Author's Note: I don't own Hogan's Heroes. This is a fictional story, any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.
Hogan had spent the last hour or so watching Carter and Kinch play cards in the radio room. He paced and worried. Even if Newkirk's plan works and they both get back alive, Lutzen will be able to recognize four of my men. Although he was disturbed at that thought, another one troubled him more, If they don't get back it won't take Hochstetter long to connect everything back to here. He was trying to form a plan to combat the probable discovery when the radio came to life,
Robin Hood calling Papa Bear.
Kinch snatched the microphone, "Go ahead, Robin Hood."
Both of Papa's baby bears are on their way back to the den.
Hogan closed his eyes as a wave of relief washed over him. He barely heard Kinch ask whether they were all right. Robin said they seemed to be fine and then signed off.
"Gee, that's great." Carter said, enthusiastically, "Newkirk's plan worked."
Kinch grinned "And Louis and Peter are both safe."
"They aren't safe." Hogan said, quietly, "None of us are."
"Colonel?" Kinch asked, confused.
Hogan sat on the edge of the table, "Kinch, you are the only one Lutzen doesn't know, by sight."
Carter's happy mood visibly deflated and Kinch looked troubled. They sat for several hours throwing plans around and shooting them down. It was about an hour until roll call and Newkirk and LeBeau still had not arrived when Olsen called down into the tunnel,
"Hochstetter pulled through the gate and went straight to Klink's office."
Hogan, Kinch, and Carter climbed the ladder and replaced the bunk, just as Schultz came through the barracks door, shouting, "Colonel Hogan! Colonel..." he paused, "They are back, yes?"
Hogan shook his head, "Not yet, but they'll be here any minute."
"Major Hochstetter is here." Schultz said, not completely reassured, "The major wants to see you in the Kommandant's office."
Hogan ran a hand through his hair and grabbed his crush cap off the table where he'd thrown it several hours earlier, "After you, Sergeant."
Schultz chuckled at the colonel's formal bow, and lead the way to the kommandantur. Hogan backed out of the barracks pointing to his office. Kinch nodded and pushed Carter towards the officer's quarters. Baker was still there listening to Klink and Hochstetter's conversation. Over the speaker, they heard the door open. They heard their CO address Hochstetter and listened as he practically explained the whole operation. When he mentioned LeBeau, Carter was beside himself, "He knows everything." he looked to Kinch for reassurance, "What are we gonna do?"
Kinch told Baker to disconnect the coffee pot. He then moved quickly into the other room, "Carter, you and Olsen will use the decoy tunnel. Take Louis and Peter's uniforms, so they can get changed. Afterwards, all four of you run in different directions, but not so far that you won't be caught."
Carter nodded as Olsen followed him down to the tunnel. Carter wasn't entirely sure what Kinch's plan was, but he trusted Hogan's second-in-command completely. Kinch secured the bunk-entrance and quickly settled himself into his bunk willing his breathing to even. The door slammed open causing most of the prisoners to startle, many of them issuing loud complaints. Hochstetter shouted for silence, "Sergeant Schultz, you will conduct a bed check."
"At once!" Klink tacked on, trying to maintain an air of control. Hochstetter glared at him and he shrank back into his usual submissive state. Hogan glanced quickly around the room. When he did not see the faces of his European comrades, he met Kinch's gaze. The sergeant was completely calm despite being tense. Schultz continued his counting. He had just started counting the prisoners for a third time when Hochstetter stopped him, "Missing a Frenchman, perhaps?" his voice dripped with venom.
"N-n-no." Schultz stuttered. "Well, y-y-yes."
"Schultz, stop blathering." Klink cut in, "How can the answer be yes and no?"
"LeBeau is gone." Schultz clarified, "But so are Carter, Newkirk, and Olsen."
"What?!" Hochstetter and Klink exclaimed at the same time. Even Hogan looked surprised, but he recovered quickly and once again assumed his stoic expression. Klink started bawling Schultz out and ordered him to signal the alarm and release the dogs, to which the poor sergeant of the guard complied.
Hochstetter was already studying Hogan, "You know something about this." Hogan met his gaze. It wasn't a question, but a statement. Klink had also turned to the American. Hogan looked from one man to the other and then finally slumped against the wall in defeat.
"Yes, of course I do." he said, putting his head in his hands in an attempt to look broken up, "We've been planning this since that General Lutzen showed up."
"Colonel!" Kinch said, taking his commander's lead. He stood beside his bunk, "Sir, don't tell them a thing."
"Quiet!" Hochstetter barked, "Continue, Hogan."
"That man is frightening." Hogan said, doing his best to seem afraid, "Well, we knew what he was after."
"What was he after?" Klink asked, completely lost.
"The camp, sir." Hogan said, softly, "We've heard the stories about his kind."
Hochstetter crossed his arms over his chest, dubiously, "What kind?"
Hogan looked away, "The men that use the Geneva Convention as a suggestion. A suggestion that is to be discarded." he straightened, grabbing hold of Klink's arm, "Please understand, Kommandant. I had to do what was best for my men. You're a tough, but honorable man. Lutzen is a whole different ball game."
Klink, as usual, was flattered and nodded sagely. Hochstetter, on the other hand, still looked skeptical. "Why didn't you escape with them?" Hochstetter asked.
Hogan, expecting that one, hit it out of the park, "Because the kommandant ordered me to his office."
"You were allowed to come back several hours ago, why didn't you leave?" Hochstetter countered, searching for the flaw in the explanation.
"I'm no hero." Hogan said with conviction, "But I figured you'd be by to question me. I thought I could buy them some time."
"See how well that worked." Kinch mumbled just loud enough to be heard.
"How was I to know the major would have some cockamamie idea that we are all some spy called Papa Bear." Hogan snapped.
"How come you didn't go?" Hochstetter said, turning to Kinch, "Surely, if Lutzen is someone you all fear then you'd want to go."
"A black man on the run in Nazi Germany isn't likely to get far." Kinch said, feigning disgust, "I was considered a liability." Kinch glared at everyone in the room.
Hochstetter was still very unsure. The story sounded plausible, but he still felt certain that this was a trick. "Klink, put this barracks on complete lock down." Hochstetter said, finally selecting a course of action. "Take Hogan and Kinchloe to a cell and keep them under guard. Then search the rest of the barracks to see if anyone else is missing."
Klink, although he was annoyed by Hochstetter's interference, jumped into action and complied with all the commands. Hogan and Kinch were at the cooler door when they saw Newkirk and LeBeau being brought through the gate by Corporal Langenscheidt and two other men.
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Newkirk and LeBeau ditched the car about three miles away from the camp. They ran quickly through the woods for about twenty minutes. They were about a fifty yards from the tree stump, which served as the entrance to their tunnel, when LeBeau stopped abruptly.
"Listen." he said as softly as he could, "Hear it?"
Newkirk nodded, pulling his pistol from the shoulder holster. He and LeBeau shrunk further into the shadows. They tensed as two figures came into view. One of them said something to the other, but Newkirk couldn't make out what it was. Both figures stopped appearing to argue. Then Newkirk let out a sigh of relief as one of the figures turned toward him, "Andrew."
LeBeau and Newkirk both stepped closer trying not to alarm their friends. Carter caught sight of them first, "I'm sure glad to see you guys."
Olsen shoved Newkirk's uniform at him, "Get changed, quick."
LeBeau and Newkirk both grabbed their uniforms and changed as quickly as they could. Carter and Olsen took turns quietly telling them what was going on and what Kinch's instructions were. All four of them had finished their respective tasks when the camp alarm went off.
"Be careful, boy." Carter said, before taking off to the west, "Don't give them a reason to shoot."
Newkirk made a mental note as to where they hid the clothes and pistols before running to the east. LeBeau ran north-east and Olsen just ran north.
1********************************************1
When the boxcar was finally opened Lutzen exploded. He ranted and screamed at all his men and even the conductor and engineer. After he had released his anger as thoroughly as possible he turned to the engineer and ordered him to take the train back to Dusseldorf. The engineer nodded, running to do what the S.S officer wanted. They arrived at Dusseldorf around fifteen minutes later and Wilburt was sent to procure a truck.
Several hours later found Wilburt pulling into Gestapo headquarters in Hammelburg. Lutzen jumped down from the front seat and climbed the steps into the building. He didn't stop until he reached the holding cells. Approaching the young sergeant, who snapped to attention, he said in a brusque manner, "The spy that was brought in this morning, where is she?"
"Major Hochstetter ordered her into solitary confinement, Sir." was the sergeant's dutiful reply.
"Bring her to me." Lutzen said, coldly.
"Sir?" the sergeant asked, cautiously, "Do you have transfer papers?"
Lutzen turned a brilliant shade of purple, "You dare to question my authority?"
"N-n-no, sir" he replied, quickly, "The major left strict instructions that the prisoner was not to be released under any circumstances."
"I know this might be difficult for you to grasp." Lutzen said, condescendingly, "But a general out ranks a major."
"I understand, sir." The poor man said, as tactfully as he could, "But, with all due respect, you might be apart of the underground."
Lutzen grabbed the sergeant and encircled his neck in a tight grip. Unfortunately for the young sergeant there was no one around to stop the crazed general. Straightening, he found the keys to the cells and went in search of solitary. It took him no more than five minutes to locate Jocelyn and open the cell door. Jocelyn looked up in surprise and shrunk back in to the corner of her cell, desperately wishing she were invisible. Lutzen smiled, cruelly, "Come, my dear."
She shook her head, "No, please." she knew that look, it was the same one he was wearing when he was choking his corporal. He stepped closer and she screamed. Lutzen grabbed her by her hair and pulled her upright. Without saying a word, he struck her across the face. She quit screaming. She was too frightened to scream. She was too frightened to do anything.
Sensing that he'd won, Lutzen proceeded to drag her through the cell door, up passed the young man's still form, and out to the waiting truck. He placed her in the truck and ordered Wilburt to drive to the farmhouse.
1****************************************1
Newkirk and LeBeau were taken straight to Klink's office. Out of the corner of his eye, Newkirk saw Hogan and Kinch being lead to the cooler. He didn't have much time to dwell on it, because in no time they were standing in front of Hochstetter. Newkirk mulled over what Olsen had told them and proceeded carefully, "Morning, Major."
Hochstetter sat down on the edge of Klink's desk while it's owner launched into a tirade.
"Shut up, Klink." Hochstetter said, calmly turning his attention to LeBeau, "You were seen in the Dusseldorf Hotel last night."
LeBeau met his scrutinizing look, "That is a lie."
Klink went to pieces, "Corporal! Major, he didn't mean to say that." wringing his hands, he added, "Everyone knows the Gestapo is incredibly honorable and trustworthy."
Hochstetter rolled his eyes and continued, "We have the girl you were so fond of."
LeBeau fought to control the emotions that sprang up. Newkirk looked at his friend and stepped in quickly, "We didn't see any birds." he winked at Klink, "Wish we 'ad, though."
Hochstetter chuckled causing both prisoners and kommandant to gape at him. Klink edged closer to the laughing man and said, cautiously, "Are you all right, Major?"
Hochstetter was still grinning when the phone rang and he picked it up, "Major Hochstetter, speaking." Hochstetter listened for a couple of minutes and the smile disappeared from his face, "What?!" he stood.
Newkirk and LeBeau exchanged a glance. Hochstetter started speaking quickly. If Newkirk didn't know any better, he'd think Hochstetter was panicking. "Put the town on lock-down. Absolutely no one in or out, except on my approval."
Hochstetter pressed down on the switch hook and the operator answered.
Number, please.
"Get me Berlin." he said, "Immediately."
"What is it?" Klink asked, thoroughly concerned.
"Klink, don't just stand there." Hochstetter snapped, "Take those men to the cooler and then inform your men that they are to be looking for General Lutzen."
"Lutzen?" Klink was puzzled, "Why? We still have two escaped prisoners."
Hochstetter spun and covered the phone with his hand, "Lutzen takes priority. He's murdered one of my men and kidnapped a prisoner."
LeBeau went pale, causing his friend to grab his arm. Hochstetter ordered the shocked Klink to move, which the kommandant did. He ordered Langenscheidt to place them in the cooler then went to the radio and let his searching guards know their new objective. Langenscheidt pushed the two men out of the Kommandantuer and towards the cooler meeting Schultz who was returning with Olsen.
The corporal quickly filled Schultz in and the sergeant, after hearing the word murderer, ordered Langenscheidt to turn his prisoners over to him and return to the manhunt.
Newkirk, Olsen and LeBeau all filed into the cooler. Newkirk quickly grabbed Olsen's arm and pulled him into the cell containing Hogan. LeBeau started to protest but Hogan's look silenced him and he allowed himself to be placed with Kinch.
Schultz smiled, "All we have to do now is find Carter and all will be home safe and sound." Schultz posted himself at the outside door just out of hearing range. He knew, from experience, that Hogan was probably up to monkey business and it was best to know nothing.
Hogan went to the wall that separated the two cells and knelt to one knee. Newkirk and Olsen joined him as he pried open a small, hidden door. "LeBeau? Kinch?" he said, softly.
Almost immediately, an angry Frenchman had plastered himself to the tiny opening and was giving Newkirk a tongue-lashing. Newkirk fired back with his own sarcastic retorts.
"Hold it, LeBeau." Hogan said, keeping his voice lowered, "Newkirk, enough. What happened?"
Olsen being the only one in the know who wasn't worked up, told Hogan and Kinch about Lutzen and his prisoner and Hochstetter's manhunt.
"Now that animal has Jocelyn." LeBeau said, angrily, "And my friend, Pierre, makes sure that I'm in the cell without a tunnel entrance."
Hogan raised an eyebrow, "You know her?"
"They were almost engaged." Newkirk said, quietly saying to LeBeau, "I did it for your own good. You're too close to 'er."
Hogan pinched the bridge of his nose. Great. She knows LeBeau and Lutzen will break her in no time. Hogan stood and started to pace, while the two Europeans continued to bicker, "Louis, we'll get 'er back." Newkirk tried to reassure him, "You're emotional and emotional people make mistakes."
"And you're not?" LeBeau countered and added angrily, "I'm not the one who froze, mon Ami."
The two cells went completely still and all eyes were focused on Newkirk, who looked like he'd been slapped. Hogan reached out and placed a hand on the Brit's shoulder, "Newkirk?"
Newkirk shook loose from the American's grip and stood face-to-face, "Yes, I froze. I 'adn't seen 'im in two months. What did you expect? I'm 'uman." he looked away, "If LeBeau 'adn't been there, Robi and I would've been on our way to Berlin."
"Okay, take it easy, Newkirk" Hogan sighed,"The good news is, Lutzen seems to be working with my plan to get rid of him. Bad news, he has the only person who knows where the film is."
"Colonel, we can't let him hurt her." LeBeau said, his voice practically begging him to act.
"Then I guess we have to get her." Hogan said, simply.
"What about the krauts?" Kinch reminded him, "The woods are full of them."
Hogan started to pace, "You're right. We couldn't do anything unless we knew where they were."
"Why not?" LeBeau ran a hand through his hair, "Colonel, please."
Olsen was studying Newkirk closely and finally spoke, "I think you know where they are."
Newkirk met his gaze and nodded slowly, "Yeah."
"How?" Hogan inquired.
"If 'e killed that guard then 'e's on the run from 'is own kind." Newkirk reasoned, "And 'e'll need some place quiet and out of the way to deal with 'er."
"Where, Pierre?" LeBeau pushed.
"The farm 'ouse."
Hogan started to pace and started to form another plan. Olsen stood and gripped Newkirk, "Are you sure?"
"It's the only thing that makes sense." Newkirk answered.
Olsen swallowed, "Sir, Andrew went west."
Newkirk's eyes widened as he remembered, "The farmhouse is due west of 'ere." then he shook his head, "'E won't go there."
"Are you sure?" Olsen almost whispered.
Newkirk started to say something but stopped and shook his head.
"Good." Hogan said, "If Carter went to the farmhouse then the guards won't be far behind him."
Hogan sounded self-assured but inside he was praying fervently.
1*****************************************1
Carter was picking his way through the forest not even bothering to run. He had jogged for a little while. He wasn't really headed in any direction or to anything. He thought back to when he was a child growing up in North Dakota. He used to run through woods very similar to these. He was surprised when he looked up, to find himself in front of the farmhouse.
He walked up the steps, slowly. The memories of a pretty girl with white-blonde hair and frightened blue eyes flooded his mind when he stepped through the door. Carter walked through the sitting room and into the kitchen. He noticed that both rooms were almost spotless.
This isn't right. When we rescued Peter, this place was filthy. Cobwebs everywhere. He stopped at the cellar as a terrible thought entered his mind. They kept using the farmhouse. He knew there was only one way to be sure. Taking a deep breath, he lit a kerosene lamp and went down the steps. As he surveyed the room, he felt sick. Sick and angry. Why do people like this exist?
Carter couldn't reason it. Growing up, he'd seen animals attack people and other animals, alike; however, unlike Lutzen, they had a reason. They were hurt or cornered. He'd seen men beaten at Stalag Five. That was his first experience with men like Lutzen. Men who treated their prisoners as objects, rather than human beings.
Carter struggled with the memories that almost consumed him. The fear of Stalag Five. That's what he'd named that feeling, a mixture of fear, hopelessness, and anger. He'd thought that all krauts were like that, then he'd met Schultz. Carter startled when he heard boots on the floor above him. Lutzen.
He placed the lantern on the table and blew out the flame. Moving through the darkness as quietly as he could, he found the stairs and located the little nook in which Newkirk had hidden. As the door opened above him, he attempted to melt into the cellar wall.
P.S. Hello! I'm back on schedule. I apologize if this chapter was little more brutal; however, it was the most logical step for Lutzen's character. I promise everything will end justly.
Anyhoo, if you have any questions, comments, or criticisms write a review or send me a PM. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Much love!
