Unholy Confessions, page 1

This is one of my earlier stories.
BTW, I'm new to the Short stories thread, and couldn't find a description of what SSSC stood for. Apologies. Anyway let me know what you think.

Unhly Confessions.

The priest, for that was obviously what he was, followed the younger man down the narrow hall and down several ramps, stopping twice so that the younger man could pass his black laminate card over a sensor.
They descended down more than 3 levels, only to arrive at a secure room with a windowed control area looking on, manned by 2 men. They boarded an elevator and began a decent down several floors.
Out of uncomfortability of the silence, the priest spoke.
“I’ve never been asked for my help by someone from the military.”
The young man didn’t so much as blink. “We aren’t the military, sir.” He continued his blank vigilant stare at the door of the elevator
“Any idea what it is I can expect to be privy to?”
The soldier, if that’s indeed what he was, finally looked over his shoulder at the priest.
“I don’t have Phoenix level security, but if what I’ve heard is even remotely true, You’ll be “privy” to something you could never imagine.”
The elevator came to a stop and the door slid open, revealing a large lobby with yet another control room overlooking the area.
“Please have a seat, sir.” The young man motioned to a seating area. A suspended television was playing the news. “Commander Felhorn will be with you shortly.”
“Commander?” the priest retorted. “I thought you weren’t military…”
The young man dismissed himself.

The priest took a seat and reflected. The call he had received at 2 in the morning had been from an old friend, Dean Hornbeck, of the Catholic Academy for Science, in Rochester.
He had asked him to come to Rochester as fast as he cold. When he had protested, Dean had told him that he had some news that he could only trust to a friend. Now here it was, almost 6 AM and he still hadn’t seen his friend. He had been picked up by what he thought were CIA agents or some sort of governmental agency police, who told him that his friend was waiting for him. They took him to a helicopter pad, and he was boarded, being told nothing. He inquired about Dean Hornbeck only to be told that all would be made to be understood in due time. As he tired in the wee morning hours, the helicopter had come to rest on some type of tower atop a mountain or a large forested hill. Though it was still not yet daylight, all around him he could see several other mountains, covered in trees, as if he were in the Catskills. They descend down the tower and into a doorway guarded by two men with submachine guns slung over their shoulders. It was in the next room where he had met the younger man who had led him this far.

He waited 5 minutes or so before attempting to inquire about this alleged Colonel Felhorn, only to be told that he needed to be patient. One of the guards made a smirky remark about how it would be worth the wait.
20 more minutes past before the double doors swung open and an authoritative looking older man swaggered in accompanied by a younger armed man.
“Father Brennan?”
“Yes, that’s me.” He felt as though he were in a doctors waiting room and thedoctor had just arrived. “ I assume you must be Colonel Felhorn?”
The older man extended his hand. “Yessir, and welcome, I hope you’ve not been reribly put out.
“I have.” The priest offered with a minimal amount of humor and a smirk.
The Colonel smiled and nodded. “Fair enough. Before we begin-“
Before anything, I want to know where Dean Hornbeck is.”
The colonel again nodded. “Dr. Hornbeck is here, and you will be meeting with him soon, I assure you.”
Somewhat satisfied, the priest nodded for Felhorn to continue.
“If you would follow me, please.”
They maneuvered through several corridors and down even more ramps to yet another elevator.
“How’s your faith, father?” The colonel asked.
“Sorry?”
The Colonel, an average man of average build, looked as though he had seen his share of hardened combat, and rough times, and weathered them all with courage, sacrificing a few years of good looks off his age. He laughed, and as he did, the cracks in his face shined.
:”No, I’m sorry, it’s a joke. But the truth is, I am curious. About your faith. Catholic, yes?”
“Yes.” The priest offered reluctantly. I admit lately I’ve been more on the science end of it all, exploring things that others might consider to be…”
“Heretic?”
The priest eyed the Colonel. “Not exactly the phrase I was seeking.”
The colonel smiled. “Well, regardless, its that side of you we really need right now. Someone with the understanding of God, and an open mind to accept things as perhaps they should not be.”
That expression, as loosely as the Colonel had put it, rolled a cold chill across the priests spine.
“So what exactly is it that I’m doing here, Colonel?”
The lift slowed and the doors opened to yet another control booth overlooking a crosspoint of 3 doorways.
The colonel led the priest through the checkpoint and into some sort of prep area full of lockers and storage.
Eyeing the items he spied, Some type of armored vests, weapons, the like of which he had never seen, and all manner of electronic gear, he became anxious.
“Who exactly are you? One of your guards informed me you weren’t military.”
The colonel nodded. “No we aren’t. We’re a private corporation. We outsource all types of security, and containment, as well as supplying weaponry, and equipment for many purposes.”
“I wish I could tell you that answered my question, Colonel.”
The Colonel again showed his facial wrinkles., pausing a moment to smile at the priest before speaking. “Father, do you believe in the supernatural?”
“What do you mean…Ghosts?”
“The Colonel contemplated this. “More along the lines of Demons.”