Carel Van Huisen felt his jaw drop… again. "You've got to be kidding me!"
The pretty blonde major driving the car grinned. "Welcome to Cheyenne Mountain, Doctor."
Van Huisen just shook his head as the woman drove the car into the tunnel leading into the mountain. At forty years old, he was old enough to remember the cold war, and to have heard of NORAD's famous command complex. He never thought he'd actually see it.
He took a deep breath to compose himself. The day had been very strange. As head of the Mayo Clinic's Gastroenterology Department, he was used to being consulted on difficult or odd cases. For instance, he'd studied records just yesterday that had him puzzled. A white male patient exhibiting symptoms of malabsorbtion syndrome, but without any of the supporting pathology. He'd sent a preliminary request for additional information, but then put the case out of his mind as he did his rounds.
Today, he had finished his daily rounds and appointments only to find himself confronted by the Air Force major currently clearing them through a security checkpoint. She had crisply informed him that his assistance was needed for a matter of national security.
He'd thought it was a joke at first, but the woman had a sheaf of official documentation that she waved under his nose. He was surprised to find his secretary had cleared his calendar, and the CEO of the hospital had approved a leave of absence for the duration.
He was filled with trepidation when the major had whipped out a series of non-disclosure forms. It didn't take long for him to start speculating on who the patient might be. He ruled out the president as the man was currently all over the television rallying support for his environmental agenda. He supposed it could be some military official or other, but then, why the secrecy?
He'd signed the papers and agreed to accompany Major Carter if for no other reason than to satisfy his curiosity. He had followed along with her to the airport only to be astounded to find, instead of a commercial flight, he was traveling in a fighter jet. He had assumed the pretty officer was turning him over to whoever was flying, and had gotten yet another surprise when she had donned the flight helmet and pressure suit herself.
Now here he was on the doorstep of one of the most secure facilities in the world. The major parked the car and led the way. Van Huisen followed meekly along for a moment, then came to a halt. Carter took a few more steps before turning back to him. "Doctor?"
Van Huisen grinned, waving at the huge 30-ton blast door they were approaching. "This is amazing! I've seen this door in the movies. Does it actually close?"
Carter grinned. "Yes, sir, it does. We close it when we are in lockdown mode. It's designed to withstand a nuclear blast. And it keeps the flies out in the summer."
Van Huisen did a double take. The major had been all business, and the joke caught him offguard. After a moment he chuckled. The major gestured him forward, and they approached a bank of elevators. One elevator opened up as they reached it, and a small woman in a white labcoat stepped out.
"Janet. Just in time. This is Doctor Carel Van Huisen. Doctor Van Huisen, this is Doctor Janet Frasier, our Chief Medical Officer."
As Van Huisen extended his hand, his eyes narrowed. "Frasier. Where have I heard that name before?"
"Well, it was a sitcom in the nineties, but you probably recognize it from the report I sent you yesterday." The woman's handshake was firm and the smile warm.
"Ah! The malabsorbtion syndrome. Yes." Van Huisen nodded. "Is that the big mystery case?"
The two women shared a glance that Van Huisen could not interpret, then Dr. Frasier nodded. "Yes, Doctor. It looks like malabsorbtion, but I've been unable to find a cause."
The doctor was guided into the elevator as they spoke, and he noticed the major using a swipe card before pushing the button. He felt his stomach drop as the elevator fell through the mountain. After a six story drop, the door opened, and Van Huisen stepped out, looking around curiously. He grunted in slight disappointment. The corridors looked like any in a hundred different office buildings he had been in.
The Major gestured to the left, and Van Huisen followed her lead. Instead of the expected medical office, the major stopped at a door marked 'Security'. When she opened the door, and ushered him in, the similarity to any office building he had visited ended. The room was filled with uniformed military men, all looking hard-faced and suspicious. Major Carter left him to their mercy, while Dr. Frasier moved over to chat with the only female soldier in the room.
He was directed to a chair where a young man with a great number of ribbons on his chest asked him a series of very personal questions. His driver's license was inspected as if it was assumed to be fake, and the paperwork that Major Carter had him fill out was scrutinized. After a good half hour, the soldier gave him a badge, telling him not to lose it, and assigned two very tough looking soldiers to accompany him.
Feeling very much out of his depth, he left the room with the soldiers trailing him and Doctor Frasier chatting away about her background and training. When they entered the elevator, she noticed his sideways glance at the soldiers. "Don't worry, Doctor, they don't bite."
Van Huisen smiled ruefully. "You're sure?"
Frasier chuckled. "I'm sure. Keep in mind, I'm their personal physician. Any of them get out of line with me, the needles get dull."
Van Huisen noticed the young men made no indication that they heard the remark. They stood at what he assumed was parade rest. "I'll take your word for it. My name's Carel, by the way."
The woman's smile bloomed. "Call me Janet."
"Okay, Janet, just who is this patient of yours? I have to assume he's not just your average soldier."
"Why do you say that?" Janet asked coyly.
Van Huisen held up his hand. "Because of the raging writer's cramp signing all of those non-disclosure agreements. That, and the fact that everytime I asked your Major Carter a question, she answered, 'That's classified.'"
Frasier smiled. "Well, Carel, I have an amazing story to tell you."
