I was going to wait longer before publishing this, but it couldn't wait. Especially because I know how many of you are anxious to find out what happens next.
They've been gone too long.
Something must 'ave 'appened.
Everything's got to be fine-but it can't be, not if they're this late!
A hand on Newkirk's shoulder scared him out of nearly a year's growth, and he spun around with an oath to find Hogan standing behind him with a look of some concern.
"Maybe you should sit down," Hogan said, gesturing to the nearby bench.
"I'm fine," Newkirk growled, ready to start pacing again.
He was stopped by a strong hand at his other side pushing him down onto the aforementioned bench.
"You're making us all nervous," said Kinch.
"Well, maybe we should be!" he protested, though remaining seated. "We 'aven't 'eard a ruddy thing, and-"
This time he was interrupted by the sound of feet climbing down the ladder, and one of the blokes from the Underground appearing, rubbing some soot off his face.
Hogan looked at him anxiously.
"Well?"
The man rubbed away more soot, before looking up and smiling.
"We did it. Nothing left but a pile of rubble."
A collective sigh of relief arose from most of the men who were in the tunnel, and even some soft cheering as the rest of the away team came climbing down to safety.
Neither Hogan nor Newkirk joined them, as they both realized with horror that only five men had returned.
"Where's Carter?"
Heidegger grimaced. "I'm afraid that he was captured just before the factory exploded. And I believe he was claimed by the Gestapo."
"He what!"
The German didn't seem to notice the horror of Newkirk's tone, or the way the whole temperature of the room seemed to drop as people heard his words. He just looked to Hogan. "I apologize for the loss of your man."
Hogan asked, "What happened?"
The Undergrounder explained, concluding with, "I thought it best to come back here as soon as I could, and not waste the opportunity he gave me to escape. So I don't know where they have him."
"So, what, you just left 'im?!" Newkirk demanded, surging forward, despite the warning look Hogan gave him. "You oughta know better than any of us what they'll do to 'im to make 'im talk!"
Heidegger gave him a cold stare. "As I said, he gave me a chance to escape and report back to you. You should be proud of his noble sacrifice. Apparently he understood that in the long run, he was the most expendable member of your team."
Newkirk moved.
Both Hogan and Kinch were forced to work together to pull him off Heidegger, and even when they succeeded they were struggling to keep him back.
Someone was yelling at Newkirk to calm down; it took him a moment to realize that it was Hogan. Someone else was yelling a very impressive number of accusations and epithets; it took another moment to realize that it was him, and to finally shut his mouth.
Heidegger slowly sat up; blood had sprayed from his nose and lips, and he looked...dazed, to say the least. Despite having three inches and quite a few muscles more than Newkirk, it hadn't been much of a fight.
Finally the Englander stopped trying to surge forward, and as soon as his friends lessened their grips on him, shook them off and stepped back, flexing his stinging knuckles.
Heidegger got to his feet, staring at him warily, and stepped back towards the ladder.
"It appears I have overstayed my welcome," he said smoothly, at least as much as he could through a bloody nose.
"You'd better not come back," Newkirk snarled. "And if they've done anything to Carter, you better pray I don't see you again."
Without a reply Heidegger climbed up the ladder, and peered up through the stump. After a second, though, he was looking back down.
"Colonel Hogan, there appear to be a large number of soldiers walking around outside, probably looking for whoever was responsible for the explosion. I do not think that any of us will be leaving here anytime soon."
"D_t," Hogan muttered. Then he looked to his men. "I'll work on a plan to get us out there. In the meantime, we need to find out where they're keeping Carter."
Another of the Underground men, a weaselly little man who called himself Jager, stepped forward.
"I saw them after the explosion," he said softly. "There was a car, but I don't think they took him outside of Hammelburg. There's a chance that they're interrogating him somewhere in town."
That was all Hogan needed to hear.
"Kinch."
That was all Kinch needed to hear.
"On it, Colonel." He was already heading to his radio station to see what he could find out from any Kraut communications or any of their Underground contacts.
Hogan gave Newkirk his "I unofficially agree with you but you're still in trouble" glare, before saying, "I hope I don't need to tell you that we need to act quickly; we know what the Gestapo is capable of doing to people."