Guy, have you ever known me to joke? [He says with light inflection that sounds like sarcasm but also not, and with a wave of his hand.] You should known full-well how debilitating a phobia can be, and one that you're not even aware of yet could result in a messy end should it be triggered in the middle of an emergency.

You're correct on that part. It's the kind of affliction which encourages people to keep for themselves, when simple collaboration could lead to solving the mystery.