A/N: This is partially based on my previous one shot of Moxie, although it is unrelated. I will warn that while there is nothing very graphic and a lot of it is told through how it's dealt with rather than a lot descriptive imagery, there are interrogation and torture scenes later on in the story. But I had fun with this, and I hope you do too.
"Okay, listen up fellas this night's gonna be a busy one." Hogan looked between his men, each with varying degrees of how much they wanted to be there but steadfast dedication regardless. "This assignment just came in from London. There's an Underground resistance group posted up in a camp a few miles outside of Hammelburg, and headquarters says they have vital information that needs to be passed along right away. Carter, your job is to meet with them at 0030 hours and drop it off."
"Did they say what kind of information, sir?" Carter questioned.
"Your guess is as good as mine, all they said was the information is only to be passed along in person. According to one of our Underground agents they're in contact with, this resistance group is laying low and keeping a low profile for a while. London wants this information now, before the Gestapo can start sniffing around."
"Well that makes me feel a whole lot better," Newkirk said, taking a drag on his cigarette. "Go meet with someone but we can't tell you what it's for. You sure this is a one man job Guv? Sounds a tad risky if you ask me, I should go with him. Or maybe we shouldn't go at all."
Hogan shook his head. Ideally he wanted to have someone with Carter as well, but this meeting had been added at the last minute and had to be squeezed in with their other plans. "The night goes as scheduled, the rest of you each have your own assignments. Newkirk, you'll be finishing up the uniforms and papers for our two agents, and then you're moving them out through the emergency tunnel tonight. Lebeau, I need you to translate for them so they understand. I don't think they took to Carter's English lessons very well-"
"Hey, I thought they understood me good enough!"
"It's understood well, Carter."
"Blimey, no wonder they didn't understand his English-"
Hogan shot Newkirk a glare, making the voluble pair quiet as they looked away. "And Kinch, you're on radio in case London sends any updates."
"Why can't we split these up, mon Colonel?" Lebeau asked. "It seems like a lot for just one night."
"Well I think we can do it," Carter said, before glancing between the other three when they glared at him. "I mean... We've done more assignments in one night before."
"Carter's right, we've done it before, and these assignments have to be done tonight. Now according to the latest troop intelligence we got from the Underground this morning, they were just diverted, the east and north of Hammelburg should be relatively free of German activity for most of the night," Hogan said, gesturing to the hand drawn map of the surrounding area. "And then they'll be here and here-" his finger traced right over where they needed to go for the assignments- "for the next several weeks starting in the morning. So that leaves just a few hour window to work with."
"I still say forget it. Last time we were delivery service for one of our contacts we almost ended up with the Gestapo," Newkirk said.
"We can't just forgot it, London's ordering us to meet with them. We go tonight as scheduled," Hogan reminded. "Now I want each of you to come back as soon as you're finished. No sneaking into the Hammelburg zoo-" Carter's ears turned a bright shade of red- "No stopping by the Hofbrau for a glass-" Newkirk started to fidget- "And no meeting with the farmer's daughter Heidi." Lebeau let out an indigent protest. Hogan brought up his arm and pointed at his watch. "Time now is 2038. Who's in the guard tower by the tunnel tonight?"
"Copied the schedule from Klink's office this morning, it's Sergeant Neumann," Kinch said.
At least we have one thing going for us tonight. Neumann always preferred to keep his hands on a hot cup of coffee instead of the searchlight. "Perfect. Newkirk, Lebeau, you'll leave as soon as our guests are ready to go. Carter, you leave ten minutes after roll call. All of you will be in civilian outfits, we're trying to blend in. Any questions?"
It took all of Kinch's resolve to not drop the radio microphone when he fell back against the chair he was sitting in, his mind numb. Newkirk was right, this assignment was a bad idea. This whole night was a bad idea.
"Papa Bear? I didn't quite get that response. Can you repeat?"
Swiping his hand across his face, he took a deep, shuddering breath to pull himself together as he brought the microphone back up to speak. "No need to repeat, message received loud and clear," Kinch said. "...But to clarify, you said there were none?"
"That is correct, Papa Bear."
With one more quiet acknowledgment, Kinch disconnected the radio and leaned against the table, his head falling into his hands.
Good God, how the hell was he going to break this to the Colonel and the rest of the men?
Hogan poured himself his second cup of coffee that night despite his churning stomach, taking his first sip as his gaze shifted across the barracks and took in each of his men. Newkirk and Lebeau were already back and currently in the middle of a card game with a few other men from the Barracks after bribing Schultz to stay up past lights out. Of the two left who were not accounted for, Kinch was down in the tunnel and Carter was still out on the assignment.
The sound of a distant rumble of thunder caused several of the men in Barracks 2 to look up.
"Didn't know we had rain coming in. Thought Schultzie said it was supposed to be clear tonight," Newkirk commented.
"Yeah, well he's always wrong about the weather," Lebeau said. "Remember a few weeks ago, when he said it would be clear? Took us four hours to get back it rained so hard, and then we all got sick."
"Might be the next town over, it sounded far away. Hopefully it's away of here so Carter doesn't get caught up in it," Hogan said.
"Speaking of Carter, c'mon Louis, you're almost as slow as he is. Hurry it up, will you?"
From his vantage point behind the game, Hogan quirked a smile as Newkirk drummed his fingers impatiently while he waited for Lebeau to make his move, his hand containing an almost winning set. The rest of the table was starting to complain as well, with a few taking either side.
"Who would not, when we are playing against you? C'est impossible."
"Then you should be good enough by now to pick a card within a reasonable amount of time."
Only half listening to their continuing argument, Hogan took another sip, his mind too distracted on the present mission. It seemed too easy, now that he had time to think about it. Normally German troops passed through the area surrounding Hammelburg on a regular basis several times a night, but to have almost an entire night suddenly clear of them? The resistance group had moved in recently but had already been checked out and verified by London and the few agents they were in contact with, so Hogan wasn't too suspicious of them.
But he wasn't one to ignore his gut sense that something was wrong, either. Did I rush into this too soon without thinking?
"Everything alright, Colonel? You don't look too good," Lebeau said with concern, looking up from his hand of cards.
"Yeah. I don't think this coffee is agreeing with me." It was partially true, but it didn't stop Hogan from taking another sip anyway, in need of a distraction for his whirring thoughts.
"I can make you a fresh one if you want," Lebeau offered, but Hogan shook his head.
The only thing that would settle his stomach would be all of his men safe and back at camp.
When he heard the sound of the false bunk opening up several deals later, Hogan looked over to see Kinch climbing out at a slightly hurried pace and a worrying stumble.
"Just got a message from London, Colonel."
Hogan took in Kinch's unusually grave face with a frown, immediately straightening up. What do they want at this time of night? Another assignment? ...Did something go wrong? His stomach tightened a little more. "What'd they have to say?"
When the Sergeant didn't respond at first, several of the men in the barracks looked over with a various mix of interest, worry, and apprehension. Kinch's expression faltered for a moment, which made Hogan's own stomach twist in dread. He debated pulling him into his office, his gut instinct telling him that the burden of the incoming message should not fall on Kinch, but he spoke before Hogan got a chance.
"The resistance group..." By then the entire barracks stopped what they were doing when his voice faltered, their focus entirely on Kinch. "London said there was a bombing raid, didn't know about it until it was too late." Hogan felt his mouth turn dry. A quick glance at his watch showed it was 0057 hours. "Leveled out their entire camp and the surrounding area within a minute.
"...They said there were no survivors."
The mug slipped from his hand and crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.