Stenik, we learn, no longer believes Schultz killed his son. But he had a problem of his own. He knows about future American troop movements and doesn't feel strong enough to stand up against torture should it come to that. Torture is very possible, as the troops holding the two of them are S.S.
Schultz is adamant in refusing to help, even when Stenik reminds him that Americans could be killed uselessly if he (Stenik) is forced to talk. But when an opportunity comes to slug a German officer and grab his pistol, Schultz does so without thinking. There's "no middle ground," he has realized. Duty, morality, self-defense--all of this is muddled together in his head and boils down to "kill or be killed."
There's a shootout, with Schulz bagging a couple of the Germans before they start to toss hand grenades. Stenik takes the brunt of a grenade blast to save Schultz's life.
Schultz is able to finish off the Germans and is once again wandering the desert alone. The general might have been able to clear him of the murder charge, but that chance is now lost. He once again has no place to go.
As I said, this issue is very dialogue-heavy, but this is made to work. Schultz's account of his moral journey in the desert is heart-rending--all the more so because his final conclusion is he can't escape the necessity of killing others. General Stenik's short but powerful character arc complements this and is in of itself heart-rending. "The Lonely War of Capt. Willy Schulz" continues to one of the finest examples of graphic storytelling I've ever read.
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