Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:41:50 -0400 From: Mark Arsenault Subject: I Woke Up 313 I Woke Up 313 by M.P. Arsent Copyright to this story remains strictly that of the author. No other publication or use of this story is allowed without the author's consent. 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 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 ensure you list the story's name 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 remember to donate to Nifty as they do an amazing job. Monday morning and we started all over again. Karl and I got out with the guys and got the jogging taken care of had returned home. Washed and dressed we made our way to the kitchen and had our breakfast. "You be careful driving ta work boyo. People being crazy out there tis morning." "I have no doubt Mrs Ohanlon. If something doesn't break soon on this whole oil thing, I expect it to only get worse." Shortly after that, I was out the door and on my way. I did take it slow as it seemed that anywhere that had gas was where everyone was trying to get to. I pulled into the company lot and there were a lot fewer cars around than normal. Then again I was a little earlier than normal as well. I went in and found Stan in his office looking like he hadn't left all weekend. "Stan, you have been home haven't you?" "Yeah for a few hours." "Anything to show for it?" "Not as yet." "Get us going today and then head home at least for a few hours and let me worry about it." "Is that a suggestion or an order?" "Do I have to make it an order?" ""Yes. I have connections that you don't Dennis. They may know who you are, but they don't know you and won't say a word to you, and they may make a difference." "Stan, anything that happens is going to be on the news in short order I'm thinking. There are too many eyes on this that any information is going to stay secret for long." "Probably, but I'm still going to hang in here unless you make it an order." "I won't do that Stan, but at least catch a catnap after the opening bell." "We'll see." "Anything other than the oil to worry about yet?" "No, so far it looks like the world has taken a 'wait and see' attitude." "Yeah, pretty sure that will change with the opening bell." People had started showing up by this time and shortly every desk was filled. "Time for a few words boss." "Ok, folks. I'm sure all of you have been watching the news as I have all weekend. We don't know a hell of a lot more than we did on Friday. So, just take it as it comes today until we know something. I'm expecting it to be a busy day, so dig in." Stan went to his office and I went to mine and set the terminal up to follow the oil market, Nikkei, and Euronext, and the TV I had to the all-news channel. None of them were giving me anything useful at the moment. It seemed that the world was holding its breath this morning. Along about noon, the Euronext started ticking up a bit and it appeared to be driven by the energy market, which immediately brought to mind Andros. If something serious had happened in the Gulf, he stood to make millions on the pipelines he controlled coming out of the Russian Federation and feeding into Europe. "Son of a bitch!" Which had Stan at my door in an instant. "What?!" "I just noticed that the Euronext is going up and it appears to be driven by the energy market. Nothing big and noteworthy, but a lot of small stuff again." "Teramedies?" "That was my thought yeah." "Until we find out what happened, there isn't anything to be done is there?" "Not that I know of unless we give a certain government agent a heads up." "What good would that do?" "As far as the current situation, none. Getting Andros brought to justice, eventually, probably another nail." At that moment my email dinged, so I opened it. We noticed. S "Seems they've got somebody watching already." "So how soon do you think it will be before we really see a reaction?" "I'm betting not long Stan." I had been keeping an eye on the floor as well and as the day went on there seemed to be less and less time between calls being taken. By the closing bell, there still wasn't any information coming out of the Gulf region, almost 4 days later. "This is beginning to feel like there's some kind of cover-up going on Stan." "I have to agree. The governments of the world are going to start demanding answers pretty soon I'm thinking." "Hell, I'm betting they are already doing it behind the scenes." "The bell has sounded Stan. Go home and get some sleep, and now it is an order." "Yes, boss." Stan headed on out as did everyone else. Tonight I was actually the last one out of the office. I made sure to check around and make sure everything was locked, even though we did have physical guards at the place now. When I got home Karl was already there and dinner was just about ready. "You're late tonight." "Yeah, I sent Stan home so I had to stay behind and lock up." "So, what happened today?" "There was a lot of small movement on the European energy market." Karl considered that for a moment. "You're thinking Andros might be behind this whole thing?" "The thought did cross my mind, Stimsons too from the email I got." "Email?" "Just that they noticed the movement as well. Guess last year got them assigning people to watch that kind of thing." "So now what?" "All we can do is ride the market until there's some news, if ever." "Hey, they have to tell us something don't they?" "Eventually, maybe but the sheiks have never been ones to speak openly about problems, no matter what they may be." "So, just keep on keeping on?" "It's about all that we can do." The evening was uneventful, except that Karl took me to bed early. "You're not going to sleep for shit lover, so you might as well go to bed early and at least get the rest." Karl had one thing right, I didn't sleep well at all. Tuesday and we did it all over again. When I got in to work, Stan did at least look rested today. "See anything in the overnights?" "Not a thing boss, other than the energy market in Europe is still ticking up." "Yeah, I expect our own market to start reacting today. I'm thinking we stay conservative until we hear something out of the Gulf." "I agree Dennis. If it's a long-term problem prices are going to stay high for a while, but a short-term problem or an easy fix will likely see prices moderate to some extent." "All we can really do is ride it out." Everyone was shortly to their desks and the word for the day was given. "Once again the word for the day is conservative unless we finally get some news from the Gulf." I went into my office and set up my terminal the same as yesterday. After lunch, Alan showed up with the mail and a fair-sized box. "Got something special for you boss." I opened the box and it was the copies of the proposal. "With all of the stuff going on I damn near forgot about these." "Printer dropped them off just before I started the run. I figured why make two trips? This something good?" "I'm going to try and get the "Y" building and turn it into a gym and gymnastics center." "What's that going to run?" "I figure close to $8 million unless there is something majorly wrong with the building. With this whole oil deal, though I think I might hold off on this." "Waiting to see how it all shakes out?" "Yeah. Loan money may well dry up depending on how this turns out." "Could you do it on your own?" "Not without selling everything I own, and even I'm not that arrogant to think there wouldn't be a hell of a risk. I mean I'd even have to sell the house." "I heard that boss. Good luck with it though." "Thanks, Alan. Later." The afternoon wore on without any news from the Gulf. Gas stocks had started to go up slowly. Phones were busy right up to and a little past the closing bell. Stan came to me. "I'm not liking this at all Dennis. All this time and not a word, not even any credible speculation, out of the Gulf." "I hear ya. You'd think somebody would have something to say by this point." "Whatever is going on, word will leak out eventually." "I'm damned surprised it hasn't already. Don't stay too late watching over things." "Nope heading home after I check a few things." I headed back into my office and started straightening this up and shutting down my computer. I was just about to shut off the TV when the Breaking News banner flashed across the screen.