Chapter 6

Good Vibrations - Monday

Robert sat in his truck, engine idling, heater on low, in a Starbucks parking lot near Charlotte-Douglas International Airport waiting for a call from Hannah. His family’s Canon camcorder sat on the passenger seat. He sipped his black coffee and let his mind wander as country music played quietly on the radio. Bob knew he was the type of person who needed time to sort through all the crap, good and bad, flowing around him and his family before making a decision.

He looked at the dashboard clock, his sister and Tess should be at baggage claim by now. Bob picked up the Canon and looked at the small video screen. He and Tommy had taken care of the Brad problem last night. Once it had been ‘explained’ that it had been a bad idea to threaten and blackmail Hannah. Brad had seen the light, deciding the full use of his hands and knees was more important, handing over the SIM card with the video of Hannah and promising never to contact her again.

Pressing play for the 4^th or 5^th time, he watched his sister dance. The video was not high quality, shot surreptitiously in the dark dance club he could just see the brass pole and scantily clad Hannah moving her hips to some crappy techno music. There was a row of men seated at the foot of the small stage. Drinks in hand they were tossing dollar bills at her feet and waiving them in the air as Hannah smiled and squatted down, blowing kisses while presenting her large chest in their direction. She reached behind her back, while moving her hips seductively, pausing, she undid her heavy lingerie bra. Holding onto the twin cups, teasing her audience, she turned her back thrusting her thong-clad ass out at the men.

Bob’s cell phone rang in the cup holder. He let the video play as he picked up the phone. He didn’t recognize the number, he assumed it was Tess’s and answered.

“Hello,” he said.

“Hey, we’re ready. Well, I am, Tess parked her car here,” Hannah said breathlessly.

“I’m 10 minutes out,” Bob replied.

“I’ll be outside of Door 3,” Hannah said. She sounded good, happy. “I can’t wait to see you!”

“Me too.” Bob replied, “On my way.” The call ended.

In his lap, on the small screen, Hannah turned back to the front of the stage. Smiling, the dark-haired beauty let the bra fall at her feet. Her big D chest exposed, she twerked her hips and flexed her chest, her breasts bouncing in the men’s faces, just out of arm’s reach. Bills landed on the stage at her feet before she squatted allowing a couple of well-behaved men to tuck a few bills in the band of her thong. The camera clearly caught Hannah’s face, smiling, enjoying the attention.

Robert paused the playback. There was one more clip of Hannah giving a lap dance, pressing her big naked tits into an older man’s face; she never took her thong off in the big room. The third video was a short clip of a tall leggy blonde with girl next door looks dancing topless that he assumed was Ashley, Hannah’s friend. Brad said this SIM card was the only copy. Did they believe him? Not really, but Hannah’s ex-boyfriend understood the consequences if this video ever leaked.

He stopped the camcorder and placed it in the gym bag behind the passenger seat. Time to go get Hannah. They had a lot to talk about. He closed his eyes before he shifted into first gear. Since he started watching the videos, he had an image stuck in his head. Bob pictured his sister naked on her hands and knees as he held a handful of her luscious hair in his fist, pulling on her head as he fucked her hard from behind.

Shaking his head, he cleared the unbrotherly thought and shifted into gear. Hannah had missed a lot this past week and he was curious about her trip to London.

Monday afternoon at the airport arrivals pickup area was a bit of a madhouse after the busy holiday weekend. Robert and Hannah didn’t say much until they were on 321 North heading toward Boone. His sister’s Subaru was still at his house. Bob would have to go back to work on Tuesday. But they had a couple of hours in the Tacoma to share stories and reconnect.

Bob was eyeballing Hannah with glances as she settled her sunglasses on her face. She wore a light blue sweater with a winter pattern of pink and white snowflakes across the front accenting the round curves of her chest. The seatbelt running right down the middle.

“Your phone is in the cup holder,” he said, breaking the ice. “I like the sweater, is it new?”

Hannah turned in her seat and reached for the phone. She definitely had the Rachel Weisz look about her with her luscious dark hair and prominent cheekbones. Bustier than the actress.

“Wow, Big Brother noticed. Yes, a gift from a friend. English Merino wool, very warm.” Hannah said good-naturedly as she powered up her phone.

Did Bob see a little color in his sister’s cheeks as she mentioned the ‘friend’? Hannah concentrated on the little flip phone as it beeped with messages as it connected to the cell network after being powered down overnight.

Robert didn’t say anything as he focused on the late afternoon traffic heading north and west toward the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“Her name is Samantha. Sam’s an Air Force officer and a scientist who spoke at the conference in Cambridge. We made a connection. Now tell me how did things go with Brad? I don’t see anything from him, no text, no voicemail.”

Hannah gestured at the phone. She did have some color in her cheeks. Interesting.

“I took care of Brad last night. Took Tommy with me and the three of us had a ‘talk.’”

“Did you hurt him?” Hannah said straight to the point.

“Nope, didn’t have to,” Bob said eyes on the road. Two fit men in black leather biker jackets and ski masks would frighten anyone. Tommy held an aluminum Little League baseball bat and Bob flashing a stun gun in Brad’s face was all the persuasion they needed as Brad sat zip-tied to a kitchen chair in his own home. They had what they wanted in short order and made their point about leaving Hannah alone very clear.

“You have the video?” Hannah asked.

Robert watched his sister. She had a serious look on her face now.

“Yeah. Check the gym bag behind your seat.”

Hannah reached behind the seat and soon had the camcorder in her lap.

“SIM card is in there,” Bob said splitting his attention between the road and Hannah.

He watched Hannah open the small screen and hit play. She started with the first video, her dancing on the stage.

They drove in silence as the tinny sounds of the techno music played from the camera’s small speaker as Hannah watched all three videos.

“Quality is not great, too bad. I assume you watched the videos?” Hannah said, matter of fact.

“Yeah, of course I did,” he said, then added “You’re not a bad dancer,” he said trying to lighten the moment while speaking the sorry truth. She knew how to strip-tease a group of men and give a lap dance. Not a skill he would have tagged Hannah with a week ago.

“I’m sorry. It was dumb of me.” Hannah said as she watched herself on the small color screen.

Robert reached across the center console for his sister. He placed his right hand on her thigh squeezing her leg through her jeans.

“Trust me we all do dumb stuff. No one in our family can say they haven’t done stupid shit. But we take care of each other and forgive. This stays between us for now.”

Hannah took his hand in both of hers. “Thank you! I will thank you big, later” Hannah said her voice going a bit husky.” She stopped the video, closed the little screen, and placed the camera at her feet.

Knowledge of what they had done in the past and said to each other recently informed her meaning.

“I’ll take you up on that, I can think of a few ways you can thank me,” Bob said smiling eyes on the road as he took his hand from hers. The fantasy of him fucking his sister from behind popped into his head.

“Anyway, I have a lead on a part-time job now,” Hannah said, “So won’t be going there or any other club,” Hannah said a bit of wistfulness in her voice.

“Really, where?” Bob said.

“Sam, she invited me out to Colorado Springs. I think she is going to offer me a research grant. I have to fill out some security clearance paperwork first.”

Robert knew of only one type of research grant that required a security clearance. Military, Department of Defense. He would look into this Samantha, US Air Force.

“Sounds like a good opportunity,” was all Bob said.

“Tell me about the weekend, what did I miss?” Hannah said, changing the subject and reaching for the bottle of water Bob had left in the other cup holder.

Robert thought of all that had happened in the last few days.

“Dad invited us all, my family, you, and Oksana to go to a nudist resort after Christmas with them,” Bob said trying to get a rise out of his sister.

Hannah spit out a mouthful of water, “What the heck? Mom and Dad?”

“Yup. Turns out they have been nudists since before you were born.”

“Fun. I’m game.” Hannah said brushing the water off her new wool sweater.

“That’s not all. Oksana, she spent the weekend.”

“Clothes?” Hannah said.

“Nope,” Bob said, his mind full of all that happened once Oksana walked through the front door last Thursday night.

“Do tell, give me a couple of highlights,” Hannah said sitting back in her seat turned so she could watch Bob as he drove.

Hannah let Bob know she hadn’t eaten much in the last eight hours and was going to be hungry soon. While they talked, he would look for a place to stop. He told her about the photo album waiting for her at the house. Not much happened on Friday, it was a long day out bird hunting with his two oldest kids and Oksana. The kids had each bagged a pair of pheasants while Bob brought down three. Now the birds were in the freezer. Oksana had fun and made him promise to help her get a hunting license.

He went to bed late, with young Lynn next to him while Kristy lay on the other side spooning and giggling with JoAnn. Kevin and Jenny paired up for the evening with Aunt Oksana sleeping downstairs. Bob had been a little envious of his son.

Before breakfast, Bob was working out in the home gym in the garage when his wife came in dressed for a run on the treadmill. He paused his dumbbell curls. The garage felt brisk even with the large floor heater glowing nearby tossing off some heat. By some mutual understanding wearing clothes in the cold garage was deemed a smart move, not a rule violation. Same with the backyard now that the nights were dropping close to and below freezing. The Wilkins weren’t dumb, they were very practical people.

JoAnn leaned against the seat of his Harley Davidson cruiser and folded her arms. The classic motorcycle took up the other side of the garage along with his tools and other odds and ends like a big table saw and a pile of scrap wood.

“PT test soon?” JoAnn said, referring to the physical fitness tests that were part of Army life, even in the National Guard.

He didn’t respond right away. He knew that look; she had something to say.

“What’s on your mind? he said.

JoAnn had not moved from her position against the Harley. A big cherry red bike they had spent many hours on as a couple.

“I had a good talk with Sgt. Johnston’s wife yesterday. She came by while you were out to talk about (ODA) 2025, and you. To see if I had any questions about the wives group.”

Master Sgt. (MSG) Johnston was the Team Sergeant for the Operational Detachment Alph (ODA) he had been asked to join as a replacement. Johnston ran the day-to-day operations of the 12-man team of National Guard Special Forces soldiers while the team’s Captain was in overall command.

Bob set down the 45lb dumbbell on the rubber floor mat.

“Don’t worry I broke the rule and put some clothes on when I saw her car pull up and sent the girls to their room. I didn’t want to embarrass you.” JoAnn said.

“Yeah, what did she have to say?” Now he was going to have to tell JoAnn, but it was better to see what her reaction was to whatever she had been told.