Author's Note: I don't own Hogan's Heroes. This is a fictional story any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.
Seven o'clock. Show time. Hogan thought as he glanced at his watch. LeBeau and Olsen had just started serving dinner. The hors d'oeuvres were demolished by Klink and Schultz. Hogan could barely eat. He kept letting his mind drift towards his men. When the explosion went off he had to keep Hochstetter distracted. He had told the rest of the men in barracks two to create a distraction by starting small fires through out the camp.
"Not hungry, Hogan?" Hochstetter asked smoothly, "Surely, you must like rillettes."
"Still thinking about my meeting." Hogan turned from Hochstetter, to Klink, "Kommandant, I really should be at the meeting. You see, I'm the one that punches the holes in all their plans."
"Really?" Klink asked in amazement, "I thought you didn't like it here."
Hochstetter rolled his eyes.
"Of course, Kommandant, You're the iron fist." Hogan said emphatically, "Why, you're the toughest Kommandant in all of Germany. Don't you agree, Major Hochstetter?"
Klink was beaming, the compliment going to his head. He quickly deflated, however, when Hochstetter responded.
"No. If Germany has anymore officers like him, we'll lose the war."
Hogan grinned as Klink took a big swallow of his wine.
1****************************************1
Back at the barracks , in the tunnel, the rest of the heroes where getting ready for their missions. Carter was going over the explosives with Kinch, Baker was gathering the hand-held radios, and Newkirk was loading the pistols.
"There." Carter finished. "Is that clear?"
"Yeah, Carter, I got it." Kinch replied, "We'd better get going. Newkirk, you ready?"
Newkirk nodded, still feeling very uneasy, "Carter, are you sure you wouldn't rather blow the rail line?"
"You think I can't talk to the lady." Carter said angrily, "You think I'll just louse it up."
Newkirk held his hands up, "I didn't say that. Your part of the mission is the most dangerous. I was just giving you the chance to switch, that's all."
Carter relaxed a bit, "Sorry. No, I don't want to switch."
Carter glanced at his watch.
Seven fifteen.
1**********************************************1
Hogan looked at his watch, then at his salmon. He picked at it distractedly.
Half an hour 'til the meeting. The guys might've left by now.
No matter how much he tried not to, all he could think about was what could go wrong.
The scenarios played out in his head. Until Klink's comment pulled him into the conversation.
"It's a shame General Lutzen couldn't make it." Klink said taking a bite of his salmon, "He said something about catching a spy."
Hogan paled, "Uh, Kommandant, would you excuse me? I'd like to have a word with LeBeau."
"Why?" Hochstetter asked, suspiciously.
"My fish isn't done properly." Hogan lied, picking his plate up.
Klink waved him off, "Very well. Oh, let him know a don't want my steak with any pink in the middle. Well cooked."
"Of course, Kommandant." Hogan said as he got up, hurriedly. While on his way into the kitchen he bumped into Olsen.
"Something wrong, Sir?" Olsen had noticed Hogan's lack of colour, and was concerned. Hogan brushed past him and into the kitchen. He set the plate down. LeBeau looked at him, also with concern.
"What's wrong, Colonel?" He asked.
Hogan gripped LeBeau's elbow, pulling him to the door. "Go stop Carter. The meeting's a trap."
"Oui." LeBeau took off at a run.
"Olsen, serve the next course." Hogan straightened his face, took a deep breath, and went back into the dinning room.
"Did you get it sorted?" Hochstetter asked.
"Of course" Hogan smiled affably, "Sergeant Olsen's serving the next course in a moment."
1*************************************1
LeBeau ran out of Klink's kitchen, as fast as his short legs could carry him. He reached barracks two and flung open the door. The men left in barracks two looked up in surprise.
"Where's Carter?" LeBeau asked anxiously. One of the men pointed to the tunnel entrance. "Mercy." LeBeau said as he ran over and slapped the trigger release. The bunk flew up and the ladder dropped down. He hurriedly descended, hopping he could catch them before the left. As he entered the radio room he saw Baker sitting at the radio fiddling with the knobs.
"Where's Carter?" he asked.
"All three of them left about fifteen minutes ago." Baker replied.
LeBeau groaned, "They left early. I'll never catch up to them now."
"Why? What's wrong?" Baker asked.
"It's a set up. A trap." LeBeau replied, feeling sick, "Baker, tell London to stand by. Le Colonel will probably want to be ready to evacuate."
Baker nodded. Turning the radio on, he started to call into the microphone, "Papa Bear calling Goldilocks, come in, Goldilocks."
LeBeau turned and went back to the ladder. Climbing slowly, he thought about his comrades. Poor André. Newkirk should have gone to the meeting, at least he'd have a chance of spotting the set up. He stopped briefly to tell the men from barracks two to be ready to evacuate, if need be. He also told them to spread the word to the other barracks. They solemnly went to do as the were told.
1*************************************1
Newkirk, Kinch, and Carter were making their way stealthily through the woods. They had just reached the fork in the path, when they paused for a short break. Newkirk looked down at his watch. Seven Thirty. Fifteen minutes 'til the moment of truth. He looked over at Carter. I 'ope 'e can 'andle it. In a whisper, he said,
"You ready, Andrew?"
Carter nodded.
"Don't take chances. If it looks like a trap, pull back. We'll meet back here at eight. No later than eight ten." Kinch told him.
Carter started down his path which led to the farmhouse. He turned back when Newkirk called softly to him.
"Andrew, try not ta get captured, 'ey?"
Carter grinned and waved, before he set out once more.
Newkirk looked at Kinch, "I should be goin' not 'im."
Kinch smiled as he started down the other path, "The Colonel selected him for a reason."
Newkirk snorted, "Right, do you 'onestly think 'e'll see a trap before 'e steps in it? The Gestapo will catch 'im and then what?"
Kinch shook his head in amusement, "Careful, Newkirk, someone might start thinking you care."
"Shh, we're gettin' close ta the rail line." Newkirk whispered, stiffly.
1**************************************1
Carter slowed when he spotted the farmhouse ahead. He glanced at his watch. Seven forty-one. four minutes.
He studied the tree line, he didn't see anything, however, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Something about this didn't feel right. He gripped his pistol in his hand, tightly. I sure hope Newkirk's wrong. He started forward, cautiously.
Carter stepped out of the trees and into the clearing, covering the ground quickly. He stepped onto the porch and over to the door, opening it quietly. Stepping in to the room, he looked around. Looks like is hasn't be lived in for years. Huh, this looks like our house in Bullfrog. The fire place is in the same spot.
Carter was distracted by the sudden memories of home. He failed to notice he wasn't alone.
"Where is Papa Bear?"
Carter spun around, finger on the trigger, he relaxed, slightly, when he saw it was a woman with platinum blonde hair.
"Are you Miss Lutzen?" He asked.
The woman looked puzzled, "No, I am not."
1**************************************1
LeBeau entered the kitchen, looking as if he'd been aged ten years.
"Did you stop him?" Olsen asked, anxiously.
"Non, they left early." LeBeau looked at Olsen, sorrowfully, "Let the Colonel know. I have the men and London on stand-by."
Olsen nodded and grabbed the plate of beef and went in to the dining room. He started serving Hochstetter, then he moved to Klink, and finally he approached Hogan's place. He pretended to stumble resulting in Hogan's beef being spilled down the front of Hogan's uniform. Hogan jumped up.
"I'm so sorry, Colonel." Olsen apologized, profusely. "Here, step into the kitchen and I'll help you clean up."
Hogan followed him into the kitchen, "What's up? LeBeau, did you get to Carter?"
LeBeau shook his head sadly. Hogan closed his eyes for a moment. When he finally opened them again, he looked down at his watch. Seven forty. Five minutes. Turning, he said simply, "Get the camp ready to evacuate."
1******************************************1
Kinch was digging along the track, placing the charge, mounding the dirt on top of it. Meanwhile, Newkirk was keeping hold of the wire and keeping a look-out for kraut patrols. He looked down at his watch. Seven forty-seven. The train should be here any minute. We need to get back to the cover of the woods. In the distance they heard the train whistle.
"Done, let's get back to the woods." Kinch said as he took the line from Newkirk.
They ran to the shelter of the woods and hurriedly connected the detonator to the line. The had just finished when the train came into view. In less than a minute the train was over the explosives and Kinch pushed the plunger down. A bright flash of light and a loud boom rocked the ground, followed by several more explosions. Kinch and Newkirk were already disconnecting the plunger and gathering up the rest of the line. They had just turned for home when the heard rustling in the woods and voices hollering in German. They glanced at each other momentarily, both thinking the same thing.
Kraut patrol.
1**********************************************1
Carter tensed, "Who are you?"
The woman, still frowning, asked, "Where is Papa Bear?"
Carter studied her and his lips pressed together in a thin line, "He couldn't make it, sent me instead. Now, who are you?"
She observed him carefully, then she revealed, underneath the coat, she was holding a small pistol. "I'll ask again, where is Papa Bear?"
P.S. This was quite possibly the toughest thing I've ever written. If I've made any mistakes, please feel free to tell me. I have one more chapter written after this one, it will be posted shortly; however, after that, the posts may be less frequent. My apologies, but C'est la vie. Enjoy the story. 3