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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Major Hochstetter made his way into camp a few hours later, just as the prisoners were being dismissed from the noon roll call. His normally immaculate black uniform was smeared with mud, and his cap was missing. He was limping badly, leaning on a walking stick he'd made from a broken tree limb, and moved slowly across the compound, not stopping as he finally struggled up the stairs and disappeared into the Kommandant's office.

Hogan saw the spectacle as he turned his face against the biting wind and ceaseless snowfall. "Well, well, well. Looks like someone's had a bad morning," he said, blinking the snowflakes off his eyelashes.

"There's a sight to warm the cockles of me heart, gents." Newkirk grinned as he watched the bedraggled Gestapo officer go into Klink's office. "Looks like he had a bit of an accident."

Kinch shrugged as he turned away from the wind. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

"Let's listen in," Hogan suggested. He ushered his men back inside and, trying to get warm in the thin heat of the barracks, they turned on the coffee pot in Hogan's office to hear the tirade that followed.

Klink blustered his way up to the porch, transfixed by the sight of the bedraggled Gestapo officer. He had never seen Hochstetter turned out in less than perfect order—until now. "Major Hochstetter, what happened? Are you injured?"

Hochstetter merely glared at Klink and pushed past him with a snarl and a swing of his walking stick. He stomped into Klink's office and fell into a chair. "Klink!"

Klink stopped a split second to consider what was coming before returning to his office. "Coming, Major!"

Hochstetter put Klink in his place before the Colonel even had a chance to fully enter the room. "Lock that up at once!" he ordered, yanking the code book out of his pocket and thrusting it at his quarry. "It will be worth your life if something happens to it before it gets to Berlin! Do I make myself clear, Kommandant?"

Klink took the book and scurried over to the safe. His first attempt at working the lock failed due to his trembling hands. Hochstetter's threat was perfectly clear, and he desperately hoped that nothing would happen while the book was his responsibility. "What happened, Major?"

"My driver lost control and crashed the car. He didn't survive." Hochstetter shrugged. "Just as well," he added, still seething; "it saves me the trouble of having him shot." The Major peeled off his muddy gloves and tossed them on the floor. "His incompetence left me with a five mile hike since there aren't any other vehicles out in this weather, and this was the closest place I could get to." His face took on a sneer of distaste as he added, "That means I shall have to remain here until the roads clear. Believe me when I say that I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do."

"No of course not, Major." Klink stopped, realizing how that might sound. "But you know the Gestapo is always welcome here!"

Back in the barracks, Hogan shook his head and sighed. "Always the charmer," he commented. "Well at least one thing's gone to plan lately. I suppose I should make an appearance in Klink's office, just so the Major doesn't feel ignored."

"Give him my regards, Colonel, and tell him I'll try harder next time 'round." Newkirk took a sip of coffee and smirked.

Hochstetter didn't bother to answer the Kommandant; he just stared at Klink as the Colonel took refuge behind his desk. Klink picked up the phone and asked his secretary to make arrangements for the guest quarters to be made ready, stuttering a little under the Major's intense scrutiny.

"Make sure you post a guard outside your office, Klink," Hochstetter added. "We don't want any unwelcome visitors to come around, do we?"

The Gestapo officer was beginning to struggle out of his chair when the door to the office swung open and Hogan appeared. "I need to speak with you, Kommandant," Hogan started. He was stopped by a growl nearby and turned to see Hochstetter rising up toward him. Hogan put on an innocent smile of delight. "Back so soon, Major?" he asked, brushing some of the snow off of his jacket and shaking out his cap.

"What is this man doing here?" Hochstetter pushed the words out through his clenched teeth.

Hogan pretended not to see Hochstetter's face turning redder and said, "I need to talk to the Kommandant about the snow."

"Yes, Hogan, there is snow, it is snowing, dismissed." Klink waved his hand at the American to get him to go away.

"Well, I know that, sir," Hogan said, still holding his dripping crush cap. "It's just that the men feel terrible that they couldn't dig out the truck, sir. The snow just kept coming, and I couldn't let my men stay out in a blizzard. Only a fool would be… out in this… weather," he finished slowly, letting the implied insult sink in as he turned his gaze toward Hochstetter. "Anyway, I hope we can still get to the Red Cross packages, Colonel."

"We have more important things to worry about, Hogan," Klink answered. "Major Hochstetter is stranded here until the storm subsides and the roads can be cleared."

"Oh, that is a shame," Hogan answered. "Maybe the Major would like to join us in the Rec Hall for a movie tonight?"

"May I remind you, Colonel Hogan, that your men are still in a punishment period? There will be no movie tonight." Klink shook his head, then suddenly reached forward on his desk, snatching up the humidor. He gave Hogan an annoyed look as he wiped away the water that had dripped onto it from the American's cap.

"Aw, come on, Kommandant!" Hogan replied in protest. "The men have been out in the freezing weather, trying to please you! And you won't even spend a little time with them! After all, they just want to know they have your affection, sir. You're like a father figure to them, and they were doing all that work to make you happy. You could at least put forth a gesture of your own, like leaving the lights on that much longer." Hogan pulled his crush cap to his chest in an expression of sincerity. "Please, Kommandant. They're cold. They're lonely. They need someone to look up to."

Klink put the humidor at the side of his desk, glanced up at Hogan, and frowned a little. "Isn't that your responsibility as the senior Prisoner of War officer? You are their leader, after all."

Hogan swallowed hard and closed his eyes against the sick feeling he was getting just thinking about what he was about to say. Then he opened his eyes and with an earnest expression said, "Well it is, sir, but they could never look up to me the way they do you. After all, you're the Kommandant, and I'm… just a prisoner, sir. A man behind barbed wire. A man without hope. You, on the other hand… you are a man who can come and go as you please. A man who rules with an iron fist… but who can afford every now and then to use a velvet glove." Hogan leaned in toward the German officer, who was looking at him in amazement. "Use that glove now, Kommandant. You know the men need it."

Hochstetter leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the American officer's face, taking in every nuance of what the man was saying. Both Colonels would have been disgusted by the look of predatory delight in the Major's eyes had they seen it. Fortunately, they were paying more attention to each other than to the Gestapo officer.

The Kommandant leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand thoughtfully across his chin. Hogan's words clearly had an effect on him as they sank in, turning the German's slight frown into a pleased smile. "The iron fist in the velvet glove, eh? Yes, perhaps you are right, Hogan. Your men did make an effort this morning to clear away the snow, and since we cannot get to the Red Cross packages today as promised, I will allow this movie to be shown tonight instead."

"Coddling prisoners again, Klink?" Hochstetter glared at the German officer, then turned his gaze onto Hogan, taking a hellish delight in the American's humbled stance. He didn't believe it for one minute; in his mind, Hogan was the most dangerous man in all of Germany. But that didn't stop him from enjoying the man's groveling.

"It's hardly coddling to make sure the prisoners have enough activity to hold off frostbite inside the barracks!" Hogan retorted sharply. "And the boys love Byron Buckles." He turned back to Klink, his eyes pleading like a schoolboy asking for a sweet before supper. "Will you join us, Colonel? Please? It would mean the world to the men."

"Well... all right, Hogan, if you think it will mean that much to them." Klink's reluctance was mostly an act. He wanted very much to see the latest Byron Buckles picture, but he felt he had to put on a show of disdain for Hochstetter. Klink turned to the Gestapo officer with an ingratiating smile. "You see, if I attend the movie, Major Hochstetter, I can keep a close watch on the prisoners, and if there's any trouble, I will be right there to deal with it!"

"Yes, but who will be watching you, Kommandant?" Hochstetter glared at Hogan. "I will be at the movies tonight as well."

Hogan returned Hochstetter's look with one of innocence. "I didn't know you were a Byron Buckles fan, Major."

"I'm not!" Hochstetter exploded. "But if you are going to the pictures, then I am going to the pictures… because I will keep an eye on you instead of on some slick, useless American film hero!"

Hogan put his cap back on and grinned. "Looking forward to it! See you at eight!"

He flipped a salute to Klink and beat it out of the office before anyone could change their minds.

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"Okay, we've got Klink out of the way," Hogan said as he entered his office a few minutes later.

"But what about Hochstetter?" Kinch asked.

Hogan shrugged with his eyebrows. "He'll be keeping an eye on me. We'll just have to make sure he gets a bit distracted." The Colonel shook his arms to force the remaining snow onto the floor, and removed his cap, running a hand through his wet hair. "So tonight's gotta be the night. The storm is slowing down; he could leave as early as tomorrow. You fellas think you can keep Hochstetter busy long enough for me to sneak into Klink's office for a go at the safe?"

"How long do you think you'll need, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

Hogan got a towel from his locker and started drying his hair. "I'm not sure yet. Ten, fifteen minutes is about the most I think I can ask for. Hochstetter said he'll post a guard outside Klink's office, so we're going to need a distraction. Carter, can I count on you for that?" He sneezed, then wrinkled his nose to stop another one from coming, and put his cap back on.

"You betcha!" Carter grinned, then caught himself long enough to tack on a hurried "Sir."

"What about me, Colonel? I can always make another batch of strudel by tonight." Le Beau frowned. He was willing to do his part, but he didn't relish the idea of feeding even more of his fine cuisine to the dirty Boches instead of his friends.

Hogan nodded. "Well, that'll keep Schultz out of the way, anyway. But I have a feeling he's not going to be the guard Hochstetter puts outside that door." He let out a deep sigh and looked almost carelessly around the room. "Kinch, make sure our smallest camera is ready for me. Newkirk—later on I'm going to need you to tell me how you do what you do, so I can attempt to do it."

"Yes, sir," Newkirk answered, his eyes reflecting obvious unhappiness.

Hogan gestured vaguely toward the door. "Okay, that's it. You've got your assignments. I need some time to think. I'll see you in time for supper."

Carter and Le Beau filed out the door, the Sergeant already chattering about how they could work their distraction. Le Beau smiled as he listened, knowing he'd have to let his friend wind down a bit before they could begin to plan in earnest.

As the others went into the common room, Kinch gave Hogan a thoughtful look. The Colonel was taking the hardest part of the plan for himself, as usual. That was as much a part of the man's nature as not forgiving himself for losing the code book in the first place, even though it couldn't have been helped. In the end, all the rest of them could do was take some of the pressure off Hogan, if he'd let them.

Hogan caught Kinch studying him, and looked back steadily. Not angrily, Kinch realized, but rather, almost appreciatively. But the Sergeant could see that his commanding officer wasn't about to back down from his orders, so he simply nodded his acceptance and left the office.

Newkirk had a few ideas of his own about Hogan's plan, and while he often quite willingly played Devil's Advocate, he knew there was a right time and a wrong time to step into the role. Not the right time now, that's for certain. Bloody stubborn officer, got his mind made up and expecting us to just go along with him. Best do as he says, at least for now.

Newkirk stood and followed Kinch out without saying a word.