Utterly Problematic-

Chapter 2- Information

Hogan walked into the outer office in time to hear Klink explain the whole story to Hochstetter. "They just showed up right after roll call and invaded the compound. I have no idea where they came from. They've already moved into the barracks, and Hilda called saying there are more in Hammelburg that are making their way here too."

"Klink, we can't have cows in a prison camp!" Hochstetter said angrily.

"Yes, my thoughts exactly." Klink said agreeing at once.

Hogan stood there listening, then stepped forward. "Sir, about the cows in the barracks?"

"It will be taken care of Hogan." Klink said dismissively.

"It better!" Hogan said but still sticking around.

"We need to know whose they are, and where they came from." Hochstetter began to pace. "They seem to be coming through Hammelburg.

"Perhaps one of the neighboring farms lost them." Klink suggested.

"No we checked that. These cows came out of nowhere." Hochstetter said trying to figure out this strange puzzle.

Lebeau ran in to the office. "Colonel, we need your help."

"What's going on?" Hogan asked turning around, with hat in hand.

"It's the cow Carter was giving attention to." Lebeau pointed out into the compound.

"It didn't gore him did it?" Hogan got worried stepping forward.

"Oh no, it doesn't have horns." Lebeau clarified, "It's giving birth, but we need help keeping the other cows from getting too close."

Hogan left with Lebeau and was followed by Hochstetter and Klink. There in the center of the compound there was a ring of men keeping the other cattle out of the way. Hogan, Lebeau, Klink and Hochstetter broke through the ring to see Wilson, Carter and Newkirk helping the mother who was giving birth. It was really quite a beautiful thing. Next thing Hogan knew Lebeau was on the ground. He shook his head. He knew the Frenchman couldn't handle the sight of blood, but apparently he couldn't handle the sight of birth either. Kinch went over to take care of Lebeau.

It wasn't too long before the calf was on the ground next to its mother who was cleaning it up. Carter and Newkirk had towels and helped the mother clean up the small creature.

Hogan looked up and saw Schultz, who made up part of the circle, crying his eyes out, of course. Hogan smiled. He looked over to Klink who was smiling happily, but Hochstetter really didn't seem to care. He seemed intrigued maybe, but not moved.

Before Hogan realized what was going on the calf got up and gored him. "Oof!" Luckily it was still young and didn't have big horns, And since it was just born it wasn't as strong as it could be. But it did knocked him off his feet and onto his backside; knocked the wind out of him too. "I thought calves couldn't walk for a few hours after they're born." He said between grunted breaths and gritted teeth.

"'E ran at you, Sir, I believe there is a difference." Newkirk said jokingly. He helped his commanding officer to his feet and they watched the calf go back to its mother who bit his ear.

"I think she scolded him." Carter said with a soft laugh. He stood and joined the other men.

Hogan and Kinch looked at one another, Carter had drawn the Englander onto his side. At least it was the entire camp against two.

"BAH!" Hochstetter left and returned to Klink's office. Klink hung back a bit admired the calf then continued on.

The mother licked the calf's ears as it settled down for a nap.

"Hey Peter," Carter asked.

"Yeah?" Newkirk leaned down and patted the creatures head playfully.

"What should we call him?" Carter asked seriously.

Newkirk looked at him.

Hogan prayed that the Englander would be against naming it.

However… "Hmm, I don't know, 'ow about Colonel 'ogan!" He and Carter laughed lightly.

Hogan shook his head, 'Oh, well, so much for that'. Then it hit him. "Carter you didn't name all the cows did you?"

"Oh no, Sir." Carter said kneeling down next to the calf.

"Oh good." Hogan said to himself.

"I haven't gotten around to them to name them all, yet." Carter said casually.

Hogan put his head in his hands. 'Yet?' He sighed. 'There is always that YET factor you just have to consider.' Well at least it would keep him busy.

Kinch tapped the Colonel on the shoulder, "Sir, what do you notice about those brands?"

Hogan looked around at the cows, they each had a different brand on them, at least the ones that were numbered. The mother, number four, had a brand as well. Hogan recognized it almost immediately. He looked at Kinch and lowered his voice, "London?"

Kinch nodded.

"Why would they send a message like this?" Hogan asked looking around at all the cows. "And where did they get so many cows?"

Kinch shrugged but pulled out a note pad. On it was written the following:

12... I

19... T

5... U

13... O

1... B

4... W

"That's all I have so far." Kinch said, putting away the pad of paper.

Hogan looked around, the cattle from Hammelburg were arriving now. How were they supposed to find out the message on all these cows? They would have to go through all of them.

The letters were in code yes, but still, was it safe? Hogan looked again at the many cows. Yeah, it was safe.

He figured it was time to get the others in on this. "Carter, Newkirk,"

The two men looked up and saw Hogan motioning for them to follow.

"Uhh… What happened?" Lebeau was waking up too.

Carter walked up, "You fainted like an old lady."

Lebeau jumped to his feet. "I'm no old lady!"

"Alright!" Hogan had to break them up. He lowered his voice, "These cattle were sent to us from London."

Lebeau smiled. "Dinner?"

Carter slugged him in the arm. "Don't say that in front of them."

Lebeau slugged him back. "Well, if they are for dinner and they don't want to be eaten then they can leave!"

Carter went to slug him back but Hogan intercepted it. "Please can we focus on the issue at hand!"

The two men went to focusing!

"They aren't for dinner, they are carrying a coded, message for us." Hogan said looked over to the cows with the brands on their hind ends.

"Do you think they want to wish us a good job on our last mission?" Carter asked seriously.

Everyone just looked at him. "Carter, I highly doubt that they went to all this trouble just to tell us we did a good job."

"Oh okay." Carter looked over to the calf and smiled.

"Are you listening, Carter?" Hogan asked half annoyed half amused.

Carter snapped his head around and saluted. "Yes, Sir!"

Hogan sighed. "Alright. I want everyone to search each corner of the compound for the marked cattle."

"How will we know them?" Carter asked.

"They have numbers tagged on their ears. They will have a brand on their hind end, copy it down and report back to the barracks when you've searched all the cows. Carter you take the east corner with Newkirk, Lebeau and Kinch the West, I'll take the north then we'll all search the south since there are a lot there."

The men nodded and, once dismissed and given the tools they would need, meaning paper and pencil, they ventured off to their designated corners.

That's all fine and good, but what happens when the Germans decide what they want to do with the cows? Find out next chapter!