Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me. All readers and reviews appreciated, thank you!
"Hello?" Cobb's voice drifted out of the phone. Elise tightened her grip on her handset.
"Dom? Its Elise."
A pause opened up. "Hi. May I ask why you're calling?"
"I'm worried about Arthur."
"Why?"
Elise bit her lip. Cobb could be infuriatingly obtuse at times, and this was a time she didn't welcome it. "Because…I think he's been abducted."
A silence emerged at the end of the phone. "Excuse me?" Cobb's voice was almost inaudible. "Is this a joke?"
She swallowed before replying. "I wish it were."
"Elise. Get to the warehouse. I think you owe us all an explanation."
Arthur's eyelids fluttered, and he stirred. The side of the bed felt rough, and scratchy. Frowning, he moved.
"Hey, sleeping beauty."
Arthur's eyes opened fully. They widened. Standing in front of him was a man, dressed in a nurse's outfit. He was grinning. It reminded Arthur of a shark.
"Good to see you again, Ogilvie," he commented, still grinning. "You're looking so well!"
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Do we know each other?"
"Amazing," the guy said, shaking his head, "you're no longer a size zero. In fact, you're almost a size one! Shame about the stick arms and flat ass, does that little brunette mind?"
Arthur blinked. "Listen, whoever you are, don't speak to me like-"
"Oh, you're still an arrogant bastard!" The man said, raising his eyebrows. "You still think you're on top!" He shook his head, sorrowfully. "What a shame, Ogilvie. I'm going to have to knock that out of you!"
He turned, and started to leave. Suddenly, Arthur found his voice. "Hey!"
The man turned, slowly, insolently. "Yeah?"
"How do you know…" Arthur paused, swallowing. "About the little brunette?"
The man smiled. "You'll find out. Still, I'd take a seat. Nearly lunch time. I really don't want you feeling deprived." Chuckling, he turned and left, leaving Arthur feeling confused and, for the first time in a long time, slightly frightened.
"Cobb," Ariadne had an agitated expression on her face. "Do you know where Arthur is I've been trying his cell but-"
Cobb looked at her. "Ari, sit down, I think you need to listen." He swallowed, and rubbed his forehead. "I suspect Arthur has-"
The sound of footsteps echoed across the warehouse. Both looked up as Elise walked over. She was carefully adjusting her suit, and her face was anxious.
"Dom," she said, quietly, "let me explain-"
"Where is my Point Man?" Dom broke in. "If you can explain that one, I'd appreciate it."
"I don't know," she said, honestly. "I arranged to meet him at a restaurant, and he didn't show. Neither did Saito."
"Saito!" Dom's expression was furious. "What the hell are you involved in?"
"Did you ever wonder why I wasn't on the planer coming back from Tokyo?" She demanded, angrily. "Did you? Because Saito was holding a gun to my head! He tried to ruin the inception! Tried to pull Arthur's IV out!"
Dom blanched. Ariadne's lip quivered slightly.
"That doesn't excuse what you've done," Dom said, harshly. "You lead him to Saito, like a lamb going to the slaughter. Arthur doesn't know he's been incepted, but he's beginning to realise something isn't right. And when he does-"
"He'll turn on you and the rest of the team, which is exactly what Saito wants," Elise finished. "He doesn't want you, Cobb. Never has done. He wants Arthur. He's the lynchpin, and without him, you're finished."
"That may be the case," Dom said, slowly, "but he's not getting him."
"So where is he?" Ariadne asked, timidly. Elise turned and looked at her; she could see the tears forming in the Architect's eyes.
"My guess is he's back at the clinic," Elise said, softly. Dom went white.
"The clinic? Greenwood? Oh, Jesus…" the Extractor banged his hands on the table in despair. "They'll chew him up and spit him out. We have to get to him."
"They won't let you in!"
"No. You have to go!" Dom turned to her, his expression enraged. "You did this! You broke his heart a long time ago, he never really got over you! And now you've led him to a place where he'll be bingeing and purging again in less than a week! And if anyone wants to know why my Point Man, one of the best people I've ever worked with, is a broken shell, its your fault! Why couldn't you just leave him – and us – alone!"
Elise swallowed. "For what its' worth-"
"From you, its not worth anything," Dom said harshly. He walked up to her, and leaned close. "I suggest you stay very close to us, Elise. Because you need to help us find Arthur. And if I find out that you are slipping information to Saito, I'll react in a way you didn't think possible."
She looked at him, her mouth twisting. "I think you're capable of anything, Dom. Trust me."
Arthur shivered. He realised they'd removed his suit jacket, and his tie. And his shoes, he noticed, looking at his socked feet. He sat on the bed, wondering where he was. A strange feeling of familiarity was settling over him, but he couldn't work out where it had started.
Suddenly, the man was back, holding a tray. "Food!"
Arthur blinked. "I'm not hungry, thanks."
The other man looked perturbed. "Not like you. Thought you were used to stuffing your face?"
The Point Man began to bristle slightly. "What?"
"I mean, you're used to stuffing your face! Shame you can't keep it down!"
Arthur swallowed, and looked at the tray. It contained a bowl of Jell-O. Its waxy skin shivered in the light of the room, and he suddenly felt slightly nauseous.
"Eat it." The man said, and turned to walk out. "There's plenty more where that came from! We can't afford to send you out of here as a stick insect!"
Arthur swallowed. "Send me where? Where am I?"
"You really don't have a clue, do you?" The nurse looked at him, bewildered. Then his mouth split in a malicious smile. "But don't worry, Artie. You'll find out. And find out soon."
