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Chapter 148: Big Toy
🕑 Added 2025-01-10 16:48:16 +0000 UTC"Peggy, honestly, I don't think you need to stay in the Strategic Scientific Reserve anymore. They don't value you at all. Other than that 'interrogation' incident, no one has even checked up on you. Why not come and work for me? If you agree, you can be the manager of my New York branch!" Josh said, peeling an apple for Carter.
"Thank you, Josh, but I can’t just leave like this. We still haven't found Bucky and I'm not ready to give up!" Carter replied, leaning against the hospital bed. She took a bite of the apple, but eventually shook her head, rejecting his offer.
It had been four days since Carter had been admitted to the hospital. During those days, Josh had visited her daily, bringing her snacks and fruit. He even hired a young nurse named Colleen to take care of her and paid all of her expensive medical bills. Medical costs in the U.S. were a huge burden even in the 21st century, let alone in these days.
While the Strategic Scientific Reserve offered decent pay and medical benefits, they couldn't begin to cover the cost of VIP care at a top hospital.
It was impossible for Carter not to be grateful to Josh. Any other woman might have fallen for him by now. However, the early post-war period still weighed heavily on her. Steve Rogers remained her "ghost from the past" and it wasn't easy to move on. On top of that, the mysterious capture of Bucky, Steve's closest friend, only deepened her resolve.
At this point, there was no way Peggy Carter would leave the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Josh knew this, and had made the offer only to increase her sense of debt to him. It wasn't entirely sincere.
Even Carter's perception that Josh visited her daily was somewhat calculated. Josh was currently involved in the acquisition of land on the East River in Manhattan. While his subordinates handled the actual transactions, Josh had been surveying potential properties nearby, giving him plenty of free time to check in on Carter.
Of course, if Carter had unexpectedly agreed to his offer, Josh wouldn't have minded taking advantage of the situation.
As one of the earliest capitalist nations, Great Britain had begun opening higher education to women earlier than the United States. While Carter wasn't from an Ivy League school, she had attended university, making her a well-educated woman for her time. She was more than capable of running a regional office.
"All right, I won't push any further. Just remember, if you ever run into something you can't handle, come to me. We're friends after all!" Josh said with a smile. "I just bought a house in Huntington, Long Island. If you need me, go there. Even if I'm not there, the housekeeper will let me know."
The Manhattan land was intended for the United Nations. Josh planned to replicate Rockefeller's move from the original timeline by using his City Council connections to "donate" part of the land for the UN headquarters, which in turn would increase the commercial value of the surrounding area.
The entire area, previously an industrial zone, would need a complete overhaul before it could be useful. So Josh had purchased an estate on Long Island for his personal residence in New York.
"I will," Carter nodded.
"Then get some rest. I have a few things to take care of today, so I won't bother you any more." After some small talk, Josh said goodbye.
Shortly after Josh left, a young nurse entered the room.
Her name was Colleen O'Brien, the personal nurse that Josh had hired for Carter.
"Wow, Peggy, Mr. Kahn is so good to you! He visits you every day!" Colleen exclaimed with a hint of envy. "I wish I had a handsome, rich man to treat me like that!"
"Don't get any ideas," Carter rolled her eyes. "Josh has a fiancée and a kid. We're just friends."
Colleen was quite the chatterbox, but Carter found her quite likeable. The young nurse had taken excellent care of her, making her recovery more comfortable.
Hearing Carter's words, Colleen pursed her lips. "Friends? Who would believe that?"
Meanwhile, after leaving the hospital, Josh headed straight for the harbor.
About ten nautical miles from New York Harbor, a small fleet led by a mighty warship flying both Austrian and American flags was slowly approaching the harbor. (TL/N: A nautical mile is a unit of length used for navigation in air, sea, and space. It's also used to define territorial waters.)
Leading the fleet was the German-made heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, which Josh had purchased from the military after the Weimar Conference. She was now the flagship of the newly formed Austrian Navy.
Although having a single heavy cruiser as the flagship of an entire navy seemed modest, it was a significant breakthrough for Austria.
The last time Austria had a large warship was during the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I. Since the division of the navy in 1918, Austria had no fleet or even access to the sea.
Naming the cruiser Prinz Eugen was symbolic. The name came from Prince Eugene of Savoy, a famous Austrian general. In addition, during World War I, one of the few dreadnought battleships in the Austro-Hungarian navy was also named Prinz Eugen. For Austria, this name had deep historical significance.
The reason for Prinz Eugen's arrival in the United States was simple; a diplomatic gesture to establish a presence.
But Josh wasn't in port for the Prinz Eugen. His true destination was another massive ship in the fleet, a colossal vessel even larger than the cruiser; the Europa.
Originally built by Germany in 1930 as a luxury ocean liner, the Europa earned the prestigious Blue Riband on her maiden voyage for breaking the transatlantic speed record. She became one of the most famous ocean liners of her time.
With the outbreak of war, the German military requisitioned the Europa, initially planning to use her as a troop transport. However, the ship was never used in that way. The army's quick campaigns in Finland and Norway made it unnecessary, and plans to invade Britain never happened.
Later attempts were made to convert Europa into an aircraft carrier, but like the ill-fated Graf Zeppelin, the project was abandoned. Converting a ship of such immense tonnage—twice that of the Graf Zeppelin—was no small task. (TL/N: The tonnage of a ship is its size or the amount of space it has inside for cargo).
For three years, the half-liner, half-carrier remained idle in a Baltic Sea bay until the U.S. discovered it late last year. Josh bought the ship for close to scrap value.
Along with the Europa, he also acquired the De Grasse, an unfinished warship that was to be converted into a light carrier. The De Grasse, however, was much smaller—about one-fifth the size of the Europa. Josh had already given it to the Austrian Navy, and it was probably still undergoing modifications.
As for the Europa, Josh planned to restore it as a luxury liner, making it his personal "big toy".
In the original timeline, both ships had one thing in common; after the war, the U.S. gave them to the French Navy as partial compensation for Germany's invasion of France during World War II.
The De Grasse was particularly noteworthy because it was originally a French warship, but construction was halted when France surrendered to Germany.
However, this compensation wasn't mandated by any treaty—it was entirely at the discretion of the United States. Josh's purchase of these ships essentially cut France out of the deal.
Yes, it was intentional.
Why was that? Because France had a habit of defaulting on its debts.
Even though Truman had mediated and the French had agreed to repay their debt, that didn't stop Josh from collecting a little bit interest.
And that was just the beginning.
Whenever the opportunity arose, the French would have to endure much more.
