Arthur could feel the thrumming vibrations under his body. His head felt stuffed with cotton wool and his mouth burned as he swallowed. He was moving. Actually, he thought as he stretched his legs out, it felt more like he was flying. He was on an airplane. This was unexpected; after the jab with the needle, Arthur had expected to wake within a dream. Not on an airplane.

With his eyes blindfolded, he was still in complete darkness, but at least he wasn't bound to that chair any more. His hands were still sore, but as he gingerly flexed his fingers, he felt the stiff holds of a bandage covering where his little finger used to be. That was new. How long had he been in the air? Where was he heading to? He tried very hard to listen past the sounds of the engine. He heard snoring, a man. He heard the rustling of paper, the sound of a plastic drinks bottle being crunched up. Someone coughed nearby. He lay very still. He didn't want to alert anyone to the fact that he was now awake. This new development troubled Arthur. Where were they going? Why was he still alive? How would the others ever find him now? He felt footsteps approach him and forced himself to breath evenly. He would just have to lie low and wait and see what happened next.

-x-

Cobb looked up at the knock on the glass door. Eames swallowed his burger, and wiped the sauce from his lip. It was now late evening and Yusuf and Ariadne had crashed for the night. Cobb and Eames were finishing off the last of the food before they turned in as well.

'We expecting someone?' he asked, reaching for the gun he kept in his waistband. He stood up, but Cobb put a calming hand on his arm.

'That'll be Beni,' he said, moving over to the door. 'I told him our location last night- he used to be in the Special Forces and knows the desert here like the back of his hand. I got him out a tough spot a few years ago and figured he owed me.'

Eames nodded wearily and sat back down. He watched as the man entered. He looked nervous, his eyes skittering around the room. Eames watched as Beni caught sight of the box which had arrived earlier in the day, and his hue turned from pink to a brownish green. His breathing quickened and he turned away sharply. Eames' eyebrows rose.

'Cobb.' Croaked Beni, extending his hand to the Extractor, 'We meet again.'

'Seems so,' agreed Cobb, shaking his hand. 'We need you to help find our friend.'

'Your friend, Arthur, right?'

Cobb's eyebrows shot up this time. 'How did you know his name? I didn't tell you any names over the phone.'

Eames anticipated Beni's next move, reaching forward as the man shouted and whipped out his gun.

'Make on more move and I'll blow your brains out.' Eames told Beni calmly, his own gun pointed squarely at the back of his head.

Beni dropped the gun. 'I had no choice,' he stuttered, 'you know what Cobol are like-'

'Cobol?' Eames looked quizzically at Cobb, 'What's Cobol got to do with anything?'

Cobb took a deep breath; he knew he had to handle this situation calmly and now bitterly regretted not coming clean earlier. 'The Mark.'

'What about the Mark?'

'I never told you, never told any of you; the Mark is Peter Woodruff.' Cobb didn't break eye contact with the Forger.

'Peter Woodruff?' repeated Eames dumbly. 'The Peter Woodruff? The most cold-hearted sadistic bastard in the entire dream-sharing business. That Peter Woodruff?'

'Yes.'

'You bloody idiot. You stupid bastard. Why the hell would you do an extraction from him? Of all people? And not tell us? There's no way Arthur would've agreed to this!'

'Arthur didn't know. I didn't tell him because I knew he wouldn't agree to it. Think about it, Eames, this payload is half a million each! None of us could pass this up!'

'You fed Arthur to the lions!' Eames shouted, the gun now pointed at Cobb, 'They've had him for days, doing God knows what. They've taken his finger off and posted it to us, for God's sake! They could be hammering down the door any minute! And you!' he pointed the gun back at Beni, who shrank back. 'How did you know it was Arthur who had been taken? How did you know-' Eames fell silent as the pieces fell into place. 'You told them where we are- that's how we got his finger; you delivered it to us. You're working for Cobol!'

Cobb watched as the red mist descended behind Eames' eyes. There would be no talking him down now.

'Tell me where he is.'

'I don't know where they're holding him.' Beni stammered.

'Bullshit. You know. You picked up his bloody finger, for God's sake!'

'I only knew where you were after Cobb told me! All I know is that they've moved Arthur and surrounding this building.'

'Moved him?' Cobb moved forwards. 'Moved him where?'

'I don't know. I have to give the signal for the men to move in on this place. If I don't report back, they'll know something's wrong.'

Cobb pinched his nose. 'After all these years, Beni. All we went through.'

Beni watched him sadly. 'I didn't know they had tortured anyone. Not until this morning, when they gave me that box.'

'No, I don't believe you!' Eames held the gun up again. 'You've known where he was all this time-'

'But I didn't know where you were! That is what Woodruff is after. He wants Dom to answer for the Saito job. He wants to know what went wrong and he wants his revenge.'

'Tell us where he is and I'll find a way to get you out of this,' implored Cobb. 'Give them the signal and let us escape. We'll keep you safe.'

Beni considered this. He knew he didn't really have much of an option; if he didn't agree to help, he knew the Englishman wouldn't let him leave. He nodded and Cobb sighed, motioning for Eames to put the gun down. Eames did so very reluctantly.

'Now,' Cobb said quietly. 'Tell us where they were holding him.'

'They moved him this morning, I don't know to where. But I know he was being kept in a crypt to the west of Cairo.'

Cobb nodded, running to grab a map off the wall. 'Mark it.'

Beni did so and reached into his jacket pocket. Eames trained the gun on him, but relaxed when Beni only pulled out a radio. He tensed up once more when Beni raised his gun.

'Beni,' Cobb warned, 'don't do anything stupid.'

Beni nodded and pointed the gun to the floor, firing four times into the carpet. He then clicked on the radio. 'It's done. All terminated. Tell the Boss.'

He flicked off the radio and put the gun down.

'Give them five minutes to vacate. Boss won't be happy; he wanted you alive, Dom.'

Cobb hummed and moved to pack a bag.

Yusuf and Ariadne walked wearily into the room from the small sleeping room, Ariadne with her gun drawn.

'It's ok,' Eames told her, motioning with his hand. 'it's all under control. We know where Arthur is. Or was.'

Ariadne nodded. Beni took a calming breath and walked to the window. He pulled back the blind and leaned forwards, squinting in the harsh sun.

'Beni, keep away from the-' Cobb shouted a warning, but was too late.

Glass exploded over the room as Beni slumped to the floor, the bullet hole bleeding on his forehead.

'Bloody hell, they'll even kill their own men.' Gasped Eames, moving to check Beni's pulse. 'Dead.'

'Dammit!' growled Cobb.

Eames held up a thick book at the window, obstructing the sun. Nothing happened. 'Looks like our trigger -happy business men have gone.' He observed.

'Maybe,' agreed Cobb, moving to the door. 'But they could be back any minute. Stay low and get to the car.'

'Let's go.'

-x-

Eames kicked the door open, his gun drawn and fire in his eyes. The crypt echoed with the sounds of their footsteps, but otherwise was silent. There was a faint dripping sound, but Eames marched on, Cobb and Yusuf following; Ariadne had been left to lookout at the car.

The tunnel curved to the left, sloping downwards slightly. It was deathly silent, Eames's own breathing filling his ears. It got colder as they walked on, and Yusuf pulled his clothes tighter.

'Wait, look.' Cobb motioned towards an open door, then pointing to the floor; the sand and stones were all scuffed up around the doorway.

Eames nodded and holstered his gun. He walked forwards and stood looking into the room.

'Fucking hell.'

A table with bottles of water stood in front of a spindly wooden chair, wire wrapped around the arms and legs. Eames's breathing quickened when he saw the pools of blood on the floor. Spotting something else, he knelt down to pick the small object up.

'Is that…'

'Fingernails.' Confirmed Cobb grimly. He was about to say something else when he saw what else was displayed on the table. A postcard. On it, in bright letters was written a place name, surrounded by pictures of tourist destinations. A cheap, tacky gift. He turned it over to see the handwritten note.

'Eames' he said sharply, his voice ringing in the silence. 'I know where they've taken Arthur.'

Eames took the card. On it were written only two words.

With regards

He turned it over, swearing when he read the destination.

Mombasa.