Chapter 13
Monday mornings have never been so hectic: first kisses, explosive serums and a piece of paper with her name written, badly, a hundred times. If Anneliese thought she would catch a break, she was very much wrong. She was swiftly taken away from the stunned Howard by a young associated in the press department. Leaving Anneliese to watch as his cheeks grew redder every second she glanced from the paper to him and back to the paper.
One of the younger associates from the press department had to quite literally drag her to the press office, her manicured fingers carefully pulling her... only to find boxes at her old desk and phone calls going unattended.
:What is going on?", Anneliese asked, her voice higher than normal and her eyes still glazed. "Why is no one picking up the phones?"
Her voice echoed in the room, all the employees glancing to one another and Miss Cotton was nervously biting at her fingers. The associate dropped her grip on Anneliese as she stepped foreword, turning around to stare at everyone.
The office was a mess. Desks pushed all together to make a strange circle, where Anneliese stood, and boxes of paper littered the floor. It was strange, when Anneliese was head of the department she made sure the area remained tidy, clean and definitely not chaotic like this.
"What's happened?", Anneliese asked again, her voice slightly stronger than before. "Someone speak... please."
A younger employee stood up from her desk, not a smile could be seen. "We don't know how to answer the press' questions."
Sending a curious glance at her, she stayed standing until the girl started mumbling the rest.
"The press knows about the explosion."
A small laugh came from her lips. "So? Just say it was for a new car model Howard is working on?"
The young lady shook her head, "The press knows Abraham is working for Mr Stark now... and they're curious about his heritage... and some even know."
Panic filled her eyes. If the American community found out about Abraham's German heritage, they would find his link to Hydra... and maybe even hers. They wouldn't trust Stark Industrials anymore, and even worse, Johann would find where Abraham had escaped too. The exact location.
For once, Stark's motto: Any press is good press, had come back to haunt them all.
Everyone at Stark Industrials would be in great danger, of course they were already at danger for assisting the American Military. Yet, Anneliese knew that if Johann found Abraham's location... there wouldn't be any Stark Industrials.
It would all be ash.
"Can we offer them different news?", Anneliese asked quietly, trying to formula a plan in her mind, "Have they published anything yet?"
She shook her head.
Good.
Their eyes were on Anneliese, or if not, on her bandaged wrist. She knew their glances were filled with pure unrelenting curiosity, but Anneliese remained tall, as she stood strong. The phones continued to ring, loudly, and without anyone picking them up.
Closing her eyes, Anneliese was trying to come up with some sort of solution, and she did have an idea in mind... but she didn't want to go there- ever. So when she opened them again, and their eyes were still waiting for her answer she only smiled softly, knowing there was only one way around this.
:Tell the press that in exchange in keeping the explosion quiet, as it has something to do with Mr Stark's secret project for the expo next year...", she begun to say, her words carefully chosen, as nearly every employee begun scribbling down what she was saying. "...To have their photographers ready to follow Mr Stark this evening."
They all gave her curious glances, noticeable from their heads tilting and mouths slightly open, as if they were about to ask why. Of course Anneliese didn't tell them why, and she hoped... that Howard would follow along. Because if he didn't, then... everything would most certainly fall apart.
"If you have any questions, come to me directly."
As she regained her posture and assertiveness, she walked out of the room and back into the empty corridor. Walking only a few paces down, and into her office, she quickly made her way to her chair and slumped into it. Her forehead held up from her hands, elbows on the desk and eyes closed. Too much had happened that day, and still so much left to do.
She was exhausted. She would never admit it, but today has exhaust all that Anneliese had to offer and it was two in the afternoon. Of course, she would continue to smile and work faster than any train route in America. With papers on top of papers requiring her signature; there was no rest for the powerful.
Her father had once warned her that she is too much like himself, throwing herself entirety into her work, and forgetting that she too- was human. And she was going to do that, throw every bit of herself into this war, even if it was so, so wrong. There was no other way to win.
As what better way to describe the Lorenz family but their undying loyalty to their jobs. Even if it came at the cost of their death.
Of course, Anneliese's job couldn't really cause her to die. It was just exhaustion, it was a simply ploy, and as if the worst case scenario would even happen - that she would die. It wouldn't happen, not for a million years.
Groaning. She moved the palm of her hands to her cheeks, as the realisation set in. What she was about to do, though small in the short term... she knew it would affect everyone around them so much more.
A knock was heard from the door, and Anneliese didn't move a muscle, of course that didn't stop Howard Stark from entering her office. She knew it was him from the sound of his footsteps, the strange knocking pattern, and he also, potentially, wore the strongest cologne a man can buy. Surprisingly, a cinnamon and gunpowder smell.
She didn't meet his eyes, but his nervous steps was enough to know that they were both guilty of something.
Howard made quick work on pulling down the blinds on the glass wall, so the wondering eyes of others couldn't peak in. The room quickly grew dark, given the exception of the orange glowing lamp behind Howard. The windows overlooking the city, already closed before Anneliese had entered it, and suddenly, she wished she had opened them.
Her office was filled with very little, with a massive bookcase behind her chair and oak desk, books littered the shelves, and paperwork was all that could be seen in cabinets across from the room. She watched Howard sit down on the green cushioned seat she has for guests, she didn't dare glance into his eyes.
A soft ahem came from Howard, "Anneliese..." he begun, "It's not what it looks like..."
Sending him a strange look: eyebrows knitted together, mouth slightly gaping and eyes piercing. She quietly asked, "I don't understand?"
It was true. She had no idea what Howard meant with her name written a thousand times, and what reason he is making up. But that's beside the point, she has others worries.
Howard threw his hands into his hair, messing it up as he groaned Anneliese's name.
Had the blinds been open, the bystanders may had been curious to know why the two were both staring at the other, the atmosphere tense with worry and secrets. Anneliese's brown hair a mess behind her back, and Howard's shaggy mane wasn't looking any better. She stayed like this for a long time, studying the wrinkles in his forehead, until he spoke.
"It's my manifestation," he cried a bit too loudly, obviously a surprise to himself as he looked startled, just like Anneliese.
"A what-"
Nervous laughter left his lips, his hands not leaving his hair as he ran his fingers through his hair once more. "A manifestation..."
Staring at him with wide eyes, she wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly, but Howard seemed to get the message and he repeated himself.
Anneliese knew he was nervous, well nervous was an understatement, "I was manifesting you."
Blinking twice, Anneliese was lost for words.
He quickly threw himself of the cushioned chair, and begun walking himself into an early grave. His words growing quicker by the second, "I understand that we are just fake, and we shouldn't develop anything more, because that was my idea after all. But god Anneliese," he paused, glancing over at her, Anneliese's mouth gaping, "It's impossible with you, absolutely, unbelievably impossible."
Anneliese's hands found the table, and she pushed herself up to stand, her eyes staying on Howard.
"A secret for a secret?"
She nodded.
"I think I might be attracted to you," another pause, "God, this sounds so bad, I'm your boss!"
A small smile appeared on Anneliese's lips, "A secret for a secret?"
She had moved around the desk, confidence oozing from her. Where she found such boldness is a question Anneliese wanted an answer for, but none of that mattered. As she walked towards Howard with intentions that she would certainly regret.
He gulped, Anneliese could see the way his throat constricted, "I think I can come to be attracted to you," a lie, "And even come to love you", another lie.
His veins were bulging through his skin, as she forced the words out of her mouth, "But I have to ask."
Anneliese's eyes were on his lips, as he licked them, "Anything."
Flicking her eyes sharply to meet his, her voice was low. "How do you feel about causing a scandal tonight?"
The nervous energy quickly disappeared, as the confident and arrogant Howard Stark returned to her. A glow in his cheeks, the curved smile and his fingers gently resting on her hips.
"Does this scandal include you and me?"
Nodding her head slowly.
He gently kissed her forehead, "Can I take you out tonight? Before-"
She shook her head, "-No, you must take me home."
Howard wouldn't know what he had just signed Anneliese Lorenz up for. Whilst Howard played the short game, favouring solutions to fix their immediate problems. Anneliese always played the long game.
And she knew the consequences of her actions.
She always did.