"Now then," Hochstetter said while he rubbed his ulcer. "Let's have a nice little chat, right? For example, what is your name?"
Outside, Katie could hear the prisoners cheering at Meghan's announcements. She wished she was out there with her, instead of here in the office with that creep of a Hochstetter.
"Well?" Hochstetter came a bit closer. "That's not such a difficult question, is it?"
Katie gulped. Name, rank and serial number, it flashed through her mind. But she had neither a rank nor a serial number, and as for her name... well, she recalled all too well the troubles the Colonel had foreseen in that Surly Bonds story last year, when his son showed up in camp. If Hochstetter were to find out she was a direct descendant of his archenemy Colonel Hogan, he would use her as a hostage or something to get to the Colonel. She couldn't let that happen. (Good thing she read that story so avidly last year...) So...
"My name? My name is Katie Houlihan." At least Margaret was not likely to be around here somewhere where the Gestapo could get to her.
"Katie... Houlihan?" Hochstetter drew out the name in incredulous astonishment. "What kind of name is that?"
Katie shrugged. "Irish, I believe. It's quite a common name where I come from."
"Houlihan..." Klink savoured the word. "I've never heard it before. It sounds like 'hooligan'. Houlihan..."
But Hochstetter's eyes had widened in excited alarm. "Klink... I hate to admit it, but I'm sure you're better up-to-date with the war than I am. Are we at war with the Arabs as well?"
Klink's eyebrows shot up so violently that he almost lost his monocle. "The Arabs? I'm not sure... I know it's a world war, but..."
"It has to be!" Hochstetter proclaimed. "She is obviously a spy. And that name... it sounds Arabic of some sort. Katie must be an alias, but..."
At that moment, Carter came barging in. "Here are the results for the Long Story Category..." His voice trailed off. "Oh. Sorry. Am I interrupting something?"
Katie let out a sigh of relief.
"No - not at all!" Klink assured him. "Let's see those results."
"Has someone found Baker yet?" Carter kept the paper behind his back. "I'm sorry, Kommandant, but we do want to do this democratically. Everybody hears the results at the same time. Even you."
"No," Hochstetter answered instead. "No one has found your Sergeant Baker yet. But go ahead and leave the message with the results outside. Your English comrade and the other girl are announcing the winners outside on the porch."
"Yes, didn't you see them when you came in here?" Klink asked.
Carter shook his head. "Nope. Well, then I better go and announce the winners myself. Or better..." He took Katie by the hand. "I think it's better if you do it. People don't tend to listen to me very well."
He pulled her out the door, and Katie hissed a silent, "Thanks."
"Anytime," he replied with a smile. "Now why don't you read the men the results for the Long Story category, while I go and find Newkirk and your friend."
BEST STORY BASED ON AN EPISODE
.
Gold:
FEAR OF FALLING
by dust on the wind
and
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE STALAG 13
by Goldleaf83
.
Silver:
Talking with Otto
by Book'em Again
.
Bronze:
A Honeymoon in Paris
by dust on the wind
As it was, Newkirk and Meghan were only just around the corner of the building.
"Did you get her out?" was Meghan's anxious inquiry.
"Sure. Listen."
They listened to the results being announced. But once the bronze winner had been proclaimed, Carter frowned.
"Newkirk..."
"Yes?"
"Who is Otto?"
A shrug. "Beats me. I've never heard of the fellow."