2. Only testing will tell
Author note
Hey people! I'm sorry I haven't updated this story in over a month but I've just been stuck with my other stories. I promise you though, this will be a good story. The best part hasn't come up yet though.
The three of them were blown back by Yusuf's statement. This was exactly what they needed. It was perfect. "Are you serious Yusuf?" Arthur questioned. "Of course I am. The way the chemical works is that it's obviously made to target the brain. With the anesthetics, it targets and 'numbs' the area that holds vivid imagery of memories. The numbing provides less control and it's a one way ticket to removing a memory. Be careful with using it though because the amount injected will affect the number of memories removed. The gangs here use this to torture people and threaten to make them lose all their memories. They inject at least 3 of those into one person." Yusuf clarified. The three of them all grabbed a syringe each and observed it. "So there are only 6 syringes?" Eames asked. "I could try and make more but it takes 2 months tops for them to mix and be completed" Yusuf justified. "Don't worry Yusuf; we'll try to save at least 2 or 3 for the mission. We can use this box first for experimenting then save the last one for the actual mission" Arthur announced. "Okay, just be careful with them. I've got to go now." Yusuf noted. "We'll have fun with these" Eames remarked. "Ha ha" Yusuf sarcastically laughed. "Alright, thanks Yusuf and we'll talk later" Arthur muttered. Ariadne and Eames said their goodbyes then the beep of the phone showed Yusuf hung up.
"I love our chemist chap" Eames stated. They placed the syringes carefully back into the box and Arthur closed it. "Well," Arthur walked to the whiteboard. "We have ourselves a way to remove Mal" He drew on the board. He clicked the blackboard pen closed and sat back down. "Now, we have our way to remove her but… what else is the plan?" Arthur commented. "Don't get me wrong, Yusuf has just helped us a lot but we don't exactly have an answer of how we're going to use this chemical to remove Mal" Ariadne noticed. Arthur who had a small smile due to the achievement was taken aback by the truth of that statement. "You do have a point Ariadne. Wait, could we try to have one of us stay back and keep watch? We could set a timer until we inject the chemical into Cobb." Eames proposed. "That's a likable thing we're bound to do but I don't think we're sure exactly how to inject it into him to remove Mal. Think about it." Arthur mentioned. It was all confusing. They started out with a mind blank and now they had a migraine at all of the issues that this single chemical has brought up. It wasn't until a stroke of genius hit Ariadne. "Wait, Cobb told me that an idea simultaneously works in our head. A memory is like an idea. It will appear and work its way around in our head" The guys kept looking at her waiting for her to continue. "I know it's been pointed out obviously before and It doesn't make as much sense now but if we tried it right now, if we could get someone, Cobb in this instance, to intensely bring up a memory: Mal, if we injected in that moment, just hopefully that might be the memory to be removed." The guys nodded. "That would actually work. Simple enough." Eames replied. "Don't get me wrong Ariadne, that's a great idea but we need to find out the right moment of when Cobb will bring Mal in. We might never know until it happens and we can't exactly set a timer because he could be restraining with all his might to not bring Mal in" Arthur added. "Well then, like Ariadne said, we should try and test to figure out. Only experimenting will reveal conclusions" Eames finished.
The next 3 weekends were used for testing with the chemical. Eames (unknowingly) became the 'guinea pig' for the first trial syringe. Their first trial: injecting while awake.
Eames sat on a lawn chair looking at Arthur and Ariadne who were in front of him. Arthur with the syringes and Ariadne with a clipboard. "Am I the centre of attention or something?" Eames directed at Ariadne. "You wish" Arthur answered. "We're just going to try something. Firstly, tell me a memory off the top of your head" Ariadne asked. "Hey, hey, hey. I don't want any messing around with my memories. If I lose all of my memories then I would lose my entire identity" Eames clarified. "Which we wouldn't mind" Arthur commented. "Your deepest concern for me Arthur: I really appreciate it" Eames remarked. "Tell your boyfriend Ariadne to learn some respect. I'm a tat older than him so as much as this hurts me to say: he should learn to respect his elders" Eames added. "How am I-""I know what happened on the second level with you two" Eames pointed his finger at the two of them. Arthur gave a cynical expression towards Eames while Ariadne just shook her head. "Well then, just tell us at least 3 memories you would like to forget. If we do that then we would be able to test the strength of injection and of course see if it truly works." Ariadne simplified. Eames stared until he gave in. "Fine. As much as it's embarrassing I guess I'd rather forget these memories"
Eames then shared for the next 20 minutes about his most embarrassing moments. Ariadne had to actually walk out once after Eames started giving too much information. "Do you mind keeping it slightly PG rated. You know Ariadne is quite young" Arthur proposed. "Ah, just looking out for your girlfriend are you?" Eames taunted. "And can you stop with the jokes that Ariadne and I am a couple. We're just… co-workers and it's really immature of you" Arthur insisted. Eames shrugged his shoulders as Arthur turned back towards the door exit. "It's fine Ariadne, I have the memories at least. You can come back!" Arthur called. Ariadne entered again and sat down. "You sure you have everything?" Ariadne asked. "Yes I'm sure. Now, to inject" Arthur put on gloves and grabbed one of the syringes. Eames cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uh, I'm not so sure I was fond of needles as a child" Eames excused. "It'll be fine. Just make sure to intently think of one or a mix of those memories. This is necessary for our mission so it'll be fine Eames" Ariadne comforted. Eames nodded then laid back rolling up his sleeve. "Wait, it doesn't really make sense for the injection to go in the wrist. Shouldn't it go near the head?" Arthur enquired. "Oh please don't!" Eames exclaimed. "That's a good question actually." Ariadne and Arthur paused trying to figure out the answer. "How about we don't inject at all?" Eames desperately stated. "We better call Yusuf" Arthur took out his phone and dialed.
Ariadne stayed sitting down with her clipboard keeping an eye on Eames as he was eager to run and not be injected with the substance. Arthur had stood up and walked nearby the exit of the warehouse waiting for Yusuf to pick up. "Hello?" Yusuf addressed. "Yusuf, hey, we're trying out the chemical and we have a question: where do we specifically inject the chemical?" Arthur clarified. "Oh yes, with that, you can inject it anywhere because as I said, the chemical targets the brain so you could inject it from the foot and it'll work its way up to the brain. The frontal and temporal lobe of the brain are its focus areas to affect. And a reminder, make sure to use a little because it is quite powerful." Yusuf responded. "Alright, thanks Yusuf. We're testing it so far on Eames and I wouldn't mind being injected myself with the chemical because the memories he told us about…you don't want to know" Arthur added. "Ha, sounds fun" Yusuf commented. "Also, are you sure you haven't heard much about the chemical being used in dreams?" Arthur heard silence as Yusuf paused. "As much as I wish I did, I don't. The experimenting for that is entirely up to you and it might be dangerous just to warn you especially considering the basic danger that being in dreams alone brings up" Yusuf replied. "It's okay Yusuf. Well, I have to head back now and go back to testing on Eames. Hopefully we'll see you soon for work" Arthur concluded. They bid each other farewell before Arthur hung up. He walked back to Eames and Ariadne.
"Okay, he said we can inject anywhere since the chemical automatically travels to the brain. Yet, we're on our own with trying to figure out how to work with it in dreams. Anyway, sleeves up Eames" Arthur tauntingly pulled the hem of the glove then let it go to let out a sound that Eames gulped in nervousness at. "Don't do that Arthur. You know I'm not easy with needles. I don't exactly like the doctors. I've been traumatized since childhood days" Eames complained. He extended his arm outwards and closed his eyes trying to get comfortable. "Stop over-reacting. It's just a needle" Arthur flicked the tip of the needle to get the liquid ready while Ariadne applied sterilizer to Eames' arm. She then stood up and grabbed her clipboard to record notes on reaction. Arthur placed the tip of the needle over Eames' wrist. "How much should I inject? Yusuf really emphasized on the whole 'use a little' part" Arthur looked up to Ariadne. Ariadne stared at the needle: it was half an inch wide and 4.5 inches long (Including the tip). If it was truly that strong, she decided for safety (And Eames' sake) to inject a little. "Use that much" She showed with her thumb and forefinger a space of half an inch of the needle to be used. Arthur nodded then concentrated again on Eames' wrist.
Eames was still with his eyes closed trying to not freak out. Arthur slowly inserted the tip of the needle in Eames' wrist avoiding the tendon running along the middle of his arm. Arthur slowly and cautiously injected the chemical up to the mark they suggested. Eames felt the substance release into his arm then suddenly, it felt painful. Eames cringed as he felt a stinging sensation travel from his wrist, up his arm, near his chest then finally, near the temples of his head. He let out a yell of pain. Arthur and Ariadne stood back in panic as they were trying to think of what to do. Eames luckily started to gain a normal breathing pattern and had calmed down. "Are you alright?" Ariadne asked. He gave a bemused expression. "What do you think?" He glanced as well to Arthur then back to Ariadne. "I do not appreciate this torture thank you very much. How dare you take advantage of me while also knowing I have a phobia of needles" Eames ripped the cord off and stood up slowly as he still felt tense along the areas that the chemical travelled along. "Look, it was first trial and we weren't expecting it. You said yourself that only testing will give us an answer so we took it to account. Just calm down Eames" Arthur reasoned. "Well why don't you try getting poison circulating in your body and you'll know how I was feeling just then" Eames argued. "We're sorry Eames" Ariadne apologized. "No. I don't wish for anymore of this fooling around with that-that poison" Eames was heading to the exit of the warehouse. "Eames, come back. We promise we won't do it again to you" Ariadne insisted. "I'll see you guys on Monday. I've gone through enough shit today" Eames waved his hand back towards them and walked out.
Arthur and Ariadne sighed in frustration. "It was just first trial. Why is he all up in arms about it?" Ariadne inquired. Arthur pulled the gloves off and threw them to the floor. "He's just being melodramatic. Let him be. He'll come back anyway" Arthur clarified. They made their way back to the syringes. "We still need more information and trials though" Ariadne noted. Arthur then sat on the chair that Eames was sitting on before and rolled up his sleeve. "I'll go next"