Takes place after 'Arthur's Secrets'.
Hostage
~ "Okay, what else do I need to tell you?" Arthur said shrugging on his coat. Edwina Sharp was scribbling down notes as the Point Man prepared to leave.
"Your going to need to call Mr. Mcline's before you land so he can arrange a car to pick you up." The tiny little woman said adjusting her glasses as she tried to balance her notes and Arthur's briefcase as the Point Man readied himself to leave.
Arthur gave out a long sigh.
"I shouldn't leave. My wife is eight months pregnant." He said feeling guilty.
"And not due for another month." Edwina reminded him. "You have put off this trip to New York twice already. Everything will be fine. You'll be back in three days."
"Your right." Arthur grumbled as he took the briefcase from Edwina. Causing the arm load of papers to fall on the floor.
"Oh, it's okay." Edwina said. Looking embarrassed by her own clumsiness. She pushed up her horn rimed glasses and looked sadly at the pile of papers.
"I have to go." Arthur said regretting not helping her. "Okay, so about Ariadne, no watching TV unless it the Disney Channel with Darcy. No watching movies about people or dogs dieing. That includes 'All Dogs go to Heaven' and especially not 'Titanic'. Don't let her know that 'Warrior' and '50/50' are out." Arthur said remembering how his wife had cried at the movies.
"I still don't know why you let her see that. You know how hormonal she's been." Edwina said. Her natural voice sounding like she was trying to avert a cold.
"It said it was a comedy!" Arthur said defensively.
"A comedy about a guy with cancer." Edwina said not buying it.
"It had Seth Rogan in it." Arthur snapped at the small woman who served as his secretary. "Sorry." he said feeling the stress and hatred of leaving his heavily pregnant wife behind. "Alright. Ariadne is with Darcy and they are both with Cobb and the kids so when they get home, tell her I'll be in New York at about 4 in the afternoon, Paris time. I'll call her when I land."
"You won't make your flight unless you hurry." Edwina reminded him. Her voice sounding like an old school madam. "Your cab is downstairs and waiting."
"Right." Arthur said as he hurriedly grabbed his bags and left.
In the empty apartment, Edwina Sharp gathered up her papers. Balancing them once more in her small arms. Only to drop them again as she was going back to her office.
~ One the clean streets of the well kept neighborhood, Arthur apologized to the cabbie and loaded his bags in the trunk.
"Airport please." The Point Man said. The cab didn't move. "Hello?" he said to the driver.
The side door opened and a tall, older woman slid in effortlessly next to Arthur.
"Excuse me." Arthur said trying to sound polite.
"No need to apologize, Arthur." The woman said. Her accent thick and hard to pin point. The Point Man felt his blood run cold at he realized she had called him by his first name.
She turned and looked at him as the cab drove off. Artfully maneuvering around the traffic.
"Who are you?" Arthur asked. An intense feeling that he should be afraid washed over him.
"That's not important." The woman said. "Cobb and Eames are waiting for us."
"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked.
"Arthur, I'm here to help you, your friends, your half sister, your wife and your unborn baby survive this." She said as if she were his best friend.
'Open the door, tuck and roll. Get back to the apartment and get Ariadne on the phone. She knows our escape plan.' He thought as he reached for the door handle.
"It's locked Arthur." The old woman said as if reading his mind. She finally glared at him. Her face heavily made up to hide the maze of wrinkles on her face.
"If you try and leave us, you will have effectively killed your wife." The woman said. "You fail to cooperate in anyway, you will have killed your wife. How many months along is she?" The old woman questioned. Her teeth showing the undeniable signs of age. Her eyes gleaming the angry bitter glint of someone who has lived too long and seen too much. "Well, then there's your little half sister. Darcy is it? The one who calls your Papa?" The old woman said in a sickly sweet tone.
"What do you want?" Arthur said feeling the urge to throttle this old hag. Her tacky manicured hands and her over priced name brand suit with loads of gaudy jewelry. The woman looked like a bad Joan Rivers impersonator.
"We can discuss all that when we meet up with your friends." The old woman told him.