Brothers in Arms (Hogan's Heroes Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

Yo. Thought I'd let you know the Hogan's Heroes characters don't belong to me so please don't sue my Bing Crosby. I know you're dead but still.
I hope you all like this.
-Me

"Karl!" Corporal Mittendorfer was suddenly at Langenscheidt's elbow, grinning in the sickly way that he did when he was showing off his girly photos, "Karl, you'll never believe it!"

"What, Mittendorfer?" Langenscheidt sighed. It should have been enough of a clue for Mittendorfer to back off the first-name basis, but, alas, it was not.

"You didn't hear? They shot Danzig!"

Karl froze, "No."

Luckily, Mittendorfer missed the underlying fear in the word, and went on, "Ja! Last night! The Gestapo shot him as he was driving away from an underground drop off. I hear they got another one, too!"

Langenscheidt caught himself just in time to hide his expression and asked, somewhat evenly, "Danzig's - Danzig's dead?"

Mittendorfer shrugged, "I dunno. I hope he is, though, my picture'll be worth millions! Well, not millions, but alot…" He talked some more. He talked a lot, and he almost reminded Langenscheidt of the Allies' Carter, only Carter was a good man who didn't have pictures of scantily-clad men dressed as women on his wall, and didn't drop bombshells* on his fellow soldiers about their resistance leader brothers being wounded and possibly murdered.

Langenscheidt stayed and nodded along just long enough so that Mittendorfer wouldn't be suspicious when he excused himself, and made a beeline for - well, he wasn't sure where yet. Just away from that man.

He had almost gotten all the way to the back of the camp when he suddenly crashed smack into a fat man wearing a uniform. This should have been identity enough, but as it was it took him a moment to register the fact, come to attention, and smartly salute, "Sergeant Schultz! Sorry, Sergeant. I did not mean to."

"Ja, Karl, it is fine," Schultz said, "Today is a good day! Did you hear?"

"Oskar -," Wait! "Danzig was shot," Langenscheidt added hastily, swallowing the lump in his throat.

Schultz sighed, "Everyone knows now! Even Colonel Hogan and his men…" He whined, "I wish there was someone I could surprise."

Langenscheidt hadn't really heard the last part. Colonel Hogan! He would know. They were involved in… well, Schultz called it "monkey business". Kommandant Klink called it "shenanigans", "tomfoolery", "fishy goings-on", or any like phrase he'd learned from the prisoners. Oskar called it "resistance work" and "the impossible". They would know.

Schultz had moved on, grumbling something or other, on his search for somebody who might not have heard the news yet.

Langenscheidt made his way towards the prisoners' barracks, and, after a furtive glance about to make sure he wasn't seen, knocked lightly on the door.

All of the murmur inside came to an abrupt halt, and he couldn't quite discern the quick, soft words that flew for a moment before the door was opened.

The American Carter stood there, and all of the faces Langenscheidt could see stared at him with shock.

"Hi," He said finally, "May I - come in?"

"You knocked," Carter said finally, stepping aside for Langenscheidt to enter.

Langenscheidt nodded.

Colonel Hogan came out of his quarters, then, looking around, "Somebody knocked!" He exclaimed, and then his eyes landed on Langenscheidt, "You knocked!" He repeated.

"Nobody ever knocks," Carter said emphatically.

The Frenchman - Langenscheidt could never remember his name - standing by the stove nodded, eyeing Langenscheidt with an odd combination of surprise, animosity, and respect.

"I, um, hoped to speak with you," Langenscheidt told Colonel Hogan, "I thought that if anyone knew for sure about Oskar Danzig, it would be you," He felt himself blushing, "Because of your, uh, 'monkey business'."

His stance went from a casual slouch to defensive and suspicious. He crossed his arms across his chest and squared his shoulders, "What about Oskar Danzig?" He asked tersely.

"I - I need to know if he's alive," Langenscheidt said, annoyed at how frightened his voice suddenly was. The man was terrifying, "I - it's very important. And I wouldn't tell anyone, I promise, I just -," He gasped when he realized he was starting to panic, and stolidly shut his mouth and looked at Colonel Hogan pleadingly.

The Colonel stared at him, dumbfounded, for a minute - bet that doesn't happen often - and then said, "Why do you need to know?"

Langenscheidt gawked at that. He couldn't tell Colonel Hogan why. He couldn't! Oskar's cover would be blown. Half the people in the underground didn't even know his real name. Colonel Hogan wasn't supposed to. "I - he's a friend," He said finally, "Bitte, Colonel Hogan, you cannot tell anyone!" He looked around at the others, "Anyone. It would be bad, you know," He wanted to keep going, but thankfully his lack of English saved him from further embarrassment.

"Langenscheidt," He looked back up at Colonel Hogan, who watched him for a long, terrifying minute, discerning, and then said, "Danzig's alive. We can't tell you anymore than that."

Karl breathed a sigh of relief, "Danke, Colonel Hogan. Very much," He smiled weakly, "Danke."

The Colonel watched him with a raised eyebrow, "You're close?"

"Ach! Don't tell anyone. Please!"

"Relax, Langenscheidt, as long as you keep your mouth shut too," Hogan gently pushed Langenscheidt back out the door, "Best of luck to you."

"Ja! You too,"Langenscheidt stammered, "Danke," Then he realized that was the third time he'd said that and turned bright red again, and mumbled, "Auf wiedersehen," And skittered out.

*no pun intended