Operation: Stalag 13
A/n: I don't own or claim to own any of the Hogan's Heroes Characters
Chapter 5
The three escapees from Stalag 9 sat down at the small table in the tunnel, where the radio was. They didn't have much light to see by, so they figured it was best to just stay in the one place and not go wondering around.
"Did either of you get a good look at them?"
"Sorry David, I was to busy trying to figure out what the hell is going on and hoping we made the right decision in trusting them."
"I dunno if we should trust them."
"What do you mean James?" The one called David asked his friend.
"Well, didn't you see that POW camp just a few meters away from the tunnel entrance? I got a funny feeling about all this."
"Yeah, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are Germans. They could just be working near a POW camp, not in it. As long as we keep an eye out for anything unusual we should be okay. We haven't been turned in yet."
"Yeah, I suppose we've been lucky enough so far." The other man said quietly, finally joining the conversation.
"What would Colonel Hogan think if he knew we got caught?"
"He would probably take back his offer of buying us all drinks." James said, trying to lighten the mood.
"What do we do now colonel? We'll never be able to get those three out of the tunnel with Klink doubling the guards." Carter asked as Klink headed back into his quarters.
"I don't know, but we can't do anything until the heats off. The Gestapo are probably already investigating what happened to that train." Hogan told them quietly as he opened the door to the barracks. "I'm sure they are wondering what is going on; especially since they saw the camp when we came back. LeBeau can you cook them a hot meal? I'm betting they're hungry."
"Oui colonel" LeBeau headed for the stove and started cooking while the others headed for Kinch's bunk.
"Sorry about the rush when you first got here. It's just that we didn't want anyone to miss us." Hogan called over his shoulder as he climbed down the ladder and stood back so the others could climb down after him.
"That's okay. Don't take this the wrong way but 'Who are you?'" James asked standing up as Hogan turned around to face them.
"Colonel Robert Hog…" he stopped mid sentence as he looked around at them.
"Colonel Hogan? I don't believe it." Matthews said walking over to him and dropping any signs of being cautious in the process. The others quickly followed suit and came over to Hogan who was still shocked at seeing three men from his old bomb group.
Newkirk, Carter and Kinch stood back for a minute to give them some privacy. After a minute they realized they weren't going to be introduced by Hogan anytime soon.
"Sorry to interrupt colonel" Newkirk called out. "I take it you know these men?"
"What? Oh sorry fellas" Hogan laughed. "Guys this is Newkirk, Carter and Kinchloe."
"Just Kinch" Kinch added shaking hands with the three men.
"These guys are part of my old bomb group. Johnson, Matthews, and Thompson. They bailed out of the plane with me when we were hit. They were supposed to head straight for the sub that was waiting for them." Hogan added, eyeing them suspiciously.
"We did make it back sir." Matthews said. "We were back in London within a week."
"Then what were you doing in Stalag 9?"
"During our last raid on a munitions dump, our plane got hit, we had to bail out over Dusseldorf. The Gestapo caught us just after we landed. We never had a chance. That was about two months ago."
"Well we'll get you fellas back to London soon, but you you'll have to wait a week two because the krauts are looking for the people who blew that munitions train and Klink has just doubled the guards both in and outside the fence."
"Where's the other guys that was with you earlier?"
"Upstairs cooking a hot meal for ya. We figured you three would be hungry, considering how long you said you'd been out there. Speak of the Frenchman, here he is now." He added as he heard the tunnel entrance opening.
LeBeau handed down three plates of food to Newkirk and Kinch then came down the ladder carrying some spare blankets for them.
"These aren't the warmest blankets in the world but it's all we have" he said in the way of greeting them.
"LeBeau, I'd like to introduce you to three of the biggest pains I have ever known." Hogan said laughing as he saw the looks their faces.
"We could say the same thing about you colonel" Matthews tried to act hurt
"I'm just kidding…sort of. This is Matthews, Johnson and Thompson." Hogan pointed to each one in turn while they shook hands with LeBeau. "They're three of the men in my old bomb group."
"We gotta get back up there. There's another roll call in about an hour. If you need anything just knock on this and someone will come down." He indicated the wooden frame that led up to the opening.
"I think I have an idea how to get Klink to ease up on the guard." Hogan called as he came out of his office. It had been a week and Klink still had the guards doubled.
"How? The Gestapo are still all through the woods, even if you can get Klink to back down we still have them to deal with." Matthews said. They had just finished playing a game of poker with Newkirk, while LeBeau was cooking dinner at the stove.
"Two of you go out through the tunnel tonight, when you see Schultz, you give yourselves up. You don't have to worry about getting shot. He never has his gun loaded." He added at the looks on the faces.
"Kinch I want you to draw up some papers ordering the immediate transfer of the new prisoners into the hands of the Abwer. Sign them General Heinrich…Von Hoffin, or something like that. Then go see if you can get a truck from the motor pool, we're gonna need one."
"Right colonel" Kinch headed for the tunnel entrance to get started on the papers.
"Okay LeBeau, Newkirk I need you to make two uniforms, lots of medals for one of them."
"What ranks?" Newkirk asked.
"Let's go with…major and corporal. Carter." Hogan turned towards the sergeant standing at the door keeping watch, just incase Schultz or Klink decided to stop by unexpectedly. "Tomorrow morning you go out through the emergency tunnel, with Matthews, after roll call, then drive into camp wearing the uniforms LeBeau and Newkirk are working on. You order the prisoners to be turned over to you and then I come along. You tell Klink that your taking me as well and then we get the three o them to the meeting point. The underground take it from there."
"But sir, Klink wouldn't let me take you out of camp without orders even if I was Abwer." Carter interrupted knowing what their C.O was planning.
"Trust me carter, if all goes to plan Klink will be to afraid to say no to you."
"Right sir, but why me?"
"Because Klink doesn't see you as often as he does me. If I go in your place, we might not get away with it."
"Sir. I just finished drawing up the paper work for tomorrow" Kinch handed Hogan a piece of paper with orders on it.
"Great work Kinch, if I didn't know any better, it would easily fool me. Klink will fall for these like a shot."
Hogan was sitting at table waiting for a response from the underground. After a minute or two a voice came over the radio. "Colonel, this is Robin Hood, come in please."
"Go ahead Robin Hood." Hogan spoke into the microphone. "Who comes up with these code names?" He added looking at Kinch, who just shrugged in response.
"I will be able to pick the three of them up at 12:00 tomorrow afternoon. They will stay with us for the rest of the day, and then will be taken to the submarine tomorrow night just after dark. Will that work out with you?"
"Perfectly. We will see you there." Hogan switched off the radio. "All set, now all we have to do is get them to the meeting point."
Carter was wearing a German uniform and looking very uncomfortable. He was fidgeting so much that Newkirk was having trouble putting the finishing touches on the jacket.
"Carter will you 'old still" He said. "I can't do this right unless you stop movin' now can I?"
"Sorry but I can't help it, I'm nervous."
"What's going on?" Hogan asked as he came up to them. He could hear the two of them arguing even before he saw them.
"Carter here won't stay still, so Newkirk can finish the uniform." LeBeau as he looked in the box for a few more medals they could put on the uniform.
"Carter?"
"Well, it's just that I'm nervous about this whole thing colonel, I mean what if Klink recognizes me?"
"He won't, and besides I'll be there. If anything goes wrong, and I'm not saying that it will, I'll be able to distracted Klink so you can leave." Hogan said, trying to make Carter feel more confident.
"Listen" Came a voice from behind them, they all looked around to see Thompson walking towards them. He had a grin on his face
"I've known Colonel Hogan for a long time now" He began, talking directly to Carter. "Now I know this idea of his sounds completely crazy and impossible, but believe me when I say that if anyone can pull it off, it's papa bear."
"Thompson" Hogan glared at him, but couldn't hold back the smile that was threatening to appear.
"Papa Bear?" the others asked almost immediately.
"Yeah, it's my old nick name." Hogan answered grudgingly before Thompson could reply. "Johnson called me that, just as a joke, after one of our raids. It just sort of stuck with me after that. Then they named my plane Goldilocks, just for the fun of it."
Carter seemed a bit more confident now, so Hogan and Thompson left them to finish the uniform. As they walked back to the main area of the tunnel, which was just under the barracks, Kinch came up to them.
"Just got a message from London colonel; they're sending a sub to pick them up tomorrow night. They also said to pass on their congratulations on blowing that munitions train, and that they would have said it earlier but they had to maintain radio silence for a week, they wouldn't say why though."
"Okay thanks Kinch. How did you go with getting a truck?"
"Well, I managed to bribe the guard on duty. 15 cents a mile, and an extra 50 cents for him to park it 100 meters down the road."
"Great work. All that's left to do now is get you guys outside the fence so you can officially come into the camp."