The Unexpected
Copyright© 2025 by Technocracy
Chapter 24
Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 24 - "If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not find it; for it is hard to be sought out, and difficult." -- Heraclitus of Ephesus
Caution: This Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Consensual Heterosexual Fiction Science Fiction Violence
SIG, Needham, Ma - 28 December 2008
Andrea, Doris, Benny, and Harry had spread their aborted picnic lunch across the office credenza. Andrea’s and Benny’s space, being the second-most expansive office, had become a common meeting room for the SIG inner circle.
“ ... which would entail all three properties to the north of the road. One farm is being actively worked. Robert is negotiating a lease-back with that family.”
Harry, with almost a sneer, made his politics on the matter known, with a cliche Latin phrase.
“Yep, I can see what’s been happening in New England. Latifundia perdidere Italiam, jam vero et provincias.”
Benny acknowledged Harry’s, with the same biting level of sneer.
“Trying to attempt poignancy? I shall remind you that you are the son of a rancher that absorbed the four surrounding properties, then barring your financing, would have been lost to the banks. In any case, if we do not buy these parcels, within the next ten years, developers will usurp this and much of the remaining rural farmland surrounding the Boston metro.”
“Bite me.”
“Now that, Harry, is clever, almost eloquent.”
Doris re-directed the conversation.
“More important matters. When are you two going to start planning?”
“Plan for what?”
“There are times, Benny, when I can’t tell if you are a fool or an idiot. Your wedding, of course.”
“What is there to plan? It is a short legal ritual. Harry wears a new pair of jeans and his nice hat, I wear my suit, and you and Andy wear whatever you believe appropriate. Then we stand in front of the local magistrate and get the license signed. And Lizzy can wear anything, except those heavy-metal shirts.”
“The gods! Benson Harrison, what mental disease do you have? Sweety, why did you say yes to this man?”
Benny’s sense of normalcy did not allow him a logical reason for Doris Sotherly-Spoons to express disconcert. To his credit, Benny remained silent, allowing his beloved to reply.
“Because I love him ... Dory, Benny and me ... we talked of this. Of our age, and we all working much awful hours, we think big church wedding not to be ... it is not us.”
Doris noted that Andrea continued to struggle with recovering her lost mastery of English.
“But where, dear?”
“Here ... Uh down the...”
Benny interjected, seeing Andrea was struggling with English.
“Downstairs. The conference room. Then we can easily, and immediately, return to our jobs.”
“Yep, that’s my man. A true romantic.”
“Shut it, Harry. You are not helping.”
Andrea shook her head in a forceful negation.
“No. Not the ceremony. We talked to judge.”
“We talked to the magistrate that delayed Marissa Mayer’s custody and bail hearings for us. She will be available on most afternoons for the next two months.”
“Yep, Benny. Now that’s what I call the efficiency of the marketplace. Well done, sir.”
“I told you to shut it, Harry ... Is that what you want, sweety?”
“Yes, Dory. No more.”
Doris resigned herself to her friends’ having a business-like, low-key marriage ceremony. She knew that it was more than enough that Benson Harrison had asked Andrea. The more she thought of it, she realized that she had never expected Benny to ask Andrea.
Benny stood, quickly swallowing a bite of his sandwich.
“But we have missed the most important subject of all.”
Benny stepped behind Andrea.
“Show them, Andy...”
“Not sure...”
Benny leaned down to speak softly into Andrea’s ear.
“I love you, Andy. Show our friends.”
As Andrea slowly stood, Benny pulled her wheelchair away from her. He stood close, but gave Andrea space to maneuver.
Andrea’s shaky stance did not matter to anyone. With her hand on Benny’s shoulder, she took a few steps to the side of the table. Laughter, shouts of glee, and clapping arose from the three spectators.
Needham, Ma - 29 December 2007
Jose, after dropping off the bakery’s day-old breads, waited for Miguel to walk towards the storefront to stack the break. Jose loudly whispered to Benny.
“Benson, Father Byrne is about the neighborhood this morning.”
Benny smiled at his baker friend, appreciating the warning.
“Huh ... Good to know. At least he does not get all fire and brimstone about our games like that Baptist guy ... speaking of the metaphorical devil...”
The Catholic priest had, per Benny’s view, an unbearably smug smile. As if he had the answer to all questions. The old man’s Ulster-Irish accent was different from Brian’s deeply Celtic intonations.
“A good morn to you, Benson.”
“What can we do for you, sir? We have a special on the cod.”
“I understand that you will marry one of my flock?”
“Flock?”
“Aye, lad. Mrs Paucho, although not often in these times, has been a member of my parish since her arrival in the states. So you will marry Andrea Paucho?”
“That is my intention.”
“Yes ... And the plan is for a civil wedding.”
Benson said nothing, as the priest had made a statement of fact. The old man met Benny’s focused eyes.
“Benson, have you given thought to a marriage under God’s provisions?”
“I do not understand the question.”
“A church wedding, of course.”
“I have not considered any religious rituals, sir.”
“Have you talked to Andrea about joining under the eyes of God?”
“We have completed a series of discussions for our marriage. A religous ceremony was not considered.”
“Benson, your are a man of science...”
“I am not.”
“Certainly you are, young man. Why would you say otherwise?”
“I am an engineer.”
The priest was briefly rattled by Benny’s detail-oriented method of converse.
“Of course. Let us say that you are a man that applies scientific principles.”
Benny deadpanned, not replying to the priest.
“I see ... Benson, there are many prominent scientists and engineers that are of the faith. Have you considered an evaluation of your spirituality, and for the greater meaning as to our gift of life?”
“I have read several rationales and theories that could explain the development of life.”
“But that study does not feed your soul. Your soul provides the many meanings to our existence.”
“Sir, if you intend to discuss ontology, then I am not the man for the discussion. I am not educated in any philosophical studies of being, much less speaking of the metaphysics.”
“So you are a deist?”
“Sir, I am nothing other than Benny Harrison, a man that is engaged to Andrea Paucho. I do not believe in anything that I cannot measure or experience. So, no, I will not claim deism; as being a deist would be contradictory per the ability to measure, or anything else that is spiritual and otherwise immeasurable.”
“But why, Benson? You have spent your career investigating the wonders of the universe. How can you not believe in God?”
“Barring a discussion on any premise for the physical meaning of our existence, we are left with only the metaphysical. Hence, my discourse would be nothing other than the oldest philosophical basis for a non-belief, the Epicurean Paradox...”
Benny let the sour taste of his logic ferment in the priest’s mouth. Hearing no immediate response, Benny stepped from behind the counter, calling to Miguel.
“ ... Mickey, is that pallet still in the alley?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it, Benny. We’ll get to it later.”
“I will unload it now.”
Benny escaped through the back door, seeking the solace of inanimate objects. He unloaded the pallet of boxes, hoping that the priest would be gone before he finished the task.
Michelle and Brandon stood at the stair-landing to their apartment, watching Benny unload the pallet. They marveled at the focus that which Benson Harrison used on all tasks, whether sweeping a floor, or designing an electronic circuit, or fomenting the flow of unknowable equations across a white-board.
After the boxes were placed among the shelves of the storage area, Benny pulled off the apron and tossed it on the bottom steps, then freed the body-punch bag from its hanger beneath the steel stairs.
Benny was punching and kicking the bag when Brandon and Michelle walked down the alley.
“Want me to hold that for you, Benny?”
“Thank you, Brandon. Loitering around here does not seem an effective use of your day off.”
“Nah, we’re still recuperating from last week’s half-marathon.”
Brandon took hold of the opposite side of the bag, waiting for Benny to resume his workout.
“Will Henry allow time off for the New York Marathon?”
“Our request is on the company schedule.”
“You are lucky. Henry threatened to break my legs if I attempted a marathon.”
Benny returned to punishing the bag.
“Benny, watch your left arm, you’re still leading with a misaligned forearm.”
Michelle corrected Benny’s form. Brandon immediately recognized the increase in the power of Benny’s punch. Brandon held the bag as Benny continued to kick and punch the bag.
“Ya know what, hun? How about a full-length thai-bag for Benny?”
Michelle looked at her man thinking over the suggestion.
“Would probably be more suited to his style and size. But he would need someone to hold it for the quick-round drills.”
“Mickey could do it for Benny. He’s getting his brown belt this month. Which reminds me, the studio needs a new floor, Benny.”
Benny was winded, delaying his answer.
“ ... talk to Doris. Tell her to write a check next week ... When will the old guy hand the studio over to his niece and son?”
“Why?”
“Because Mister Kim is also Andy’s therapist. I do not want him to retire until she has recovered her locomotion.”
Brandon and Michelle were stunned at the revelation. The mysterious seonsaeng, Mr Kim, had revealed, yet another talent. The thought was interrupted as Jerri drove one of the company vans down the alley.
“Speaking of which, here she is.”
Benny quickly went to the side to lift Andrea out of the vehicle. Benny gently kissed Andrea before lifting her out. Andrea buried her face into Benny’s chest, smelling his fresh sweat from the workout.
“Dores musculares?”
“Sim. Mas é muito melhor.”
“Vou massajar-te. A cama está coberta.”
Benny and Andrea paused to lock eyes for a second, then kissed again before Benny carried her up the stairs and into their apartment.
“Damn. Don’t know what the man said, but it sure seemed to put his woman in a good mood.”
Jerri laughed her response to Brandon.
“From what I could understand, she’s gonna get a post-therapy massage.”
“You speak Portuguese?”
“Not really. Just what little I’ve learned from Andrea and her kid.”
“Oh, yeah, almost forgot ... Uh, the colonel wants to see you, Jerri. He and Jason are up there watching TV. Who’s at SIG today?”
Jerri answered as she turned to walk down the alleyway and ascend the stairs to the second apartment over the barbershop.
“Brian is at SIG. I’ll go in around zero-one.”
The announcer’s voice for the playoff game was screaming from the over-driven mini-speaker arrays that Mike Frothers had set up in Henry’s living room. Jason Thorns and Henry van Doreen nursed beers with a calm that did not match the broadcast excitement.
When Henry muted the TV, Jason stood away from the couch.
“Sit down, captain. Tell me about Angela Striker and Mason Johnson.”
“None of your business, colonel.”
“Normally, I would agree. But I talked to our favorite jarhead officer yesterday. It became our business when Stewart said that they were exchanging messages that could be considered sensitive material.”
“Bullshit, colonel! I know Angie, and I know Mason. They know security protocols inside and out.”
Henry pointed a file folder at Jerri. Jerri took the folder and read the first few pages.
“So fucking what? This stuff is common knowledge. They’re talking about the typical training pipeline for a Marine infantry officer, with a few fancy extras. What makes this shit ‘sensitive’?”
“Keep reading.”
Jerri read the last two pages of message transcripts.
“Again, boss. So fucking what?”
“He is talking about unit movements, personnel, and equipment.”
“Colonel, are you fishing for something? This is from shit he did in Iraq, years ago. How can this still be sensitive information? Did Mason sign something? Does he have a statute?”
“Not to my knowledge, but Stewart did inform Johnson that the attack on the airfield was considered sensitive subject matter.”
“Someone is setting up Mason. This is bullshit and you know it.”
“Jerri ... have you been intimate with Mason Johnson?”
“No, not that I haven’t thought about it. Why?”
“Sorry for being intrusive, but I need to know where your sentiments would follow ... Are Striker and Johnson still maintaining an intimate relationship?”
“They’re probably fucking each other’s brains out two or three weekends a month. Again, why?”
“A Chinese national, that has recent connections to a Bulgarian national, that is an arms trader, attempted to contact Angela Striker. She reported it to me and Robert.”
“Sounds perfect per our protocol. What’s the problem?”
“Her apartment was bugged. The electronics appear to be Chinese, as in PLA. She is being watched. So anything she says or does is being noted by an unfriendly.”
“She know?”
“Robert informed both Johnson and Striker as of zero-eight this morning.”
“None of this explains why Colonel Stewart’s panties are in a wad over Angie.”
“Stewart thinks that she may eventually be physically targeted.”
“Assassination-type hit?”
“Worse. The hostiles may want to bag for interrogation.”
“Shit. Let’s get her ass out of town for a while.”
“Did that. She’s at, or in transit to, the farm. We’re gonna fly her out to California during the week, on a MAC flight. She’ll be there until we identify the specific threat vector.”
“What about Lizzy Paucho?”
“You will take that assignment. Sorry, Jerri. You’ll have to live at her place for a while. At this time, she is at SIG with Brian.”
“Great. Just fucking great, boss ... uh, who’s on Harry and Doris?”
“The five Marines that live next door will stay in town. They will shadow the Spoons, and others, per the threat level.”
“I don’t think a big hummer full of jarheads, following SIG personnel around is gonna make our people happy. I suppose that was Colonel Stewart’s idea?”
“We are picking up three more company vans tomorrow. And yes, this was Stewart’s suggestion. In any case, the Marines will be in these vans, out of uniform, but well-armed.”
“Boss, you do realize that Benny will go ape-shit over this? Not to mention Harry and Doris.”
“Doctor Harrison is a man of logic and equanimity. He will accept most anything when it comes to the safety of Isabelle and Andrea Paucho. I will inform him Monday morning. As for the Spoons, Jason made an appointment to talk to them tonight. I would appreciate your giving him a ride to Cambridge.”
“Bring your six-shooter and spurs, Major.”
Jason Thorne did not answer Jerri’s sarcastic recommendation for dealing with SIG’s resident cowboy.
12 January 2008
“ ... and the Bank of America is gonna buy Countrywide. We’re there, or would that be ‘here’? ... Anyway, this is it. I say let’s lighten the first dump, then go heavy on the second, then we go fishing.”
“I do not fish, Harry. And why would one fish during the middle of winter? ... Why do you think the first two vectors are ‘it’?”
“We have another five to six per cent to go, Benny. If it happens all at once, or on a holiday, they’ll most likely close down the exchanges. As soon as the world sees the bond insurance reports, it will be too late. We did the sims, Benny. We’re here. We’re ready.”
Doris and Andrea said nothing, holding their collective breath, waiting for Benny’s decision.
“You are the economist. We do it.”
17 January 2008
“ ... one and a half billion!? Now, Harry?”
“Yep. this is the first back-side dump. Then we shoot the rest of our ammo on the next one.”
““You are the economist. Do it.”
20 January 2008
“Did those incompetent fools at Google fix the link?”
“Nancy said we got dual lines to the UK. I’m ready to play the fiddle, so let’s dance.”
“You remain certain? Two billion!? Now, Harry?
“Yep. Our markets will be closed tomorrow for a fed holiday, so we don’t have to wrestle with sync’ing stuff on both sides of the Atlantic.”
“You believe that both of the projected vectors for the ‘footsie’ remain valid? I remain uncertain, Harry. The feds will not shadow our trades?”
“Again, that’s a ‘yep’. Don’t matter anyway. The regulators are sleeping, and none of the institutions have any risk management stops in place. Both the U.S. and the Brits are toast.”
“You are the economist, Harry. Do it.”
20 March 2008
Harry harrumphed at Andrea and Benny kissing as he entered their office, tossing the Wall Street Journal on Benny’s desk
“Y’all will have time for that smoochy-smoochy later. Look at what everyone is saying. First, the Carlyle Group got margin calls, now Chase is low-balling Bear Stearns in a bail-out orchestrated by the fed reserve goons. I’m gonna bet them fools are ‘bout to dump the rates again. All of them folks are getting real scared.”
“Another rate adjustment? They recently shaved seventy five basis points.”
“Yep. Like I said, they’re all in a big panic. The goat herders are runnin’ the show, Benny.”
Benny had no idea as to the meaning of Harry’s metaphor. And he made it a point to not ask.
“Perhaps we should shut down the stack and run vector projections for the basic rate. Do we have enough data to run a sim for fed rates?”
“Nah. It’s all way too squirrely. I couldn’t even do a simple least-squares fit on this garbage. Taleb was right; we got the black swan of our generation. Footsie is gonna be down thirty per cent by the end of the year, and the American exchanges ain’t gonna be any better. Time to coast on the upside and run with the equities. It’s gonna be cheap money for a while, so no where to go but up.”
“You are the economist, Harry. You and Doris find us some good corporate bonds and stocks.”
Benny ended the conversation by pulling his fiance back onto his lap, continuing their office romance.
SIG, Needham, Ma - 01 May 2008
The conference room was filled with SIG employees, a few municipal and county officials, the two on-duty Marines, and Mason Johnson. Mason kept to the rear of the large room, sitting next to Jerri and Angela.
Benny blanked out the hoots and whoops as he took his time, sharing a slow-building kiss with his new wife. Harry and Doris stood with the couple, enjoying the display of affection. Lizzy stood next to her mother, smiling broadly, as Benny extended the kiss. When Benny sensed that Andrea’s legs were at their limits for standing, Benny swept his bride off her feet, cradling her gently. Lizzy rolled a chair towards Benny and Andrea. Accepting the chair, Benny plopped down into it with Andrea on his lap.
As the group celebrated the legal joining, Lizzy made her way towards Mason. She noted Mason’s severe haircut, the sides of his head fully shorn of hair, and his top with but an inch or two of hair. His shaved face was taut, and his jaw and corded neck muscles prominent with marked veins. At least physically, Mason Johnson had transformed into something that starkly contrasted with the attractive, lithe, not overly-muscled, and nerdy-bearded engineering student that Lizzy had loved.
Mason observed the somewhat diffident, yet still confident, walk of Isabelle Paucho. Mason noted that her full form had returned, but with a pronounced element of hardness.
“Hello, Lizzy. You look well.”
Lizzy issued a thin smile to Mason, wanting to be both civil and succinct in the presence of others.
“Hello, Mason. You also look well. When will you return to the military?”
“First week of June.”
“I wish you the best. Please let me know your status and location.”
Mason stood, putting on a dark green windbreaker and picking up his motorcycle helmet.
“I will. I have class this afternoon. Got to get going.”
“We have your favorite, Jose’s pumpernickel bread, on the table. Grab some on the way out.”
“I miss Jose’s breads ... Bye, Lizzy.”
“Goodbye, Mason.”
Lizzy watched Mason walk to the the front of the conference room to offer his congratulations to Andrea and Benny, then out the double doors. Jerri and Angela exchanged looks of relief after the zero-drama encounter between the former lovers. Lizzy’s thoughts about Mason where halted when Jerri broke her reverie.
“When will you leave, Lizzy?”
“Unless you wanted to stay longer, as soon as I say goodbye to Benny and mom.”
“No problem, Lizzy. I’ll bring your truck around to the front.”
“Thank you, Jerri.”
After Jerri left the room, Lizzy sat next to Angela.
“Angela, you are a good person. I do not like you, but I know that you are decent and principled. Please be careful with Mason’s heart.”
Angela Striker had seldom talked to Lizzy, as she was not of the SIG inner circle. She was a bit surprised by Lizzy’s declarations, but not angered. Her soft Jamaican accent modulated her reply to Lizzy.
“Isabelle, I have always respected and admired your technical skills ... And neither do I like you. As for Mason, I don’t think I’ll see him again after the end of May.”
“Why would you not see Mason?”
“You still do not understand Mason?”
“I would suppose not, thus the question.”
“Mason seeks the ultimate type of belonging; to be with people that never have to ask why. He never belonged here. Everyone here, except Doc Harrison, made sure of that. And he would never be able to belong to me.”
Lizzy was stunned, and saddened and disappointed, from Angela’s revelation.
14 September 2008
“Lehman is over, Benny. It looks like the feds ain’t gonna give them an out like they gave to Bear Stearns. I want to attempt one last big short. Two point four billion, distributed across Google, Sachs, and our private account.”
“The SEC has been talking to Robert. This will paint a larger target on us.”
“What will they do? Take away my birthday? Which, by the way, I’m spending at the farm. Mostly so Doris can go without clothes.”
“I did not need to know that, Harry.”
“So what’s it gonna be, my friend?”
“You and Doris were supposed set up a list of long-term upsides. Why are we back to synchronized shorts?”
“If our congressional cretins continue passing support mechanisms, this is probably the last big dump of the Dow, at least for this cycle. I’m thinking ‘bout four to five percent. Bank and finance stocks are hosed.”
“And if congress does not pass funding to prop up this mess?”
“Then we’ll have a really freaking big drop.”
“Of what size?”
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.