Michelle saves René's skin and his reputation by telling Alfonse that he is a heroic member of the Resistance. Alfonse thus has too much respect for him to kill him. However René is in drag, which gets him more attention from Gruber. Flick has imprisoned von Strohm and Geering and also captures René, planning to torture them to reveal what happened to the painting. Fortunately von Klinkerhoffen stops him as he has more influential connections than Flick in the German high command. The airmen are taken to the balloon dressed as mourners in a fake funeral for Madame Fanny who has allegedly died of the plague.
—don @ minifie-1