Chapter 2

He willed the elevator to go faster. Ideas flew around his mind as to where he could find the rest of the team, but each of them was dismissed as they started to get wilder and wilder. Ariadne was down here somewhere. She had insisted on going under with them, she could not let it go. She loved seeing her 'pièce de résistance' for herself. It was…pure creation. The elevator eventually came to a gradual stop and Arthur glanced out. This level of the hotel was well lit, spacious and packed with projections, the nearest ones gazing intently at him before losing interest. Slotting the gun into its case, Arthur weaved in and out of various people. And then in his peripheral vision, he thought he saw Eames. But when he turned the forger had disappeared once more. "Looking for someone, are we?" Eames' voice sounded behind his ear. Arthur whirled round to glare at the forger in whatever form he may be in. The British forger chuckled at the look on Arthur's face as he found himself glaring at Ariadne. "The subject found her attractive on the train." Arthur snorted lightly. Eames carried on. "I thought we could role with it. You know, rather than actually use Ari…" He trailed off. "I thought you would approve of my protective gestures towards our favourite Architect." Arthur lowered his voice. "Look, something is wrong." "What could possibly be wrong? Everything is going swimmingly!" The point-man stared. It really was quite unnerving talking to 'Ariadne'. "Change back to normal, Eames. This is discerning on so many levels." The forger pouted but when Arthur blinked once or twice, Eames stood before him once more. "So what's got you this worked up?" Eames lounged slightly on a nearby wall. "I...just had this feeling." Arthur realised how pathetic that sounded. However, it was true because he was going on raw instinct. "Besides, we have split up now. God knows how where the other two are." "Arthur, relax! So what if they are captured? They shoot themselves in the head and come up again. No complications." How Eames managed to be so dismissive all the time, Arthur could never figure out. "It is not that easy. Ariadne isn't well trained in defence or things like shooting herself in the head, it takes practice." Arthur did not care what he sounded like now, it was essential that they were found. "Cobb can take her out." Eames raised his eyebrows. "Look there is no harm in finding them, is there? I'm going to find them – you can come along...if you feel it is necessary." The last few words were said with distaste. "Well, you know long for more time in your company – so why waste this wonderful opportunity?" Rolling his eyes, Arthur set off past a group of curious projections who seemed to lose interest much quicker than what was normal. Everything about the dream seemed wrong right now. He had purposefully not told Eames about the new method that Cobb had employed. It worked for easy and safe jobs. Mostly used by the hands of architects. It meant that you couldn't escape until the timer ran out. It meant that you couldn't escape with a bullet in the head. It meant that if Cobb screwed up, they would be stuck in the mind of a psychopath for 3 days.