Chapter 42
September 14th 1943
Red, blue, and white banners hung off the fireplace in the sitting office of the president. The first thing Anneliese noticed was the books that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, many misplaced and stacked on top of each other. Some books screamed 'well-read', and others collected dust on the third row.
Anneliese couldn't help but slide her fingers across the wooden rim of the shelving. She has always loved books, paper - anything with written words. She was unsure if that was a trait she adopted from her mother, a lover of books, or a behaviour she stole from her father, he always loved the smell of parchment.
Howard's hand on her back guided her away from the shelves and towards the cream-coloured sofa in the middle of the office. They were the only ones inside. Sitting down on the left-hand side, Howard took the spot next to her. She stared at him and he nodded.
They both knew why they were here and the consequences that follows.
The pressure of everything: war, deportation, ignored passion - all resulted in a diamond that only kept cutting and digging deep. Blood was to be lost. Blood was why they were here. Blood would bind them within the hour.
His hands found hers, and they intertwined their fingers. Together, their hands were heavy and she was glad that they rested on Howard's lap - he was strong enough. He had to be.
The doors to the office opened to the president using a cane, followed by the secretary of state - a grim-looking man that Anneliese had no intention of learning his name, and a few other high officials that she didn't know. Howard raised from his seat within an instant and shook the president's hand.
Then, everyone was seated again.
Howard and Anneliese on one sofa.
The president in the large blue armchair opposite, and the other government officials scattered on the sofas and armchairs to their side. It was a layout that felt like a conversation with friends - but it was nothing of the sort. This was business.
"Mr Stark, what do I owe for the pleasure of your time?" The president asked.
Anneliese kept her eyes on the floor as Howard spoke.
"I want to offer a deal in exchange for Miss Lorenz's deportation case to be revoked."
Silence and Anneliese knew they were all staring at her.
Then the noise began.
"Mr Stark, as it was addressed in the letter-"
"-I have evidence", Howard said, cutting the secretary of state off.
She watched as he placed the documents with her father's name on them on the coffee table between herself and the president. Documents that should protect her, but it also opened by a box of secrets she would rather not have to discuss. The past would not be able to be hidden forever, she knew that. She had just hoped the past would only be disclosed to those she loved, and not a room full of snakes - all aiming to get as much gold in their pockets as fast as possible.
The president leaned over to grab the file and began to read it, and Anneliese glanced to look at the other government officials - all staring at her like a meal. If only they knew the whole story, Anneliese thought, that would be much more exciting.
"Josef Lorenz was a high-level scientist during his time in Germany and was proclaimed in that file as being a revolutionary mind for the German scientific community. He often toured across different universities within Germany and neighbouring countries, with this file being located in Austria during the evacuation of many institutes in 1941."
There was a mumble of agreement as the president passed the file over to the secretary of state, who greedily snatched it from him.
She felt Howard squeeze her hand as he continued. "Mr Lorenz was a partner with Mr Erskine, although not mentioned in that file, this was said by both Mr Erskine and Mr Lorenz."
Silence fell over the room again as the file was passed to another secretary of state.
"One file cannot prove his innocence, especially the only known file with the Lawrence name on it." The secretary of state said as he stared at Anneliese, his gaze was sharp.
Taking a deep breath, Anneliese spoke for the first time.
"Because there shouldn't be any files remaining," she whispered as everyone stared at her. She kept her eyes on the curious gaze of the president, "My father was a proud scientist, and like all most scientists, often attended events with high officials to gain grants for his research."
She heard the file be passed to another government official, but she had to get through - she had to. Her father's life, her life, was on the line. She would not let him go back, she couldn't. He would die within the second he stepped into any German-occupied state.
But she? She hated to know what Johann would do to her.
Taking a deep breath, she continued.
"At one of these events, he met my mother, Erna. She held a higher spot in society and their marriage was controversial within their circles - especially with my mother's family not being completely happy with the union. Then, in 1932, we fled. I was young, so you will have to forgive me for not completely knowing why we fled. All I know is that my father's skill in the laboratory and my mother's spot in society led to our downfall."
Slowly, she moved to look at the secretary of state as she concluded. "My mother died when we fled. Shot by Johann himself. If you send my father back he will die, if you send me back you will be putting me in a fate worse than death."
The file made its way onto the table and Anneliese felt Howard's hand squeeze hers. The room became uncomfortable, the silence penetrating the room.
"How can we be for certain that Miss Lorenz and her father are not a spy? We should deport them regardless, they broke the law."
Anneliese's eyes snapped to Howard's, his jaw was clenched as she watched his eyes narrow at the government official that just spoke. Something was terrifying in his eyes. It was filled with what Anneliese could only describe as rage, anger, and perhaps the adolescent desire to punch a man.
None of them believed her. They were going to send her back. The plan was already falling apart before it even began. Suddenly, Anneliese couldn't breathe.
"Her father seeks asylum. He is a German scientist that fled Germany due to prosecution. He meets the criteria."
Her head snapped to face them all as she studied their faces. All of them looked at each other, whispering behind their hands, and nodding across from the room. It was a mumble of agreement. Her father was safe - he was safe.
She could breathe.
"That could work, yes," The secretary of state says with a drawl, "But Miss Lorenz is not a scientist seeking asylum, nor is there any evidence but her word of mouth of her story. Miss Lorenz is no longer a child and any asylum granted for her father cannot be given to her."
The pin dropped.
She was not safe.
"Then let me marry her," Howard announces, "Let me marry her so she can stay."
A groan fell off the lips of different government officials, Anneliese watched as he brought his fingers to his temple. Suddenly, she realised that their plan would not work. No number of planes or guns would prove her innocence. Not even a marriage license would keep her within the boundaries of America.
Leaning into Howard's ears, she whispered. "Do you trust me?"
His eyes watched her as Anneliese stood up from the sofa. All of their eyes watched her.
"I fear you men do not believe me."
They laughed. Her eyebrows raised at the timing, completely inappropriate.
Slowly, Anneliese took her winter coat off as she spoke, "My father, like Abraham, has only ever felt the pain of prison cells and the vile words of Hydra and Nazi supporters. But the women? We were always treated slightly differently compared to the men in my family."
More chuckles and she watched as Howard's fist grew white. They were mocking her.
Anneliese began unbuttoning her pale pink blouse and the laughter ceased. No one questioned what she was doing, and she knew all eyes were on her again.
"My mother's family is high and well-connected. She is everything you feared about me. Familial connections to Nazi and Hydra supporters."
Another button was undone.
"The Schmidt's were never kind, nor was Johann."
The pin was dropped. A gasp followed.
Anneliese unbuttoned the final button of her blouse. Leaving it hanging on her shoulders and exposing her white bra. Slowly, her fingers began unzipping her black pencil skirt and she stared at the government officials adjust themselves. Disgusting.
"The Schmidt's have always been possessive of their women, and once my mother was taken from them by my father. They moved to the next option - me. I attended all the galas with Johann. I sat in on all his meetings with current leaders. I knew of all his schemes. He personally trained me for a role he decided I would play."
Shimmering her skirt down and past her heels, she took off her blouse. There, she stood in just her bra, underpants, stockings, and heels. She knew if the circumstances were different, Howard would say the lewdest thing right about now.
"With all that insider information comes consequences. As Schmidt's new obsession, I became his outlet to rid his rage - and an outlet for all my cousins' rage as well. There was no escape from broken glass, daggers, and all things that make the skin of a child bleed."
Turning around slowly, she heard the gasps from all the men. But more importantly, she felt the shuffling of Howard's feet towards her. There was a galaxy of scars on her back. One for every time she misbehaviour. Another is if her parents acted out. And countless cruel cuts from her cousins that hated that she was her uncle's favourite.
"I am a mosaic of the cruelty my uncle inflicts. If you send me back, I will experience a fate much worse - one fitting for my age."
Turning back around to the government officials and the president, she ignored Howard standing next to her.
"Will you send me back to be cut further by my uncle? To be raped by his soldiers? Bred by my cousins? Will you send me back knowing all the secrets I already possess from Stark Industries? Knowing that Johann will stop to no end to discover them?"
Slowly, Anneliese began to dress again. Howard helped her as all of them watched her. She watched them back, studying their features.
Once she was dressed again, she walked back to her seat with Howard - their arms linked.
"You will lose the war if you send me back." Anneliese bluntly states.
The secretary of state groaned before he speaks, "And why is that?"
Glancing up at Howard with a smile, she replied. "If I'm sent back, you lose Stark Industries. I'm sure my uncle would happily welcome Howard's mind."
A lie.
A lie.
A lie.
But they didn't need to know that.
"Miss Lorenz can stay under two circumstances," the president says, after being silent for the entirety of the meeting, "You are to wed today and we want more fighter jets."
Anneliese relaxed on the sofa as Howard took over the meeting and discussed what will be given to the American Government free of charge. More documents were spread across the table: NDAs of Anneliese's origin, more NDAs on their wedding, legal documents for the trade, and most importantly - their wedding certificate.
She watched as Howard signed the wedding certificate with ease - having had written 'Howard Anthony Walter Stark' more times than she could possibly count. Yet, as he passed the pen to Anneliese his hands were shaking.
Her name would not be the same after this - no longer a Lorenz. They both knew this.
He would be her family until their deaths, yet the thing was - something still unknown to both Anneliese and Howard. Stark men never had much luck at the forever part
Yet, she signed the document. Officially, she will be known as:
Anneliese Stark.