Project Apollo

Chapter 11

Great Falls, Virginia – Four Months Prior

Catherine Mueller entered the examination room, head down scanning the file. Her eyes searched for the name.

"Mr..... Templeton?" She looked up after having found the name on the file, meeting Xander's eyes.

"Yes." Xander used his civilian alter-ego although he was in a CIA medical center. As Templeton, Xander softened to a timid, small man even among agency personnel.

"What brings you in today? Your file is classified enough to not tell me anything that would have happened in the field, so if you have any physical injuries please make sure to come up with good stories, I don't accept 'I fell down the stairs'." She started laughing to herself.

"Will do..." Xander smiled back. Her head fell to the file.

"Just an annual check-up," Xander nodded his reply.

"Okay, sounds good... I'm still getting use to this patient thing." She opened up to her patient's warm presence.

"Are you not typically a physician?" he asked.

"Well, I am a physician but I have been focusing on lab work primarily. I specialize in infectious disease, but the agency let's me come in ever so often for standard work ups."

"I see..." he responded.

"Well, I'll get some blood work done and check some vitals. Okay?" Xander nodded.

After a few moments, Catherine returned with a phlebotomist cart. She dug into its drawers and lined up a butterfly syringe, alcohol wipe, tourniquet, and six empty vials for blood. She rolled up Xander's sleeve, revealing a ripped arm, bulging with veins. She noticed many scars up his arms, bullet wounds, knife slashes.

"I might not even need this!" She threw the tourniquet aside. She focused on the scars again. "So... what do you do for a living, Mr. Templeton?" She asked as a joke, knowing some fallacy was prepared. She wiped down his skin with the alcohol wipe and smiled up at Xander.

"I'm a business consultant," he played back.

"Get in many bar fights as a business consultant?" She asked in reference to the scars

"You'd be surprised..." Xander smiled out of the corner of his mouth. The charm seemed to placate her curiosity, as she smiled back.

"I forgot to ask are you allergic to anything?" Xander shook his head.

"Any history of tuberculosis in your family?" He shook it again.

"Have you had any major surgeries?" This was a loaded question for someone like Xander Whitt, but he again responded with a short shake.

The syringe came down to his vein and punctured it. Blood filled up the tube and Catherine attached the empty vial which immediately began to fill up.

"So tell me about the world of infectious diseases." Xander kept the conversation going.

"It's nothing spectacular... A lot of lab time in goofy, inflatable suits."

"You wear one of those big air suits?" Xander tried to flash some charm to sell his alter-ego.

"Yep... they really bring out my curves." She joked back, exchanging the full vial for an empty one.

"So where do you work?" Xander liked to know all of his civilian contacts well, in case he'd ever need to run a background check on them.

"A lot of places really, but over the last few years I've been contracting with the NIH in Bethesda."

"Woah... the big leagues." She switched vials and kept the flow going. "You're taking a lot of blood..."

"Yeah, we're doing a full work up on it."

"I hope it's okay... you'll find a lot of pressure in there..." he quipped.

"Stressful job equals high blood pressure." After a smile she unfastened, the last vial from the syringe. She grabbed a small fold of gauze and pressed it down at the point of insertion and slid the needle out. "Apply some pressure for me will ya?" Xander complied as Catherine hastened to break down the blood kit. After taping the gauze down on Xander's arm, she brought her hands together for her diagnosis.

"Okay... it appears you have a clean bill of health. I will get this blood to the lab and we will let you know the results. Any questions for me?" She asked.

"Nope..." Xander responded.

"Okay then," the doctor nodded the conclusion of the appointment.

"Well thanks, Dr. Mueller." Xander hopped off the patient table, donning his social minded alter-ego.

"You're most welcome." Xander walked out to the hallway and toward the checkout. Dr. Mueller added one more thing.

"Oh and Mr. Templeton?" she asked. Xander turned back to her.

"Yes?"

"Try not to get in as many bar fights!" Xander smiled.

"You got it."