Goldstein Johnson & Cole (2024 re-write) - 16. Plus One

Work in the back offices of Associated Executive Car Services continued. It was a twenty-four-hour operation. Tom and Dick, the UK operatives, worked diligently with their Israeli counterparts. Dick spent most of his time out in the field. Accompanying a courier, he dropped off and picked up many small, essential packages, discretion being paramount.

Tom's skills were best used sitting in front of a computer. Most called him a computer hacker. Tom hated that phrase. He associated hacking with blood, guts, gore, and making a mess. Tom considered that what he did was done discretely, with stealth and precision. There was nothing messy about it, and he never left a trace of having accessed or altered any system he came into contact with. He was one of the best, and he knew it.

Tom could erase all indications of someone's identity by accessing specific systems. Creating a new identity is a skill. It requires a legitimate birth certificate, medical records from birth, an education record that matches educational achievements, and a current passport from any country. The tricky part is accessing the systems in the UK and the USA. They are the best protected in the world. With the assistance of a colleague somewhere in the UK, he had accessed and manipulated the records that he needed to in order to make the appropriate changes. Joseph's Israeli documents were ready to be delivered, and a valid UK passport would be available in the next forty-eight hours. If the passport arrived on time, Joseph could use it to enter the UK and avoid immigration control.

Tom had just finished the tedious but necessary task of disconnecting from multiple IP addresses around the globe, securing the pathway, the computer and its systems and logging off when he was called into the main office.

“Tom. May I have a few minutes of your time, please? There is an urgent matter that I need to discuss.”

Tom nodded and entered the office of his opposite number in the Israeli operation. “John, what can I do to help?”

“First, let me say thank you for your help resolving the situation with Joseph. Your work has been faultless. Our operatives have learned a lot from you.”

“Thank you, it's been a pleasure. They are very skilled operatives, and it has been beneficial working with them. But we both know that's not what you wanted to discuss. What can I help you with?” Tom was not a fan of small talk. He preferred to get down to business.

“Yes, you are right in your assumption. Your English friends have a request…no, Joseph has a request that needs your expertise, it's the matter we briefly discussed earlier. Joseph would like to take his 'brother' home with him if that is possible.” Tom raised his eyebrows questioningly as John slipped a document folder across the table. “If it can be arranged, these are the 'brother's' details that need amending. Can this be done, and if possible, could we expedite matters to send them home together? That is if we have the materials needed, of course.”

“Hmm, it's possible. I'll need to check with the UK contact before I can be sure. If I can do it in the time we have available, the courier we have in place can deliver both sets of documents. Can you supply the Israeli documents when I perform my magic?”

“Yes. Thanks to your help, they are the best we have ever produced.”

“We'll need the UK solicitor to hold the will. No action can be taken yet. It could make things awkward. Can you arrange that?”

“It is being taken care of as we speak.”

“Okay, let me make the calls.” Tom left the office to make his calls from an untraceable burner phone.

*****

Pressing the red button, Ben ended the call, placing his phone in his shirt pocket. He asked Ian, Kevin, Joseph and Benjamin to join Isaac, Jacob and himself around the dining room table.

“I want you all to fully understand that once this is done, there is no undoing it or going back. It will be permanent and will mean a new identity for Benjamin as well as Joseph, and will mean another new will. So I am asking you all one last time, are you all sure this is what you want?” Ben looked around the table, seeing a series of nods and happy faces and hearing excited yeses. “Good, that was my friends. They tell me that they are ready to proceed. This time tomorrow, everything will be in place, and fresh documents will either be here or on the way and you two,” Ben pointed to Ian and Kevin, smiling, “will effectively be fathers.”

“My problem is I need passport details to arrange airline tickets for the boys. If no seats are available, I'll have to rearrange our flights again.” Kevin's concern was understandable.

“Give me your flight details and allow me to take care of it.” Kevin got their tickets and gave Ben the flight details.

“What about my things? I have got nothing ready.” Joseph realised he had only packed for a few days.

Isaac smiled. “That has been taken care of. What we could pack is ready in the back of Ben's car. I will arrange for the remainder of your property to be shipped to you.”

Jacob spoke to Benjamin. “I will take you to your house so you can pack your clothes and anything else you can take on the flight. If you leave the keys with me and let me know what you want to keep, I will store them until it is shipped to you. I will dispose of the rest and send you any money I raise. Then, I will shut down the house. Do you own it, or is it rented?”

“It is rented, but I am behind in the rent. The landlord wants the overdue rent and the house back.” Benjamin looked embarrassed. He had used his dead brother's details to continue to rent the house and obtain a driving license. At fourteen years old, he was too young.

“Do not worry about the landlord. I will take care of him.” Jacob touched Benjamin's shoulder and gave a friendly, supportive squeeze. “I know you are worried about Ariel, and I know you will miss her. If Ian and Kevin agree, I will try to send her to you in the UK. If that is not possible, Aaron and Asher will look after her and the pups.”

Benjamin threw himself into Jacob's arms and buried his face into Jacob's chest as tears fell. Overcome with emotion. He was happy to have a future to look forward to and to find these people who had become irreplaceable friends. Ariel had been his since she was a pup. For a long time, she had been his only friend. He was upset about leaving her behind but knew in his heart it was the only way, he felt as though he was abandoning her.

*****

Tom had worked hard for the last two hours while maintaining constant contact with his man in the UK. Records had been amended, and a second authentic UK passport had been authorised. Both passports would soon be delivered to the courier. The Last Will and Testament of Emmanuel Goldstein was waiting to be delivered to Isaac's office. Copies would then be forwarded to Mark Fellows in the UK and Isaac in Haifa. Now, all Tom wanted was to rest. All that remained was to work with the team to amend Israeli records so that the supporting documents could be produced. Those records would be amended through the night to avoid detection.

During his time in Israel, Tom learned that Emmanuel Joseph Goldstein was held in high regard and loved by many in Israel, all of whom considered themselves family. He only knew of one other man who could match that much respect. And that is his old CO, Major Alexander Byron Oxley or The Ox as they affectionately called him. He knew that Ian and Kevin appreciated the influence that Manny and Ox had on their lives, and he hoped that Benjamin and Joseph would also appreciate their impact.