Chemical Poison . Howard Stark

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."