CHAPTER 4

Nothing What They Say is True


When Eames walked into her room she immediately threw a punch his way. When she connected with his face it felt good, she went for another one. Her happiness was short lived as Eames blocked her and grabbed her hands forcing her to submit.

"Nice to see you too darling." Eames said playfully as he pushed her away from him. He still had not forgotten their last conversation.

"What do you want Eames? Why are you here?" Jolie was exasperated. She didn't want to play games with Eames anymore.

Eames sat down and stared at her, tried to see her for what she was instead of the person he had loved and now may very well hate.

"I can't figure you out, why this town, why here? There is no job, or at least nothing that would need your set of skills. You're using your real name and so I don't get it. Are you really here to be a business woman? I have to admit I never took you for the corporate type, but then I'm realizing I never knew you that well." Eames said distastefully.

"Why are you doing this, my Forger?" Jolie said softly as she sat next to him. She tried to caress his face but he pulled back. "There were things you never knew about me, things you may never know. Why can't you just accept that?"

Eames turned away from her and fixated on the coffee table, he couldn't stand to look at her.

"I loved you, but it's true I never trusted you. So why do this to us now? I said my goodbyes to you in Chile, and you said your goodbye when you found me with Arthur in Italy." Eames looked at her, he never thought she knew.

"I knew you were there, but I was with Arthur and there was nothing I could say to you that would have ever fixed what was broken between us." Jolie said as she fell into the couch, she was exhausted.

"I bet what you don't know is that I talked to our sweet Arthur. That's right. I did and he told me the most interesting things… He said you were two were married. Is it true?" Eames asked turning to look at her once more.

"Yes." Jolie said coldly and he flinched slightly. "Only for the job, we got an annulment soon after." She smiled.

"And I wasn't invited to the wedding, what a sham." Eames said chuckling.

"We promised no exes." Jolie said to join in with laughter.

"I didn't know you came back to me, that changes everything." Eames said intently.

"It changed nothing. You aren't here for me, you were here for closure and I gave you the whole story. I never left you for Arthur, we were only together for that job and realized we were better as friends and nothing more." Jolie said honestly.

"We all relapse, it's perfectly normal." Eames said as he shrugged.

"Eames you have been living with this bitterness, thinking I left you for years now. You cannot bottle that away simply because I looked for you first. When I left you that night I knew you would never forgive me and I was stupid to have gone back to you. You understand, don't you?" Jolie asked a little condescendingly.

"I understand that you think that, but I don't love, it's not that bloody simple." Eames said as he grabbed her face and pulled it closer to his.

Jolie felt her heart flutter like it used to when she was around him. Her eyes instinctively fell on his gorgeous pouty lips and she could feel the warmth of his face, so familiar and inviting. For a second she imagined the face of Officer John Blake, and she shuddered. He was lost to her, had always been out of her reach by the uniform he wore every day. Her heart sank, and as she tried to bury her emotions she let herself slip into the arms of the man in front of her. Jolie nuzzled Eames neck, she felt him shiver.

"Have you seen her?" Jolie asked and looked at his guarded expression. When the increasingly tensed silence continued, she knew she wasn't getting a straight answer. "Well, I see why you think nothing is simple. I guess I should thank you. I've moved on from Arthur because of you, I am sorry I couldn't return the favor. You tell her if she hurts you she will have to answer to me." Jolie said smiling menacingly.

"I am here with you Jo, I am right here." He said desperately trying to convince her. She put her hand up.

"Look, if you ask me Eloise did the right thing in telling Robert the truth despite your offer. Did you really think Robert is so stupid he wouldn't recognize a forgery of his wife, or believe she had nothing to do with the inception job you pulled?" She had wanted to ask Eames this for a long time.

"Some would say that their divorce would have been avoided had it not been for you. Oh don't bother defending yourself, love. I cared less than a little because I left with you if you don't recall. Yet, I can't help but notice you and Robert were especially friendly… he is the reason you are here, is it not?" Eames said suspiciously.

"Robert has been extremely helpful, and you know I think both you and Robert could do much better than the little saint Eloise. I am tired now, love. See yourself out." Jolie said as she walked into her room and closed the door.


Miranda walked into a smaller, more intimate, board room within Wayne Enterprises with Jolie at her heel. Both women were dressed very professional, and Miranda was smoothing out Jolie's collar.

"We must make sure you look the part, absolutely. Bruce Wayne is still an important man in this society." Miranda said almost caringly. Jolie let herself be primed, and nodded at the advice. Jolie had methodically picked out her outfit, with Miranda there for help. According to Jolie's own personality they both agreed that a pant suit would be best, while Miranda wore a nice executive dress. Jolie's hair was straightened into a high ponytail that curled at the very bottom, whereas Miranda wore her hair short and wild. Jolie realized they both complimented each other very well.

"Does Bruce Wayne truly matter all that much, he is broke, he already gave you most ownership, what could he possibly do about my presence?" as she sat down next to Miranda and crossed her legs. Miranda gave her a small smile, but looked at her intently when she replied.

"A Wayne is a very important figure here in Gotham and one we would do well in getting on our side. I intend on having his approval every step of the way." Jolie nodded her head again, Miranda knew best in terms of this business proposal.

Bruce Wayne walked in with a smile but stopped slightly short when he noticed Jolie, but recovered quickly.

"I wasn't aware you were having a guest here, Miss Tate." Bruce said dryly. Miranda gracefully stood up and smiled. Jolie mimicked her.

"Mr. Wayne, this is my associate and the person I wish to replace my seat on the board, Jolie Farrell." Miranda said looking somewhat proudly at Jolie. Jolie stepped forward and met Bruce Wayne enthusiastically, even though he made her extremely nervous.

"Mr. Wayne please, call me Jolie. I am so sorry about your situation, surely everyone must know that a man of your caliber would never be so foolish as to double down on those ridiculous future exchanges, it must be fraud. After all there was that trouble down in the stock, was there not?" Jolie said genuinely. Bruce smiled routinely.

"Thank you Miss Farrell, I've been feeling as if I'm getting condolences of my own death." Wayne smiled and was surprised when Jolie answered.

"Unfortunately here in Gotham you just as well should have. Society is relentless, but I am sure you will come back from the grave soon enough." Jolie said also smiling. "Luckily we here in this room care more about one's monetary worth, and I truly believe was can protect the legacy your name has built. Media cares about the profits, but the people in these rooms should always care about the people." Jolie said meaning every word. Bruce contemplated what this young and intelligent woman was saying. She was nothing if not spirit, and spirit mattered a lot in a room full of people making decisions. He could see why Miranda chose her.

"I couldn't agree more Miss Farrell. I see Miss Tate chose her replacement well, we need people like you here." Bruce said genuinely, and Miranda simply beamed. They began to sit down when the board room opened again.

"This is a closed meeting, please see your way..." Miranda began to say nicely but Bruce interjected.

"Sorry, Miranda this is my assistant, Eloise Harlo and I asked her to come." Bruce pulled out Miss Harlo's chair and she moved gracefully although a little flustered. Eloise looked up to the woman who wanted to throw her out, she did not get any warmer knowing that she was supposed to be there, if anything her stare became colder. Someone began to giggle and it marginally relieved the tension until she turned to see where the laugh was coming from.

Jolie saw Eloise looking at her and recognized immediate dislike, if not hatred. All of a sudden there seemed to be a lot of potential for this to go very bad. She turned to look at Miranda who was scowling at Eloise while Eloise was scowling at her. It took everything for Jolie not to laugh.

"Eloise, this is Miranda Tate and Jolie Farrell." Bruce began but it was Jolie's turn to interject.

"We have met before, Mr. Wayne. Eloise, how are you?" Jolie asked intentionally and never looked away from the increasingly hateful glare. Bruce looked slightly confused and Miranda smiled politely.

"Was she your assistant before?" Miranda asked slightly condescending.

"No, not at all. She was the wife of Robert Fisher, my business partner. Eloise and I are not friends but we are very familiar with each other, we both worked the dreamscape business." Jolie said nonchalantly.

"That is fascinating, but highly secretive from what I understand. It's a business for the ruthless, a business I care not to ever be a part of." Miranda said in her lovely accent.

"For good reason, it is a competitive and highly dangerous, but a job nonetheless. It was a miracle that I got out when I could, and I know Eloise had her difficulties transitioning as well. Lucky for her though, she left in the most brilliant fashion! Breaking the one and only rule in the business made sure no one would ever want her. Completely ingenious." Jolie said trying to give her a compliment but Eloise seemed to redden with anger, it made Jolie smile wider.

"I see you have not changed in the slightest. What a shame." Eloise said dryly.

"Come now, I wasn't so bad was I?" Jolie said innocently. "Even you can admit that I, despite my faults, am a good person to have on your team."

"That is debatable, you have a tendency to let things get… messy." Eloise said calmly.

"But when I want things done, I get it done. The aftermath is not my responsibility, everyone had made their choices." Jolie felt herself getting irritated.

"Oh but you are much too clever to truly believe that. How many people that you have worked with didn't encounter an outcome you yourself had not pushed from the very beginning?" Eloise pierced Jolie with her big doe eyes.

"Eloise, you flatter me! I fear it is quite underserved though. I wish I had that power, life would be much simpler for me. I have made mistakes, surely everyone in this room has. How we learn for them is what matters, is it not?" Jolie said innocently.

"I believe that is indeed what defines someone, and why this is the best solution to our problem today. It is not easy as women to be in this business, when men would so easily see us set aside. We have to make those mistakes, they make us stronger." Miranda said inspirationally.

"Surely I would not be the woman I am today if I had blamed others for my life's losses." Jolie said blatantly in Eloise's direction.

"Surely one would need to own something meaningful, in order to lose it." Eloise spat back.

"Well, I think Robert might disagree with your definition of meaningful. How could something meaningful be built on lies and deceit?" Jolie retorted.

"Almost as easily as knowing you are the runner up, something to be settled with." Eloise had her turn to smile. She happened to notice Bruce's expression through this whole exchange, he was… proud? No, maybe impressed.

"I see someone still makes the same mistakes, but believe me, I never will." Jolie said as she sat back in her chair at Eloise's expression. She had hit a nerve, a strong one.

"I think it would be best if you left Miss Harlo do her job, you do know what professionalism is?" Bruce said to Jolie dryly.

"Sure I do, do you?" Jolie asked not stepping down from his tone. She looked in Eloise's direction and back at Bruce so that he knew exactly what she meant. Bruce didn't react in the slightest, but the meaning was not lost on him.

"Miss Tate, it seems we have reached an impasse." Bruce ignored Jolie.

"No, I think we have reached the ultimate solution. You don't have to like Miss Farrell, but even you cannot deny that no one will be able to walk over her. I assure you she is most committed to keeping Wayne Enterprises well away from John Daggett's grasp." Miranda said confidently. Bruce looked at Jolie and put his protective feeling for Eloise aside, she was a fighter. He was amused by her courage to stand up to him, it wasn't something he was very used to. He looked at Eloise, and she met his gaze. He could tell she disliked Jolie very much, but it was over a situation Bruce did not know well enough. Still, if she had been dangerous or had any other agenda Eloise would tell him directly. Her silence said everything he needed to know, she was mean and arrogant, but a straight shooter. He took another look at Jolie, this time with batman's eyes. She squirmed under his stare, but she wasn't a threat, not even to Eloise.

"So be it. Jolie, welcome to the company." Bruce said not too warmly.

Eloise saw that Jolie, as usual, smiled and nodded as if she had not a care in the world. It was as if she played no part in her divorce from Robert, but it was her fault, it would always be her fault. Eloise thought of something else as everyone resumed their conversation, Eames. Where did that leave Eames?

Right after the paperwork was signed all four of them walked up into the elevator to attend the actual board meeting. Miranda kept talking to Bruce, she was such a temptress it was hard to imagine Bruce not playing along. Jolie slipped behind next to El and spoke in a low voice,

"Look, we are not friends, will never be friends, but I haven't forgotten how things played out in California. I couldn't say this then, because I wasn't sure if it was true, but now I am. Eloise, I am not the reason your marriage ended, neither is Eames, it is your fault and no one else's. I'm really sorry, I know he loved you.-"

"Do not presume to tell me what my ex-husband does or does not feel. I know it was his influence that brought you to this city." Eloise looked up at the tall woman defiantly, and narrowed her eyes as she saw Jolie roll hers.

"Robert is my friend, and a good one at that. Me being here has nothing to do with you, so please step off that high horse you are so fond of sitting on. Take some responsibility and this time you may not want to lead others on. You understand?" Jolie said hissing as Eloise understood that she meant Bruce, but importantly Eames.

"That is absolutely none of your business." Eloise said shortly.

"Neither is my relationship with Robert yours, not anymore. We both have a mutual friend here as well, I for one count him as a close friend. I take good care of friends, and take it personally when they are hurt." Jolie whispered.

"I fail to see how that is any business of mine." Eloise gracefully said, she was not going to walk into that conversation with Jolie in this small elevator.

Eloise looked hard at the woman in front of her and thought back to that time, where they were all tricked. Robert saved them, and in the process figured out a lot of things Eloise could not deny. She knew Jolie to be careless, but she was admirably passionate about those close to her. Loyalty was a subjective notion, but Jolie seemed to possess it in spades.

"What are you doing here then? I try to leave that whole world behind and everyone seems to follow me."

"I know what you mean, but I am here to start the life I should have had since the beginning. I am here to end what has been unfinished for several years. I should have gone into business a long time ago, and I feel that with our former job, we hurt much more than we helped. I don't want to run and hide from anyone anymore. I want to be in charge of my own life again." Jolie spoke as honestly as she could, Eloise was entirely too smart to lie to. She nodded, knowing exactly what Jolie meant.

When they reached the board room the members had already been seated, and looked rather surprised at their arrival.

"I'd like to point out that we have a non-board member here, several actually. Highly irregular, even if it is his family name above the door..." John Daggett said annoyingly without making eye contact with any of the people he was talking about.

"Bruce Wayne's family built this company and he himself has run it" A board member said in defense of Bruce but Daggett cut him off.

"Into the ground, sir. Anybody disagree? Check the value of your shares this morning. Gambling on crazy futures didn't just lose Mr. Wayne his seat, it's lost us all a lot of money. He needs to leave." Jolie looked at Bruce, he kept extreme calm. It was more self-restraint than Jolie would have had. Jolie raised her hand while keeping her playful smile on her lips.

"I disagree, Mr. Daggett." Daggett looked at her at first insulted, then lustfully. It was creepy but it gave him pause, which was exactly what Jolie wanted.

"Ladies, gentlemen, my name is Jolie Farrell, the newly elected chair member as Miss Tate will now be holding majority owner and the seat that it entitles. Unfortunately, Mr. Wayne he is right, you will have to leave. I also believe John Daggett should be dismissed on grounds that he is emotionally compromised, which can conclude no sound business." Jolie said and in that time not a single person took a breath.

Bruce slightly smiled and gave her arm a small squeeze of appreciation before he left the room with Eloise by his side. Jolie gave Eloise a small look of respect, or at least she hoped Eloise would take it as such. Eloise wide brown eyes were angry, had been angry for a while but at least this time it wasn't directed at Jolie.

"I second that motion, and without a full board the meeting will have to be postponed until Mr. John Daggett may conclude his paranoia. I guess for now we can accept Miss Farrell's seat here at the board for the next meeting, yes?" Miranda chimed in and unanimous nods of agreement met her stare. Daggett looked at both Jolie and Miranda as if they were a disgusting bug. Daggett stood up berated, and slammed his fist on the table. Miranda and Jolie both took a step back feigning shock at his violence, it would allow for security to be involved. Like the chivalrous men that these board members were, they all began to yell at Daggett for threatening women and security was called. John Daggett was forced out of the building, yelling that it wasn't over. He looked crazed, and that was the last memory anyone would ever have of him.

"Well I must say that was impressive Miranda. Miss Farrell, you were quite a firework yourself."

"Thank you Lucius. Jolie, this is Lucius Fox. He is an esteemed friend of Bruce, and one of my most valued colleagues." Miranda said pleasantly.

"Mr. Fox, it's a pleasure. Your reputation precedes you, I hear you are quite the brains around Wayne Enterprises." Jolie said shaking the hand of Fox, she really had heard a lot about him.

"That is too kind… I am more of a glorified analyst if truth be told." Lucius said chuckling.

"Now Lucius you cannot honestly believe that?" Miranda said wide eyed with a kind smile. "This company would be at a total loss if not for him." Fox looked down embarrassed but grateful for the compliment.

"If I could do half of what you have accomplished in your time here , then I would retire happy." Jolie said with a smile, it was evident that Lucius Fox was someone she really liked. He smiled back, flattered.


Hello Everyone! So thank you for reading thus far, I have had such a blast writing this. So by now you may wonder who exactly Eloise is... Well she is a character my dear friend, vintagegirl1912 wrote about in her Inception Fanfic. I thought Eloise was an amazing character and it was her that drew me to tell Jolie's story. If you are curious, and I encourage it, please read her remarkable story! Here is her link ;)

s/6172587/1/The-Guardian-to-the-Mark