Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters are properties of their respective owners. The author has no intention of ridiculing the story arc/s and its characters. This fan fiction piece is a product of the author's praise for these two master pieces. No copyright infringement is intended.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm a big fan of Inception and CSI: New York. And I sooooo love Detective Jessica Angell (who doesn't?). Because of that, I seriously cried with the awful Season 5 finale. Letting my mind work after mourning Jess Angell, I found a way to bring her back. And this is it! :)

PROLOGUE

The trackers were closing in on him. The busy streets of Barcelona -filled with tourists at this time of the year- weren't doing him any good. He rounded another block turning into a line of fruit vendors and sidewalk refreshments.

As he looked back from time to time, he assessed there were at least two trackers tailing him. They were dressed in tourist clothes with matching sunglasses and all that. He noticed them minutes ago when he entered a coffee shop two blocks away. He didn't think twice as he bolted.

Scanning the crowd, he estimated the trackers were far behind. Good thing about them is that they don't want to attract dramatic attention, thus making them inferior in chases like these. He'll always be thankful for that.

When the two men in khaki shorts and floral polo shirts were busy keeping up their tourist façade, he ducked and found his way out through an empty alleyway. He took a left turn and traced the back of an apartment building until he found himself in another crowded street, this time filled with colorful stalls and bazaars.

Checking that he wasn't followed yet, he took out his disposable phone and started to dial. It took only one ring for someone at the other end of the line to pick up.

"Man, where are you?" the man from the other end inquired urgently.

"I don't know. Somewhere around a bazaar section two blocks from the Puro. Listen, trackers are tailing me. They know I'm here in Barcelona."

"Gee, how do you know they're trackers?" the man asked, now even more intrigued.

"One of them was assigned to track me back when I was in Santorini. I'll never forget that face. Not even with those sunglasses." He hailed a cab as he talked on the phone. "La Sueńo Bella, por favor." He told the cab driver.

"That makes sense; you've been here in Barcelona for three months now. Looks like the Council's usual time frame in finding out where you are."

"Yeah, now what I need is to get out of here as soon as you get me my tickets."

"That's what I'm here for, right? Where to this time?"

"New York." He said immediately.

Not the answer he was expecting, the man in the other end of the line took a moment to reply.

"New York? But-"

"I know, I know. But I need to see her this time. I don't know, I've got this weird feeling. It's just - ah, can I not explain this to you? We're running out of time."

"Alright, alright. I'll get this covered until you get at the Sueńo Bella."

"Great, I'll meet you then." He put down the phone and the cab sped away.

La Sueńo Bella was a subtle structure. Not packed with tourists, he felt making this his hideout would be less conspicuous. Well, now not anymore.

Dealing with trackers had always been fun for him. No matter how they've been successful in their previous conquests of tracking down extractors and their point men, they still deemed inferior to Cobb's team. That included him, of course.

They weren't labeled best ensemble for nothing. It was a good thing though, that trackers weren't really much focused on targeting architects and forgers. At least Ariadne kind of had immunity in that field. Cobb and he could handle themselves after all. That wasn't a problem.

The problem was the people they loved. If trackers still couldn't get hold of them after these many many years, it won't be long before they turned into their loved ones. A vulnerable spot, indeed. That's why he's been traveling the world hoping to get the tracker's attention away from his loved ones. Cobb on the other hand, handled the problem perfectly. He was the best at what he did.

Driving the thoughts away, he made his way upstairs to his room. Checking the perimeter and making sure the coast was clear, he entered his room with a defensive stance.

"What took you so long man?" Paolo, the man he was talking to over the phone greeted him, his voice almost inaudible.

"Ah, job well done. You are the best at what you do. And here I thought you couldn't beat me here."

"Here." Paolo motioned for a small luggage where the passport and other identification he needed were tucked. He also included enough dollar currencies.

He checked all the small luggage's contents and commended his trusted friend's work. "I am impressed."

"It would have been a first if you weren't." Paolo chuckled.

"Well then, I guess this where I say another impermanent adiόs."

"Yes, but before that-" Paolo hesitated a moment, and then continued: "Ariadne will have a field day if she knows where you're headed."

"Which is exactly why you shouldn't tell her."

"Right. Well then, adios mi amigo."

He tapped Paolo on the shoulder and blended with the busy traffic on the streets. Clutching the red die in his pocket, he disappeared into the crowd and headed for the airport.

END NOTES.

Curious much? Hmmmmm :/