A/N: Hola! Thank you all again for reading this story, and reviewing it! This chapter is probably going to be slightly longer than usual. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am not Christopher Nolan, nor do I own his works. I'm just playing with his characters. :)
….
"Darling, you are a bloody idiot." Arthur glared at Eames for a moment, before covering his face with his hands. He stood up, turning away from the Forger. For once, Eames was right.
They were having a tough time extracting without a decent architect. Jobs were still completed, but not without being considerably more difficult. When Eames had discovered that Ariadne would no longer be a part of their team, he refused to do another job until Arthur told him the reason. Needless to say, he was not happy. They took jobs together anyways, Eames acting as the forger and the architect, and Arthur as the Point Man and Extractor.
"Arthur- get her back. So you want to shag her, what's the big deal? She's the best damn architect I've ever worked with, and we need her. Just go and apologize." Arthur knew Eames was right. They needed Ariadne.
"Alright, just give me time. I'll do it before we take any more jobs. No guarantee that she'll forgive me, Eames." Without another word, Arthur left the hotel, hoping that a walk would clear his mind. The air in Australia was quickly cooling down as winter was approaching- it would be good for his exhausted mind.
He missed her. Not just in a professional sense, but primarily in a personal way. He missed her quick wit and easy laugh. She was a pleasant person to be around, and her absence left a glaring hole in him. At least she was safe.
….
"What do you know about being a Point Man?" With a pang in her chest, Ariadne thought of Arthur. Despite herself, she missed him. Hell, she missed all of them.
"Their job is to gather information about the subject. They learn as much as possible in the given amount of time, using the information to fill in the details of the dream. They make the dream seem more realistic to the dreamer." Liam nodded at her, satisfied with her answer.
"You have an understanding of the job- that's a good start. Why don't I give you an example of what the information that you're looking for will be like? I did a little work on you." Liam grinned when he saw her shocked expression.
"I didn't reali-" Liam interrupted.
"That's the point, isn't it, my dear?" Ariadne nodded, remaining silent. "Let's see, Ariadne Marie Turner, born and raised in Montreal, moved to Paris when you were 19, raised by Meredith Turner, deceased- suicide and Robert Turner. Three brothers, Michael, Christopher and Geoffrey. Shoplifted mascara when you were 15- got off with a warning. Graduated from Eagle High School with Honors. That's just the surface of what I know about you, Ariadne." She just stared at him. How the hell did he know about all of that?
"How did you do that?"
"That's exactly what you're learning. The best way to go about learning this is by practicing. I have a practice 'subject' in mind- your friend Arthur." Ariadne shook her head.
"That's impossible, I don't know anything about him, with the exception of his first name." Liam smiled wickedly.
"That's the hard part. You use everything that you do have- a picture, a sketch, whatever. Do background checks, bribe informants- use your imagination, Ariadne. You have three days." With that, he led her to the door, and she began her walk home.
She was screwed. There was no way to find this information. Ariadne took the long way home, hoping to find some ideas. When she was home, she was still stuck. Suddenly, she did what any other college student would do while stumped for information- she Googled it.
Opening her web browser, she typed 'background check based on sketches.' Because she had no photographs, she figured this was the best route. Even if she could just get a name, it would give her a solid place to start. Surprisingly, she got a couple of hits on her search. She clicked on the most legitimate looking site. Send a sketch or photograph to this address, along with $50, and we will send as much information as we can find on the person in question. No refunds.
She quickly pulled out a piece of paper and pencil, and started to sketch. She quickly drew the outline of his head, the shading on his strong jaw, the slight upward curve of his mouth- an almost permanent ghost of a smile. She drew his strong, masculine nose, his slicked back hair. Ariadne saved his eyes for last, her favorite part of his handsome face. They were dark, full of knowledge, with lovely long lashes. These were the same eyes that she had woken up to after her first PASIV-induced dream. At that time they were laced with concern, attempting to comfort her. That was how she preferred to remember them- as opposed to the cold eyes that had glared at her the last time she had seen the Point Man.
She mailed the envelope, along with a substantial amount of extra cash- to insure speed, the following morning, hoping for good luck. A large part of her was eager to know more about the enigmatic Arthur. A much smaller, nagging part of her was scared of what she would discover, and nervous to present it to Liam.
Ariadne got her answer the next day. She hastily ripped open the thick manila package, and pulled out the contents. She was shocked. They found him.
Dear Ms. Smith,
As you can see, we have found your person in question. We hope to continue doing business with you.
Sincerely,
Jim Baxter and co.
Subject Name: Arthur David Robinson
DOB: February 16, 1984
Birthplace: New Providence, New Jersey
Parents: Eileen Elizabeth Robinson (deceased- cancer)
James Arthur Robinson (deceased- automobile accident)
Siblings: Samuel Christopher Robinson (estranged)
Current Location: Australia
Occupation: Unknown
Criminal Record: Assault, 2006, USA
Along with the information, they had attached photos of Arthur. However, Ariadne couldn't focus on the pictures. The only thing she was able to focus on was the familiar name of Arthur's brother; the same name as the subject of the Extraction. All of these thoughts were erased from her mind, however, when Ariadne realized that she was not alone.
Ariadne felt panic raise in her throat, a slow, thick, burning monster as she whipped around to see the person standing in her doorway. Liam.
"Liam? W-what are you doing here?" Liam took a step towards Ariadne.
"You've done exceptionally well, Ariadne, exceptionally well."
"Liam, why am I extracting from Arthur's brother? Did you know about that connection?"
"Of course I have. The thing is, we aren't extracting from Samuel Robinson. He was simply a lure to get to you here. In turn, you, my lovely girl, are a lure for Arthur. Funny how things work out, isn't it?"
Ariadne stared, frozen, for a moment, before lunging towards the door with a cry. Liam quickly reached out, grabbing her by her hair, shoving her against the wall.
"Don't make it harder than it needs to be, Ariadne. Come with me, and you will not be hurt… yet." Ariadne responded by aiming a kick towards his leg. He seemed to be expecting this. He did not seem to expect, however, the punch aimed at his throat. This startled him enough to drop her, and once again she was darting towards the door. Liam pounced on her, both of them falling to the floor with a crash- in the fall she heard a sickening crack as she felt her wrist break. Ariadne struggled desperately against him, but it was no use. Liam pulled a gun from his hip, and pointed it at her.
"Come with me, Ariadne. I do not wish to shoot you. I won't kill you, but it will hurt." All of her resolve drained out of her; she knew there was no hope of escaping. Liam pulled her to her feet, keeping a tight hold on her arm with one hand, simultaneously keeping his gun trained on her. Ariadne felt blood dripping down her cheek, felt bruises forming along her body. Quickly, Liam led her out of the apartment, away from safety, hope and comfort.
….
A/N: Good Lord, that was exhausting. Review, please! I love your feedback.