Title: Betrayed
Chapter 10 – Emotional Blackmail
"What the hell Eames!"
"Pardon?"
Arthur quickly recovers and looks at Eames in shock as the worried forger hurries toward him. "As always your timing is impeccable!" Arthur's angry voice bellows as Eames stops dead in his tracks and looks at Arthur with pursed lips and a small growl.
"Why thank you Eames for saving my sweet arse yet again…for the third time today I might add. Not that anyone's counting," Eames remarks dryly as Arthur offers Eames a weary glare. "Or something along those lines."
"I had this under control!" Arthur hisses as he steps to the right; Eames countering.
"He had a gun."
"He can't shoot very well…look that's not the point. This was my fight and…damn it Eames he was going to tell me who set me up! Is Cecil alive?"
"Define alive?" Eames retorts matter of factly as he once again blocks Arthur's path; Arthur pulling back in exasperation.
"Get out of my way Eames."
"We need to leave now."
"You're unbelievable. I need to talk to Cecil."
"Trust me it won't do any good," Eames replies as he looks at the wound on Arthur's arm and frowns at the fresh blood trails running down his taut forearm. "You're a bloody mess darling and I do mean that literally. Let's get you ou…"
"Are you even listening to me? I need to find…damn it," Arthur huffs as he hops over Bryan's silent corpse and tries to push past Eames; Eames, however, counters his movement's not letting Arthur pass. "You really don't want to push me right now Eames, trust me," he growls as he looks at Eames with a fierce gaze.
"You hear the sirens? By the time we get back down that tunnel the cops will be there and Cecil will be whisked off to some hospital where the doctors…will try to put him back together again. But trust me he won't be talking to anyone for a while."
"What did you do?" Arthur demands in exasperation.
"I evened the odds. It's time to go now."
"Eames…"
"Sadly I don't have that gag handy, but don't make me go all caveman on you and toss you over my shoulder love," he slightly smirks before his gaze turns serious. "Someone else would have heard the shooting and the called for help. The police will be here any moment now. I don't know about you but I make it a habit not to get too friendly with local law enforcement."
"Eames…"
"Cecil doesn't have what you need, I do."
"What?" Arthur twists his head back and looks at Eames in utter shock. "He told you?"
"Gave him no option really. But we must leave now."
"I want the name Eames!" Arthur pulls back and raises his gun.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. I want that name."
"Trust me love you'd miss me far too much if you pulled that," Eames winks before he turns on his heel and hurries toward the small door that would take them back into the tunnel and then back toward the hidden men who had helped them earlier.
"This is unbelievable," Arthur growls in an undertone as shouting at the end of the tunnel snaps him back to reality and as much as he doesn't want to be at Eames mercy, he knows he has no other choice. He turns back to Bryan once more; Eames turning back to see Arthur hovering over the body and hurrying back to collect the lingering point man.
"Come on now," Eames takes Arthur by his uninjured arm and pulling him back just as Arthur's hand snatch something from inside Bryan's pocket, Arthur jerking his arm free and holding up the bloody locket for Eames to see. "Anything else you need?"
"No," Arthur half whispers as he pushes past Eames and heads for the hidden door; Eames gently but firmly closing it just as the local police arrive to collect Bryan's corpse about five minutes later. The two of them remain in the dark in place a few moments before they finally pull away and very quietly make their way back toward the small group of men waiting for them.
"Eames!" Arthur stops them just before the reach the mouth of the last tunnel that would take them back to their original location. "I want to know what Cecil told you!"
Eames turns to Arthur with a soft expression but sighs heavily. "So you can go off with a full head of steam and do something rash?"
"That isn't your call. You're not my keeper Eames!" Arthur icily retorts as anger starts to flash in his warm chocolate orbs.
"Come darling let's get you tended to yes?" Eames simply turns. But already driven by frustrated anger, Arthur grabs Eames right forearm and yanks him back. Eames counters by using his left hand to push back on Arthur's right shoulder not wanting to damage his already wounded arm. Arthur tries to jerk himself free as Eames left fist grabs a handful of his undershirt and tries to pull him back.
Arthur counters by bringing both his arms up and breaking Eames hold, his body twisting to face Eames as they stand facing each other with heaving chests and flushed faces.
"I want that name! That information isn't yours to toy with!"
"I never said I wasn't going to give it to you but since we aren't exactly out of the woods yet I…"
Arthur shakes his head as he turns and heads out of the tunnel not waiting for Eames to finish; walking a few paces before he feels a set of eyes watching him and turns to see Fred and Barney emerge from the shadows.
"Thank you," Arthur tells them in a kind tone as he hands Fred his gun back.
"The good guys won then I take it?"
"We won," Arthur stonily retorts as he looks at Eames who merely purses his lips and utters a light growl as he nears. "Wish I had some way to repay you."
"Helping you win was reward enough. Take care of yourself young man."
"I will."
"Thanks for the help," Eames gives each of them a firm handshake; following Arthur's lead before he too takes his leave and hurries after Arthur back toward the car. But instead of getting into the car, Arthur makes a move to bypass.
"I'm walking."
"With that bloody arm exposed like that darling how far do you think you'll get before you attract the wrong kind of attention?" Eames calls out; his words forcing Arthur to halt in his tracks, his back still to Eames. "The fight is over. Let's get back to the house, get cleaned up and then make a new plan for getting the rest of our answers yes?"
"One condition," Arthur lightly groans as he shakes his head and turns back with a small frown. "Don't you dare be tempted by the cuffs in there," he concludes with a lighter tone.
"Oh you wound me love," Eames offers a mock pout. But he can only offer an amused smirk as he watches Arthur head back to the car, pull open the door and climb into the back; literally collapsing onto the seat as the door closes, sealing him inside.
"So I'm to be chauffeur again hmmm," Eames muses as he gets into the front and then turns around to see Arthur look up with a strained frown. "Bryan never would have given you the name and you know it. He wanted either you or him or both to die not knowing."
"But…"
"Hush now," Eames interjects, earning himself a small tight lipped grumble from Arthur. Eames starts up the engine, wipes the bloody residue from his face before he slowly directs the car into traffic heading back to the orphanage; Arthur content for the meantime to remain on the backseat – resting. His fingers pull the locket and stare at it in wonder. His token…and other personal effects he could replace but this he couldn't. it was the last thing his mother had given him before she left and the only thing that reminded him they were real, years after they were never seen again.
They reach the orphanage, Eames slowly pulling the car into the small garage; his eyes looking around to see who was waiting for them. The open house was underway and he knows they would draw at least some attention to themselves in their current condition.
"Seriously?" Arthur huffs in wonder as Eames hands him his jacket but not before he pulls out the Tim wig and mustache.
"Cover your arm."
"Eames…"
"Hold on," Eames gently whispers as he reaches into the pocket of the jacket Arthur was now wearing and pulls out a small cloth, gently wiping away the blood from Arthur's smooth skin. "There you go darling. The rest you'll have to wash off yourself."
"Eames!" Arthur tries once more as Eames affixes the black wig.
"It's Ti…its Tim," Eames rebuts in his fake American tone. "Let's go."
Knowing it was literally pointless to argue, Arthur can only shake his head and follow after Eames as the two of them emerge from the garage to a few wondering glances from some visitors in the backyard. Both merely offer curt nods as Eames directs them to the fire escape stairwell on the side of the house; giving them a bit more privacy from having to walk through the front door in their rather disheveled appearance.
As they reach the top of the stairs, Arthur pulls away and heads for the room he had been held captive in earlier, once again grumbling to himself as he tears off Eames jacket and sets about gathering his possessions; the ones Bryan and Cecil had pilfered through a few hours earlier.
"You actually saw him touch it?" Arthur holds up his weighted die.
"Fondled it like he was in love," Eames answers with a small huff as he watches Arthur in concern.
"I'll be fine. Where are you staying anyways?"
"Cross the street. Come now and let's look at that arm shall we."
"Eames I got this."
"I really wasn't asking," Eames retorts lightly.
But despite his wanting to protest, Arthur doesn't put up much of a fuss when Eames leads him to the bathroom to get his arm tended to and re-bandaged. After a few minutes of silent cleaning of his wound, Eames looks up to see Arthur's absent gaze fixed on the wall behind him.
"Does it hurt?" Eames asks when Arthur's face lightly winces at the effects of the disinfectant.
"What?...uh no sorry…maybe a little…it's okay," Arthur lightly stammers he turns back to see what Eames had done. "Just lost in thought."
"Care to share?"
"You know my terms. I want that name," Arthur states firmly as his arm tightens in Eames gentle grip. "Why aren't you telling me anyways?" Arthur huffs as he jerks his arm free in angry defiance.
"I will," Eames retorts as he grabs Arthur's arm and places it back where it was; both of them firmly holding the gaze of the other before Arthur mutters and looks away; Eames looking back down at Arthur's wound to finish tending to it.
"How's your side?" Arthur finally asks in a softer tone.
"It's fine," Eames replies in truth as he reaches for the soft bandage wrapping. "Before or after you shower?"
"Now is fine. I'll shower tomorrow," Arthur answers somewhat absently; Eames taking his cue and completing his task. After he's done, Arthur gets up off the edge of the counter and faces Eames with his trademark anxious expression. "Let's see that side. Now."
"Love when you're demanding darling; didn't know you liked a bit of role reversal," Eames lightly quips, always taking satisfaction in coaxing a somewhat shy smile from Arthur's lips.
"You've made a mess Eames."
"Semantics," he casually retorts as they both listen to the commotion outside. "Think Garth might be busy for the rest of the day."
"Bryan said Garth was clean and I'm leaning toward believing him. Hold still a sec," Arthur muses in an undertone as he reaches for a large bandage. "But I do think he knows more about the death of my parents than he's letting on."
"You sure you really want to dig up the past? Maybe there's a reason he didn't tell you," Eames gently suggests as Arthur pulls back from cleaning Eames side. "I don't want to provoke a fight but sometimes the truth really does hurt."
"I can take it now. At least I have to try right?"
"Your last memory of them was a good one?"
"I need to know. I just do."
"Okay so we'll…"
"Eames."
"Well I've survived this adventure so far, you can't just shoo me away this close to the end can you?"
"Would you actually stay shooed away?" Arthur arches his brows in wonder.
"What do you think?"
"I think that's a no."
"Very good. Now can I trust you to behave while I go and get my things and come back? Or maybe I do have to bring out the cuffs so you'll be here when I get back?" Eames playfully suggests.
"I have nowhere to go thanks to you, remember?" Arthur growls sourly as he heads out of the bathroom. "When you get back here I better get that name. When will that be?"
"I'll be back soon."
Without really knowing he was doing it; Arthur's face lightly cringes at the words spoken, his mind flashing back to when he was a small boy and being told the same thing by his mother.
'How long do I have to stay here mom?'
'Until I get back.'
'And when will that be?'
'I'll be back soon.'
"Arthur?"
"I'm fine," Arthur replies somewhat mechanically as he gathers up his somewhat busted suitcase, pushes past Eames and heads for the room he had been staying in the night before. Eames turns to follow but Arthur quickly locks the door and he he's left outside.
"Whatever I said…I'm sorry if it struck a nerve," Eames apologizes through the wooden door. He hears a small shuffle and turns to see Miles watching him silently. "I think I upset my friend."
"Wanna offer him a cookie?" Miles holds up one of the treats for the open house, Eames face breaking into a natural smile. "Cookie's always make my friends feel better."
"I think he'd like that, thank you Miles," Eames gives him a playful hair ruffle, taking the sweet treat and watching the boy head for his room with another one in tow, disappearing inside and locking the door. But just before he can knock on Arthur's door to offer the cookie bribe, Eames hears male voices and footsteps starting to ascend and knows it's time to take his leave.
"Why hello Tim," Garth greets with a firm nod; two strange men, that Eames would corrected deduce are creditors stand behind in the stairwell. "Tim is one of our success stories."
"Pleasure to meet you both. Only good things to report," Eames replies in earnest as he turns back to Arthur's closed door.
"Was that Arthur's voice I heard?"
"I think he's getting changed," Eames answers before he pushes past and heads for the front door; leaving Garth in the hallway heading for Arthur's room. As he heads across the street, his mind races as to what Arthur would do with the information he possessed. It's not yours to keep, his mind correctly reminds him. But would Arthur's betrayer actually give him the truth or just make up some lame excuse to save his own hide and escape before the truth could be forced from him.
'Tell me who set up Arthur!' Eames mind thinks back to the defunct subway tunnel; flashing images of him standing over Cecil with his gun raised. 'WHO?'
'Choke on it'!
*bang*
'Ahhhhhhhh. Oh damn….you shot my…knee…ahhhhhhhhh…'
'Next one will be higher. I want a name!'
'Okay okay…but he'll never give…Arthur what…he wants…oh damn…'
'Arthur can be the judge of that. WHO?'
Eames darts into the back door of the hostel and hurries up to his room to pack up; thankful to be rid of the musty smelling dwelling, telling himself he'd either be staying in the orphanage tonight or back on a plane to Mombasa – the ball was literally in Arthur's court. But as he gets dressed into something more – Eames, his mind can't help but mull over the name he was given. And it's only a matter of minutes before he dashes over to his laptop, types in the name and starts to search.
He finally finds what he's looking for and then goes back to dressing, telling himself that he'd spare Arthur the trouble of…it's not your call, his brain begs him to remember. This is only part of your fight! You can't deny Arthur the truth of who tried to betray him. He deserves to know and face them in person!
Eames finds himself on the front street in an emotional conundrum. Part of him wanted to track down the traitorous sod and deal him some two fisted justice and spare Arthur the grief; reasoning that this person wouldn't give Arthur the whole truth no matter what. The other part tells him that he should honor his word, tell Arthur who it is and then go and face said traitor together.
"Bloody hell," Eames huffs in an undertone as a cab pulls up a few meters away. His conflicted blue orbs look at the cab and then back at the orphanage; his mind racing for the right answers.
But before he can take another step in either direction, suddenly a small face appears, intent on swaying his decision.
A/N: So who did Eames see? How will it affect his decision? And ultimately his relationship with Arthur? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!