"Thank you, Captain, for helping with Aldo's case!" Although not particularly close, Josh felt it was appropriate to greet Captain America. Without his intervention, Aldo's matter might not have been resolved so quickly.
"No need to thank me. I just reported everything I knew truthfully," Captain America replied with a nod.
"And you're off to…?" Josh glanced curiously at the Howling Commandos behind him.
"We're heading to Stalingrad!" The Captain didn't hesitate to disclose their destination.
While military operations are usually kept confidential, Captain America figured it was safe to mention the general location to someone like Josh, who was essentially a semi-insider in the military. He didn't reveal specifics like timing or mission details, so it wasn't a breach of regulations.
Watching them leave, Josh couldn't help but smirk.
"Typical of a world rooted in comic book logic," he thought. "The Soviets are having an even harder time here than in my original world."
The Red Skull's Hydra was far more formidable than the regular German forces. Even now, while the Allies prepared for the Normandy invasion, the Battle of Stalingrad still raged on, and Captain America was being sent to assist.
Currently, Europe was divided: northern Germany and regions like France and Poland remained under Nazi control, but southern areas, from Bavaria to Stalingrad, were under Hydra's iron grip. The Red Skull's advanced technology, powered by the Tesseract, had tilted the scales dramatically.
"If not for Captain America constantly sabotaging Hydra's weapon facilities, the Allies in Italy might have already been pushed into the sea," Josh mused.
"Well, it's time for me to 'contribute' more to the fight against Hydra," Josh smirked and turned toward his waiting Jeep.
"Take me to Colonel Ross's office," he instructed his driver, Vito.
Vito nodded silently and started the vehicle.
The "Colonel Ross" Josh was meeting was not the infamous Thunderbolt Ross of future fame. Based on the timeline, that Ross likely wasn't even born yet. Instead, this was Colonel William Ross, Aldo's superior, who had secured Aldo's dangerous mission as a way to redeem himself. Josh had built a rapport with him due to their shared interests.
Now, with the rift forming between Josh and the Kennedy family, his alignment in the military was becoming clearer. The Kennedys held significant sway in the Navy, with one brother in Naval Aviation, another in Naval Intelligence and destined to become a president, yet another also in the Navy.
Given these dynamics, Josh naturally sought closer ties with the Army.
As Josh arrived at Colonel Ross's office, he was surprised to find another distinguished guest present: an older officer with three gleaming stars on his shoulders—a lieutenant general.
"Mr. Kahn, please come in. Let me introduce General John McGinnis," Colonel Ross greeted warmly.
"It's an honor to meet you, General," Josh said respectfully, recognizing the importance of cultivating a good impression with someone of such high rank.
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Kahn," General McGinnis replied, his tone softening. "It's always refreshing to meet promising young men like yourself—far better than certain others I've encountered."
Josh raised an eyebrow at the cryptic remark, unsure whether it was a compliment.
"Haha, no need to overthink it, young man. Just an old soldier speaking his mind," McGinnis chuckled, waving off Josh's confusion.
Colonel Ross quickly steered the conversation in a surprising direction.
"Mr. Kahn, didn't you mention wanting to hire retired officers as advisors for your company? What do you think of General McGinnis for the role?"
Josh was momentarily stunned. A lieutenant general as a consultant? That was unprecedented.
The idea wasn't entirely random. Josh had mentioned to Ross his interest in entering the military-industrial sector and the need for consultants who understood the Army's needs. But he hadn't expected Ross to recommend someone of McGinnis's stature.
"Well, I'd be thrilled to have such an accomplished general on board," Josh said honestly. "But given the ongoing war, I'm curious why someone of your rank would consider stepping down at such a crucial time?"
The room grew heavier as McGinnis sighed deeply.
"The truth is, like Aldo, I've made a grave mistake," he admitted. "I've been relieved of my command and have no choice but to retire."
Josh listened intently as McGinnis explained. His dismissal stemmed from a controversy involving none other than Howard Stark, the Strategic Scientific Reserve's star scientist. The root of the issue? A mysterious experimental substance called "Midnight Oil."
This was the same drug that Whitney Frost had mentioned in Los Angeles, and part of the reason she had ventured to the front lines herself.