Faultlines

A Stark Contrast

A Stark Contrast

Johanna Schälchen was nervous. Really nervous. In fact she had never been so nervous in her whole life. She was a Bachelor student at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, studying both German and History (She had started a couple of other things before, like English, but that was totally besides the point). And although she wasn't sure what exactly she wanted to do with that combination, she knew this very day would determine the rest of her life.

Five weeks ago Tony Stark had been found alive in Afghanistan. Only two days later he had announced Stark Industries would cease all weapons productions. SI's shares had plummeted. Shareholders were scared, confused and angry. Three weeks ago Harry Stark, Tony Stark's younger, less known brother had declared he'd take over as CEO in this trying time to give his brother the opportunity to decide on the course he wanted their company to take in the future. The press had gone mental. Everyone wanted an interview with both Starks, find out what had happened to Tony, if he had a plan. Harry Stark was by many only viewed as someone with the right name to hold down the fort, but especially his personal life were of great interest to almost everyone. And two weeks ago Johanna and her friends had gotten stupidly drunk and decided that writing to Stark Industries with an interview request for Harry Stark for their student paper (Akrützel) was the funniest idea they had ever had. Totally. They had written a really funny e-mail (Johanna had found it way less funny, when she had read it the next afternoon, sober and really, really embarrassed). Ah well, they had all consoled themselves. E-mails like that probably weren't even read by anyone. They were deleted immediately, obviously. Apparently they had been wrong. Two days later Johanna had gotten a response from Harry Stark's assistant, saying he'd be ready to meet. He'd be in Berlin for two days. If Johanna could manage to meet him there?

She wasn't really sure who'd been the most shocked: Johanna? Her friends? The Akrützel-Staff, that had never even heard of her? They had thought this to be a joke and Johanna was, to be honest, still not convinced they were wrong. Except for the fact that she was now sitting in a very expensive hotel room in Berlin, dictaphone, pen and paper in hand.

Dylan, Mr Stark's assistant, walked back in, phone in hand.

"Sorry, Miss Schälchen, Mr Stark is running late. He apologizes."

Johanna smiled nervously up at him, drumming the pen subconsciously on her paper.

"That is all right. He is a busy man and I don't have anything else to do for the day."

Dylan smiled at her and left the room again, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She decided to simply check her questions again. Oh God. She had fact checked her questions as much as possible, but she was seriously afraid of asking a stupid one. Or embarrassing herself. Or something, really.

Ten minutes later the door opened again and Johanna expected it to be Dylan again. It wasn't. Harry Stark looked exactly liked she had seen him online. His black hair and beard neatly groomed, a faint scar on his forehead and an expensive looking suit on. What she hadn't seen before where the two travel-mugs in his hand, one of which he offered to her with a winning smile.

"Miss Schälchen, please excuse my rudeness. I hope a hot coffee might redeem me."

She took the bright red cup in a daze, as he plunged town on the couch opposite her.

"How was your trip?"

"Fine.", she answered automatically, before her brain finally kicked into gear, "Thank you for the coffee. How was your trip then?"

"It was all right.", he smiled at her, "The transition has been somewhat time consuming. But we seem to be on track."

That looked like a great opening for her interview, but Johanna was close to a nervous breakdown now. Argh. Yes. Dictaphone.