The Unexpected POW
I don't own or claim to own any of the Hogan's Heroes characters.
The plot and any other characters that are not in the show are mine.
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Chapter 12:
The window slammed shut as the door of the cooler opened and Schultz walked in followed by Klink. He looked from Newkirk to Evans and back again. He seemed on edge and more agitated than usual. // Who could blame 'im after a visit from a Gestapo general. // Newkirk thought once he saw Klink.
"Kommandant, I still stand by what I said earlier. Newkirk…"
"I don't want to hear it." Klink interrupted. "I am here to tell you both that colonel Hogan is back and will be staying in the guest quarters until he is well enough to…"
"What do you mean 'well enough'? What's wrong with 'im?"
"Your sentence has been suspended for the time being. But if there is a recurrence of fighting again, it will be …"
"Yes sir." Evans and Newkirk said as they hurried past Klink and Schultz before he had finished telling them off.
"Schultz what just happened? I wasn't even finished what I was going to say."
"I know nothing Herr kommandant, nothing." He closed the door of the cell and turned to Klink. "Maybe they are just anxious to see colonel Hogan."
"You know Schultz, that general looked familiar, have you seen her before?"
"No kommandant. Never." // There is something going on that I do not want to know about…I think. //
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"Hey Kinch, is Wilson here yet?" Evans asked. She quietly closed the door to the guest quarters. Kinch was standing by the stove pouring two cups of coffee
"He's in the other room with him now. Should be out here in a few minutes." Kinch passed one of the cups to her.
Evans started pacing the space between the bedroom door and the sofa in the middle of the room. Kinch smiled, remembering Hogan pacing on numerous occasions. Especially when worried. The door to the bedroom opened and sergeant Wilson quietly stepped out and closed the door again. Wilson was the medic for prisoners in stalag 13.
"He's going to be fine." He said quietly before either could ask the obvious questions. "The only serious injury's he has, is a broken rib and a mild concussion. He just needs to rest for a week or two and he should be back on his feet in no time. He got off very easy especially since he was dealing with Feldkamp."
"Thanks Wilson, I owe you one."
"The only thing I want is your word that you won't let him walk around until I give the okay." Wilson smiled and headed for the door. His hand was on the doorknob when he turned to face them again. "Oh and would you make sure one of you is with him. When it comes to his own health, he never does what I tell him."
"You got it." Kinch said. "I'll go tell the fellas back in the barracks. Maybe LeBeau will make some of his famous fish stew."
"Oh come on Kinch, hasn't Rob suffered enough for the past two weeks."
"Well I suppose it is almost Christmas. I'll get Louis to make something else."
They both started laughing as the door opened and LeBeau, Newkirk, Carter, Olsen and Forster walked inside carrying a box each. Dropping the box he was carrying onto the sofa, Newkirk poured everyone some coffee and turned towards Kinch and Evans.
"'Eard the good news from Wilson on the way in. Bleedin' lucky if you ask me."
"Yeah, that Feldkamp is a piece of work."
"Speaking of Krauts, where is he?" Evans asked.
"Down in the tunnels with captain Schmitt." Newkirk grinned broadly. Baker's on call to the sub. Should be able to get 'em out of camp in a few days, if we're lucky."
"Great. What's in those boxes fellas?"
"Why Christmas decorations of cause. You can't expect to celebrate Christmas Eve without a tree and everything else can ya?"
"God I completely forgot it was Christmas Eve already. I though it was next week."
"That's understandable. You know, most of the time when you have other things on your mind you tend to forget about things like Christmas and…"
"Carter." Newkirk, Kinch and Olsen said as one. Carter looked sheepish but everyone just laughed.
"Alright you guys, let's get these decorations up."
They decorated the entire guest quarters with Christmas lights, tinsel, fake snow, and even a small tree they had received from the Red Cross last month. Evans went looking in the cupboards for any records they might be able to use on the old record player. Surprisingly she found Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra Christmas records. An hour later they had finally put the finishing touches on the room and everyone except Evans and Kinch left the room to go back to the barracks.
"Night fellas, Merry Christmas." She called as the door closed behind them Olsen.
"Kinch can you stay with him for a few hours there's a few things I need to do before I take first watch tonight?"
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Evans shivered and pulled the coat she had on closer to her. She was walking down a small, almost completely deserted side street. It had started snowing just after she had left the camp and she was hoping to find everything quickly. It was getting colder. Seeing the shop that she had been looking for, she entered, brushing some of the snow off her shoulders and hair. It was warmer in here, but not by much. After a few moments browsing, the shop keeper came out of the back room and approached her."
"Guten aben frauline. May I help you with anything?" He asked cheerfully in German
"Ja Danke. I am looking for some last minuet gifts for my friends. Unfortunately the only thing I have found so far is this small chemistry set. That will only cover one out of five."
"Tell me, what are your friends interests? I may be able to suggest something if I have an idea of what they like."
"Well one of my friends plays chess quite a bit. Lately he has stopped playing because he is missing some pieces. Do you have a chess set here that I would be able to look at?"
"I do. This just arrived this morning as a matter of fact. Unfortunately it has been slightly damaged in shipping so the price has been reduced considerably." He pulled out a wooden chessboard from under the counter. As far as she could see it wasn't damaged at all. Except for the few small, but deep, scratch marks on the bottom of the board. // That's not going to worry Robert that much I don't think. //
"I will take it." // If the price is reduce, who am I to argue with a few small scratches? //
"And your three other friends? What do they like?"
"Well, one of them likes sports."
"How about a nice football and some shoes to go with them?" He walked to the back of the shop and showed her a selection of sort gear.
"Danke, but I am not sure he would like that particular brand." // Definitely not. // The shopkeeper looked disappointed and changed the subject.
Half an hour after entering the store, she paid for everything and braved the cold night air again. She had managed to get a little something for Kinch, LeBeau and the others. She had told Kinch she would be going into Hammelberge to look for a few things, so she was covered if Schultz came to check on Hogan. She looked at the time and realised she had stayed out for a bit too long.
She hurried down the side streets and alleyways, taking short cuts anywhere she could. As she walked down one dark side street however she ran head on into a man wearing a woollen coat and scarf. She looked at him for a moment then realised that she recognised him from Stalag 13. The local veterinarian who looked after the dogs from the camp.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She spoke softly in German and looking away quickly.
"It doesn't matter. In fact I was looking for you lieutenant."
"What do you mean lieutenant? I'm afraid you have the wrong person."
"No Sgt. Kinchloe sent me to find you." Oscar Schneider said quietly, looking up and down the deserted street. "He asked me to find you after I had changed the dogs at Stalag 13 tonight. Unfortunately Heidi is sick."
"Kinch sent you? Well in that case, would you be able to give me a ride back to camp? I'm running a bit late."
"My truck is this way, if you don't mind the company of a few friendly dogs."
"I would love their company."
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"Thanks for sending Oscar after me. I didn't realize how late it was getting." Evans said. She handed Kinch the bags of shopping and climbed out of the hiding tunnel entrance that was conveniently hidden underneath the fireplace.
"I was starting to get worried. What kept you so long?"
"A girl and her shopping. You never know how long that will take, especially since this girl hasn't been shopping for months."
"You got a point there." Kinch placed all the bags gently on the floor in front of the table. "Colonel Hogan woke up, he was asking for you. I told him you were in the shower. You'll need this to put around your hair." He handed her damp towel.
"No looking in the bags." She said after wrapping the towel tightly around her hair, making a point to cover it entirely. "You better get back to the barracks, just in case you get a feeling you want to look inside."
"You spoil all my fun."
The door closed silently behind him and she turned to walk into the bedroom when she heard someone outside the building. For a moment she thought it was Klink coming to check on Hogan and making sure he was still there. Something he could be so annoying in that way. After looking out the window however, she found that Kinch tripping in the snow had caused the noise.
She closed the curtains once more and walked into the other room to find her brother sleeping again. She smiled. "Well looks like it's my turn to look after you. Not the other way around."
Sitting down in the armchair beside the bed, she started to write on the Christmas cards she had bought earlier. She had a few to write out and thought it was best to start with those, rather than wrapping the presents first.
