Hi again! Sorry it took so long! Here's the next chapter, and I hope you like it. I want to have another one up really soon. Please, let me know what you think!
"Out a curiosity gov'ner, just 'ow exactly do you figure on gettin' rid ah three different targets when ten seconds ago there wasn't a way to get rid ah one?" Newkirk asked, voicing everyone's question. The men, and Tiger, looked at him expectantly.
"You see, Newkirk, with that order old scramble brain Hitler gave a couple days ago, that General can't retreat without the threat of being shot by his own people, so, we need to distract him - a lot," Hogan answered, "If we can get his attention away from the main objective by destroying the other two that are nearby, we might just have a chance to sneak in and destroy that rocket."
"What do we need to do, Colonel?" Kinch asked, ready to get started preparing.
"Carter," Hogan said, turning to the sergeant, "We're gonna need a bomb, a big one, something with a short time fuse that's going to be strong enough to blow up this thing. Tiger," he addressed next, not leaving Carter enough time to get his enthusiastic speech started, "I need you to give Carter all the information you have about the rocket so he'll know what'll be best. When you've got that figured out, report to me, I need to know just how this site is set up."
"Oui Colonel," She replied, smiling at him.
"Good," He answered, smiling back, happy to have some semblance of a plan, "Newkirk, I'll need uniforms for Carter and I, infantry enlisted men for a change."
"Yes sir, gov'ner," Newkirk answered, deciding not to question just yet - he'd wait until he'd heard the plan to criticize.
Hogan looked at the faces around him; all trusting him to get them through this, and his smile wavered. He felt a great reluctance to complete this mission. What if I let them down? What if one of them gets hurt? he thought, he glanced at Tiger, what if I loose them? He shook off his self-doubt; he was going to need all the confidence he had to get them all out of this alive.
He renewed his smile as he resolved himself to the task ahead, I'll do everything I can, I can't do more than that, he thought. "Now," he said out loud, "here's what we're going to do. Tiger, how much help will you need to destroy the ammo dump?"
"Four men with me should be more than enough, Colonel," she stated.
"Good. With this plan the less men in the woods the better. That'll make four less in the field," he said, "Do you have enough explosives or do you need Carter to outfit you?"
"We have more than enough for the ammo dump, Colonel," she answered. He nodded.
"Kinch, Newkirk, Le Beau," the Colonel continued.
"Yes, sir," they answered together, ready for instructions.
"You and the three others will take out the train when it passes right here," he said as he pointed to the map, "hopefully in the confusion of the explosions Carter and I can sneak in and plant the explosive on the rocket. We'll only have a short time to get out of there, so we're gonna have to move fast.
"This all depends on timing. If we don't get it just right . . ." he left that thought unfinished as he went on, "Tiger, when your group sees the train coming here, you'll blow the ammo. When the train reaches this point, you fellas'll get rid of it," he pointed out the spots on the map as he looked to the people in front of him, "Hopefully, there'll be enough confusion that Carter and I can sneak in dressed in uniform and plant the bomb before anyone notices. Then, we high tail it out of there. You three," he said, looking at Kinch, Newkirk and Le Beau, "will head straight back to camp when that train goes up."
They all opened their mouths to protest, but the Colonel cut them off, "It'll be safer for everyone if there's less people in the woods. We don't know how big this explosion is going to be, and we all need to be as far away as possible. It'll also give those hundred and fifty soldiers less people to find," he looked at them sternly, "You're going right back to camp, and that's an order. Understand?"
Kinch and Le Beau hesitated, looking down, but answered, "Yes sir."
"Newkirk, I said that was an order." Hogan said again, his voice warning the Englishman that there was no room for argument.
Newkirk sighed, but answered, "Yes sir."
"Good," Hogan said, relaxing, "That goes for you too Tiger, I can't order you officially, but I want you and your men out of there as soon as that ammo goes," he waited until she nodded reluctantly, "Carter and I will get out as soon as we can. If it all goes right, we should be right behind you fellas.
"That's the plan," he said, wrapping up the meeting as he looked at his watch, "it's only a few hours to roll call, and it's gonna be a long night tomorrow, you guys go get some rest, we'll get everything ready after that. Tiger," the Colonel turned to the beautiful woman in front of him, "would you care for an escort back to town?"
"But of course Colonel," she smiled slyly, wrapping her arm around Newkirk and winking at him, "if you're sure the corporal won't mind the walk."
Newkirk was more than happy to tease his commanding officer. He pulled her closer, saying, "It's such a lovely night, gov'ner, you wouldn't mind if we stepped out for a tick would you?"
The rest of the men were hard pressed not to laugh at the look on Hogan's face. His mouth, which had dropped open at Tiger's remark, snapped shut when he realized they were kidding, his shock quickly replaced by a need for retaliation. Using his most intimidating glare, the Colonel quickly grabbed Newkirk roughly by the collar and marched him to the ladder. "Up corporal!!" he yelled, pointing viciously to the ceiling, "Now!"
"Alright, alright!" Newkirk murmured back, "You can't blame a man for trying!"
At the Englishman's last statement, Carter, Kinch and Le Beau were unable to hold back their laughter any longer. They were practically rolling on the floor as Newkirk made his way very quickly up the ladder when Hogan yelled and pointed again. Then, Hogan turned his stare on them. Carter visibly gulped, Le Beau tried to sink back against the wall, and Kinch very slowly inched his way towards the ladder to escape.
"You too!" Hogan ordered, turning to the three others, "Upstairs right now!" then he added a little less gruffly, "And try to get some sleep while you're at it."
When he had shooed them all upstairs, he turned back to Tiger, who was smiling widely at the false anger on Hogan's face. "Was that really necessary?" he asked her, hearing his men's laughter echoing from the barracks above.
She looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, "Well, perhaps not, but your men needed a laugh. Who knows what will happen tomorrow night."
He realized what she said was true, they'd all needed something to ease the tension, and Tiger's little show (and his own) had managed to take their minds off the task ahead for a short while. "Oh," he huffed, "Well, the laugh may have done them good - but did you have to pick Newkirk?"
She chuckled as she stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled her close and she gave him a quick kiss.
"Really," she said, "would it have been as funny if I'd picked, say, Carter?"
A picture of a stuttering, bewildered Carter came to Hogan's mind and he grinned, "For me maybe."
She slapped him playfully, gave him another kiss, and then pulled reluctantly back out of his arms. "I should go," she sighed.
"Well then," he replied, "let's get you back home, shall we?"
"I can make it by myself," she said, "You need your rest, go back upstairs and get some sleep."
"And leave you all alone out in the cold?" he answered, "Not a chance. I can sleep later. Right now, I'm going to accompany you back to Hammelburg, and there's no use in arguing, I'm coming!"
She considered disagreeing, but knew he wasn't about to change his mind, and really, she wanted to spend all the time she could with him. "Will you be back in time for roll call?" she asked instead.
"Sure I will," he said, "won't be any trouble at all."
She gave him a look, not really believing him at all. "What?" he asked, "Really, I've got plenty of time."
"Oh, alright," Tiger resigned, torn between worry for him and the simple happiness from being with him. She decided to concentrate on the happy.
"Okay," the Colonel answered, "Let's go!"
They stole quietly out of the tunnel and into the woods, making their way towards the small town. Both trying very hard to forget they might never see each other again.
Note: On April 16, 1945, Hitler ordered the execution of any officer who ordered a retreat.