6- An Old Friend

Cobb spun his coffee cup between his hands, careful not to move any of the black liquid from its place. The coffee was completely level and undisturbed. The cup, however, spun around and around. Like rings on a distant planet, it glided around the coffee as if it and the liquid were completely separated. Two distant objects in constant motion.

Eames knocked on the wood with his hard knuckles. "You awake in there, mate?"

Cobb sipped his coffee and sat it back down on his dish. His eyes remained distant as they watched the street outside the coffee shop. "So what can we really say about them? Are they back, officially?"

"If they are then it means the death of us, all of us."

Cobb wondered about Ariadne. "I shouldn't have brought her in."

"Don't sulk. You didn't know they would come back and she knew exactly what she was getting herself into when she joined."

Cobb felt a singe of anger and responsibility. "She had no idea. It was a risk-"

Eames jabbed a finger at Cobb's front pocket. "Exactly! Risky decisions have consequences. You know that all too well, Cobb.

Cobb knew Eames was right but a man sitting behind Eames caught his attention. He eyed his jacket as the man read his paper to himself. He didn't like him at all. Eames nodded over to the man behind him but did not turn to look. He noticed him too. Cobb nodded in return and motioned for the shop's exit.

Just as Eames had dropped his tip on the table and sat up to leave, the man behind him dropped his paper and turned around to face them both.

Eames looked as if he saw a ghost,

"You're shorting the fair lady a few cents." A young man in his twenties grinned. He stood up, joined by Eames, and embraced him with unbearable strength.

"My god Stewart!" Eames gasped.

"Yes, it's been too long." Stewart released his embrace and shook hands with Cobb who was two seconds from sprinting.

"Stewart Grant." The young man introduced himself.

"Grant?" Cobb's mind froze but Eames smiled at him reassuringly.

"Yes, my father is the man who nearly killed your newest recruit and put himself into a coma."

Cobb realized that the young man knew too much. His heart was skipping enough beats to make its own.

Eames placed his hand on Cobb's shoulder. "Cobb, relax. He knows."

"I'm sorry Mr. Grant but how do you know about what we do?"

"Because we used to work together." Eames cut in. "We were partners."

"Partners?" Cobb whispered rather harshly.

Eames allowed Stewart to sit with them at their table before continuing to explain.

"Cobb," Eames began, "I told you that I was in the game a very long time. Stewart here helped with many extractions back in the day."

"No, the real help was Henry," said Stewart. "That man was made of gold."

"Who?"

"Henry Charter. A U.S. Soldier who used to be a part of the prototype of the machine we use now."

"What happened to him?" Cobb asked.

"Poor chap," said Stewart. He shook his head in discomfort.

"He got involved in politics the wrong way. Honestly, we actually don't know."

"I didn't know you were involved this long…even since the machine's origins." Cobb's voice was calmer but stiffer.

Eames shrugged. "A minor detail."

Cobb leaned back and crossed his arms. It was too much. Then he put Stewart into the picture and pulled out the card with the insignia of a maze on it. Stewart's eyes froze.

"Cobb, what the hell are you doing?" Eames growled.

Cobb ignored him.

"If you used to work with him then you know what this is." Cobb said.

"Where did you find that?"

"In your house. Mrs. Grant said that your father was working corporate security and when I found this on his desk it only provoked the question of for whom."

"My father couldn't have worked for them. He knows nothing about it."

"Are you still working with them?" Cobb leaned in closer, his voice trailing a sound of discontent.

"Cobb, that's enough. We'll figure this out in due time. First we need to find out how this was in his house in the first place and then we'll need to evade them at all costs." Eames took the card and pocketed it.

"I didn't know they were still a threat," said Stewart.

"Those people," Cobb pointed at Eames' jacket, are of the worst kind. They are a threat to anyone who can dream."

"If they've returned, and that looks like proof that they have, then you need to get away." Stewart said lowly.

"Not yet. Eames and I are in the middle of a project involving some heavy stuff."

Eames rolled his eyes. "I hate beating around the bush. He's talking about inception, Stewart."

"You're crazy!"

Cobb smiled. "Crazy does the trick sometimes. We would've done it sooner but that little bastard popped up. We can't go on with a project like this while they're around."

"So you need them removed?"

Eames and Cobb nodded.

"Let me help. I know what I'm doing in this field." Stewart pleaded.

"He has the experience, Cobb. He's the best."

Cobb was offended.

"Think it over." Stewart continued.

"Alright, we'll contact you. In the meantime find out what you can about them. We need to know if they've been in your house, what they want, will they return? Everything."

Stewart nodded obediently.

"But most importantly," Cobb's voice dropped to a low snarl, "can we trust you."

Eames answered for him. "Take it from me- we can."

Stewart smiled and shook hands with Cobb. He looked at his new employer, then to Eames and then to the pocket that held the card with the insignia inside.