Author's Note: I don't own Hogan's Heroes. This is a fictional story any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.
To Marie1964: It won't let me respond to your comment; However, I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Hopefully you'll enjoy where I take it next ;)
The common room was so quiet you could've heard a pin drop. Carter, Kinch, Olsen and LeBeau sat at the table waiting for Hogan to share his plan.
Hogan poured himself a cup of coffee, he knew what he was about to ask his men to do was extremely risky.
"This mission will be dangerous. The odds of us pulling this off, aren't great." He said, seriously , "This mission is completely voluntary. I won't think any less of any of you, if you don't want to be part of it."
"I think we can all agree, we'll do what ever it takes to get Peter back." Kinch said, with conviction. Carter and LeBeau nodded their agreement. Olsen grinned, "Whatever you need, I'll give."
I really do have the best command. He looked down at his coffee mug and quickly took a sip to hide the smile on his lips.
Clearing his throat, Hogan started his briefing.
"Carter, you need a new uniform." Hogan said turning to him.
"I do?" Carter asked.
"Yes, you see, you're a general in the Abwehr." Hogan replied, "And you have an operation going on, approved by Herr Hitler, for releasing phony information to the Allies through escaping prisoners. You are very upset that the Gestapo have interfered."
"Oh boy!" Carter said, with enthusiasm. The only thing Carter enjoyed as much as explosives was playing the role of outraged German general.
"Olsen, you're his aide. You're job will be to convince them that they don't want to cross Carter. Play up his connection to Hitler and the Abwehr's muscle." Hogan said to Olsen, who looked nervous.
"Uh, isn't that more your role, sir?" Olsen said, "I mean, you're a better manipulator than I am."
"Lutzen knows me. I couldn't disguise myself enough to fool him. Don't worry, it's not as hard as it looks." Hogan assured him. Turning to Kinch, he continued, "Did you get the information, that Lisbeth gave, to London?"
Kinch nodded, "Yes, sir. They're eager to have her on English soil. They also said that they could get the factory in Dortmund; however, due to the artillery in Cologne, it's impossible to destroy by bombing. They want us to get it."
"When are they planning the run on Dortmund?" Hogan asked.
"Not 'til next week, at the earliest." Kinch answered.
"Good, we can worry about the factory when we have Newkirk back." Hogan said, thoughtfully, "Kinch, you tap into the phone line. If Lutzen tries to call out to check Carter's orders, you intercept it." Hogan walked over to LeBeau and put his hand on LeBeau's shoulder, "LeBeau, you'll head in with Carter and Olsen as a private. I'll be on the outside as the truck driver."
"Carter gets a promotion, and we get demoted." LeBeau shook his head.
"It's been an ugly war for all of us, LeBeau." Olsen smirked.
"When do we go?" Carter asked.
"Tonight, if we can swing it, the sooner the better." He said, "We don't know what shape he's in, so be prepared for him to be pretty roughed up. Carter, go see if you can get the truck from the motor-pool for tonight."
"Schultz is coming." Baker said, from his post at the door.
"Go on, Carter." Hogan told him, as he and the rest of the heroes hurried around trying to look busy.
Schultz entered just as Carter tried to squeeze passed him, out the door. "Nein. You cannot leave." He pulled Carter back into the barracks and over to his bunk.
"What's up, Schultz?" Hogan asked, leaning against the table.
"The Kommandant wants to do a full head count, instead of roll call." Schultz chuckled, "He thinks one of you escaped during the fires."
The Heroes all looked at each other.
"What? What is wrong?" Schultz said, looking around at the group. Suddenly, it hit him, "Newkirk...where is the Englander? Colonel Hogan...please, tell me, he is still here."
Hogan looked down at his coffee cup, "Sorry, Schultz."
Schultz started to whine, "Colonel, please! Maybe if you look again?" Schultz's hopeful look turned to disappointment, then to fear, "If the Kommandant finds out, he will report it, and I will go to the Russian Front!"
"Klink's coming." Baker said, still at the door.
"Colonel Hogan, please!" Schultz practically begged.
"REPORT!" Klink bellowed, striding into the barracks.
"Herr Kommandant...I..." Schultz started, before his voice faltered, he looked over to Hogan.
"Everyone's here, except Corporal Newkirk." Hogan said, softly.
"Newkirk? Where is he?" Klink demanded.
Hogan started to open his mouth and respond, but Olsen beat him to the punch, "He's at the camp infirmary. Sergeant Wilson put him in quarantine."
Klink's eyes widened at that, "What does the Sergeant think he has?"
"Well, uh, I..." Olsen floundered.
Hogan once again opened his mouth, this time to rescue Olsen, when Carter jumped in, "Yellow Fever!"
Every pair of eyes flew to him. Klink's hand flew up to his mouth, "No, we must send for the doctor immediately. Schultz, you will go to Hammelburg and find Doctor Fredrich Muller. Bring him here immediately. Schnell! All prisoners are confined to barracks, until you have been seen by the Doctor." Klink strode out quickly, making sure to keep his mouth and nose covered with a handkerchief.
"Yellow Fever?!" Hogan exclaimed as soon as Klink was gone, "The only thing you could come up with was one of the deadliest diseases?"
Carter looked down sheepishly, "It was in my head and out of my mouth before I could even think about it."
LeBeau rolled his eyes and kinch shook his head. "Gee, I'm sorry, guys." Carter said, kicking himself for being so stupid.
"Never mind." Hogan said, cutting LeBeau's retort off before it got started, "We can deal with that later." Hogan put his hand on Schultz's shoulder, "We need a truck and the only person able to get to the motor-pool is you. Meet us on the road to Hammelburg in half an hour."
Schultz looked up pleading, "Please, Colonel Hogan. No monkey business."
"We need the truck to get Newkirk, you can go into Hammelburg and have a beer at the Hofbrau. We'll get the truck back to you and you can bring the Doctor."
"Nein, Colonel, I cannot do that." Schultz said stubbornly, "I am not a traitor to the Fatherland."
"We aren't doing anything other than bringing Newkirk back." Hogan said, seeing Schultz's hesitancy, he continued, "Unless, of course, you want LeBeau to go to the Kommandant and tell him that it was all a lie and that Newkirk escaped."
"On your watch." LeBeau added.
"Nein, I will get the truck." Schultz sighed with defeat, "I do not wish to see Russia, but promise me you will return."
"I promise, Schultz." Hogan said as the men agreed.
Finally satisfied, Schultz stood and ambled out of Barracks two and down to the motor-pool. Hogan turned to his men, "Let's go get Newkirk back." The men spread out, rushing to accomplish their tasks. Hogan pulled Baker to the side, "Baker, you tell the men in camp to remain on alert. If we aren't back before midnight, evacuate."
"Yes, sir." He responded.
"Oh, and make sure Miss Kramer and her brother are ready, as well." Hogan said, thinking of the woman who had caused so much trouble for his command. Baker nodded, and moved off to do as he was told, leaving Hogan to his thoughts.
Bless her heart, she only wanted her country to get back to normal, now she's being hunted by her own uncle.
Lord, keep her and her brother safe.
Hogan shook himself out of his thoughts and prayers and into the mission.
1*************************************************1
Pain.
Intense, sharp pain.
Newkirk fought his way out of the blackness of unconsciousness. He felt the intense, burning pain of his hip and the dull, achy pain of his ankle. He opened his eyes slowly, glancing around cautiously, he took in his surroundings. He knew he was at the farm house, that was the only logical place for him to be; however, he couldn't figure out which room he was in. The room was dark and damp and the floor and walls were earthen. It's got to be the cellar. He thought, trying to shift himself. He groaned as the pain in his hip intensified.
"Ah, you are awake." General Lutzen smiled, cruelly, "How are you feeling?"
Newkirk met the General's gaze, "Peachy, just peachy." He sat up gingerly, leaning against the earthen wall of the cellar.
Lutzen shook his head, "You shouldn't have run from me. It makes me very angry." He tutted. Moving closer to Newkirk, he leaned down and picked him up by the back of his black turtleneck.
Newkirk gasped as Lutzen grabbed him. He tried to get his feet underneath him to prevent the turtleneck from choking him. Newkirk cried out as Lutzen shoved him, roughly, into a chair.
"Where are my niece and nephew?" Lutzen asked, in a low, menacing voice.
"Per'aps if you'd tell me their names or what they looked like." Newkirk said with a cheeky grin on his face.
Lutzen's jaw clenched, "Lisbeth and Peter Kramer. Lisbeth is around nineteen years old with white-blonde hair." He stepped closer to Newkirk, his voice raising, slightly. "Peter is three years old, dark brown hair. You will tell me where they are." He punctuated that statement by back-handing Newkirk across the face.
Newkirk's vision swam as the blow landed. He had a metallic taste in his mouth. Reaching his hand up, he felt the blood oozing from his split lip. Spitting the blood out of his mouth, he looked back at Lutzen,
"I don't know who your niece and nephew are, or where they are."
Lutzen sighed, "I see you are the obstinate kind." He turned around and moved towards a table that was standing in the corner. On top of the table was a small brown suitcase, he opened it, revealing about twenty sharp metal instruments. "Good, I haven't had a good interrogation session in a while."
Newkirk swallowed, "You won't get anything outta me, 'cause there's nothing to get. I don't know where your family is." He flinched as the lantern's flame glinted of the tools. Looking over to the steps, Newkirk debated whether or not he could get up the stairs.
Lutzen smiled to himself, "Don't even think of running, Englander. My guards are at the top of the step." He said without turning.
Newkirk stood slowly, looking left and right, he tried to find something with which he could defend himself. Seeing nothing, he braced himself for the fight that was to come.
Lutzen turned around and sighed, "Really, Englander?" He signaled to the guard at the top of the steps, "Kommen, ihn an den Stuhl binden."
The guard started down the steps. Newkirk sensing what was coming, lunged at Lutzen, trying to get at the pistol at Lutzen's side.
A surprised Lutzen, not expecting the wounded man to attack him, lost his footing and tumbled to the floor with Newkirk. Newkirk had the pistol in his hand and rolled over, he fired one shot, hitting the guard squarely in the chest.
Lutzen, recovering from his surprise, grabbed Newkirk's hand and wrestled the gun from his grip. He hit Newkirk across the jaw with the pistol and stood up quickly. Pointing the gun at Newkirk, he shouted angrily, "Stand up!"
The other guards from upstairs had come running when the gun went off, since the General had the prisoner at gunpoint they lowered their weapons. Two of them went to see to their wounded comrade, while the other two went over to Newkirk and the General. "Binden Sie ihn nach unten." Lutzen growled.
The two guards grabbed Newkirk on either side, hauling him over to the chair and cuffing him. Newkirk gritted his teeth against the pain and panted. Lutzen picked up one of the tools out of the suitcase and advanced on Newkirk. Newkirk had only one thought running through his mind.
I'm done for.
Translation:
Kommen, ihn an den Stuhl binden.-Come, bind him to the Chair.
Binden Sie ihn nach unten.- Tie him down.
P.S. I realize I haven't spent much time on the factory, but I kind of let the characters do what they wanted. haha. I will probably wrap the story up in a couple more chapters. That is if the characters behave themselves ;) Much love!