Another day another factory.
A/N: I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine
Chapter 1:
It was midnight and the changing of the guard at Stalag 13, was already in progress. For the two men watching this happen, it was nothing unusual. In fact, this happened every night, without fail, at the exact same time. The two German guards at the main gate had finished guard duty for the night, and another two guards came to replace them. The search lights from the guard towers continued to circle the area and, on occasion, the two men had to hide behind the bushes in front of them to avoid being seen.
As they waited in the bushes, the top of an old and forgotten tree stump slowly opened and a third man climbed out of the stump to join them. All three men were dressed from head to toe in black clothing and had smeared grease on their faces. If you were not looking specifically for them, they would be very hard to see. After the searchlight had passed over them again, one of them gestured for the others to head away from the camp and into the woods behind them. They made their way slowly through the woods until they came to the main road. Keeping out of site, they followed the road for at least 20 minutes.
Eventually they came across an old, abandoned barn. One of the men headed towards the back of the barn while the other two stayed to keep watch and make sure no one had followed them. A few minutes later he came back.
"All clear around the back colonel. Just the one door and only one window looking out over the way we just came." He said with an American accent.
"Alright. Carter you stay out here and keep watch for any passing patrols or cars. Newkirk, you come in with me." The colonel was also an American.
"Right sir." The third man had a strong English accent.
Newkirk followed the colonel, quickly making their way to the barn doors while Carter stayed hidden behind a large tree, pulling out a small hand gun as he crouched down. Newkirk opened the door and, after grabbing the hand gun he brought with him, went inside. The barn was empty, unless of course you counted the mouse that ran across the floor and into a hole in the wall. He lowered the gun and turned to face the colonel.
"I thought the message said we were supposed to be meeting Tiger 'ere tonight?"
"It did." He looked around the barn and then made his way to the only window available. It looked out over the front and had a direct view of the front path which led to the road. Fortunately for them, the barn was not visible from the road and they were relatively safe. "Tiger's never been late before now." He spoke more to himself than to Newkirk.
"You think somethin' might have happened to her?"
"Maybe. Let's give her some time." He kept his eyes on the path. "She might just be running late. It happens."
Almost half an hour had passed since they had arrived and there was still no sign of anyone coming to meet them. Newkirk had gone to see if Carter had seen anyone, but had come back only to report that no one had even drove past the area.
"Colonel, maybe we should head back to camp. Try and reach Tiger over the radio and..." he was interrupted by the door slowly creaking open.
Raising his own gun, the colonel moved behind the door while Newkirk stood facing it. Hoping that it was indeed Tiger opening the door and not a German soldier. Or worse, the Gestapo. A woman walked through the door, closing it quickly behind her. She was wearing a black, knee length skirt with a white blouse and a heavy fur coat. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Newkirk standing with a gun pointed directly at her.
"Blimey Tiger." Newkirk lowered the gun. "Are you alright?"
"I am fine." She spoke with a French accent. "Where is Colonel Hogan?"
"Here." He stepped out from behind the door and Tiger finally saw him. "What happened? You said on the message to meet here at 12:30. It's almost 1:15."
"I am sorry. I was held up by the Gestapo. Routine checks and the usual questions that come up every now and then."
"They don't suspect anything do they?"
"I don't think so. They would have arrested me instantly if they knew or suspected anything." She sat down and continued. "The underground has to stop all activity for the moment. It is too much risk to continue sabotage work with the amount of activity there is now."
"I'm not surprised." Hogan said. "Has radio contact been stopped as well?"
"Oui. The message we sent to you today was the last until the Gestapo activity lightens. We have already got a message to London as well." She added, answering his question before it was asked.
"Colonel Hogan." Carter called opening the door. "Kraut car...just pulled up...main road. We'd better get out of here." He said breathing heavily, as though he had just run a mile.
"Okay let's go. Tiger, you first. Be careful and good luck." Tiger left. Once she was no longer in sight, the three of them made their way back to Stalag 13 as fast as they could.
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"Roll call!! Everybody up. Raus!" Sergeant Hans Schultz woke everyone in barracks two the next morning. He was the sergeant of the guard, and the guard for barracks two. "Everybody up. Roll call in two minutes."
Everyone groaned. They hated being woken up at 6:00 every morning. Slowly, the men in the barracks pulled themselves out of their beds and pulled on their cloths. Schultz left the room as Hogan opened the door to his quarters. Looking around the room, he could tell that Newkirk was starting to regret volunteering to come out with him last night. He was the one complaining the most out of 15 men in the barracks. // Although. // He thought to himself. //I did warn him about having three late nights and very little sleep. Serves him right. //
They all filed out in front of the barracks, forming two lines in front of Schultz. It was an unusually warm morning, considering they were in the middle of Germany and it was winter. The sun was already coming up and there were only a few clouds to block the sun. As they waited for Schultz to finish counting, Hogan looked over at the building almost directly across from them. There was a sign on the front, which read 'Kommandantur'. It was the office and living quarters of Colonel Wilhelm Klink, Kommandant of Stalag 13.
"Hey Schultzie." Newkirk spoke up from beside Hogan. "What's the big idea 'bout waking us up so early eh? Can't we 'ave a sleep in sometimes?"
"Ask the commandant." Schultz said. "I just follow orders."
"Repoooorrrrrtttttt!!!" A voice sounded from behind Schultz.
"Speak of the kraut, here's your chance Newkirk." Hogan pointed to a German officer walking, hunched over towards them. He was wearing a monocle and holding a riding crop under his left arm.
"Schultz I asked for a report." Klink said again as he came to a halt in front of Schultz and the formation.
"All present and accounted for Herr Kommandant." Schultz saluted, thankful that there had been no escapes that night. The men in barracks to had a history of causing trouble for him during roll call.
"Very good Schultz." Klink said, returning the salute. "I have been informed that one of the roads leading to Hammelberge needs to be repaired. I am looking for volunteers; anyone who would like to help may come and see me any time today."
"What do we get in return?" Hogan asked as the men started to respond in ways that might get them a week in solitary.
"Two extra slices of white bread a week. Diss-missed Hogan." Klink turned and headed back into his office.
"'Two extra slices of white bread a week' for an entire days work? He's gone 'round the bend he 'as." Newkirk said.
"That's nothing new" Sergeant James Kinchloe said, coming to stand next to Newkirk. "It might be just what we need to get LeBeau out of the cooler though."
"It might." Hogan agreed. "You fellas wait here. I'll see if I can't persuade our dear commandant to release LeBeau.
Hogan walked towards Klink's office and almost made it inside the door, when Schultz came hurrying up behind him and made him stop. Schultz was a big, burly sergeant who always tried to act tough around Klink and his superiors. In reality, he was a big softy who let the prisoners get away with almost anything. As long as that prisoner had a couple candy bars on him. Schultz had always said that he never liked taking sides in a war, and most of the time he lived up to that claim.
"What's the matter Schultz?" Hogan asked.
"Where are you going? You are supposed to be in the barracks."
"Klink wanted volunteers for a work detail didn't he? I'm just going to ask him about it that's all."
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Klink was sitting at his desk trying to do some paper work that needed to be sent to Berlin. It was quickly increasing by the day and he had not even glanced at it since his secretary had given it to him. He had more 'important' things to deal with at the moment. His camp was the only one with a perfect no-escape record. It was always something he had been proud of, but it was increasingly hard work. It was even more difficult when you had someone like Colonel Robert Hogan for a prisoner. He was always after something and he was always had some kind of deal ready to get what he wanted.
As he signed the various reports and documents that needed to be sent back to Berlin, in triplicate of cause, Hilda knocked on the door and entered the office. She was a relatively tall woman, with blonde hair. Klink had always thought she was beautiful but if he was being honest with himself, she was well out of his league.
"What is it Fraulein Hilda? I am very busy at the moment."
"Colonel Hogan is here to see you commandant." She smiled as Hogan walked past her and into the office.
"Hogan whatever it is, it can wait until this afternoon. I do not have time to listen to another one of your complaints."
"You're the one who wanted a work detail for the road." Hogan said. "If you've changed your mind, just forget it." He turned and headed for the door only.
"Hogan wait." Klink looked up from his paper work. "General Burkhalter has ordered me to have my men to fix the road. As I do not have the men to spare, I wanted a work detail to do the work instead. Do you have volunteers?"
"Well." Hogan said slowly. "Maybe. They want to know what you can offer them besides two slices of bread per week."
"What else is there? I am not asking for them to do any hard labour. Just simple road work."
"Come on colonel. Is there any other kind of labour?... I might be able to convince them if you release LeBeau from the cooler."
"Out of the question. He attempted to escape after I warned all of you against it."
"He's been in there for a week. Let him out, he's learned his lesson. Just ask him if you don't believe me."
"Alright, I will suspend LeBeau's sentence as long as your men agree to do the work necessary."
"I'll go tell Schultz to let him out. With LeBeau helping us, it will be much quicker." Hogan gave his usual sloppy salute and left the office.