No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred. Copyright belongs to others and no infringement is intended.
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Hogan came back into the barracks slowly after evening roll call, contemplating the compound around him, seeming to sum up the barbed wire, the guards, the dogs, the life they were forced to live under the watchful eyes of the enemy. He looked as though he were going to turn in, and even started to gesture good night to the men, when he stopped, still deep in thought, and turned to the others.
"I'm… considering London's proposal," he said slowly. Le Beau and Kinch looked at each other. Newkirk watched Hogan carefully. "There's an awful lot we could do… if we could just get past all the impossibilities." He stopped, still thinking aloud. "But I'm not convinced—yet. I'd like to test out the theory."
"How do you mean, Colonel?" asked Kinch.
"When are we due to talk with London again?"
"Tomorrow night."
"I want to try something—something small. Something we can do with what we have—just the radio, the tunnel, and the flashlight Newkirk stole from Corporal Langenscheidt one night while he was tied up with the poker game."
"Now, gov'nor, 'stole' is such a harsh word!" Newkirk protested lightly.
"Well, helped yourself to, then," Hogan grinned. "In any case, he couldn't report it missing because a guard isn't supposed to be playing poker with the prisoners in the first place."
"Pleased to be of service, sir," Newkirk said with mock modesty.
"What kind of job are you thinking of, Colonel?" asked Le Beau.
"Whatever suits—what intrigues me most is the idea of helping prisoners get out of here. I'm all for intelligence and blowing up bridges… but if some of our guys are out there on the run, I'd like to get them to safety as quickly as possible." Hogan paused, remembering. "It's not much fun being out there on your own. It's frightening. And at this time of year it's easier to freeze overnight as well."
"We'll have to make contact with the Underground to get someone out, Colonel," Kinch said.
"We'll have a chat with Herr Schnitzer when he comes in to change the dogs tomorrow. Schultz tries to keep me away from him; thinks I'm furious with him for turning me in. So it'll have to be one of you guys. Newkirk, can you handle it?"
"I think so, sir," Newkirk replied, hesitantly.
"Le Beau, you run diversion; Schultz is easy enough to distract when you and your cooking are around."
"Oui, Colonel."
"Kinch, when we talk to London, I'll need to have a few choice words with them. I'd prefer to do that alone. Can you show me what to do to run that thing?"
Kinch chuckled, then stopped when he contemplated what Hogan might be saying to his superiors. "Sure, Colonel."
"Colonel," started Newkirk, uncertainly, "don't you want to get out of here? You've already tasted freedom once; don't you want to try again?"
Hogan thought for a minute before answering. He saw confusion, mixed with a bit of disappointment, in Newkirk's face. And if he wasn't mistaken he even saw a bit of fear. "Of course I want to get out. I want to get back in the sky—I want to make sure my crew didn't die for nothing." He stopped, still upset about the loss of his men. "You know, I was scared to death out there. When I was shot down and when I had escaped. On unfamiliar terrain, knowing I was being hunted down—you fellas went through the same thing." They nodded, uncomfortable, their own memories willing themselves to the fore. "Three of my men are missing. It haunts me that they were probably stalked to their deaths by those Nazi bastards. How different would it have been if they had suddenly found themselves in friendly hands instead? Maybe this would be a way to tell them thank you…and sorry." Hogan's voice had grown quieter over the course of his discourse, and now he stood, staring at his hands. "Anyway, that's—what's been going through my mind. I know it's probably insane, but…what if we could pull it off? What if we could?"
The others remained quiet for a few moments, still lost in their own past. Newkirk spoke first, kicking an invisible piece of dirt on the floor. "We lost a couple of fellas when we were shot down, too," he mumbled. "I guess it would be good to pull one over on the Krauts," he added grudgingly.
"Every logical part of my brain is saying this is crazy, Colonel," said Kinch. He shook his head, amused at himself. "But every other part of me says it's worth a shot. I'm going to stop listening to my brain."
"Oui, and I owe it to my beloved France to do something against the filthy Bosch who have humiliated her. I will stand with you, Colonel," Le Beau added.
Hogan nodded. "Okay," he said quietly, gratefully, still almost speechless when he faced men of such high caliber. "There's an awful lot of stuff to work out. Let's see if we can make this work."
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Hogan came out of the tunnel, flushed and irritated. Kinch had left him to his own devices when General Butler got on the air, gesturing for Newkirk and Le Beau to follow him back up the ladder. They tried not to listen as they heard murmuring turn into a full-fledged argument before calmness reigned again. Kinch shook his head, bemused. Only Hogan could get away with back-answering a General. Then again, he thought, considering what Allied High Command was asking of him, perhaps Hogan was justified in letting off some steam first.
"The Underground reports there's to be an escape attempt from Stalag 9 tomorrow night," Hogan said, betraying none of the wide range of emotions he had expressed downstairs. "London wants us to collect as many of the prisoners as possible, bring them here, and then organize getting them back out of camp to the Underground so they can be shipped back to England. They've been given a recognition code so we'll know who they are."
Newkirk nodded. "So that's the test run?" he asked.
"Looks like it," Hogan said. "When they get out they won't have any place to go; it'd be dangerous for the Underground to try to find them in the woods. They've been told to head toward Stalag 13; then it's up to us."
"Sounds intriguing," Kinch said.
"This could become a routine for us," Hogan agreed. "But I don't want these first guys to be dead guinea pigs; we'll have to get it right."
"So by the time we do it ourselves, it'll be perfect," Newkirk grinned.
Hogan smiled. "Right."
"You're all clear on the plan?"
"Colonel, no offense, sir, but we went through it four times this afternoon and twice before roll call. If we aren't clear on it now, we're nitwits!"
"You're right, you're right," Hogan said, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. "I'm just..."
"Anxious?" Kinch finished. Hogan nodded, resigned. "Don't worry, Colonel; we're all nervous. But the plan is good. We'll be fine."
"We'll see," Hogan answered, as he went back into the barracks.
"He is remembering," Le Beau guessed.
"Why wouldn't he?" Newkirk said. "I just can't believe he came back the first time—now he's looking at leaving and coming back again."
"It's what London wants," Kinch said. "Imagine," he added, shaking his head, "telling a downed flyer that it's a stroke of luck to find him in a prison camp. That they can use him where he is. They make it sound like this is a holiday resort. No wonder he had words with them before saying he'd try it."
"I don't know; it all still sounds a bit too bloody impossible," Newkirk said. "One mistake and you're shot by the Germans. At least the way we are now, we can stay out of their way… or close to Schultz, anyway."
"D'accord," Le Beau agreed. "But I still think it's worth trying. I can't help but like the idea of working right under their noses. They are too blind to anyone but themselves."
"We'd better get inside," Kinch said. "There's a lot to do before bed check. And then, we've got no time to waste… and no time for doubts."