why would I want to do that, Hogan?"

"Well, sir, I suppose you've already informed your superiors in Berlin of the results of your investigation and turned over the signed statements of myself, Corporal Newkirk, Colonel Klink, and anybody else you might have questioned. Am I correct?"

"You are. So what?" asked Burkhalter, curious now as to what Hogan was up to.

"And your ruling, if I understand it correctly, is that Freitag shot me and then shot his aide, Manheim, and that an unknown assailant, probably hired by Manheim, shot and killed Freitag. Is that correct?"

"That is correct. Exactly what are you getting at, Hogan?"

"Only this, General," Hogan reached into his inner jacket pocket and removed the sealed envelope. Ripping it open, he unfolded the letter-sized paper inside and handed it to Burkhalter who took it and began to read. His eyes suddenly bulged and his face turned red with anger. He glared at Hogan.

"What is the meaning of this outrage, Hogan?" he snarled. "You wouldn't dare."

Hogan then removed a pen from inside his jacket pocket and held it out to Burkhalter. "Yes I would, General. You and Klink will both sign that agreement which states you and the Kommandant agree to dismiss any charges against Newkirk, agree that Newkirk is released from the cooler and allowed to return to the barracks a free man, and there will be no firing squad. Also, this matter will then be swept under the rug so to speak, and the case closed, or I will compromise both your postions with your superiors in Berlin."

Klink stared in stunned shock. "Hogan, you can't be serious? You expect me and General Burkhalter to sign this piece of paper?"

"I do, Kommandant. You see, you haven't a leg to stand on either. You will order Newkirk released from the cooler and drop any charges against him, and allow him to return to the barracks a free man, or I will also compromise your position. And both you and the General will more than likely be investigated by Berlin and either you both will be shot by firing squard, or there will be snowflakes in both your futures. Now, who wants to be the first to sign?" He held up his pen, twirling it in his fingers.

"You wouldn't dare, Hogan!" fumed Burkhalter angrily.

"Yes I would dare, General. You see, I have nothing to lose by compromising your postion and that of the Kommandant here. Also, I am the only survivng witness in this fiasco. So you see, you really have no choice in the matter. I'm the only one who knows what happened here. But the two of you have a lot to lose. However, if you both sign this agreement, I give you my word that I will not only back your ruling, General, and not compromise your position, but where you're concerned, Kommandant, you will also have my assurances I will back you as well."

Burkhalter and Klink both looked at each other. Burkhalter snatched the pen from Hogan's hand and scrawled his signature on the agreement. He then handed the pen to Klink who hesitated to take it.

"Klink, you will sign this agreement and that's an order! Understood?!"

Klink slowly took the pen and hastily signed his name to the document. Hogan then took the pen and the document from Klink, and put both back inside his inner jacket pocket. "I assure both of you, gentlemen, that this document will never see the light of day unless one of you decides to violate it. And whoever violates this agreement, both of you will suffer. But as long as you both adhere to it, I guarantee to back you both with my assurances and testimony. Also, this issue is never to be mentioned again by anybody."

Burkhalter got to his feet. He snatched his cap and coat and put on his coat. "Klink, I have changed my mind about the firing squad. You will release Corporal Newkirk from the cooler immediately and allow him to return to the barracks with no charges against him. Also, we will never discuss this matter again, and will consider the matter closed. Do you understand?"

Klink nodded silently as he slowly got up. "I understand, General Burkhalter," he said. "I'll see to it at once that Newkirk is released immediately. Also, Hogan, you are no longer confined to the barracks."

"Thank you, Kommandant. Thank you General."

Burkhalter had his hand on the doorknob of Klink's office and glared at Hogan. "Colonel Hogan, it seems I underestimated you. I will have to trust you will keep that document we signed tucked away?"

"Most definitely, General. Nobody will ever see it unless...." Hogan didn't finish.

"I assure you, Hogan, that there will be no reasons to reveal that document, will there Klink?" Burkhalter's eyes shifted from Hogan to Klink.

"No, sir. There will not be any reson at all." Klink saluted the General.

Burkhalter sneered at Hogan again and stormed out of the office, slamming the door.

Hogan let out the deep breath he'd been holding. He grinned at Kinch who grinned at his commanding officer. They both looked at Klink who slowly sat back down behind his desk. He rubbed his forehead.

"Hogan, I can't believe what you did. How could you do that to General Burkhalter and to me?"

Hogan sighed. "It wasn't easy, Kommandant," he said. "But I didn't feel it was right Newkirk and I be shot by firing squad just to keep from compromising Burkhalter's position. This way, I get what I want which is Newkirk released from the cooler and allowed back in the barracks with no charges against him, and neither he or I will be shot. And you and the General get what both of you want which is that as I am the only witness to a multiple shooting and two deaths, I agree to back both of you should any questions arise." Hogan got up slowly. "Now, Kommandant, do you think you could have Schultz release Newkirk from the cooler?"

"Schuuullltttzzz!" Klink yelled. Schultz walked into the office and saluted.

"Herr Kommandant. Sergeant Schultz reporting."

"Yes, Schultz. You are to release Corporal Newkirk from the cooler immediately, and allow him to return to the barracks. Also, Colonel Hogan is no longer confined to the barracks effective immediately."

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. Herr Kommandant, did something happen while the General was here?"

"I'll tell you later, Schultz. Now, just do what I told you."

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. Hogan, you and Sergeant Kinchloe are dismissed." Klink saluted both men.

Hogan and Kinch saluted before accompanying Schultz to the cooler and waited as Schultz unlocked the cell door. Newkirk hesitated.

"Something happen, Schultz?" he asked, nervously.

"Jawohl. You have been ordered released by the Kommandant, and are permitted to return to barracks two."

Newkirk stared at Schultz and then looked at Hogan and Kinch. "What's he talking about?"

"You're free, Newkirk," Kinch said. "The Colonel's plan worked. Neither you or he are gonna be shot and the case is closed."

"Gov'nor? Is this for real?"

"C'mon home, Newkirk," Hogan said with a smile. "Both of us are free finally. Burkhalter rescinded his order to have us both shot and ordered your release. There are no charges against you whatsoever."

Newkirk smiled broadly for the first time in days. He walked out of the cell and headed back to the barracks with Kinch and his commanding officer. All three were smiling with relief that the nightmare was finally over.

Two days later London received a message in morse code. The operator taking the message looked over her shoulder after the message ended.

"Colonel Wembley, we've received a coded message from Nimrod."

"I say lieutenant, it's about bloody time. What does he say?"

"According to Nimrod, sir, the situation at Stalag 13 has been resolved and Papa Bear's organization is back in business."

"Excellent, lieutenant. Send a reply to Nimrod that his message was received and acknowledged. And tell Nimrod, good show and good work."

"Yes, sir, Colonel." She began tapping out Wembley's response in code.

In Berlin, Burkhalter shut down the transmitter and lowered the wall panel that concealed it from prying eyes. Picking up his decanter of expensive brandy, he proceeded to pour himself a glass. Raising the glass, Burkhalter congratulated himself on a job well done at Stalag 13. Then he drained his glass, smacked his lips and smiled. Freitag's shooting of Colonel Hogan and his own subsequent death nearly ruined everything. Even having to sign that document Hogan had prepared was of no consequence to him. In fact, to him, it was a small price to pay to have Papa Bear's team back together and his operation running again. It was definitely a job well done indeed. He poured himself another glass of brandy.

THE END