Disclaimer: I don't own the show or characters or anything. I don't profit from this either, so please don't sue.
Warning: Darkish themes in upcoming chapters.
(Set between pilot and S1Ep2)
CHAPTER ONE -
Carter was back. And he was here to stay this time. Caught no less than one day after the Colonel had sent him out in the dog truck, and promptly returned to Stalag 13.
Newkirk couldn't help but wonder if Colonel Hogan had made the right decision, adding Carter to the team. Carter had already made a mess of things once. In all fairness, he couldn't have known that the guy was a German spy (especially since Newkirk had neglected to tell him). But he had let the spy in on their operation. So Colonel Hogan dealt with things in his usual brilliant manner, and that was the end of it.
But Newkirk still harboured a bit of resentment towards the American Sergeant for ruining the plan and complicating things. Not to mention the fact that it had made Newkirk look bad for not having told him about the spy in the first place.
"Newkirk? Newkirk!"
Newkirk snapped out of his deep thought, and his attention returned to the meeting that was taking place down in the tunnel. LeBeau, Carter, Kinch and Colonel Hogan were all looking at him expectantly.
"Sorry, sir. What was that?"
"I need you to focus, okay?" Hogan said, not unkindly. "I know we're all a bit nervous, but it's going to be great, as long as we stick to the plan. Do you have the detonator?"
"Yes sir, it's right here." He lifted the corner of his black coat to show the device strapped to his waist.
"I still can't believe we're going to blow up a train!" Newkirk grinned. The idea was exhilarating. Up until this point, the team had been strictly 'Traveller's Aid'. Now they were tackling sabotage in their free time.
"Well, we haven't had a demolitions expert in our midst until now." The Colonel flashed a smile at their most recent addition.
Newkirk looked over at Carter. There were a few other qualified men in camp, and Newkirk couldn't figure out why Colonel Hogan wanted this one on the team. He was skinny, clumsy and at times a bit dopey, for lack of a better word. Had he not known better, Newkirk never would have pegged him as a demolitions expert. Not in a million years.
"Well, shucks, Colonel. I don't know if I'd call myself an expert..." Carter said smiling and casting his eyes downward modestly.
"Wouldn't call yourself a..! Look, you had better know what you're doing, Carter." Newkirk exclaimed. "We're putting our necks on the line for this mission!"
"Easy, Newkirk. No need to panic. Carter here has all the qualifications." Hogan interrupted. He glanced at his watch. "Alright, we should get a move on. We have forty minutes to reach the tracks and get everything in place."
Olsen appeared above at the entrance to the tunnel.
"Lights just went out in Klink's quarters, sir." He informed them.
"Thanks, Olsen. Klink should be going to bed now, which hopefully means he won't be stopping in for any surprise visits for the rest of the night." Hogan said.
"And what if he wakes up later on and decides to drop by?" LeBeau asked.
"What, and ruin his beauty sleep?" Kinch asked. Everybody smirked.
"Klink isn't so diligent." Hogan replied. "Besides, this job shouldn't take too long, assuming we don't hit any snags along the way. Any questions? Good. Let's head out."
The group made their way out through the emergency tunnel, and started through the forest, in the direction of the railway.
It was cold and dark, and the group was a bit on edge. Apart from meeting incoming prisoners, and going into town a few times for supplies and whatnot, none of them had had much experience in the forest. To add on to that, being caught with sabotage supplies would probably mean being shot without trial.
After what seemed like an eternity, the group finally reached their destination.
"Ten minutes." Hogan said, referring to when the train was due. "Let's get to work."
For the next bit, everyone busied themselves with setting up the explosives.
"Here comes the train!" Newkirk yelled.
"Perfect! We're all done here Colonel!" Carter shouted, the roar of the train engine increasing as it approached.
"Great. Let's go!" Hogan ordered. The airmen scrambled off the tracks.
"Can we watch the explosion?" Carter asked.
"We'll be able to see it for miles around, but we should start heading back to camp now. When people come to investigate the explosion, I'd like for us all to be as far away as possible."
With that, the team packed their bags and started to make their way back to Stalag 13.
A/N: Next chapter will be up shortly. Reviews are much appreciated!