A/N: Thanks for everybody who allerted/added my story to favorites. And special thank you for those, who reviewed. Keep reviewing and I promise, I'll do my best not to dissapoint you!
To those, who wanted to know if it's Ariadne/Arthur pairing story: please, keep reading and you find out, wherever it is or not;)
Arthur is very well aware that if Kathy could see him right now, she would kill him immediately. And bring back to life the next second.
He almost hears her disapproving voice in his head.
You are supposed to rest, not to find next job!
Yet, Arthur is Arthur; he couldn't resist the offer he got and now he's heading to small Italian restaurant for a work meeting. When he enter local he immediately catches the picture of woman waiting for him. He approaches the table.
"Hello.", he says. She raises her head and scrutinizes him for a moment.
"Hello.", she answers finally with smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
"I would introduce myself, but judging by your offer you're very aware of who I am.", Arthur says looking at her intently.
Woman tilts her head slightly. "Very true. And I'm Patrycja Kowalik.", she introduces herself and gestures Arthur to take a seat.
Arthur obeys. "You're Polish?"
Patrycja smiles again, this time genuinely. "Yes, I am.", she admits. "I suggest you taking espresso, it's amazing.", she adds when waitress appears at their table.
"Anyway, that's our possible mark.", Patrycja continues, when waitress left. She puts a manila folder on table and shifts it toward Arthur. He opens it and discovers two sheets of paper and a photo, showing man in his fifties. His face is unknown for Arthur.
"Task is pretty simple.", Patrycja says when she catches Arthur's glimpse. "Great example of typical companies espionage. He wants us to take a look in his rival plans for future. If he's planning to start selling any new type of products et cetera. Nothing complicated."
"So why you went with this offer to me?", Arthur asks calmly. He knows he's well known in Dreams business, but still he wants to know woman motivation. At least the official one…
"Pure curiosity.", Patrycja answers with smirk. "My ex-Point Man was flying with you in the same plane, you knew him."
Arthur searches his mind for any familiar face from plane, but he finishes with nothing. It infuriates him; he's supposed to notice things like that! Even though he nods his head slightly.
"Ex- Point Man.", he repeats slowly. "How long he's ex?"
"For two days.", Patrycja answers. "He was killed.", she adds indifferently.
Arthur raises his eyebrow, but says nothing.
Patrycja checks her watch and frowns. "I'm afraid I need to go.", she stands up and put a visiting card at manila folder. "Call me when you decide."
Arthur observes her when she comes across room.
She's nothing but professional. Wears a suit, with knee-long skirt and shirt jacket. Her shoes are high-heeled, but it doesn't bother her at all; her movements are smooth and graceful.
In fact she's everything Arthur could dream; as a coworker and as a woman.
But he can easily feel the longing in his chest.
For woman, who's everything but professional.
He forces he feeling down and takes notes about their mark.
He already knows that he'll take this job.
He neatly puts papers and photo back to manila folder and glances at visiting card. It's simple ant tasteful, very much alike the one Arthur would have done for himself, if he ever had thought about such thing. He pockets it with sigh.
He needs to buy a laptop.
Back in hotel with new shining laptop on his lap, he flips through web sites. There's not much in the Internet about the mark.
He's an owner of well-known company producing electronic equipment. He's never been arrested or accused of anything illegal. He's divorced for five years and have adult daughters.
It seems that Patrycja was right: it's typical companies espionage.
He decisively takes his phone and dials number.
"I'm in.", is all he says.
Firstly Ariadne wants to get back into the car and hid herself from Eames's eyes, but looking at Oliver's bewildered face she feels a hint of pity. She's very aware how bothersome Eames can be, even when he's in good mood.
"Eames.", she says coldly, interrupting him in the middle of some inventive invective.
Eames looks at her, his mouth still open; Ariadne notices with satisfaction that's the first time she sees him out of words. Even Arthur didn't manage to confuse Eames.
"Ariadne?", he manages weakly.
Oliver frowns looking from Ariadne to Eames. "You know each other?", he asks wonderingly.
It seems nobody heard him; Ariadne and Eames are staring at each other.
"So you're in Rome.", Eames finally says. "With…", he glances toward Oliver.
"My boyfriend.", Ariadne pronounces firmly, utterly oblivious at her previous thoughts.
Eames rises his eyebrow. "With your boyfriend who managed to crash into my bumper.", he states. "You own me a dinner for that."
It takes aback Ariadne. Before she manages to say anything Eames grabs her arm. It wakes up Oliver.
"Leave her alone.", he says warningly. Something bad flashes in Eames's eyes and Ariadne immediately decides it's better to go with Eames than bandage Oliver's wounds.
"It's fine.", she says hurriedly. "I'll see you later."
She gets into Eames's Maserati, unwillingly noticing blessed coolness inside it.
"Where you found that asshole?", Eames asks disapprovingly.
"Stop it Eames.", Ariadne answers immediately. "The fact I'm driving with you right now doesn't mean you can insult my boyfriend."
Eames shrugs defensively, but obeys. "Anyway how are you?", he asks instead.
Ariadne looks at him in disbelief. "Don't say that you almost kidnapped me just to ask if I'm fine."
Eames smiles, this cheerful and charming smile of his. "Of course, darling. That's the only reason."
"So why didn't you call me?", Ariadne snaps bitterly. "Since you're so interested!"
"Oh.", it's all Eames says before he stops the car beside small but fancy looking restaurant. "We'll speak inside, shall we?", he asks politely.
Ariadne glares at him with murder in her eyes, but nods her head.
"So?", she says as soon, as they sit.
"Well…", Eames hesitates for a moment. "We decided it would be better for you.", he finishes finally.
"What?", Ariadne almost shouts. "You decided… No. Is that a kind of joke?"
"Easy, Ariadne. You're looking at this from one side, but turn over the coin. The side you see is all creating, impossibilities, paradoxes… The other side is not so nice. It's criminal underground, Ariadne. In this business you can lose your life within seconds. We decided to protect you."
"You decided to take away me right to choose by myself.", Ariadne states firmly.
Eames grimaces. "Would you willingly join mafia?", he asks with sigh.
"It's different!", Ariadne protests. "Besides, if you want to me to stay away from Dreams why you bring me here?"
"Honestly?", Eames leans closer to her. "I wanted to save you from company of this asshole."
Ariadne tries to be angry, but her attempts ends with nothing. "Eames, don't be like that.", is all she finally says, feeling guilty.
Surprisingly Eames obeys. "And I'm here on my holidays, so no harm done. It's utterly private meeting of old friends.", he adds.
Ariadne stays silent for a long time which makes Eames uneasy. "Ariadne?" You're angry?"
"I…", Ariadne can't find proper words for a moment. "I'm not angry.", she finally says. "I was, but now… I don't know, it was supposed to be different. In one moment all my dreams came true and in the another you took it away from me. And you didn't even bother to ask what my choice is."
Eames stares at her unusually serious. "We screwed up everything, didn't we?", he eventually says with sadness in his voice.
"I'm afraid you did.", Ariadne feels suddenly very weary again. Her headache disappeared when she saw Eames, but now it comes back, even stronger. "It would be better if didn't meet.", she adds and stands up.
Eames does the same, not taking his eyes from her face. "Wait, please.", he says and something in his voice makes Ariadne listen him.
"Yes?"
"You're talking about this meeting, or the whole inception?", Eames inquires carefully.
"I don't know. I don't know Eames.", Ariadne answers and leaves.
Outside welcomes her with infernal heat and sharp sunlight. She narrows her eyes and with sigs heads to her hotel.
She knows that Oliver is waiting for her with questions, but suddenly he seems to be much easiest to experience than before.
Arthur bites his lip and curses silently. As soon as he got to the place of meeting, he realized that he hadn't asked who would be the Architect. It's very unlike him, he has never done such mistakes before. It makes him mad at himself, especially now when knows.
In front of his sits Aksel, tall Norwegian with whom Arthur had unpleasantness worked once before. Job ended in most catastrophic possible way and Arthur finished in hospital with bullet in his right lung.
"Arthur!", Aksel smiles scornfully. "How nice to see you again! I've heard you live through, but that's a pleasure to see you with my own eyes."
Arthur raises his eyebrow. "I need someone better than you to be killed.", he says calmly and takes seat. "Anyway, how is that possible that they still hire you?"
Aksel laughs. "Oh, I finished in States. You did an astonishing work ruining my reputation."
Arthur nods in acknowledgment. He knows he did.
"But here… In Europe", Aksel continues, "I'm still respected."
It's everything he can say; in that moment Patrycja comes in, a silver suitcase in her hand. She puts it aside and joins Arthur and Aksel.
"Shall you?", she asks gesturing toward Arthur, who nods and takes out the manila folder, noticeable thicker this time.
"Johan Detter.', he reads. "Born in Malmo, now he's living here, in Berlin, alone. Sometimes he meets with his mistress, but next week she's leaving to sanatorium and won't be back until December. He doesn't have planned any operations, nothing that require giving him sedative."
Patrycja looks at him. "And where is our chance to get him?", she asks calmly. "You figured it out, I can see that."
It makes Arthur feels uneasy. He's not easy person to read through, but it seems that Patrycja doesn't have any problems with that.
"He rides horse; for three hours, every day, no matter the weather or he's health. That's our chance."
Aksel snorts. "So am I supposed to create a stable?", there disbelief in his voice. Patrycja glare at him with dislike.
"You're supposed to create anything our job demanded.", she tells him firmly. "That's what you're paid for."
"Arthur.", Patrycja turns in his direction. "You'll be the dreamer."
Arthur simply nods his head. It's obvious: Patrycja is Extractor, so she shouldn't have been playing the double role and Aksel will stay outside as lookout.
"I brought PASIV.", Patrycja continues. "I need to have a small look into your subconscious."
Arthur stifles sigh. He knows Patrycja is right; it's safer to dream with person, whose subconscious you know, at least in the tiniest part. But that's something Arthur hates: opening his mind, even in so limited way to anybody makes him feel anxious. One of the many reasons of working with Cobb was that he trusted him enough to open like that.
But now Cob is gone.
"Sure.", he answers. "Now?"
"We don't have time to waste.", Patrycja says with smile and gestures toward PASIV. "Could you?"
Arthur takes it and customarily checks it; everything seems to be fine, so he gives needle to Patrycja. Aksel comes closer, but sharp glance from Arthur stops him.
"Is it safe to Dream here?", Arthur makes sure. Patrycja simply nods her head in answer and pricks the needle into her wrist. Arthur follows her immediately.
0000
They're standing in feet of glass skyscraper. It's amazingly tall and shines in the last rays of sunshine, forcing Arthur to blink. Patrycja smiles and this time smile reaches her eyes.
"Do you like it?", she asks.
"Yes.", Arthur answers simply and he means it. City around him is breath-taking, especially when you realize that it's created by Extractor, not Architect.
Arthur finally takes his eyes from magnificent building in front of him and looks around. Projections of his subconscious pass by them, hurrying somewhere. Patrycja follows his gaze.
"You're trained, aren't you?", she asks, curiosity clear in her voice. "I've never been before in trained mind.", she continues with hint of excitement and Arthur suddenly realizes that behind of her professionalism Patrycja loves Dreaming.
Just like him.
"What could I do, before your projections would turn me apart?"
Arthur can't help smile. "You've already done everything needed.", he answers. Patrycja turns in his direction, suspiciousness in her eyes.
"What you mean be that?"
"You entered my mind.", Arthur explains shortly. "We have about…", he checks his watch, "about 2 minutes before my projections decide that you shouldn't be here. Don't worry, Dream will end before that.", he adds reassuringly.
Patrycja looks at him with disbelief.
"Is that even possible?", she says skeptically.
Arthur simply shrugs. "Yes.", he confirms shortly. "But believe me, you don't want to check it on your own skin."
Patrycja glares at him scornfully, but before she manages to do anything Dreams starts collapsing.
The very last thing Arthur sees is beautiful skyscraper crumpling down.
0000
Patrycja is already awake when Arthur opens his eyes. Aksel is looking at him with unreadable expression on his face.
"That was a fast visit.", he notices wryly. However, Patrycja doesn't pay attention to him, her eyes are lodged at Arthur.
"The fact I've never been in trained mind before doesn't mean that I don't know how it should look like.", she states firmly. "And it's not supposed to be like in your mind."
Aksel arches one eyebrow, trying to cover his curiosity with a smirk.
Arthur stays calm and composure. "You needed to get first impression of my subconscious. I understand that and I need the same thing from you, of course if we're still working together. The rest doesn't have any importance."
Patrycja stares at him for a while, before she again wears his emotionless expression. Still, in her voice Arthur can hear a tiny hint of anger.
"Fine. Shall we?", she gestures towards PASIV again. Without another word Arthur puts the needle into his wrist.
0000
Arthur decides not to show Patrycja his usual design. The lobby with huge Penrose's Stairs in the middle belongs entirely to some other woman…
Arthur pushes this thought away and glances toward Patrycja, who stands motionless, her eyes huge and surprised.
"A jungle?", she asks finally. "That's interesting choice.", she observes, regaining her composure.
Arthur smirks and leans closer her. "That's the easiest test to check the flexibility of mind. Design something unexpected and observe projections."
Patrycja looks around. Smells are blending together and she breaths deeply, tasting them. For a moment she wants to asks Arthur if he's ever been in jungle, but stops herself. That's not the reason they're here. She turns to Arthur only to discover he's a couple of meters away, talking with her projection.
It's a man in his fifties with long beard; he looks like traveler. He doesn't seem to getting suspicious about Arthur and Patrycja has to admit it impresses her.
After all he's a Point Man, not Extractor, right?
She slowly goes towards him, observing him intently.
She likes him, she decides. He's smart and astonishingly good-looking.
What a shame he'll end in so unpleasant way, she thinks and aims gun at his head.
She doesn't even flinch, when she feels streams of his blood on her.
0000
Arthur wakes up with jerk and immediately realizes that something's wrong.
Really wrong.
He feels the cold of gun barrel on his temple and breaths of air on his cheek, they're coming from Aksel, who's sitting beside him, curiosity clear in his eyes.
"Would you mind stepping aside?", Arthur asks calmly. Curiosity in Aksel's eyes turns into hatred.
"Silence.", he hissed. "I'll kill you."
Arthur slightly narrows his eyes. "You've tried it before.", he reminds. "Not exactly successfully."
Aksel frowns but his next movements are stopped by Patrycja.
"We're supposed to deliver him in one piece.", she says warningly, eyeing at Arthur. He answers with scornfully look.
"I don't want any problems.", she says with a hint of apologize in her voice.
Arthur arches his eyebrow in disbelief. "So we have something in common, after all. Cobol Engineering?"
Patrycja shrugs. "As far as I know, yes. But you know how it's going: nothing private just pure business."
Aksel gestures Arthur to raise; he does it obediently.
"Too bad.", she hears whisper quieter than breath.
To her last days she will wonder if that was real, or imaginary. But the next thing will be in her mind until death.
Arthur grabs her and puts his own gun to her head. She gasps and freezes.
"Put the gun on the floor and kick it toward me.", Arthur commands Aksel. "Then stood by the wall, hand over head."
Aksel does as command and Arthur reaches for gun with nasty smile on his lips.
"It was a pleasure to work with you.", he says.
The next sound is the crack of slummed door.
