AHumanMadeMOFO
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Chapter 80: Visitors from the Homeland
🕑 Added 2024-12-09 13:55:20 +0000 UTCOne afternoon in mid-July, Josh was leisurely enjoying tea in the garden while writing a letter to Margaret.
Since arriving in England, Josh had made it a habit to write Margaret a letter every week, updating her about his well-being. Margaret, in turn, would reply.
In these days, there were no transatlantic calls, and telegrams allowed only brief messages. Thus, letter-writing remained the most common method of long-distance communication. Fortunately, Josh’s connections enabled him to utilize military air transport and logistical networks, ensuring his letters reached Margaret within days.
Most of his correspondence with Margaret was casual and non-sensitive. However, when communicating with Dix, encrypted telegrams were used instead.
While Josh was engrossed in his writing, Vito arrived at the estate in a jeep, inquiring with the staff about Josh’s location before heading directly to the garden.
"Boss!"
"Looks like the task is complete?" Josh had just finished folding the letter and sealing it in an envelope, handing it to a servant nearby. He then poured a glass of iced tea and pushed it toward Vito, signaling him to sit and talk.
"It’s done. The job was carried out by the younger brother of a high-ranking Peaky Blinders member. He’s a ground crew member at RAF Brize Norton. After nearly a month of investigation, he identified the aircraft, found an opportunity during maintenance, and connected the device as per your instructions," Vito replied in a low voice, gulping down the iced tea.
"Well done! You’ve worked hard these past weeks. Take two days off and relax!" Josh smiled, pulling out his wallet and handing Vito a crisp £1,000 white banknote.
In pre-war Britain, as the world’s most advanced economy with enormous international trade, even high-denomination banknotes were common. The largest denomination during this time was £1,000. Post-war, these old-style white notes were declared obsolete due to Germany flooding the market with £14 billion in counterfeit notes during the war years.
Currently, Josh was conducting business in Britain, where dollars were scarce, and foreign exchange controls posed challenges. Thus, he couldn’t completely avoid using pounds.
However, Josh implemented strict rules: he refused £5, £10, and £20 notes—the most common and frequently counterfeited denominations. For other denominations, he charged a 30% premium.
The pounds he collected were quickly spent, primarily on acquiring British assets and covering daily expenses. In asset purchases, he negotiated discounts of at least 30%, leveraging the post-war economic downturn.
This approach allowed Josh to effectively maximize profits, earning an additional 60% or more.
Vito happily accepted the generous bonus, thanking Josh profusely.
"Oh, by the way, Boss, on my way back, I ran into some old friends from the 82nd Division. They mentioned the 82nd and 101st Divisions are back in England for rest and refit," Vito reported after pocketing the money.
"Is that so?" Josh mused, stroking his chin. "Perfect. When you leave, inform Lyndon to prepare some fruit, beef, and drinks. Deliver it to Generals Ridgway and Taylor, and invite them along with other senior officers to dinner tomorrow evening at the Ritz Hotel to celebrate their triumphant return. Don’t forget to send a special invitation to Lieutenant Winters of Easy Company."
As the war neared its conclusion, Allied control over the Atlantic shipping lanes ensured a steady flow of supplies to Britain. The availability of general goods had significantly improved, reducing Josh’s profit margins. Only premium goods like fresh fruit, beef, and fine ales remained highly sought after.
Josh, having profited handsomely, was now winding down his operations in Britain. He planned to redirect his goods to mainland Europe once Paris was liberated, where they would fetch higher prices.
A few days later, a tragic incident occurred. An American naval bomber exploded mid-flight over the English Channel, leaving no trace of the aircraft or its crew.
Such accidents were not uncommon during World War II, and no suspicions were raised. However, one name was quietly added to the Navy’s casualty list: Major Joseph Kennedy Jr.
“Boss, thank you!” Lyndon Schneider said a few days later while reporting to Josh.
"Thank me? For what? If anything, I should thank you. Over the past two months, your efforts have brought in significant profits. Well done!" Josh smiled, pushing a leather briefcase filled with money toward Lyndon.
However, instead of eagerly accepting the reward, Lyndon hesitated, his expression troubled.
"What’s the matter?" Josh asked, sensing something unusual. Lyndon’s reaction was unexpected, given his typically straightforward demeanor.
“Boss... someone from the homeland is here. They want to meet you,” Lyndon finally said after a moment of hesitation.
"Homeland?" Josh was momentarily puzzled but quickly caught on.
For Josh himself, "homeland" referred to China. But from Lyndon’s perspective, it could only mean somewhere else.
"Bavaria or Austria?" Josh asked thoughtfully.
