Finally, Friday night arrived and Max arrived punctually at midnight at the train station “Hackescher Markt” to await Helena. After 15 minutes of waiting he saw a shadow emerging from the dark night, approaching the station. When the figure crossed the street Max could make out that it was a slender dark-haired woman. She nervously came closer and while she crossed the final meters to Max, Helena’s head was filled with doubts as Max’ appearance didn’t really exude professionalism. She thought that his goofy hat and red socks to the dark suit made him stand out like a clown at a funeral. “Hopefully, he knows what he is doing” she thought before pressing out a timid: “Hello... Herr Max?”
Max, still a bit shell shocked from meeting this beautiful woman in the middle of the night outside of Berlin’s shadiest train station, could only reply “ No, I mean Yes. That’s me, you are Helena, I presume...?”
“Yes”, she whispered, took his arm and led him away quickly through the adjacent streets of the dark city. Our odd couple silently walked for a couple of minutes in what seemed to Max, random selection of streets – a countermeasure against potential followers? Finally, Helena pointed at a small door for a bar at the corner of Landsberger Allee. “Its a very quiet bar, we will be able to talk in there.” He nodded and entered the bar with Helena closely behind him.
