(Alrighty, the point of no return. I'd like to begin by saying that Chapter Four and Chapter Five were originally just one chapter. I like the transition between the two but unfortunately the two together would've been unbearably long to read so I decided to split them. This chapter is a nice teaser about what's to come. I'm sorry if it doesn't get your engines rolling for you Romantic, Action or Mystery fans out there but if you pay close attention you might actually get a few hints about the direction of the story. Please review it anyway and let me know what you think and then proceed to Chapter Five for the BIG ONE. Oh yes, answers will be revealed! Enjoy!)

4

"What's on your mind, Cobb?"

Cobb snapped back to reality and raised his eyebrows. Eames walked up next to him with his usual demeanor and crossed his arms. Cobb's expression became focused again but his eyes remained on the window in front of him.

"I don't feel right, Eames. Something is wrong."

"In this job there usually is."

"No, it's not something we did. Nor is it something we can prevent, I think."

"If we can't control it then there's no point in doing so and no use in sulking around in it."

"Eames," Cobb began as he pulled out a business card from his pocket. He revealed a black and white insignia of a miniature maze that was centered on one side of the card.

Eames did a double take and scoffed. "Where in hell did you find this?"He picked up the business card, felt the expensiveness of the material and examined the insignia.

"I took it."

Eames stopped cold as he looked at Cobb bewildered.

"You took this? Meaning this card was within a hundred mile range?"

Cobb nodded. He continued staring at the people walking around in the streets below and wondered how many of them realized that they were awake. He would've given an arm just to know who had been living in auto-pilot their entire lives.

"We have to relocate then and find some other place to regroup." Eames's voice was rushed.

"We're not going anywhere." Cobb looked at Eames. "We're not running. We're staying here until this," Cobb eyed the card in Eames's hands, "whole thing blows over."

"I hope you're right. How did you get that anyway?"

Cobb closed his eyes and re-winded his mind to his first confrontation with a bedridden Ariadne. He remembered the argument with Arthur before walking towards another hospital room…

Cobb stood in front of a white door with a folder hanging on it. He read the name on the tab and then closed his eyes before knocking on the door. One deep breath and an answer later and he was completely in character.

"Can I help you?" A dark haired woman who was turned away from Cobb asked him with a weary voice.

Cobb entered the room and smiled. The woman was still turned away. She was sitting next to a bed that was occupied with a man completely draped in bandages.

"Hi, I hope I'm not disturbing you Mrs. Grant." Cobb held out his hand.

Mrs. Grant finally turned around to look at him and returned the smile. Cobb was taken aback. She had a sudden beauty that he was not prepared for. She had tender brown eyes, a thin and sophisticated smile and lovely skin that reminded him of someone in hidden in the far recesses of his memories.

"Of course not," she answered softly.

"I'm Detective Michael King and I'd like to ask you a few things."

"About my husband's accident?"

Cobb nodded.

"Could I see your identification?" Her voice had changed to immediate and defensive.

Cobb handed her his badge and observed the man in bandages. Mrs. Grant gave him back his badge and folded her hands quietly.

"Ask away," she said.

Cobb sat down in the chair next to hers. "I read the report. It states that your husband was driving yesterday evening before the crash. Do you know where your husband was driving from and to?"

"No, I don't," she answered back strongly.

"What line of work does your husband specialize in?"

"Corporate Security." Again she answered back with a tense tone.

"Really? With whom?"

"I don't know. He never spoke about his employers."

"I see and what is the extent of your husband's injuries?"

"Well, the doctors told me that he's unconscious and is suffering several broken bones."

"Unconscious?"

"Yes," Mrs. Grant's eyes suddenly flared, "and when I see the person who did this…"

"I understand, Mrs. Grant. And what type of work do you specialize in?"

"Me? Oh I'm a magician."

"A magician?" Cobb repeated.

"Oh yes. Would you like to see a magic trick?"

Cobb felt an uneasiness surge through him. "Sure, why not."

Mrs. Grant closed her eyes and slapped her hands together. She rubbed them together furiously before taking them back apart with fingers closed. She opened her right hand up and placed it over Cobb's shirt pocket and stretched out her left arm.

"Make a wish," she whispered.

Cobb's uneasiness was topping over.

Mrs. Grant opened her eyes back up and smiled. She uncurled her left hand and showed him a small object that was sitting on her palm.

Cobb studied the object and carefully picked it up. It was Mal's spinning top.

"How did you-"

"I'm a magician, Mr. King." Mrs. Grant smiled quickly and then checked her cell phone. "I'm sorry but I have to go."

"Of course," Cobb pocketed the top and stood up. Suddenly a small rectangular card caught his eye. It had an image that he was too familiar with. The business card with a maze for an insignia was on top of the nightstand. Cobb looked around for Mrs. Grant and then followed to place the business card into his pocket. Cobb felt the card burn a hole in his shirt but we remained calm regardless and left the room.

As Mrs. Grant closed the door behind her she looked at Cobb and sighed.

"If there's nothing else the police department needs, I would like to leave this matter be. I just want my husband back."

"I understand and I wish your husband a speedy recovery."

Mrs. Grant bid her farewell and left Cobb standing alone with his mind entirely on the object in his pocket. He took a deep breath and hoped Arthur was still at Ariadne's room. Cobb took off as fast he could as he tried to make sense of everything.

"Since when did you forge?" Eames's admiration towards Cobb's counterfeit badge was obvious.

"Oh, I did a couple of forgery jobs a few lifetimes ago." Cobb smiled lightly hoping he would get it.

"Why did you go in there to begin with?" Eames asked.

"I had to know how the driver was doing."

"Not your responsibility, Cobb."

"That doesn't mean I don't have to take into consideration who's lives we've just broken."

"Cobb, Ariadne didn't look where she was going. The man wasn't looking where he was driving. The two nearly collided and the driver took the shorter end of the stick. It's called life."

"What about that?" Cobb pointed at the business card again.

Eames looked down. "I have nothing to say about this." He shook it in the air and then dropped it.

"Where are you going?"

Eames was on his way out of their headquarters when he stopped. He turned around and pointed at the card on the floor. "I'm going to start working on Plan B before that thing bites us in the ass."

"What's Plan B?"

Eames laughed on his way out. "You will see."

Cobb looked at the maze on the card once more and felt himself being suddenly pulled into his own maze of confusion. Then he stepped on the card as if it was an insect.

(Remember, please review! No matter how short, everything will be appreciated! Even you random fanfiction reader who doesn't normally review. Yes, you. Your review counts too.)