Major Hochstetter was even more excited when he decoded the message. This would not only lead to the discovery of the camp's spies, but also the elusive spy Tiger! All he needed to do was send his men to capture her the next night.
But wait. That was when the girl was supposed to be transported to the head of the investigation in Berlin. It occurred to him that the prisoners were quite tricky. This could very well be a trap to free the girl.
But how much harm could a little girl cause? So much as to risk this chance? Well, he had many men. He could always spread them out between the girl and the woman. It would reduce the ideal number of guards for transporting the girl, but there would still be several to keep her captive. And the Underground couldn't free the girl without implicating themselves.
Yes he could turn this trick around. The Underground was feeling bold, risking two of their agents. But he was smarter than they were.
Tiger, Hogan, and Hilda sat around the table as Liesel decoded the radio transmission they'd just received.
"Yes!" She said. "Our man on the inside reports that Hochstetter took the bait. He's sending men out to investigate the false lead." All three grinned.
"Now here's where it gets tricky." Hogan said. "We need to free Milla without implicating ourselves."
"I thought that's what the radio was for? So Hauptmann Kappel would be implicated?" Hilda asked. She still didn't quite get the hang of this whole thing.
"Right, Hilda. Kappel will be escorting her. We need to make the other guards think he's in on it."
"He will surely protest," Tiger mused.
"That's where my guys come in." Hogan glanced at Hilda, unsure how much he should reveal. After all, they were all still using their codenames for one another. "One of my men is great at voices. We'll gag Kappel, so he can't speak then Tiger and him will act out a little scene."
"Tiger? I thought Tiger needed to be seen for the false lead to work." Hilda asked. The others exchanged a look. This is where things got tricky.
"Actually, Hilda. We have another part for you to play," Liesel began gently. Hilda reminded her of herself, knowing things were wrong, but unwilling or unable to change it. "We need someone who can look like Tiger from behind. We don't have access to most of our agents, they have… something else to do. They don't have a great description of Tiger. They should just be looking for a blonde woman talking to men she shouldn't."
"But that will implicate me!"
"No, we've got a plan." Hogan assured her. "You don't need to be out after curfew or anywhere you're not legally allowed to be. Just somewhere girls like you don't usually frequent. Just play the role of 'girl with a crush going too far.' Act like you're just there to flirt. As long as the agents don't see your face, they should think you're a threat. As soon as they do, they'll know you aren't. You won't even be the only woman there, so they can't assume you're with us. Especially since this is your only mission."
Hilda bit her lip. She knew that this plan could fall apart without her doing this, but she really didn't like the risk she was taking. She glanced at Tiger and Hogan, both of whom looking like they needed her to do this, and she sighed.
"Alright. I will do it."
"Why did you trust me?" Hilda asked Tiger afterwards. The two girls were alone, Liesel and Hogan having gone to make arrangements. "You took a big risk contacting me."
"It was necessary. Hochstetter has a personal vendetta against that camp. You know that. If he thought the girl was connected with them- and she is, a bit- he would have gone after her viciously. We never would have gotten the chance to save her. Besides I know her fairly well. I know things about her she wouldn't generally share. After what I know, after what she's done, I couldn't leave her alone."
"I couldn't either. That girl has a pull. She's very good at charming her way into your heart."
"Much like someone else I know." Hilda rolled her eyes at the mention of the man.
"Yes, he is very charming. And handsome," She quirked an eyebrow. An indescribable look passed over Tiger's face.
"Yes, I suppose that applies to him too." Too? Hilda frowned. She still didn't have an answer to her question.
"I mean it though. Why did you know you could trust me?"
"Well, we do have files on you. I didn't think you were the type to let a child suffer, and after watching your reaction to the girl's arrest…" Hilda started. She hadn't realized Tiger had been there. "I had to follow you to make sure you didn't put her in more danger."
"But really, I didn't know I could trust you. I still don't. But I do know that I like you." Hilda suddenly realized how close the two of them were standing. She hadn't noticed how she was staring into Tiger's eyes. Better look at something else. She glanced down, and immediately regretted it. Looking back up, she saw Tiger watching her lips. It was too much for her, and she leaned in to kiss her.
Hilda really hated this. She had always enjoyed flirting with men to get her way- sometimes going even farther. It was fun, she had met many men she was attracted to doing it. But this was the opposite of fun. This time it was more important than a mere distraction or favor. This time a young girl's life was in danger.
Still, she kept it up, making sure to keep her face turned away from the men immediately identifiable as Gestapo agents. She flirted her damn head off, before she finally saw that it was time. She could reveal herself. They should have gotten Milla away by now, and she'd adding an extra pocket of time just in case.
Before she could turn though, a man came up behind her. She whirled around to face Major Hochstetter and grinned sheepishly.
"Major!" She said. "How nice to see you here!"
"Fraulein Hilda?" He demanded. "What are you doing here?'
"I know this isn't my usual scene, but," She glanced helplessly at the men at the table behind her. "Well, I think you understand." Hochstetter grumbled and stalked away. Hilda felt simultanroius flashes of relief and fear pass through her before she noticed the man direct his attention to another blonde.
She turned back and kept flirting a while longer, just to be certain.
Afterwards, and after taking a long winding trail to evade any detection, she headed back to the safehouse. Hogan, Tiger, and the the little girl were seated in the main room. Hilda rushed over instinctively to make sure the child was alright.
"Milla!" She said. "Everything went alright?" She noticed a nasty bruise on the girl's cheek and felt a swell of anger.
"It went off without a hitch! Since I'm not going to get another chance to do this, I wanted to say thanks Hilda." Hogan said, triumphant.
"Why, you're very welcome Colonel Hogan. Though that is quite a poor thank you." Hilda flirted. Hogan looked to Tiger, alarmed, but she didn't look up from her files. Hogan- fairly reluctantly, though Hilda didn't take any offense- leaned in and kissed her. The girl frowned. Hilda wondered if- somehow- she'd picked up on the energy in the room.
Hilda then walked over and sat beside Tiger, draping herself over the other woman's lap and leaning in to kiss her. She couldn't avoid a quick glance at Hogan, who had his eyes wide in surprise.
"I think he's speechless," Tiger murmured.
"A first for the record books," Hilda agreed. The two women laughed, content in the knowledge that those they cared about were safe- for now at least.