Usual disclaimers apply: I don't own 'Hogan's Heroes' and am only borrowing them for fun, not profit.

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The Triple Threat Challenge: The challenge is to take one or more season three episodes and write a story revolving around them in any way. That could be a missing scene, coda, epilogue, prologue, or extension, a scene from a different point of view than shown in the episode, or even something dealing with results of something that happened in the episode. Three hundred words in length. There is one more requirement for the challenge, and that is to use exactly three characters. That will make it a true triple threat story. Only three characters can appear in the story with speaking parts, although other characters can be mentioned

(Condensed version of the rules nicked from the Mission Briefing at Captain Oboe's website.)

Counting the title, this came in at exactly 300 words and references three characters: Major Hochstetter, Gestapo femme fatale Gretal, and our very own Englander, Corporal Peter Newkirk.

This scene takes place during Episode #82 "Sticky Wicket Newkirk". After Colonel Klink's decision to transfer Newkirk to Luft Stalag 6, Colonel Hogan gave him a pistol and told him to take the escape route to London. There wasn't any chance of getting Klink to change his mind, but Hogan wasn't going to let Newkirk rot in another prison camp.

Sounds pretty simple, right? All he's got to do is show ol'Schultzie the gun and he's home free. However, this – is – Newkirk we're talking about.

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London Bound?

Corporal Peter Newkirk parked his truck in a cluster of trees just outside of Hammelburg. It really belonged to the motorpool at Stalag 13, but he'd stolen it to get a head start on his escape. He was supposed to be enroute to England, but couldn't get Gretel out of his conscience. The look on her face as the Gestapo kicked in the door of her apartment was clear in his mind and the desperation in her voice as she begged them to let him go kept ringing in his ears.

I'm not leaving her to face those ruddy goons all by herself. She wouldn't last five minutes with ol'Hochstetter, and it's my fault she's gotten tangled up with 'em anyway.

Pausing only long enough to check the pistol tucked into the waistband of his pants, Newkirk began slipping through the woods toward town. Sneaking around like this in broad daylight, and in my RAF blues of all things. What I wouldn't give about now for a moonless night and some greasepaint.

He dropped behind a clump of brush to catch his breath and have a good look around. Pulling off his cap, he raked his fingers through his hair, then wiped the sweat from his face. Just a bit nervous. Right, try just a lot nervous. Face it, Peter me lad, you've messed up royally this time, putting an innocent civilian in danger AND getting yourself caught by the Gestapo. Then there's the bit of drawing a transfer out of Stalag 13 instead of a stint in the cooler, leaving the 'Traveler's Aide Society' a man short. Lovely. Bloody lovely.

Replacing his cap, Newkirk took a deep breath and headed into Gretel's apartment building. At least I can fix part of it by taking her with me...

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Once again, from The Credit Where Credit Is Due Department, I'd like to thank LJ Groundwater for taking the time to supply me with a synopsis of "Sticky Wicket Newkirk", as I (unfortunately) don't happen to have any of the episodes on tape or DVD. Couldn't have done it without you, mate!