Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2022 22:45:44 -0500 From: Mark Arsenault Subject: I Woke Up 252 I Woke Up 252 by M.P. Arsent Copyright to this story remain strictly that of the author. No other publication or use of this story is allowed without the consent of the author. This story contains male on male sexual content both implied and explicit. If this offends you please do not continue. All characters and implied situations are strictly those of the author and are not based on any real life events or characters. If you are under 18 years of age please exit this story now. I welcome all responses to my stories. Please make sure that you list the name of the story in the email line. If your email is to alert me of misspelled words or improper punctuation or grammar save your time because it will be deleted. I hope you enjoy my vivid imagination. Please let me know what you think at mparsent@gmail.com and don't forget to donate to Nifty as they do an amazing job. I changed my course and went into my office and Arthur followed me. "What now?" "One of the janitors found this and left it on my desk, and it is not one of the brand we use." Arthur laid a flash drive on my desk. "Did you try to open it?" "Hell no. There's no way of knowing what might be on that damn thing." "This is strange as I was told this morning that the police found a drive on the guy they took out of here the other night." "No telling really where this one came from boss." "Still pretty coincidental that they find it right after the break in. I'm thinking that one if not both of these drives might well be red herrings. Regardless, we'll turn this one over to the investigators and let them get the other one from the police. Any thing happen after I left the other day?" "Not on my end boss. I reviewed everything after the bell. All transactions recorded perfectly with the paper backups. Clients accounts tally up right. It was a damn light day. I even got home in time to watch the ball drop." "Thanks for putting in the effort Arthur." "Hey, it added a little excitement to my life for a change." "Then good for you, but I could well have done without it. Let me go get the word from Stan." Arthur headed out and I stepped through into Stans office. "What's the word Stan?" "Still quiet around the world. Things went pretty normally after you left. Everything checked out after the bell. It was quiet so didn't take to long to verify it all." "What did you find out about Barringer?" "Just a routine sell off of no longer needed and fully depreciated equipment. Basically they found a less expensive way to do one of their processes. I phoned Harrison and let him know what was going on." "His reaction?" "He thanked me for the effort and didn't make any trades based on it." "About the best that could be hoped for I guess. Any word on the investigators?" "Nothing concrete but expecting them any minute now." "I hope to hell they don't need me to hang in here too much. Karl's a bit upset that we haven't had any time to really relax." "Can't say as I blame him there Dennis. Still a couple of days left if they don't need you." "The chances of which are?" "Once the inital interview is over, I doubt very much they will actually need you to be here. Would probably look better if you were here though." "About what I thought you would say. Now to the more practical side of the matter. We need to upgrade our physical and digital security." "Already have Atech looking at the building and Arthur is looking into things on the digital end." "Keep me informed on that please even after I head back." "Sure thing Dennis. Now looks like about time for the morning word." We headed out together and Stan gave the the all's quiet speech. Then it was my turn. "According to Arthur Kline, everything worked just as it was supposed to on Monday, so we should be good to go today. Please once again just to be on the safe side, keep a paper back up of all transactions until further notice. We're expecting the investigators from the Securities Exchange Commission and whomever else at some point today. Cooperate with them please. Now, let's make some money." I went into my office to wait for said investigators to show up and to try and keep track of what the markets were doing, and then I remembered Stan Hotltzs question about an executive secratary. I made sure Stan didn't have anyone in his office before I walked in. "Just remembered that Stan Holtz said he got a request from us for an executive secratary. What's going on with that?" "Mrs Hines gave us her notice, but she will be with us for a while yet. She says she wants to train the person herself." "There isn't anybody in house to step up?" "Not who has shown any interest in doing so." "Post it up internally and see if anyone jumps at it. They may not be aware the oppurtunity exists." "Should I keep my eyes open for a secratary for you as well?" "Not at least for another year. I still have to get through Karls senior year at college. Which reminds me, have you spoken to the guy up there yet?" "Not yet Dennis. I wanted to wait until we were sure that was the way things were going to go." "Understandable I suppose. I might just drop in there if I can get a few minutes to myself once we get back, and no I don't want you to give the guy a heads up about that." "Whatever you say Dennis." By this time the opening bell had sounded and the phones seemed only slightly busy. At which point Stans phone buzzed He answered it and then put it back down. "They're here." "Then I suppose we had better get out there." Stan and I headed for the front of the building. When we went around the divider wall, I was pleased to see a familiar face. "Agent Stimson." "Mr Sawyer, wasn't sure you would be here." "Where else should I be?" "Well you do still have your college year to finish." "Still a few days to kill before I head back." "I understand congratulations are in order as well." "Yes, thank you." "Mr Sawyer, Mr Bellows, this is Mr Eagleton with the Securitites Exchange Commission." "Mr Sawyer, I knew your father. Stan good to see you again. Wish it was under different circumstances." I shook the guys hand. "No more than I do Don. Well let's get into this." We all went into our conference room and Arthur joined us. He turned over the flash drive that had been found,as well as the file with the code he had extracted from our system. "The police have a guy in custody that was found on premises at the time and they also have another flash drive they found during a cavity search." "Mr Sawyer, can you think of anyone who might want to cause you the embarrassment of fiscal damage?" I gave a quick look to Stimson who gave a slight nod of his head. "Mr Eagleton, there is only one person who comes to mind that might have the resources to pull something like this off, Andros Teramedies." He didn't seemed surprised by the name. "Anyone else who might not appear to have the means?" "The only other person I can think of that might wish me the harm or embassrassment is Mr George Brown, currently serving a several years sentence in the county lockup. He blames me for the death of his eldest son." I noticed that he didn't have to ask about Andros and figured Stimson had already filled him in on that. "Well, other than going to the local authorities and interviewing their suspect and retrieving that other flash drive, we merely have to inspect your data facilities." "Mr Kline can well see to your needs there and is free to discuss any changes you might feel warranted." Mr Eagleton and Arthur headed out, but Stimson stayed in the conference room with me and Stan. "So do you think it likely Andros is behind this agent Stimson?" "Always possible Mr Sawyer, but not to likely I think." "Because?" "Because he is still working on exerting control of the energy field in Europe. This would be a major distraction for him." "I can see him just giving the order and then forgetting about it." "You don't know him like I do Mr Sawyer. He doesn't let anything go unattended or watched over. His attention to detail is almost fanatical." "So at this point you don't see a need to go on the defensive once again?" "I don't see the need for you to be extra vigilant no." "That will make a lot of people happy I think." "I know your dean of men will be happy not to have us on campus again, even if you are living off campus." "You still keeping tabs on me?" "Just routine Mr Sawyer. We'll likely keep checking up on you for several years or until Andros is behind bars." "Please keep it as unobtrusive as possible. Karl still thinks I'm paranoid as it is." "Unless something happens you'll never even know we're there." "Here's to nothing happening. Are you going to need me to stick around?" "No I'm sure that whatever needs to be done can be handled by either your IT guy or Mr Bellows. I'm headed to the police department to interview your breakin artist and retrieve that flash drive you mentioned." "You should talk to detective Andrews. I'd love to go home and just relax for the next three days, but I think I had better just hang in here for the time being." "Dennis, go home and relax while you have the chance. Next week you're back to the grind and I know you have a meet the end of the month. We can handle it." "I appreciate that Stan, but I think the folks need to see me here right now." "I suppose it couldn't hurt." "Mr Sawyer line 2 please."